Interact January 2019

Good News for everyone

ISSUE 1 2019

INTERACT

Lights in the Darkness Offering hope in prison The Heart of the Matter Pavement Project in Mexico

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CONTENTS 04 08 10 12 14 Lights in the Darkness

Offering hope in prison

News

The latest news from the Lifewords global family

The Heart of the Matter

Pavement Project in Mexico

Profile

University chaplain Trish Davis

Lifewords and you Sharing the Bible all over the world

Issue 71 / 1–2019 Editorial team: Jess Bee Steve Bassett Kris Calver Photographs: Lifewords unless otherwise stated.

Design: S2 Design & Advertising Ltd Print: Yeomans Creative

Lifewords is the operating name of Scripture Gift Mission (Inc), registered charity in England and Wales, 219055.

Registered office: 1A The Chandlery 50 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7QY Interact is free, available three times a year from your nearest member of the Lifewords global family of organisations (see page 15).

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WELCOMe

“Help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”

Isaiah 58:10 NLT

Welcome to another edition of Interact magazine. In this issue you’ll meet several people who are bringing Jesus’ light into

Jess Bee Editor

the darkness. From two chaplains in a prison and a university, to Pavement Project workers in Mexico, here are people working in often hopeless, uncertain and dangerous contexts to minister to the lost, lonely and vulnerable.

On pages 4–7 you can read about Liberté Harries who serves prisoners at HMP Pentonville in the UK, faithfully listening and ministering to the men imprisoned there. She has countless stories to tell of how Lifewords resources support her work and make a difference to the lives of the men.

Resourcing people like Liberté is the reason we keep our resources free of charge – we don’t want cost to be a barrier to anyone receiving good news for their lives. But we can’t do it without you! Thank you for your ongoing and regular support – please do keep giving and praying so that we can keep helping Liberté and others all over the world offer good news to those they serve.

Jess Bee Editor

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© Andy Aitchison

Lights in the Darkness For years Lifewords has been providing chaplains all over the world with free Bible resources. Beverley Agyeman met Liberté Harries, part-time chaplain at HMP Pentonville, to find out about this longlasting partnership.

“Look, this is where I hide all your treasure,” says Liberté Harries, parttime chaplain at HMP Pentonville, as she shows me into the office.

“We get through so much at any time and the men request them.

I can’t express just how much one of these small booklets means to the inmates. When they are in hopeless situations, these words of hope help get them through each passing hour.”

All over the world, dedicated chaplains minister to the vulnerable and hopeless, those with low selfworth, those in dangerous situations,

those away from home. Chaplains offer welcome, worth, safety. They listen and understand, without judgement. For thousands of people they offer spiritual and emotional help, and are aware of practical needs too. They are a friend, a helper, a mediator. They are good news in prisons, hospitals, campuses, sports stadiums, army bases. For many they are a light in a dark or unfamiliar place, and hundreds of these chaplains are offering hope and a new perspective on life, using Lifewords Bible resources.

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© ANDy AITCHISON

A dArk PlACe HMP Pentonville is a category B men’s prison with 1,300 inmates.

Built in 1842, it is a maze of concrete floors and large, metal doors – each requiring a key to be unlocked. The walls of this solid brick building are stark and bare. It is here in this strange and cold place that Liberté Harries is a light in the darkness as she ministers to the men who are imprisoned here.

I go to meet her at HMP Pentonville to get an insight into the work she does and the key role Lifewords resources play in her ministry. She tells me about how she serves the men – many of whom are sex offenders or those who have attempted murder. “I’m not here to judge,” she says. “They’ve already been judged by judge and jury. It’s our duty to see them through the same lens of love that God sees them through.” As I follow her through her day at work, I see this worked out in every conversation and interaction she has with inmates and staff.

out of my cell, but because it really does change my mindset. I’ve been locked up in here for a while now and still got some time to go so I don’t have physical freedom. But for the first time in my life I’ve experienced freedom of my mind and my heart. It’s ironic that the one place where your freedom is taken, is the one place that it was given to me.”

Another man talks to me about the difference Liberté makes in the prison and the heart she has for the men: “Not everyone here is guilty,” he says. “And those of us who are have accepted that. A lot of us do want to change and right our wrongs. That’s why having chaplains like Liberté come and see us regularly means so much.

It’s someone that’s not shouting at us or telling us to go back to our cells. Instead she offers us new opportunities every single week to find out more about Jesus.

Liberté Harries

“I’m not here to judge … They’ve already been judged by judge and jury.

It’s our duty to see them through the same lens of love that God sees them through”

Finding Freedom Liberté leads me deep into the prison. We climb up uneven steps, unlocking and locking each heavy, solid door, before we come to a stop at the third floor landing and Liberté begins to knock on each cell door, gathering the men for a small service she conducts each week.

Men from different cells hear the sounds of knocking and one by one faces begin to appear through the small windows in the doors.

“I take every opportunity to come to these services,” says one man. “Not just because it gets me 5

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© Andy Aitchison

“I cannot explain to you how important your booklets are”

GIVE If you are able to, please can you help the work of chaplains around the world. Where budget is often small, we can help contribute in these areas.

The world doesn’t accept us but Liberté does. How can someone have such a big heart for people – and not even regular people – but criminals in a category B prison? That’s why I want to be a Christian … someone has accepted me despite what I’ve done in the past. Liberté has been a big part of me getting myself back on track.”

A key tool From hospital chaplains in India and Australia and army chaplains in the UK, to those ministering in shopping centres and sports stadiums, hundreds of chaplains across the world receive Bible booklets from Lifewords. It’s a huge and important part of Lifewords’ ministry.

“I cannot explain to you how important your booklets are,” says Liberté. “They are very popular – as you can tell by the amount I order

– particularly in the segregation unit where the men who have been especially difficult go. Little Book of Chaos is so apt as so many lives are lived at such a chaotic level and Inspiring Prayer is very popular too.”

And this is the crux of how Lifewords works – helping those on the ground, who are working so closely with the lost, the vulnerable, the marginalised, offer good news. The small booklets work especially well for Liberté – they are the perfect size to slip under doors or through cell door windows. “The men in segregation are on lockdown 23 hours of the day,” she says. “But even then, how amazing is it that there’s still a way for them to access the lifegiving words of the Bible? I’m always grateful for the size of the space at the top of the door. Something that wouldn’t come into the minds of many, but it’s a way in.”

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© Andy Aitchison

Care and kindness Towards the end of my visit I sit in on a meeting with a particularly disruptive man who has been deemed the prison’s “most dangerous inmate”. Liberté is present alongside prison staff to discuss the situation and then he is invited into the meeting. Liberté leads the conversation with this young, small man, his head hung low, eyes vacant. She talks to him with care and kindness: “How are you getting on in here?” she says.

“How do you feel about today’s meeting?” He responds: “Truthfully, I hate it. I don’t expect jail to be an easy place, but I don’t expect to feel worthless. I know I’m in this meeting for being disruptive, but it’s because I’m not being listened to.” Liberté tells him that she’s listening, and he talks about how he enjoys the services she runs:

“I felt welcomed and accepted even though I shouldn’t be. I don’t feel right being forgiven, but at the same time, I want direction. I want to choose to do something good while I’m in here.”

This is the impact Liberté has in these men’s lives – she is good news in a hopeless place. She shows these men who Jesus is, and they begin to see the world and their lives differently. And Lifewords is partnering with her in this important work. “You’re one of the most generous Bible resource charities and you have no idea what this means to us here at Pentonville,” says Liberté. “You share God’s light with these men in dreadfully dark times. I praise God for your partnership in the gospel, we couldn’t do what we do without your help.”

“Liberté is good news in a hopeless place. She shows these men who Jesus is and they begin to see the world and their lives differently”

Pray Pray for prisoners in their situations of hopelessness that they may encounter Jesus and discover new hope.

Please pray for each inmate that receives a Bible booklet.

Pray for prison chaplains in their demanding roles.

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world NEWS Reaching women in Indonesia Lifewords in Indonesia is harnessing the power of relational networks to share good news. Partnering with the Indonesian Evangelical Fellowship (PGLII) Lifewords is training women to reach other women through their friendships.

In Indonesia’s culture women often gather together to share news and catch up about family life. “Muslim women – often older women and housewives – hang out a lot outside,” says Zoe, a mission worker in Padang, West Sumatra. “In the heat of the afternoon they find a shady spot to talk about family, food, and money.” There are also more structured gatherings once a month where women come together to eat and talk about what’s going on in the community. There is quite a lot of segregation between men and women in Indonesian Muslim culture so using these women’s networks to share good news is an ideal opportunity.

“PGLII have the desire that every woman will have passion to proclaim the gospel. Women often have many friends, so this is a good opportunity for them to share good news,” says Gunar Sahari, director of Lifewords Indonesia. PGLII have arranged several sessions where Lifewords have been training women how to use flip cards and share The Visible Story with their friends.

One million Gospels Between 2014 and 2018 as the world remembered the First World War Lifewords printed and distributed nearly 1 million replica copies of the Active Service St John’s Gospel. Thank you for your prayers, gifts and partnership in this project.

First produced in 1914 by Scripture Gift Mission, 43 million copies of the Gospels were shared among soldiers, prisoners and refugees in WW1. In 2018, as we remembered the end of the conflict, Lifewords partnered with the Church of England, Scripture Union, HOPE and other organisations for Remembrance 100, a project that invited churches, schools, individuals, and communities to take part in daily prayers and events for peace over 100 days from Saturday 4th August 2018 leading up to Armistice Day on Sunday 11th November 2018. Claines Church in Worcester took part in a village parade that marked the 100th anniversary with hundreds in attendance. During the parade copies of the Gospels were given out. Jo, church member and organiser, said, “I know it’s not the original Gospel but the fact that it’s a replica is amazing. The historical connection means a lot to me and I know it did to a lot of people too.

Just the words on the front cover alone, ‘Please carry this in your pocket and read it every day’, are so powerful and meaningful.”

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God’s word brings peace In May 2018 Pavement Project Director, Clenir dos Santos, met 11-year-old Elias*. He had grown up with his mother and two younger brothers in a poor, violent and hostile area of Rio de Janeiro.

After school – where he was often reported for being aggressive – Elias regularly attended a day centre where he could take part in activities and receive help with his homework, but was often disruptive there too. Speaking with Clenir he described himself as Elias’ lionfish drawing “an angry lionfish”, because he was often violent and abusive to people around him. By the end of his Bible-counselling session, he chose a “light” pocket card to take with him and explained his choice by saying, “I trust that Jesus will always be with me, and when I get angry again, I will remember this.”

Five months later Clenir met with Elias to follow-up his journey.

“He wanted to tell me about the good grades he’s getting now,” says Clenir, “and that he’s no longer fighting in school with teachers and students. Elias also shared that he still feels angry, annoyed or threatened sometimes, but always asks God to help him and to help the other people, and this stops him from reacting negatively. I can truly see how calm he now is and the *Name has been changed. control he has over his emotions.”

PHOTO By KEVIN LAMINTO ON UNSPLASH

Growing wildflowers In November last year Lifewords attended an event hosted by Tamar – a Christian organisation that reaches out to sex workers in and around Westminster, London. Lifewords was there to find out more about the important work Tamar does. “Our core mission is to restore hope to people exploited in the sex industry,” said head of Tamar, Amanda. “We do this by offering emotional, physical or spiritual support. When talking about faith, we gently bring it into conversation and many times the women want to know more about God, and want us to pray together.”

In 2016 Lifewords produced Consider the Wildflowers in partnership with women caught in sexual exploitation. It is now available in five languages (Bulgarian, English, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish) and more and more groups are using it in their work with vulnerable women – Tamar is one of these groups. “We’ve shared the booklets with trafficking victims who have been really pleased to take them away,” says Lucy, Head of Marketing and Fundraising. “They’re so beautifully put together and it’s also so valuable having different translations available. They’re an amazing tool for crossing cultural and language barriers, especially with our type of work where many trafficked women feel isolated and alone because of the situation they are trapped in and not being able to speak English.”

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The Heart of the Matter In 2010 Pavement Project launched in Mexico. Eight years on Cleisse Andrade shares how workers are building relationships with individuals and communities.

FEATURE PHOTOS: © Share Alike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-AS 2.0)

In Mexico 33% of the population is under 17 years of age, more than 38 million people. 10% of school-age children are out of school and 15 out of 1000 children die before their 5th birthday. 12% of children are engaged in child labour and 46% of people live in poverty.*

As in many Latin American countries, vulnerable children and adolescents in Mexico face many problems: poverty, inequality, lack of access to education, child labour, violence, abuse and maltreatment.

The statistics help paint a picture of what life is like for them – but

figures can never really get to the heart of a place. This is where Pavement Project comes in – with workers who invest in individuals and communities, spending time getting to know what’s going on in the lives of those they are helping.

Investing in lives “Working with children-at-risk in Mexico is a complex enterprise,” says Maggie Gonzalez, a Pavement Project worker. “It is an amazing and enriching experience to get to know these children´s stories, their potential, their hopes and

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dreams, their fears, and get to see the transformation of some of them, followed by the raising of their own children. It’s a long-term endeavour.”

Pavement Project started in Mexico in 2010, with the first training taking place in Acapulco.

Here 24 street workers from eight organisations in Acapulco and one from Mexico City were trained.

In the last eight years Pavement Project has reached children and young people in Mexico City, Acapulco, Puebla, Queretaro, Atoyac de Alvarez, Pachuca and Ixtapaluca. There are now 27 partner organisations and 43 workers who have been trained.

On the ground It’s a tough working environment for Pavement Project workers and partner organisations.

“Mexico is a land of contrasts, with great universities and infrastructure of developed countries, but also a rampant corruption at all levels,” says Maggie. “There is an ingrained social decomposition which is undermining the values of respect, honesty and solidarity among our people. And childrenat-risk are one of the vulnerable groups caught up in this vicious spiral. The heartbreaking part is that some of them get lost in the dark world of drugs, prostitution and delinquency. Although there are many NGOs working for the welfare of the children and their families, the lack of interest from authorities is the greatest hindrance to eradicate this situation.”

An important resource In the midst of this complex environment the green bag is giving those working with childrenat-risk a way of communicating and ministering to them. Leticia Ramirez, one of the workers, explains how Pavement Project is a key resource for her: “I’m very happy and grateful to God, because I have been praying for a resource that could help children-at-risk that my organisation meets. We are working in Ixtapaluca, a place that experiences high rates of violence, where women are raped or go missing, and kidnapping is common. During the counselling session with the green bag I could see how God works in the life of the child. I really didn’t know how to help children when they told me what they were experiencing – the green bag is God’s response to my prayers.”

Future plans Three trainers are being prepared to help train more workers: Judith Diaz, Martha Telléz and Diana Rodriguez. Judith recently trained workers from the Puebla region, and as 2019 begins the team is looking forward to training more workers in the northern mountain range of this region so that they can minister to the indigenous Totonac and Huastec groups.

The three trainers will also take the green bag to many churches and organisations that work with children and adolescents. Please pray with us for the ongoing work of Pavement Project in Mexico.

“This is where Pavement Project comes in – with workers who invest in individuals and communities”

Pray Give thanks for the growing work of Pavement Project in Mexico.

Pray for the workers and those who will be trained in the future.

Pray for children in Mexico that God would protect and guide them.

* Statistics from www.savethechildren.org

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PROFILE:

Trish Davis, University Chaplain From prisons to hospitals, schools to shopping centres, chaplains are on hand to listen and help. Jess Bee met Trish Davis, a university chaplain to find out more about this important role in our society.

Jess Bee

“Chaplains give people an opportunity to talk to somebody about spiritual matters, perhaps when they don’t know who to talk to. Chaplains are listening people … we give people the chance to dare to ask questions that they haven’t asked before.” Trish Davis As I arrive at the University of Southampton’s Faith and Reflection Centre I’m greeted by Trish Davis, the Free Church chaplain here. She is warm and friendly, and we chat as she makes me a cup of tea and rummages around for some biscuits.

We sit down in the centre’s lounge area and she tells me about her role as a chaplain.

A listening ear For students on campus, life can be exhilarating, daunting, busy and lonely. Those who have left home for the first time must learn to look after themselves, live with others and tackle their studies, all in a new environment with lots to do and get involved with. Part of Trish’s role is to be available to help when things get hard. “These students are having to cook, having to fend for themselves, as well as do their studies,” says Trish. “Some are struggling, some of them with very basic things … we just try and encourage them. If they’re Christians and they want to pray then we will pray with them,

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if they’re not then we try to encourage them as best we can, invite them to the different things we’ve got going on so that they can get to know other people.”

The centre is a key resource for the university, who will often refer students who are struggling. “If they think that a student needs some tender loving care then they will suggest that they come to us,” says Trish. “We can listen to them, if that’s what’s required. Sometimes we see people regularly, sometimes some will have been really helped having a talk with us, a prayer with us, perhaps.” If Trish meets someone who has specific or serious issues she will suggest they go to the university’s “student services” where they can have help accessing counselling or more specialist services.

Reflecting on faith Another part of the chaplains’ role is to facilitate discussion and encourage people to consider how faith and spirituality relate to their life. Trish and the other chaplains at the centre run a “reflection café” where people gather to drink coffee and talk around a specific theme.

One session looked at “moving places” where the group talked about leaving home to study in a new city or country.

“Talking about faith can be challenging in a role that focuses so heavily on pastoral care,” says Trish.

“However, many students will ask ‘how did you become a minister?’, ‘how did you become a Christian?’, ‘why are you doing this?’. They genuinely seem interested … so I get a chance to share my testimony in quite a low-key way.”

Facilitating community The Faith and Reflection Centre is open Monday to Friday, and anyone can come in to use the meeting room, lounge area or quiet room.

It’s a space to get away from everything else. “People can come and hang out, study, meet others,” says Trish. “Quite often a small community of students builds up of those who come in most days.”

Throughout the week the centre offers a pasta night and a soup lunch, with cheap food and a chance to spend time with others. There are also English conversation groups so international students can practice their English.

On a Wednesday, Trish leads a communion service, part of the centre’s worshipping community.

Available and listening Before I leave, I ask Trish why she thinks her role is so important. “A chaplain’s an unthreatening person,” she says. “We’re not pushy people but we ask important questions … and we’re available, we’re here.

The door’s open 10 til 5, to come in and talk to someone … that’s our biggest role, being able to give pastoral care to people, people who we don’t even know.”

“A chaplain’s an unthreatening person … we’re not pushy people but we ask important questions … and we’re available, we’re here”

Pray Give thanks for Trish and other chaplains all over the world.

Praise God for the job they do ministering to people in different contexts and circumstances.

Pray that wherever chaplains serve, people will be drawn to them for help.

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GET INVOLVED Lifewords and YOU

The Ninefold Path “There’s a longing inside of us for another world, something better than what’s here right now … the beatitudes invite us in to that possibility and say that there is a new way to be human, another world is possible.”

Mark Scandrette

Ninefold Path in Australia

This summer NINE BEATS (an initiative sponsored by Lifewords) launched the Ninefold Path Learning Lab, inviting groups to explore the way of Jesus together, through weekly practices and reflections. Co-author Danielle Welch explains: “Mark [Scandrette] developed the Learning Lab format a decade ago, and we’ve brought it together with the radical wisdom of the beatitudes to create an invitation to walk in the way of Jesus. It’s really simple: get together with a small group of others, use the Ninefold Path Notebook or films to reflect on one of the nine beats (beatitudes); agree to put that beat into practice through some intentional practices for at least a week; get back together and reflect on your experience.

“It’s simple … but also really profound. We have found these practices to be liberating. The beatitudes speak to us about empire and power and how we might really change the world.

They whisper to us about our inner selves and our daily habits.

They invite us to a way of trust, lament, humility, justice, compassion, right motive, peacemaking, and radical love.

“Groups have already gathered in the UK, US, Australia, and online. So far these have ranged from pastors and community leaders, to men in a recovery programme in San Francisco’s Bay Area, to an indigenous gathering in Adelaide. Some groups have been full of Christians, some not – Jesus’ teaching is open to everyone. Groups report that it is the practices that are really transformative – as people take risks and experiment in what it is not just to learn about peace or justice or forgiveness, but to take steps to live this out.”

The Ninefold Path Learning Lab Guide and Ninefold Path Notebook are available for sale at www.9beats.org, along with free video content.

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one-to-one in action A simple prayer or sharing a bible resource with someone can have a lasting impact. here’s one story that encourages us to be good news to those we meet: “I once met a man who was depressed, lonely and wanted to run away,” says Jane, Head of Outreach at The International Evangelical Church of the Algarve (IECA) and former Salvation Army worker. “He was a man who had given up. Someone without selfconfidence. I invited him to church for a cup of tea and gave him a copy of You Matter. That day we spoke for quite a while and he allowed me to pray for him.”

IECA began as a small group that met under a tree on a Portuguese hill. Now, thirty years later, it is a bustling church, home to many locals and international visitors. For many years IECA has ordered Bible resources from Lifewords in English and Portuguese, including You Matter. “your booklets are simply wonderful,” says Jane. “Lifewords plays such an important role in providing Bible literature in different languages.” The man Jane met and prayed with many years ago became a Christian and now runs his own outreach ministry in the church. His life was transformed because Jane reached out to him and now he is doing the same for others.

ContACt us Get in touch with the Lifewords global family. Find us online at www.lifewords.global, or contact your local office.

AustrAliA

+61 437 705 947 australia@lifewords.global brAZil

projectoc@lifewords.global CAnAdA

+1 683 6482 info@sgmcanada.ca kenyA

The International Evangelical Church of the Algarve

+254 20 2730100 kenya@lifewords.global indonesiA

+62 816714983 indonesia@lifewords.global indiA

+91-80-25296587 india@lifewords.global PolAnd

europe@lifewords.global uk & internAtionAl oFFiCe

+44 (0) 20 7730 2155 uk@lifewords.global 15

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Hope for every day and strength for every circumstance.

Newly redesigned, Daily Strength offers verses for each day of the month that ask for God’s help and share God’s promises.

Find out more and order your free Bible booklets at www.lifewords.global

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