(intense music)
- [George] This week onChristian World News,
ISIS is fleeing northern Syria.
We talk to the ministry that'shelping it's victims survive
and the Syrian Christians
who are begging the Americans to stay.
- [Wendy] Plus the American doctor
who nearly died five yearsago from the Ebola virus.
We'll ride along Dr. Rick Sacra
as he continues his medicalmissions of mercy in Liberia.
- [George] And it's a global outreach
to more than a billion young people
and it's inviting youth groups
from around the world to join in.
Find out how your church can take part.
Welcome everyone to this week's edition
of Christian World News.
I'm George Thomas.
- And I'm Wendy Griffith.
- Hundreds of ISIS fightersare giving up the fight
in Syria, fleeing theembattled village of Baghouz,
the final hold out.
- It's the last battle toend the Islamic caliphate,
but Christians in theregion fear the future
could hold even more terror.
Chris Mitchell reports from Syria.
- With the pullout of US troops,
Christians here in Northeast Syria
told us their future hangs in the balance.
With the region on the brink of chaos,
they're fearful andwarning of a new genocide.
Just a few years ago, ISISleft a scar on the land
in the form of an historic genocide.
Now Christians fear anotherpotential apocalypse,
with enemies all around them.
Turkey is the main concern.
(speaking foreign language)
- [Translator] After the threatsof Erdogan to this region
that he wants to take the place
of the great force of America,
we felt danger because of this void.
If it was filled by thecountries of this region
or another power, therewill be danger in general
for the people, and especiallythe Christian people.
- The reason many peoplein Northeast Syria
are afraid of Turkey is becauseof what happened last year
in Northwest Syria, theTurkish invasion of Afrin.
(gunfire)
In January 2018, its army,along with Islamic militias
called the Free Syrian Army,began a military campaign
to capture the city of Afrin.
Charmaine Hedding of the Shai Fund
lays out the Turks' goals.
- We know from what thestatements that they've made
that they want to get ridof the people in this area
and bring in other people from Syria
so it's a population displacement.
- [Chris] To find out moreabout the Afrin campaign,
we traveled here to the city of Kobani
and this evangelical church.
Last year, Christians fled Afrin
during the Turkish operationto take over the city.
Some came here to Kobanito find refuge, security,
and a place to worship.
(singing in foreign language)
Zani pastors this church.
He and his wife Chinar fled Afrin.
- [Translator] Everything inthe church has been stolen.
It's the terrorists'very nature of behavior
and they burned the church.
- [Chris] Islamic soldiersallied with Turkey
killed her cousin's child.
(speaking foreign language)
- [Translator] They were agroup of people with weapons
that entered our neighborhoodand they were stealing,
so my cousin went out andasked them what are you doing,
so the men with weaponsattacked my cousin's house
and shot and killed his son.
- [Chris] Turkish President Erdogan
has threatened a similarcampaign into Northeast Syria.
When Chinar heard aboutPresident Trump's decision,
she prayed.
- [Translator] Every day, wecried and prayed to the Lord
that we would not end up like Afrin.
- [Chris] President Trump'sdecision surprised them.
- [Translator] We love theAmerican president a lot.
I have said that he is abeliever and that he prays,
and so I was surprised.
Why did President Trump do this,
that he immediately wants towithdraw the forces from here?
Is it possible that he wasnot considering the church
or that he doesn't know thatthere are believers here?
- [Chris] In all, there'sabout 100,000 Christians
in Northeast Syria, mostfearful of genocide.
President Trump slowed down his time table
to pull out US troops,but for Christians here,
they're hoping and prayingfor much more than that.
Chris Mitchell, CBN News,Kobani, Northeast Syria.
- Thank you, Chris.
Thousands of civilians are fleeing
the fighting around Baghouz.
There to meet them are volunteers
with a Christian medical aid group
known as the Free Burma Rangers.
They've been providing care to the injured
and sick for a very long time.
The new arrivals, by the way,come on convoys of trucks
through a humanitariancorridor near the Iraqi border.
Recently, the ministry's Dave Eubank
spoke with our CBN Worldbeat program
about sharing the love ofChrist with these refugees.
- [Dave] We try to giveour food and blankets
and medical care withlove and with prayer.
And most of the time,we can pray with them.
Very few refuse that.
When we begin to talk about Jesus,
many say they don't wantto hear it, but some do,
and so we had a chance to give some bibles
to a very few that wantedthem, to pray with many,
especially the wounded, andthey always want prayer,
and we have a chance tosay call on Jesus' name,
this is a new start.
Call on his name and seewhat he does for you.
We're not trying to convert you.
You just ask him to helpyou and see what happens.
- Eubank and his team haverisked their lives many times
to help victims of ISIS.
You can find those reportsat our website, CBNNews.com.
- Well turning to Africa wheremissionary Dr. Rick Sacra
risked his life to helpthe people of Liberia,
contracting the deadly Ebolavirus in the 2014 outbreak.
You were there.
- I was.
Today, he continues to servein the West African nation,
showing compassionate care and love
in the name of Jesus Christ.
I recently went to Liberia tosee up close his heroic work.
(upbeat music)
Rick Sacra loves this country so much
that he speaks Englishwith a Liberian accent.
It's not always easy to understand him
even for this reporter,who grew up in Africa.
Do me a favor, if you can notspeak in Liberian English.
(laughs)
Okay, so if you can talkin just regular English
that you learned inhigh school that would.
- My man, I feel me forgetting hourly.
(George laughs)
- [George] I can see that.
Sacra and his wife Debbie first traveled
to the West Africannation some 30 years ago.
What drew the couplehere from Massachusetts?
- Well, I think it's thecalling and conviction
of the lord in my life.
He just has put a lovefor Liberia in my heart.
I'm thankful he's given that same love
and commitment to my wife.
(dreamy music)
- [George] Sacra is a missionary doctor
at ELWA Hospital, outsideLiberia's capital, Monrovia.
ELWA stands for EternalLove Winning Africa,
founded by American missionaries in 1965.
- If you put your finger right here.
- [George] The hospital'smission is sharing the love
of Jesus by caring for the sick.
- He's fooling me a little bit.
ELWA is all about providingcare, compassionate care
in the name of Christ.
(clapping, singing in foreign language)
- [George] ELWA has been the Sacras' home
away from home now for 24 years.
- [Debbie] In Corinthians, itsays Christ's love compels us.
And I think that that just characterizes
the way that we feel, thatChrist's love compels us
to go where we're needed.
- Since arriving hereon the shores of Liberia
back in 1959, Dr. Sacra hashad one driving passion,
and that is to train the next generation
of Liberian doctors.
His dream came true, by the way,
about a year and a half ago,
when he launched the firstfamily medicine program.
- So what about access?
- [George] It's the onlyone of its kind here,
and gives the 56-year-olddoctor an opportunity
to put his training touse as a family physician.
- It's been my desirefor many years to be able
to pour my life and myskills and my experiences
into local doctorswho'll be able to pick up
where I'm gonna leave off.
All right, this is, theman on the motorcycle
is Jeremiah Cully, and he's leading us.
We are gonna follow him.
We are going to his home.
Paya Quelli, it's where he came from.
- [George] For Sacra, it'salso about using medicine
for ministry.
- [Rick] Oh yeah.
Come on, big daddy.
You can do it.
- [George] CBN News joineda team from the hospital
on a medical outreachto the Liberian forest.
- [Rick] Getting to take youon this medical outreach trip
into a rural area and to see,
bring a pastor with us.
We can share Christ in the vernacular
along in concert with whatwe are doing medically.
It's just exciting.
- [George] Our two hourjourney through the bush
brought us to this remote village.
- This was not here the last time I was.
(singing in foreign language)
- [George] After a timeof worship, prayer,
and a short sermon by the village pastor,
Sacra and team spend the next nine hours
tending to more than 300 villagers.
- Folks here don't haveaccess to medical facilities.
They have to walk several hoursto get to a medical center.
- [George] Jart Holderoand her baby had to walk
three hours to today's outreach.
She, like so many thatCBN News spoke with,
was grateful for the team's visit.
- [Translator] I'm so thankfulto God that I could come
to have my daughter seen by the doctors.
It was a difficult journey, but worth it.
- Probably in that operating room.
- [George] The Sacras also pay a price.
They have lived through two civil wars,
and the 2014 deadly Ebolaoutbreak in West Africa
almost cost Rick his life.
He got infected withthe virus while caring
for a pregnant woman at ELWA Hospital,
and had to be airlifted from Liberia
to a treatment center in Omaha.
- An American doctor who became infected
with the Ebola virus in West Africa
is in stable condition tonightat a Nebraska hospital.
(pleasant music)
- [George] Thankfully he survived
and returned to Liberiaseveral months later
to continue his callingof loving the stranger.
- And as I always joke withpeople, hey, I'm immune now.
I can get Ebola again, so,I might as well go and help.
- [George] In lateJanuary, Dr. Sacra received
the prestigious $500,000 L'Chaim Prize
for his work in Liberia.
His hospital is also one of the recipients
of a $2,000,000 matching grant
given by African MissionHealthcare and CBN
that will help improveELWA's infrastructure,
train additional medical experts,
and expand compassionatecare to the Liberian people,
resources that Sacrasays will go along way
to saving lives bothphysically and spiritually.
(intense music)
- [Wendy] Coming up, callingout to the world's young people
a global get together to catch the passion
for sharing the gospel.
- [Announcer] CBN presentsthe I Wills of God,
your path to overcoming fear and anxiety.
- We're going to talk aboutsome of the incredible promises
God has made to his children.
- [Announcer] In PatRobert's newest teaching,
you'll discover the I Wills of God.
I will rescue him,protect him, answer him,
be with him in trouble,deliver him, honor him,
satisfy him with long life,show him my salvation.
And see amazing stories ofGod's promises in action.
- What I felt was loved and treasured.
- God spared my life twice in three days.
- The good lord hadgiven me a second chance.
- [Announcer] Break freefrom stress and despair.
- [Pat] The lord doesn'twant you to live in fear,
but know the rewards givento those who love God.
- [Announcer] Call1-800-700-7000, or visit CBN.com.
The I Wills of God,
your path to overcoming fear and anxiety.
- Hello, I'm Terry Meeuwsen.
Did you know there are morethan 148,000,000 orphans
in the world today?
148,000,000.
But it was three littlegirls that taught me
about the plight of orphans.
My husband and I spentnearly a month immersed
in the daily activitiesof a Ukrainian orphanage,
as we waited to adopt three sisters.
I saw firsthand the utterloneliness, the pain of rejection,
and the overwhelming desire to be loved.
That experience changed me forever.
And out of it grew aministry from my heart
called Orphan's Promise.
Today, we're helping orphansand vulnerable children
in more tan 50 countries worldwide.
Thousands of childrenare now in safe homes.
They're being educated.
And they're learning life skills.
I'm asking you to join with me
and become family to these children.
Will you call the numberon your screen right now?
Because every child deservesa chance to be happy.
- In a dramatic move, theUnited Methodist Church
recently voted for atraditional view of marriage.
It also decided not to ordain gay clergy.
About 43% of the delegateswere from foreign countries,
mostly Africa, and theyoverwhelmingly supported
biblical views.
Reverend Jerry Kulah is dean of
the United MethodistUniversity in Liberia.
He spoke passionately indefense of biblical values
at the conference andpushed back against those
who said the African delegatesneed Western enlightenment.
Recently he spoke with CBN News about it.
Thank you, Reverend we need those prayers.
Reverend Kulah told us heprays America's churches
will return to the faith oftheir forefathers, George.
- So think about this for moment.
If your church disappeared,
would the young people inyour community even notice?
- That's a good question, maybe not.
That's just one reasonRon Luce is going global
with an outreach to1,800,000 youth, take a look.
(upbeat music)
- [Reporter] Ron Luce hasreached millions of teenagers
with the message of Christ.
But that's getting harder to do
with the decline of biblicalvalues in our culture.
In order to combat this problem,
Ron is bringing together youth leaders
from across the world forJesus Global Youth Day
in Manila, Philippines.
It will be world's largest global summit
with youth leaders comingtogether to share what's working
in reaching young peopleand how they can pass
those strategies downto the next generation.
- This week on CBN's flagshipprogram, the 700 Club,
I spoke with Ron aboutthis exciting event.
Ron, what's the urgency now toreach young people for Jesus?
- Well we have something now, I think,
that's never happened before and that is
what we call the graying of the church,
both in America, in Europe, and really,
almost every place around the world
that's been Christianized,the church is getting older
and older and pastors andleaders are very frustrated.
They know that Western media and culture
has infected their young generation,
and they don't know how to reach them.
And there's a bit of hopelessness.
And they know that young people,even the ones whose parents
go to the church, theyoung people aren't coming,
and they don't know what to do.
And so Jesus Global YouthDay is an opportunity
for leaders to comewith their young people,
not just youth leaders butsenior pastors are coming,
bishops are coming, leadersof denominations are coming
to both come together asa celebration festival,
but also the leaders arecoming to learn best practices
from other leaders around the world.
- Tell us about the video,the music video contest
that's related to this event.
- We're inviting people tobe a part of 10,000 voice
virtual youth choir, youcan get online to find out
how to do that, to this very song.
You'll get the lyricsand you'll the soundtrack
and you can have your youth group,
your church group sing it and post it
and be a part of somethingthat's never been done before,
this virtual youth choir.
- All right, well, Ron, let's take a look
at the type of videoyou're asking youth groups
to submit, roll the tape.
(upbeat music)
♪ Holy Jesus, I rock you in his name ♪
♪ I hope it never change ♪
♪ Your name be exalted forever ♪
♪ Jesus, we join you in his praise ♪
♪ A thousands generations ♪
♪ We pray to you, ourrock, your holy name ♪
♪ Oh ♪
- Jesus Global Youth Day will take place
in Manila, Philippines onAugust 8th through 10th.
For more information onhow you can take part
or how you can submit a musicvideo of your youth group,
just log onto CBN.com,and you can also hear more
from Ron on our Facebook page.
Just go to Facebook.com/700Club,
and be sure to share it withyour friends and family.
(intense music)
- [George] Up next, the remarkable story
of Matthews Charles, the inmatethat turned his life around
and the cruel twist thatcould have derailed his fate.
(upbeat music)
- [Announcer] Parents,the Superbook Bible app
is a great way to get yourchild reading the Bible,
because in today's busyworld, we can use some help.
The free Superbook Bible app has fun stuff
your kids will love.
They'll have a blast learning the Bible,
playing great games.
- Did you win?
- [Announcer] Watching cool videos.
- Hey, follow me.
- [Announcer] Discoveringheroes in the Bible.
They'll have fun whilethey learn God's word.
The Superbook Bible app, available now.
(gentle piano music)
- [Male Announcer] Life.
It's meant to be lived fully.
Jesus said, I came to give you life,
life to the fullest.
Life in your family.
Life in your finances.
Life in your body, mind, and spirit.
Life in your everyday.
At CBN.com, we're takingwhat Jesus said seriously.
We're here to help you discover life.
Life, live it fully.
CBN.com.
Discover the I Wills of God.
I will rescue him,protect him, answer him,
be with him in trouble,deliver him, honor him,
satisfy him with long life,show him my salvation.
- What I felt was loved and treasured.
- God spared my life twice in three days.
- The good lord hadgiven me a second chance.
- [Announcer] Call1-800-700-7000, or visit CBN.com.
The I Wills of God,
the latest teaching from Pat Robertson.
- Following up on a storywe brought you last wekk,
the Nigerian man arrestedon a London street
for preaching the gospel is out.
Olu Aleshmana said in a video produced
by the UK watch group Christian Concern
that God was very faithfulthrough the whole experience.
Police did let him gowithout pressing charges,
and even though they released him
in an unfamiliar part ofthe city with no money,
Olu says God placed people in his path
who helped him get home.
He says he will continueto preach God's word.
- Amen, that's good news.
- That is good news.
- Well, mandatory prisonsentences can deny
deserving inmates ashot at a second chance.
Matthew Charles was one of them.
- A cruel twit in his story highlights
the absurdity of mandatory minimums,
but as my colleague Amber Strong shows us,
a new prison reform law is giving him
and others a happy ending.
- [Amber] Do you believe in miracles?
What about second chances?
Matthew Charles certainly does.
In less than one month,he went from a jail cell
to the State of the Union address.
(audience applauds)
That road to Washington, however,includes a criminal past,
that started here in Tennessee.
- In 1995, I was arrested bythe United States marshals
for selling crack cocaine.
- [Amber] He was convictedand sentenced to 35 years.
But before he boarded that bus to prison,
something happened.
It was in February 1996that I confessed Christ
and received him as mypersonal lord and savior,
and started reading.
I just started gettinginto my comfort zone
and getting my mind based onGod and what I was reading.
It was like, I juststarted crying like a baby
and I hadn't cried sinceprobably I was a baby
'cause I had a hard lifeand I was a hard man.
- [Amber] But squaringthings with the lord
didn't mean absolution fromfeds, so off to prison he went.
Over the next 21 years,Charles became a law clerk,
a mentor, and kept himself
from a single disciplinary infraction.
Then came the good news.
- God moved miraculously.
It as in 2016 when US Judge Kevin Sharpe
granted my reduction of sentence.
- [Amber] And just like,he was headed home.
Charles enjoyed his newfound freedom.
He ate at his favoriterestaurants, found a church home,
and even started volunteering at a pantry,
enjoying all life hadto offer as a free man.
But it wouldn't last.
Two years later, Charleswas back behind bars,
not because he did anything wrong.
According to the court, it was a mistake,
and he shouldn't have beenreleased in the first place.
- I counted that as ablessing of God as well,
even being released forthat two year period.
- [Amber] Even the judgeregretted sending him back,
telling Charles at thetime, she had no choice.
Her hands were tried.
Meanwhile, 700 miles away in Washington.
- You can actually make adifference in people's lives.
Isn't that what we'resupposed to be about up here?
- We incarcerate more people
than any other country in the world.
It's a stain on our democracy.
- [Amber] A movement calledthe First Step act had begun,
and Charles would beits first beneficiary.
In a way Charles describes as miraculous,
President Trump along withDemocrats and Republicans
here on the Hill accomplishedsomething unimaginable.
Both prison and sentencing reform.
- All right, Matthew Charles.
- Matthew, thank you, it's my honor.
- Yes sir.
- So you, that's all you, oh.
- [Amber] So Mr. Charleswent to Washington
to thank some of thoseresponsible for his release.
- I got a text from the White House.
I saw the story that actually appeared.
- Okay.
- As I am right now, I cry.
- Yes, sir, okay, thank you.
- Because this is what makes this job,
after everything else.
(laughs)
Just makes it good.
- [Amber] His thank you tour included
the State of the Union address,
where the President turned the tables.
- Thank you, Matthew.
Welcome home.
- [Amber] Back in Nashville,Charles and I return
to the pantry, aware of the whirlwind
from prisoner to free manto prisoner and home again.
So you're a free mannow, for good this time.
- Okay, that's right.
(laughing)
- What do you do now?
- Well, I'm just taking it day by day,
looking forward to whatdoors of opportunities
avail themselves for me.
I know that God placed withinmy heart to help people,
and I wanna continue to do that.
- [Amber] And that's his plan.
Share his story, helpthose he left behind,
and proclaim the miracleof second chances.
Amber Strong, CBN Newsin Nashville, Tennessee.
- From prison to the palace.
Love that story, thanks, Amber,
and you can see more reportsabout faith that overcomes
on our Christian World News webpage.
Find it at CBNNews.com.
We'll be right back.
(intense music)
(moving music)
- [Announcer] When yougive, smiles grow bigger.
When you care, homes are heavier.
When you comfort,
the hurt goes away.
When we all come together to love,
miracles happen.
- Hello, I'm Terry Meeuwsen.
Did you know there are morethan 148,000,000 orphans
in the world today?
148,000,000.
But it was three littlegirls that taught me
about the plight of orphans.
My husband and I spentnearly a month immersed
in the daily activitiesof a Ukrainian orphanage,
as we waited to adopt three sisters.
I saw firsthand the utterloneliness, the pain of rejection,
and the overwhelming desire to be loved.
That experience changed me forever.
And out of it grew aministry from my heart
called Orphan's Promise.
Today, we're helping orphansand vulnerable children
in more tan 50 countries worldwide.
Thousands of childrenare now in safe homes.
They're being educated.
And they're learning life skills.
I'm asking you to join with me
and become family to these children.
Will you call the numberon your screen right now?
Because every child deservesa chance to be happy.
- Hello?
Is this thing on?
Hey kids, do you love games?
(cheering)
And do you love discovering things?
- [Kid] Yeah.
- Well, do you?
(kids cheering)
- [Announcer] Then you're gonna love this.
It's the new freeSuperbook Kids Bible app.
You can play games, watch videos,
find answers to your questions,and a whole lot more.
The new Superbook Kids Bible app.
(kids cheering)
Free downloads available oniTunes and Google Play now.
- All right, George, I've got a story here
from my home state, West Virginia,
so you need to pay attention.- Really good story.
- All right, firefightersin West Virginia were amazed
to discover that severalbibles and crosses
came out of a massive fire unscathed.
- Unbelievable.
- [Wendy] The Coal City fire department
even posted their amazingrecovery on their Facebook page.
They said the fire at FreedomMinistry's church building
was so intense thatfirefighters had to back out.
Yet, when the flames turned to ash,
they found not a single Bible was burned,
and not a single cross was harmed.
No firefighters were injuredin the fire, thank God.
- Beautiful, what a way to end the show.
Folks, that is it for this week's edition
of Christian World News.
- Until next week, fromall of us here, goodbye,
and as always, God bless you.
(pleasant music)
