Release International celebrates 40 years of its ministry

UK-based Release International (RI) is getting ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary, reports Success Kanayo Uchime, special to ASSIST News Service. The organization which was founded in 1968, when it was known as Christian Mission to the Communist World, is to celebrate a special Saturday evening events in London, Belfast and Glasgow.

The London event is scheduled for Oct. 25, 2008 will feature a talk to be presented by the organization's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eddie Lyle, while the Central Belfast would takes place on on November 1, with a talk by Rev. John Parkes, and the Glasgow event is planned for November 8, with a talk by Rev. Dr. Sandy Roger, the Principal of Faith Mission Bible College.

According to the organizers, before each event there will be a small buffet reception, from 6.00-7.00pm, when invitees are expected to meet with some of the organization's trustees, staff and partners.

They noted that, they will dedicate Sunday, November 16, 2008, to pray for the persecuted church, hence the day coincides with the International Day of Prayer (IDOP), a day designated for praying for the persecuted church worldwide.

RI was inspired by the first-hand experience of persecution of its founder Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned and tortured by the Romanian secret police during the Cold War years of the 1950s and 1960s. He later died in February 2001, but his vision and passion to serve persecuted Christians around the world continues in the ministry of Release International today.

The organization has a special ministry to the families of martyrs and those imprisoned for their faith in Jesus Christ and they currently support three main areas of activity, which include, helping to meet immediate needs, by providing a gift of money to the family, or support to help the family become self-sufficient in the longer term, caring for orphans, by placing orphaned children in the care of other families, or in a children's home and the provision of medical assistance, through its new initiative RI Medical.

Release International provides practical care and support for members of the persecuted church needing surgery, care and counseling services and serves God's churches by enabling them to survive persecution and its effects and this they do by helping leaders and believers pay fines imposed on them by the police.

Further to that they also supply “Life Support” packs to Christians under pressure in Sudan, Indonesia and some former Communist states and helps to strengthen the persecuted church in its mission, by supporting the work of local pastors and evangelists, who often minister the gospel in difficult and dangerous circumstances.

Lastly they spread God's Word by supplying Bibles and literature to meet the need for growth and evangelism and gives support to underground Bible schools to train emerging Christian leaders in areas where the church is being persecuted.

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TAGS: United Kingdom Release International 40th anniversary Christian Mission to the Communist World Eddie Lyle Rev. Dr. Sandy Roger Faith Mission Bible College International Day of Prayer

[09/29/2008]

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