|
PRAYER CIRCLE
|
23
Ja
n - 6 Feb 2017
|
You will be encouraged as you pray for people sharing Jesus with those who need Him.
|
|
|
"Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!"
Psalm 24:7-8 (ESV)
We can be so encouraged by the words of Psalm 24. Reading these words this morning gave me a real sense that ancient strongholds will open before Him. There is nothing that can stand against the strength and might of our God. He has already overcome the enemy. In this Prayer Circle we see people standing against the work of the enemy as they go with God into dark and difficult places. Will you join with us in prayer for people in darkness? Will you pray believing that the King of glory can break into lives that desperately need hope?
|
|
|
|
Visiting the Vulnerable in Belarus
 |
|
|
While joining the regular visit to the hospital, Ingrid and Igor shared the Word of God.
|
There are many people who make the United Bible Society fellowship work.
Ingrid Felber-Bischof is one of them. She is one of the team who support national Bible Societies in their ministry. Recently, she went to Belarus to visit the work there.
Igor, CEO of the Bible Society in Belaurs, took Ingrid to the South of the country, to part of Belarus which is still contaminated from the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine 30 years ago.
While there they
visited a children's home with a warm and peaceful atmosphere where everything was clean and nicely arranged. Despite the atmosphere, this is a sad place as the children are here because their parents are unable to look after them. It is a provisional solution; after a few weeks the children will either go back home or will be sent to a foster family.
This is one of the places that the Bible Society in Ukraine is able to visit, prayerfully sharing God's Word and hope with the children and staff.
The Bible Society team is visiting this place regularly to bring books for the children. All children who spend a couple of weeks here get a chance to receive a Children's Bible and read or hear the stories. For many of them, it will be the first time.
On the following day, Ingrid and Igor
visited a nearby hospital. A doctor and a nurse, both committed Christians, had invited the Bible Society team to bring Bibles and children's books to the hospital library.
In one of the rooms they found a woman who was so distant they were unable to communicate with her. They had met her children on the previous day in the children's home.
Please pray for the impact of this ministry in Belarus, touching broken families with the light of Christ. Give thanks for Christians who are working in the hospital and children's homes and for connections that have been made to enable God's Word to be shared with people who could so easily be forgotten.
|
Don't Mexicans Speak Spanish?
I thought Mexicans spoke Spanish. That was until I read a report from Terje from United Bible Societies. He visited the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala. This is Mayan country with a wealth of archaeological finds from the Mayan kingdoms.
The Bible Society of Mexico counts a total of 263 native languages spoken in Mexico, spoken by some 6 million Mexicans.
One of these is the Ch'ol language spoken by at least 115,000 persons.
The Ch'ol people is an indigenous group with roots in the pre-Spanish Mayan people, and half of these do not speak Spanish.
The Bible Society of Mexico is investing in a new translation for this group, and has already had great success with a New Testament with study notes.
Terje visited two churches where the service was in the Ch'ol language. One of the group preached, and the sermon was first translated from English to Spanish, and then from Spanish to Ch'ol. It makes a fifteen minute message last 45 minutes. But that at least gives you good time to reflect on what is being said. It was noticeable that when a humorous comment by the preacher was translated from English to Spanish, only half the congregation laughed. When the same comment was translated into Ch'ol, the other half of the congregation laughed even louder.
This is evidence that the Ch'ol language is the heart language of this region, and proved that many of the Ch'ol people do not understand Spanish.
It so encouraging to know that there are lively Ch'ol communities with active Christian churches in this part of Mexico.
We ask you to pray that these brothers and sisters in Christ will soon have a Bible they can understand. Pray for the translation team, that they will be well resourced and so blessed in their work. May God's Word continue to reach the ends of the earth!
|
|
|
|
These mothers and babies need God's grace and hope. Please pray.
|
Born in Prison
Volunteers visit Chile's prison nursery
You should be so encouraged that your prayers and support are changing lives. Together we have prayed for ministry in Chile, focusing on the work to reach elderly people with the gospel. Now we ask you to pray for those who are just coming into the world. For some, even the first day of their life is not the way it should be.
Monthly, the volunteer team of the Chilean Bible Society visits the nursery section of the Women's Prison in Santiago. This is such a sad place to visit. The mothers give birth in prison. The first home that these little ones will know is prison. In cases where the mother has received a higher sentence, the child will be taken away at 2 years old. The hope is that someone in their family will care for them. If that is not possible, a foster carer may be found. If that doesn't happen, the little 2 year old child will be placed in one of the government shelters.
The risk of their child being placed in a shelter is a terrifying prospect for these mothers. Regardless of their crimes, these ladies want the best for their children. It has become known that in the last years more than 11,300 children and adolescents have died in the shelters that the government has for children and young people with problems or social risk.
Will you pray for these children and their mothers.
Pray that the ministry and friendship of the volunteer team from the Chilean Bible Society will bring hope, that they will know incredible answers to prayer and see women meeting Jesus and trusting their children into His care.
|
|
Excitement is the feeling about the office as we get ready to welcome Dr Mike Bassous from the Bible Society in Lebanon. You might want to try and get to one of the events that Mike will be speaking at. We have a feeling this is going to be an eye-opening encounter for us all. Pray for Mike as he travels and prepares to speak. May he will be so aware of God's presence and prompting. Pray that God will take the lead at each event.
|
|
|
Mike is visiting from Lebanon. Don't miss a chance to hear him speak. |
HOPE UNEXPECTED -
Wed 25 - Sun 29 Jan
:
Don't miss out on a chance to be part of these special days as we hear from
Mike Bassous of the Bible Society in Lebanon.
We highly recommend coming along to hear Mike's message of hope in extreme circumstances.
|
|
Speaking Engagements and Events
Wed 25 Jan 8pm
Leah is speaking at the Prayer Meeting in Carrickfergus Baptist Church
Sun 29 Jan 6pm Leah will be visiting Priesthill Methodist CE.
|
|
Calling all Bible-a-month partners...
You can be part of something 'extra'.
Would like a little more information about the 12 countries that you are supporting? Would you like more information to help you pray?
Sign up to 'Bible-a-month extra'.
If you have any questions, give us a ring on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
