Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update 2 June 17

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Blythswood Update 2 – June

 Talitha Kum 2

With the benefit of one-to-one tuition at TK2, Jeno can read, write and do basic arithmetic. He knows his times tables and likes to play chess. His Blythswood tutors are confident that he is more than capable of fulfilling his childhood ambition of becoming a tractor driver. 

“Without the support of TK2, Jeno’s reading and writing would be non-existent,” says Carmen Popa who has watched his development in recent years. “He would probably have resorted to stealing like he used to, to feed his younger siblings when they were hungry. 

“You don’t need a driving licence to be a tractor driver, but with learning support Jeno is fully capable of passing the test. We are already speaking to farmers to find one who might be interested in taking him on.” 

Barnabas, Missions

Barnabas Update 2 June 17

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Myanmar Update 2 – June 2017

Open Doors

Please pray for seven Christian families from Myanmar who are living as refugees in India. The Muslim-background believer families have been expelled from a refugee camp in which they had been taking shelter.

“The Muslims in the camp are afraid that they would convert people to Christianity,” wrote our contact. “There are around 1,200 Muslim families in the camp. They need urgent help to rent land and put up tents. Even Amod, a Rohingya Muslim-background believer leader in India, cannot go near the camp to reach out to the believers.”

The Muslim-majority Rohingya people are an ethnic minority in Myanmar. They have become the target of persecution from radical Buddhist groups as well as the Burmese army. Muslim-background believers in the Rohingya tribe face further persecution as they are ostracised by their own people, as well as by the Buddhist majority.

Jacksons, Missions

Jackson’s Update June 17

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Jacksons – June 6th Update

On Thursday Dawn and Fraser fly over to Belfast for the Mission Africa Conference. 

On Friday, we meet with the Mission Council to discuss our future roles. Please pray for alertness and good concentration.  Pray that God’s leading will be clearly discerned by all and that all concerned will have the courage and grace to follow whatever course he reveals.

We know that he has been preparing the way for what’s next for us and will help us through any challenges and obstacles. May God be glorified in our lives and the continued work of Mission Africa.

Pray for safety in travel, flying from Leeds/Bradford airport on election day.

We have all been hit by a debilitating bug over the last week but are glad it happened before the trip to Ireland. Pray for a recovery of strength before we travel.

Pray for a reaching out towards those enslaved by hatred, lies, fear and despair in countries throughout the world.

Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update June 17

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Blythswood Update – June

The modified “therapeutic community” approach, in the Christian environment of the Daniel Centre, enables young men to integrate into society. They learn to cook, wash and iron, to keep their rooms clean and tidy and to help with jobs around the Centre. They progress to semi-independent living in on-site apartments while learning to budget their money and take care of themselves. 

Those who have achieved independence still regard the Daniel Centre as home, knowing that there is always an open door.

Barnabas, Missions

Barnabas Update June 17

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Myanmar Update – June 2017

Open Doors

Amod is on the run. He’s from the Rohingya (Muslim) tribe and converted to Christianity after 33 years as a Muslim. Christian Rohingyas are doubly disadvantaged. The country refuses to acknowledge them and the Rohingya tribe rejects Christians who’ve converted from Islam.

Amod maintains his witness and pastors Rohingya Christian families who are now scattered. His vision is to see 500,000 Rohingyas come to Christ before he dies.

Attempts to build trust between the Burmese army, insurgents and minority groups, including Christians, have so far met with little success.

Conversion from Buddhism to Christianity is seen as betrayal of family, community and even country. Church leaders are targeted by radical Buddhists in order to paralyse the church. Local communities put extreme pressure on believers from Buddhist and Muslim backgrounds to reconvert.

Blythswood, Missions

Blythswood Update May 17

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Blythswood Update – May

The Suits on Bikes Group (Businessmen who do sponsored bike rides on behalf of Talita Kum) held a sponsored ride at Royal Deeside on 12th May.

Blythswood is requesting prayer for a planned extension to the Daniel Centre and for the necessary permits and funds to come in good time. 

A team from Inverness Royal Academy will be leaving for Romania on 24th June to help with the Talita Kum project.

Other teams will be going out to Romania at the same time from Culloden Academy and Millburn Academy to help out with other Blythswood projects.

Jacksons, Missions

Jackson’s Update May 17

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Jacksons

Continue to pray for Fraser, Dawn and family as they await guidance on their own future.

Nigeria Update – May

Christian Solidarity Worldwide

Thousands of Christians and other non-Muslim religious minorities in Central Nigeria are being killed by Fulani militia.  In 2014, the militia was named the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index.

Whole villages – men, women and children – are being wiped out, their land taken away and their homes destroyed.

These attacks, which are decimating families, are also contributing to an emerging famine, as people are too scared to work in the fields, where the Fulani militia members wait to attack them at their most vulnerable.

In the south of Kaduna State in central Nigeria, more than 800 men, women and children have already been killed and over 10,000 have fled their homes, according to the Catholic Diocese of Kafancha.

Barnabas, Missions

Barnabas Update May 17

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Barnabas Update – May

Despite the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and her winning a parliamentary seat in April 2012, little has changed for Burma’s Christians. The military continues to pursue its agenda of intimidation, violence, rape and trafficking against ethnic minority groups, many of whom are majority Christian.

They face targeted and severe abuse for both their ethnicity and their faith. The Burmese military has continued to intimidate and harass pastors and other Christian workers, disrupt worship services and destroy churches. In impoverished areas, Christian children are enticed to join government-run schools, where they are prevented from practising their faith and beaten for failing to recite Buddhist scriptures.

 Barnabas Fund assists Christians in Burma (Myanmar), with:

  • Bible distribution,
  • support for orphans,
  • widows and refugees,
  • the construction of churches and Christian schools.

Barnabas has also provided Kachin refugees with emergency aid, including shoes for 1,000 needy children.