Look on the Fields: December 2023

Look on the Fields December 2023

ITEMS FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE With Daily Scripture Readings

‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel’ Mark 16:15

ST LUCIA

Venezuela Day: 1, 13, 15, 19 Brazil Day: 2, 25, 28 Scotland Day: 3, 14 Ukraine Day: 4 Mexico Day: 5, 24 Canada Day: 6, 17, 22 Japan Day: 7 England Day: 8 N Ireland Day: 9 Zambia Day: 10, 21 Malawi Day: 11 Ethiopia Day: 12 Nepal Day: 16 France Day: 18, 20 Lebanon Day: 23 South Africa Day: 26, 30 Panama Day: 27 Colombia/USA Day: 29 India Day: 31

BRAZIL

Friday 1st

1 Cor 15-16

VENEZUELA

Palo Negro

We have just concluded eight weeks of gospel meetings with the assembly in Mariara. The believers made an effort to bring their families and neighbours to hear the gospel and two brethren from the assembly in San Joaquin opened the meeting night about. We were encouraged when some showed an interest in salvation, and we thank the Lord for the salvation of one lady who hadn’t attended meetings before. A younger woman whose mother is in fellowship also professed to be saved. As always, there were those who we longed to see saved but they are still in their sins.

We continue to pray that soon the Word of God will bring about the new birth in their souls. One lady who had never attended before came to the meetings almost every night and listened with reverence. She is still not saved but told a sister: “I will always be thankful to God that I ever stepped inside the Hall”.

Last Saturday afternoon we had the privilege of being with the saints in San Mateo for the monthly ministry meeting that is held among the assemblies in this area. It was a joy to see over 400 believers gather to hear the ministry of the Word of God, quite an undertaking for the small assembly as they provided a light meal for all at the end. After spending half an hour in prayer, three brethren give profitable words of ministry. It was encouraging to see the Lord’s people joyful in the Lord and encouraged by the ministry they heard.

We continue to help the assembly in Palo Negro with the building of their new hall. The Lord has been gracious and good, the local brethren have helped freely each day since the month of April, and we’re glad to see good progress in the work. There is still quite a bit of work remaining to be done, but the brethren are confident that the Lord will

Coffee break during the building of the new Hall.

Brother Angel Davila is standing fourth from the right

help them to finish. Our brother Angel Davila, one of the commended workers, was a builder by trade and has given of his time to help us while keeping busy with meetings at night. We deeply appreciate his tremendous help. The sisters have also contributed, taking turns to provide a good dinner for the workers each day, as well as a snack mid-morning and also mid-afternoon. It’s been encouraging to see the assembly united, working together to see the new hall built. We trust it will be a place where many souls will come to know the Saviour, the saints will be built up and the name of our Lord will be glorified.

The literature aspect of the work continues, though with limitations due to the present conditions in the country. We are taking delivery of the gospel calendar and also a gospel pocket calendar, and we hope to distribute these among the assemblies in the coming weeks. These have been used of the Lord in the past in the salvation of souls and we pray that they will continue to be a blessing to many.

The commentary on Romans (What the Bible Teaches series) has been translated and is ready for publishing. We look forward in the will of the Lord to be able to put this valuable work into the hands of the Lord’s people. The commentary on the Gospel by John has been translated and has to be proof read then sent to the printer. Only the commentary on Acts remains to be translated in order to complete the whole set of New Testament Commentaries in the Spanish language.

We hope to print another 400,000 tracts before the end of the year. There is a constant demand from assemblies that are exercised to evangelise the areas where they are working, and new areas as well. People still receive the literature, with very few refusals, and eternity alone will reveal the fruit gathered through this means.

C. 1999

SAMUEL & SHARON USSHER

30/10/23

2 Cor 1-4

Saturday 2nd BRAZIL

Lagoa Dourada

During October we had five nights ministry meetings in the hall in Arame on Ephesians 6. On the fourth night Marco was already feeling another asthma episode coming on. He managed to finish the meetings but unfortunately after the last night he was exhausted and on Monday went to the doctors for what he thought was medication for his asthma but got antibiotics for another pneumonia. We would value prayer for his health for he has had two pneumonias in the space of a month, and this has left its mark.

Jefferson, the young man we have mentioned a few times, who was saved some time back, is engaged to a girl that shows no interest in the Gospel and unfortunately this has hindered him. At first, he showed great interest and a desire to grow spiritually but sadly, he has become less interested and discouraged. Please pray for this situation.

The radio work continues. This work is a difficult one for we don’t see results and have no idea of how many people are listening. We pray this work may bear fruit and people may be reached in places we have never been to.

C. 1998 (Brazil)

MARCO & JANICE GEBARA

3/11/23

Sunday 3rd

2 Cor 5-9

SCOTLAND

Aberdeen

In the month of June, we experienced a particularly encouraging highlight that I am eager to share with you. A lady who attended an event in Inverurie a year ago, following an invitation, trusted the Lord for salvation one Lord’s day. It was a tremendous privilege to be able to point her to Christ. We were overjoyed when she expressed her desire to be baptized, signalling her commitment to share her newfound faith with others. I had the honour of reading her testimony of conversion to the rest of the assembly, and it was a powerful moment that showed the impact of the good news of Jesus Christ in her life.

In July we conducted talks at some end-of-term assemblies, focusing on Psalm 139.

The message of the Psalm, emphasizing that God sees us, understands our situations completely, and desires to walk with us through our lives resonated deeply with some of the audience. Several parents expressed their thanks afterward relating to the comforting words of the Psalm.

Additionally, we were able to distribute Bibles to Primary 7 pupils. Witnessing the excitement and appreciation expressed by some of the pupils as they began reading their Bibles was truly rewarding. This is fostering a genuine interest and connection to the teachings of the Bible among some of the young hearts we reach.

In August we were able to bring the message of the Lord Jesus’ wonderful miracles to young children, impacting their understanding of who Jesus really is. Some have only heard His name as a swear word and are amazed that this is actually the name of a person. It is such a privilege to be able to present the Lord Jesus in a new light!

The month was particularly busy and fruitful for us. The response from many schools has been encouraging, and we eagerly anticipate visiting them to share the stories of the wonderful miracles of the Lord Jesus throughout the year.

Throughout the month of September, we have been actively engaged in visits to infant classes as well as reaching out to 12 primary schools and 2 secondary schools.

Our interactions have taken the form of class visits and school assemblies, where we shared the Bible story of the Lord Jesus walking on water and rescuing Peter from the sea. This narrative provides a valuable opportunity to explore the concept of prayer with pupils who may be encountering it for the first time. We also delve into the theme of Peter’s faith, drawing parallels with the proclamation of the angel to the Shepherds in the Christmas story about the birth of a Saviour. It is heartening to witness the pupils’ understanding of extending a “helping hand,” like Jesus did for Peter - a concept that often resonates well with their experiences in school.

Our commitment to the SU groups in Dyce Academy continues. The pupils are beginning to explore the Christian Faith and we are praying that the Holy Spirit will speak directly to young hearts. Additionally, efforts to promote the Inverurie Academy SU group at the school fayre proved successful, with the group’s attendance growing from zero to three pupils! Our prayers are being answered!

I am delighted to share a heartwarming encounter with a former pupil who approached me recently. This young man, now a student teacher, expressed gratitude for the “Bible

Alive” program during his Primary 6 education. He attributed his passion for English teaching to the engaging Bible stories he experienced in our program. His story is a testament to the lasting impact of our efforts in fostering a love for the narratives in the Bible. He explained how he received a free Bible and had just recovered it from his loft and was now reading it. Please pray!

GRAEME & FIONA SMITH

13/10/23

2 Cor 10-13

Monday 4th UKRAINE

Lviv

In early September we were invited to the assembly at Mechelen in Belgium for the weekend. We had visited many times in the past on our route back from Lviv to N Ireland for the purposes of getting our jeep a service/MOT. It was really nice to renew fellowship with these dear saints and encourage them from God’s Word, both in ministry and the Gospel. The assembly testimony dates back many decades, and it is lovely to see the faithfulness of these brethren and sisters. We were very encouraged at the Gospel meeting when a young man came with his girlfriend and afterwards over supper in the home of one of the Christians, he asked numerous questions about the Scriptures.

It turned out that this was the first Gospel meeting he had ever sat in, yet coming from a very religious background with all its rituals and ceremonies. We pray that the living Word of God will enlighten his darkened heart.

We would ask for prayers for a young believer, Vasil (28), from Lviv, the son of Volodia and Halia from the assembly. Vasil was conscripted 2 months ago to the army and after a few weeks training was sent to the front line in Zaporizhia. Just last week while on duty he stepped on a mine and sustained horrific injuries to his legs. Today (29 September) he is going through surgery, and we would pray that God would draw near and raise him up to walk normally again.

Presently we are preparing and designing 7,000 new Ukrainian Gospel calendars 2024 for distribution in Ireland and 2,000 for refugees connected with assemblies in Poland.

We are firmly focused on the eternal Word of God getting into the hands of these dear people and leave the results with God. We would ask earnest prayer for a refugee Olessa (Belfast) who we continue to work closely with concerning her soul’s salvation. Unfortunately, she is coming from a Seventh Day Adventist background, holding Saturday as their sabbath and good works rather than faith in Christ. She has recently secured a job in a Care Home near Belfast for which we all give God thanks.

C. 2010

EDMUND & AGNES JOHNSTON

29/9/23

Tuesday 5th MEXICO

Gal 1-3

Guadalajara

Our main area of labour at the moment is in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

At present I am traveling there every weekend (4.5hr drive) in order to help with teaching, gospel and critical visits with the believers. Our first trip was at the end of May, and it appears we will be visiting often over the next while to be of assistance to the believers. I am working together with brother Shad Kember who is regularly flying in from much further away but has been able to come to visit for gospel meetings on multiple occasions in the last few months. We have been blessed to see believers grow in maturity and a few souls being saved during multiple series of gospel meetings over the past months. Two of the believers from the assembly have also been preaching the gospel in a rehabilitation centre across the road from the hall every Saturday. In the month of July we had the privilege of hearing that four had professed as a result of those weekly meetings. Of the four that professed three have continued and are showing signs of genuine spiritual life. We are also thankful that one of the men that professed has left the rehab centre and is attending the meetings regularly.

The majority of our time in Vallarta is spent in the believers’ homes visiting them to help with various personal and spiritual needs. This is a time consuming but very necessary work, and we trust it will bear fruit in the future.

Though I am often in Vallarta these days, our home is in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The assembly in Guadalajara broke bread for the first time on the 29th of November 2015. In a few weeks we will celebrate our eighth anniversary and we are thankful for the Lord’s

preserving hand all these years. There is a brother here named Ricardo Solis who is a massive help in the work and has been gifted by the Lord to serve as an elder in the assembly. There is another brother who is also showing similar interest in the work of shepherding and teaching, and I trust that in the following years he will be able to serve with Ricardo in that work as well.

We are also thankful for a large group of young people that are getting to the age where they will need to make big decisions about their future. This past week we had two visits in which some of the young men expressed a desire to be baptized and come into fellowship. Aside from them, there is a large number of visitors that come every Sunday.

Though mid-week we are quite small, every Lord’s day our small rented hall exceeds capacity. Most of the visitors are young families that are discouraged by weak and false teaching in other churches they have attended. A few of those that are visiting are not saved so we’re thankful for a good number of unsaved that attend our weekly gospel meeting also.

C. 2011 (Can)

JONATHAN & HANNAH SEED

Gal 4-6

Wednesday 6th CANADA

13/10/23

Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

I was in Vancouver in August sharing in Gospel tent meetings with Andrew Frith and Jack Zhang, beloved brethren from the Victoria Drive assembly. We valued the attendance and support from the surrounding assemblies and were glad that we had some visitors from the area where the tent was erected. The assembly in Victoria Drive had a busy summer as they were also engaged in three weeks of Vacation Bible School in local parks; it was good to see the effort put forth to reach the lost. We look to the Lord to bless this effort richly.

Since those Gospel meetings, I have spent some time in Nova Scotia, helping out at some of our maritime conferences and also trying to encourage some of the local assemblies. The past three weekends I have been involved in conferences, in Manitoba, Vancouver and latterly L’Anse Au Loup, Labrador. The conference in L’Anse Au Loup (Wolf Cove) concluded a week past on Lord’s Day and David Hierlihy and I commenced Gospel meetings that night. There are many on this coast not saved, many dear believers have family members who need Christ. We have since had an outbreak of COVID-19 and this has impacted numbers, we look to the Lord that it will not impact the meetings significantly. Your prayers for us in this little coastal village will be greatly appreciated, we would also ask for specific prayer for Adeline Linstead and Eli Belbin, both advanced in age. Along with the Christians and their families, we long to see them saved.

JOHN & ELAINE MEEKIN

24/10/23

Thursday 7th JAPAN

Eph 1-3

Writing from N Ireland

Assemblies in Japan commenced in the early 1900s, and there were five before the government disbanded them leading up to World War 2. At the close of the war, the Gospel spread throughout the country, and dozens of local assemblies were formed by brethren who knew the truth. One of these brethren was Jim Currie. We joined our brother in Fuchu, Tokyo in 2001, and sought to build upon the foundation already laid.

During September, I visited 12 assemblies on Honshu Island, including two conferences in the Tokyo area.

The bullet trains efficiently shuttle the traveller between the large cities. Although the cities are large, most of the assemblies are small. Yet in the vastness of spiritual darkness dominated by Shintoism and Buddhism, they are like shining lights. And like the lampstands of Scripture, they need to be carefully maintained with the constant reiterating of New Testament truth.

A few assemblies have been formed more recently. Toyohashi was started only 10 years ago Takeo Jun (Evangelist) through the efforts of a Japanese with brother Ono (elder in Yokohama) evangelist named Takeo Jun. He has been faithful and consistent in his gospel preaching and bible teaching, but the work is slow and requires much patience.

It is extremely hard to get any to attend Gospel meetings, despite the tens of thousands of leaflets distributed. Please pray for brother Jun and his wife and the young assembly at Toyohashi.

In Sendai, the epicentre of the 2011 earthquake, the believers have continued faithfully for decades, including brother and sister Naito. His conversion over 65 years ago was remarkable.

He and two friends received a tract from an American, and when the missionary returned a short time later, all three young men had already trusted Christ. The other two became evangelists, and brother Naito a faithful elder.

Mr and Mrs Naito of Sendai

The assembly in Sendai He was delighted to tell me that his grandsons are in the assembly at Sendai too.

Fuchu, Tokyo, annual conference 2023 At the conference in Fuchu, Tokyo, we met a brother who was saved at meetings we had in Osaka in 2011. His wife had prayed for him for 18 years! To hear this brother give God thanks for His Son at the breaking of bread gave me no small joy. It is good to see new converts, but equally delightful to meet those who continue faithfully and are growing spiritually.

C 2001

ELTON & RUTH FAIRFIELD

30/10/23

Friday 8th

Eph 4-6

ENGLAND

Manchester

Renewal North West is a Christian charity set up in 2005 as a loving response to those being saved from a background of long term unemployment, addiction, offending and prison. The charity provides supported accommodation for those coming out of prison as believers and also those coming from homelessness and addiction, having professed faith in Christ.

The need for this work was seen as the Lord saved different individuals coming from Shop Front these backgrounds.

Alan was an addict who spent time in prison and was on the roof during the Strangeways prison riots of 1990.

Years later he walked into a Christian drop-in centre which ultimately led to him trusting Christ and being wonderfully transformed. The work of Renewal was able to assist him in the needs that he had. Robbie, a bank robber who was wonderfully saved in Liverpool, returned to prison as he was on the run and then came to Renewal where he was accommodated, loved and given employment. Robbie spent 10 years at Renewal. He was the bank robber who ended up banking the charity money! Wayne a heroin addict of many years trusted Christ and came to Renewal from prison. Wayne spent a number of years at Renewal and today is married to a lovely Christian wife and is now a Sunday School teacher in his local assembly!

Today Renewal employs 26 people with 20+ volunteers. We run a number of projects including furniture reuse, refurbishing appliances and computers, house clearance, café and ebay shop. Renewal Living is the residential arm of the work providing accommodation to 6 people coming from prison, homelessness and addiction as believers. We are currently full. We have recently bought a property that will give us room for a further 6 residents. We are currently renovating this property which needs extensive work. We would value your prayerful consideration of this current need.

Each weekday we commence the day with a Bible time where we preach the gospel and teach God’s Word to those who are believers. It has been a joy to see souls saved and being built up in their faith. We run a Christian addiction course ‘Be Transformed’ for those who have struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs and other addictive behaviours. What a joy to see the impact that God’s Word makes as it addresses this type of sin.

Renewal has been operating for 18 years and through that time we testify to the faithfulness of our great God who is able! ‘He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’(Eph 3:20). To God be the glory great things he hath done!

C. 2002

WESLEY & ALISON DOWNS

1/11/23

Saturday 9th

Phil 1-4

N IRELAND

Omagh

From the end of May until the beginning of July I had a visit to Australia. The gospel meetings at Perth with the Balcatta assembly on the opening period of my visit were very encouraging.

A number attended from the locality, as well as the families of the believers and we trust yet to hear news of salvation. A weekend visit to Adelaide was very enjoyable, staying with Brian and Dawn Stewart. A ministry meeting at Strathalbyn where they live was followed by meetings with the assemblies in the city of Adelaide at Devon Park, and Norman Street. The visit brought a consciousness of the need for numerical increase and encouragement in this large city where assembly testimony is small. Do pray that the believers there, small, and isolated, will be encouraged. In Tasmania, ministry meetings were held with the assemblies at Ridgley, Upper Burnie, and Myalla. It was encouraging for me personally to see the saints all supporting and enjoying fellowship one with another. I appreciated the opportunity to visit Melbourne, and to renew fellowship with the believers at Nunawading that I had met on a previous visit. It was a delight seeing so many assemblies represented nightly for the ministry meetings which were exceptionally well attended. A final weekend of ministry meetings back at Perth with the Victoria Park assembly concluded the visit.

On my return home it was a joy to be with the saints at Pamber Heath on Saturday the 8th of July to mark the “50 Years” since the opening of the present building used by the assembly for their weekly gatherings. The following week gave opportunity for gospel preaching.

Whilst we would like to have seen many more unbelievers taking up the opportunity granted to hear the “Words of Life”, we are thankful for those who did come. We look to God for a definite answer to prayer for their salvation. It is our prayer that the preaching of the Word of God will also bring assurance to the believers in an increasingly critical and questioning world.

For six weeks during August/September, brother John McCann and I had tent meetings here in Omagh. The notable feature of the meetings was a larger than usual number of local people in attendance, and a sizeable number of these returning. Some of these heard the gospel for the first time. The believers from the Omagh assembly, as well as others from surrounding assemblies, made a sterling effort in bringing their families nightly to hear the gospel. We were greatly encouraged with news of blessing in salvation and continue to look to God for further answers to prayer.

On occasional nights over two weeks I had some gospel meetings in Glenmaquin National School, County Donegal. This is a rural area adjacent to Letterkenny. The meetings were extraordinary in the number of local people attending nightly. On the final night it was a great joy to have over thirty local people under the sound of the gospel. The principal of the school is known to the believers in Letterkenny and was very supportive in allowing the school to be used for the meetings. In the will of God, we trust there might be further opportunity for the preaching of the gospel in this area.

Presently I seem to have responsibility mostly for ministry meetings in various assemblies.

Recently I had a week in Drumacanver, with meetings to follow at Lungs, Moneydig and Glenanne. Your prayers are appreciated for our activities and responsibilities in these different areas.

C1991

GARY & GILLIAN WOODS

3/11/23

Sunday 10th ZAMBIA

Col 1-4

Kabompo

Another opportunity for spreading the gospel has just opened up. Back in mid-2021, we hosted a recording session of the Luvale New Testament at Chavuma, with the translators functioning both as some of the readers, and also carefully checking the recording of each verse for accuracy. Over a year and a half later, we have just received the solar powered audio players that make the audio New Testament available for Luvale speaking people!

Blind brother Katiki and his wife and grandchild, with Paul Poidevin We presented the first of these players to a dear Zambian elder who recently lost his sight, due to glaucoma. Mr. Katiki was just thrilled to be able to listen to the Word and we have heard since that it has been such a help to him spiritually to drink in the Word daily! We are thankful to the Lord for the privilege of bringing audio New Testaments into Zambia, and the joy on this brother’s face was a lovely reward. The next step is to channel these devices into gospel outreach for new areas, as well as for isolated groups of believers where few of them can read. Pray with us for this endeavor.

The picture shows blind brother Katiki and his wife and grandchild, together with Paul.

Brother Katiki has the solar player that we gave him, loaded with the Luvale Audio New Testament in his hand, and his wife is holding the Luvale New Testament, together with a devotional book in Luvale that explains in brief the New Testament, divided into daily readings.

Continue to remember the Luvale Bible Translation team. We are in session at the moment as a translation team, working together with five men and one lady from assemblies throughout the Luvale speaking area. Last week, we completed checking the draft of Second Chronicles. The fellowship was lovely, with likeminded believers around a table, each translator at a laptop computer, studying the Scriptures together and then finalizing the draft translation that had been prepared earlier in turn by two of the translators while translating at their homes and then sending the work to all the team via the internet. But even with their initial labour, it still takes hours of work on some of the complicated verses, to clearly and accurately put things into Luvale.

However, when it is read aloud at the end, the joy that comes from hearing Scripture come alive in their mother tongue is worth it for us all. We thank the Lord for His help

and value prayer for each translator—wisdom for every word, and guidance for each verse, as we labour together.

We also ask for prayer for the spiritual opportunities at Kayombo Boarding Secondary School, almost 60 miles north of us—this school was built by the government but is being managed as a Christian school by a board of assembly believers. The school is full to capacity, with students coming from all over the country seeking the high-quality, Bible-based, education offered there. Many of the teachers are keen believers, and lead devotions and give gospel messages daily. Just last week we learned of a number of students who had been saved this past term. The Kayombo assembly recently baptized several young people, who professed in previous terms, who are going on well for the Lord. Most of the Sunday School teachers are students, who are keen to teach the young ones God’s Word. We visited there last weekend to encourage them, and value prayer for this work.

C. 1979 (Canada)

PAUL & EUNICE POIDEVIN

6/11/23

1 Thess 1-5

Monday 11th MALAWI

Zomba

Please pray for Paul, just released from prison after serving 12 years. Saved in Zomba Central Prison, he became a responsible brother and of much help to the fellowship of believers inside. He faces a very different Malawi with changing social values. Pray for his faith and service to be strengthened, and that he finds employment.

Give thanks for a long-awaited job which opens a new avenue for outreach for Connie, a fast-maturing believer in Zomba. This post will take her away from Zomba, and the fellowship there, to Thyolo in the Southern lowlands. She will be working among women and orphans who are in great need.

Ananda and Grace Pulla in Blantyre (Southern highlands) have been encouraged with the recent visit by Brass Tacks, who helped enormously in finishing the floor slab for a house, as well as other essential foundational work. There is still a long way to go with this project and prayer is valued for its realisation. The end focus is to bring isolated believers from rural areas together for sessions of consecutive teaching for maturing faith and help for evangelism.

The next quarterly edition of the Challenge gospel newspaper goes for printing in early November, just in time for a Christmas distribution by the believers in Malawi. Again 60,000 copies of this bilingual outreach will be given out free into schools, businesses, government offices, among the military and police, prisons, and in the marketplaces.

Pray for salvation, for restoration, and the follow-up materials being useful for maturing in faith.

Thank you for your prayerful support for Kondwani and Thokozani as they continue to serve the Lord in the Zomba district. Be encouraged, your prayers are being answered by our faithful Saviour God. C 2002

JOHN & PRISCILLA FINEGAN

6/10/23

2 Thess 1-3

Tuesday 12th ETHIOPIA

Written during current visit

I’ve been here for two weeks, and it has been a busy time. Rather than coming for 12 weeks at the beginning of the year I am going to come for 6 weeks in the spring and 6 weeks in the Autumn.

Getting adjusted takes a bit longer at my age, but soon I was back in the work and my first visit was to a place called Adama where 15 brethren were being taught about working in a pioneer area.

They are working in places where there is no assembly or no work in evangelism.

I took three references of evangelism in Luke 8, Luke 9 and Luke 10. Initially there was just the Lord, then the 12 disciples in Chapter 9, then the 70 in chapter 10.

Believers working in remote areas

On my first Sunday I was in an assembly in the north of Addis, and it was a large group that attended, and we brought the gospel to them. Because it was in a very high part of Addis, I can assure you that I was exhausted when I got back to the car.

Stephen Grant arrived last Tuesday just for a short visit. He came mainly to meet with the leading brethren to find out where he could fit in and how he could best help in future visits. During this time, he didn’t come to do much preaching, but he shared the word of God in a number of places. There was a group of leading brethren who came during Steven’s visit, and he gave a most encouraging message. Stephen preached in a place called Akaki and there was a Stephen speaking to 400+ in Akaki very full hall. One woman seemed to show an interest in the message, and she was taken to a room with one of the elders. Stephen returned home on Tuesday.

In my free moments I’ve been preparing Christianity Explored in Amharic and Orominya and we have completed the books for those doing the course. We still have some work for the leader’s book and then it will be ready for printing. There are so many new believers, and we feel that these courses will be a help for them.

I value your prayers that we might be given strength for these various ministries.

C. 1969

ROBERT REVIE

1/11/23

Wednesday 13th VENEZUELA

We continue with the Lord’s help to spread the word of God in several places here in Tucupita and some villages not far from the city. In each place there are many children, and they receive a short message and are taught a verse every week. Then following that we have a gospel meeting. Most of these meetings are held in the open air. On Sunday evenings the Lord’s people make a big effort to bring unsaved to the hall, and it’s encouraging to see the hall usually quite filled and many attending for the first time. Please pray that the Lord may give increase to His word which has been sown in many souls.

1 Tim 1-3

San Carlos

We were able to make another visit to some communities which are only accessible by river and were very encouraged again by the receptivity of the people and their desire to listen to God’s word. Many expressed that they would like us to return soon as they

want to hear the words of God’s book. Most of the inhabitants of these communities are natives of the Warao tribe. They are very poor, and many are limited in their understanding of Spanish. Only a minority can read, and their children are scarcely receiving any education. With the help of the 2-way chart we try to explain the gospel to them in simplest terms. Even though we find many who have made a profession with the Pentecostal movement, very few know the true Gospel. Our many engagements with

the children’s work here in the city and the difficulty to get fuel for the boat have limited these visits, but we are exercised about making a bigger effort to preach in these places and would really value your prayers for this purpose.

I must say that I am deeply grateful to the Lord for His provision of a helpmeet for me after being 2 and a half years on my own since the homecall of my late wife Veronica in January 2021. On the 25th of August 2023, I was united in marriage with Joelina Ramos, a sister in fellowship here in the assembly of Tucupita. Your prayers on our behalf and on behalf of our children are greatly valued as we seek to continue labouring for our Master in this region.

C. 2014 (Ven)

WILLIAM & JOELINA TURKINGTON

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb; Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail, the Incarnate Deity, Pleased as Man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.

Charles Wesley

18/10/23

Thursday 14th

1 Tim 4-6

SCOTLAND

Ayrshire

‘God Loves Ayrshire’ as it is now known, is a group composed of believers from various assemblies in Ayrshire, Scotland.

It is the result of a burden, felt by brethren in Ayrshire, that there were large parts of the shire where the gospel was never, or rarely, preached. Standing at the back of the hall in Patna, whose doors would soon close as assembly testimony ceased there, a decision was made that something had to be done to ensure that diminishing testimony would not mean there was less gospel preaching in the shire.

The desire was to build on the work of previous generations, such as the Ayrshire Gospel Tent and latterly Ayrshire Gospel Outreach, and to adopt a similar pattern of gospel campaigns, open-air witness and monthly literature distribution in towns and villages where there was no assembly.

This is the pattern that we have followed since its inception in 2011. Monthly distributions have covered large towns such as Irvine, Troon, Maybole, Girvan, Cumnock and the Isle of Cumbrae, along with many smaller towns and villages along the way. Gospel campaigns organised have included Girvan, Darvel, Mauchline, Catrine, Symington, Beith, Irvine and Ayr. Over the years we have also been present at many of the major events in the shire including the Air Show at Ayr shore, Mauchline Holy Fair, fireworks display at Kilmarnock and Troon among others.

During the COVID pandemic our main method of outreach was prohibited, so we turned where many have gone before and since and employed Royal Mail Doorto-Door service to distribute a gospel magazine across the shire.

Over 18 months in 2020 and 2021 there were three editions of the magazine and, due to the fellowship of assemblies in the shire, over 250,000 copies were distributed in total.

Seedsowers

With the end of the restrictions, our monthly distributions resumed and at the beginning of 2022, sharing the exercise of the brethren from Seedsowers, we took responsibility for helping them cover Ayrshire with John 3:16 texts. At a subsequent event that took place in Irvine, around 18,000 texts were delivered in Irvine and Troon by a hard-working team of over 50 volunteers. This year (2023) we organised a second event, in fellowship with the assembly at Woodpark, Ayr. On this occasion around 70 saints turned out to deliver almost 20,000 leaflets in temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius. The many Bible requests received since these events has shown the enduring usefulness of literature distribution.

Looking forward to 2024, God willing, it is likely that our activity will focus on larger Seedsowers events, as well as being present at other large-scale events that are being held in Ayrshire next year -such as the Scottish International Airshow at Ayr and the 152nd Open golf at Royal Troon. Given the nature of these events and our desire to be present in large numbers, we will require to direct a great deal of our time and effort to organisation and co-ordination to ensure we cover these events diligently.

We ask that you join us in praying for our shire and for the many souls that live here, that they might trust Christ as Saviour.

31/10/23

Friday 15th

2 Tim 1-4

VENEZUELA

Los Altos

It was our desire to make the most of the school holidays to accompany the brethren in Cumana and help in the Gospel. For the first time we are preaching in an area called Tres Picos, at the home of the Lemus family. Some years ago, we invited them and Mr. Agustin Lemus, although kind and friendly, was always too busy to attend the meetings but his wife and two daughters went most nights. On that occasion, his wife (who comes from an assembly background) said she had been saved some years ago and felt she had been restored and his eldest daughter Carola, professed to be saved.

The change in the home has been considerable and Mrs. Rosa and her daughter Carola (now married in the Lord and in fellowship), asked for these meetings in the family home.

It is with great joy that we see Mr. Agustin and their youngest daughter listening every night. A good number of his family members (his mother, sisters, nieces and nephews), some of his workers, neighbours and family of other believers are also attending. We are now starting the fifth week with Mr. McKeown. Brethren from the Puerto La Cruz and Santa Fe assemblies are also helping in this activity, for which we are very grateful as it is a distance away and not easy. So far, none have professed to be saved, some have been influenced by denominational groups and are confused but we are happy to be sowing the word in the order, simplicity and solemnity in which the Lord left it to us, and we trust He will add the blessing.

We ask you to continue remembering the work in Venezuela in your prayers and ourselves, that we may be preserved and guided as useful instruments in His hands.

C. 2018 (Ven)

PEDRO & LOIS MALAVE

18/10/23

Titus 1-3 & Philemon

Saturday 16th NEPAL

It is encouraging to see the work of the Lord in action by some beloved local believers, who were exercised about a very remote assembly in the mountains called Frugita (one of the earliest in Nepal. This area is only accessible by modified 4X4 trucks with high suspension). Brother Dinesh went and had the privilege of conducting ministry meetings from October 23 to 26 while others held the first Children’s Gospel Outreach (CGO) in that vast area. It was a great encouragement to them, as they taught them choruses, Bible verses and Bible stories. May fruit be evident in times to come.

Writing from N Ireland

We also visited Phaiba for a day of Bible teaching.

In Phaiba, which is about 4 miles from Furketar, we found around eight households of believers.

They are waiting for guidance on establishing a new assembly in there. The elders in Furketar are particularly concerned about the spiritual growth of these new believers. We are praying for the next visit very soon.

CHARLES DAVIDSON

3/11/23

Sunday 17th CANADA

Heb 1-4

Steinbach

We have appreciated the thoughtful care and prayerful interest of many concerning our recent move to Steinbach. The whole process has been very time consuming and tiring, but we are now beginning to get straight and settled in. It was in late July that we saw this bungalow and took possession of it on September 15th. We moved over 120 boxes ourselves the next day, with the help of some dear friends and had a moving company transport the rest the following Monday.

Though it is older and smaller and has only a single detached garage, it suits our needs very well and we are truly thankful to the Lord for His provision. It’s situated in a quiet, older residential part of Steinbach, just 10 minutes from the hall and our daughter Leanne and her family. The Postal Bible Studies (PBS) Centre has fitted well into the smaller basement area and functioned fine during our first PBS Mailout last month. Our youngest daughter Danielle and her husband David came to stay for 4 days during the first Mailout. She plans to come down, for a couple of days each month, to help with the mailouts, while Dorothy, who lives nearby, has been coming on a weekly basis and is beginning to get the hang of things.

Our drive overlooks both a school playing field and a ‘Mennonite church’. At night, a large cross on their roof apex glows bright red. As I currently have my study desk beside the front window, it’s been a challenging reminder to me of our Saviour’s finished work and the blessings it has brought and the responsibilities we have as believers in light of it! Truly, we have much to be thankful for these past 11 months, since the Lord first laid this burden upon our hearts. We are missing our dear friends in Portage but feel very much at home in our new assembly and though some things are quite different, the Lord is helping us to adjust and to be useful in small ways. As to some specific prayer requests for the next couple of months, these are as follows.

To get the right balance of priorities between the needs of the home and the work. We feel we should try and decorate as much as possible this winter, while I am more homebased, until Elaine gets more help in the PBS Centre. Pray that the Lord will exercise others to offer to help in the PBS Centre.

Please pray for the safe delivery of some 9,300 BibleTime booklets to St. Lucia. These are to be used by 37 schools on the island. If they arrive before the end of October, I hope to be able to arrange flights down to St. Lucia to spend 7-10 days helping with the distribution to the schools.

Unfortunately, if they arrive in November, I’ll not be able to go down until early December, as I’m due to visit my mum in England between Nov. 12th – 23rd. Please pray that I’ll clearly know the Lord’s will in this regard. Please also keep mum in your prayers, as she had another nasty fall last month, that shook her up once again.

I’m currently just keeping on top of the deadlines for the recordings for COMPASS POINT. Over the past 10 weeks, I’ve been re-recording COMPASS POINT programs from 2 years ago, that weren’t made with the new microphone, as I have had little time to prepare new material. Please pray I’ll be able to get several weeks ahead before any of the overseas trips begin.

It was good to be able to encourage the little assembly in Brandon at their conference on Thanksgiving Monday and share a Zoom report with the believers in Ottawa the following day. With only a handful of meetings these past 5 months, it’s been quite a challenge preparing to speak, whether in gospel or ministry, so please pray specifically for freshness and help, as I seek to assist locally and possibly while in St. Lucia too, should the way open up. I do not plan to get back to a more normal schedule until we return from our February visit to St. Lucia, next year. (4th-21st D.V.) Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support, they mean a lot to us and are needed more than ever as we seek to fulfil God’s will in moving us here and continue to work through both the Postal Bible Studies and radio outreach.

C.1984

PETE & ELAINE SMITH

17/10/23

Heb 5-8

Monday 18th FRANCE

Meyzieu

At a recent event for church leaders, 45 people were present from ten different churches.

At the morning session, I spoke on ‘the kinds of church elders that God does not want in a local assembly’. The afternoon theme was motivation – ‘How can elders motivate the members of their assembly?’ and ‘How can elders stay motivated themselves?’. There were some good questions asked and interesting times of discussion.

In our local assembly last month, we had four baptisms. The four people were all aged from 20 to 32. Two of them, in their testimonies, shared problems of mental health that they had had in the past. These health issues led them to think about Christianity. They then began reading the Bible and subsequently trusted the Lord Jesus for salvation.

Two Muslims recently began to attend our Sunday services, as well as a Christian family from Armenia. This family are very concerned about the suffering that many of their compatriots have been going through in recent months. Next Sunday, I will be preaching in a town a two-hour drive from where we live, called Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. The inhabitants of this town hid and protected over 1,000 Jewish children during WWII. This was the idea of local Christians, and we actually know some of the descendants of these Christians who acted so bravely, defying the Nazi regime.

We came home yesterday from a short retreat for Christian workers. There were 250 of us present. The teaching and the fellowship were encouraging. Yesterday morning, as we were about to leave, two cars were very badly damaged by a tree that had fallen on them. One of the cars is our son Derek’s. It is a complete write-off. We are thankful to God that no one was hurt or seriously injured. Please also pray for the practical inconveniences in the short term.

C. 1980/84

DAVID & BRIGITTE SUTHERLAND

3/11/23

Tuesday 19th

Heb 9-10

VENEZUELA

San Diego, Carabobo

What a blessing to be part of what the Lord has been doing in this little corner of the globe.

We are members of the local assembly here in San Diego, Pueblo, gathered in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a total of 62 in fellowship.

San Diego is one of the 14 municipalities that form the Venezuelan state of Carabobo, with a population of around 100,000, 4% of the state’s population.

The challenge is to preach the Gospel among children and adults, and earnestly contend for the faith and the truth of God’s word (Jude 1:3). It is a very Catholic town and there are also many Christian denominations that preach the false gospel of prosperity, with big influence and deceiving and leading many away from the truth.

Recently this year, during the months of August and September, on school holidays, the assembly had three weeks of Children’s Meetings, working simultaneously in two different places every week, with 120 kids attending on average in each place; what a blessing!

For these meetings we borrowed a big tent, and we divided it into two smaller tents. Every night we also had a gospel meeting in both places. They were a special 3 weeks of sowing the seed of the Word of God. Two weeks later, continuing with the efforts during school holidays, the assembly moved the same tent, but this time the complete tent, to our Gospel Hall parking lot, for a week of special Bible classes for young people. Our brother José Brizuela, a full-time Venezuelan worker normally preaching in the South of the country, mainly among Indian tribes, helped us with Leonardo Moreno, 16 years the Word of God every night. The Lord helped our dear old, Sunday school boy saved brother in a special way with the exposition of God’s by the grace of God, baptized Word to around 200 that attended every night, with and recently received into practical truth and the Gospel. 80% were non-believers fellowship in the assembly brought from 5 different places in the San Diego area, and 20% were our children and young believers from other assemblies in the Carabobo State. It was a week of great joy sowing the truth of God’s Word!

San Diego Assembly, July 2023.

With children and other believers not yet in fellowship Please include San Diego-Venezuela in your prayers.

JEFFREY & EUNICE GRIFFIN

13 10 23

Wednesday 20th

Heb 11-13

FRANCE

Hanches

The Lord in His grace continues to encourage us. Two months ago, it was a great privilege to sit with 2 men, one on Friday and the other on Sunday, as they trusted Christ as Saviour. The first one is in his fifties and the other just 19 years old. Both are from a non-Christian background. Praise God! A new discovery group with 6 participants has started to meet every 2 weeks. All are younger people. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will convict and convince.

The assembly has been shaken this week by the sudden death of one of the leading men, who died of a heart attack while on holiday in the south of France with his wife. He was 62 years old. God willing, I will take the funeral service on Tuesday. I value prayer.

Please pray for France at the moment, as there is quite a lot of tension because of what is happening between Israel and Gaza. There has been an acute increase in hostility towards Jewish people and communities. France has Europe’s largest Muslim population (over 6 million), with nearby Paris having the largest number of Muslims of any city in the European Union. In addition, there are very large Arab communities and areas too, especially in the south of France.

We pray for the Lord's protection and that we might be looked upon as ambassadors of peace and representatives of the Prince of Peace.

C. 1982

ALAN & VALERIE KYLE

27/10/23

James 1-2

Thursday 21st ZAMBIA

We delight to be able to update and express our thanks in the Lord’s Name to the many Christians who have earnestly and repeatedly prayed for the Lord’s work at Chitokoloki, Zambia. For over 100 years this small place on the banks of the Zambezi River has had an enormous impact on the lives of thousands in meeting both physical and spiritual needs. Only eternity will reveal all those who by passing through Chitokoloki have found the answer to their greatest need, the Lord as Saviour and the Giver of eternal life.

Writing from Canada

The present couple weeks is one of the few breaks in the year at Chitokoloki when there are no short-term visitors; it will change next week when a medical student arrives and others soon after. The many who are willing to come, from different countries, are a blessing and encouragement to us, a great help in practical areas that are vital to keep

Chitokoloki the Mission functioning and we trust that we can be an encouragement to them as well.

We constantly pray that some younger ones who visit, may hear God’s call and return to serve Him, possibly not at Chitokoloki but even at other places where there is a need and that they will be at peace wherever God wants them to be.

The world today has changed so much in the last few decades since we arrived in Zambia, and it has become a hostile environment for many who uphold Christian values.

The very essence and principles of the Gospel are being eroded and discarded and this attitude influences even the lives of Believers. How important to take a stand and by sharing God’s Good News we can see that He is still at work in the lives of those who truly seek Him. Zambia remains an open door for the Gospel and presently there exists a government that appreciates Christian values and so we take the opportunities afforded, not taking it for granted, for we do not know if this may change.

At present there is a large extension being added to the hospital that will increase the capacity by approximately 40% and as usual when you embark on a project like this, it becomes more complicated, larger and longer than expected or planned. The logistics and sourcing of supplies is an ongoing major challenge and some stone and quarry dust had to be brought in from Solwezi, a distance of over 300 miles. Many of the building supplies and equipment needed are ordered from outside of the country and timing is crucial and delays inevitable.

We are still in Canada and after a very long wait for a date for surgery for Ruth, who has been here since April (I returned just over a month ago), she finally had her hip replacement surgery on 2nd October. The Lord opened the door, and we were put in contact, just 2 weeks before, with a Christian orthopedic surgeon who did the surgery, but we had to travel to Calgary, Alberta for it and it was done at a private hospital. We are thankful it is now behind us, and Ruth is recovering very well, walking with a walker and no pain like she had before. Lord willing if all goes well, we will return to Zambia in mid-November.

C. 1986 (Can)

GORDON & RUTH HANNA

24/10/23

Friday 22nd CANADA

James 3-5

Prince Edward Island

Much of our gospel preaching and teaching efforts are spent trying to help Newfoundland, Labrador, and the Midwest of the United States. However, this year, we have spent more time in Ontario and British Columbia than usual.

Our year started with some gospel meetings in English Point, Labrador, with the saints on the south coast. A young brother, Tim Burton, was a real help in these meetings as he and his family travelled up to stay and help with the preaching. After that, I travelled to conferences in the Prairie Provinces, Iowa, and Ontario.

June was a great encouragement to us. The assembly in Waterloo, Iowa, which is 125 years old, had some children’s meetings that we were able to help with. The assembly is located in an area of the city that has changed in demographics substantially over the years, with many young families from different cultures and socioeconomic circumstances now living there. The saints in Waterloo made an extra effort to reach out personally to homes, knocking on doors and making return visits to initiate relationships with the neighbours. The small Sunday School saw over 60 visitors during that week.

We thank the Lord that some of the new children have continued for the past months in Sunday School attendance. Please pray specifically for this work.

In July, a young brother, Joey Baker and his family joined us in Sarnia, Ontario, for gospel tent work. We felt the Lord was in it. The attendance was quite strong, and the crowd’s diversity was really encouraging. One man from Vietnam professed salvation after being in contact with the believers there for some years. Others told us of being saved, and the work there continues with the international students on the strength of the believers’ hard labour there and the Lord’s gracious hand.

September saw us with our brother Tom Hoy in the Vancouver area with the West Richmond assembly. Richmond has a substantial Chinese population, and the believers have had contacts in the Asian community for many years. Some of the saints are from China, and their personal outreach activity made for encouraging contacts during the meetings.

The Saturday before starting the meetings, a young Chinese lady showed up at a community BBQ on the recommendation of a counsellor who suggested she explore Christianity. She had never heard the gospel before. For the first week, we had children’s meetings, and many adults attended, appreciating the simplicity of the messages. Then, for two weeks, Mr. Hoy and I preached the gospel with the help of a very competent translator, and we also had good opportunities in the homes to have conversations with sound bilingual help. The lady we first met at the BBQ tells us of getting saved during one of these in-home conversations. She appreciated the rest in Matthew 11:28 and has since asked for baptism. Others told us of getting saved also.

October saw us in Labrador again for a week of children’s work leading into their conference. This is the third series of children’s meetings we have had on the south coast of Labrador, and once again, the crowds proved to be larger than most adultfocused gospel efforts.

We now look to the Lord for help as we head to Hitesville, Iowa, with our brother Brandon Doll for gospel work, leading into the winter that may see us preaching the gospel in our home assembly of Rosebank, PEI. This would be our most considerable burden in prayer, as the contacts of the believers here may have been softened over the past months by the passing of different family members and some young people being saved recently. Please pray for Western Prince Edward Island.

BRODY & SHARON THIBODEAU

4/11/23

1 Peter 1-5

Saturday 23rd LEBANON

Tyre

I want to start by thanking people who have prayed for Lebanon, our school and my health over the past weeks and days especially. Many of you may not be so aware of the situation here as so much of the media focus is understandably on the awful situation on the other front in Gaza, although this may be changing. I will try to give you some perspective from Lebanon. The events in recent weeks took everyone I know here by surprise. School was just back, and people were getting back into their routines. We were busy fixing last minute timetable changes, planning events and assemblies for the term, etc. Then we woke up to the awful news on the other border and we knew there would be some form of action. Many people here have great affiliation with the people who sought refuge in Lebanon many years ago and remain refugees until today.

We hoped any action would be limited to brief incidents on the border that would not drag Lebanon into the situation. Lebanon has been through so much in recent years – Covid-19, the port explosion, the economic crisis and many other lesser-known events. However, this has been one of the longest and more serious periods of tit-for-tat exchanges on the border for some time. Until the time of writing, both sides have been restrained in comparison to their capabilities but it’s a time of uncertainty and anxiety for many. Many of our students and teachers are now spread across Lebanon as they seek refuge and wait as things unfold.

Some may know that I have had a severely herniated disc over the past month or so and this makes life very challenging. My parents were able to come and help when it was at its worst and I was taken to a hospital in Beirut by ambulance. The doctor prescribed medication and rest for a period of time. I was still in my recovery period when the tensions on the border started. As I am not able to drive yet, a friend had offered to drive me to Beirut (About 60 miles north and further away from the border with Israel) whenever she decided to leave. Tomorrow marks one week since we moved to the capital. I have rented an Airbnb in an area of Beirut where I can go for short walks and am waiting for now. It is very difficult to be away from home, especially when my back takes away a lot of my independence, but I am thankful for Hanan and everything she is doing to support me during this period. The waiting period is long and indefinite for now. Schools in Tyre and the south have now been closed for a week and it has just been extended again. There is a possibility of returning to online learning, but this is very difficult due to internet issues and the fact that our students left quickly, so don’t have schoolbooks with them.

•

Please pray for this region but especially for all the children involved.

•

Pray for our students and for wisdom as we seek ways of supporting them and continuing their education in these difficult days.

•

Pray for teachers and all seeking refuge in these anxious times.

•

Pray for the believers – Lara and a few others remain in Tyre. Please pray for their safety but also boldness that they might be Light where they are.

•

Please pray for full healing of my back and patience during these days.

ANDREA SMITH

16/10/23

Sunday 24th MEXICO

At the beginning of August, we had a week of Children’s Meetings. There was good attendance the whole week. On the last day there were approximately 120 children and teenagers present, as well as a number of parents. The attendance to the regular Sunday School has increased after this effort. During the pandemic, many had stopped coming, so it has been encouraging to see many come back. A new believer invited us to share the gospel with some young people at her apartment complex. They listened well, including one mother who was present.

2 Peter 1-3

Cancun

We have been burdened about the unsaved young people who attend each Sunday. It is sad to see them so attached to their screens and devices. At the end of September, we organized a field trip to spend some time with them and share the Gospel with them. A good number keep coming back to the Bible Class on Sunday and are listening well. We ask for your prayers for the salvation of these teenagers. “I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one” 1 John 2:13.

Many visits to new contacts and new believers have been made in the last months.

Along with our fellow co-workers, Timothy & Amy Turkington, we have visited these different ones in their homes or at the Hall. We are encouraged for the interest shown by different unsaved ones toward the Gospel. The regular Gospel Meeting is well attended.

The local believers are bringing others to hear the gospel, and it has brought much joy to see the brethren exercising their gift in the gospel. We ask for your prayers for more souls to be saved in this city. On the last Sunday of September, the assembly had a meal after the regular meetings. It was an enjoyable time spent together as we sang hymns and shared time with each other. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

We would like to ask for your prayers regarding: •

Several new believers who have expressed an interest in baptism

•

On the last week of the year, we plan to distribute 70,000 Gospel texts, as well as invitations to Gospel Meetings starting on Jan 1, 2024, God willing. May the Lord use this effort for doors to be opened for the gospel in other areas of the city.

•

For the preservation of the assembly and the believers.

•

For the Lord of the harvest to send more workers to Venezuela.

C. 2018 (Ven)

DAVID & SALY CADENAS

17/10/23

'Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift’Indescribable – too wonderful for words! 2 Corinthians 9:15 Monday 25th

1 John 1-5

BRAZIL

Pirassununga

We plan to visit N. Ireland for three months from February to April next year, God willing.

It’s seven years since we were over, so we’re looking forward to seeing family and friends again.

We continue asking for your prayers for the nine assemblies in this little region, and also for regular gospel meetings in three other localities close at hand. We give out tracts every week, but few people show any interest. But the Lord encourages from time to time.

In the neighbouring town of Porto Ferreira, a young man named Alex has recently professed to be saved, and he has requested baptism (along with two young believers, whose parents are in fellowship) — we praise the Lord for His grace.

In the neighbouring town of Aguaí, we were encouraged to hear of a family coming to the meeting last week. We had first had contact with them 10 years ago, when they heard the Gospel and showed good interest. Then the father was arrested (and died in prison), and they drifted away from the meetings. Last week, two members of the family came to the meeting, and were telling the brethren how they are grateful for all they heard in the past, and how they desire to hear the Gospel again.

Please pray also for: •

The literature work.

•

The various small, isolated assemblies scattered over the interior of Brazil who have little contact with other believers.

•

The short daily Meditations sent through WhatsApp since March of 2020.

C. 1998

WILLIAM & ELEN WATTERSON

7/11/23

2 John, 3 John & Jude

Tuesday 26th SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Since we came to South Africa, my wife Grace passed on to glory and I had a heart attack. This meant that I could not return to Zambia, so I have been working with a small assembly at a place called Ocean View down here in Cape Town.

The assembly meets in a double garage which a brother and his wife kindly turned into a small Gospel Hall. It had a Sunday School of about 80 children some years ago but then a charismatic group came to the town and all the excitement attracted the young people, so they started going there. However sadly they did not hear the simple Gospel of Salvation. Those young people are now teenagers and in their early twenties but not having heard a clear Gospel preached they are mostly still unsaved and unemployed as well. They are now on the streets as drug addicts, alcoholics and living in immorality. Drug related violent crimes are a daily occurrence, with the result that every year, almost 50 Brother Eddie witnessing to homeless drug addicts drug related murders take place.

To reach them with the Gospel the assembly started mid-week cottage meetings where the Gospel was faithfully presented. The apartments are very small, so it has been a matter of reaching them family by family. However, with Covid and the unrest, it was a slow work, but thankfully the Lord has seen fit to save some.

One of the trophies of grace was Raymond, who had heard the Gospel through the cottage meeting at his home. As he sat in his garden one Saturday smoking some sort of drug, suddenly he threw his cigarette away and told his pals, ‘I’m through with all this.

I’m trusting Christ as my Saviour.’ He had cancer and at the last meeting we had in his flat, he had invited all his pals, but he was then too ill to sit, so he opened his bedroom window so that from his bed, he could hear all that was preached. After the meeting Mike, Eddie and I gathered round his bed and with tears in his eyes he told us a little of his life. He had been a wild young man, disobedient and disrespectful, bringing sorrow to his parents. As a young man he started taking drugs and for 32 years had wasted his life on drugs and all that goes with them. But God had His hand on Raymond and led him to repent of his wayward life and put his trust in Christ as his Saviour.

He asked that we three, instead of his own traditional church, take his funeral service, which was the following week, as he passed away shortly after that meeting. The relatives rented a large hall, and we were told that it was the biggest funeral ever held in the town. What a privilege to preach the gospel to such a large crowd of desperate folks, both in that hall and at the graveside.

The work continues, but often there is so much gun fire that meetings must be cancelled.

Grace and I had spent time helping some of the believers learn how to do personal work and this has been a great blessing and is now one of the main outreaches for the Gospel.

Pray for this weekly outreach to a people steeped in the ‘drug culture’.

C.1958 (USA)

DAVID CROUDACE

16/10/23

Rev 1-4

Wednesday 27th PANAMA

Valle Hermosa

Byrne worked night and day and we were able to move into the new building on the first Sunday in September. After meeting in a small garage at the front of a house since 2007, the believers were overjoyed with the new facilities, and we are so thankful to the Lord for all that He has done. We had been searching for years for a new place to gather and have gospel outreach activities and the Lord provided this place just two blocks from our house and very close to the place we were before.

First Lunch We have made some rules in the new building… no food in the main room… no pets… (someone bought a baby rabbit recently that wasn’t toilet trained!). We want to prepare a couple of rooms for clothing distribution, a medical room, text storage and so on. The kitchen is fantastic to work in, and we had our first lunch there for 50 people last week.

We have worked a lot with the homeschool group over the last year or so, just trying to be available to answer questions and so forth. We have made our home available for meetings and workshops… it’s not easy opening your home to near total strangers, but it has been rewarding and some are definitely no longer strangers. Several mothers have asked questions about what we believe, and we now have 5 young people from the group attending the Friday night bible class regularly. It is really encouraging, especially for Caleb to have some male friends his age there – and a crowd draws a crowd. We hope to use the new hall for some homeschool activities.

Remember K and L, two ladies who both profess to be saved. They suffer from chronic anxiety, and it really takes away their peace. I have tried on several occasions to

Home School encourage K to read the Gospels… but she is stuck in Revelation. She hasn’t been saved for that long, so I tried again and suggested Genesis and Exodus… well she just loves Job… We leave it with the Holy Spirit! L really appreciated the fact that we took the time as an assembly to pray for her grandson whom she was terrified had leukaemia. It turned out to be a virus and she was so appreciative of our care.

A young couple have really been making an effort over the last month to get to the meetings with their little baby girl. Chanin who has come to the Bible class for years, has on occasion appeared on a Sunday. She is quite serious, and Byrne has been able to have some good conversations with her. She knows she isn’t saved.

A brother whom we haven’t seen for 6 years made contact with Byrne a few months ago. He was in fellowship at one point but due to tragic circumstances not entirely his fault, got away from the Lord. He knew he wasn’t walking well and resolved to set things straight. The day he came to the house after all those years felt like the return of the prodigal son. A lot of tears!! What a beautiful thing a contrite and humble spirit is, not long after he started his journey of restoration. Please pray for this man as he continues to repair his life.

A few of the neighbours have promised to visit us at the new hall. One lady did and came back the next week with her friend. An older neighbour came to the Gospel meeting at the end of the month, when we have hymn singing. We have a bible study with a lady who has heard Sunday school stories for more than 15 years. She is a mother of 6 and listens intently.

We are thankful for each and every one of your prayers for Panama.

C. 2006

BYRNE & LOIS FORESHEW

23/10/23

Thursday 28th

Rev 5-9

BRAZIL

Vitoria

This month, Brazil had a day dedicated to children and our home assembly welcomed the opportunity to try and reach the children of the neighbourhood by having a special service. The people responsible for the junior classes are most dedicated and do an excellent work in teaching the Word of God. They put in a lot of work and were rewarded by seeing a good number of children and some parents being present to hear the children sing and also a suitable message from God’s Word.

Brother Eliseu Marega, a commended worker from our assembly, was born in Mozambique. His father is still alive and is 102 years old. Eliseu tries to make regular visits to his family and spends some months ministering to assemblies. Sometimes he tries to make these trips to coincide with the Christmas Season. He comes from the northern part of the country, a very poor area. When there, he would like to give a Christmas present to the children of the area, this consisting of school material. Our assembly has interested itself in this project and a fund has been set up.

Adriano and Tâmara work along the Amazon River and travel a lot by boat to reach various groups. For many years they have lived in a small wooden house. (The darker shade of wood will give you an idea of just how crammed their living quarters were).

They started the extension with gusto but had to stop because of a lack of resources. We were able to find help for them and now the walls and roof are in place.

Since we last wrote, Elizabeth has been suffering from sudden blackouts. The last serious one was some ten days ago when we had occasion to visit a shopping mall. The medics that attended to her suggested she visit a cardiologist. Thankfully they found no serious heart problem. Other investigatory procedures will follow.

Two days later, my back suffered a lock that has been so painful. I have had two sessions with a physiotherapist but have known little relief. On Sunday, I got ready to go to the Lord’s Supper. As I was leaving the narrow garage entrance, I had a sudden and severe back pain and, unfortunately took my hands off the wheel and did damage to the car.

Sometimes we do not understand why the Lord allows things to happen. The words of the old hymn came to mind: “And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best, but we will understand it better by and by”.

The North of Brazil is experiencing severe drought. The Rio Negro is at its lowest in decades, while in the South, they have experienced heavy rains and flooding lasting for almost six weeks. Displacement of families and destruction is all around.

Stephen and his family had a wonderful time visiting family and allowing the younger members to appreciate their Scottish heritage. One thing they did not appreciate was the high cost of living. We are so glad to have them all back safely in Brazil.

C.1966

WALTER & ELIZABETH ALEXANDER

31/10/23

Friday 29th COLOMBIA/USA

Rev 10-14

Writing from New Zealand

In August 2023 we returned to Colombia to celebrate 53 years since we first arrived in Bogota.

We spent the first 15 years of our time in Colombia planting new assemblies in Bogota and Bucaramanga.

Bucaramanga - three assemblies What a joy to look back celebrating the Lord's faithfulness and see the growth in these local assemblies and all the blessings that the Lord has poured into the lives of those who have trusted the Lord as Saviour. A half century in the Lords’ work is worth celebrating. Assemblies have multiplied throughout Colombia and those won for the Lord in the 1970s now have children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren who have trusted the Lord. In particular it is encouraging to see the young people taught and equipped in the 1970s and 80s now leading assemblies of the Lord’s people as elders, Bible teachers and preachers. Continue to pray for the ongoing development of the assemblies in Colombia and their effectiveness in reaching out with the gospel.

The story of my life ‘From Poverty Bay to Riches Untold’ is currently being translated into Spanish. Please pray that the book will be a blessing and encouragement to the believers in Colombia and Latin America.

Los Angeles, USA About half the population of Los Angeles speaks Spanish. We spent 25 years there preaching, teaching and establishing assemblies. There are currently four Spanish speaking assemblies in Los Angeles. The Latino folk come from Mexico, Central America and South America and their needs as immigrants are great.

Latino Evangelistic Ministries This charity was established in the 1990s to facilitate the Emmaus Correspondence work, Radio Ministry, and the channeling of funds to Colombia to help in the support of the full-time workers.

The Radio Ministry under the title La Voz de Los Angeles (The Voice of The Angels) beams out over much of Southern California and as well, the programmes prepared in Los Angeles are being downloaded and beamed out over many FM radio stations in Latin America. Continue to pray that the Lord would use the preaching of the gospel by radio to bring salvation to many needy souls.

Many of the elders and full-time assembly workers in Colombia work at great personal sacrifice. The help they get from their own assemblies is insufficient to meet all their

needs, so the Colombian Workers’ Fund was established to channel funds to help these workers as the Lord provides. As the number of missionaries goes down, the responsibility of the development of the work falls on these national workers.

We “retired” back to our homeland New Zealand ten years ago but continue to make return visits to both Los Angeles and Colombia to encourage the assemblies and workers.

C. (New Zealand)

RICHARD & NANCYE YARRALL

16/10/23

Saturday 30th

Rev 15-18

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Spring has ’sprung’ at last in Cape Town after a very long cold winter. I have just finished teaching the Monday morning session at the Rehab and am sitting in Kirstenbosch in the warm sun, our beautiful Botanical Gardens, taking some time off to catch up on mail.

Somehow this year has been the hardest year since my husband Hans passed away.

With four eye operations and months waiting to get a prescription for new glasses, having flu twice, and just keeping all the programmes going, reports written for Correctional Services, and learning to live on my own, has been challenging. I know we are never ‘alone’, but I miss Hans’ company, his wisdom and his excellent teaching ability. However, the Lord has carried me through this year and I know I can trust Him for all that lies ahead. I value your prayers!

This morning talking about forgiveness at the Rehab, a lady started to weep. She asked if it was possible to forgive her sister and brother-in-law who were responsible for her losing her right thumb! And she held out her right hand, with scars where her thumb had been! Hearing the Truth from God’s Word, that we are not to repay evil for evil (Rom 12:17&19) is so foreign to our modern culture of “stand up for yourself - don’t let people walk over you - get them back”. God’s Word is so counter-intuitive to how this generation thinks. The group were very pensive, and I wondered how many other untold stories there were. Pray for these ladies, that they may personally enjoy God’s forgiveness.

Last Friday at Paardeberg prison, one of the men back in the class, starting a new course, testified as to how he has accepted the Lord since being in prison. How the Lord is changing him, his thinking is being challenged and his decision making is different… .‘being transformed by the renewing of our minds’ Rom 12:2. It is a thrill to watch this first-hand.

Recently I was asked to speak to a group of ladies - some unsaved. I decided to just tell ‘my story’, my testimony. How the Lord intervened in my life. When I was a teenager, he used a dear, godly, family relative from Dublin who visited us every 2 years in SA. In his last letter to me before the Lord took him Home, he wrote: ‘Ruth, if you take Proverbs 3:5-6 as a motto for your life (Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths), you will never go wrong’. The Lord has used these and other verses to lead and guide and encourage along the way. One lady came afterwards and said she had

not planned to attend that morning, but a 91-year-old had called her for a lift, and she had no option! She said, ‘That message was just for me this morning! I’m glad I had to give that lady a lift! We are going through some very hard times in our family, and it has encouraged me to keep trusting the Lord’…. and so, I am encouraged too, to keep trusting.

May the Lord encourage you all as you serve Him until He comes again.

C. 1997

RUTH VAN STORMBROEK

30/10/23

Sunday 31st

Rev 19-22

INDIA

Narsapur

The Bethesda (Leprosy) Hospital was started in 1923 by a young man from Britain, Mr John M Boyd, called by the Lord to serve as a missionary in India. After 100 years of existence, Bethesda continues to carry the torch forward and never deviates from the vision of its founder – a mandate to proclaim the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to the sick, poor, weary, and broken hearted, through medical ministry.

Bethesda has grown to be one of the best leprosy centres in South India.

On 20th October the hospital held a one-day event for those HIV patients on our HomeBased Care Programme, most of whom are believers. It was a blessed day. The day started with a health check-up of each patient as they arrived. A total of 58 attended the programme. They had doctor’s consultations, a few had lab tests, and all were given medicines. Later that Home Based Care Programme day, we enjoyed spiritual fellowship with the same group at Bethesda Assembly nearby. We all praised God together with songs, thanksgiving and prayer. The Gospel was proclaimed by our Chairman Mr. Kuntla Satyanarayana from the Gospel of John, followed with an empowering session about ‘Keeping Faith in every situation’, followed with a quiz session by Bro. Sharan. All those attending were encouraged.

Kindly pray for the well-being of these brothers and sisters and also for the ongoing work of Bethesda. We have many reasons to praise God. BETHESDA (LEPROSY) HOSPITAL

2/11/23

C=Date of Commendation Published by: LORD’S WORK TRUST 42 Beansburn, Kilmarnock KA3 1RL Tel. 01563 521098 E.Mail: lwtrust@lwtrust.co.uk www.lordsworktrust-kilmarnock.co.uk Charity No. SC008740 Alistair Buchan (Aberdeen) David Grant (Kilmarnock) Andrew Grieve (Belfast) Kevin Oh (London)

Stephen Trimble (Ballykeel) Raymond McNair (Glengormley) Alastair Sinclair (Crosshouse) Gordon Stewart (Wallingford)

Secretary: Leonard Currie (Kinross) Total gifts received during October 2023.

Total: £622,918