January 2017
fromthestreets A refugee camp in Turkey, hosting over 2.5 million people. © European Union 2016 European Parliament
Bringing light to dark places The green bag has continued to make a lasting impact on so many young people’s lives throughout 2016. The reach of Pavement Project has extended greatly and exciting new opportunities are developing in the Middle East and India. As our world continues to plunge into uncertain times, as the divide between rich and poor widens, as social injustices escalate we ask that you join with us in praying for the world’s children-at-risk; many of whom face countless atrocities and horrors from such a young age. We believe with the help of the green bag there is hope. Children and young people will have the chance to hear Bible stories that will bring new meaning to their lives – and it’s all thanks to your support!
Pavement Project
Ministering to the Middle East One such place that is in desperate need of the good news of Jesus is the Middle East. Millions of children have experienced horrific conflict, and have been separated from their families and friends. They are alone and scared, miles from home. And with no resolution in sight. We want to bring the Bible’s life words to all those desperately in need of hope. In the last issue of From the Streets we told you about a partnership between SGM Lifewords Pavement Project and a major mission organisation based in the Middle East. This is an amazing opportunity to equip the organisation’s missionaries with much needed resources and training. ➤
Pavement Project is a unique Bible-based counselling process that equips children-at-risk workers all over the world to raise children’s self-worth and restore a sense of hope for the future.
A much happier Rafael after his encounter with the green bag!
Green Bag br throughout La
Practice makes perfect With no time to waste, a team of missionaries from this partnership organisation have recently visited Brazil to begin their training with the green bag. While training, each of the missionaries counselled children living in Brazil to help them see first-hand just how powerful the green bag can be. Rafael* was one of these children – a 14-year-old living in a shelter. His behaviour was very troubled, and his supervisors no longer knew how to handle him. At their wits end they requested he be counselled with the green bag.
From sloth to star Rafael attended the session begrudgingly, and was quiet for some time. His answers were monosyllabic and he was very unresponsive. With persistence from the trainee Pavement Project worker, Rafael’s walls gradually began to break down. The missionary was able to talk to him about other children who have also experienced difficulty in their lives. Feeling comfortable that he wasn’t alone he started to open up about things: bad grades, trouble with friends, struggling to understand subjects at school. Rafael explained how all these things just added to how worthless he felt. He described himself as a sloth. Slow and stupid.
“Neli* is a 11-y depressed. She but something of God and di her parents arr counselling sess what had been troubling her – a friend at video. It caused her to question herself, an ashamed about what she’d watched. The of The Prodigal Son with Neli and she is b behind her. Please pray for all the young c exposed to pornography at school.” – Man
“Helio* ran away fr counselling session parents have been attitude. Please pray by the love of God.” –
Rafael heard the story of the Lost Sheep and was amazed by the shepherd who never gave up on his flock, he said: “God takes care of me like that – he’ll always protect me.” Rafael now compares himself to a “very bright star in the sky”. He began a new journey with Jesus thanks to the green bag, and both he and the worker found the session to be a very restorative process.
What now? The training of the missionaries was a huge success. SGM Lifewords’ Pavement Project now needs to raise £8,000 to fund this lifechanging work in the Middle East. Planning has begun on the best way to develop Pavement Project in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. More missionaries need to be trained and equipped with new green bags. One of the most effective training methods is the trainers’ DVD, which can be used to teach new Pavement Project workers how to use the resources. This will mean we can avoid flying people over to Brazil, which will greatly reduce costs and enable us to train more people. Please pray for the logistics of this new partnership as it continues to develop in 2017, and for the children who so desperately need to hear about God’s love
* Names have been changed. Posed by models.
rings hope to children-at-risk atin America
The green bag has been a wonderful agent of change for so many children-at-risk living across Latin America throughout 2016. But don’t take our word for it – let’s hear what the Pavement Project partners and workers have to say…
year-old girl who had become increasingly e’d always been very cheerful and gentle, g in her changed. She became doubtful istant with her parents. Worried for Neli, ranged for their daughter to have a sion with the green bag. Neli admitted t school had showed her a pornographic nd even her sexuality. She felt guilty and Pavement Project worker shared the story beginning to start putting the experience children in Latin America who are being naus 1st Baptist Church
“Marcelo* was getting severely bullied at school, it got so bad that he felt he had to tell someone. This led to him being counselled with the green bag, and after Marcelo’s session the Pavement Project worker alerted the school’s principal to the fact that some of the students were victimising others. The school’s principal quickly acted on this, and was able to resolve the situation, with the children making up and becoming friends! Please pray for children who find themselves becoming victims of bullying, that they will find the courage to ask for help and not let it continue.” – Action Life Association, Guarulhos
rom home all the time. After the n his behaviour vastly improved. His blown away by the changes in his y that the whole family will be touched – Seed House, Duque de Caxais
“Neide* is 6 and was counselled with the green bag at the beginning of 2016. She told the Pavement Project worker how her father abused her mother, both verbally and physically. Neide would often try and stay awake at night so that she could keep watch over her mother. A worker recently met up with the young girl and was delighted to hear that Neide’s prayers had been answered. Her parents had started to reconcile and her father was no longer abusing her mother. Please pray for continued reconciliation in this situation, and that Neide will continue to trust God and be prayerful when she experiences hard times.” – Action Life Association, Guarulhos
Heli* was recently counselled with the green bag and heard the story of the feeding of the five thousand for the first time. She said she wanted to be fed in the same way so she could “grow like a tree and produce much fruit”. She is now taking part in a Bible study that our church hosts on a Saturday. The teacher who is looking after Heli says that her behaviour has improved so much since being counselled – ‘she is now a really lovely, friendly girl’.” – Cleisse Andrade, Brazil Director
“Rosalyn’s* experience with the green bag brought a huge impact to us as a team. We witnessed first-hand what a huge difference the Word of God makes. The partnership with SGM Lifewords is blessing our lives as much as the children’s! Please pray for our children, especially Rosalyn as she grows in her relationship with Jesus.” – Project C3, Teresopolis
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Church from the streets Smiles all round! Just some of the happy faces who have been impacted by Mary and her work with the green bag.
Mary is a pastor who has worked with the green bag for many years in Nairobi, Kenya. Since being trained as a Pavement Project worker she has been counselling children from both the streets and the slums. She says, “The bag is so precious. Many children are suffering from deep hurt, and this counselling process helps heal them and give them hope.”
throughout the slum and children come to freely worship with their friends. Many of whom have made a decision to follow Jesus and some are even getting baptised.
Mary has always encouraged the children she worked with to attend church. To her shock, she found many of them were being turned away for being from the streets. This disturbed Mary, so she started a church especially for the young people she counselled.
As well as serving the spiritual needs of the children, a meal is also provided after every Sunday service. This has been really effective in reinforcing the notion of community and letting the young people know that they are not alone. Please pray for all the children who attend the church, that they’ll find a real sense of belonging.
Green bag foundations Many onlookers were curious as to what she was doing – why would this woman reach out to dirty street children? Despite the somewhat puzzled reactions from other people, the church is now booming. Word has spread
Mary says: “If I hadn’t been trained in Pavement Project, I would never have been in a position to start this church. The foundations were built with the help of the green bag and I feel so blessed to minister to these desperate children.”
Don’t forget you can watch videos of SGM Lifewords work with street children and see the green bag in action at youtube.com/Lifewords.
All around the world, SGM Lifewords has been helping people share God’s Word for over 125 years, and we’re still doing it today. If you love it – share it! That’s our philosophy and we hope you’ll get involved, and share the Bible’s life words where you are.
Help young people living in India In the last issue we told you that together with some partner agencies, SGM Lifewords India is planning a significant expansion of our Pavement Project work in 2017–18. Our goal is to reach an extra 75,000 children every year through two large training partnerships, across 13 Indian states. The initial training programme is extensive, and we’ll need to produce new green bags – but once established, training will continue sustainably, meaning this work will provide a significant impact on children’s lives for years to come. This will take an investment of more than £50,000 over two years. That’s a big commitment, so we hope you will join us in prayer, and in giving.
Front line response “There is so much negativity, rejection, and hate around us here,” says Christina, a Pavement Project worker from Hyderabad. “There’s less opportunity
for children to grow. But despite the obstacles, there is hope. In the roughness of life, in the trauma and tragedy, the good news of the gospel has the power to strengthen and uphold our children.” Pranitha, a Pavement Project worker from Chennai, shares Christina’s sentiments, She has been on the frontline of responding to injustice for twenty years. She says, “When I began working I realised every problem comes down to affecting the child. Because they are the ones who are voiceless; they are the ones without the rights. Poverty has really deepened, and children are the most affected.”
What can I do?
The city of Hyderabad, Telangana
Persecution in India is high, and the window for Christian witness is closing. SGM Lifewords wants to make the most of the opportunity we currently have – to see the good news of the Bible made known, and we want to invite you to join us in this work. Help us make a difference by hosting a curry night! This is a huge opportunity to impact the lives of children-at-risk and teenagers, you can find out more at www.sgmlifewords.com /uk/storiesfromindia.
please help us to reach 75,000 more children with the work of Pavement Project
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SGM Lifewords 1A The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London se1 7qy T: 020 7730 2155 E: uk@sgmlifewords.com Registered Charity No. 219055