Paul Estabrooks and Jim Cunningham are both long-time workers with Open Doors International. They first collaborated on 'Project Pearl,' helping to deliver 230 tons of Bibles (one million copies) to a Chinese beach on a night in 1981. Both were part of the first Caucasian tour group to visit Tiananmen Square after the massacre in 1989. - more

Voices for martyrs

The New Foxe's Book of Martyrs (Bridge-Logos, 2001) is Harold J. Chadwick's rendition of the 16th century Protestant classic into modern English; the history of persecution is updated to the 21st century. - more

From Ontario with MERCY

RON KYLE has a problem. Parked in his driveway is not only a pickup truck and trailer crammed with used hospital equipment, but his garage is so full of old x-ray light boxes that he can't unload his last load. But he's smiling all the while he bemoans his fate. - more

Thrift with a mission

AFTERNOON TEA is a welcome break. The staff catch up on news and review the upcoming schedule. Soon they'll get back to sorting, pricing and selling. - more

Gathering the scattered peoples for God's work

THE DIASPORA is a powerful force for world evangelization. - more

Postcard: PHILIPPINES

Richard and Marilyn Schlitt, from Salmon Arm, B.C., work with OMF International Philippines. - more

Postcard: Botswana

B.C. native Rick Rempel, currently serving in Botswana with Missionary Aviation Fellowship, sends this account of a local wedding. - more

Revisiting Christianity's 'holy wars'

"YEAH, but what about the Crusades?"

Most Christians in the West have likely encountered responses such as this many times over from various skeptics. Like the Inquisition and witch-burnings, the Crusades are a reliable cliche, regularly trotted out by people looking for good reasons not to listen to the claims of Christ; and, like those other atrocities of church history, the Crusades are indeed a legitimate object of scorn. - more

Redeeming the arts

IN CONTEMPLATING the story of the bronze serpent in John 3:14, one might wonder why Jesus would identify with a metaphor (a symbol, a sculpture, a work of art) that had become an idol and had to be destroyed. Surely there was a more appropriate story that he could have drawn upon. - more

The Middle East's Forgotten Christians

BROTHER ANDREW has never been known to mince words.

Speaking to Mission Fields during a recent visit to Canada, he said that when Christians travel to sacred sites in the Holy Land, they waste their time visiting "dead stones" - and don't bother seeking out living stones. - more

Postcard: ALGERIA

A woman named Evelyn (whose full name and photo cannot be revealed for security reasons) working with Arab World Ministries recently visited Algeria, at the behest of national church leaders. - more

COUCH POTATOES need not apply

• Luci Shaw: The Crime of Living Cautiously, IVP, 2005
• Valerie Griffiths: Not Less Than Everything, Monarch / OMF, 2004 - more

Postcard: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

In response to your request for missionary news, I am sending you a short poem (doggerel really) written at Newton Theological College - where I am the volunteer librarian for one year, thanks to the Volunteers in Mission program of the Anglican Church of Canada, and a host of wonderful individuals who provided financial support. - more

God in the neighbourhood

FOR THREE WEEKS this spring, Christians of all sorts sprang surprises on communities across Canada. - more