Mexico Day: 1, 27
Scotland Day: 2, 7, 20
Zambia Day: 3, 18, 25
England Day: 4, 8
Cyprus Day: 5, 11
Malawi Day: 6
South Africa Day: 9, 22
Tanzania Day: 10
Australia Day: 12
Italy Day: 13
Brazil Day: 14, 19
USA Day: 15
Canada Day: 16
Norway Day: 17
Uganda Day: 20
India Day: 21
Namibia Day: 22
Botswana Day: 23, 28
Romania Day: 24
Venezuela Day: 26
Ireland Day: 29
France Day: 30
Reports in this edition are from countries shaded on the map.
We look back and rejoice to see the good hand of our God with us here in Cholula. In March, we enjoyed visits from Jonathan and Noemi Martinez (North Carolina), David Nesbitt (son of John and Rebekah Nesbitt who served the Lord in Mexico for 14 years and are currently serving the Lord in San Antonio), as well as fellow worker Shawn St Clair who served the Lord in El Salvador, now living in Canada. The variety of help in Gospel outreach, teaching and distributing Gospel literature brought much encouragement to us and a tremendous boost to the work here. Such reminds us of the words of 1 Peter 4:10: “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”.
We greatly appreciated the Lord’s help and blessing throughout two days of meetings over the weekend 22-23rd March. Some people from the locality attended the hall for the first time as we celebrated ten years of assembly testimony in the city of Xalapa. We gave thanks to God for His care and compassion and praise Him for anything of eternal value that has been accomplished during those fleeting years. Of course, some have been added to the company while others have departed, but our God is ever faithful despite our failures. “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 1:9.
Pray for 77-year-old Julio whose son and daughter-in-law, Julio Cesar and Raquel, attend the meetings with their family. Two weeks ago, Julio fell near his home and has been quite ill ever since. Although he has experienced relatively good health until now, after a life of alcohol abuse, his body has finally had enough. He attended the hall twice before his recent fall, and so being confined to his bed we enquired if we could call round to share the Gospel. When we arrived, the small home was bursting at the seams with people. The many family members present were not expecting Julio to last more than a day or two. Neither were they expecting to hear the life-giving message of salvation! We took the opportunity to share the Gospel with those gathered downstairs and distributed Gospel texts before making our way upstairs to see Julio. This old, once strong independent man was now lying in his bed very dependent upon modern science. His big brown eyes widened as we entered the room where other family members sat resigned to the unknown fate of a loved one. Due to the seriousness of the situation, we made sure to clearly and carefully present the Gospel. In no uncertain terms we warned Julio, and indirectly those present, how our eternal destiny does not depend upon fate, but rather upon faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. We then prayed and sang a hymn, with several expressing their appreciation for what they heard. We’ve returned a number of times since and continue to pray for the salvation of Julio and those who heard God’s good news in the midst of sad circumstances. A granddaughter, Brenda, who was present the first time we visited Julio, has attended the hall. Her questions revealed an interest in divine things. God’s word still exhorts us to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season…do the work of an evangelist...” 2 Timothy 4:2,5.
We are currently preaching the Gospel each night in the little hall here in Cholula. For the first three nights brother Christian from the Xalapa assembly helped with inviting people during the day and preaching at night. Then brother Melvin Mendez
from the Hatboro assembly in Philadelphia arrived on Wednesday past for a two-week visit. Despite being surrounded by souls seeped in religion, a nice number have been attending the meetings, with some coming for the first time.
Lord willing, we plan to visit the coastal city of Tuxpan this weekend for two Gospel meetings in Gloria’s home. We value your much needed prayers for these present and future activities, praying that God will grant His needed help and bless His precious word. “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts” Zechariah 4:6.
2011
10/4/25
Job 15-18
Bible Alive
This year, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both staff and pupils regarding the Bible Alive programme. A few pupils from one school even approached me voluntarily to express their gratitude. It’s such an encouragement to see hearts warming to the Bible. One teacher shared that the children had really enjoyed the sessions, and another pupil curiously asked, “How old do you have to be before you can be baptised?” There has been a real interest in baptism this year. I put together a video montage of Ruth-Anna and Nathan’s baptism and testimonies when they were around 12 years old which seems to have caught the pupils attention. One pupil, after the final session, told me, “Mr. Smith, I’m going to be very sad because Bible Alive and RME were the only things I was excited for at school!” – a statement made right in front of the teacher!
The impact of these sessions was particularly evident when a group of pupils, moved by the story of the Philippian jailer’s transformation, took it upon themselves to reenact the drama – earthquake included! This powerful performance took place in an assembly with the entire school and around 30 parents and carers in attendance. The reenactment emphasised the jailer’s crucial question, “What must I do to be saved?” and the apostle Paul’s response, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!” The class teacher helped them find the story in Acts 16 and helped them create the drama which meant she was engaging with it too! Please pray especially for class teachers who have heard the message of the Bible, some for the 3rd time.
We have also encountered profound theological questions, such as, “If God forgives everyone, then why does it say about hell? Who goes to hell?” It has been a privilege to gently explain that anyone who has their wrongdoings forgiven can go to heaven. Additionally, one teacher has even begun inquiring about spiritual matters as a result of these sessions.
We have also had the joy of sharing Bible stories with younger children, such as the story of Blind Bartimaeus. It is always a privilege to communicate Jesus’ power and love, helping children understand that He is the Son of God. Please join us in praying that God will keep the doors open into schools for the Good News, especially as the curriculum is up for review in the coming months.
At Woodside Primary, around fifteen P4-7 pupils attend regularly. They enjoy singing the action Bible songs and actively listen to the stories. It is wonderful to see them engaging in group prayer, offering “thank you” prayers for friends and family, “please” prayers asking for help, and even “sorry” prayers seeking forgiveness. It has been a privilege to be a role model for many of the pupils in how to pray and a real encouragement to hear the prayers from the heart.
At Dyce Academy, we have six pupils exploring the overarching story of the Bible. Many of the secondary pupils have minimal Bible knowledge, so it has been an important time of learning and growth.
At Inverurie Academy, around seventeen pupils attend, and many are beginning to grasp the grand narrative of the Bible. Their interest is growing, and they are increasing in confidence during discussion groups.
Recently, we shared the story of Jesus and His disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee. One young girl was particularly attentive and remembered Peter’s shortest but most powerful prayer: “Lord, save me!” We were able to connect this to the children’s need for spiritual salvation, reminding them that whoever calls out to Jesus will be saved and forgiven. It has been an answer to prayer to see some extra children attending this year. They are very young – nursery to P2 –and we really feel that the Lord is starting afresh with a new generation! Please continue to pray that the Lord will increase the numbers and the understanding of the gospel.
We are excitedly preparing for the upcoming “Life Expo” exhibition at Inverurie Gospel Hall. Most of the P6 pupils who participated in the Bible Alive programme will attend. So far, 255 pupils and 25 staff members have signed up, and we anticipate a meaningful and impactful event.
GRAEME & FIONA SMITH 14/4/25
We are getting into dry season here in Zambia. We are thankful to God that the rains were much better this year after the previous year’s drought, and people will be bringing in their harvest this time of year. The rains have continued quite late this year.
The work at the schools is paused for the term break and we will resume in May, likely heading to a school about forty minutes down the road from Chitokoloki at a place called Lwatembo. We really enjoyed the visits to Mayeñu over the past term. The teachers are very enthusiastic and helpful. They sat in on the lessons to help keep order, also drilling the kids on the memory verses during the week when we were not there. The children were well behaved. At the end of the term, twenty-seven children were able to recite all the memory verses from each of the lessons. Please pray that the Word of God would be understood as it is shared and that some, if not many, of these children would come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
We have broken ground at the planned site for eight new houses. These houses will increase our capacity for hospital staff. With the help of a recent visitor who is a carpenter, we laid the houses out and have begun digging the trenches for foundations. As at the time of writing, we have begun pouring the concrete footing of the first house. We have about eleven labourers at the site and we will need every one of them! Quite a few wheelbarrows of concrete! We would also appreciate prayer for the workers employed by the mission. They hear the Word of God regularly at morning devotions. Please pray that the Word would have an impact of them.
We have a boys youth camp in the beginning of May for which we would also appreciate prayer. Currently preparations are being made for food and activities. We have a brother coming from the assembly at Loloma to take the camp this year. It will be our first time together and so we look forward to hearing him. Please pray for a spirit of unity, and that we might have help to “strive together for the faith of the Gospel,” which is much preferable to striving with one another! Unity often comes at the cost of giving up what we want and submitting ourselves to others, which the natural man finds difficult. We enjoyed a good time together last year and trust it will continue.
Wednesday 4th
Luke 6:35-36 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
2 Timothy 3:1-2 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…”
The scriptures above challenge us every day in service for the Lord as we seek to reach out to needy people who the Lord brings to us. We often get frustrated (to our shame) by how so many people that are helped are unthankful.
As we think of this, we realise that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should always be thankful people, especially in praise, but not only toward God. (Colossians 3:15, Psalm 100:4) How thankful am I in daily life? When served at a shop counter, or waited on in a restaurant, do I express thanks verbally?
How do we react after spending much time and effort getting together sufficient food and necessity items for foodbank parcels for 45-50 people each week. This includes food collection three nights a week from supermarkets that donate, visits to wholesalers and stores to top up. There are also labels to print and necessary paper forms to conform to food standards regulations, and time spent cleaning and disposing of waste. How do we react when people take the food and never say thank you, sometimes complaining when they don’t think they have got enough?
The answer should be what our Lord Jesus says in the verse above from Luke – that we should be like the Highest, who is “kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
Please pray that we will be gracious and compassionate towards those we seek to help. Please pray that our primary focus in foodbank work, which is to share the Gospel, will be our continuing vision and that in all the practical demands of the work, we will not lose sight of this.
May this be of encouragement to all who serve Christ in a thankless world in last days before He comes - Maranatha!
• Pray for the sharing of the Gospel with volunteers and folks helped by the foodbank.
• Pray for the salvation of many people who were helped in the past, especially for some who came regularly to the weekly gospel meetings.
• Pray for us and many others serving the Lord, that it will be with gladness and compassion, showing out His grace and love.
The assembly remains small, but we are grateful to the Lord for a spirit of striving together in the gospel, not just helping in the foodbank, but the exercise to be actively engaged in reaching out with the gospel. The immediate area around the hall mainly consists of elderly retired people in bungalows, and it is virtually impossible to get them to come to hear the gospel, however we seek week by week to take the gospel to them,
posting Seedsower texts with our invitations, tracts and gospel calendars across the area. Again, please pray for blessing.
The Lord has laid it on our hearts to reach out into outlying areas of Lancashire, into villages and towns that we don’t normally reach. As we plan for this outreach, we are much before the Lord in prayer as to how He would have us to develop this work in the coming days.
4/3/25
Job 27-29
In mid-January, we commenced a new Beginner’s Bible Study. This continues to run on Friday nights in the Logos School. We have had a good number attending, including some who came to our first study two years ago. Saluuke, from a Catholic background, has come back again and is seeking certainty of salvation. The Sunday before we started the study, a young man, Caleb, turned up for our family service, having received an invitation a couple of days earlier. He too has started attending the study consistently. He seems to have had a Christian influence from some in his family, back in Nigeria, but sadly no real understanding of the gospel. He is showing much interest and Michael has met him several times to talk further about what the gospel truly is. We would love to hear of him trusting the Lord soon.
At the beginning of March, alongside some other colleagues, we had another residential Bible teaching weekend for young adults, mostly in their 20s. This was a helpful time together with keen young believers from various backgrounds and countries, where we sought to teach and counsel them in living for Christ, whilst looking specifically at the subject of holiness.
We also headed up a retreat for the 3 senior years of Logos School on 21-23rd March. It was a joy to have 45 young people with us for a time away and for Bible teaching. The students came from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds – interestingly including some Muslim students who were still on Ramadan. There was much time for teachers to get alongside students and have more meaningful conversations about life and faith. Our speaker challenged the students from the Bible on issues of identity, freedom and morality. They listened well and many engaged in really open conversations about the gospel. Pray for the seed to bring forth much fruit.
Last weekend Shirley and many of the ladies from the assembly, organised a special Brunch for other ladies. It was such an encouragement to see so many unsaved attend, enjoy and engage with the gospel.
C. 2003 MICHAEL & SHIRLEY McKILLEN 7/4/25
Friday 6th
Towards the end of last year, we received a shipment of the children’s curriculum, NthawiyaBaibulo, that we have been working to translate over the past few years. Since that time, I have been busy traveling around the country to distribute the material and provide guidance to Sunday school teachers who will use it. It has been such an encouragement to see months of computer work (not my favourite occupation!) come to fruition. It has also been a joy to meet up with and equip Malawians with material in their language, which will help in teaching children the word of God. Please pray that the thousands of books that have already been distributed will be used by the Lord to save and build up in the faith both the children and their teachers. I long to see many, many people in the coming generation come to know, love and serve the Lord.
Simultaneously (and very slowly) I have been trying to revise the Emmaus courses that are already translated into Chichewa. My prayer is that these courses will also be distributed throughout the country, perhaps even among the same groups, but with a focus on adults. I am excited about the prospect of getting many more courses translated, but for now, please pray I can finish the current task, which has taken much longer than I hoped. Pray that the Lord will use these courses to bring many to a saving and sanctifying knowledge of the truth.
Work with the children on Saturday and Sunday continues to go well. Please pray that the slow and steady sowing of truth will result in many lives being changed by the gospel.
Harold and I are just finishing up a three-week trip to the UK, during which we met with the trustees and other stakeholders of SALT and also participated in some open nights to share about the work of the Lord in Malawi. It was both a profitable and refreshing time! We will have to hit the ground running when we return, as our annual conference will begin a week later, so your prayers for this are appreciated!
ANNA VALLANCE
25/4/25
Life has changed enormously for us with the arrival of Caleb Duncan Jamieson on 11th of October! We are so grateful to the Lord for him.
In March, I made a short visit to Romania. I was speaking on key chapters in Jeremiah at Golgota Bible School, connected to the assembly in Talmaciu near Sibiu. These are believers I have been visiting regularly since 2019 and it is always a joy and encouragement to see their hunger for the Word of God. God willing, I will make a short return visit to the neighbouring country of Moldova for Bible teaching in October. Each Thursday I continue with the Kenya Bible Class. We were recently able, through the Lord’s provision, to get them a supply of Bibles in their language (Luo) for which they are so grateful.
During the Easter weekend I joined with Townhead Christian Fellowship in Stevenston for various outreach events including an open-air in Saltcoats. I continue to join Douglas Young and others regularly in open-air work in Paisley and Glasgow. Your prayers would be much appreciated for a concentrated week of open-air outreach in Glasgow planned for the 14th-18th July. In February it was a real pleasure to spend a long weekend with the believers at Osborne Road in Northampton for ministry in Ezekiel.
Every month or so I preach a short Gospel message for ‘The Gospel Broadcast’ which is a 30 minute online Gospel meeting organised by believers from Richmond Gospel Hall, Plumstead. The recordings are listened to in a wide variety of countries and very recently I was delighted to hear that a man in Turkey has made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus. Please pray for his spiritual development and encouragement.
It has been a real blessing to have some involvement with the work at the Hope Centre in Ibrox. In addition to preaching at the gospel service on a regular basis, I assist Jamie McIlree with Bible basics each Wednesday where we have worked our way through John’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount and are now looking at Mark. It is wonderful to witness men and women interacting with God’s Word and seeing their understanding grow.
When I lived in London, I got to know a tract ministry called the Gospel Printing Mission (GPM). The future of the work was in question in 2022, with the home-call of David
Cotton, the brother who founded GPM. However, I am delighted that the OPAL Trust has been able to step in and GPM has now become part of OPAL. The focus of GPM has been and will continue to be the supply of Gospel tracts to the Mission Field, and we seek the Lord’s blessing as we take this forward.
In the months ahead, God willing, I will be with the assembly in Cowdenbeath for their ministry weekend in May and in June I look forward to joining the assembly in Skelmanthorpe for their conference weekend.
2023
28/4/25
Job 36-38
Someone has recently written, “We need to be involved in other people’s lives, as led by the Lord. It takes time and work to be part of someone else’s life.” Over the years, we have proved the truth and reality of those words.
“I love you!” These were the parting words spoken to Janice, accompanied by a hug, when ‘N’ and her three-year-old daughter left our house to go home after spending time with Janice. Please pray for ‘N’, her husband ‘S’ and their three children. They are refugees that we have befriended and are seeking to reach with the gospel. They are a delightful family, from a Muslim background. In recent months they have been through some very difficult situations, but show no bitterness, to the contrary thankfulness.
Please pray for the many children who received an Easter Story book and small Easter egg, and for the many adults who received a John 3:16 bag containing a Gospel of John, Easter tract and invitation to the All-Age Service at the hall. We were blessed with fine weather when we took the literature table onto the High Road on several occasions leading up to Easter. Bibles and New Testaments were also requested and there were numerous meaningful conversations. We were struck by the number of Muslim mothers who positively encouraged their children to receive the books and who themselves took John 3:16 bags. We met several previous contacts, some going back twenty or thirty years!
Please pray for the outreach Coffee Morning and Ladies Bible Study usually held in our home. As a result of one lady attending the Ladies Bible Study for the first time, she, her husband and two children now regularly attend the All-Age Gospel Service. It is encouraging to see others beginning to understand the truths of God’s word and the relevance of the scriptures for day to day living.
We are in touch regularly with various contacts, some passing through very difficult circumstances in their lives, and as the Lord enables, we seek to be of some help to them. We value prayer for this aspect of the work as well.
C. 1977
JOHN & JANICE FROST 28/4/25
Monday 9th
It is exactly 57 years since the Lord brought us from Ulster to Africa. We look back and record His constant faithfulness to us, whether in Zambia, working amongst the Luvale people, or here in South Africa, working amongst the Zulu people. Our faithful Lord has provided for us every step of the way; we praise His Name.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected aspects of the work has been the many and varied types of people we have encountered along the way. In Zambia, it was an immense privilege to get close to some Russian families, one in particular. Coming from the then Soviet Union, they had never had the privilege of hearing the Word of God. We are still in contact with one of these families. Here in South Africa, we have been privileged to contact many Hindu people and some Muslim folk. They don’t all get saved, but some do, for which we praise the Lord. In our little assembly, we have quite a number of former Hindus who have been brought out of darkness into His marvellous light. A few weeks ago, one of these, a young Indian man by the name of Prahlad, joined me in the gospel meeting, where we both gave our testimonies, he from a heathen background and I from a Christian family, yet both of us needing God’s salvation. We thank God that each Lord’s Day, at the gospel meeting, we have a fair number of unsaved folks who attend regularly. We would love to see some of them showing a concern for their spiritual wellbeing.
Each year, the Zulu assemblies in our area arrange five days of Bible teaching for the men, who travel from far and wide for that week of fellowship around the Word of God. The local believers accommodate them and some of the ladies prepare the meals each day. Last year, Dr Clark Logan was the speaker, and his ministry was most acceptable, as he spoke by interpretation. This year, the brethren have asked me to give the teaching. I would value much prayer in the preparation of the messages and also in the presentation of them.
We live in a northern suburb of the town of Port Shepstone. A large river separates us from the town. Unfortunately, the bridge across this river has deteriorated to the extent that it has become dangerous, so the road is now closed. This means that all the traffic is diverted to a minor road that uses a low-level bridge. Please pray for safety as the standard of driving is bad and people become impatient and frustrated which will inevitably lead to accidents. One brother from the assembly was almost knocked off his bicycle two days ago; we thank God that he was spared serious injury.
Please continue to remember us in prayer. The days are dark and evil is on the rise. Currently, the murder rate in South Africa stands at an average of 78 murders daily. However,
“We wait to see the Morning Star appearing, in glory bright; This blessed hope illumes with beams most cheering, the hours of night.”
May the Lord keep us faithful until we see His lovely face.
C. 1968 PAUL & DOROTHY GRIEVE
4/4/25
Tuesday 10th
The moon was spotted last evening, somewhere, which signalled the end of Ramadan here in Tanzania. So today and tomorrow have been announced as ‘Sikukuus’, public holidays. With Watoto wa Thamani (WWT) Day Care Centre shut, we have the time to update you on happenings here over the past two months.
It’s been a bit of an unusual period in that both of us have had medical issues which have curtailed some of our activities. Gill’s hand is very slow in responding to exercises and some swelling persists. Stephen had a medical procedure late January which didn’t go quite to plan. So, we decided to make a 2-week ‘under the radar’ visit to the UK at the end of February before he had ‘revision’ surgery mid-March. The frosts and generally chilly weather were a much-needed blessing away from the scorching heat and humidity; no meetings or responsibilities gave us time to recover and recuperate; Gill got to see a physiotherapist who encouraged her to keep going with her exercises and added a couple more. While in the UK we were also able to prepare bags for our guests arriving, DV, in April and May, so we had a very positive time and returned refreshed.
It continues to be a blessing to have the precious children of WWT under our care and Christian influence. They have been preparing hard, learning verses of Scripture, choruses and various roles for the Easter assembly taking place this week. Their progress in learning to read, write and count has been thrilling, as has their character development. We returned from the UK with lots of goodies for them, edible and nonedible, which they were keen to sample. Last month, Gill organised a fun activity for the children too…buttering their own bread with a knife (fingers are generally used to eat meals, or at most a spoon) and choosing their topping from marmalade, jam, honey, peanut butter or chocolate spread. No guessing which was the favourite…everyone loves chocolate!
We are thankful that before the rains started, Baba Stevene and his team finished the final river weir barrier and built the river defense walls to almost level with the WWT plot. This project, which was a massive undertaking spanning more than 2 years, has attracted praise from the neighbours, one of whom has started building his own defences to prevent erosion. There now remains the need for 20 or so lorry-loads of soil to make up the level!
Baba and Mama Ivan are so happy in their faith and walk with God. Baba Ivan is eager to learn, willing to participate, share in the work of the assembly, and take thoughtful part in the meetings. Likewise, Mama Ivan has a beaming smile, an infectious joy and is keen to help at Kids’ Clubs. Her health is remarkable, and she constantly remarks on how amazing the Lord has been in her life, both physically and spiritually. She is due for a full medical ‘MOT’ later in April which we trust will have a positive outcome. The Lord has provided funds for them to buy a plot of land on which to build a home. So, with overwhelmed and grateful hearts to the Lord, they are now searching out a suitable piece of land.
Kids’ Clubs never fail to disappoint with their enthusiasm and participation such a joy to experience. We’re approaching the end of learning Psalm 8 which many will be eager to say for a prize, some of which we brought back from our UK visit.
C. 2002
2/4/25
March has been a month full of encouragements and challenges!
The Lord has answered the prayers of His people in the sale of the land to us, adjacent to the school. We are delighted to now confirm that after a recent face-to-face meeting with the landowners, they have agreed to the sale price of the land. We thank and praise the Lord for His overruling hand in answering the many prayers of His people regarding this land. All legal contracts and documentation will now proceed.
This is a tremendous boost for the school, as teachers and pupils alike can be confident in the future stability of “The Logos School.” His faithfulness to us is humbling as we seek to serve the best of Masters. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s guidance and help. We look to the Lord to give wisdom to preserve the work here, maintain a good testimony and deal with the stewardship of the finances in a faithful way that brings glory to Him for many years to come.
As we look for new staff for the next school year starting in September, multiple staff illnesses this month highlights we are still one Primary Teacher short from our recruitment goals last year. If any potential Primary Teachers with four years of teacher training would like to get in touch, please email principal@logos.ac.cy.
This year’s ‘retreat’ was a wonderful time of blessing, with the greater majority of our three oldest classes attending and hearing the word of God spoken very clearly. The discussions after the sessions were very profitable, dealing with some deep questions from our students – and giving some the opportunity to explain the gospel to their own peers. This has been so encouraging to hear, and gives us a real insight into the depth of their grasp of gospel truth.
COLIN CLARKE, Chairman of the Logos Trust 17/4/25
12th
We thank the Lord for giving us the privilege of doing something in this part of His vineyard, and we keep looking to Him for help and guidance.
In January we drove to South Australia (c. 2,500 miles return trip) to help with the Seed Sowers effort. About 100 believers from Australia and overseas worked together for one week to organise and distribute 75,000 packages with John 3:16 texts and invitations for the series of Gospel meetings in Strathalbyn. Bryan and Dawn Stewart, with the support of local believers, did a massive job organising this effort. Bryan had his Bible exhibition running every day, and many visitors came along. The QR code in the invitation was used by over 200 people to ask for a Bible or other literature, and local believers delivered them personally. We appreciated the visit and support from Ross Vanstone, from Canada, in this effort.
After that, we went to the Lidcombe conference in Sydney and then returned to Brisbane at the end of January. During February and March, I spent most of my time in our local assembly, Conference Hall, teaching the Bible Class on the epistle to Titus every Sunday. I uploaded every session on YouTube for those who couldn’t come and for anyone interested in the subject. During those months, I visited several assemblies in Southeast Queensland and continued with the outreach into the Spanish speaking community in Brisbane.
At the beginning of March, cyclone Alfred hit Brisbane, but thankfully it didn’t cause as much damage as expected. That weekend we had the meeting in Spanish on Google
Meet and on Sunday I did a Facebook live message to encourage some of the believers, as we couldn’t meet at the hall.
After the cyclone, Jack and Keila Steward (and their little boy), from South Australia, came to stay with us for three days on their way to Papua New Guinea. Jack had been with us in PNG before, and he and his wife had been praying for an opportunity to go over there. They spent over two weeks with the believers in Mugmap, near Mount Hagen, and the Lord helped them in everything. Unfortunately, I was not able to join them due to commitments in Brisbane, but they saw the hand of the Lord preserving and guiding them.
We arrived home yesterday from a trip to New South Wales; we first went to the Easter conference in Bexley and then visited three assemblies in the area. We also attended the wedding of a young couple from Bexley.
Please pray for:
• Those who were exposed to the Gospel during the Seed Sowers effort
• The gospel work in Spanish in Brisbane
• The believers in Mugmap and the Hela province in PNG
• The Lord’s guidance for our next trip to that country
WILLIANS & KYLIE ALCALA
29/4/25
Friday 13th
We especially thank the Lord for how He is blessing our son Josiah and his wife Rossana. They are seeking to serve the Lord in many ways, using their spiritual gifts and social skills. Rossana loves to offer hospitality, so most evenings they are involved either inviting people to their homes for a meal, or hosting the adolescent group or youth group. While the adolescent group is going well, they are having more problems with the youth group (20 to 30 year olds), as they are less interested and hard to tie down to commit to meeting regularly.
Joy is doing well at school and is happily involved making cakes for various assembly activities, as well as helping those that are younger than her. That said, we are still not sure where she stands spiritually and would really ask you to pray that she might come to deeply know and love the Lord. She also dedicates some time every day to keep her grandma (Patrizia’s mum) company.
Patrizia’s mum, Angela, has recently moved in with us as she is now restricted in her activities as she is almost blind. The highlight of her week is the various meetings where she can hear the word of God and spend time with His people. There is a group of older ladies of a similar age, and they often contact her by phone during the week to encourage her, which also is of great help to her.
Since the recent earthquakes, the Pozzuoli women’s prison has been evacuated. We are really sorry about that as the work was going really well, and many women were showing genuine interest in the gospel and bible study. Please do pray that the Lord would reopen this door that seems to have been temporarily shut. Patrizia has since asked permission to go into a much larger prison in a really rough part of Naples. She has already gone in a few times, and should soon have permission to start a craft course where she can share the gospel on a personal level.
We made a video on the effects of the earthquake, the local’s reaction to it, together with a short gospel presentation. We have distributed it on all the social network platforms so as to reach as many people as possible. Through the video we have already reached over 1000 people which is a great encouragement to us. We hope to make some more videos with brief gospel messages soon.
The video we created and uploaded online
Praise the Lord that we have all the necessary permits and have now identified a builder, so within the next few weeks we should be able to start to build our new Christian Centre. We can hardly believe it as we have been waiting upon the Lord for 8 years! We ask you to pray that the building would go well when it starts and that the Lord would provide all that is necessary to finish the work.
Please do praise the Lord with us for the people that we are able to share the gospel with and for those that have recently made a decision to follow the Lord. Whilst we rejoice in that, we are concerned for the many people around us that have never heard the gospel. Please pray that the Lord might open more doors to share the gospel with the contacts we have as well as bringing us into contact with people who are seeking for Him.
C. 1995 ALEX & PATRIZIA CATCHPOLE
28/4/25
Psa 29-34
We carry on with meetings in various towns and country areas in the region here. The religious opposition continues and progress is slow, but we are thankful for what God is doing and for the blessing we have seen in recent times.
On 1st February we brought together the believers from the various areas and had an afternoon of ministry in Candeias. Due to the distances involved this was quite a challenge but the isolated believers from remote areas who really appreciate Christian fellowship made a big effort to be present and we had a profitable time around the word of God. Gabriel from Porto Alegre was with us for a few days and was responsible for the teaching. He and his wife have recently been commended by the assemblies in Rio Grande do Sul.
In Teodoro Sampaio we had the joy of baptising a number of believers last November. In this same town we have found a suitable place for meetings on the main street of an area where we have quite a few contacts and we have been having a weekly Gospel meeting. We have been encouraged with a few who are starting to attend and are showing an interest.
The publishing work continues to keep us occupied when we have some spare time. Many thousands of Gospel magazines, tracts and John 3:16 texts are being distributed all over the country and we trust that the Living Word will be used to the enlightenment of many. We are also investing time in making digital publications available for sharing, downloading and printing. As a result, thousands of people in the portuguese speaking world are being reached with the Gospel message every week.
We value your continued prayers for preservation and blessing as we preach Christ to the perishing and teach Divine principles to the believers. We trust that our Lord will be honoured in all our activities in these dark days.
C. 2001 CRAWFORD & HEATHER BROWN 3/4/25
Sunday 15th
As we look at the increasing chaos in the world, we praise God for the solid rock of His Word. Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our refuge and strength in the storms of life. He is always abundantly available to help in times of trouble. While the Psalm gives many remedies to counter our natural fear, v10 speaks of the personal experience of looking in total dependency to God alone. It is stated in those precious words “Be still and know that I am God”. May we constantly recognise that peace is found not in a hoped for circumstance, but in the reality of God’s presence that is with us in every circumstance. We appreciate your prayers for us in the ongoing role of missionary care here in the US. We recently visited missionaries in the Republic of Ireland, thankful to witness what God is doing there. Our next trip in the will of the Lord will be to several African countries in July and August, so we appreciate prayer for the planning and preparations for that visit.
During the last month we have been reaching out to those serving in Asia, especially in Special Areas, beginning to establish a relationship with them. We count it a privilege to serve the Lord’s servants in this way, getting to know them a little and so being able to pray more intelligently for them.
Locally here in York, we are thankful for the Bible club opportunities during the current school year, which includes access to students in two government schools. Both of these school programs have just finished, and we are thankful for the recent privilege of sharing the amazing love and triumph of the cross and our risen Savior with the students. The other after school club held in the neighbourhood of a couple in the assembly will continue God willing for another month.
Monday 16th
Throughout the last few months we have been labouring in the gospel in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. In November, Brody Thibodeau and I were with the assembly in Parsons Pond, Newfoundland and Labrador. The visits in the area were encouraging, and we were happy to see some people attending the meetings. During our time there, we witnessed three ladies obey the Lord in baptism. They have since been added to the little assembly there. Lord willing, we plan to return in August for further gospel work and children’s meetings. Please pray for these upcoming meetings in August and for the assembly in Parsons Pond.
At the start of the year, we were with the assembly in Rosebank, Prince Edward Island, for a week of children’s meetings. It was wonderful to see a good number of children coming to hear the word of God. For several weeks following the meetings, the saints in Rosebank, along with the help of the neighbouring assembly in O’Leary, continued the effort with sustained attendance and interest. We trust that as a result of this work, precious souls will be won to Christ.
In the middle of January and throughout the month of February, I joined John Meekin for a series of gospel meetings in a community hall in Chelsea, Nova Scotia (a small town near the city of Bridgewater, where John and Elaine live). These meetings were supported by the assembly in Nineveh. We were encouraged by the visits in the area and some new contacts that were made. We look forward to returning there at a later date, in the will of the Lord.
We enjoyed being with the saints in Cambridge, Ontario, for their Bible Reading conference in early March. It was a pleasure to share the conference with William Skates and John Meekin. Upon returning home, Jonathan Procopio and I shared in a series of gospel meetings for five weeks at home in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The meetings went well, and we were thankful for the Lord’s blessing in salvation.
I’m currently writing from Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. I arrived last week for their Easter conference and intend to be in the area for the following week, visiting some of the assemblies in the area. Many of the assemblies in Newfoundland and Labrador are little in number yet remain faithful to the Lord. Pray for the Lord’s work in this province.
Lord willing, Matthew Cain and I are scheduled to start gospel meetings with the assembly in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador this coming Lord’s Day. Your prayers for this effort are appreciated.
After a couple of conferences in Ontario in the end of May and first of June, we plan on returning to Newfoundland and Labrador for the conference in Corner Brook. Following the conference, we plan on driving to Gander for a week of children’s meetings. We would greatly appreciate the prayers of the Lord’s people in the days to come. There is “very much land to be possessed,” and we trust we’ll know the Lord’s power to preach “the glorious gospel of Christ”.
C. 2024 (Canada) TIM & RACHEL BURTON 23/4/25
Psa 46-51
'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’ 1 Cor 15:58
Solomon spoke of many vanities, but labour in the Lord is not one of them. Our family and little Bible study group are understanding this on a new level now. God’s work within the people we are investing in – and in our own hearts – reveals the wisdom of His ways, and that our labours for the Lord are truly not in vain. Praise Him for His goodness, and please pray for us to be found steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
We began to meet as a New Testament patterned assembly this past Lord’s day. We broke Bread for the first time. We can see that the Lord is working in the lives of the believers, and we are very encouraged.
Please continue to pray for T and V, who faithfully attend our Bible study each Sunday. V is very committed to joining us for prayer on Wednesdays, but T says he gets nothing out of it. He does not believe in the rapture or in a literal hell and has many advanced, well-versed arguments against both. Pray for true conversion. They are planning to move to Dubai, and as they prepare to sell their home in the next few days, they need much wisdom. Please pray for them in this transition and for wisdom for James as he discusses Scripture with T.
W (from Scotland) stopped by recently and seems very open with us. It is a relief for him to speak English. As far as we know, none of his family are believers. Please pray for further opportunities to share the gospel with him and his wife, A. They have two young boys who often play with our children. When they visit, they hear the Bible read, prayers offered, and Christian children’s stories shared in our home.
Through an interest in homeschooling, J and her husband reached out to Grete last week to meet. They met at the local aquarium, and Grete had several opportunities to talk to her about the Lord. The gospel was presented, and she did not seem put off by it. She claims to believe in one God who is sovereign but is unsure if Christianity is the only way to heaven. She and her partner have two children and are big Tolkien fans. They enjoy dressing as elves, and are very interested in nature and life in the forest. Please pray for wisdom for Grete as she maintains contact with her through messages.
Grete’s aunt Elsa passed away just a few days ago. The doctors and nurses asked her if she was afraid of death or even the least bit anxious. She laughed out loud, longing to be with her Saviour. She also desired to be reunited with many others who had gone to be with the Lord before her. It was a joyous day to celebrate her having finished her race, faithfully praying in her last few years. She was in her nineties.
Janneke has been a faithful part of our Lord’s Day and midweek meetings since day one. She has been burdened by the Lord to pray and spends much of her free time devoted to prayer. Grete and I have seen some of the fruit of her labours, and your prayers too, in the lives we interact with, and in our own hearts. We are involved in a hiking group, the goal is to reach out to people struggling with various addictions. Please pray for us as we share the Gospel with neighbours and colleagues.
Please pray for wisdom for us in raising our children. We have had so many children from the neighbourhood in our home, which has given us several opportunities to pour the Word of God into them.
Please pray for the word heard each week throughout Norway, that it may not fall on deaf ears. Pray for the establishment of Biblical churches that can foster Spirit-led, gracious saints who fear the Lord more than man and would rather live for the Lord than anything or anyone else.
C. 2024 (USA) JAMES & GRETE ATTWOOD 3/4/25
The new school year at Amano Christian School started on 13th January with a lot of challenges. We already knew that the Primary school was going to be very short staffed as two teachers left without being replaced. But then unexpectedly, at the last minute, we lost two secondary teachers as well. Then our planned installation of solar systems to power our classrooms was delayed as severe electricity rationing continued. Also lightning strikes had destroyed a water pump and expensive computer network equipment. All this, together with the usual ongoing challenges of maintaining our aging machinery and vehicles, dealing with burst water tanks, leaking pipes and fallen trees across power lines and helping to keep our diverse multi-cultural team working in harmony, has made for a busy first term of 2025.
We praise the Lord that he has helped us to recruit one primary and one secondary teacher, and a German engineer visited for five weeks to help mend our broken machinery. Other potential new teachers, both from Zambia and outside, are in the pipeline and so we pray that there will be no obstacles preventing at least some of them from coming later in the year to take the strain off our over-stretched teachers. We are also praying for another girl’s dorm parent (or couple) to join us.
Our school roll has now reached 142 students, but it really needs to be nearer 150 in order for our income to match expected expenditure. Which of course gives an opportunity for more students to be impacted with an education from a biblical worldview and be challenged to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been very grateful for significant donations which have helped us buy a lot of solar panels, inverters and batteries to reduce dependence on our expensive diesel generator at a time when mains electricity is only available erratically for a very limited time each day.
Hilda helps out one day a week as the school nurse and takes her turn at being oncall for sick dormitory students every other week during the evenings and weekends. Outside school she continues working with the Sunday School in Bethel Chapel, where about 80 children attend every week, and she also gets involved in work in the needy local community. At the end of last year, realising that there is a big disparity between the way Amano students mark the end of their Secondary schooling and those from the local government school in Musenga, Hilda organised a special meal for the 60 Musenga Grade 12 students and their teachers. The evening included a Christian talk and some speeches from local dignitaries.
We were blessed to be able to spend 3 weeks during the long Zambian school holiday in December in the UK so that we could spend time with both our daughters, Wami & Olivia, as well as other family and friends.
PHIL & HILDA CRACKNELL
27/3/25
Thursday 19th
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
We arrived in Pirassununga on the 20th of January to start Marco’s treatment for his recurrent breathing infections and help the small assembly in Porto Ferreira. We had only been here for four days when Marco had a severe abdominal pain and was admitted to hospital. He was in hospital for six days and then discharged. He was still having a lot of pain, so we went to another doctor and after appointments and lots of examinations he had gallbladder surgery on the 21st of February.
We are happy to say that Marco’s post-surgery appointment went well. The doctor requested some more exams and tests that will be done on the 25th of April. Hopefully, all will be well. We are grateful to all who prayed for his recovery. During these weeks we have been practicing Psalm 37:7 “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him”. Even with all the unexpected happenings the work of the Lord continues. He is now returning to his routine of meetings, radio program and visits.
The radio program continues and during the time Marco was absent a brother from the assembly of Arame assumed responsibility for the radio program. Some of the brethren from the assembly have started distributing gospel tracts in the neighbouring town of Carandaí, 20 miles away. Their desire is to cover the whole town that has around 25,000 inhabitants. We pray doors will be open for the preaching of the Gospel and souls may be saved and an assembly planted.
Pray for Geraldo, in his early 60’s. He listens well to the Gospel when we visit, but he suffers from alcoholism. He is also diabetic and is having problems with his eye sight due to his alcoholism. His wife is a dear sister.
We would also request prayers for Jonathan. His mother and wife are dear sisters. He professes to be saved and will attend meetings, but shows no signs of spiritual growth.
Pray also for the small assembly in Porto Ferreira, with eight in fellowship, that they may persevere and grow spiritually and in number.
Children’s work carries on and it has been encouraging to see some new faces on some occasions. Pray these children may be saved and preserved from the dirt and evil of the world.
C. 1998 (Brazil) MARCO & JANICE GEBARA 3/4/25
It’s hard to believe that 12 years have passed since our first trip to Uganda, during which we’ve made around 30 visits to this beautiful country. In the beginning, Rachel and I found it challenging to connect with like-minded individuals who didn’t feel at home in the charismatic movement until we met Allan and Maggie Tayebwa. Most of the churches in Uganda are Pentecostal, but Allan and Maggie had come away from this, planted a church in Nansana and were trying to following Biblical principles. In those early days, Ian Robertson also made several trips with us, providing needed teaching and encouragement for the small group of believers. Just this past March when I visited Uganda, Allan and I reflected on how a decade has passed since our first meeting. We continue to uplift our spiritual family in prayer, admiring their dedication to both the Lord and those in need. I have plans to return this August and again in October.
An Introduction to Allan & Maggie Tayebwa:
Hello dear friends, my name is Allan Tayebwa. Together with my wife Margaret, we are dedicated to serving the Lord in Nansana, just a short distance from Kampala, Uganda’s capital. We are blessed to be the parents of four wonderful children: Neilla (11), Neil (9), Sherry (7) and a little one on the way, expected to join us in late August. Additionally, we are foster parents to three more children: Brenda (20), her adorable son Jesse, who is 1 year and 7 months, and Blair (19). These are just a few of the young individuals that God has graciously entrusted to us.
Maggie dedicates a lot of her time to homeschooling our children and actively participates in the children’s and women’s ministries at our assembly, while I focus on evangelism, discipleship, and biblical counselling. Currently, I am guiding a group of fourteen individuals, including three couples, through a 10-month discipleship training program that began this January. God has shown His faithfulness since our assembly began as a Bible study in 2014. We
officially started gathering on Sundays on 1st March 2015, and have witnessed many lives transformed by the power of the Gospel.
Shortly after our assembly began, we had the pleasure of hosting Paul and Rachel Jenkinson, whose ministry has greatly blessed us. Since then, we have continued to serve the Lord together, bringing glory to God. Paul and Rachel witnessed our assembly’s journey from a hotel conference hall to our home, and now to our current location! Our focus is primarily on discipleship meetings, as we believe it is essential for followers of Jesus Christ. Without discipleship, individuals may have fleeting experiences and form friendships, but they often lack a firm grounding in the truth of Scripture. In a country where traditional religions, Islam, and various cults mislead many, the hope for Uganda lies in establishing a strong foundation in the Gospel.
Please keep us in your prayers for God’s work in Uganda. Pray that we will see many come to Christ, be baptised and join the local church. Also, pray for our family’s and ministry’s needs.
2023
Psa 72-76
Our Lord is so gracious to us for enabling every new day with new joy and with new mercies. Our Lord whom we trust is indeed providing us our daily bread and proving the same God yesterday today and tomorrow.
Give thanks to the Lord that all the children of Bethesda in the George Muller Home and Dr. Edward Short’s hostels are doing well. At present there are 106 children in both the hostels. The young children from the hostels have completed their Intermediate (+2) and Grade 10 final public examinations. Four girls are currently progressing their training: two in nursing and two in dressmaking trade. Kindly pray for their results and future careers.
Kindly continue your prayers for Bharat, a boy from George Muller Home, as he is going through treatment for severe depression.
We rejoice that four people with connections to Bethesda Assembly Church accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour recently and got baptised this Sunday in the canal opposite Bethesda. Kindly pray for them by name; Raju a leprosy patient, Sandeep a young boy, Akhila a young girl from the George Muller Home and Rajeswari a young Nurse who was also a former hostel girl.
Medical ministry is continuing well. We are able to provide treatment for Leprosy and HIV especially, but also general medical and skin cases. Kindly pray for the medical work. Presently we have one HIV patient by name of Anitha (40 years) and thirteen Leper inpatients. Please pray that they be blessed and healed physically and spiritually.
'Great is Thy faithfulness' Lamentations 3:23.
BETHESDA (LEPROSY) HOSPITAL 7/4/25
Sunday 22nd
We had another very encouraging visit to Namibia earlier this year. Believers from Canada, Angola, Zambia and South Africa joined the outreach. We were in various towns distributing calendars containing Scripture verses and Namibia photographs, plus other literature. We found the people very receptive, and we had good opportunities for personal conversations. I also preached in the open air at various locations and had good audiences.
Joy and I met a lady at a hospital entrance who said that she wanted to give her heart to the Lord. This was before we explained the message to her. When we explained it, we told her to go home, get before the Lord and get right with Him. We returned to South Africa and some of the others went on to Swakopmund for further outreach. They were joined by Josh and Keri Kaye. We are glad to report that Moses, who was saved last November, was baptised recently. Please pray for another lady, Colleen, who is not saved yet but is showing great interest.
After returning from Namibia, we were in the town of Hawston for a Gospel campaign. During the day we were on the streets with invitations and literature and had some good conversations. A few came to the meetings as a result and others came with the believers. One young man (Ibrahim), known to the assembly, attended every meeting and showed great interest. We rejoice that he and three other young people confessed Christ as their Saviour. In later contact with Ibrahim he told me “It’s like a new me.” Please pray that those who have professed faith in Christ will go on well for Him.
Please continue to pray for the TB patients and the staff at Harry Comay. We are privileged and thankful to be able to continue distributing literature, praying and sharing a word in season. The TB patients were making keyring crosses for Easter, which provided a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel. Many are on the brink of death, with eternity ahead. We can only continue to sow, as God gives the increase.
Please continue to pray for open doors for cottage meetings. We are thankful for Susan who faithfully cares for and supports many children working through the Bible lessons. Her nephew passed away suddenly while being transported to the hospital in an ambulance. She was also caring for her brother at home, who had cancer. At
her request, we were blessed to hold two cottage meetings there, and her brother told us he had “made right with God” before passing away two weeks ago. Please remember Susan in prayer.
Another meeting was held for the bereaved Baardman family. We had previously asked for prayer for Abronecia Baardman (daughter) regarding back surgery at Groote Schuur. At the same time her father, Ernest, became very ill. We took him to hospital one Monday, where he had X-rays and was scheduled for a follow-up on the Wednesday. We had a sincere conversation with him about his spiritual condition. He had completed his Bible lesson and wrote the following verses as his answers: Matthew 8:2-3 “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Sadly, he passed away before his follow-up appointment. We trust that he was ready to meet his Creator. Abronecia is now home after a few operations on her back. She is walking with a frame and is doing well, despite having lost a lot of weight. Abronecia continues to help with the distribution and collection of lessons. Please pray especially for this family during these difficult times.
We are also deeply thankful for the privilege afforded to us to travel to Northern Ireland to visit our two sons and their families, and to meet our new little grandson, Malachi, who is now 9 weeks old. While away, we would greatly appreciate prayer for George and its surrounding areas and also the Bible correspondence work. We were able to leave most of the children with three lessons each. Katie had many to distribute before we left, and she has been such an encouragement in distributing Bible lessons and being a testimony in her neighbourhood.
We were thankful and privileged to attend the Easter conference in Belfast and were greatly encouraged by the wonderful Word of God.
C. 2001
RODNEY & JOY BROWN 28/4/25
I have just spent a happy hour with this group of children. Many years ago, some Canadian missionaries lived in this area - the back of their home faced this spot and when they moved up country we started this Sunday School for those who had once come with them to the Sunday School in the hall. That was in 1994 and we have been here ever since. A lot of folks live very humbly sharing one house between many families. It is a great joy to bring them the Word of God on Monday afternoons.
This is just one of the thirteen Sunday Schools we hold in Gaborone and villages further afield. There are about nine of us who undertake eleven of the Sunday Schools, and then there are others from the assembly who help with the remaining two which are held in the hall. The children up to the age of 12 or 13 finish school in the afternoon and most are free to attend at 3pm.
We thank God for every opportunity to sow the seed. He has blessed us richly with opportunities among the children and we do not take this privilege lightly. Please pray for the times of speaking to so many every week. May God bless them with salvation.
C. 1990 JOY GRIFFITHS 14/4/25
The constant inspections that are carried out in Casa Simeon (sometimes unannounced) frequently present Alina, the manager, with some new regulations coming from the EEC or the ministry in Bucharest. These regulations are not unique to Casa Simeon but are intended to improve the quality of care across the whole sector, but sadly many care facilities get round the regulations by paying bribes. Please pray earnestly for her as the home in Rachiti has ‘set up a standard’ and has a good name among the inspectors.
It is now a requirement for all care homes to have a waiting room for visitors. For each resident there has to be one place for one visitor of one square metre in area, meaning a room greater than 22m² is required. There isn’t a spare room in the home to meet this legislation and no possibility to construct another room attached to the home, so we ask you to pray that a solution acceptable to the authorities will be found.
Another regulation is that carers, who until now had to pass a government approved course to be allowed to work in the care sector, must now with immediate effect be registered nurses! Some of our carers have been with us since 2015 when the home opened and Alina is very reluctant to tell them that they have to go. They couldn’t be re-trained, as the nursing course is of three years duration.
Another new regulation is in relation to the position of beds in the resident’s rooms. They must now be 80cm from a window, which may mean that some double rooms will have to be made into single rooms, reducing the number of residents the home can accommodate.
Therefore, please pray:
• That none of the present carers will have to be replaced by trained nurses
• That a solution will be found regarding a waiting room
• That the home will not be forced to reduce the number of bedrooms for residents.
Two other items for prayer are again of a practical nature. The government in Romania is removing its subsidy on electricity, which will dramatically increase the cost of electricity to the home. Alina has made enquiries regarding Photovoltaic solar panels. A Christian company in Suceava have said that they will help with the cost of installing panels.
A second concern is the home’s car which was five years old when bought in 2015. The main problem is that it suddenly loses power and stops. The problem is the catalytic converter which is very expensive to replace in Romania. Whether to spend money on a very old car, or to buy a newer petrol vehicle which would be easier to maintain is the question. Please pray with us about wisdom in these matters.
It is always a great sadness that many elderly saints have no family living in Romania and consequently live a lonely existence. Some of the residents in Casa Simeon are in that category and while suffering loneliness, seldom have visitors. Consequently, it is always a joy when a group from an assembly visits the home to chat with the residents, sing hymns and share a word of ministry with them. Sometimes it may be the youth of an assembly and on other occasions a mixed group, but all greatly appreciated for their thoughtfulness and time.
Prayer is still requested for vacancies to be filled with needy saints and at present there are five places available. The authorities don’t make it easy for candidates to apply for residency.
We are thankful for practical help given by some young men from a village assembly in preparing the logs for next winters use. This is a great help to Titi who maintains the heating boilers and attends to all the other practical work needed around the home.
Preparing logs for winter
We are indebted to all who pray for this work in supporting needy saints in Romania and record our grateful thanks.
C. 1995 RICHARD & RUTH McCLENAGHAN 28/3/25 (Operation Brotherly Love)
Wednesday 25th
In 2006 the Lord sent us to this remote area of northern Zambia to establish Eliya Mission. For many years we have been praying that God would enlighten us concerning the future and see in what way we can play our part to ensure the continuity of the Lord’s work there, asking the Lord to send us someone of His choice, who will be able to extend the work and the spreading of the Gospel in this remote area of Zambia.
This is the main reason why we have been in Belgium since mid-December: to bring together a group of Christians willing to share our vision, develop ideas and receive useful advice for the continuity of the Lord’s work, especially through the Bible Centre. Its survival is essential for the work and spiritual growth in our region as well as Pweto and Moba in Congo (DRC).
To this end, we thank God for the help and advice received over the past few months. We know that our God has great plans and we have placed this project and its process in the hands of the Lord as a priority. It consists of the construction of a house in which a family who has been working with us for almost 25 years will live. Their role (which is not exhaustive) would be to watch over the smooth running of the mission by taking care of the maintenance of the property and buildings, be our eyes and our arms during our absences and last but not least, be able to help in the transition process of some
younger ones who may visit, hear and respond to God’s call to serve Him. In any case, this project gives us permission to hope, to wait for the right moment, and to anticipate future blessings. So, when the time comes, our faithful God will act. Pray that God will direct us to HIS choices and lead them to us soon here at Eliya Mission.
Our stay in Belgium has been encouraging and we are truly waiting on the Lord to clearly show us His will regarding the programme mentioned above. May He show us His will for this great and important need. Jean-Luc will be heading back to Zambia on 7th of April. Please remember Rita as she will be staying in Belgium and also Jean-Luc as he starts the planning process for the above project. He will be back mid-June.
Translation work: The translation and proofreading work of the french course '30 Leçons Leçons Bibliques' for Sunday schools in Swahili has been sent to GRN Belgium (Global Recordings Network) for printing. Our part is over on the Swahili side, we still have three lessons in Bemba to correct. Pray for this ongoing work.
Bible Centre: Here, again, we rely on your precious intercession because the Bible Centre is an essential tool in the work of the mission. Within a radius of c350 miles, we are the only ones to have Christian literature in our region and beyond the border into Congo. People travel long distances to get a Bible and Christian literature. We still have enough stock at the moment and we will not have to place an order this time. We have a stand at the big local market every 21st of the month. It is a great opportunity for evangelism. Pray for Elizabeth and Myra, but also for Maureen, a young girl who is working as a student until June 2025.
C. 1993 (Belgium) JEAN-LUC & RITA HAINAUT 2/4/25
Thursday 26th
As a family we are very joyful with the birth of our little daughter Sheila Jael, just over a week ago. Joelina is feeling well and the rest of the children are very pleased. Matthew, who is now studying in the university in Puerto Cabello (about 12hrs from here), arrived to spend a few days over Easter, especially to see his little sister. We long above all to see all of our children saved and going on well for the Lord.
Since this year began, we have been helping the assembly here in Tucupita with gospel meetings in the homes of the believers. Thankfully we have already had a short series in 7 different homes. The attendance has varied, but at least some unsaved relatives in each family have heard the word. A young man of 30 professed salvation at the beginning of the meetings and has manifested joy and perseverance. We continue to seek open doors in other parts of the city to preach the word. As is the same in so many other cities in the country, Tucupita is invaded with denominational groups, and it is hard to find a place where the people haven’t already been deceived by “another gospel” and show little interest with the plain and simple way in which we seek to present the “word of the cross”.
Simultaneously with these meetings we have been able to continue having the bible classes with children in the afternoons. It is a joy and encouragement to see children learning gospel texts and truths which are able to make them wise unto salvation. I am grateful to have the help of a very capable brother, David Perez, who has been with us for several years sharing in the gospel work and in the care of the saints.
Last Saturday we took most of the believers of the assembly here to a ministry meeting in Maturin. It was so nice to see the effort so many believers make to get to these ministry meetings. There were four busloads of believers from different assemblies and for all of them it meant a journey of 2 or 3 hrs. The assembly provides an abundant meal after the meeting for all present. I shared the meeting with Pedro Malave from Los Altos and Adin Sequera who serves the Lord in Tumeremo, in the state of Bolivar.
The Lord has preserved his work here in Venezuela and continues blessing many efforts that are carried on by assemblies and fulltime workers in many parts of the country. Yet, we know of many places where there is no testimony unto His name and pray unto the Lord of the harvest, that He may send forth labourers. We feel greatly the loss of those workers whom the Lord has called home, and others who are no longer able to be active as before due to health problems.
Above all, we deeply value your prayers. There is much to encourage but also things that are sad and discouraging and only the Lord can give us strength, patience and wisdom to bring glory to Him in the work He has given us to do for the brief time that remains.
C. 2014 (Venezuela) WILLIAM & JOELINA TURKINGTON 22/4/25
Friday 27th
A wonderfully encouraging part of the Zapopan assembly, is the children’s work. Those lovely younger ones that are so full of enthusiasm, life, and potential. As the enemy does what he can to lure and snare them for himself, we do what we can to love them and win them for the Lord.
Imagine a steep dusty road that ends in a ravine. Both sides are lined with homes and vehicles. Near the end is an empty plot surrounded by a brick wall. That is where for the last year and two months a local couple and ourselves held weekly Bible classes for children. Every Friday would find us driving down with a van full of chairs, a tarp, a whiteboard, snacks, machetes and hedge shears (for the long grass when it rains) and a shovel. During the week, the plot of land is the home and grazing ground of the cow that one of the local families have, and they graciously lent us the plot of land for an hour on Fridays.
The couple from the Zapopan assembly started the outreach, intended only for the Fridays of December 2023, as a way to give a class for one young boy in particular who desired to attend Sunday school, but had to work. Seeing the interest and enthusiasm of the children in the neighbourhood, it was decided the classes must continue. What started as an effort for one boy who couldn’t attend on Sundays soon turned into 19 of us including local parents and older siblings!
It was a privilege to get to know new children in the area. Cousins began attending, and even some parents! Each week was a charming experience as they learned more about the people and places in the Bible and of course, Jesus Christ as Lord of All. Young ones of about 3 years of age arrived with older siblings, and others of all ages, even up to 13-year-olds who often played it cool, rather than expressing enthusiasm, but it was thrilling to see them there! It has been particularly rewarding to hear some ask serious questions, especially related to the Gospel in recent months.
Sadly, the empty plot is now undergoing construction, and it is no longer available. This brought the classes there to a natural close. Most of the children have begun attending Sunday school now, and several have worked hard to earn a Bible through consistent attendance. We were sad to see the end of the outreach but were thrilled to see the parents of some of the children come to the gospel meeting in the hall on multiple occasions. We pray that the children will continue to attend and bring their parents to hear the Gospel. We are all too aware of what tends to happen as they enter into the teenage years, and the temptations of the world become very real possibilities. Do pray with us.
2015 (Canada)
24/3/25
Towards the end of last year, we revisited the southern border village of Ramatlabama after an absence of eighteen years. For nine years I visited each winter for gospel work but in all that time I saw no fruit. However, in the goodness of God, in recent years a number from that village have been saved and so this time young brother Baboloki and I stayed with a dear lady who has been saved, baptised and received into assembly fellowship in Gaborone, as has her daughter and grandson. She seemed so encouraged to be involved in the work in her own village as she is often alone there. Gospel calendars were distributed in the local primary school, the post office, the police station, border post, clinic and government farm nearby. We had separate outdoor meetings for children and then adults each afternoon just before sunset. We sow in faith, awaiting that glorious day when He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.
Also at the end of the year we completed a busy round of Sunday School prizegiving’s in Gaborone and the surrounding villages of Tlokweng, Mochudi, Kopong, Tsolamosese and Rasesa. We often wish you could see the faces of the boys and girls as they receive their prizes. Every week in Kopong, 20-30 adults attend the Sunday School as well. The age range becomes 1 to 65 or thereabouts! We long for the salvation of these children
and older folks. We had a special gospel effort for the adults and good attention was given to the Word.
A young woman of 22 called Esther, troubled about her soul, trusted Christ as her Saviour in December. This cheered us all as the year drew to a close. We were further encouraged when seven believers, including Esther, were baptised a few weeks ago. Some of the younger ones have been saved for quite a few years. They had been taught about baptism and remembered often at the throne of grace, so this was a lovely answer to prayer. We trust that they will be preserved spiritually and go on well for the Lord.
Torrential rainfall and severe flooding recently in Botswana resulted in eight people losing their lives. Over five hundred people in our own village were evacuated and housed in a local school. When the Gaborone dam overflowed, we were cut off from the capital for a short period. Things are slowly getting back to normal.
God willing, we plan on a short trip soon to the UK and Northern Ireland to visit family and friends. Some are quite unwell and we hope to spend time with them. Hazel herself had surgery a few months ago and we are thankful that the results showed no malignancy. She is regaining her strength, little by little.
C. 1982
CLARK & HAZEL LOGAN 11/4/25
Psa 108-114
Last August, I was with brother Paul Kissick for a couple of weeks of Gospel meetings in a rented community hall in Fermoy, County Cork. It was good to see some who attended from the local area, and others who came from further afield. Paul has been able to obtain the hall again for next week, so we are hoping to be there together for more Gospel meetings. It would be good to see those who came before, coming back again, and others coming for the first time.
My Aunt Isobel was called home last Friday. She was my late father’s youngest sister, and the last one of that generation. So her departure is a sobering reminder of the passing of time, and of our own mortality. We have been up north this week, working on clearing out her room in the nursing home, sorting out her belongings, and arranging her funeral, which is due to be held tomorrow, in the will of the Lord. I am responsible for speaking at the graveside. We earnestly pray for the Lord’s help. There will be some relatives there who are not saved, and who would not often be under the sound of the Gospel.
I have meetings in various places over the coming month or so, including a couple of conferences and some ministry meetings, both in England and on this side of the water. Then in May I am due to be in Moneydig, County Londonderry, with brother Gary Woods, for a series in the Gospel, commencing on the 18th of the month. All subject to the will of God, of course.
C. 1992 DAVID & PRISCILLA McALLISTER 7/4/25
Spring has arrived in Nantes! It’s lovely to see some blue sky, to hear the birds sing, and to notice the days getting longer. These blessings come year after year, but we never tire of them! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, indeed!
At the start of March we held the annual inventory at the Christian bookshop here in Nantes. That is always a major event in the life of the shop. However, it is all done in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere and it was great to see how many of our staff came along to help. Please pray for the ongoing ministry of the bookshop.
On Sunday 16th March we had several baptisms at our assembly. Three young girls aged 13 to 22 were baptised. They are all from Christian families and have grown up among us. We are particularly thankful for Fanny, who has a slight disability, but she loves the Lord and her joy is an inspiration to us all. We are pleased to see how the other young adults accept her and include her in their activities. Please pray for Fanny, Joanna and Anaëlle. Pray too for their many friends who they invited to witness their baptisms.
We are glad to be able to tell you of the birth of another grandchild in Aix-en-Provence. Lucy joined the family on 24th March, during our visit down there. Tim, Catrina and big sister Emily seem to be settling well into life as four rather than as three! We are thankful that we were able to help take care of Emily while Catrina was in hospital.
Spring is the time for new things, and as well as a new baby, we are also praising God for a new Discovery Group which started two days ago. We have two girls who showed an interest in knowing more about God and the Bible and it’s been good to be able to find a time that suits them both. One of them we met for the first time in the bookshop. On that occasion she was clearly seeking answers and even though she had been connected to a church (we don’t know exactly what kind of church) she hadn’t really grown in her faith and was very dissatisfied. I recognised her when she came along to our Beaujoire assembly last Sunday and she was keen to start Bible studies straightaway. The other person in the small group is a girl from Congo, who also wants to learn more of the Bible. We started out this week by discovering who God is, especially by reading the creation story in Genesis 1. It was good to see how the girls were open to participate and ask questions. We commend them to your prayers for the future meetings, which we hope will happen weekly.
Over the Easter weekend, we have two special services planned, one on Friday evening to remember our Lord’s suffering and sacrifice, and then on Sunday we shall have a joyful celebration of the Resurrection. No doubt there will be some unbelievers on the Sunday morning and we value prayer for them. May our joy touch the lives of those who do not know the Lord and may they also turn to Him for the peace, hope and joy He gives to those who trust in Him.
C. 1985/88
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) Kevin Oh (London)
David Grant (Kilmarnock) Alastair Sinclair (Crosshouse)
David Hutchinson (Ballymoney) Gordon Stewart (Wallingford)
Raymond McNair (Glengormley) Stephen Trimble (Ballykeel)
Secretary: Leonard Currie (Kinross)
Total gifts received during April 2025. Total: £843,853.00