A Front Seat to History

A Special Message from Stuart Bennett

By Stuart Bennett
Special to ASSIST News Service 

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (ANS) -- Dear Friends of ANS: I want to share with you why your support of ASSIST News Service (ANS) is so important.

Stuart Bennett filming in Siberia

First of all, let me tell you about my long-standing friendship with ANS founder, Dan Wooding. Our friendship goes back to the late 1970s, when I worked at the BBC TV studios in Ealing, West London. At that same time, Dan was working as Chief Reporter for the local newspaper there, the Middlesex County Times. He later went on to work in Fleet Street, then then “Mecca” of the British newspaper industry, first as a senior reporter for the Sunday People and later, the Sunday Mirror, two of the largest circulation papers in Britain.

We got to know each other during the filming of a documentary called “Greenbelt Live!”. Dan was chairman of its production company, Grenville Films and I was part of the crew working for director, Tony Tew, who I worked alongside as a film editor for BBC TV in Ealing. The film was the very first Live Christian music film ever produced in the U.K. and featured many fine artists in the lineup, including (Sir) Cliff Richard, Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill.

Several years later, we both ended up living in the United States. I started working for CBN in Virginia Beach, and Dan and Norma Wooding started ASSIST Ministries in Southern California.

Stuart Bennett (far right) overseeing the filming of a scene for a TV special in Moscow that was co-hosted by ASSIST founding board member, Barry Taylor (second left)

One of the projects I produced for CBN was a television special in 1991 called “What Are You Living For?” It was developed for a young audience and scheduled to air with two other programs on national TV across The Former Soviet Union. I needed a Russian-speaking co-host for the program and Dan recommended Barry Taylor, who was then an ASSIST board member and spoke Russian fluently. As a result of those broadcasts, we received over 3 million letters with hundreds of thousands of people across that region giving their lives to Jesus Christ. This resulted in ASSIST starting the Bridge of Friendship pen pal ministry which helped disciple many of these news believers by linking them with believers in America. (That ministry is now being run by ASSIST Canada.)

Recently, I joined the Board of ASSIST and also offered to help ASSIST develop its ministry further for digital media distribution. We've been reviewing the feedback people have given about the service and we want to make ANS an even more valuable asset for you, the end user.

So, we have added some excellent new features including a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/Assist-News-Service/142395665789837 ) as well as a Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/#!/assistnews).

On top of this, ASSIST has been posting a series of excellent videos 

(www.assistnews.net/videos/assist_videos.htm) which I hope you will check out. In addition, Dan and his UK-based son Peter have launched the ANS Window on the World podcast. You can hear this by going to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWZYNmjTMN0

As you already know, ASSIST News Service (ANS) is providing a unique worldwide news service which covers news that you will not see in the mainstream media. Its stories give you a front-seat on world history as it affects the Church around the world. This is possible because Dan has assembled a talented team of correspondents, many of who live in extremely dangerous parts of the globe. And at times, they literally risk their lives to bring you up-to-date news about persecution in their country.

Norma and Dan Wooding with rock keyboard legend, Rick Wakeman, who has been a long-standing supporter of ASSIST since it began

Each day, ANS keeps you up to date with news of persecuted Christians from the world’s hot spots. The growth of the service with reporters and offices in different countries has meant ASSIST can bring you a greater variety of stories as well as breaking news.

And yet, Dan still insists that ASSIST News Service comes to you absolutely free of charge. (Charging is one of my suggestions that he doesn't want to accept!). But, perhaps you could commit to giving monthly support of $25, $50 or $100? This would make a huge difference to giving you the kind of service we’d like to provide. Right now, ASSIST needs your help!

Remember, none of the ANS team, receive a salary and that includes Dan and Norma Wooding, both now 70 years of age, who have sown their gifts and talents into this ministry for over 23 years. Your support literally keeps them going. Also, persecuted believers around the world depend on ANS telling their stories about terrible suffering. Their lives depend on it.

To help today, please go to http://www.assistnews.net/assist/donations.htm and then make a special donation for “Where Needed Most” or for the support of Dan and Norma Wooding.

You can also send a check in US funds made out to ASSIST at PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609, USA.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Stuart Bennett
Director, Special Projects
CBN International
977 Centerville Turnpike
Virginia Beach, VA. 23464
stuart.bennett@cbn.org

P.S. I would like to take this opportunity to remind supporters that ASSIST is an acronym that stands for “Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times.” This name uniquely sums up the goal for ANS to aid these “special saints” that have given up their freedom because of their commitment to Christ. I'm sure you agree that this is a strategic time in history and your gift to ASSIST today will make a difference to one of these suffering saints somewhere in a dark corner of the world.

P.P.S. If any of you are involved with a foundation, perhaps you could consider ASSIST as one of your beneficiaries.

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