Jacksons, Missions

Jacksons Update 15th Aug 2017

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Jacksons August Update 2

Give thanks to God for he is good.

The applications for visas are in at a cost of just over £70.  Please pray that our certificates will be granted this week and arrive safely with us in the UK.  We were able to have our obligatory chest x-rays done for £85 altogether.

We have been offered accommodation about half an hour from NetACT’s base at Stellenbosch University.  They run courses in social reformation which sounds like something Dawn could get involved with.

NetACT is interdenominational and is made up of partner colleges including those belonging to the Evangelical Church of West Africa, the Anglican Church in Kenya, Presbyterians and several others. These colleges are located in several countries including Uganda, Burundi, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique.

Pray that the South African immigration authorities will find our applications completely acceptable.

Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update 15th Aug 2017

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Blythswood August Update 2

Talita Kum 1 & 2 and Daniel Centre

Give thanks for another year completed by Talita Kum 1 and Talita Kum 2 projects in Romania.

They are closed for the summer holidays now. 

Pray for the Daniel Centre team in Romania who work closely with the boys.  Pray that the boys’ lives will be transformed.

Give thanks for the Bonus Pastor Foundation, Romania working among addicts and pray for their clients’ healing.

Pray for Pastor Dan Micula and his ministry among the poor and displaced in Popesti, Romania

Barnabas, Missions

Barnabas Update 15th Aug 2017

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Myanmar (Burma) August Update 2

Mob destroys pastor’s house and church

Barnabas Fund Website

On 22 July, a Buddhist mob attacked three Christian homes and a church in a village in Myanmar, allegedly following the conversion of some members of the Buddhist community to Christianity.

The church pastor’s house and the church were completely destroyed, along with several motorbikes owned by Christians.

The pastor and his family are now living on the side of the road. The pastor said, “I and my family decided to serve the Lord in this village, we cannot run from this village, if we die, then we will die.”

Myanmar is 87% Buddhist and in 2015 the government passed a law requiring anyone wishing to change their religion to obtain official approval.

The Persecuted Church Across the World

Persecuted Church Turkey August 2017

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TURKEY – New school curriculum to teach jihad and reinforce “Turkish” identity as Islamic

Barnabas Fund 27/07/2017

The Turkish government has launched a new school curriculum which will officially teach jihad as part of religious education. Students will be taught that the “greater jihad” – usually interpreted as a personal struggle against sin – means “to serve society’s needs.” (The term “lesser jihad” is often used to mean military jihad – war against non-Muslims with the aim of spreading Islam.) The lessons will be rolled out to all students from next year.

The alterations to the Turkish school curriculum appear designed to reinforce ideas of Turkish Islamic nationalism, by indoctrinating students that adherence to Islam equates to adherence to the state. “The real meaning of jihad is loving your nation,” stated the government’s Education Minister.

The Persecuted Church Across the World

Persecuted Church Palestinian 2nd August 2017

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Palestinian Authority creates new social media blasphemy law

Barnabas Fund 27/07/2017

President Abbas of Palestine has enacted a new Cyber Crime Law on his own initiative with penalties harsher than those for thieves and sex offenders.  Why?  The answer is almost certainly that it is part of an attempt to introduce a global Islamic blasphemy law for social media posts.

In 2016, Barnabas Fund reported concerns that Facebook were already censoring posts critical of Islam, particularly by those who had left Islam. Then on 31 May last year an agreement was signed between the EU and major social media sites.  It committed IT websites to remove, within 24 hours, content deemed “offensive” by “civil society organisations.”  The National Secular Society warned that “far from tackling online ‘cyber jihad,’ the agreement risks entrapping any critical discussion of religion under vague ‘hate speech’ rules.”

The Pakistan government called a meeting of 27 Muslim ambassadors, including that of the Palestinian Authority, at the end of March to try to create a global Islamic blasphemy law for social media.   Pakistan’s interior minister has subsequently met with Facebook’s Vice President to discuss the way forward on this.

Jacksons, Missions

Jacksons Update 2nd August 2017

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Jacksons August Update 1

Mission Africa has now decided that it isn’t possible for them to extend their remit to South Africa. But a South African group, NetAct, are extremely keen for Fraser, to run an online African theological library for them, giving him the opportunity to make a huge difference to the quality of theological education and training throughout Africa for many years to come.

 We’re expecting to work freelance alongside NetAct.

The opportunity is quite amazing and it’s incredible how closely Fraser’s talents and experiences fit with the specific role he’s being asked to undertake. Tailor made. He’s also recognising how past work with HTC has been a preparation for this.

On Saturday 16th we plan to have an afternoon at the Hub (DEC) where people could drop in to chat with us.  We’re more than happy to come to Castle Street sometime during 10-19th September as well.

We very much appreciate the support the Mission Team give us. 

It’s an exciting time waiting to see what God’s going to do.  Sometimes I wish it was a bit easier but it’s tremendously worth it.