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PRAYER CIRCLE
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24 July-7 Aug 2017
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Migrant workers in the Gulf States are coming to Jesus through Scripture they can understand.
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But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)
Sometimes we find it hard to recognise the need for Scripture when people need their basic physical needs met. There is a tug. People need food, shelter, work and medical care. Jesus taught about feeding the poor, healing the sick and treating people fairly. There is no doubt that in a world of poverty, sickness and injustice, Bible Societies face great challenges.
While Bible Societies often run projects that bring physical help, they are always wrapped up in God's love. Scripture is being shared. While we often want to fix problems, we know from the witness of believers in desperate circumstances that God's Word and His love are indeed the 'bread' that sustains.
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Telugu worker with New Reader Scripture - 'Sermon on the Mount'. |
The Gulf States
Migrant Workers are Meeting Jesus
There are more than a million Telugu migrant workers in the Arabian Gulf. They come from India to work so they can support their families back at home. Many of them are either illiterate or semi-literate having dropped out of school at a young age to earn money.
The Bible Society in the Gulf has produced 2,000 copies of a special edition of the Sermon on the Mount designed especially for this audience to help them engage with the Word of God.
This is the first New Reader portion the Bible Society in the Gulf has produced. Based on chapters 5, 6, and 7 from the Gospel of Matthew, it is large print and written in conversational Telugu and contains helpful study notes. It also comes with an audio version on a phone memory card. Some of the testimonies have been quite beautiful as God's Word touches hearts at a level people can understand.
"Thank you for giving me this book. This is helping me to increase my speed in reading. I use this book here, and when I go home I will share this with my children."
"I discontinued my elementary school and since then I have been working as a labourer... You have rekindled interest in me to read. Now I am enjoying reading the Bible text in this book."
Please pray all those working far from home. Pray that God will strengthen their faith, increase their ability to read the Scriptures on a daily basis, and give them peace as they endure the harsh conditions in the Gulf. Pray too that these workers would be kept away from drugs and alcohol which are all too readily available. Pray they would concentrate on working for their families back home and sharing fellowship with their Christian brothers and sisters in the Church
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For a wider flavour of the ministry in the Gulf, watch this incredible interview.
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This protester has written "THERE IS NO FOOD" on their back in a desperate cry for help. |
Crisis in Venezuela
Venezuela is a country caught in violence and poverty, so deeply rooted in political, economic and financial crisis that the people feel hopeless.
The medical system is collapsing, disease is spreading, 80% of people are undernourished and there is no food on the supermarket shelves. More children than ever are wandering the streets as their families simply cannot feed them.
Just a few weeks ago, one of the many deadly protests took place right in front of the Bible House in Caracas. Desperate, frightened, hungry people are calling for change but seeing none. Our colleagues at the Bible Society are not immune from the impact of the situation the country is facing today.
Please would you pray for Venezuela and for the Bible Society team there. Pray for solutions to the political, economic and financial crises that grip the country. May God raise up people of integrity and influence to usher in change.
Pray for the Bible Society team. May God give them peace in the midst of the storm, bringing comfort and provision as they try to provide food for their families.
Pray that the Translators in Piaroa and Sign Language would find joy knowing that they are bringing Words of Hope and Peace to their people.
Also, pray the Churches would be able to continue providing aid
to Venezuela's suffering population as the death toll continues to rise.
Pray that God's voice would be heard and that His hand would be seen at work in the midst of such chaos.
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Mind-blowing Forgiveness
Egyptian Christians are an example to us all
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Powerful witness of survivors from the recent bus attack in Egypt. Click the image to watch the televised interview.
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The Bible Society in Egypt recently published a short report testifying to the power and importance of God's Word to sustain Christians who are living through persecution.
After the most recent terrorist attack on a bus of Christians, the government provided hospital care for survivors who had been shot. One of their visitors was a government minister. One of the women told the minister, "Don't worry about me, I am worried about you! I am worried about where you will go after you die!"
The minister was taken aback but she would not allow her message to be discounted. "No! I am in my right mind. I've lost 11 members of my family and I have nothing else to lose! But I am at peace knowing they are in Heaven. But what about you? Have you read the Bible?" And she urged him to read the Bible and consider his destiny!
This story was recounted to the Bible Society by a Christian worker from a local church ministering to these victims. This worker was sent on her way with Scriptures to give to the women, for them to share with other hospital visitors.
The Egyptian media is full of articles and interviews broadcasting the words of Jesus and the radical faith of simple Christian believers who show mind-blowing forgiveness and love.
Praise God for the strength and faith of believers in Egypt. Pray for those who have been injured and who are left with horrendous grief. Pray that the Bible Society will remain a source of support and encouragement as they equip churches who are helping the suffering and needy, enabling people to powerfully witness to those around them. Pray that doors will remain open and God's Word will continue to spread.
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Resources for YOU
The team is working away on exciting resources to keep you informed and help your church be part of all that we do here in Bible Society NI.
Look out for our next magazine in September - you will be so blessed to hear of opportunities to connect with Bible Society colleagues around the world, with first hand reports of what God is doing in Cambodia, Egypt, the Middle East... and much more.
Bible Sunday resources are coming together well. If your church doesn't usually set a Sunday aside for this, perhaps you could start a conversation? The free resources will be on our website in mid-August, with sermon outline, kids talk, inspirational project material and eye-opening facts about Bible access around the world. This is too good to miss!
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Speaking Engagements, Events & Visits
During the summer weeks the team are not so engaged in speaking engagements but we have plenty of other things to keep us busy.
Thank you for your prayers for Catherine as she travelled over recent weeks.
God has blessed her with a wealth of experience and inspiration from passionate people working to make God's Word known. We are all reminded of the incredible privilege of being part of the United Bible Societies fellowship and spurred on to see his Kingdom extended through all that we do.
Round Table - Sydney, Australia: Give prayerful thanks for a recent gathering of Bible Society staff from over 100 countries in Sydney, Australia in early July. This was a time of great blessing for Catherine as she was in the company of friends from Bible Societies across the world, to learn from one another, to think about the future and to pray for the work of our global fellowship to reach everyone with God's Word.
Cambodia:
Catherine has so many stories to share from Cambodia following her opportunity to visit the ministry there before heading to Sydney. Praise God for the faith and ministry of the team there. As mentioned, look out for the magazine in September for an inspirational report.
COMING UP
NEW HORIZON: 5-11 August
We will have a presence at New Horizon this year as part of the Mission Exhibition. If you are planning a trip to New Horizon, make sure you pay a visit to the Mission Exhibition. We will be sharing the space with like-minded agencies working to extend God's Kingdom. Mission has been at the heart of this wonderful ministry week since it's beginning in 1989.
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If you have any questions, give us a ring on
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