LAKE FOREST, CA (ANS) -- Dear ANS friends: I do hope you are all keeping well. I have just returned from the NRB Convention in Nashville where I had the joy of working with my son Peter, and I met up with so many new and old friends at this unique Christian broadcasters gathering from around the world.

Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA making the presentation to Dan Wooding

A highlight was when on Monday afternoon, I received the fourth annual “Passion for the Persecuted” award on behalf of the ASSIST News Service from Open Doors USA. It was an amazing event with camera crews from Russia, South Korea, the USA and the UK, all covering the presentation.

The award is presented to a media organization which has established an on-going commitment to inform its readers/listeners/viewers about the plight of persecuted Christians around the world. Past recipients of this award include Moody Radio, Mission Network News and The Christian Post.

The “Passion for the Persecuted” plaque was given by Jerry Dykstra, Media Relations Director for Open Doors USA who said, “It is a pleasure to give Dan and ASSIST this award. His passionate, professional documenting of persecution around the globe has influenced thousands to pray and support suffering Christians.

“I just returned from Egypt. The Christians there told me it is important to join them in prayer for their country and to get their story out during the revolution taking place there. And getting the news to Christians in the West is exactly what ASSIST has been doing for more than 20 years.”

My son Peter filmed the presentation and then interviewed several of those there and you can see it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eBavMcvMmk

Peter Wooding, Joni Eareckson Tada, Dan Wooding and Ken Tada at the NRB

I was able to do a whole series of interview in Nashville, including one with Joni Eareckson Tada and her husband Ken who talked about their 30 years of marriage and Joni's recent bout with breast cancer. On Tuesday, Joni received the prestigious NRB Hall of Fame Award and I can’t think of a better person to be honored in this way.

The most amazing interview I did was with Harvey Thomas who was Margaret Thatcher’s Press Officer and who, on October 12, 1984, along with Mrs. Thatcher, miraculously survived the IRA bombing at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, England, although five people were killed. The bomb took out a massive section of the hotel and almost killed Thatcher and her cabinet. It was later discovered that IRA explosives expert Patrick Magee planted a 100 pound timed bomb in the hotel with the intention of assassinating the Prime Minister and her Cabinet who were in residence for the 1984 Conservative Party conference. Harvey told me in the interview that after Magee was freed from prison in Belfast, he was able to track him down and forgave him in the name of Jesus, and they now do seminars together on forgiveness. By the way, a newsreel clip of Harvey Thomas being carried out of the hotel after the massive blast is featured at the beginning of the new hit movie, “The Iron Lady.”

Harvey Thomas

Peter also did several video interviews and I was there when he interviewed the wonderful guitarist, Phil Keaggy, who then gave us both an impromptu mini-concert in our room.

How you can be a blessing to us at ASSIST

You, our wonderful subscribers, have been such an important part of what God has done through ASSIST and ANS and we praise the Lord for His enduring goodness and love. We pray that you will continue to sow into this ministry as we daily bring you vital news about the persecuted church around the world, as well as so many other topics that are important to Christians.

We are a faith-based ministry, meaning that we don’t charge for our news service, but instead we trust the Lord to cover our many expenses in bringing you all of our stories into your in-box each month.

So, as have returned from Nashville with a whole bunch of new stories, I am praying that you will prayerfully stand with us at this vital time in world history and make a much appreciated donation to help us continue bringing these stories into your in-box and by so doing, you will allow us to tell you more about our perscuted brothers and sisters from around the world.

All you have to do is go to our secure site -- www.assistnews.net/assist/donations.htm -- and then click on “Where Needed Most” or designate your gift for the support of Dan and Norma Wooding. (We are blessed when friends like you stand with us in this way.)

If you prefer to send a check, just make it out to ASSIST (tax deductible in the US) and mail it to ASSIST, PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609, USA.

By doing this you will help make a life-changing impact through your prayer and support.

Well, there you have it. Please feel free to send me your stories ideas and your prayer requests at assistnews@aol.com. I am always delighted to hear from you. And, once again, thank you for your prayers for all of our team at ANS and for those of you traveling to Nashville, we look forward to meeting up with you.

Many blessings to you all!
Dan Wooding, www.assistnews.net

Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books, one of which is his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.