Criminal charges against Bruce Harris, a British citizen who lives in Guatemala, were brought by after a Guatemala lawyer complained about being identified with the country's lucrative and often shady adoption business.

The lawyer claimed Harris had defamed her character in 1997 when publicly spoke about a Canadian investigative report into the illegal side of Guatemala adoptions. The lawyer was named in the report.

Earlier court rulings had said free speech was only guaranteed to journalists and not the common man.

“A world of hurt.” It’s a phrase that comes to mind when I think of the many people I have spoken to in Jamaica over the last couple of months. Here are just a few of the hurts that people have been telling me about lately:

Dan and Kay Finley are driving through Mexico on their way to North Carolina for their taining. They also will be visiting churches and others as part of their regularly scheduled stateside leave.

The FInleys will be attending a fourteen-week Vernacular Media Specialist training prgram, preparing them in the use of non-print media Bible translation.

The Finleys plan to use this training in developing the tape and broadcast media ministry as a way of getting God's Word in the "hands" of more Guatemala people, particularly the indigenous population.

Not long ago LBT recognized that simply translating the Scriptures into other languages, traditionally in the form of books (Bibles), needed to be developed. Many people who are now receiving the God's Word live in non-literate groups where reading and writing in any language is virtualy non-existent. Most of these people will never learn to read and so other ways of hearing the Word are needed.

(22 Jan 04) After the Guatemala Supreme Court ruled against claims for freedom of speech, the director of Casa Alianza (Covenant House) is due in court today on charges of criminal defamation.

Bruce Harris, a British citizen, spoke out against illegal international adoptions in 1997 and mentioned some of the lawyers allegedly connected with the lucritive business.

One of the lawyers filed charges against Harris, who claimed freedom of speech permitted him to reveal the names of those alledgedly involved in child trafficking. The names were a part of a Canadian investigation which found most babies were being put up for adoption by women who were not the mothers.

from
LCMS WORLD MISSION e-News
Good News from the Field – Feb 2004
Short mission stories, thoughts and anecdotes from missionary newsletters.

Joviel Acevedo, of the National Teachers Assembly (ANM), said, “The scholastic year 2004 begins with serious difficulties with the budget, scholarship, and nutrition programs.”

“More than half-a-million children will remain outside the education system,” said Acevedo, due to the inability to pay salaries for some thirteen thousand additional teachers needed.

Maria del Carmen Aceña, Minister of Education, explained yesterday, “This Monday I will meet with educational leaders, and we hope to begin to working together in a new era of the public education.”

The 1992 Nobel Peace Prize recipient has long been an outspoken advocate for humans rights protection for Guatemalans, especially the indigenous population. Menchú's father and other family members were assasinated during the country's 36-year civil war. Her autobiography, "I, Rigoberta," brought world-wide awareness of the violence in Guatemala.

In a part of Africa heavily influenced by Islam, it can take Christian missionaries years to reach even a handful of Muslims. Now Lutheran schools are drawing whole villages to hear about the Gospel.

The Lutheran schools they are talking about are supported by Children’s Christian Concern Society (CCCS), a Kansas-based Lutheran mission society which provides scholarship and other aid to Lutheran schools in Latin America, the Carribean, and Africa.

Lutheran Missionary Tim Heiney believes CCCS is making big inroads into the local villages.

The increase took effect January 1, 2004, but the unanimous ruling now roles the salaries back to Q31.90 and Q34.20 per day for agricultual and non-agricultaral workers respectively. Both wages equal roughly $4.00 a day.

After taking the oath of office and signing the Constitution’s Gold Book, Oscar Berger asked the people to unite with the Government and fight again corruption and restore credibility to the government. Berger said that as the nation “ we need to eliminate all suspicion of impunity and corruption from [government] institutions.”

Berger replaces Alfonso Portillo, widely criticized as the leader of one of Guatemala’s most corrupt administrations. In a recent scientific poll, 70% of Guatemalans said Portillo was Guatemala’s worst president since democratic elections began in 1985. Over half of the respondents believed he was corrupt.

At the inauguration ceremonies Berger and Vice President Eduardo Stein signed the Gold Book of Congress and pledged their respect and loyalty to the Constitution.