Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – March 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Saudi convert to Christianity faces problems

Barnabas Fund, 15 March 2021

A Christian convert in Saudi Arabia faces two court cases as well as threats of violence against him and his family.

The convert, named only as “A”, appeared in court on 11 March 2021 on charges of trying to convert Muslims. The charges arose from a restaurant conversation in 2020, in which he allegedly discussed his own conversion to Christianity.

A second court case, scheduled for 26 March, concerns alleged financial misconduct relating to assistance “A” gave his sister, also a convert to Christianity, for her and her children to flee Saudi Arabia.

The sister’s husband has threatened violence against “A”’s wife and son, who may be vulnerable to attack should “A” be imprisoned.

“A” has already spent time in prison and suffered flogging for his faith in Christ and for helping his sister leave the country.

No Saudi Christian convert from Islam is known to have been executed in recent times, but some have been murdered by their families. The number of Saudi nationals who are Christians is unknown.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – March 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Castle Street Church had a very encouraging evening Zoom session with Fraser and Dawn on March 7th.

It’s a sign of real spiritual maturity when incarcerated people admit that they would rather be in prison and experience the relationship and life change which Jesus offers than be on the outside imprisoned by sin. Thank God that Dawn has been able to lead the Bible study in Drakenstein Medium A again and get into Maximum too.  

Pray that prison officers would not take their Covid-fatigue out upon the inmates. Pray for freedom from fear, safety in their dangerous jobs and that their influence would help to show a better way of living.

 An inmate in Medium A has identified as a satanist and is requesting a visit from his “spiritual worker”. Pray for wisdom for the overall prison chaplain, Mr Mouriss, and the medium A chaplain, Mr Pekeur. Pray that the man will listen to those who try to counsel him, that the power of God will sweep over him and he will see the truth.

A Covid-related shortage of electronic equipment in South Africa is holding up Fraser’s new laptop. Please pray it would come very soon before the old one gets so bad that he can no longer do his work and has to take a holiday.

Fraser asks for insight and wisdom for himself and the other church elders as they discuss how the church should be post-covid.

Dawn had a good meeting at Zebulun church – the meetings are going well.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update – March 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

André and Gaby have currently found work but Cipri is in hospital for assessment.  Silveu is no longer bringing friends to the Centre but did not come home one night.

There have now been offers for developing the depot and an offer by one tenant to take over those made redundant when Blythswood closed their charity shop.

The Hungarian government’s Volunteer League have not come on board to find volunteers for the school which Blythswood sponsor in Kenya.

More negatively, a social agency which offers 2 years of rent-free accommodation to young people, and receiving considerable EU funding for this, has been irresponsibly trying to lure young residents away from the Daniel Centre with no offer of any other kind of care.

Talita Kum

The local government had voted 6-0 with 6 abstentions against retaining tax exempt status for Talita Kum, which has been demoralising for Adi. 

The rejection of his proposal for EU funds for the running costs for TKs 1-4 probably means that the whole TK3 and TK4 project will have to be dropped.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – March 3rd 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Boko Haram death-threat ultimatum to pastor

Barnabas Fund, 1 March 2021

Islamist terror group Boko Haram has given the Nigerian government until 3 March to save the life of Pastor Bulus Yakuru, abducted in Borno State on Christmas Eve.

The militants snatched the pastor during a raid on the predominantly Christian village of Pemi, about 20 km from Chibok, in which eleven people were killed on 24 December. The gunmen went on to murder five Christians abducted in the region as a so-called “Christmas present”.

In a video recently released by Boko Haram, Pastor Bulus pleaded with President Buhari, the Borno State Governor, and the Christian Association of Nigeria to intervene to secure his release.

While one of the terrorists stands behind him with a knife, the pastor was filmed saying that his captors gave him an ultimatum on 24 February, threatening to kill him a week from that date.

“If you want me alive, I beg you in your capacity as president, the governor and our local government chairman to save me from this suffering … Please pray for me … Please release me from this pain,” said Pastor Bulus.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – March 3rd 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

A staff member from one of the NetACT partner colleges in Ethiopia has reported that the civil war/unrest in the Tigray region has left the region highly unstable. Hunger and rape are being used as weapons in the ongoing conflict.

28 articles have been submitted  for the second issue of the NetACT journal.  Based on the quality of the journal submissions, NetACT is trying to organise an online writers’ workshop later in the year.

On Tuesday Dawn had a meeting with Ashley, Heston and his wife Magdalena to discuss the discipleship groups connected with the church Heston pastors which draws its members from a Wellington area plagued by gangs.  Dawn and Ashley will be attending the Zebulun church youth group on Friday night and then having a group for adults on Saturday afternoon.

Dawn got into prison today! At very short notice but it was good to see the men in Medium A.  When asked for prayer requests, the consensus was for the ability to follow Jesus, be self-controlled and choose to love despite provocation (we had been looking at 1 Peter).

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update – March 3rd 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

André, Gaby, Cipri and Alix have found work in a local factory in Cluj.  Silveu has brought questionable friends back to the Centre and needs to improve his attitude.

Istvan  has moved out with friends, probably a permanent goodbye.  Alix has suicidal moments and has spent €2000, which he can ill afford, on a hair transplant which he doesn’t really need.

Covid infections are rising again in Romania.   There have been no tenders yet for developing the Blythswood’s depot.

Balazs hopes the Hungarian Presbyterian church will join the Hungarian government to help with the school Blythswood sponsor in Kenya.

Talita Kum

Adi has unfortunately lost an appeal against the local government’s removal of tax exempt status for Talita Kum and his proposal for EU funds for the running costs for TKs 1-4 has again been turned down.  Bureaucratic nit-picking is a major hurdle for projects like these in Romania.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – February 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Myanmar – shoot, “punish and breakdown” civilians

Barnabas Fund, 16 February 2021

Amid widespread mass protests in Myanmar, a chilling Myanmar Army document was discovered instructing soldiers to “punish and breakdown” ethnic-minority Christians and other civilians deemed to be against the military regime, or even appearing critical of it in social media posts.

The official document lists a sequence of actions that military personnel should take including firing a 12mm weapon at individuals or using a 38mm weapon on groups of civilians.  Regional reports show military patrols have escalated from carrying side-arms to automatic rifles.

Christian leaders in the region requested prayer for the people of Myanmar and for a “change of heart” of army and coup leaders. “Please pray for the Karen people in hiding in the jungle,” they asked.

Thousands of Christian villagers fled military bombardment in Karen State to take refuge in remote jungle on 1 February, the same day as the Myanmar leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was ousted in a military coup.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – February 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Fraser had a very positive meeting on Monday aimed at making world scholarship available in Africa and African scholarship available to the world.  A hard-drive loaded with resources to be put on the NetACT portal has gone missing in Stellenbosch University library office.

Pray for the leaders of Hope Prison Ministry as they plan for the coming year.  We hope that “spiritual workers” will be allowed back into the prisons by next week.

Dawn and Ashley have visited another minister to discuss the idea of small groups.

South African visas which have expired have been extended until the end of March, so please continue to pray that Dawn’s visa application will be properly granted soon.

The Nehemiah Bible Institute in Wellington concentrates on training ‘informal’ church leaders, some with only a Primary School education, and needs imaginative ways to use the Portal for this training.

 Young boys and adolescents are being reinforced by pit-bull owners in the idea that violence and intimidation are what makes a man.  Pray that someone will promote a healthy alternative, a model of manhood that honours God and teaches true respect, not “respect” through fear.

Inreach groups in Nigeria are closed due to terrorist threats but threats against staff in Jos continue. Pray also for the 120 people from a Muslim background who were converted through Inreach and moved to a discipleship centre last year where they now need to remain for security reasons.

It seems unlikely that we’ll be back to the UK this summer, so if anyone could arrange a video chat, a Zoom meeting or record an interview with us, please get in touch.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update – February 17th 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

André, Gaby and Cipri still have no work but Daniel continues with online school and has a part-time electrician’s job.  The new resident Silveu has already found work with a construction company.

Soreen is now trying to move out with friends, not a good idea.  Marian has a job fixing tyres to earn enough to refurbish his new flat.  Alix will likely have to leave the Centre at the end of March because of his attitude.

Covid infections are falling in Romania.  Blythswood is now awaiting offers for the development of their depot.

Balazs has had an excellent meeting with the Hungarian government representative – they are very open to sponsoring 24 months of volunteering and also for building an extra room for the school in Kenya.

Talita Kum

TK1 is now back to providing afternoon care as the Romanian schools are open again for grades 1-4.   TK2 is still open the mornings as well in their normal afterschool mode.

Adi’s appeal has passed another milestone in acquiring EU funds for running costs for TKs 1-4.  There is still a considerable shortfall, however, for getting TK3 and TK4 up and running.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – February 3rd 2021

by Robert MacNaughton

Hindu ceremony on church grounds

Barnabas Fund, 19 January 2021

A significant Hindu religious ceremony to a Hindu deity was held on the grounds of a Christian church in Goa, India.

About 25 people performed the Hindu pooja on 30 December directly in front of the Church’s historic façade, which is also a protected regional monument.

At the time of the incident almost 2,000 Christians were worshipping in the church.

At the time of writing, a First Information Report had not yet been made by the police, which is the necessary first step to police responding to a complaint. The South Goa Police Superintendent said this was due to ongoing investigations.

Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code forbids “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony” and Section 295A, protects all citizens against “deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli­gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli­gious beliefs”.

An Indian Christian leader described the incident as “very insidious”. “There have been several incidents like this in the past. There are also attempts to conduct Hindu worship near or even in these Christian worship places. It is primarily an attempt to reduce and even deny sacred places to Christians and Muslims.”