Saudi Arabia, as the birthplace of Islam, will not allow churches to be built on its land, according to Defense Minister Prince Sultan

AP, March 10, 2003

While Christians can wait for years to get a permission to build a church in Egypt, and can never receive permits to build churches in most Arab countries, Qatar is offering land for Christians to build churches.

FEB. 25, 2003, Zenit.org

The prayer focus is being organized by Christians United in Prayer.
"While Christians had different opinions regarding possible war with Iraq, we must not desire that our will be done, but rather... the Lord's."

Charisma News, Feb 19, 2003

Continuing a long-time commitment to relief work in Iraq, Church World Service and several other religious organizations have set up a $1 million campaign to improve health care for Iraqi children.

The "All My Children" campaign will use the money raised to purchase antibiotics, anesthesia, IV solution kits and items related to providing clean drinking water.

By United Methodist News Service, Jan 10, 2003

Suspected Islamic extremist opens fire in Jibla Baptist hospital with Kalashnikov, kills three US Citizens.

The US Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, based in Richmond, Virginia, was reportedly preparing to transfer control of the hospital to a local Yemeni charity

Baptist Press, Dec 30, 2002

I only pray in my room," a Roman Catholic laborer from Sri Lanka told AP.
In Riyadh AP quoted a shop keeper as as saying that the ever-vigilant religious police have confiscated even Christmas cards

By Stefan J. Bos, ASSIST News Service, Dec 25, 2002

According to International Christian Concern, the Rev. Fernando Alconga, a Filipino pastor of the Redeemer and King Filipino Church of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of Dubai on November 12, 2002.

By Michael Ireland, ASSIST News Service

Salaam Jaro was born in Iraq. Prior to the Gulf war, he completed the mandatory two years of service in the Iraqi army before taking a job in a weapons manufacturing plant in Baghdad.
Jaro's work place soon became a target for American missiles. Although bombs struck the plant several times, miraculously he was not on duty during any of the attacks.
When the war over, he saw the time was right to flee his native Iraq to a safer place. He is now pastor of the Arabic Baptist Church in Toronto, Canada.

By Harold Camphell, Baptist Press, Dec 5, 2002

Christianity Today intreviews Georges Hormis Sada, 62, the president of the National Presbyterian Church in Baghdad and chairman of the Assembly of Evangelical Presbyterian Churches?Iraq.

He deflects talk of leaving the country (although about one-third of the country's Christians emigrated during the 1990s). "We are praying very hard. We know that one day our Lord will make it better."

By Stan Guthrie, Christianity Today, Nov 08, 2002

Norm Nelson, president and host of "Life At Its Best," returned from a recent Middle East trip

In the heart of Baghdad, Nelson found a vibrant church with a worship atmosphere that was "deeply reverent, conducted with decorum and order." With a membership numbering 400 families, their Sunday evening service "was so packed that some were forced to stand in the back."

Religion Today. October 31, 2002