Grace Baptist Mission
helping the churches to support and care for their missionaries worldwide
News Archives
July 2008
Developments in Cardiff
It has been about three years since I moved from the Wilds of West Yorkshire to the Cosmopolitan Capital City of Cardiff. The scenery may be different, but the people in both places are the same. There are those with shattered lives, those who have flatly rejected Christ, those who are apathetic and those who have actually never heard about him. After a conversation with one lady in a restaurant in Bradford in 2001 I came to fully realise that there are so many people of different nationalities who have never heard the truth about Christ. As I thought and prayed about that fact, the desire the Lord placed in my heart was to reach out to folk who have never had the opportunity to respond to the wonderful truth of the Gospel.
The team involved in outreach work in Cardiff has developed under the leadership of Philip and Florence James. Joining the team provided me with a framework of activities that helped me to get to know people from different backgrounds and faiths very quickly. There are a number of churches that support this work across the city, and it has been a joy and privilege to work alongside them.
As a team we have been thrilled to witness the Lord working in the lives of both men and women, and to see some confess their faith publicly through baptism. Please pray for these friends, that they would continue to grow and mature in their faith. Please also pray for them as they face many heartaches, uncertainties, frustrations and fears.
From September my work will be taking a new direction, and I will be working in an area of the city called Cardiff Bay. If you were to paint a picture of Cardiff Bay today, you would need lots of different pots containing lots of different colours. You would also need to have at hand brushes of varying degrees of thickness and length; such is the cultural, ethnic and material diversity of the area.
According one Internet site Cardiff Bay - or ‘Tiger Bay’ as some used to call it - was where the multicultural community in Wales had its beginnings. In its day it was a very busy international trading centre, and as a result people from over 40 different countries settled in the area. Today, young professionals from all around the country work in the tall- mirrored office buildings and eat in the restaurants and Tapas bars once the working day is over. Some can even catch the Water Bus to work! The Welsh Assembly overlooks the water and the Wales Millennium Centre, situated right next door, now hosts the latest West End shows and other high profile concerts.
From September I will, God willing, be moving to join a church situated in this very area. Cardiff itself has several Christ centred, Gospel preaching churches, but as you head towards the Bay area there is evidence that some churches have closed. A few years ago, a young couple had the desire to see an evangelistic witness established in the area. The Lord has graciously blessed that vision and desire and now, five years on, ‘The Bay church’ is seeking to reach out to their community.
Nicola Edkins
July 2008
June 2008
Welcome to Nathan Javed!
It is our privilege to work alongside the churches in Dewsbury, Haworth and Halifax in supporting Nathan in his work
We hear from Nathan: I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour through a youth ministry in Pakistan in 1997. I grew up in the north of Pakistan. I was born into a Christian family and my parents worked for a mission hospital. Growing up in a Christian home I read the Bible every day but without understanding the meaning of scripture and the importance of it in my life. This was until I realized the conviction of my own sin that separated me from God’s Saviour, Jesus Christ. I thank God that I came to an understanding of Him through that youth ministry and that I trusted Jesus as the Saviour of the world. He has done a wonderful thing for me when he died upon the cross for me. No one else has, or every will do such a thing for me.
My parents and the rest of my family came to work with Dewsbury Evangelical Church in Yorkshire in 2002. After my conversion in 1997 I was involved with working among the youth in different ways. Everyone has plans for their life. I wanted to finish my degree in IT and settle down with a good job but God’s will was not the same as my will. There was something in my heart to give myself fully to the work of the Lord that seemed impossible until I came settle in Britain. I choose to study more about Christ at a school where I did my diploma. Then I worked for a year with a church in Lancashire amongst ethnic minorities. Then I did a three year degree in Theology in South Wales.
Now I am working in a multi-cultural society, something I had always wished to do. I grew up with children from America, Sweden, Germany, Australia and Pakistan. These were children whose parents had felt the call to work in the Pakistani Mission hospital where I grew up – A full report will appear in the next edition of the Herald magazine.
Summer 2008
A fellowship meeting takes place every evening with the focus on Mission. Several missionaries are present during the week. In 2008 the dates are 9th-16th August and there are still spaces for campers and Caravanners. Our main speaker for the morning Bible ministry will be Sukesh Pabari. Sukesh is working in Kenya based in Nairobi. There will be missionary input from GBM missionaries who will be present including Maria Amoako who will be taking responsibility for leading the children’s meeting each day. See elsewhere on this website for the poster and booking form.
Then at the end of August Every year a camp is run at Root Hill Farm, Surrey, It is specially geared for youth aged 17+. The Camp this year will be from 23rd – 30th August 2008 when we hope that Phil Arthur (Lancaster) will be our main speaker. Stuart Olyott will also be a speaker with a number of others. You will find a booking form on this website or you can contact the Abingdon Office.
May 2008
Welcome
Carey Outreach Ministrieswas founded in Canada just over ten years ago. It is a Reformed Baptist mission, whose calling is the training of pastors around the world. The work began in Romania. Since then the Lord has opened doors of opportunity in several Asian countries, in Madagascar, in Latin America and the Caribbean, and in the Middle East. There are three aspects to Carey’s work. The William Carey School of Theology runs seminary-level training courses in the various countries. The Carey Printing Press produces study materials free of charge translated into the required languages. Where Christian books are in short supply, or too expensive for the average pastor to afford, we trust that this will be of great help to them in their ongoing personal study. The Carey Church Extension Programme provides financial sponsorship for church-planters in different countries. There are areas where GBM and Carey are doing similar things, and it is envisaged that there could be potential for a fruitful co-operation between the two agencies. Jonathan will be working in cooperation with Maciek Stolarski to identify where resources can be shared and teaching material developed in the future. A full report from Jonathan will appear in the June edition of the Herald magazine.
Jonathan and Carey Outreach Ministries, are seeking the fellowship of GBM in helping to promote this important ministry and to help in the financial support of Jonathan and the family. Jonathan will be available for deputation among the churches and you are invited to contact the GBM office in Abingdon to arrange a visit to your church in the coming months.
Barcelona
A supply of tracts in Spanish and Catalonian were already available for distribution and roll up portable posters will be displayed in the markets. The aim is not to reach out to the masses of people but rather is two fold:
To have one to one contact with those who live and work nearby and to clearly and simply present the Gospel message to them. Then to make the Church known in the district. This is very much a Biblical method of evangelism. The Apostle Paul, when in Athens spoke in the “…market place every day with those who chanced to be there” (Acts 17:17). However, we are very conscious that we do not have the gifts and abilities which Paul had, but we do have a desire to tell our neighbours that God loves them so much that He sent His son to die and suffer on the cross as a living sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin.
On Saturday 19th April we went out for the first time. After meeting at the Church and a time of prayer we divided into two teams of five and went along to 2 market places. It was a beautiful spring sunny morning and there were lots of people about. For two hours we distributed tracts and sort to make conversion with the passers by. Several contacts were made, young and old, and these have to be followed up during the next few weeks. We would value your prayers on our behalf. Pray that God will bless our efforts to make the Gospel known to those who live near to us here in the city of Barcelona. Pray that God will enable us as we seek to serve Him.
Patricia Davies, Barcelona
April 2008
Phillipines
The lot that we bought is 100 square meters in size, on the ground floor we have the kitchen and two toilets and a small church office. This means that most of the space on the ground floor has been taken up which leaves a small space for the Sunday school. We were able to just about fit everyone in during the worship service. Thanks to the Lord’s wonderful provision we are able to carry on the work on the 1st floor and we will be able to use this space in the next couple of months and so have more space for visitors to come into. Just from the experience of using the new building on one occasion it has already proved to be a much better place to gather compared to the old building! During the rainy season the old building floods quite heavily, and during the summer it becomes extremely hot.
Aries Liboro, Velenzuela City, Philippines
Ulverston
In 1997 the Church called Steve Wood, an Elder at Lancaster, to work full-time serving the Lord in Church Planting in Ulverston. Today the church continues to grow with a full programme of meetings and activities taking place every week. In addition to the Sunday services, during the week there is a work among children and young people, outreach through the market stall and exhibitions at special events. The opportunity to bring the gospel message to older people and a fellowship of believers who are committed to the town and the community and are seeking to honour God in all that they do. Please continue to pray for those recently converted and baptised, several are involved in personal Bible studies. If you are visiting the Lake District at any time then do look them up as they would be so pleased to see you and it is always a means of great encouragement.
Open Day
The theme of Open Day will be celebrating 50 years of Radio but will also feature many other aspects of the work around the world. Refreshments will be available throughout the day and tea will be served following the afternoon meeting. We will need you to book your tea in advance!
Summer 2008
A fellowship meeting takes place every evening with the focus on Mission. Several missionaries are present during the week. In 2008 the dates are 9th-16th August and there are still spaces for campers and Caravanners. Our main speaker for the morning Bible ministry will be Sukesh Pabari. Sukesh is working in Kenya based in Nairobi. There will be missionary input from GBM missionaries who will be present including Maria Amoako who will be taking responsibility for leading the children’s meeting each day. See elsewhere on this website for the poster and booking form.
Then at the end of August Every year a camp is run at Root Hill Farm, Surrey, It is specially geared for youth aged 17+. The Camp this year will be from 23rd – 30th August 2008 when we hope that Phil Arthur (Lancaster) will be our main speaker. Stuart Olyott will also be a speaker with a number of others. You will find a booking form on this website or you can contact the Abingdon Office.
March 2008
KENYA UPDATE Political situation
Kofi Anan has been in the country for over three weeks now and has mediated between the two sides. Both the government and the opposition have agreed to a coalition government but cannot agree on the details. It would seem that a workable agreement is a long away…
Today the opposition party issued a statement saying mass protests would re-start next week unless the government shifted from its position. Please pray about this as, humanly speaking, if no agreement is reached, we could once again see rioting, violence and deaths in our streets.
Ministry to the refugees: Jamhuri Park still has many thousands of internally displaced people. We have distributed thousands of tracts to them and spoken to hundreds of people of Christ and His invitation to come to Him for salvation. We are now in the process of helping families leave the park and settle in different parts of Nairobi and also to start small businesses to enable them to provide for themselves. This is a long slow process that needs much prayer and wisdom.
BORDEAUX
Praise God for answered prayer. The Lord has given one of the students a real burden for prayer so we meet to pray twice a week, and we are also having an extra group prayer meeting on Thursdays before the Bible study.
Many students are expressing a real interest so please continue to pray that the Spirit would bless the sharing of the gospel and that many would be saved.
ABINGDON OPEN DAY
The Abingdon Open day is planned, God Willing, to take place on Saturday 21st June 2008. We trust many of you will be able to attend on the day. You will find a poster and response form on this website, and details may have been circulated to your church.
Do make a date in your diary to be here in Abingdon in June. It promises to be a good day of fellowship with interactive displays throughout the day, a thanksgiving service in the afternoon when God willing, we will have Mr John Appleby as our guest speaker. Seminars, radio station, and lots of events for the children.
PRAY FOR INDIA
Graham Field revisited India with the team and he shares his
experiences: Returning to India for the first time since leaving there as a 14 year old, was a tremendous experience. For many years after I had returned, I found it very difficult to answer the question ‘where do you come from’? I felt like I came from India, but my white skin and British parents meant I could never really say ‘from India’.
Returning did feel like ‘going home’ though. The itinerary, for me, was ideal. It entailed visiting as many of the Churches and Mission Centres as possible, thus enabling me to see most of the places where I grew up, as well as meeting so many of my Christian brothers and sisters in the Churches. It was a mixture of emotions seeing some of the old Mission ‘bungalows’ which were all in various stages of dilapidation. In Kovilpati however I met up with Antoni, a man who used to work for Dad and who I was able to recognise approximately 40 years after seeing him last! Selveraj, one of my old playmates was also there and he still lives on the old mission compound! Then to meet four people up the Kolli Hills , who all remembered with great affection and appreciation both my parents (John & Margaret Field) as well as many of the other missionaries who had served there, was a moving experience. Although I cherish the memories, the biggest thrill was to see so many new chapels, meet, and even be privileged to address on one occasion in Kilpauk, so many Pastors and Evangelists who have given themselves to serving in the work of the gospel and to see how the Lord is blessing the work with so many converts. A particular treat for me, after the main party had returned home, was to spend a couple of days visiting the Nilgiri Hills where I went to School, to relive some happy memories there and to enjoy the 5 hour climb up the beautiful 7,000 ft mountains by the old steam train. I was also able to visit the Church in Ooty where the Lord saved me – a Church which according to C T Studd’s biography you avoided if you did not want to be converted!
Graham Field, Leytonstone
February 2008
Brazil
We praise God for all who faithfully prayed concerning our little seven seated boat which arrived on the 19th of December 2007, and we marvel at how the LORD graciously answered those prayers. The name of the boat is:
“Maranatha – Vem Senhor Jesus” (Come Lord Jesus).
This is the story of the maiden voyage. The Lord had put an orphanage on our hearts some eight months ago when we were making investigations about a family of eight children who had been abandoned. We had heard about an orphanage which was mysteriously planted on one of the hundreds of islands on one of the networking rivers leading away from Manacapuru. Since we had heard that it existed we had been desperate to visit it. Well just two days after our boat’s arrival Andrea and I along with a small team embarked on our maiden voyage to see if we could find it. We had no idea where the island was, although we knew the name of it “Nova Esperança” (New Hope) which worryingly NO ONE at the port had ever heard off. Still, by faith we set off confident that God would direct our path, despite the fact that the land we were constantly surrounded by were islands, each about the size of Truro, and that the Orphanage could be tucked away on anyone of them. To cut a long story short, we sailed at nearly full throttle for two hours along this very remote part of the Amazon, passing just three very small communities, and about twelve scattered wooden houses either on stilts or floating on the river tied to nearby trees. We constantly scanned the far banks of the islands for the orphanage, and occasionally stopping to ask the bemused locals if they had heard of the island we were looking for, but none had.
In the end, as the fuel gage was getting close to the halfway mark, we had to turn around and head back in the direction of Manacapuru. After another hour of journeying, and when we had nearly given up, I just kept thinking, “well Lord, this is your boat, your work, we are your servants, and right now we are doing all we can, if it is your will show us the way to the orphanage, if not, then lead us to another community where your sheep are, whether lost or found.” Andrea turned round with the comment, “this is like trying to find a needle in a haystack”, true I thought but the needle is here...somewhere...
We decided to call in on one final house as we were about to head into the final stretch of river leading us back to Manacapuru. After a careful search for someone who looked likely to be able to help, I got out the boat and walked along a rather posh floating boardwalk, towards what looked like a wooden palace, a massive house with five stories which looked totally out of place compared to the normal one or two roomed huts which we were accustomed to seeing - this was probably the tallest building outside of Manaus! I was greeted by a rough looking elderly man and asked him if he had heard of the American pastor said to run the orphanage, to which he responded, “Yes, Pastor Jack is asleep in the house.” He was referring to the wooden palace behind us. I couldn’t believe it so asked about three times more to ensure he had understood me correctly, and each time he confirmed we were right on the doorstep of the orphanage! After all that travelling the island and orphanage were just fifteen minutes up river from Manacapuru!
After walking through this magnificent house we were seated on their veranda with a drink of Guanana (to experiment with this local delicacy try mixing Iron Brew with Appletize), then with a great height advantage we looked through the trees and viewed the part of the island in view, and spoke about our conversions, calls to mission, and our various cultural observations for an hour or more. In case you were wandering there were orphans there, although only two, partly because of the Christmas holidays. But it was good to finally make contact with this faithful Baptist missionary couple who had bought the island, built this huge house, and have survived working in the local community for the past 7 years. This maiden voyage was a great reminder that our all knowing and all powerful God truly works in mysterious ways and is always in perfect control of every situation.
Jason Murfitt
Philippines
We continue to run our sponsorship programme to enable street kids to go to school and currently have nine children being helped. Each of them comes from a very difficult family and has numerous problems. Many are still homeless, at least two have TB and most have parents who give them very little support or positive example. For a long time we’ve been struggling to know what to do as at least three children have a parent using drugs and another has been selling drugs. Why are we supporting these children when parents are using their own money to finance their drug addictions? On the other hand if we withdraw our support and help we know that the drugs won’t stop. The education will. And then what hope is there for these kids? Very difficult decisions. We thank God that although most of them are struggling, little by little they are making progress in their studies. One of the other social workers has agreed to oversee them but we are short staffed which means we can’t help them in the way we would want, or support them in the way they need until we find a new social worker. So please continue to pray that God will provide the right person for this very difficult ministry.
A month or so ago after our church service a visitor asked me for some medicine for his leg wound. His name was R and after a brief chat I told him to talk to one of the church members. I was away for the next few Sundays but he came again. He’s a robber who had just come out of prison and openly admitted to killing a number of people in his robberies. He said he now wanted to earn an honest livelihood instead and asked if there was anything we could do to help him. And there wasn’t. Finding employment is a massive problem here. College graduates compete for low paid jobs in supermarkets. After 6 months the law says that employees have to be paid benefits, so the supermarkets only hire people for 6 months and then replace them. There are a number of street people who are lazy and don’t want to work, but for others who are prepared to work hard and want to earn enough money to get off the streets there is often no way out. And the same for millions in the slums. The poverty trap. Recently we sent four men to work on the new construction of the church where Aries is Pastor. I think they get paid about £3 a day (average wage for construction) and I had loads of men asking if there was space for anymore. We could have sent twenty.
Matt Gamston
Kenya
During the last few days of 2007 violence erupted in Kenya when the results of a hotly contested election were announced. In Nairobi the worst of it was in places like Kibera, reputedly Africa’s largest slum and home to between 700,000 and one million Kenyans. When people were forced to flee their homes, the government and aid agencies stepped in and provided refuge for them at the Nairobi Show Ground, a large park with permanent facilities for shops and stalls for the annual Nairobi Agricultural Show. At present some 6,000 to 10,000 people are camped at this ground waiting for a long term solution to the problem.
As the show ground is walking distance from our house, I make three or four visits there every week primarily to distribute tracts and speak to people about the Lord, but also to offer practical help where needed. It is a wonderful opportunity for the gospel. People who had been busily engaged in work or business for years suddenly find themselves sitting around all day with nothing to do and are most grateful to be given reading material. Start talking to a small group of four or five and soon others come to hear what you have to say, turning the thing into an impromptu open-air meeting. I spoke to a group of five young men for over half an hour because they had so many searching questions about the way of salvation and how our sins can be forgiven. A Roman Catholic man who had never read the Bible in his life gratefully accepted a Swahili New Testament and immediately began reading it. In a visit of two to three hours, one can give away 500 to 600 tracts and hold up to twenty of these informal open-air meetings.
We praise the Lord for this wonderful opportunity. Please pray with us that we will be able to continue these visits for as long as the people are there. Pray also that they will continue to accept tracts and be willing to hear the word of God preached. From the third Sunday in January we are planning to have a service there each Sunday at 2 pm. Please pray that many would attend these meetings and that the Lord would work savingly in their hearts.
Macedonia
Things are changing in Macedonia and prices of most things are going up and people’s wages remain the same. People are worried about Macedonia trying to get into Europe because they can’t see wages getting better and yet people are struggling to live, electricity, water, food are all more expensive which is adding extra stress into people’s lives.
B is a 30 year old believer in the church here at Ohrid, she came to know the Lord a number of years ago and has faced problems at home from her parents who are Orthodox Christians. Two years ago her father died, then the problems became even worse because her mother believes that B’s new faith has brought a curse on the family and caused her husband’s cancer and death. Her Mother finally asked her to leave home saying, “I don’t want you here anymore”; this is far from unique in Macedonia. B was staying with a friend in Skopje while looking for work, she hasn’t found a job and she has been asked to leave. She has been given a small flat if needed here in Ohrid for a few months if all else fails in Skopje. When somebody becomes a Christian here there is always a price to pay.
Easter Project
Most years we have organised summer projects inviting folk from Britain and Albania to help in the village work during the summer. This year we hope to bring a group of Albanian believers over for the Easter holiday and we will be doing door to door work in the villages. It is always useful having Albanians reaching out to Albanians as this makes sense. A team of eight have been invited to come during Easter and help us in this work.
January 2008
Kenya
KISUMU
We are well and safe and thank you for your prayers for us here. The rallies were announced and are to take place over three days - so it’s easy to avoid that type of trouble - we just stay in the house. This is why we stayed in the 11 days before!!
The more dangerous aspects of life are sporadic acts of violence that can erupt at any time. In Kisumu the Human Rights Watch who have been to the mortuary have confirmed over 50 dead. The government says the rallies are banned so if you join a rally you can expect the 'full force of the law.’ This morning there was trouble on our side of town. More gun-fire than yesterday this side and plenty of crowd noise. The crowd blocked the roads so the General Service Unit (riot police) keep coming on the detour past our gate in their vehicle - we can see their helmets and rifles. We sit tight. We have spent the day doing email correspondence and phone calls keeping in touch with most of the pastors.
NAIROBI
Thank you for your prayers and messages of concern. Things remain volatile; the last two days have seen clashes between groups and the security forces. This is what gets reported because it is public, however behind the scenes a sort of 'ethnic cleansing' is taking place. I have written about S before. He is a Kikuyu by tribe, and has been living in a block of flats owned by his father in a poor area called Mathare North. But the area is dominated by Luos, some of whom occupy rooms in the block and who have been protecting S and his family. This afternoon the mob finally entered the ground floor, ransacked the place and set it on fire, then proceeded up to the top floors. We are told they were looking for S and his brother J, calling out their names. We took ourselves to prayer in the normal evening prayer meeting, and have recently learned that they have been delivered from so deadly a peril by a relative entering with 7 policemen. How relevant that we were reading 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 in the prayer meeting!
Abingdon | 18 January 2008
India
We have maintained our interest and support through providing funds to train and support pastors and church planters, to help fund the medical ministry and the literature work. We have also coordinated and participated in supplementing the teaching and training programme for the many pastors and church planters. The training programme is an ongoing ministry under the oversight of Tamil Baptist Church, Kilpauk. This ministry has involved a number of pastors from our supporting churches here in the UK, but how could we keep the vision alive in the hearts of many others who have been praying for India over the years? The “India Experience” was arranged to allow a number of people to visit the churches in Tamil Nadu, and to see many of the historical sites from the missionary era when foundations where laid for the planting of churches. There follows a report from one member of the party who herself presently serves as a missionary in Barcelona, Spain. She tells her story and shares her account of the India trip was indeed an experience.
The India Experience
It was 40 years ago that the Lord called me to serve him in India as a missionary with Grace Baptist Mission. However the Lord closed the door and it was impossible for me to satisfy that desire. Eventually after much prayer and waiting upon the Lord for His guidance I went to Spain where I have been working for the Lord for the past 34 years.
For many years when I retire I said that I would go to India as it has a special place in my heart. I haven’t retired as previously planned but I did want to visit that far off land and see something of the foundations of Grace Baptist Mission, the Churches, the Mission Compounds and especially the Kolli Hills. I sought someone to go with me but no-one wanted to go and I didn’t want to go alone. So I suggested to David Higham that there may be people in the churches who would love to do what I wanted to do. Finally a team of 17 set off from Heathrow and were met at Chennai by Yvonne and Cliff Langton.
The journey to the hotel was short but we could hardly believe the sights before us. Traffic which didn’t seem to have any rules except for ‘SOUND HORN’ which could be clearly read on the back of every vehicle. There were few pavements so hundreds of people were walking along the road just inches from the open sewage, together with the cows, the goats, dogs and anything that could move on wheels. People were walking bare foot and riding their bikes and driving their vehicles with nothing on their feet. We really weren’t prepared for such evidence of extreme poverty and the culture shock experience was severe.
We spent the following 13 days in Tamil Nadu, South India, visiting the Churches, the Schools and the Mission Compounds etc which had been founded by Strict Baptist Mission (now Grace Baptist Mission). It was a joy to see faithful Pastors and church elders continuing the work and to worship with our Indian brethren. It was sad to see some buildings abandoned and in ruins.
A highlight of the trip was to go up the Kolli Hills, not by bullock carts and then to be carried up the hills by coolies as our early missionaries had to but by road – not an easy journey with 70 hairpin bends to negotiate. On the way we saw monkeys and sandalwood trees as we left the plains behind us. It was a beautiful journey and in sharp contrast to all that we had seen previously. We were greeted by a small number of brethren. One elderly gentleman had been one of Mother Brand’s boys. We wandered around the old Mission Compound and solemnly visited the tombs where the Brands had been buried in the Kolli Hills where they had lovingly and faithfully served the Lord. What a privilege it was to have a picnic lunch in their bungalow which after so many years is still in a very good condition. We left the beautiful hills to return to the plains, the smells, the honking horns, the masses of people and so many sights that were unfamiliar.
One day we even saw a pig being carried on a bike. A lorry in front of us carried a huge load of eggs – how did they survive uncracked on those bumpy pot-holed roads? A lorry loaded with chickens in metal cages had stopped by the side of the road and a man was throwing water over the chickens presumably to help them survive the heat and get them to market alive. Buses were overloaded during the rush hour and came towards us on two wheels and not always on their side of the road. The incidents which we experienced could fill all the pages of our notebook and even more. The memory card of our cameras couldn’t hold all the sights. I had to purchase another card with 2 MB.
The overnight train journey was an experience not to be missed. Bunk beds were separated by curtains and compartments shared by men, women and children. Thank goodness no one brought any goats or any other livestock. Some had to travel 2nd class and had to squeeze in between the third bunk and the roof of the train – no room to breathe here!
But all in all we had a wonderful time and we would encourage you to pray for the Tamil Baptist Churches which were founded by our missionaries and for the work today that goes on by the national brethren.
Patricia Davies
Peru
I am on site early in the morning to buy materials if needed and to keep things moving along; and seeking to keep down the costs. The builders are making good progress and by the goodness of God it will be a place where the doctrines of grace will be proclaimed for future generations. We have applied for the building license and we are praying that it will go ahead without any problems and we would value your prayers that the Lord will not permit any delays during the construction. Thanks again to you all for your love and support towards us. God willing sometime during 2008 we will be holding the opening service for the new Church.
Ronny and Rocio have been aware of your prayers for them over the past several months following the devastating earthquake that struck his home town of Ica. Whilst his family were all kept safe, they were affected by the quake and his mother received some minor injuries as a result. Ronny spent some considerable time in Ica and was able to help where he could. The Church in Simon Bolivar provided him with funds to use in helping the Church in Ica, and in any other appropriate way. Ronny reported that the quake was so violent that his Mum had to crawl on her hands and knees; at the time she was on her own. The family later found her under the stairs. So you can understand his desire to go home for a time and be there to help.
Anthony, Roxy & Mellisa Rony, Rocio & Samuel
Who Will Go?
As we look back over the years the Lord has blessed those weekends and we have been privileged to see many men and women now serving on the mission field, who have attended the conference as part of their preparation. We look forward to hosting a similar event in the future as and when the need arises. We would direct the attention of Young people who are interested in hearing how others are serving the Lord in evangelism to the Saved2Serve event in London on Saturday 9th February 2008. This is coordinated by the Association of Grace Baptist Churches South East. Details can be found on their website: www.agbcse.org.uk.