>> today on christian world news, a time to pray. as syria's civil war rages, the country's christian leaders gather for prayer and support. our exclusive report from inside this historic meeting. plus, dateline jerusalem, our middle east bureau chief shares some of the biggest stories and his personal reflections of more than a decade of living and reporting in the holy land. and meet the reality dating show star who made purity her priority on national tv. christians cry for help as the syrian government promises to destroy its chemical weapons. hello, everyone, i'm wendy griffith. george thomas is on assignment. all eyes were on syria this week, and its stockpile of chemical weapons, yet, of course, voices are rising up

from syria's christians. they warn that christianity could become non-existent in syria if militant islamists sees control of the country. gary lane spoke with a u.s. missionary fresh from meetings with syrian church leaders in the region. >> reporter: joining us from voice of the martyrs is todd. he is back from the middle east. you met with some syrian pastors, and what did they tell you. >> there is sort of good news and bad news. the good news is the church is growing, and the strength of our christian brothers and sisters is being strenthened. but the bad news there is persecution. it is coming with a cost. there are kidnappings, people being taken for ransom and people being killed. but at the same time, the church is growing. >> reporter: as you were there, there was an attack on maloulaa where they speak the language of jesus.

they still do that. was there concern? >> there was great concern. and one of the things they pointed out to us is there is not a government presence there, there is not an army presence there. it wasn't targeted for any kind of of military reason. it was targeted because it is a christian village. it was targeted as targeting christians, not targeting the government. and the christians that we talked to wanted to be sure that that was clear to the american audience. that this wasn't a part of the war with the government. this was part of an attack on christians. >> reporter: okay, we know that many of the christians and probably some of the pastors that you met with are very concerned about half of all rebel fighters are militants. they're jihadists, and some of them even part of al-qaeda or affiliated with al-qaeda. what are their concerns about the future if these guys come to power? >> they don't call them freedom fighters or rebels. they use the word

"terrorist." when they think of the rebels taking control of the whole country, they know there will be more intense persecution. as we talk about syria, as americans, we like the good guy and the bad guy story. and the good guys where white hats and the bad guys where black hats. in syria, there aren't any guys wearing white hats. it is just a level of who is going to be worse for the christians. the assad government has tolerated them. there has been a certain level of freedom. what we heard when we were there was right now the assad government is so worried about the war, so worried about the rebels, they really don't have time to worry about the churches and to worry about persecuting the christians. >> reporter: what can we do? we get that question a lot here. >> the first thing we can do is pray. that is one of the things that all of the syrian christians we talked to wanted to emphasize, how desperately syria needs our prayers during these days

and during these times. there is a need for help, but the first step is we desperately need to be in prayer for the country of syria and especially for those of the household of faith, those of our christian brothers and sisters who are there. >> reporter: todd nettleton, we appreciate the work you're doing for the persecuted church. thanks for joining us. >> you're welcome. thanks for having me. >> wendy: egyptian security forces have retaken a town that has been ruled by radical islamists since early july. the city of delga is home to more than 20,000 christians. islamic militants ruled the city for 11 weeks, and they forced christians to pay them protection money. two christians who refused to pay the islamic jija tax was killed. one of the churches that was burned is believed to be more than 1600 years old. an update on imprisoned

pastor saeed abedini. he has written a letter to iran's new president asking for his freedom. "considering the fact i came to iran to serve the orphans, please do not make my children orphans and my wife." he is seeking his freedom. for more on how you can get involved, make sure you visit our website, cbnnews.com. a home-schooling family in germany is back together again. the government took the four children from their parents because they were educated at home, which is illegal in germany. after a hearing thursday, the kids were temporarily returned to their parents. the vunderlicks have agreed to send their children to public school. mike donnelly of the home defense education system says this is not a victory for home-schoolers. >> this is a victory for a

totalatarian regime that is bent on dictating to parents what they can do and can't do when educating their children. the family is great to have their children home, but they should never have been taken. we are very concerned about germany's behavior in this area. >> wendy: a hearing will be held in december to decide if the family will be given permanent custody of their children. actor kirk cameron releases a new documentary next we're called "unstoppable." in it, he explores an age-old question: why does god allow suffering and evil in the world. he sat down with cbn news for a special preview. >> why does got let bad things happen to good people? if god is good and he is a god of love, and he is powerful enough to stop evil and pain and suffering, why doesn't he? that is the question that wrecks people's faith. >> reporter: cbn news caught up with cameron in new york on his movie tour. his latest project,

"unstoppable," is based on a true story. cameron says he lost a teenaged friend to cancer, and that sent him searching for answers. >> that event really hit me hard. it really pulled all of the air out of my lungs because this was a good boy. this is a boy from a great family who loved god and went to church. when he died, and god did not heal him, in spite of all of the prayers and all of the people crying out to god, it really caused me to ask the big question: where is god in the midst of my tragedy? >> reporter: cameron said "unstoppable" takes him on the most personal journey of his life, where he has to examine his own faith. and he does it by going all the way back to the origins of good and evil. >> what i discovered is that it is much better to understand your tragedy and mine in the context of a much larger story. and so what i do is i try to take you up to heaven's balcony and give you a

wide-angle lens view of history. and we start in the garden of eden. ♪ ♪ you've got be a good boy, but i ain't a boy no more ♪ >> reporter: he says he overcomes his own doubts, and comes out even stronger in his faith. >> regardless of your background, whether jewish, muslim, atheist or agnostic, we all ask this question -- it iseet easy to be excited about your beliefs when things are going well in your life, when you're happy and healthy. but when the roof comes down and you get hit by something you didn't see coming, all of a sudden the questions begin. i think you'll come out the other end of this movie not having your faith shredded, like as happened to many, but you will have it strenthened, like it did for me. >> reporter: back in july, "unstoppable" created a firestorm, when facebook and youtube blocked access to the trailers, but

both sides ended up lifting the band. it opens in theaters september 24th. cameron says he wants to settle once and for all that good is stronger than evil, and that faith is stronger than doubt. ♪ >> reporter: paul strand, cbn news. >> wendy: a great story. before we go to the break, a little side note to share with our viewers. we've reached a social media milestone here at christian world news. this week hitting 100,000 likes on our facebook page. you can celebrate with us by going online and liking us even more. while you're there, give us your feedback on the kind of stories you would like to see on christian world news. we would love to hear from you. coming up, our middle east bureau chief looks back on more than a decade of life and work >> wendy: welcome back. for the past 12 years, cbn

middle east bureau chief chris mitchell has brought us incredible stories from israel and across the region. now he has recorded some of his experiences in a new book called "dateline jerusalem." recently chris sat down with our scott ross to talk about this book and the unfolding events across the volatile middle east. >> reporter: correspondent chris mitchell brought his family to israel 12 years ago to establish cbn's middle east news bureau in jerusalem. where are we? >> jerusalem, the center of the world. >> reporter: what is all of this behind us? >> all of this is the mount of olives there in the background. the old city with the temple mount, where the first and second temples used to be. this is the place where history's final chapter is going to be written, right here. >> reporter: on my recent trip to israel, i asked him what he has learned, why he wrote his new book, and what he sees for the future of jerusalem. why did you come? >> well, i felt god called

us. in fact, a good friend of yours, derrick, he was getting out of the british army and he talked to an elderly jewish woman, and told her he wanted to live in jerusalem. and she said to him, derrick, you don't choose jerusalem. jerusalem chooses you. >> reporter: when he heard that story, mitchell says he knew jerusalem had chosen him. with his wife and three children, he arrived in july of 2002, five weeks before the second inta fatah developed with daily attacks. you've been here at a time of war. >> he that dwells in the second place -- whether it is the second inta fatah, or the second war in 2006, or the threat of iran nuclear war, that is the scripture that keeps us. >> reporter: mitchell has been on the scene of wars

and rumors of wars. right now we're running back into the bomb shelter, terror attacks and peace talks, and revolution and refugees. >> and many of the refugees are experiencing the love of christians. >> reporter: and he has covered stories on the brighter side, where they discovered a pottery chard with the name elijah on it, to israel's life-saving surgery on children from enemy countries. but the stories that stand out the ones, he says, are the ones that relate to the bible. of all of the stories you've covered in 12 years of reporting, are there any that stand out in your mind? >> when we took a three-day voyage from oddesa to haifa. it was a 3,000-year promise in the making. when jeremiah said he would bring his people back here. it is the settling on the mountains of israel. the world calls the mountains of serial judea

somaria, the west bank. but these are the lands that god promised to abraham. so this is the biblical heritage that we get to walk in and report on. >> reporter: for mitchell, the news is more than individual stories. he sees a theme emerging that ties world events to the final battle for jerusalem. what does this mean to you as a man living here with your family, during your news reports, etc. >> 2,000 years ago, it was said that all roads lead to rome. 2,000 years later, i would feel that all roads are leading to jerusalem. whether it is christians pray for the peace of jerusalem like never before, or if it is about jews that are coming back to this city and fulfilling a dream of 2,000 years. or if it is radical muslims who want to see jerusalem as a capital of a calafate. all roads, for good and evil, seem to be leading back here. >> reporter: what about the dividing of jerusalem, the palestinian capital. how do you respond to that?

>> i don't think the jews will ever give it back. despite what the palestinians want and what the world may demand, i think that the jews will never give back the city of jerusalem, and this will be the final battle. >> reporter: and the culmination of that world focus on jerusalem led to his book. you've written a book, chris, "dateline jerusalem," and this is 12 years of experience and your past and also some of the things we've been talking about. why did you write the book? >> there is a scripture in the old testament that say the sons of izacar understood the times and knew what they should do. and i hope people reading it will understand what they should do. >> reporter: and does prayer make a difference? prayer could be the rudder of history during these days. >> we know certain things are going to happen regardless because that's what the word says. but i think god wants to partner with us in prayer during these last days. >> reporter: as a man, how

have you changed living in this land over the last 12 years? what has it done to you? >> i think it has given me, hopefully, a better perspective about the times that we live in and how important it is for everyone to be prepared to meet the lord. whether it is, you know, tomorrow or 10 years from now. it has made me feel that it is so important to get right with god and to get it right, and to follow him. because whether you're here in jerusalem, and things are dangerous, you need him. or whether you're somewhere in new york city or los angeles or st. louis, you need him. >> wendy: chris and i were on the front lines together in the war with hezbollah in israel in 2006, and i will never forget it. a great guy and a great book. you need to get that, "dateline, jerusalem." to find out how to get a copy of chris' new book, visit our website at cbnnews.com. up next, dating on national tv. how one woman used the opportunity to live out her

faith in front of millions.

>> wendy: reality tv is big here in the united states, and recently houston in annative angela starred on nbc's "ready for love." where she won the guy and got a proposal. but what really grabbed the attention of viewers was her stand on no sex before marriage. angela, a 25-year-old blonde beauty from houston, texas, beat out 35 other contestants on nbc's series "ready for love," to win her man, 31-year-old bachelor ben patent, a hospital c.e.o. from dallas, texas. but she says it was her decision to stay a virgin until she married that became a major focus on the show. i recently sat down with angela, who told me when she first arrived on the "ready

for love" set, here dating coach told herrera virginity was a problem. >> she told me, i'm not sure how ben is going to feel about you -- ben is a bachelor -- because he is looking for a modern day woman. >> wendy: so essentially she was saying you couldn't be a modern day woman unless you were willing to sleep with these guys? >> exactly. it is sad that women are under the impression in that way, to hear those things, that you need to do that, because you don't need to do that to get the guy. i was the only virgin on the cast, out of 36 women. >> wendy: wow, that's kind of sad. >> you know, i'm not better than anyone else just because i made that choice. we're all sinners. >> wendy: angela became a christian at 16, and made the decision to save the ultimate intimacy for one

man, her husband. she hopes her decision inspires a new generation of young women to stay sexually pure before marriage. >> they were taking me back to wardrobe, and this little girl, who was 12 years old, broke through security and she just came to me with tears down her face. and she said, i just want to let you know i'm waiting, too, until i'm married. and she was, like, i'm scared. i'm scared to tell my friends or tell boys my choice. >> wendy: and she was only 12. >> yeah. and that broke my heart. >> wendy: what about ben, the bachelor? what did he think about your stand for no sex before marriage? >> he was honest with me in the sense he had never dated somebody who had those beliefs. and it was something new for him. but he grew to respect it. >> wendy: why do you think god opened the door for you to be on this dating show? >> i feel like god knew that i could take this on because i know that i've been

criticized, and people can make fun of it, or a lot of people speculate, she is not going to win. she's a virgin. but -- >> wendy: but you didn't win! the virgin one! yay for virgins! >> yeah. god knew -- at the end of the day i have an audience of one to please. and people can say all they want. but i really feel that it was his will for me to go on this show and show women you can still be cool and sexy and be in the world but not of the world. >> wendy: back to ben, you were ben's choice. >> i was, yes. ben is a great guy. since filming wrapped, we have been apart for the last year. basically they've kept us apart because we're under contract, and we can't see each other. being a part in that year, not being able to see each other, we really got to talk

on the phone a lot and have a lot of heart to heart conversations. and i just knew that it wasn't who god had for me at the end of the day. i know god has somebody great out there for me. and i still held on to my values. and that's why you wait. >> wendy: that's why you wait. today angela is happily single and working on a new line of jewelry called "the one love" collection. and she is finishing a book about her upbringing as well as dating and why it is important to guard your heart and wait until marriage for sex. why is it so important for women to wait and not give themselves away? >> i just truly believe that through waiting and preserving that for your marriage and for your husband, god will just bless you. i just think it is an awesome testimony to get married, and on the day you say i do, say, baby, i waited for you. i waited.

>> wendy: i loved interviewing angela. she is currently pursuing a career in entertainment and modeling, and also working on her wonderful jewelry line. if you'd like more information on how you can get some of that, just go to our website for a link. we'll be right back. virnity

>> wendy: and finally this week, citizens of ecuador are getting used to seeing christians parading through town. for the 17th year in a row, they've celebrated a march for jesus. the annual parade is more than a tradition to these prayer walkers. even city officials welcome the event. >> reporter: the principle objective of the march for jesus is to rescue christian values for our society. >> my opinion of the march for jesus is that it is a very necessary event in this time, when we're moving so fast and we lose our bearings, which is jesus, the center of our lives. because if we do everything for him, thinking of him,

the world makes sense. >> wendy: well, this year the crowd included visitors from neighbouring countries, such as colombia. that's going to do it for this week. until next week, from all of us here at christian world news, we hope you enjoyed the show. don't forget to go to our facebook and give us a little like to celebrate our 100,000 likes on facebook. again, from all of us here, god bless yo hi i'm clint black... have you heard of rett syndrome? i hadn't until my niece courtney was diagnosed. rett syndrome is a neurological disorder which occurs mostly in girls. it is often misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy. rett syndrome strikes without warning. a girl with rett syndrome starts out as a happy, healthy baby until 6 - 18 months of age. then something goes terribly wrong. she loses the ability to speak, use her hands to play with toys or even feed herself. she may also lose the ability to walk. a girl with rett syndrome makes constant

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>> today we're talking about money. are you unemployed, do you need some quick cash? where to find it and how to avoid the most common mistakes people make when looking for quick cash. next on "significant insights." ♪ [music] ♪ hello and welcome to significant insights. i'm jerry rose. are you one of the millions of americans who have been affected by the nation's economic problems? maybe you've lost your job or your healthcare, and on top of that, like a lot of people, you may be under water on your mortgage and, add to that, some other unexpected expense, what do you do? well, i talked with david blades recently to answer that question. he is a certified financial planner with over 30 years' experience specializing in working with placement firms