>> single women with a deep desire for children should adopt. the perfect plan is for a husband and children, but it doesn't always work out that way a threw are a lot of kids raised without both parents who have a wonderful childhood. >> recently, the startling statistic that 51% of american women are now single has the airwaves sparking speculation on the why's and wherefore's of this issue. the bottom line is that no matter what the reasons are, our faith, our joy and our security can never rest in another human being. take it from this single woman, there is joy and i fulfillment n the midst of our singleness. yes, we are created for love, therefore it is a natural desire, but let us not fall into the trap of letting our desire to rule over us. at the end of the day, what we long for is the eternal kiss that can only come from the lips of god. that my friend is truly lasting and fulfilling. see you next time.

>> wendy: today on christian world news, religious freedom in russia. why church leaders say it is getting tougher for evangelicals in the former sov union. plus, gay marriage in the u.k. a new law brings britain one step closer to making it legal for same-sex couples to tie the knot. and what happened to an orphanage in india, where kids have found a safe

place, and meet the man behind it. srising religious oppression in the former soviet union. hello, i'm wendy griffith. citizens of the former soviet union face growing restrictions on their freedom. they reported that governments are closing more churches, finding and arresting their religious leaders, and destroying church literature. >> it has been a long road since the revolution that swept away atheist communism in eastern europe. today the wave of religious freedom that swept the region now seems to be receding. >> 20 years ago, when the soviet union fell apart and collapsed, when the berlin wall fell, everybody was sort of excited about all of the future possibilities. 20 years later, we're again talking about freedom. what happened? >> reporter: it might not be a return to the soviet era, but the signs are troubling. >> churches are being

torched, crosses are being burned. there is a lot of anti-semitism, a lot of negative things appearing in the press about different organizations. so there is some reason for concern. >> reporter: the atmosphere is thick with intolerance and these countries, and individual pastors are relu reluctant to speak out. >> they are not so interested in speaking to the government and speaking to the ministers and so on because, really, it is a question of security, first of all. will it be used to against them? will their persecution become even worse? >> reporter: in uzbekastan, they encouraged them to turn to the outside world as their best defense. >> they should all learn how to use the internet and use the english language. these two things will connect them in the future with the rest of the world and especially with the body of christ around the world.

>> reporter: russian ministers hope that by shining a spotlight on these situations, they will do more to defend religious minorities in the former soviet union. >> wendy: and here with us now is sergei abuba, who works with a group to promote the gospel in the former soviet union. so great to have you on our show. >> it is a privilege to be with you. >> wendy: why are we seeing these new attacks on the religion in the former soviet union. >> since 22 years ago, things changed again. the spiritual landscape, the political landscape, economy, is changing drastically in all of those countries. the countries that once were freed from the oppression of the soviet union. and in those countries and central asia, like

uzbekistan, where radical islam is coming into more effective -- in many cases, oppression. >> wendy: how is the church responding? >> as we're talking today, wendy, churches are responding tremendously. under persecution. pastors are thrown to prisons, bibles are confiscated, and bibles are destroyed in uzbekistan, but we see the house churches are growing by every day. so the church is growing tremendously underground. >> wendy: is the increase in religious persecution coming from the russian government? >> you know, there is a constitution that is telling us there is separation between church and government. so based on all of this political development, or religious political developments, the evangelical church is very much in the minority, and very much is kind of an outcast from the main society. >> wendy: so how has this effected the evangelical church in a broader way?

>> in a broader way, in this country, the evangelical church cannot freely do their ministry. they are basically squeezed back to behind their walls. so they cannot go into public and do their ministry. and there is so much social need. there is so much need in the society. for example, the evangelical church wants to minister in the local o orphanage, so they have to ask for permission from the orthodox priest or from the mayor, who says you have to have a signed permission from the local orthodox priest. that's how it works in russia today. in other countries, in uzbekistan and pergastan, you cannot bring bibles or literature, you cannot share your faith outside of your home. but in the case of uzbekistan, you cannot even share your faith were you your children. you cannot pray. any meeting, more than three people, it is considered a violation against the law,

and that's why people suffer, and that's why people get imprisoned and so on. >> wendy: let me ask you, what can can the global church do to support or brothers and sisters in the former soviet union right now? >> we would like to ask all world believers to continue supporting us with prayer, and, of course, financially. that's our hope and that's our mission. >> wendy: and, of course, jesus is our hope. thank you, sergei, our prayers are with you. >> thank you so much, wendy. >> wendy: you can learn more about the work of russian ministries on our website. go to cwnews.org. the world's 80 million anglicans have a new archbishop. the 57-year-old is married with five children. he is also a former oil executive. he is taking over at a turbulent time. the anglican community, which includes the u.s. episcopal church, is divided over female bishops and

same-sex relationships. that didn't stop british lawmakers who voted overwhelming in favor of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. the legislation is championed by prime minister david cameron. charlene israel has the story. >> the yeas to the right, 400, the nays to the left, 475. so the yeas have it. >> reporter: it is the first of several votes required for the u.k.'s marriage bill. if it becomes law, the legislation would enable same-sex couples to marry in both civil and religious ceremonies, as long as the religious institution consents. >> today was do we accept the fundamental principle of gay people being allowed to call their union a marriage. i'm glad that we do. >> marriage is a great institution, and it should be there for people who are

gay, as well as people who aren't. that's why i have pioneered this change. >> reporter: the vote went cameron's way, but it cost him popularity within his own party. more than half of his 303 conservative lawmakers voted against or abstained from voting for the bill. >> for many people, yes, it is a non-issue. but to a lot of people, they feel this is maybe the straw that has broken the camel's back. >> who are we, who is this government, who is this country to determine and, impose, nationalize a new definition of marriage which will have huge implications. >> when peopl understand the full ramifications of it, i think people will become ve concerned. >> wendydy and some conservatives feel the issue will cost the party a lot of votes in the next general election. if passed, the bill would come into effect in 2015, right ahead of that election. charlene israel, cbn news. >> wendy: up next, how one man went from homeless and hungry to preaching to the

masses. >> wendy: welcome back to christian world news. the pastor in our next story got off to a slow start in his ministry. he was homeless and had no money. now he recently led a massive prayer rally that included 17,000 pastors. ephraim graham has his remarkable story from new dehli, india. >> i was 21 years old when i started. >> reporter: at 60 years

old, pastor r. abraham has reached a milestone in his ministry. he has just wrapped a four-day prayer meeting where world evangelists joined nearly a million believers in india to ask god for peace in their country. filling this 150-acre field is quite an accomplishment in a nation where the christian population is only a little more than 2%. and for the popular home-town pastor who didn't want to leave his job as a chemist nearly 40 years ago. >> i could even have a car -- you know, have a car in '74. that was a big deal. it was a pretty high-paying job in those days. and so you feel like your life is secure, and god spoke to me, almost like an audible voice. >> reporter: what did she say? >> god said to me, son, i have called you for a very

specific purpose. i want you to resign your job. get out of your home. go and preach the gospel to your people. i said, whoa! >> reporter: though he had no idea how to preach, pastor abraham obeyed the call. just months into his ministry, he was broke, homeless, and hungry. >> having something to eat was the biggest miracle in my life in those days. and in the night, i had no place to go, so i used to wait for the shops to pull down their shutters so i could sleep in front of the corridors of the shop. and you can imagine, and i started to wonder, why did you call me? why? >> reporter: after two years of prayer and patience, pastor abraham joined forces with another minister to start new india church of god. the organization now reaches across india, through more than 3,000 churches. >> i have always responded

to the leading of god, and always responded to the need. there is the need that made me do whatever you see, because of the need before my eyes. ♪ >> reporter: this orphanage is one of those needs. here in bethesda, which means house of mercy, little girls recite scripture with a smile. that smile also hides the pain as they share their horrible stories of abuse. >> shavani remembers her dad pouring kerosene on her mom and burning her to death. 8-year-old hanu recalls her mom being drunk and throwing her out of the house. their stories are too familiar in a country where parents often prefer having baby boys. >> that just tore my heart apart. i just stood there and cried and cried. and i lord was telling me,

well, who is going to take care of them? so for the first time ever in my life, i opened my mouth and said, i'll take care of them. >> reporter: he now has 14 orphanages, and he has partnered with cbn's "orphans' promise." big things often start small, and the pastor's orphanage did just that. the ministry was simply renting out two rooms inside this building. it now has two buildings, one for the orphanage and the other for a bible school. this is one of the ministry's 16 bible colleges. there are also six christian schools. we visited a primary school. and a high school with pastor abraham. >> i am totally committed to help the children. i really have a heart for the children. you know? i want to do the best.

>> reporter: pastor abraham has a heart for indian people, young and old. his latest project is building a retirement home for aging pastors. >> the pastors here in india, they don't have any pension. they don't have any life insurance. they don't have any social security. the only thing is, they are either looked after by the children or they are out on the streets. >> reporter: the pastor has lived on the streets and didn't want to see anyone there. at 60, he says he has at least another 40 years to reach them with the gospel and a heavenly home. >> as long as you are ready and willing, you know, to do god's will. that's the most important thing. >> reporter: ephraim graham, cbn news, new dehli, india. >> wendy: great story, ephraim. up next, a look back at a pastor, prophet, theoeologic

and spy. we hear about the c2traordinary life and death of dedriri bonhoffer. >> wendy: this month marks the birth of one of the most heroic christian figures of the 20th century, dedrick bonhoffer stood up to adolph hitler a a the nazi regime. scott ross has his inspired story. >> reporter: germany, 1939. hitler's rise to powerr

snned everyone with s speed and vererity. the world watched in horror as the nazis bullieded first tthe nation and then a continent. but in gererny, a resisisnce wasuilding that wowoed to dismantel the third reich from the inside. their primary aim, assassinate hitler. dedrick bonhoffer was a leader in the cause. i sat down with eric matasis to discuss his life and fate. >> bonhoffer is the ultimate role model for christians today. >> reporter: bonhoffer grew up in an educated and artistic family in germany. his father was a distinguished brain chemist, and his brother worked with albert einstein to split the adam. bonhoffer told the field of theology. and while doing post-graduate studies in new york, he was surprised by

what he found, or, rather, what he didn't find. >> in new york they preach about virtually everything, but only one thing was not addressed or addressed so rarely, i've yet been able to hear it, namely the gospel of jesus christ, the cross, sin, forgiveness, death, and life. >> 80 years ago he wrote those words about the state of mainstream protestantism in new york city. >> reporter: while he didn't find sound theology in most of the churches in new york, he was inspired when he went to abissinian baptist church in harlem. >> everything about it touched his heart and moved him, so he went every single sunday not just to worship, but to teach sunday school. he got very involved. >> a white german in a black church beginning in the 1930s. >> it is amazing. he really was gripped by the whole idea of the racism and

race relations in the u.s. there was nothing to compare this to in germany. this was an american problem. just a couple of years later, hitler becomes chancellor in 1933 and everything changes. suddenly bonhoffer is facing in germany exactly what he saw her. he saw a group of people, the jews, being mail mad made to be second-class citizens. he was one of the few christians who understood what he saw. it is a stunning thing to see how the churches and conservatives were co opted and snowed by adolph hitler. hitler was a genius in that he was profoundly cynical to the bottom and he used the churches brilliantly. >> reporter: bonhoffer helped found a church who opposed hit cler an hitler and the third reich. but bonhoffer was almost alone in recognizing the depth of the problem.

>> he was always a step ahead in trying to rally them. and a few times he succeed, but mostly he was alone. he is reading the scriptures and trying to show his fellow christians that in the church, there is neither jew nor great, neither jew nor gentile. if a jew wants to be a part of this church, we are obligated as christians to welcome him in, to worship with him. this is the place, bonhoffer said, the church is the place where jew and christian stand together. what the nazis have done to the jews in germany they have done to god's people. the burning of the synagogues, this is an attack on god. bobonhoffer realizes he will be drafted, but he would not fight in hitler's war. >> reporter: bonhoffer sailed to safety in america, but after only 26 days there, he was on the last ship that crossed the atlantic before the war started. >> he is seeking the will of god, and the lord calls him

back to germany. he knew, i will have no peace in new york. c2is was the moment o of desion: do i take anotherer step? >> reporter: bonhoffer joined the german military intelligence as a double agent. he acted as a cure rea courier for the third reich, but used the contacts cross europe. >> he had resolved in his mind, philosophically, spiritually, biblically, that he could resolve being involved in a direct assassination plot. >> even many good germans had no idea what was really going on, but bonhoffer knew, and he thought, if i, as a christian, am unwilling to get my hands dirty to protect scores of thousands and millions of innocent jews, i will not be able to stand before a holy god. >> reporter: but before the assassination plan could

be carried out, bonhoffer was arrested and sent to tagel military prison. >> he was involved in trying to get a number of jews out of germany to safety. >> reporter: bonhoffer was still in prison awaiting trial on july 20th, 1944, when the plot to assassinate hitler failed. >> now the entire conspiracy, which has been working for, on and off for the practically 10 years, is completely exposed. at that moment, of course, bonhoffer's days are numbered. >> reporter: bonhoffer was transferred to a prison and then to a concentration camp. in april 1945, bonhoffer was executed by hanging, under the direct order of hitler. less than three weeks later, hitler committed suicide and germany surrendered to the allies. >> it is really tempting for us to look at this as a

great tragedy and so sad, but i think bonhoffer himself would rebuke us for having that point of view. he would say, yes, there is a sadness, but to serve god with everything you have, unto death, is the greatest joy of life. >> what's the message of his legacy to 21st century christians or non-christians? >> he is the ultimate witness to a world that is not christian. that he calls people to god with an authenticity that is literally, in my experience, unique. for me, the joy of telling the story is to rediscover bo bonhoffer to a generation that never knew him. >> dedrick bonhoffer, the real thing. >> the real thing. >> wendy: you can share this story with your family and friends. visit or christian world news facebook page. while there, let us know how you're enenjoying c.ww.n. my

clicking ke. wewel be rigig back.

>> wendy: in washington thursday, americans put their political differences aside and focused on their shared faith in jesus christ. thousands gathered for the national prayer breakfast. president obama says his recent inauguration caused him to focus on the power of faith. >> president obama: sometimes i search scripture to determine how best to balance life as a president and as a husband and as a father. i often search for scripture to figure out how i can be a better man, as well as a better president. >> wendy: nice words to hear from our president, and world reknowed dr. benjamin carson gave the key note dress at the prayer breakfast. thanks so much for joining us this week. from all of us here at christian world news, good-bye and god bless you.