today on christian world news martyred in afghanistan, the medical aid workers that gave their life to the peoe of afghanistan. >> plus rifqa bary released from foster ce. could she be sent back to sure lan ka? >> plus in the birthplacethe spiritual messe broadcast to eastern europe. we'll take you behind the seens of alpha omega television. >> christian aid workers give their lives in afghanistan. hello, i am wendy griffith.

>> and i am george thomas. mourne gather for a small memorial ceremony coming to honor the 10 medical aid workers. the team spent 2 weeks bringing medical care to the remostest region of the country. they were on their way back to kabuand were gunned down. taliban accused the group of trying to convt muslims to christianity. the family members here in the unitedtates say that is not true. johns john jessup has more on their mission. >> reporter: inexange for their selfless service, they were gunned down in a country they have come to love. >> i can say without hesitation, tom and libby were the most honest, unvarnished,

direct, mission workers i have ever known. >> the group had just wrapped up 2 weeks of helping with eye diseases in a row remote part of afghanistan. a non christian organization. they were ambushed on the way back to kabul. tom little, an optometrist was kill. >> we are surrounding them with love and support and praying for them. >> while othersremembered what they admired like 32-year-old cheryl becket. >> we are going to miss her a lot and the way she putsmiles on senior citizens face and all the members of the church's face.

>> the taliban accused the team of spying and converting muslims to christianity. poli think maybe they were robbed. some of them are calling them martyrs. friends say they believe the work will continue on. john jessup cbn news, washington u.s. secretary of state hilary clinton condemned the taliban and said the murders can't be justifieunder ism. she says it is false and a transparent attempt to justify the unjustifble. >> with these murders the taliban have showed us the lengths to which they will go to advan their twisted ideology. as determined as the extremist are to spread their destructive

view of the world,the afghan people along with their partners, including the united states are determined to stop them. >> human rights activists are calling on u.s. and afghan governme to protect religious freedom in afghanistan. go to our website at cwnews.org. heather mercer spent many days. she and 7 other workers were also accused of proselytized. heather, you know this is a very dangerous part of the world. talk briefly about the challengesof working today in a war zone like afghanistan. >> sure, in a place like afghanisn, there is a certainly a collision of ideologies and world views. but you know, we come from a

perspective that love can cover a multitude and we contue to believe that people who serve in that region and meet the needs of the people can bring change to the country. >> these murds could cause some to be very discouraged. shouldhristians give up on afghanistan? >> absolutely not. i mean really, the answer and the hope of afghanistan comes through the hope of the gospel, ultimately. christians are the ones who carry that message. if christians give up on this couny, then there is no hope for afghanistan. with god all things are possible. the people who have served there in the past and continue to serve there truly believe there is hope and a better future for this country. >> heather, what can we learn from dr. tom little and others that gave their lives to the

service of the afghaneople. state departmentis calling them heroes, others are calling them martyrs. give us your sense? >> tom little and others serving in that country for a long time are an example of what an authentic christian life looks like. these are people who loved not their own lives, even to pay the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives physically. i have spent a lot of time this last week thinking about them and praying for their famili and you know, i don't know any of them would have been surprid this would have been the outcome some day. they had alreadgiven their lives to the afghan peopl they didn't give their lives on the day they physicly lost their lives. they had been giving their

lives every single day for these precious people. i am sure they would have all done it over again even knowing the outcome. >> very nicely, heather, she does all kinds of work in northern iraq. thank you for your insight. heather mercer, thanyou so much for joining us. >> thank you. turning now to a case of religious freedom in u.s., an ohio judge has releas rifqa bary from u.s. custody. she fled her parents claiming think threatened her life. a year-long battle this week. >> on her 18th birthday, christian convert rifqa bary was released ending a long legal battle.

>> a journey that began last year when she ran away from her home in columbus and took refuge with christians in florida she met. >> this is not some threats, this is reality, this is truth. >> her parents deny the threats and began a legal battle to bring her home. >> i told my daughte look, you are born muslim. it is your responsibility to learn your religion first and decide on your own. >> police in florida and ohio found no evidence she was in danger. she remained in state custody as a miner. it struck a responsive plight around the world. many attend this former muslim rally. >> it wasn't a few months before i received a death

threat. it was on my car. i was woied. >> during this time, bary faced another threat to her life, cancer. she underwentreatment for uterine cancer. >> she went to a prayer conference and had surgery and chemotherapy. >> she is cancer free, she is asking authitys to remain in the u.s. while she consults with doctors to keep her cancer from returning. >> what a courageous woman. she is hoping to become a legal reside and continue sharing her u.s. faith. about 1/3 of population is christian, whyis south korea called the suicide capitol of the world?

>> welcome backthe floong

in pakistan has become the worst tural disaster in that country's history. more than 1500 people have been killed. the death toll could be much higher becausentire villages have disappeared in the deluge. 16 percent of the country under water. 14 million people affected by the floods, more than the indian ocean tsunami. 7 million people need emergency assistance. cbn operation blessing is providing assistance with humedica. they are caring for injuried and distributing much needed medicines, bdages and water. >> from pakistan to south korea. about 1/3 of populati say they believe in christianity.

yet it also has the highest suicide rate of any country in the central world. it is a situation causing alarm in the culture and prompting the church to action. lucille went to investigate. >> reporter: choi jin-sil was one of south korea most popular actresses. in 2008, this beautiful woman who had the love of her country and bright future hanged herself. her suicide prompted as many as 700 more people to take their lives in the following months includg her own brother. >> sadly committing suicide has become a trend among deeply troubled people herin korea. >> thesuicide rate in south korea is shigh it is now knowas the suicide capitoof the world. according to the korean

national police, the number rose. almost 20 percent increase. sociologists say a highly competitive atmosphere and uncertainty and recession and crumblg social networks are to blame for these awful networks. >> i think korea has so many stressful things it is hard for me to overcome those competitions and fight for everythingwith everyone. >> maurn moratalla, a grade schoolteacher says she was shocked to hear her young students talk about committing suicide because of the stress they face. they attend regular curricular classes unl 8:00 in the

evening and also 2:00 in the morning. >> i have a 12-yr-old student, she said teacher, i want to kill myself. i want to die. and then i ask her why? she told me that my parents push me to study and study. i don'have time to rest, to play with my friends >> what is even more troubling about this deadly trend, south korea a largely christian nation, 10 of the largest christian churches in the world. korean council of religious leaders is trying to figure it out and people that suffer from depression. >> if they meet christ and have a relationship th god, those things can truly change with christ in their lives they can know they are not alone.

they caknow any obstacle in this world can be overcome through christeven though it is a difficult one. >> churches are speaking out from their pulpits, preaching sermons on the preciousness of life and only god can take a life. lucille, cbn newsseoul, south korea. >> thanks, lucille. nearly 21 years since the fall of communism in romania and country continues to see a spiritual revival. >> one ministry become a 24 hour network. >> reporter: these days church bells and heavenly music often fill the air in this busy and historic square in romania. but this is the square in

december of 1989 when the people's revolted against the regime crying god exists, god exists!>> it is consided to be the spiritual capitol. >> thoo politicafreedom is what -- 5 years after the revolution and one year after he became a christian. >> i grew up together with the ministry and came to the lord 17 years ago, and we jump almost immediately in this ministry. >> growing ministry began small withvhs machines donated by cbn he began translating christian shows. >> even during the communist

time, we find out later,that generation after generation, they pray for christian in romania, for our time, the gospel will be in all homes available. >> in 1999, alpha omega began producing own programs, its own version of christian world news and in 2006, alpha oh may ga launched the first channel in eastern europe. >> i got my first tv set and it is the only channei am watching. >> reach continues to grow. >> many people connue to come to the lord >> there is anoth challenge, a new building with room to grow the ministry and increase their faith that god will supply what is still needed. tutor and his employees ve moved in.

more work and more finances is needed to complete the building. >> of course we in the front line it is exposed to obstacles we face even now. >> new buildingfor alpha omega, 3 story, sprawling space. did you expect this when you started this? >> god give us confirmations and put in our heart, this is like a fir like a volcano. life and love, also and we'll be a light in this place. >> in the country spiritual capitol and birthplacof spiritual revolution. ephram graham cbn news, romania. up next, the threats facin israel and the christian friends they rely on for support.

>> over a billion with muslims

around the world are celebring ramadan, islam's holyist month, they pray from dawn to dusk. in israel police beefed up security arod jerusalem. tensof thousands of muslim came to pray at the moue. benjamin netanyahu gave hi annual greeting to the muslim world during the speech he urged the palastinian is to agree direct peace talks. >> chris mitchell joins us here. he is in the united states. >> great to be with you. >> we heard these efforts to resume peace talks. israel seems isolated. how do the israeli's feel. >> they are discouraged. the process started around 1994, about 16 years with no genuine change. i think a lot of iz srael's are

looking behind the proces we see the news, calls for the peace talks, underneath what israelis are seeing, they look at the palastinia media and encourage of jihad and even -- hamas is dedicated to destroying israel. >> chris, israel came under blistering attack from the international community r the way it handled the flotilla incident when the turks sent over a ship bount for gaza. the evangelical support had unwaiver support. what impact did that have? >> a great impact. it was almost immediate condemnation of israel. the christians supported th.

i thinthat was a prime example of the way christians have supported inssence i have been the in the middle east. the people kept coming back in the midst of danger and terror. they began a process, how strong the support is of evangelical christians. >> during the war, christians are coming out. >> exactly. keep coming. now there is a record number of tourism, many evangelical christians. >> speaking of that, they are the majority thacome to israel how does that effect the israelisnd how does that effect the christia that get to visit the holy land? >> for israelis it is a moral builder and financial om. it is the strongest way of

revenue. for them coming is an emotional and financial support when many nations and groups are trying to boycott israel, the evangelicals is bringing support. for the ristians it is a one lifetime experience. many had tears at the garden of guess semity. it is a lifetime experience. >> thanks so much, chris. >> if you cannot joinchris, you can go to his website, go to our website cbnnews.com. you can follow the links. we'lbe back after this.

knew as i mentioned earlier, this is the holiest month for muslims, it is rom don.

>> it helps chrisans pray for leaders in the islamic world. it is loaded with informion to help them learn about muslim people and their culture. you can find that guide on our website cwnews.org. >> terrific. the family that prays together is more likely to state together. they found prayer leads to intimacy and helps couples get closer. that can help in disagreements. who doesn't like that? african american coups are likely to have a stronger spiritual unity. we have covered the globe d hopeyou have been encouraged from chris mitchell to the crisis in afghanistan to south korea. hope you are blessed.

>> until next week, good-bye and god bless you everyone take care.t is god's, but you're to render unto caesar the things thaare caesar's and you do not understd that our whole culture is going to hell in a hand basket and most people in the churches ardoing nothing about it, and most preachers are ve guardedly saying nothing about it! god have mercy upon us

that's next time o..