>> today on "christian world news" a major victory for human rights why the united nations ditched a proislamic revolution. >> how one group is equipping the next generation for full time ministry. >> and christians growing underground in vietnam. how they are seeking shelter from religious persecution. an important victory for religious freedom in united nations, hello everyone i am

george thomas. >> and i am wendy griffith. dropping a u.n. resolution that dropped free speech. forbidding deaf nation of religions. critics say it mainly protected islam. gary lane shows it changed last year. >> reporter: because it protected the rights of a religion rather than individuals. if futhermore the organization of islamic conference. some say it favored islam. >> this deaf nation of religion has nothing to do with protecting the religion, it isolates from islam. members of the muslim faith would be guilty of violating a

u.n. resolution. >> critics say it gave cover. in pakistan those laws have been used to persecute christians and other religious minorities. >> simple activities like worshipping and sharing one's faith in jesus christ with a neighbor can be interpreted as offensive and are stricted. >> in deed it was pakistan to sponsor the oic. it offered one based on terms add voe caughted by religious rights groups. protecting individuals from discrimination or violence because of their faith. gary lane cbn news. >> thanks, gary, the american center for law and justice fought the resolution and jordan secular joins us from the washington bureau.

what were the problems for the old and how is this room for improvement? >> two basic problems for the old one, those who express support who may happen to be muslim or christians themselves in predominantly muslim countries. the first thing is it criminalized and allowed these countries to do just that. standing on a street corner in a place like pakistan saying jesus is the only way to heaven, then there was a u.n. human rights resolution passed by the general assembly saying it is okay. first it is a victory for those that want to proclaim the gospel. it is not a cover anymore, george, for these predominantly muslim countries who want to

stifle any other religious speech including minority muslim speech within other countries. >> my colleague gary lane pointed out, pakistan pushed the old resolution, that country recently has come under tremendous fire especially after the 2 officials were murder for speaking out these laws. how big a part did those events play in this change? >> we are in ngo at the knew united nations. those 2 incidents in pakistan led to the reason why the oic didn't try to push it. let me say, george, if we continue to get these stories out, and the cases with our office where the blasphemy law, we are not afraid to

condemn them for not doing enough to protect their own citizens. even though we may represent the victims, let people know what is happening to minority faith members across the world, we can continue to stop the resolution which legalizes it. people need to understand the oic is not done here. this is not good timing because of what happened in pakistan specifically. in no way, the representatives out of saudi arabia are they done fighting for another deaf nation resolution. >> organization of islamic conference, they pushed the old resolution for years. briefly, what can you tell us about this group and its aims in the united nations as you see the countries named? >> only 2nd to the united nations. the voting block inside the

u.n. is the most influential, 57-member state who is can vote. although the muslim world can be divided, when it comings to rights and freedoms and how to protect themselves, they all unite together. that is the threat of the organization, the islamic conference. it is a dangerous group. its impact is second only to the u.n. itself. >> wow, terrific. always a pleasure to have you. jordan secular, doing incredible work on behalf of persecuted christians, sir as always, thank you for your insights libya's rebels is considering giving arms to their forces. now some question if they are big enough and strong enough to beat gadhafi.

others claim al-qaeda and he is he hezbollah are in their lank ranks. tino just returned from benghazi. he said the time is right to bring gospel resources into the country. >> what the team that i was with we were able to bring a lot of material into the country there are plans to bring in as much material to make it available to distribute. there is a lot of people praying. we felt god's spirit covering us, we never felt any fear among ourselves and felt encouraged. we wanted to stand in the gap and the reason there were lots of prayers going on for libya

inside and outside and i believe god is going to on mor noes prayers. >> libya's christians only make up 3 percent of the population. new bibles are not welcome by the islamic regime in iran. the government burned 600. five imprisoned are to be tried for blasphemy and serving for crimes against the islamic order. training the next generation, how one group in russia is teaching young people to spread the gospel.

>> 20 years ago the fall of communism in russia ushered in a new era of religious freedom.

christianity began to spread. >> since then one group focussed with the next generation. here is my report from southeast russia. >> on a small village. >> some 25 miles southeast of moscow. >> i have been here 9 years and gotten used to it. >> 15-year-old boy and dozens of boys and girls watch bible stories through drama and music. >> this has made my day. >> a team of christians are visiting the orphanage in southeast siberia. >> we focus on the children. they are the future of this country. >> a large group of young men and women training to be next generation christian leaders. >> key is to recruit young

people. >> evangelical church in russia. he has used his church to recruit, teach, and prepare young people for full time ministry. >> we run a program called schools without walls. we are enrolling a program. >> schools without walls is an initiative of russian ministries, focussing on bringing the gospel to the former soviet union. last year students from russia, ukraine, uzbek sta and kyrgyzstan enrolled in the ministries. >> sure it has become easier since the fall of communism. now people are obsessed with materialism and making money,

they don't have time. our motivation is to help people share their faith. >> this student is enrolled in the school. when she is not there, you'll percent find her involved in various outreaches. >> schools without walls helps me. i used to be scared about sharing the gospel with others. not anymore. classes give us the theological foundation. >> the students are seeing the fruits. on a recent thursday morning, schools without walls performed a musical at a high school drawing the prays of the school's principle. >> our young people deal with challenges, drugs, sex, alcohol, the christian values are good and should be shared.

>> this pastor wants his students to remember who sacrificed their lives in the early days. >> october 29th, 1937, deep in the forest of russia, 22 christian pastors executed by kgb officers. their bodies buried. they were killed for one sole reason because they are christians. today a memorial to remember what happened that horrific day. >> those pastors sacrificed their life. they are the seed bed for the faith. >> young men and women rising to the challenge and willing to spread the gospel in this part of the world. >> wow george trussian ministries are doing incredible world.

>> they go to russia to these cold places and really have a passion to share the gospel with these young folks. you can see you can find out more reports from russia and learn more about russian ministries and its work in the former soviet union at our website cwnews.org. up next, tortured for their faith, how christians in vietnam are finding shelter underground.

>> welcome back to the broadcast. the group human rights is calling for ring for the united states state's department, the abuse of tribal christians in the high lands. >> a team from voice of the martyrs to find the believers. courtesy of canada's 100 huntly

street. >> the vietnamese are trying to keep up as fast as they can. the people are also firm in the grip of a one of party system that has control over every area of life. >> facing criticism, the vietnamese have allowed christian churches like this one to register. it forces control of when it meets, how often and who its pastor is. >> many christians are going underground. this is a secret refuge for men and women from the most persecuted area of vietnam, the mountain region. here they come to worship together and study the bible. the men are from former tribes, some former witch doctors.

they want to learn more about god. they share the experience of religious persecution. we have hid l their identities for their own protection. threat of arrest or worse is very real. one of the men, kohn shows me how local policeman arrested him and hung him by his thumbs. >> they took me to the station and tortured me. they hung me on the wall for 3 hours. >> he can hardly hide the pain. christianity was unheard of among some tribes. today they make up vietnam's fastest growing church. he practiced idol worship. when he got sick he couldn't

find relief. >> in march last year i was sick. i didn't have enough money. i asked one of the christians to pray for me. god healed me. since that time people hate me because i don't do the sacrifice anymore. >> he destroyed the idols with angered many and brutally beaten by the mries. police. he is equipping himself to teach and preach the salvation. these men discover being persecuted for following jesus is nothing new. peter has been arrested for going out, he takes his persecution in stride. >> the government says there is freedom of religion. there is a lot of persecution among christians and other tribes. i have freedom because it doesn't matter.

i will do what i am called to do. >> i ask them why they are so persecuted while other churchs are not? >> i think one of the reasons is because the church hasn't sent people out to evangelize. it is because we are active and sending people out to evangelize. >> as we have talked to them about persecution, to them it is normal. what is what it means to follow christ. several had made the statement, christ suffered. >> what will happen to the church of vietnam is uncertain. as the government continues to face pressure from the outside, more freedoms may come. these people aren't holding their breath. they are speaking up. not for their right, but the

faith they hold and the god they love if it costs them their lives. denise ladi, vietnam joo friends and family look back on the life of a woman who spent her life in service to god.

>> terrorist bombed a bus station in jerusalem. it killed a christian volunteer who arrived there a few weeks before. >> here is cbn news, chris mitchell from jerusalem. >> on march 23rd, terror once again struck the streets of jerusalem. bomb wounded dozens and killed 55-year-old mary gardener. a scottish citizen. she was a student in conjunction for the home for

bible translators. >> friends gathered to remember mary gardener, her life and legacy. [singing]. >> the director of the home for bible translators led the service. >> my opening prayer was just exactly her kind of dedication would come through in a way that was inspirational to continue her work. there would be others to step into her shoes and multiply the work she has done. >> gardener sent 20 years with we wycliffe bible translators. >> she definitely committed her

life to the sense that god loves her. she wanted to share it. >> her legacy was a gift to people that speak that language, they are able to read the scriptures she believed in so deeply herself. >> marys friend since 1973. >> those of us that knew and loved her, there is a legacy of deep friendship and affection and joy when we think of her and laughter. and delight in who she was. >> many have asked the question why? some believe part of the answer may lie in what happened at the scene of the bombing. moments before the explosion, 3 children, the community where the home for bible translators is located. mary absorbed most of the blast.

>> convinced that she absorbed most of the bomb and the kids were on the bus at the bus stop, their lives were saved. >> this was one of the children on the bus. >> it is hard for me to imagine that is actually what she did for me. it is like nothing happened to me or my friend or people that were there. i just want to thank her if i could. >> mary's life ended suddenly. her friends and family believe her lives work dedicated to translating the bible will live on. in this 2009 recording, mary talked about her work. >> god has given me the privilege of being someone he has used to give 200,000 people a translation of the new

testament in nar own language. the bible is a key tool god has given us to follow and serve him and fulfill his commission. as efay would say, [ foreign speaking ] may god bless you. >> chris mitchell cbn news, the home for bible translators. >> incredible. that many people can read the bible cause she lived. >> we have taken you around the world, hope you have enjoyed our broadcast. we have inspiring stories, more and more for you to see. that is all from all of us here on "christian world news". until next week good-bye. >> and god bless you.