going to do. >> the story of the prodigal son, and god himself was in the mud. that's why stories like this, i get inspired. i love this. >> we love bringing stories like this to you. i would encourage you to consider making a donation to tln. go to our website and you can help us keep programs like this coming your way. >> the other important thing i wanted to say is before god fins the healing in us, he always takes us back to the beginning and then brings us back out of where we are r you heard the saying, and the child shall leave them, it's a popular phrase, but actually, it is the child within us all broken, damaged or wounded that can lead us down many a perilous path as anan adult. thank god we don't have to remain victims of our past or allow it to dictate our future. it is only as we become little children yielding to the hand of the only father we can truly trust that his healing touch restores our spirit and sets our feet on summary path to victory. we'll see you next time many

>> there's not going to be any normal, ever in my life. it's never going to be normal again. i'm fine with that. i am fine with that. i was never a normal person, but now i'm happy. i'm happy. i have tears some days, but i always -- i'll never leave god again. i'll never leave god again.

>> today on "christian world news" the new pope comes from the new world. what the selection of a argentinaian pope means.

christians and muslims suffer under the rule of radical islamists. how one church cried for help. is there a right to home school. the obama administration says no. how that stand could affect this family and yours. south america celebrates selection of argentina's jorge bergoglio to lead the roman catholic church. welcome to "christian world news." george thomas and wendy griffith are on assignment. now that the shock is over, there is a feeling pope francis will put his unique stamp on the roman catholic church. chris mitchell has our report from rome >> reporter: ceremony was simple and brief when pope francis met

the thousands gathered in st. peter's square and the rest of the world. most of the people have left st. peter's square. for the many who rushed here after seeing the white smoke coming from the sistine chapel, it was unforgetable. >> it was fantastic. people flocked to the piazza. it was amazing. >> i was absolutely thrilled, excited. jumping for joy. at the end of the day, for me, i am here for the moment. to live in the moment. there were people from all over the world. something i couldn't miss. >> reporter: it was the choice of the name francis that struck many catholics. ashley mcguire with the catholic association. >> it couldn't send a more clear signal, france is known for reforming the church and a simple man of humility.

two immediate clear signals about what kind of papacy pope francis wants to have >> reporter: he has established a simple life. >> when he was elevated to cardinal opted not to live in cardinal's palace, but a humble apartment. cooks his own meals. there was a picture of him tending riding a bus to work crammed in with all the people. new >> reporter: one thought about the story of frances of assisi. >> christ said francis, go and rebuild my church. i thought of that yesterday when they said his name is francis, he is here to renew the church. >> reporter: another thought about the message of the gospel. >> think about it, jesus walked among the people and came to die for all of us including

everybody, rich to poor. all. >> pope francis wants to communicate and wants us to share with the news. >> reporter: vatican city, rome. >> joining us is dr. cornelius becker. a professor at regent university. dr. becker this is someone wout side europe for the first time. the church is growing the fastest, danger do you think that played a role? >> it was quite a surprise. one of the most important things to remember, they those somebody not living in the vatican. they chose an outsider. this is the opportunity to reenergize the faithful in europe and south america. >> reporter: as chris mitchell

pointed out, they chose a man that has a simple life style. we asked luis palou for his impression? >> he is a great friend of the evangelicals. tremendous friend of the evangelicals. jesus christ the lord of savior, i say that because the way he prayed is the prayer of a child of god speaking to his heavenly father. >> dr. becker, are you surprised to hear those comments? simply because of the vast difference when it comes to the issue of justification of faith alone, christ alone? >> in the last number of years resurgence into the catholic

church, salvation only comes by faith. the folks i have spoken to said in deed this is what he believes. >> do you sense the roman catholic church may make that change officially? >> possibly. it might indicate this is something we might see down the line. >> there have been other folks wondering about what this means with regards to the controversy that has enveloped the church, with regards to sexual abuse. >> i have high hopes. i thought the new pope would be somebody with a managing

background. they chose a minister. you sort this out through holy loving, through an example. this might be a way he cleans the house. >> a lot of folks thought the cardinals will select a younger pope. he is 76 years old. only has one lung we are told. does that surprise you? >> it did surprise me. in the conclave and mind of the cardinals. maybe they are preferring a shorter tenure. we might see a shorter rule here. >> women in the church are calling for a greater role for women. do you sense roman catholics will revisit that issue? >> i don't think so. currently all the cardinals in the conclave were clear about the conservative stance.

>> justification by faith alone aside how do you look for evangelicals and catholics to work together? >> in a world of increasing secularizing, we need to stand up and be clear about the message of the lord jesus christ. i am looking forward to this francis was a reformer of sorts. truth faith in christ. >> what significance do you place on him selecting francis as a name. >> first jesuit as well. we were surprised he chose francis. that little clip we saw, this is a reform. go rebirth my church. >> what are you hearing from your home country in south africa? >> the catholic church is not that large. the fact it is from the southern hemisphere might reenergize.

>> dr. becker, thank you for providing your insights. >> it is a joy. >> coming up, chrisistians cry t for help i in the m middle off . prayer.

>> an egyptian christian held in a libyan jail has died. voice of the martyrs reports he was detained simply for spreading the gospel. akeem suffered from asthma and other ailments. he had been sent to the hospital with chest pains and breathing problems. experienced shortness of breath, died. more bad news for christians in libya. witnesses say unidentified

attackers set a benghazi church on fire. security official says forces stopped the attackers before gospel. al-qaeda is on the rise in north africa. in the bull's eye is country of mali. gary lane traveled to the town of diaboli. >> reporter: for more than a fight in mali. 75-year-old villager describes how rebel gun fire frightened him. he has never sxeerns ee ee eed experienced such terror. >> they started selling drugs.

>> and train them to be good drug dealers. something? >> cut off their hands, no. that is not koranic law >> reporter: when the french thankful. they have traumatic stories to tell. this man says they beat him and carried him away on sticks like meat. rebels shot and killed his younger brother. they showed us the storage room where h h b buried him. his family still mourns including the young children will not grow up without a

father. these two girls remember younger brother amadu. happened. >> [ foreign speaking ] at 6:30 a.m. after breakfast, gun fire, then grenades smashed through our fence shattered the bathroom door. amadu was sleeping. >> this is what is left of the rocket. it came through and shrapnel killed the little boy. diamonds can't replace his life. >> he was a lovely boy, quiet and respectful. morning and say good morning auntieie in my mind i still see him i will never forget him.

>> reporter: help has come as they struggled to overcome affects of civil war. cbn's orphan's promise brought rice and mosquito nets for those with damaged homes. gratitu gratitude. >> when i heard you came to help us, i cried. many people have come to hear about our loss. you are the first to bring food to help answered cries of desperation. pastor john said they started praying non stop when the rebels first arrived. they knew the islamist targeted christians in cities. >> all the members of this church were spared and nothing happened to them. god cares for his children. no matter what happens, we will trust in him.

>> malians are in desperate need of help but trusting god for protection and provision as they rebuild their lives. rebuild lives. wife's passionate plea for safety brings tears to a packed hearing in the capitol. congress to place pressure on the state department and obama administration to help release her husband christian pastor saeed abedini. he was arrested last july during a trip to build an orphan age. she said he was skyping with her and two kids daily. that all changed when he was taken into custody. >> we didn't know where he was for a week. they kept saying mommy, can we hear his voice.

i couldn't explain why that he was physically taken to prison. they kept saying does daddy not love us anymore. does daddy not want to hear our voice anymore? i had to tell them daddy was jesus. abedini is a u.s. citizen, beaten in prison and internal bleeding. justice represents the abedini family and collected a petition with a half million signatures calling for his release. cbn is sending aid to people that lost their homes. hundreds of rampaging muslims community destroying 170 homes. the mob was fuelled by the

accused of blasphemy islam's prophet mohammed. most christians fled the home before the attack. they marched in the streets of islama bad. in pakistan blasphemy against mohammed carries the death penalty. freedom to home school their children. now the obama administration says t tre is no righto homome scol.

>> welcome back, five years ago the romika family fled germany and sought asylum in the united states. reason, germany doesn't allow familys to home school. they were granted asylum but a u.s. judge. obama administration wants to deport them back to germany and persecution. dale hurd reporters >> reporter: this family began because they didn't want their children exposed to witchcraft and sex education, both taught in schools. >> they were encouraged to ask the devil to help. >> we found out what is in the

textbooks. exactly the opposite of what the bible tells us and teaches us. illegal in germany. persecuted, fines, jail or loss of their children. most home schoolers are left alone by the government. against home schooling. in those nations where it is illegal, home schoolers risk losing their children. two of the worst nations are germany and sweden. if you would like to see what it would be like if it was banned in america if it was banned, come to sweden. this family had to take their family to finland in exile.

>> we were forced out of our country. that make as stronger impact than i can imagine. this is our country. now we are pushed away from it. >> sweden is the toughest places to home school. michael donnelly of the home school administration. president of the nordic committee for human rights calls it a dictatorship where social workers tell parents what to do. >> they claim to be a democracy, far from it. it is a dictatorship. social workers dictating how you live. children. >> this family lost custody of

family and it is killing his wife. >> if we can't fix this soon, dominic will not have a mother anymore. >> russia is one of the freest nations in which to home school. family policy expert. >> we have complete freedom of home education. they are championed of human rights in this particular area. it is a good example but for germany and sweden where home >> german home schooler has been taken to court every year by the youth office. >> the youth office as soon as they step in, as soon as they

problems. >> german home schoolers family lost custody of their children. although they are still allowed to live with them. he will never stop home schooling. >> i am not afraid. it is only sad for my family. go laughing. you can do what you want, my >> in america, a red flag went up when the justice department fundamental human right. the white house cares more about relations with germany than the rights of a family and asylum might open a flood gait of refugees from germany further embarrassing the german government. first they would fine us with

increasingly high fines. they will threaten us to take away custody. the main threat, i think, is custody. then children are taken away from you completely. i mean that is not what a family wants. >> the fact that the white house would be willing to deny home schooling to his family should make american home schoolers concerned. dale hurd, cbn news. >> you can post your comments on our cwn facebook page. we'lbe rightack.