>> today on christian world news president obama reaches out to muslims in indesia. why did he overlook the christians whose churches are being closed? braving rough weather to help tsunami victims, some are only just now getting help. plus this is where christianity is growing faster than anywhere else. our exclusive report from what is being called the most religious place on earth. welcome to christian world news i am wendy griffith. george thomas is on assignment.

u.s. president baracobama stopped in india during a 10-day tour. the president used his short time to reach out to the islamic world. heather sells has more. >> reporter: it was more than a homecoming. >> just as individuals are not defined solely by their faith. indonesia is defineby more than its muslim population. relations between united states and muslim communities have frayedover many years. as president, i have made it a priority torepair these relations. >> he is hoping for greater cooperation with indonesia the war on terror. >> america is not and never will be at war with islam. all of us must work together to

defeat alaeda. >> the president and first lady toured the istiglal the largest mosque in indonesia. it symbolizes its diversity. >> house of worship for many houses of muslims designed by a christian architect. islam flourishes, so do other faiths. >> religious right supporters say it is difficult for christians to flourish in indonesia. they raided christian villages and slaughter them. muslim majority create as hostile enviroent for christian climate. >> reporter: gone are the

brutal massacreof the past, intent is the same. destroy christianityand create an islamic state throughout indonesia. >> 10 years has past people arstill suffering, es especially thosethat convert from muslim to christianity and church are being shut down. >> they insight mob violence, push for chures to close. one of the worst was the -- gather at the local mosque and tried to prevent the christians from meetinat the newly built church. the mob grew to about 1500. >> some threw stones and

southing, god is great and calling us infadels and pigs and yelled obscenity. others shouted burn the church close it down. >> local officials closed the church. since then christians have worship school distri outside. angry muslims put dead rats and broken glass in hopes to deter them. christans say they experience less freedom than the muslim majority. few new churches allowed for a growing christian population. gary lane, cbn news, jakarta. persecution especially harsh on muslims who leave islato follow christ. they are beaten and tortur to force them to return to islam. the tsunami that did

massive damage last month. relief crews struged to get to remote islands. teams from operation blessing have made it and bringing help to the victims. >> from big ships to medium boats and even smaller boats toperation blessing team by all means had to bring the food, clothing, medicines and other relief goods to the tsunami victims. >> operation blessing team sailed througrough seas just to bring food. here we see the boxes being wheeled to the residents of the island here and the most important help they get is medical help whih most of the islanders get for the very first time. >> there were times operatio blessing had to stop sailing because the waves got too high even the bad weather turned for

11-year-old reka. after she fractured her leg swepted by the tsunami. the operation blessing team stopped at her villageand orthopedic doctor applied first aid to her leg. reka and her parents are grateful. >> thank you for helping our daughter. >> villags say the operaton blessing helpers are the first to bring help. >> this little girl was treated and she was sliced by a sharp object while being swept away by rushing waters. >> thank you for helping my sister. >> christian relief workers join the operation blessing team in comforting families of the dead. >> village chief can't contain his grief. he lost his wife and 2 children.

they are among 36 people that died in this village. >> this woman is saddens that the school they built for the children is destroyed. >> the school is gone but we shall teach another one to teach the people here the value of education. >> operation blessing brought spiritual help. >> i believe god allowed this tragedy for the people to return to him and place their faith in jesus christ. i am here to encourage the people that god is one that rebuilds and not destroys. >> the operation blessing leader says staff and volunteers feel they are privileged to help. >> it was very difficult, we are happy to be involved in such a ministry that helps those in great ed. >> operation blessing says it won't beleaving her any time

soon. a new team of doctors arrived and more relief and goods shall distibuted in the comin weeks, lucille, cbn news. uniteded nations is warning about a major out break of cholera in hait it has claime700 lives and affecting 11,000 people. operation blessing is also in haiti helping to fight the out break with water purification equipment. up next, this persecud pastor came back to find his family on the verge of starvati. we'll tell you about the miracle that pulled them throh.

>> welcome back. islamic militants in iraq are making good on their threat to keep up attacks on christians there.

at least 6 people died in a series of bombings in christian neighborhood in baghdad. 58 killed. a group linked to al-qaeda sized a baghdad church. militants warned all iraqi chritians to leave country or face deh. 37 survivorsare in france d they are offering them asylum. a court in pakistan has sentenced a christian woman to death for blasphe against the islamic faith. she told them jesus died on the cross for man kind and asked the muslims what mohammad did for them. local leaders said she is to be

charged for blasphemy. bb could still serve a life sentence. this sunday christians around the world will remember their brothers and sisters in christ who suffer for their faith. international day of prayer mobilizes churches on behalf of the millions of persecuted christians worldwide. this sunday they are joining together in prayer and learning about practical ways they can help the suffering church. christian pastors are often imprisoned. what happens to the pastor's families while they are in jail. left without a provid, they often struggle to survive. this comes from us from our friends ofhe voice of the martyrs. >> in my country, christians are persecuted for their faith.

my frienddavid alexander since 3 and 1/2 years. his 3 daughters are growing up without theither. >> [ foreign speaking ]. i was also imprisoned for teaching about christ. my name is salaba and a pastor in nortrn uzbekistan. i was sentenced to 8 years in prison. after i served 4 months, they dropped the charges and releas me. i was praising god and went

home to my wife and 2 daughters. my little girl was so excited to see me. the police had been watching our house and no one had been able to help my family. the food was gone and for the lasweek they had nothing but water. my baby couldn't nurse because my wife had no milk to get her n. prison i endured many things. nothing endured mefor this. my wife said what will we do? i said we will pray and our god will provide. the next morningi went to work in the garde nothing was growin but i didt know what else to do. my daughter came out to help me, sheasked, if we work in the garden, will your god give us bread? i told her to wait.

to trust in god. so we just kept working we kept praying. a few hours later, 2 men suddenly appeared our house. they ased if my name was salabad. i saides. when i reached out to shake their hands, one of them place an envelope in mine. i looked and saw it was full of money. when i looked up the men were gone. i don't know who they were or where they camerom. but my daughter and i rejoiced. god had provided. as i share this story, i am now again being watched by the police and could be arrested at any time. i am not afraid of going back

to prison. but i pray please god, don't let my family go hunry. we can no longer meet in our church building, so we worship in the desert. only a few brothers are able to gather a time. we canot even bring our bibles. in uzbekistan some are afraid. others believe the persecution is a test of our faith. david's family says this testing is hard. but it has made them stronger. >> [ foreign speaking ].

>> voice of the martyrs is one of many ministries that serve it is persecuted church. you can find links for the international y of prayer for the persecuted prayer, go to our website cwnews.org. up next, we'll take you to the most religiou place in the world find out where christnity is growing faster than any place on the globe right after this.

>> welcome back to christian world news. now want to take you some where known as the most religious place earth. it is an area where christianity and islam are attracting followers in numbers not seen in more than 100 years. george thomas has that story. >> reporter: 20 years after the end of aparti insi south africa's biggest township, another image is emerging. soretois on fire for god. grace bible church is where it is happening. began in 1983 with a handful of people. now more than 15,000 members and 11 satelle churches across south africa. the senior pastor >> god said if you seek me, you'll find me. if you seek me with all your heart.

i think that africa is -->> for 4 months, researchers chris crossed and interviews 25,000 people face to face in different languages, what did they discover? >> clearly, the most religious place on earth. >> the people who live south of the sa har ra desert and stretching to the tip of africa are seekg after god unlike any other religion of the world including europe and the united states. overwhelming majority said religi is very important to them. most believe in one god and heaven and hell. bible is the literaword of god and vast number believe jesus will return in their

lifetime. >> from attendance to believe in god to prayer, you name it, one after another, africa ranks at the highest level in terms of global comparison >> he says christianity in particular is exploding. in 1900 there were 7 million christians in africa. that number is up 70 fold to a staggeri 470 million. christians are now 60 percent of the polation. >> that growth by any global comparison or historical comparis is a rapid comparison. >> muslims have also seen a big rise from 11 million in 1900 to some 234 million in 2010. >> it is not to say that the

indigenous african beliefs are not being practices today on the continent. half of the people questioned here in south africa, believe sacrifices to ancestors and spiris can protect people from harm. >> a few surveys showdespite the dominance of christianity and islam, tradition african beliefshaven't diminished. none the less, jack couldn't have imagind the growth. born in gabant to swiss parents, he says he was 20 years old when he got the calli from god. >> i never preached before a big coregation. >> 57 years later, he leads one of the largest churches in the democratic republic of congo. he has 60 other churches around

the country. his fellow pastor in soweto, he bears witness to the power of god in people's lives. >> god is doing something special for africa in our days. >> despite the crushing poverty,hunger, diseaseand famine that millions of africans face each day, they rank the highest in the world in terms of their optimistic outlook. >> pastor mososana is thrilled christianity is on the growth worldwide. for yes he has been calling to lead the effort to carry the banner of christ to the ends of the earth. >> people came to tell us about christ. we were their dark continent.

we realize history changes. so we intentionally and proactively take the gospel to other parts of the world. >> yet anoth sign of africa's spiritual vitality. george thomas cbn news, in soweto, south africa.

>> an elderlcanadian couple hit the jackpot. the biggest surprise came this fall when they gave most of it away. allen and violet large played the lottery and ended up winning over 11million dollars. they donated a large portion to the hospital and clinics where violet has spent a big portion of her time this year. she is battling cancer. >> we are country hicksand we

are not going to, we are not tralers, so why keep the money and give it to the goverent? >> can't buy happiness and can't buy health. >> we have really enjoyed it. that has put the big plus in our life. >> look at that beautiful farm. the couple saysthey are rich with each other. great lovestory. that is going to do it for this week. thanks for joining us here on christian world news. until next week good-bye and god bless you. (saking in international language) and he said unto them go ye to all of the world

and preach t gospel each the gospel ♪ eve creature in the world. (applause)