DAY 9
Hi Friends,
Thank you for being with us. Today we are going to turn our attention and prayer to three situations that have a commonality. Humanly speaking they would not be the places anyone would chose to go, to forward the mission of God. As Job adverts would go they would make poor reading...
- Salary: No guarenteed salary. Ask friends for help.
- Prospects: No guarenteed prospects.
- Tasks: Undefined as yet, but many immediate obstacles to overcome.
- Hours: Fulltime, more people to hear the gospel than hours in the day will provide. Nights are likely to be sleepless, and insecure.
- Location: historically hostile to the church.
However isn't this the kind of place so close to God's heart? The place where arrid spiritual desolation, can be far from our agenda, but high on His? Doesn't it remind us of the missional mandate God had to remind Jonah of? (Jonah 4:11).
The glory of each sitatuation, is that when something does actually happen spiritually... it is so clearly the work of God. If anyone is drawn there to speak of Christ, it is because God has worked in their heart. If anyone comes to faith and stands up to say so (knowing they face opposition or death), it is clearly the work of God in their heart. If anyone is moved by the conversion of another to seek "truth" for themselves, it is clearly the work of God.
For protection reasons we will obviously not use real names, but be assured the details are 100% real.
CHURCH IN TOUGH PLACES.
1) Introducing Miss A:
Miss A is young, intellegent, slight and single. During her studies she hears of a country, where Christianity is legally forbidden, and viewed as an affront to the state, a threat to authority and culture. There are believers in that country, but they are covert, lonely, and at best guess (in total) less than 400 accross the entire country. This is a country of many millions. In this culture however it is normal for young women to teach and train young people and children. The authority structure of this country is brutal. The societal structure is tight, but joyless. Several generations of family will often live together but in a relatively small property. People have an inherited religion of rules and duty. People adhere to the rules out of fear, but their heart is steadfastly downcast in doing so. Living standards are low. Outside influences are sieved and monitored, but this is leaving the country well behind in many forms of economic and technological progress. People are unclear as to what hope there is for the future. Suicide is a growing scenario, and a new "strange illness" is sweeping the country, taking many lives of loved ones.
Miss A hears the call of God; the pull of many people who need to hear of grace, joy, forgiveness and freedom in Jesus. She goes, settles, befriends, gives her life in compassion and friendship to many over the most basic of meals offerred in friendship. But after several years she wonders if it was all a mistake. In one sleepless night she asks God if she would not be better off in a safer place ?
The next day a catastrophic event happens, a crime which removes her of all her belongings. She knows who it is, but will not confess to authorities, proclaiming that "forgiveness is the only solution forward for humanity". Because of her lack of complaiance she is told to leave this place or face the consequences. She choses to leave for her own safety. A few days later she answers a call from the same people who authorised her expulsion. "Is there any possibility she could return? The many young people who have been helped so much by her friendship and message of forgiveness, have shared "her way" with their families. There are now numerous households, government officials, and society leaders who would love to hear more, is this possible?"
She safely returns, only to discover that that figure of 400 is now at least double. The young men she has been teaching, turn out to be extraordinarly able and respected teachers of the older generation. The germination and expansion of the church accross the region is somewhat uncotrollable. This is a work of God.
Pray for Miss A.
- Pray for her as she lives alone. Mild covid symptoms have been experienced. If things deteriorate, she will have no one to look after her, or medical provision of worth. Pray that supernaturally she will know the presence of God and the prayers of His people. Our friends often say they are acutely aware of when this is happening.
- Pray for her continued safety, and wisdom as she teaches those who are effectively running a church network. Pray for those who advise Miss A, for times of communication and spiritual encouragement, rich study of the bible for her with God (and with her mentors and mentees when possible).
- Pray for the continued growth and maturity of this church. The training and equipping of young church leaders, especially during this time of pandemic.
2) Pray for Family C
They live in a country where Christianty is historically forbidden. Due to his academic qualifications and abilities, Mr C is able to teach and train in this place. Had he stayed where he used to live Mr C's life would be considerably more comfortable right now. However, many are coming to ask him about the certain hope that he has, even during a time of such unrest, illness, uncertainty and stress.
Mr C has had what we would refer to in the UK as "long covid". His symptoms have been prolonged (30+ weeks) and exacerbated by sketchy healthcare provision. In this time of exceptional confinement, Mr and Mrs C have maintained some contact with many believers around the world, and even been able to tune into some live church services and family serivices which have encouraged them massively. The children however have found this sitatuation exceptionally difficult, with prolonged online learning and lack of contact with ex-pat friends.
- Pray for this family. They know this is exactly where God wants them to be, but the daily struggles are considerably more than they anticpated. Pray especially for Mrs C who juggles home schooling with all the other challanges of the situation (Mr C's illness, and the security of the family).
- Pray that this extraordinary time of challenge will ultimately prove fruitful for the gospel, and that those who watch their sitation will be impacted in a good and lasting way. (James 1:1-4), (Matt 5:16), (1 Peter 2:12).
3) Pray for Mr B.
B is from the same country as the family above have gone to. He narrowly escaped with his life after accepting Christ as his Saviour. Family members were seeking to take his life in a public and brutal way when they discovered he was planning to be baptised, but were superaturally prevented from doing so at the very final moments of execution. To stop social unrest, B was expelled by the authroities, and one of the possibilities of relocation had a missional training center (for those who followed Christ) nearby. B had heard of this from the man who was to baptise him, and together they prayed that this might be where he was sent, and indeed it was. Despite being away from everything he had known (learning a new language) B learned, grew, took a qualification and is now an evangelist and personal worker (chaplain) in that place. The majority of a village has come to Christ through his friendship.
Where B is, many children live well below the poverty line. They have multiplied needs. They are invariably living with their mothers who have many children by many fathers, and have funded the family this way. The village had a well advertised reputation for these habits. Children and mothers live in "uncared for" conditions. B and the church he belongs to have set up a school, to educate and feed these children, they grow their own food to keep the children healthy. Many of the children have come to Christ. Sadly due to covid, the school and church are silent, and children have returned "home" and sometimes to the the "old" ways and routines.
One of the friends Mr B helped to come to Christ was his next door neighbour, she is the local doctor. Her and her husband are now working closely with the church during this season to help many people in the name of Christ, not only in this village but also many others.
Pray for Mr B and his church friends:
- Pray that they will be able to continue to love, feed and help this village even during lockdown.
- Pray for the many who have come to faith, that they will learn to grow more independantly in their walk with God.
Having consulted with all three, there is financial need with Miss A and Mr B. We are hoping to make a Christmas/ crisis gift to them, and arrangements for this are in place. If you would like to help we would be grateful to hear from you.
Thank you for your amazing partnership and faithfulness in this eternally significant friendship.
BLOGSKI
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