Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Blythswood Update – December 18th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Balazs, the Director of the Daniel Centre, is also Blythswood’s Head of Operations for their work in Romania.

Although a young resident has been causing disruption with his strong LGB agenda, this has caused some of the other residents to more positively rally round Titi the cook who has often been on the receiving end of the young man’s disruptive behaviour.

The other young resident who was showing signs of serious depression has quit his job in McDonalds and hopes to start work in a local sympathetic filling station where other Daniel Centre residents work.

Pakistan accepted only one of the two containers of shoe boxes assigned to it this year, so Balazs has been the surprise recipient of 3000 unexpected extra boxes.

Talita Kum

James Campbell, the Blythswood CEO, was over in Romania this past month, shooting next year’s video for the 2020 shoebox appeal.

Adi, the director of the Talita Kum project, is still mired in all the bureaucracy required to access the EU funding for the building of Talita Kum 3 and 4 and for the running costs of all four Talita Kum houses.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Barnabas Update – December 18th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Al Shabaab kill eight Christians in Kenya attack

Barnabas Fund, 12 December 2019

Christians and non-Muslims were singled out and killed when suspected Al Shabaab extremists attacked a bus in northern Kenya on 6 December.

The bus was forced to a halt by the militants on the Somali border, as it travelled from Nairobi to Mandera.

The militants allowed Muslims to go free before killing at least eleven non-local passengers, eight of whom were Christians.  7 of the murdered Christians were unarmed policemen returning to work after a period of leave.

The terrorists are thought to have identified the non-Muslims by the fact that they were not local people. That area of Kenya is 99% Muslim, but Kenya as a whole is over 80% Christian.  Please pray in the run up to Christmas when extremist attacks on Christians often increase.

Al Shabaab militants have singled out Christians for execution-style murder in 2 previous bus attacks in Kenya. 

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Jacksons Update – December 18th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Answered prayer: Faiek in Maximum now has earphones to help shut out sounds programmes that tempt him.  A responsible job in reception also helps the days pass faster. He wants to thank everyone who prays for him.

Lungile in Medium A took part in the Restorative Justice week.   Pray for him to be able to step out and see how God will meet him and be able to leave the prison gang.

December is extremely hot in prisons and tempers fray.  Last week there were two stabbing incidents in local prisons.

Justin, Ricardo, Keenan, Quintin and Sylvester are being released from prison in the next few weeks. Pray that what they’ve learned about God will stay with them and guide their lives in the right paths.

The power cuts started on Thursday afternoon, just after Fraser had finished the library portal training – another prayer answered.  Give thanks that the electricity is now working again.

Over the year he’s trained 66 people, representing 48 NetACT partner colleges, in the use of the internet portal.  Pray that they would be able to pass that training on to their staff and students and also to the few colleges who were unable to send representatives.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Blythswood Update – December 9th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Balazs, the Director of the Daniel Centre, had a good and satisfactory meeting with Blythswood in Deephaven 2 weeks ago.

He asks prayer for a young resident who is currently causing disruption with his strong LGB agenda and yet the abuses in Romanian society that lead to so many young men ending up in heart-breaking lifestyles.

The other resident who shares a unit with this first young man is showing signs of serious depression.

The shoeboxes have arrived, but significantly fewer were requested this year by the NGOs who distribute them for Blythswood – an indication that Romania is making real progress in escaping from previous widespread poverty.

Talita Kum

The Romanian bank has asked Blythswood to redo the grant proposal for EU building cost funding for Talita Kum 3 and 4 – possible but time-consuming and annoying.

More concerning is that the Romanian government department tasked with releasing EU funding for the running costs of TK3 and TK4 over the next three years has turned down the grant proposal and Blythswood may have to source alternative funds for that purpose.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Barnabas Update – December 9th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Public outcry in Turkey gets good result

Barnabas Fund, 29 November 2019

A public outcry in Turkey over anti-Christian and anti-Semitic billboards displaying a quote from the Quran declaring that Muslims should not befriend Christians or Jews, has led to their removal by authorities.

The billboards, which were displayed at bus stops throughout the city of Konya, had a drawing of a Christian cross and Jewish star of David splattered with blood next to chapter 5 verse 51 of the Quran that states, “Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies.”

The quote goes on to state, “They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”

Concerned members of the public complained that the posters could incite religious hatred and that the content was “hateful” to religious minorities. Both Jews and Christians are tiny minorities in this 98% Muslim country.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Jacksons Update – December 9th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Ricardo in Stellenbosch is wary of committing to Christ in prison, worried that he’ll fall away when he gets out.  Pray that he’ll understand what he’s missing by avoiding true commitment to Jesus now.

Denzil in Maximum finds it dangerous to trust others. Faiek, sentenced for rape and murder, is all too aware of his problem with lust. Pray for those in prison who find it difficult to trust anyone or battle with their demons, even if they are believers. May each one be able to identify at least one other whom he can trust.

All the participants in the NetAct library training in Wellington this week have arrived from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. Pray that the training will go well and be an encouraging time of fellowship.

When Ruth arrives on December 9th, we’ll be taking a bit of a rest after a hectic year.  James has decided to stay in the UK over Christmas.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Blythswood Update – November 20th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Balazs, the Director of the Daniel Centre, visited Deephaven this week and Robert was able to meet him in person for the first time.  Balazs has been involved with Blythswood and the Daniel Centre for many years now and does a very faithful and committed work with young Romanians as they transition from school to making their way in the workplace.   Pray for the Christian impact of the Daniel Centre on these young men and their impact in turn on the wider Romanian society.

The young men of the Daniel Centre have just finished a Christianity Explored Course and hope to continue with a follow-up Bible study.

 Talita Kum

 Continue to pray for the current financial situation at Talita Kum.  In order to release EU funding for Talita Kum 3 and 4, the director Adrien Poppa has to come up with a considerable down payment which will then be returned to their project or the equivalent collateral.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Barnabas Update – November 20th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

“Why is house church worship a crime?”

Barnabas Fund, 7 November 2019

Iranian Christian Naser Goltapeh wrote an open letter from his prison cell on 1 November questioning why worshipping in house churches is an “action against national security”.

The Farsi-speaking convert from Islam, who was remanded in the notorious Evin prison and sentenced to serve a ten-year term in January 2018, wrote, “Today marks more than two years since I have been detained in prison for the fabricated charge of acting against national security by running house churches …”.

“I do not know by what logic or under which crime this heavy sentence has been imposed upon me. I hope that Christ’s love will spread through the voice of imprisoned Christians throughout the world,” wrote Naser.

He noted that Christians are one of Iran’s recognised religious minorities that “are free to practise their religion” under the constitution.

Naser was arrested in July 2017 during a police raid on a church meeting. He was convicted of assembling in an “illegal gathering” that “threatens the security of Iran”.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Jacksons Update – November 20th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Steven in Maximum, a general in the 28 prison gang until he became a Christian a few years ago, has been having flashbacks which are now distracting him from his communication with Jesus. Faiek is committed to Jesus but knows he still has a problem with lustful thoughts.

Nico was committed to the 28 prison gang until April this year when he left the gang to follow Jesus. He has a great desire to learn all he can about God as he serves out the remainder of his sentence and then to teach the youth outside.  Pray for the protection of Steven, Faiek and Nico against spiritual attacks. 

The NetAct internet library portal training is finally set for the first week of December and all the participants have their passports.  A NetACT journal is to be launched and there will a changeover at the head of NetACT due to the present head retiring.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Blythswood Update – November 6th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Among all the residents at the Daniel Centre with their complex issues and the major challenges this presents for the staff, there are encouragements.

Julian, though he is a disaster at looking after his room, holds down a job in the local Ikea furniture factory and cooked a beautiful meal for those who recently participated in the Christianity Explored session.

Alix, who is struggling with the prospect of soon having to leave the Daniel Centre, and Aline who has been gone from the Centre now for two years, are both solid workers and are both showing spiritual promise.

An Irish friend with experience in counselling NGOs will be visiting Balazs to help him create a Wheel of Life manual to allow him to better measure the progress the young men make in the areas of happiness, satisfaction and self-esteem during their years in the Daniel Centre.  

 

Talita Kum

 Adi may have to repay part of a local government grant for TK1 and 2 – the fiscal authorities are claiming that he received too much this past year.  The local government won’t help him sue over this but will increase next year’s grant to compensate for any money given back this year.

EU funding for the TK4 infrastructure has been signed and implemented, but funding for TK3 design and running costs has been evaluated but the contract not yet signed.  Once signed, the money should be available in 60 days.