An OM Russia worker helps a young mother and her children living in a desperate situation.

The church in Russia is facing a new threat-HIV/AIDS. OM Russia works in rehab-centres to show God's love and compassion.

A Dutch team member shares her mission trip experience praying with a man in Siberia.

OM Russia celebrated the 10th anniversary of the discipleship ministry.

A team member from the USA who participated in a short-term trip on the Trans-Siberian railroad across Russia shares her experience.

For the first time, OM Russia organised a camp for children from Central Asian families where kids saw and felt God’s love.

OM, in cooperation with the local church, has sent believers to serve in a village where unreached people groups live. Shortly after, some local people repented and decided to follow Jesus. Now a vibrant church has been started.

After discovering his freedom in Christ and being discipled, former drug addict Ruslan wants to share hope with the least reached.

Despite not openly being allowed to speak about Jesus, an outreach team finds ways to be instruments in God's hands.

Home to many mountain tribal people, most of whom practice animism, Banaue will host this year’s Go Extra Mile outreach from 9-24 April.

The OM Philippines-Cebu team, in partnership with the local church, touches the lives of young and old through a five-day Bible class.

Forty new students registered for OM Philippines-Cebu’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) programme in June, and by faith, their financial needs have been met.

Marie Reyes from Australia led the Out of the Comfort Zone Cebu team, and shares lessons she learnt during the two-week outreach.

OM Philippines-Cebu conducts critical incident stress debriefing training with partner organisations and churches in Cebu City, Northern Cebu and Bohol Island.

OM Philippines brings relief to the earthquake-shattered island of Bohol.

Seven thousand were reported homeless after fire destroyed homes in Lorega cemetery, Cebu City, on 18 March. OM helps provide basic relief.

OM Philippines hosts micro-business workshops that offer a future with hope.

OM Philippines received a huge donation of brand new clothing, shoes and food packs for Typhoon Haiyan victims.

OM Philippines’ Alternative Learning System teachers visit the homes of students in an effort to connect with their parents and encourage further education.

Cebu, Philippines :: Pastors and their wives who serve in the region affected by Typhoon Haiyan are invited on board for a time of rest and refreshment.

Subic Bay, Philippines :: Logos Hope’s Official Opening in Subic Bay is blessed by the attendance of pastors who have stood with the ship’s ministry since its first visit.

Subic Bay, Philippines :: Local volunteers share their stories and experiences on Logos Hope.

OM Philippines send staff to assess the earthquake damages in Surigao City and provide needed disaster relief training.

One hundred Filipino teens, aged 12-18 are expected to come to the five-day event of fun, learning and life-changing encounters in Cebu.

After over 10 years of praying, the Philippines had its first-ever TeenStreet!

At CES 2020, Sony unveiled a new line of 4K and 8K TVs, destined to be released during the year. They finally have now gone on sale and we were quick to pick one up to test it out.

A story how an Asian sister found her way to a local church service in Greece.

In an interview with OM Greece’s country leader, Kees den Toom (Netherlands), we learn about the current situation in Greece and OM’s response to it.

Instead of staying with OM Greece’s leaders for the holidays as planned, a visitor stays in a local church, which changes his life.

A persecuted Muslim-background believer finds practical help and strengthened faith at an OM Greece drop-in centre.

Believers from different nations and denominations gathered to worship God together in Athens, promoting unity amongst the city’s believers.

Following escalation of the refugee crisis in Greece, Greek and migrant churches unite to serve the refugees passing through the country.

Day after day, OM volunteers staffed transit camps meeting and loving refugees on Lesvos. After roughly nine months, the ministry is closing down.

OM seeks to love refugees like family members through starting sports ministry and cooking meals in camps.

God is working to transform lives in Mozambique through the efforts of the local OM team.

Maputo, Mozambique :: Logos Hope crewmembers visit local homeless boys in a slum area and were encouraged by their willingness to give.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

Lima, Peru, May 9, 2020 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- Peruvian congresswoman Luz Milagros Cayguaray Gambini has demanded the country’s health minister provide the legal and scientific basis for a directive that would allow abortion when a pregnant woman is infected with the novel coronavirus.

Abortion is illegal in Peru except when pregnancy would cause death or permanent harm to a pregnant woman.

On April 22, Peru’s Minister of Health Victor Zamora issued a directive calling for provision of emergency contraception in the country, and allowing abortion for pregnant women who test positive for the coronavirus.

In a May 5 letter, Cayguaray demanded Zamora to “Indicate what the legal basis” is for the directive that allows doctors to “end the pregnancy,” if the mother has contracted COVID-19.

The legislator also challenged Zamora to indicate “the scientific and medical basis the norm is based upon.”

At issue is whether a positive test for coronavirus is sufficient to establish that a pregnancy threatens the life of a woman. Gambini says that assertion is unproven and unfounded.

Cayguaray has also written to Dr. Enrique Guevara Ríos, director of the country’s Perinatal Maternal Institute, asking him to report how many pregnant women with COVID-19 have been treated to date, “how many have had their pregnancies terminated,” “on what grounds,” and “what current regulation has been applied to carry out the interruption of those pregnancies.”

The Arequipa Doctors for Life Association has criticized the health directive in a statement.

"At this time in which all our efforts as a nation should be aimed at improving our precarious health system to mitigate the serious impact of the pandemic, the circumstances are being used to dictate measures that threaten the lives of Peruvians in their most vulnerable stage, life in the womb,” the group said.

Regarding the “morning after pill,” the group expressed surprise and concern “that the Ministry of Health promotes the irresponsible and reckless use of this drug in the general population and particularly for minors, and even worse, dispenses with obtaining the person’s medical history, which is an essential tool for the responsible practice of medicine, thus seriously exposing the users to danger."

Aborting a child because the mother has COVID-19, the doctors said “is contrary to the principles that govern medical practice, which must always be based on the application of therapies that are based on rigorous scientific studies and with respect to elementary ethical principles” which guide medical science in providing the best strategies to protect patients.

When a woman is pregnant “we have two patients to take care of, the mother and the unborn child," the doctors association stressed.

Concerning the babies themselves, five newborns whose mothers have COVID-19 were recently discharged from a government hospital in Peru. A sixth, also born of a coronavirus patient who is in serious condition in the intensive care unit, was born prematurely and remains hospitalized. None of the babies have tested positive for COVID-19.

In a May 5 interview with the El Comercio daily, Dr. César García Aste, who heads the hospital’s neonatology department, explained that there are strict protocols as to how the baby is to be fed in order to avoid infecting it.

A doctor from the hospital is assigned to follow up daily by phone on the baby’s condition for an average of 14 days, and “so far we haven’t had a problem with any of the five babies,” Garcia said.

 

A version of this story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news agency. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

 

In his third update from Serbian/Croatian border, Volker Sachse says that in spite of increasingly difficulties, he can see God’s peace touch local people.

Slobodan never thought he could be free, but Jesus gave him a new start. Now Slobodan urges Roma in Croatia and Serbia that there is a better way.

In January 2013, OM Norway and Norwegian Naval Training Agency agreed on internship programme for deckhands and motormen on board MV Logos Hope.

Work of OM Romania, partnering with the church

Work of OM Romania among the Roma population

A Roma man’s cry to God for mercy to spare his son’s life transforms his future and the future of his small town.

Earlier this year, a severe storm blanketed Romania in snow that left hundreds stranded. A team brought food, wood and hope to victims.

OM founder George Verwer speaks at the Romanian Brethren Assembly about living a pure life and standing against the issue of abortion.

Since 2007, the Bus4Life has visited 150 locations, welcomed 10,000 visitors and touched many lives, including one Romanian teen who comes back to God.

OM Spain's traveling team is back at base after nearly two months on the road visiting and serving in various churches.

The OM Transform team experienced God at work during the conference and outreach day. The local churches were an added blessing, as was the cycling team sent out to pray for least reached towns.

Highlights from Transform 2018 outreaches in Spain, France and Portugal.