NEWS END OF JANUARY 2014

Dear Friends,

10th January we had a semi-formal meeting at the home of an ex-teacher of our bible school in Yala. It was very encouraging. Then a recent graduate from secondary school, now a mature family man with advanced training and many years experience of theological teaching under his belt, pray that his coming into leadership in our bible teaching programme around Yala will bring fruitful results. Pray for the next meeting of the Gem Bible Institute to be held at my home 14th February.

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO RECORDINGS BELOW OF THE SPEAKERS AT THE WORKSHOP WE HAD IN CALIFORNIA LAST SEPTEMBER:

It is amazing that I now seem to have a role in the Middle East ! A constant flow of young people is coming through the Coptic Centre where I do office work and spend some days every week. By far the most are of Egyptian ethnicity. Many of those who come are now living in the West, but some also are coming from different parts of the Arab world. They come here on holiday, to have spiritual retreat, to get to know the church better, and so on. I am able to have quality conversations with many of these young people. They frequently ask a lot of questions about my own ministry, and especially my calling. Usually fluent English speakers, it amazes me that I should get such privileged access to young people from hitherto to me such unknown parts of the world. Pray that I be be able to encourage and inspire them.

Our theological teaching programme over the internet has started. Here's the flyer for it. It is all in Swahili (follow the link below for more details in English.)

Neno-la-Bwana.

It is amazing, and very encouraging, to find some of the young people who were once my children and staying in my home, themselves taking in other children who are orphaned or otherwise seriously disadvantaged. The mind boggles to think where such a multiplying effect of one’s ministry might lead!

Good news; EMQ (Evangelical Missions Quarterly), a very widely distributed and read missions journal, has asked for a copy of my latest book to review! Because of a lack of people to assist us administratively in the AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission), we have not been able to promote the book ourselves. To find people coming to search for the book to review it is an encouraging sign that it is provoking interest.

The service finished. I thought it was time to go home! Instead everyone was transfixed listening to the prophetess foretelling in a constant monotone while crouched on her knees on the floor. Because she spoke of local people and contexts, it was very hard for me to follow what she said. I was reminded of the slave-girl in Acts 16:16. Unlike Paul, I did not attempt to drive out the spirit of fortune-telling. A few days later … I was thinking about what to share with another indigenous church. Hearing them, I realised that the message I had in mind could be confrontational. I shared it anyway. I sensed people’s prior beliefs being strongly challenged by the gospel of Jesus.

Please pray for the process that I am going through of seeking for a renewed work-permit that I need as of June 2014. Pray for us, as we take in a new 9 year old orphan boy at home this week.

Jim