Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update – November 9th 2022

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

There were concerns from their night supervisor Sergiu that he had detected the smell of marijuana when some of the lads were having a party downstairs but the boys have categorically denied this.  The day supervisor Danny has also admitted to the occasional joint.  A recent addition to the residents, Darian, evidences an addiction to slot machines and perhaps to drugs and there is concern that he is funding his ‘hobbies’ through shoplifting.

Louisa continues to profit from regular counselling and a Christian Aid guru will do a safeguarding and accountability course with her when she visits Romania next week.  Louisa feels she needs more excitement and challenge in her work.

James Campbell, the head of Blythswood, has recently visited Balazs to see their projects in the Ukraine and Romania.  Overseas funding has dropped for the Blythswood projects, probably war-weariness in the West, and they plan a new appeal in the New Year.  In the meantime, they will be cutting down the number of projects they can support from 14 to 6.  Most of the shoe-box distribution will now have to devolve to local groups and churches which receive the bulk of the shoeboxes in Romania and the Ukraine.

Talita Kum

Adi will keep TK1 and TK2 separate till the end of the year with 84 mostly Roma primary school and 4 high school children and then relocate the TK1 children to the TK2 building because of heating and lighting costs.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – November 2nd 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Barnabas Fund, 26 October 2022 (excerpts)

Burkina Faso is in danger from Islamist militants, warned army Captain Ibrahim Traore when he was sworn in as interim president of the country on 21 October.

“We are confronted with a security and humanitarian crisis without precedent,” said Traore, who ousted his predecessor, the military leader Paul-Henri Damiba, in a coup on 30 September.

“Our aims are none other than the reconquest of territory occupied by these hordes of terrorists,” he added. “Burkina’s existence is in danger.”

Damiba himself had seized power in January, forcing out Burkina Faso’s last elected president, Roch Kabore.

Both coups resulted from anger among soldiers at the authorities’ failure to curtail Islamist groups who have carried out relentless attacks on civilians, many of them targeted at Christians, at the cost of thousands of lives.

Since 2015, jihadi violence has spread from neighbouring Mali and Niger to affect most regions of Burkina Faso, particularly the north and north-east.

It is estimated that Islamist groups control at least 40 per cent of the country and that two million people have been forced from their homes because of the insurgency.

More than 6,000 schools are shut, 50,000 teachers are without work, many thousands of children have no education, the terrorists prevent people from farming and carry away all the cattle.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – November 2nd 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Everything seems to be in place for Fraser’s trip to Lesotho next week.  One of the trainees is so keen that he has already started using the software. 

Ryan Faber, an American missionary based in Zambia, has agreed to take responsibility for updating contact details for the NetACT community. 

Dawn’s session at Maximum was again cancelled, this time because there was no member of staff available to sit in with the Bible study.

The Drakenstein Prison Commissioner is not friendly towards spiritual work within the prisons and has the capacity to block many things.  Pray that she’ll see how God can make an unimaginable difference in the lives and behaviour of the men, that she’ll rise above the character she’s displaying at the moment and that whatever makes her hostile will be overcome by God’s healing touch.

We still don’t know if the twice postponed Restorative Justice process at Drakenstein Medium A will go ahead from November 28th.  Sometimes the inmates lob difficult questions at Dawn and Hylma.  Pray for wisdom and the ability to communicate clearly.

Pray for Alfred in Medium A who longs to break the cycle of prison – release – prison in his life.  He has never had a South African ID number and South Africa is a country where it’s hard to do anything without your ID card.  

A man whom Dawn was trying to help get over alcohol problems has starting drinking again to the dismay of his family.  Pray for wisdom for Dawn as she tries to help.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – October 19th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Barnabas Fund, 4 October 2022 (excerpts)

Ashwini Upadhyay has requested India’s Supreme Court to implement a nationwide anti-conversion law.  The court on 23 September asked the federal government to submit a response to the petition by 14 November.

Upadhyay argued that “The injury caused to the citizens is extremely large because there is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by ‘hook and crook’.”

11 Indian states have anti-conversion laws that criminalise seeking converts through force, fraud or allurement. These are often misused by extremists as or an excuse for attacking Christians and Muslims.

A similar petition from Upadhyay in the Delhi High Court was dismissed for lack of evidence earlier this year.  On that occasion the two High Court judges asked, “Where are the statistics?  How many conversions happened?  Who is converted?  You say mass conversion is happening, where is the number?”

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also opined that “conversion is not prohibited in law”, and that the “right to choose and profess any religion” is “a constitutional right”.

India’s higher courts have a consistent recent record of upholding the rights of Christians.  In March 2022 the Supreme Court rejected a request to monitor the activities of Indian evangelists, declaring to the petitioners, “You are actually disturbing the harmony with these kinds of petitions.”

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – October 19th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

As Fraser hasn’t been back in the UK since November 2017 we planned for him to go for a few weeks in December/January.  Due to expense, Dawn was going to remain in South Africa.  The Lord is very kind.  Some South Africans were concerned that we would be apart, so offered to buy a ticket for Dawn. 

Fraser’s trip to the Theological Seminary in Lesotho is now set for 7th to 11th November.   Unless the South African Department of Home Affairs gets our new visas organised before then, he will be travelling across international borders (and back, hopefully) on the receipt for our visa applications.  We have been assured it’ll be recognised but it still feels like an act of faith.

Dawn was expecting to be part of Restorative Justice in Drakenstein Medium A this week but it has been postponed again until the last week in November.  Pray that the inmates who’d been expecting to take part will not be discouraged and that these extra weeks will be times of fruitful preparation for them and the ministry team.

Pray for the leadership and team of Hope Prison Ministry.  We all have different ideas about how things should be done.  May the light of Christ shine overwhelmingly through each person.

The usual Tuesday Bible studies at Drakenstein were cancelled too today.  Pray that the men will not be cast down but will be able to draw strength from their individual relationships with Jesus.

Some people may regard the postponement of the RJ as an opportunity to accumulate health and strength: Dawn sees it as more of a chance to catch something else.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Blythswood Update – October 19th 2022

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Cipri and Julian have been preparing to ease into independent living but Cipri is perhaps beginning to have cold feet.  Damien has returned to the Daniel Centre but his attitude is not good.  He has called the police to complain about two of the other lads but the police have fortunately seen through his scheming.

Louisa has been profiting from more regular counselling over her expectations of her colleagues.

The older Ukrainian lady in the Centre apartment has found a new calling as a cook for the Daniel Centre and prepares two meals a week for the lads.  An interesting chemistry is developing between herself and the lads as they enjoy and react to her angry Russian language outbursts which they don’t understand.

Balazs has completed his report on how the first phase of Christian Aid money was used in the Ukraine and the second year of Christian Aid money for the Ukraine has now been granted.

Talita Kum

Adi is seriously considering having to close the TK2 building and the Talita Kum project for 2 months in the winter because the cost of heating and lighting the building is expected to rise from £1500 to £9000 a month.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – October 5th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

A brave life lived for Christ

Brother Andrew (1928-2022)

Barnabas Fund 3 October 2022 (excerpts)

The death of Brother Andrew is a salutary moment for those of us supporting and championing the cause of persecuted Christians throughout the world.

Born Anne van der Bijl, in Holland, he became known as Brother Andrew – or “God’s Smuggler” – who delivered Bibles behind the Iron Curtain to the underground Church.

His work led to the founding of Open Doors  ̶  which he chaired until 1995, around the same time that Barnabas came into being.

The inspiration we take from the life of Brother Andrew is threefold.

Firstly, he loved so much that he was prepared to take great risks for the people he served.

Secondly, he prized the Word of God greatly.

Thirdly, he lived a brave life trusting only in the Lord for his safety.

His wife Corry died in 2018; they are survived by five children and 11 grandchildren.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – October 5th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Give thanks that Fraser is home safely from the NetACT AGM in Johannesburg, where the need for partner colleges in the various countries to collaborate was emphasised, without expecting the central office to arrange everything, and for the joy in meeting colleagues face-to-face after only being able to video call over the past two years.

There was one new partner at the AGM – Presbyterian Theological Seminary from the English-speaking part of Cameroon (http://ptskumba.com/).  They have no dedicated library staff and are keen for Fraser to assist in training one of the academic staff to look after the library.  One possibility is for Fraser to arrange a team visit with librarians from other NetACT partners to help with the cataloguing backlog which they have. 

Pray for Fraser as he arranges to visit Morija Theological Seminary in Lesotho in the next 4-6 weeks and if we should pray for a librarian volunteer from overseas to come on a cataloguing trip.

God is moving in the lives of prisoners at Drakenstein.

Simphewe told Dawn today how much he had changed since leaving the prison gang and following Jesus.  His family noticed the change when they visited for the first time for years.

Alfred has realised he needs to tell the truth and apologise to the family members he’s hurt with his lies and denials. Pray for courage and the right words for him, and for the many men who suffer from depression and anger to find peace and encouragement in focussing on Jesus.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Barnabas Update – September 14th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Preaching Christianity “not a crime”

Barnabas Fund, 6 September 2022 

The Pakistani Supreme Court has issued a highly significant ruling, which includes the declaration that the preaching of Christianity “is not a crime, nor can it be made into one”.

The nine-page ruling is a clear denunciation of the way in which “blasphemy” laws are misused in Pakistan.

The court raises issues such as false and malicious accusations, the lack of credible evidence in many cases, and the mob violence often threatening the accused person.

The ruling came in the case of Christian sanitation worker Salamat Mansha Masih, accused of “blasphemy”, who was granted bail by the court on 23-24 August, one of three Christians facing separate “blasphemy” charges.

Salamat was accused, said Justice Faez Isa, of “preaching Christianity”.  However, said the judge, this could not be considered a crime “because of the fundamental right to profess, practise and propagate religion”.

Justice Isa argued that “many a time false allegations are levelled to settle personal scores and cases are also registered for mischievous purposes or on account of ulterior motives”.

Courts, added the judge, must act “prudently to ensure that an innocent is not convicted wrongly in respect of offences relating to religion.  When there is only the improbable oral testimony of witnesses, then there must be corroboration.”

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions

Jacksons Update – September 14th 2022 (excerpts)

by Robert MacNaughton

Continue to pray for our visa renewal situation.  The current extension expires September 30th.  Please pray the government announces a further extension so we don’t have to arrange flights out of the country at 24 hours’ notice.

Give thanks that the final transfer of live library circulation data to Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary’s new library catalogue went smoothly.  They are now using their new system and start using an online learning system soon.

Fraser is arranging everything needed to Zoom and live-stream the NetACT AGM in Johannesburg at the end of the month with participants coming from many countries.  Please pray for everything to fall into place for this.

A last minute Restorative Justice course at Drakenstein medium A has been arranged for the end of the month (when Fraser is away at the AGM).  Pray for enough table facilitators as over 30 men have expressed a desire to participate and for the right men to sign up.  Pray for the ministry team – many unpleasant or disruptive things happen to team members and families around the RJ week.

Dawn made it into Drakenstein prison today.  Khanye is having to face hard choices about his involvement in the prison gangs and his desire to follow Jesus.  He sees how they are mutually exclusive.  Pray he would be allowed to move into a room where there’ll be someone willing to help him read the Bible as his eyesight is badly damaged.

Pray for a full recovery to health and strength for Dawn and continued good health for Fraser.