Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World

Good Friday holiday reinstated in Indian state, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

World Watch Monitor March 29, 2018

Widespread protests have forced the government in Christian-majority Meghalaya State in north-east India to restore the Good Friday holiday.

The coalition government had declared that Good Friday would be a normal “working day”, but the move was withdrawn on Tuesday, 27 March.

P.B.M. Basaiawmoit, a Presbyterian Church member wrote a letter to key government officials as soon as he heard about the plan on Saturday, 24 March.

In his letter, he had questioned why Christians were being denied the religious freedom guaranteed to them under the constitution.

Meanwhile, leaders of the National Awakening Movement also sought “clarification” on the order, saying, “This decision was against the sentiments of the Christians and against the provisions of the constitution.”

Basaiawmoit said. “This cannot be seen in isolation from the BJP becoming a part of the ruling coalition after the February election.”

Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World

Turkey, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

Steadfast Global, 16th March

Please pray as a matter of urgency for Pastor Andrew Brunson who was formally charged on 13 March with being a member of the terrorist group connected with Fetullah Güllen.

The indictment issued by the prosecutor in Izmir Province is demanding a life sentence for Andrew if convicted.

The indictment has been passed to the courts where a decision will be made as to whether the case should proceed to trial.

Andrew has been in custody since October 2016.

Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World

Egyptian government gives legality to 53 churches, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

Barnabas Fund, 22 March 2018

A special Egyptian committee legalised 53 Egyptian churches and related buildings in February, but thousands more still await registration.

In January 2018, the Egyptian government announced that Christians would be officially allowed to hold meetings in unlicensed buildings, pending their formal recognition as places of worship.

Thousands of churches in Egypt have never been officially registered. The previous restrictions made the process so difficult that many congregations had no option but to worship illegally in unlicensed buildings.

Despite the present repeal, a local court in Atfih handed down a large fine to the owner of an unlicensed church building on 31 January.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

Talita Kum

Continue to give God thanks for those in Blythswood and their Romanian partners who are committed to working with these younger children in Talita Kum – the seeds of future Romania.  Pray for the power and grace to keep on loving when children prove difficult to handle.

Many of these children would have no other opportunity to see the Christian faith being lived out daily and may have seen all kinds of questionable behaviour.  So please remember those Romanians who have been called by God to pour their lives into the young.

 Daniel Centre

Please continue to pray for Daniel Centre’s staff and volunteers.

 Young men who have had to fend for themselves and learn to be independent are now having to learn how to live in a close community supervised by committed Christians and with other young men drawn from a variety of backgrounds.  That can prove a bridge too far for many young men.

 But the power of God can break down barriers and defences and open up these lives for unlimited Christian growth and potential.  The daily spiritual dynamic of the Centre is critical for the future of these young men.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

Christians in hiding as Turkish forces seize Afrin

Barnabas Fund, 22 March 2018

Christians in Afrin in northern Syrian went into hiding on 18 March and villages were reportedly “cleared” of Christians and other religious minorities as Turkish armed forces and Syrian rebels seized control from Kurdish militia.

Jihadist militants fighting with Turkish armed forces are eliminating the presence of religious minorities and “consider Yazidis ‘infidels’, while announcing that if you kill Christians, you will go straight to paradise.”

“This horror is reminiscent of the initial actions of ISIS in Iraq … This situation foreshadows ethnic cleansing and genocide,” said Nadia Murad, a Yazidi genocide survivor.

Instead of protecting Christians, Kurdish militia have been known to conscript them to fight against the Turkish army.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update, April 4th 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

There has been exciting contact with a Cape Town organisation which makes Christian resources available online at a non-academic level.  They are keen to collaborate with NetACT, already coming up with solutions to technical challenges that Fraser was expecting to have to deal with. 

 Invited by the Head of the local High School to address the assembly after the Easter break, Pastor Christopher volunteered Dawn.  Exciting, but sometimes a bit daunting.

 We will can move into a more permanent house next week and finally settle after 5 months here.  Much of the furniture (and the house) will be provided by Hugenote College. 

 We now have plane tickets and health insurance for James and Ruth to visit us this summer.  Some things are worth far more than their monetary value.

 Pray for the safety of the Muslim converts still in their village in Nigeria.  There’s a lot of opposition towards the women.

 Paul recently led an InReach training session and, during one of the breaks, strolled out and bought food for a group of “undesirables” sitting under a tree.  He met them again the next day and introduced several of them to Jesus as Lord and Saviour.  The local pastor was convicted that for many years he had been propagating the doctrines of his denomination instead of the love of Jesus. 

 Thank God for a huge prayer gathering in an area of Cape Town where few white people had been before.  Dawn also visited a local Muslim community festival, about the only white person there.  Pray that Jesus’ followers will realise that all barriers can be overcome by His love.

Jacksons, Missions

Jacksons Update, March 21st 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

A house has become available on Samuel campus which should provide an opportunity to get involved in the lives of students living there.  May we clearly see the implications of such a move before deciding. 

 Hugenote College could well have fibre optic internet connection by the time you read this.  Pray that the installation will go smoothly.

Pray for people who can contribute to the God-glorifying ethos of Hugenote College to be found to fill vacant posts.

 A retired English teacher is happy to help Dawn with Afrikaans.  Dawn and Pastor Christopher visited a local high school about the Homework Club and asked if they could help with anything else. The headmaster said poverty and drugs. 

 Pray that drug lords who walk the streets of Wellington will go out of business, smothered in Christ’s love.  Dawn is also thinking of a parenting course which needs groundwork and relationship building before it can start.

 A movement of prayer for repentance, renewal and rain is growing in the Western Cape.  Thousands are expected at a prayer meeting in Cape Town on March 24th. 

 Pray for our children James and Ruth studying in the UK and for good health, security and safety on the roads.

Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update March 21st 2018

by Robert MacNaughton

Talita Kum

Every God-given ministry requires faithfulness, integrity and perseverance.  Pray for those called to work among the children of Talita Kum, that their example will inspire the children with whom they work and that their example will live on in the memory of these children throughout their adult years.

 Pray that God will bring to Talita Kum the children of His purpose and that the influence of Talita Kum and the adults who run it will spread not only to the children but also to their families and the wider Romanian community.

 Daniel Centre

Relationships formed in our late teens can last with us for many years.  Pray that the relationships that the young men of the Daniel Centre form with each other will continue to strengthen and encourage them far beyond the years that they spend there.

Pray that the staff of the Centre will be encouraged to see fruit from their labours and have the strength and faith to go on loving and inspiring the young men even when the inevitable problems arise and when the spiritual enemy endeavours to undermine their labours.

Jacksons, Missions

Jackson’s Update March 2018

by Webmaster

Jacksons – March Update 1

 

Give thanks that people are coming forward to help with the homework club.

 

Fraser’s still waiting to hear from Stellenbosch IT Dept if they will host the library internet portal.  If they say no, pray we’ll identify an alternative which is both workable and within NetACT’s budget.

 

Pray for Sihle and Xosile, two of the regulars at Dawn’s Monday afternoon student group.  Both are Xhosa-speakers who have an enthusiastic desire to spread the knowledge of God’s kingdom in love, obedience and awesomeness. 

 

Pray that Dawn’s efforts to learn Afrikaans will be successful and conversations will go beyond buying a cup of coffee.

Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update March 2018

by Webmaster

Blythswood – March Update 1  

Talita Kum

Continue to give God thanks for those in Blythswood and also their Romanian partners who are committed to working with these younger children in Talita Kum – the seeds of future Romania.

 

Many of these children would have no other opportunity to see the Christian faith being lived out on a daily basis.  So please remember those Romanians who have been called by God to pour their lives into the young.

 

Daniel Centre

Please continue to pray for Daniel Centre’s staff and volunteers.

 

It is not always easy to adapt from living on your own, or perhaps in a dysfunctional family, to living in a close community supervised by committed Christians and with other young men drawn from a variety of backgrounds.

 

Yet the potential for making a great change in your community is there.  The daily spiritual dynamic of the Centre is critical for the future of these young men.