Missionary Matters
A prayer letter from Johnny and Ann McClean (our missionary partners in Thailand) early in July told of Sundays at their New City Fellowship Church. After the morning service they have lunch - not just tea or coffee - and then activities in the afternoon: ladies’ Bible study, men’s Bible study, a church fellowship afternoon and a church committee meeting alternate. The only problem is people want to have their own activity more than once a month! The McCleans say: ‘it is lovely to see people staying around more after church to spend time together, encouraging one another, sharing together and praying for one another’.
Mothers’ Day. As a bonus they also learnt to cook Thai food! The team visited other Christian settings too, such as work among Thai students. Pray that the seed sown during this period may bear fruit in due course, and that the visiting team will grow spiritually from their time in Thailand. Please pray too for Ann and children Bethan and Joshua as they start a new school term and for son Matt as he embarks on university life in the UK.
John Ryley
At the beginning of August Johnny was involved in a ‘Training the trainers’ week for the Langham organisation (which trains pastors around the world to preach and teach the Bible); this intensive course focused on improving the communication and teaching skills of those attending (eight from Thailand, four from Cambodia and four from Myanmar). In August Johnny and Ann hosted four ladies from their parent missionary organisation; during their visit the group worshipped with and encouraged the ladies who work at Napada (a Christian business) and attended and helped out at the McClean’s local church, including at a special outreach service for HotPott - September 2019
Megumi and Helen Fazakerley, our missionary partners in Malawi, were in the UK in the summer, both to attend the wedding of Helen’s niece in France and to support Helen’s father and stepmother, who continue to face many practical difficulties in daily life as they become frailer. Praise God that family members are willing and able to support them, and please pray for wisdom for the family to know how to manage these current challenges, and those they will no doubt face in future. Unfortunately Helen and Megumi missed the Malawi team’s Spiritual Life Conference but Megumi may have been relieved to miss interviewing 70 candidates for courses at EBCoM (the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi, where he works)! The college term starts in late September; please pray that students will be placed on the most appropriate courses, that staff and students alike will be diligent and blessed in their work to further the Gospel and that the college will have sufficient resources, especially manpower, to function well. Please pray too for the security situation in Malawi: the high court is currently investigating the recent, allegedly unfair, presidential election and some street protests have escalated into violence. Page 23