JOEL NEWS INTERNATIONAL 621  |  10 DECEMBER 2007 IN THIS EDITION: 1. Christian values bring societal transformation in Colombia 2. Prayer for rain answered in Cyprus  3. JESUS film broadcasts in the Middle East 1. Christian values bring societal transformation in Colombia Is it possible to transform a whole prison, judicial system or police department by teaching Christian principles? Yes!, say the trainers of the La Red Business Network who currently see major segments of Latin American countries turning around. Prisons in Colombia for instance were so corrupted, that the drug lords bribed guards to have every imaginable luxury in prison and killed anyone who wouldn't go along. Normal prisoners would get none of these perks unless they joined the drug lords and thus the prisons became major recruiting centers for the drug cartels. It wasn't always this way in the Colombia prison system. But once you have a break-down at this level, how can you reverse it? The La Red organization (which means 'the net' in Spanish) reversed it by simply teaching 40 Christian values (one a week) to eight-thousand guards (done in small groups where they could freely discuss issues). It so changed them, that the prison system was transformed and the prisoners began to want to be taught the same values, for they saw first hand how differently the guards treated them. On their part, the guards began to realize how their actions were hurting their country and their own families, and why they had to stop doing things the way they were. The drug lords could no longer intimidate a whole set of guards living by a new set of values. The success in the Colombia prisons has been so amazing that Colombia is having these same values taught to it's military, and other countries like Guatemala have requested it for their court system. There, the public defenders had become corrupted and would extort money from families in order to get their relatives off. The police saw how criminals were walking free and how all their work was pointless, so they started extorting money before the family members even made it to the court system. If a family refused and said they would report the police, the entire family was often murdered. When people have not been taught how to be good, they simply resort to what seems expedient and what everybody else is doing. When they are taught values, they begin to see the long-term harm their actions have caused and they start seeing why they need to be good. And many of those who go through the training want to become Christians themselves. One story is about the elite air force academy in Colombia, where Christian values were taught. One day the general in charge got into a car accident. The man responsible for the accident said he had no insurance and no money, so the general would simply have to make do. But it so happens that the man's son was a cadet at the academy and he had just been taught on how it's important to be responsible and pay back debts you owe. After the father heard this teaching from his son, he was so convicted that he went back to the general and told him he would make payments until his debt was paid in full. La Red is now being invited to work with Mexico's FBI and in Peru. On the La Red website you will find two inspiring videos. One is about the prisons in Colombia, the other about the Supreme Court in Guatemala. http://www.lared.org/Gallery/?link=Video  Source: Dean Cooper 2. Prayer for rain answered in Cyprus  In October and November Cyprus faced its worst drought in years, draining the reservoirs on which the island relies for drinking water and irrigation. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus ordered his priests to pray for rain. On 2 December he presided in a special prayer service in the capital Nicosia, asking God to send rainfall to end the drought. Shortly after the prayer service the Cypriots experienced an unexpected heavy rainfall, that refilled most of the drinking reservoirs. Also basements and some roads flooded. Source: Manna Today 3. JESUS film broadcasts in the Middle East The JESUS film is hitting the airwaves, and stirring people's curiosity in one Middle-Eastern country thanks to the effort of a Christian worker living near the TV station. Recently, he gave a copy of the JESUS film on video CD to the station manager and asked him if he could broadcast it. The manager agreed to show the film because he believes Jesus was one of the greatest prophets. After the station aired the program, several people called in requesting that it be played again. They wanted their relatives to get a chance to see the film. The manager agreed and showed it several times - nearly 25 times in one week! According to film team members in the country, the JESUS film was an incredible hit. Entire families would gather to watch the film, and then call the station to ask questions. The manager told the film team, "...they have many, many questions that I cannot answer; you must come with me." Source: Jesus Film Project C O L O P H O N The book of Acts is still happening today! Joel News International offers a weekly high-quality selection of the most inspiring stories on the advance of God's Kingdom in six continents. Joel News International inspires thousands of active Christians in over 120 nations. More information: http://www.joelnews.org/frontpage.htm.  Joel News International is published on the basis of an annual donation. Did you receive this copy from a friend? Sign up yourself and receive Joel News International for a full year in your mailbox: http://www.joelnews.org/subscribe.htm. 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