>> today on "christian world news" praying for the people of north korea. residents celebrate the day of the sun, christians in the south are marking the 100th anniversary of kim il sung. al-shabab and al-qaeda from joined forces, how one man was targeted and made a daring mistake. in overcrowded prison killing hundreds in the community. we'll show you how the christian community is responding to the tragedy. as north korea attempts to launch a missile, south korea send up prayers for a regime

change. hello everyone, i am efrem graham. the communist regime defied if world by attempting a missile launch. the global community is considering what action to take. dale hurd has the story. >> reporter: at least it didn't blow up on the launch pad, communist north korea attempt fizzled when the launch of the rocket ended in embarrassment. they claim it was launched for the 100-year-old birthday. earlier this year kim il sung's grandson took over.

new it is him showing his muscle on the national stage. >> they call it a test of cover and could be used develop a long-range missile. >> they could sell this technology. they have sold every missile they have developed to iranians and pakistans. >> many say it violates u.n. security council resolutions. the white house will suspend food aid to north korea and u.s. officials fear the communist nation will soon conduct a nuclear test because of increased activity at the new clear site. >> it is usually indicative of a nuclear preparation. >> the north korean government admitted it to the nation on state tv.

this party nation said even they experience failures, one of the most important days for the communist nation. south koreans are using this day to pray for neighbors to the north. george thomas has more from seoul. >> i usually come here every year. >> for decades, thousan thousands -- they'll march to this giant statute and bow. >> they will build up this country by 2012 which marks the 100th anniversary of great

leader kim il sung. april 15th is he is worshipped like a god. >> it makes me miss him more strongly. >> millions of north koreans celebrate the 100th birthday of kim il sung. all week they have been meeting in churches, homes and small groups to pray to tear down the walls of the oppression. >> it seems impossible. with god nothing is impossible. we need to keep praying. >> they have been praying for north korea's secret believers.

>> i have family and friends i have not seen in years. i can only imagine what they are enduring. >> trying to get precise figures is extremely difficult. dr. lynn ching. >> we estimate there are approximately 30,000 christians being held in political prison camps and 10,000 underground believers. >> peter has met several of the underground believers. cbn agreed to conceal his identity. he says it has intensified since the death of kim il. >> as north koreans gathers pastor chung is encouraging

people to pray to do the impossible in his homeland. >> we have to pray the the leadership. we have to pray for a powerful spiritual revival to sweep across the country. >> george thomas, cbn news, seoul, south korea. >> we encourage our viewers to take part and can do so at our "christian world news" facebook page. u.s. is strengthening ties to saudi arabia. secretary of state hilary clinton met with the defense minister in washington. she highlighted the importance between the strong relationship. saudi arabia is the worst persecutor and called for the description of all churches on the arabian peninsula.

joining us is cliff may, the president of the foundation for the defense of democracies. cliff, you point out, if a christian leader called for the description of mosques, there would have been a global out cry. why was there no response? >> i am totally mystified, not quite surprised the main stream media will not want to pick up on that. for diplomats, they are maintaining good relationships with the saudis, the media have a responsibility, somebody who comes from 20 years in the media to report that even if it is inconvenient to other people. >> saudi arabia will not allow christian churches. isn't it spreading the islam

throughout the world. >> wahabi islam is an ultra orthodox version of islam. the saudi kingdom has spent more money spreading it around the world than the soviets ever spent to spread communism. you have mosques around the world, including many in the united states funding by the saudis with wahabi imams and scripture and doctrine. it is having a huge impact on the islamic communities around the world and has for quite a few years. >> how are christians treated in saudi arabia? >> christians may not have churches. it is illegal for christians to worship. sometimes they'll turn a blind

eye if it is done privately in the ghettos established, sometimes nice, sometimes not for foreigners, you can be arrested for it. if a saudi citizen wanted to convert to christianity, that would be a capital offense and easily sentenced to death. there are no churches in what is some what new is the grand muffti, part of the government in saudi arabia is saying there can't be churches not just in saudi arabia but anywhere on the arabian peninsula, a deep saying of the prophet mohammed. the peninsula with large, they probably shouldn't be there, should never have been allowed in the first place, yes, they

should be demolished. to not demolish is to approve and approve is to approve blasphemy. >> what can be done to allow more religious freedom? >> not a whole lot. there can be pressure and attempts at persuasion. saudis are much more afraid of being accused of being too friendly with the infadel world that is a sin. they are much more afraid of the terrorists than anything we can do or we can say. there have been summary forms, it is a little loser, talk of women being able to drive and hold more jobs. we'll have to see what happens, there is a succession, king abdul is quite old. there is not a lot we can do.

we need to get rid of dependence on oil. >> cliff may, thank you so much for joining us, we appreciate it. >> thank you, my pleasure. >> check out "christian world news" web page, you'll find links to several groups, at cwnews.org. up next, a man targeted by terrorist, his incredible story of survival when we come back.

>> radical islamists launched an attack on easter. a security guard turned the driver away. terrorist set off explosives in the street instead killing 38 people damaging the nation's assembly church and good news

church. he shot at a family and killing a daughter. u.s. government has not designated boko haram a terrorist group. recently mark liptal said the u.s. doesn't understand the group's agenda. >> they are out for sharia law. they target christians in their worship areas and bomb them. they have come out to sigh and if you are muslim and sympathetic, you are a target. they have given alternative to vacate areas or have themselves to be blamed. this is their tactics and strategy.

>> mark says u.s. funds have been used to help build islamic schools in nigeria. it is a land of pirate and islamic terrorists, two radical groups have joined forces and christians in the line of fa fi. gfire.>> reporter: specific targets are christian converts from islam. this al-shabab video swept the internet in 2008. it shows brutal beheading of this 28-year-old man who converted to christianity in 2005. one year ago this muslim convert to christianity was awakened in

his home by al-shabab soldiers. we agreed to protect him and give him a different name, abdy. >> they ransacked my home and they had crosses on. >> tell me what they said to you? >> i was blindfolded and put ne in a dark underground cell. they beat me up. and they wanted to know where i got the bible pages. i noticed three dead bodies in the room. they placed them there to frighten me. >> they said they were going to kill him. late one night they made a daring escape. >> we opened the door, ran to the wall and started climbing. the guards opened fire, bullets

killed one of micell mates. the other prisoner and i jumped over the wall. >> reunited with his family, he is still in pain but he is stronger spiritually. >> people prayed for me to escape. their prayers are what saved my life. >> secret believers like this one, offer suffer punishment and humiliation. he says as a christian, she couldn't abide by the burqa. she didn't want her face fully

covered. they noticed her walking in public without a burqa. >> they said the clothing was unacceptable. they said i was naked. >> she received a public flog. similar to this of a woman. she received 30 lashes, she inched her way home despite debilitating injuries. >> a female name came to my house. i was bleeding and flesh peeling ch>> she said it is too risky to own a bible. she found refuge at the home of a christian friend in another somali city. what happens to other christians? some are receiving help from an mission group. this safe house gives former muslims a place to eat and sleep

and provides them with spiritual fellowship and discipleship. the safe house will help these temporary residents transition to life. this woman was seven months pregnant when her muslim husband divorced her. when they discovered she became a christian, her stepfather kicked her out of the house. >> he threatened to kill me if i didn't leave. >> she was forced to live on the street with her infant. >> i was praying god would give me a place to sleep. this is a good house, a house of worship and prayer. he answered my prayers. >> they are hoping for a better

life, one free from al-shabab. >> pray that we will endure this islamic nation and the way of life. >> gary lane, cbn news, somalia. up next, preaching in prison, how a tragedy opened the preaching in honduras.

>> an international court is investigating overcrowded prison in honduras after a tragic fire claimed the lives of over 360 inmates. stan jeter has more. >> reporter: this pastor has dealt with many problems on his radio broadcast. he encountered hundreds of

traumatized inmates. >> we saw the trauma, many were feeling guilty because they hadn't helped their companions. >> the cell block held 105 prisoners, only 5 survived. this man was brought to the jail to counsel and encourage survivors. >> more are incurring severe trauma. >> it held 852 the night of the fire increasing the death toll. president of the international fellow remembers is as the most overcrowded prison. >> our principle reason for being involved.

overcrowding and conditions is a front to the dignity of human beings. in most countries, we wouldn't tolerate animals as much as some prisons are. >> besides working with prisoners on a personal level, over 100 christian prisoners met regularly for bible studies, fire destroyed their chap pel. >> we met this man, he was the one that opened the cells. >> they opened nine prison barracks. his actions saved 250 lives. he hopes for a presidential parr

pardon. stan jeter, cbn news.

>> marching down the avenues is a colorful tradition, mexicans call the glory march focus on issues of social unjustice. here is andria garrett. >> thousands of christians took to the streets of mexico city to celebrate resurrection sunday. >> like when they reached the walls of jericho, that is what this glory march represents to me. >> they came to celebrate easter and pray for their nation. >> because we believe our country needs to learn to seek jesus christ, recognize him as savior and ask for forgiveness for the sins of the nation. >> they led participants in the

city center. during the rally, christian congresswoman rosey protested human trafficking in mexico. >> as martin luther king said we are all created equal. >> the crowd hoped their message and prayers would have an impact on the entire nation, andria garrett, cbn news. that is all for this week's edition of "christian world news" wendy and george will be st pain and

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