Wednesday, March 9th, in the year of our Lord, 2016.
By Mark Robinette
The Obama administration is facing growing pressure to formally call the violence against Christians in the Middle East genocide, a Fox News report said on Tuesday. Evidence of atrocities is mounting ahead of a looming March 17th deadline. Reports continue to show that Christians are being slaughtered, Christian women are being raped and sold into slavery, and Christian churches are being demolished.
Secretary of State John Kerry told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, “It does require a lot of fact-gathering . . . you have to get the facts from the ground, more than just anecdotal.” Representative Dana Rohrabacher, R-California, countered that “the whole world knows that Christians are being slaughtered . . . It’s clear it’s time for America to act.”
Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton took differing sides at a Democratic town hall event in Detroit, Michigan. Sanders said that giving the atrocities a name wouldn’t help much, while Mrs. Clinton argued that it would. Both agreed that the U.S. should get involved to stop them immediately. Sadly enough, at the same town hall meeting, both candidates affirmed their beliefs that women should have the right to kill their babies any time before they are born. How ironic.
In stark contrast, UK surgeons Mark and Andrea Hotchkin have been pioneering a Christian hospital in the Muslim community in Guinebor II, Chad, since 2011. They, along with a handful of medical professionals, have now delivered 4,200 babies and are on track to deliver 10,000 in the next five years, if God wills their work to continue. Their focus has been on maternal care. As it stands, nine out of 100 babies born in the region die before their first birthday. Sent to Chad by BMS World Mission and supported by UK Christians, they’ve acted as doctors, surgeons, community health project leaders, and friends to the mostly Muslim population, and they’ve seen amazing results. Dr. Mark Hotchkin said, “We give thanks to God for the job that He’s given us. Working in a place like this is actually why I felt called into medicine in the first place.” Mrs. Hotchkin said she hopes that, by educating people about the value of antenatal care, even when everything looks like it’s all right, the lives of many more mothers and their babies can be saved.
“Children are a heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward” (Psalm 127:3).
Marco Rubio’s campaign denied reports yesterday by CNN that his staffers have been urging him to drop out of the race before Florida’s primary to avoid a humiliating loss in his home state. Rubio’s campaign was furious that some volunteers associated with Ted Cruz shared the story with those in Hawaii on the day of their primary.
Mitt Romney, the failed 2012 Republican presidential nominee, blasted out robo-calls on behalf of Rubio and John Kasich and against Donald Trump in the states voting in primaries yesterday, after he delivered a scorching condemnation of Donald Trump’s candidacy last week. Romney says he is not for any candidate as of yet but is anti-Trump.
Voters in Mississippi and Michigan picked Donald Trump, while Cruz took Idaho. Rubio failed to take a single delegate, while Kasich took second place in Michigan. Bernie Sanders surprised pollsters by winning in Michigan, and Hillary Clinton won Mississippi.
Denver, Colorado, is finding itself a mile-high in homeless numbers. City officials say they plan to start clearing out camps that have formed around shelters this week. Denver is the latest in a long line of fast-growing cities facing the same problem.
The World View spoke to Denver Rescue Mission’s Director of Public Relations Alexa Gagner, asking her why she thinks the problem is growing and what people can do to help. She said that unemployment and people losing their homes were the most significant factors: “We’re all in this together, and part of the first step is recognizing that there are people who are homeless. Often, they can become invisible—you know, you kind of brush people off. But recognizing that they’re people; they’re human; they deserve dignity and respect just like any other person. And if there’s some way you can help them, you can always tell someone they can go to Denver Rescue Mission. Our city does have good resources for people.”
Denver Broncos fans were surprised this week when their own Peyton Manning, considered by many the greatest football quarterback ever, announced his retirement. Manning referred to 1 Timothy 4:7 in his speech: “I’ve fought a good fight. I’ve finished my football race and after 18 years, it’s time. God bless all of you and God bless football.”
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.