The Sanyati Baptist Hospital in Zimbabwe is a 60-year-old icon of Southern Baptist overseas work that has fallen into serious disrepair as that country’s economy has collapsed.

On average, this bush hospital sees about 35,000 outpatients, cares for 1,800 inpatients, assists in 1,800 child births, and performs 1,000 minor surgical procedures and 240 C-sections.

Funds and resources weren’t matching the increased patient load, which is putting the hospital in crisis. There has been a limited supply of drugs and supplies while AIDS, TB, cholera, and malaria have risen. Baptist Global Response, partnered with Samaritan’s Purse, stepped in and helped provide needed medicines and clean water to help keep the doors open.

However, a malfunctioning water system, leaking roofs, rotting fascia, termite damage, electrical malfunctions, and a set of auto headlights jury-rigged from the ceiling of an operating room presented a significant challenge to the ministry team.

Volunteers are being mobilized from both U.S. and Zimbabwe churches to repair the hospital and portions of the station to working order. Rick Sykes, a retired maintenance project leader for General Motors and member of Pleasant Heights Baptist Church in Columbia, Tenn., was one of the first volunteers who saw the needs firsthand.

Sykes’ was at Sanyati to help with the hospital’s water problem–the compounds wells and pumps weren’t working–but he quickly saw a host of other maintenance issues. The electricity was off more than it was on, which creates life-threatening situations during surgery.

Sykes and his son (an electrician) used their fix-it experience to correct one of the more simple problems. That led to a host of other maintenance issues that needed their skill sets. A brainstorm or two later, and the idea to do an “Extreme Makeover” on the hospital was born.

“The five-year plan for the ‘extreme makeover’ project intends to restore the hospital facilities to a state where they can be locally maintained,” says Mark Hatfield, who directs work in Sub-Sahara Africa for Baptist Global Response.  

“God has used Sanyati Baptist Hospital to meet both physical and spiritual needs for 60 years,” Hatfield says. “Its ministry extends far beyond the 100,000 or so residents who look to the hospital for medical care. Sanyati is a symbol for the whole country of Christ’s loving compassion for the sick and hurting, and I don’t think God is finished with Sanyati Baptist Hospital yet.”

This is a five-year plan to engage volunteers in making the necessary repairs. This year, they’re hoping to have volunteer teams organized to accomplish the following: installing a solar power system, make necessary repairs to the interior and exterior of the chapel, and build a dorm for housing volunteers that will be used for nursing students after the makeover is completed.

In the remaining years of 2013, 2014, and 2015, all of the other work will be completed. This ranges from window repair, ceilings, electrical, plumbing, tile, cabinetry, painting, etc. All told, it will take a dozen teams per year to finish everything up.

Abortion is ugly—and politics can certainly get nasty. When the two intersect, the behavior of some politicians is, well, un-American.

Daphne Campbell, a freshman Florida State House Representative from Miami, experienced an un-American attack firsthand last week during her first legislative session—and the attack came from her own political party.

Here’s the background: The Ultrasound Bill came up for debate and a vote on the floor of the House Chamber on April 21. Campbell, a wife and mother of five children—who just so happens to work as a nurse—rose in passionate support for the pro-life bill that requires ultrasounds before abortions. She quoted from the book of Ezekiel and admonished members with the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” 

Republican members in the Florida House stood to their feet in a standing ovation as other Democrat members protested with arms folded, standing in the back of the chamber. That’s when one member of her own party viciously attacked the young representative.

“I was the victim of an altercation by my fellow state representative, Scott Randolph,” Campbell told Sunshine State News. “Several items were thrown in my face, foul language was used against me, and I was insulted and ridiculed in front of all my colleagues. I was called a ‘traitor’ and was told that I was going to be kicked out of office next year.” 

Randolph, whose assigned seat is right next to Campbell, started tossing papers on her desk and threw her pen in the trash, angered that a fellow Democrat would support the bill. When you understand some of the organizations that endorsed Randolph, his reaction makes plenty of sense. Planned Parenthood and Equality Florida are among his supporters.

Specifically, Randolph told Campbell “You are a traitor. … I swear, you will not be re-elected. I will get an opponent.” Campbell’s quick retort was: “You have no right. God put me here.”

“I spoke to Rep. Daphne Campbell by phone and personally thanked her and told her she is to be applauded for standing alone within her party in support of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society—the unborn,” says Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger. “She is a hero within our community and we will do everything we can to rally around her and support her.

“As for Rep. Scott Randolph, his temper-tantrum-like behavior is intolerant and juvenile. His disrespectful and shameless comments are a disgrace to the dignity of the Florida House of Representatives and he has behaved in a manner which is uncivil, undemocratic and un-American.”

Few expected radical Islam to take Osama bin Laden’s death lying down.

Prophetic
voices had warned of the obvious: retaliation from al-Qaida. It didn’t
take long for that prophecy to come to pass. The SITE Intelligence
Group’s monitoring service is reporting that al-Qaida has confirmed bin
Laden’s death in an Internet message. The terrorist group also vowed to
take revenge on the U.S. and its allies.

Al-Qaida released the statement on May 6 to jihad forums. SITE translated letter, which glorified bin Laden with a vengeance.

“In a historic day for the
great Islamic nation … the mujahid (holy warrior) Shiekh Abu Abdullah,
Osama bin Mohammed bin Laden, God have mercy on him, was killed on the
path taken by those before him and will be taken by others after him,”
Reuters reported on the statement. “Congratulations to the Islamic umma
(community) for the martyrdom of its son Osama.”

Al-Qaida also said it would soon release an audio tape bin Laden recorded before he died.

“It
will remain, with permission from God Almighty, a curse that hunts the
Americans and their collaborators and chase them outside and inside
their country. Their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood
will be mixed with their tears.

“We
call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan, on whose land Sheikh Osama was
killed, to rise up and revolt to cleanse this shame that has been
attached to them by a clique of traitors and thieves … and in general
to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread
corruption in it.

“We warn
the Americans not to harm the corpse of the sheikh or expose it to any
indecent treatment or to harm any members of his family, living or dead,
and to deliver the corpses to their families. Any harm done will open
the doors of evil upon you doubly, and you will not have anyone but
yourselves to blame.”

Secular and religious sources alike acknowledge that Arabic Christians may face the brunt of revenge attacks following Osama bin Laden’s death. The current debate over the release of photos to prove the al-Qaeda leader is dead is littered with concern over what kind of backlash there will be.

Radicals are already outraged by bin Laden’s death. Anything that stirs the pot more in the slightest could heat things up for Christians, who are likely to become the scapegoats.

“There’s concern that if we post pictures, or if we over inflate this whole situation, there will be tremendous implications for our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world,” explains Paul Estabrooks with Open Doors, USA.

Even secular sources have been quick to recognize the implications of revenge attacks on Christians. In an article released Tuesday, FrontPage Magazine listed numerous other occasions in which Muslim extremists attacked innocent Christians for the “offenses” of other Christians or of Americans.

Christians are often associated with the West due to their “Western” religion. They have historically been an easy target for angry Muslims, in particular.

“The Christian community is seen as the opportunity to take revenge when emotions become flared from all that’s happened with this killing of Osama bin Laden,” Estabrooks confirms.

Believers all over the Muslim world are in danger, but Christians in Pakistan and Afghanistan are especially at risk, says Estabrooks.

Christians have already suffered much at the hands of extremists, especially recently in Pakistan due to the abuse of blasphemy laws. Christians are already scapegoats for all sorts of issues they have nothing to do with. Taking revenge for the death of a leader on the minority may be pretty simple.

Despite the extreme danger for believers however, Open Doors has reminded Christians worldwide to respond as Christ would: praying for those who persecute. “How we respond to all of these things gives a different perspective to the rest of the world, because the rest of the world is revenge driven,” says Estabrooks. “We as Christians are to be forgiveness driven.”

We ought also remember that many Muslims are still flocking to Christ, says Estabrooks. God continues to reveal Himself even to radical Muslims across the globe. Estabrooks says: “That’s what we should be praying: that in spite of all of this upheaval, God will use this to impact many people to come to the knowledge of Himself.”

Picture this: Elijah was running for his life—from the wicked queen Jezebel.

At a time when he needed all the friends he could get, Elijah found himself isolated in the wilderness battling fearful imaginations of Jezebel’s henchmen making good on her death threat. His servant was supposed to protect him, to stand with him—to run with him if necessary. Instead this unnamed servant stayed behind in Beersheba (1 Kings 19:3). The Bible says Elijah left his servant there, but there’s no indication that the servant even so much as tried to stay by his side.

That has always puzzled me. Elijah’s servant had just watched God bring rain to the land at Elijah’s word after a long drought. This servant had just witnessed Elijah call down fire from heaven. Elijah’s servant had witnessed the man of God defeat 850 prophets with his sword. God only knows how many other miracles Elijah’s servant witnessed. Yet at the first sign of trouble, the servant stayed behind in Beersheba, a fertile land of plenty, while Elijah isolated himself in the wilderness.

Well, Elijah’s servant missed out—that’s the last we hear of Elijah’s servant. He could have been in line for a double portion anointing, but he forfeited it by not sticking with Elijah through thick and thin.

God gave Elijah a new servant not too long after this. God gave him Elisha to carry on his ministry. In contrast to Elijah’s first servant, Elisha refused to leave his side. Elijah even commanded him more than once to stay behind and Elisha refused to leave him.

From the beginning you can see Elisha’s fervent spirit for the Lord. Elisha was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen when Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. Let’s listen in to the chronicle: “And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him?” (1 Kings 19:20-21, KJV).

Elisha served Elijah faithfully—and fervently. He was widely known in the kingdom of Israel as the one who poured water over Elijah’s hands (1 Kings 3:11). Through his faithful, fervent service to Elijah, Elisha was actually serving God’s purposes in the earth and being prepared to do even greater works than Elijah.

But when Elijah’s time was drawing to an end, would Elisha stick with him or rush out to launch his own ministry before God’s perfect timing? Would Elisha hang tough with Elijah no matter where he went or what he did? Or would he take any excuse to bail out when the warfare got intense like Elijah’s other servant did when Jezebel came calling? Elijah gave his apprentice three chances to leave his service.

It reminds me of when Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” three times. Jesus was giving Peter more responsibility for the Church in that process. Elisha may or may not have realized it, but Elijah was about to give him a great responsibility—as his successor. Elisha had already been anointed as his successor, but now it was nearing time to take the mantle of responsibility and carry on where Elijah would leave off (1 Kings 19:15-16).

Elisha knew his master was about to go up to heaven. Instead of bailing on him, he stuck closely by Elijah’s side to draw everything he could to the very end. “And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so” (2 Kings 2:9-10)

Elisha was bold enough to ask Elijah for a double portion of his anointing before he went on to be with the Lord. He knew he would need it to continue the work of the ministry. Based on his service up until that time, Elijah was willing to entertain the request. But would Elisha stick by his side until the end? Elisha would have to if he wanted that double portion.

“And it came to pass as they went on, and talked…” (2 Kings 2:11)

I like that. These two prophets—younger and older—walked on together and they talked. Can you imagine what they were talking about? Both men knew that their time together was now short. This was Elisha’s last chance to draw wisdom from his mentor; Elijah’s last chance to offer his spiritual son instruction. And while they were talking, a chariot of fire parted them and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens.

And Elisha saw it. And Elisha received the double portion anointing for which he petitioned. And here’s my point: Elijah’s other servant, the one who stayed behind at Beersheba, was a candidate for this double portion anointing. At the very least, he was in line to receive a mighty impartation from Elijah.

But Elijah’s other servant wasn’t willing to go with him through the hard times, to the hard places, with the hard words. Elijah’s other servant didn’t have this same fervent spirit, serving the Lord. So Elijah’s other servant disappears into Bible obscurity, without even so much as a name by which to call him. But the Bible says Elisha, by contrast, went on to do twice as many miracles as his mentor. Elisha maintained his fervency until the end.

In fact, Elisha was so fervent in spirit that the miraculous followed him after he was dead and buried: “And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet” (2 Kings 13:21).

How about you? Are you faithful? Are you fervent? Consider the anointing God has in store for those who faithfully—and fervently—serve Him at all costs.

You can download a sample chapter of Jennifer’s new book, The Making of a Prophet, by clicking here.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Spiritual Warrior’s Guide to Defeating Jezebel and The Making of a Prophet. You can e-mail Jennifer at [email protected] or visit her web site at www.jenniferleclaire.org.

Human rights groups say Syrian authorities arrested more than 1,000 people in the latest sweep aimed at crushing the uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Many dozens more are missing in the latest brutal crackdown of the six-week-old revolt. Tom Doyle of E3 Partners says it’s not over yet. “They’re going to flex their muscles even more to squelch any desire for rebellion,” he says. “They’re going to try to get to the heart of it.”

The calls for Assad’s ouster spread quickly across the nation of some 23 million. Blame for the upheaval is being laid on outside groups who have come in to take advantage of protests to stir up unrest and destabilize Syria. 

Christian leaders agree. Doyle explains, “We’ve gotten some SOS messages from believers from Syria saying, ‘Pray for us. There’s so much going on right now, and believers have been targeted in some areas.'”

Their reports indicate that outsiders are causing trouble in a hotbed. “I don’t think the government is officially doing that,” says Doyle. “I think they have their hands full with the protestors, but there are some radical groups. They sponsor Hezbollah out of that country. I think we’re seeing some of that around the country.”

Regardless of who is causing the trouble, it’s the believers who bear the brunt. Syria is one of several Muslim countries in which Christians have survived for centuries by accepting the second-class status known in Islam as “dhimmi.” In times of trouble, it builds exponentially for believers. Doyle notes, “There was a real surge of oppression and persecution in Syria. One leader in Syria told us that they had not seen this much persecution in their nation since the Ottoman Empire.”

Whether or not other events, like the killing of Osama bin Laden, will add fuel to the fires of Syria is yet unknown. Often, extremist Muslims consider Christianity a Western religion. When upset by Western nation politics, they will take out their ire on the Christians.

Still, the Church is standing strong. “Some of the leaders in the countries that are out there sharing Christ and making a difference–they know that they’ve been targeted. There’s a great camaraderie there in the midst of that persecution. It’s built the church stronger.”

Doyle says their partners know what they’re risking as they live openly as followers of Christ. Especially in turbulent times, “We need to pray for their safety. We need to pray that their boldness continues, because during these times when there is so much persecution, it’s a time when people are much more open to the gospel.”

While many around the world were watching President Obama share the news of Osama bin Laden’s capture on Sunday night, one prophetic voice was watching through teary eyes.

That prophetic voice was Cindy Jacobs.

The news of bin Laden’s death elicited memories of the national tragedy known as 9/11. That fateful day when the World Trade Center towers went up in deadly flames was of special interest to her as an intercessor. That’s because she had just flown from Washington, D.C., with many of Generals International’s state coordinators from the United States Reformation Prayer Network to intercede for the nation.

“Aside from the obvious joy that I felt as an American that this evil man had been brought to justice, I received two things from the Lord,” Jacobs told Charisma News. “One brings me great hope and the other an admonition.”

Here are the prophetic insights Jacobs shared with Charisma News:

With this strongman taken out, we will see a great increase in the number of Muslims coming to Christ in America and other parts of the world. Former Muslims will be emboldened in the Spirit to share their experience of knowing Christ. A sweeping move of the Holy Spirit along the Isaiah 19 “Highway of Holiness” will be experienced from Egypt to Iran, throughout Iraq to Israel. It will seemingly spring up out of nowhere but is actually the result of the prayers of many, and God answering from heaven the blood of those who have been martyred even in recent days. God has His “hidden army” among the youth even in the orthodox Church who will move in great signs and wonders and many will marvel and come to Christ.

Parallel with this encouraging word, Jacobs says the Lord showed her we need to stand guard against retaliation. The exact words Jacobs heard from the Lord were “batten down the hatches.” She explains that this is a nautical term used when a terrible storm is approaching. Jacobs concludes, “It seems as if the heavens are violent right now and we all need to pray protection and be especially vigilant for the nation.”

Want to get in on the prayer action on May 5? GOD TV is broadcasting the main event of the National Day of Prayer live from Washington, D.C., at 9 a.m. EST.

The National Day of Prayer encourages Americans to pray for the nation, the American people and all in authority. This year’s theme is ‘A Mighty Fortress for Our God’ based on Psalm 91: “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.'”

Celebrated on the first Thursday in May, the National Day of Prayer was established by an act of Congress in 1952, requiring the U.S. presidents to proclaim the prayer day each year.

In 2010, a U.S. judge ruled the law unconstitutional after the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a law suit. The suit put government support of the annual observance at risk, but an appeals court decided President Obama could continue the tradition on April 14. Obama issued his proclamation on April 29th, declaring the 60th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.

Hosted by NDP Task Force Chairman Shirley Dobson, the three-hour broadcast will include prayers of intercession, as well as an address by Joni Eareckson Tada, the Task Force’s honorary chairman.

Additional speakers on this year’s broadcast include Dr. James and Shirley Dobson; Rabbi Daniel Lapin; Father Jerome Magat; Ambassador Raymond Joseph; Senator Elizabeth Dole; Congressman Allen West; Chaplain Barry Black; Justice Paul Newby; Dr Dick Eastman; Captain Ryan Voltin; Chaplain Brigadier General Howard Stendahl; Vonette Bright; Bobby Little; Dave Butts; and John Bornschein.

Like clockwork, patients, family—and even medical staff—gather for healing prayer in the Penn State Hershey Medical Center chapel every Friday. And God is also showing up.

Abby Abildness, president of Hershey Aglow Lighthouse and founder of Healing Tree International, has led a team of prayer ministers in a weekly healing prayer service there for the past six years. Healing Tree International is a local non-profit organization that networks churches and leaders from around the world to bring positive change to the nations.

“Combining healing prayer with medical care can bring God’s healing care to society around the world,” says Abildness, who received supernatural healing from endometrial cancer 32 years ago. Abildness took God at His Word that He is, indeed, the God who heals according to Exodus 15:26. Now, she’s taking that Word—and the power of prayer—to those in need.

Here’s how it works: The hospital makes an announcement over the PA system every Friday at 11:45 a.m. that a healing prayer service is taking place in the chapel. When patients, family members (and sometimes hospital staff) arrive, a team of prayer ministers is there to meet them. They simply ask for prayer for divine direction or wisdom in making the right healthcare choices. According to Abildness, lives are transformed and healings take place.

On the eve of the National Day of Prayer, a new book is heralding the power of healing prayer in medical care. “Healing Prayer and Medical Care” chronicles the true stories of miracle healings and transformation. Abildness hopes the book will inspire others to work with their local hospital or clinic to hold healing prayer services.

In her new book, Abildness shares a blueprint for establishing a healing prayer ministry in a hospital or medical setting. She reveals how the community of Christian believers and medical professionals can work hand-in-hand to achieve total healing, which is, as she calls it, “God’s Original Healthcare Plan.” As she sees it, this pattern of healing is a continuation of the joint ministries of Dr. Luke and the apostle Paul in the Bible.

Healing Tree International, headquartered at the historical Londonderry Inn Bed and Breakfast, is located near Hershey, Pa. The Christian Broadcast Network, CBN, will be on site May 11-12 to conduct interviews and document the healing miracles at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center and the Londonderry Inn. In the spirit of the “Luke 10 Good Samaritan,” who took the wounded to the inn for healing, the Londonderry Inn offers healing prayers weekly on Wednesday morning, and quarterly healing weeks for those who need concentrated intercession for medical recovery.

Are you an online evangelist?

Whether you spread the gospel online or you want to get involved in fishing for men on the Internet, you can get equipped during the month of May.

Internet Evangelism Day is May 15—and the organizers have dubbed May as Digital Outreach Month. Internet Evangelism Day is an interdenominational international initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, Ill.

Event organizers are convinced there is a growing potential to share the good news online in a variety of ways. “You do not need to be technical,” says Tony Whittaker, Internet Evangelism Day coordinator. “There are many simple yet fulfilling ways of being salt and light in cyberspace.”

On May 15, Internet Evangelism Day is partnering with several major publishers to offer free e-book downloads of Christian titles you’d normally have to pay for. These materials aim to equip the believers for the work of web evangelism, social networking and other areas of effective communication.

“This is a great opportunity to explore digital evangelism,” says Naomi Frizzell, chief communications officer of The Lausanne Movement. “I encourage Christians everywhere to take advantage of these free downloads to learn how to effectively share their faith in the digital world.”

Internet Evangelism Day’s web site serves up pages on using mobile phones for evangelism, creating ‘outsider-friendly’ church web sites and introductory videos, social networking, learning how to blog or build a website and more.