December 2011 Belgium, Iranians, China, Bro Onaldo, Haiti, Philippines
The Bible Companion readings from this Sunday include Revelation 10 and 11, and there's an MP3 about these chapters at http://www.aletheiacollege.net/audio/rev1011.mp3
BROTHER ONALDO We reported previously the baptism of brother Onaldo in a remote part of Brazil, and we mentioned how unusually spiritually minded and devoted this brother is, and also his struggle with a rare muscle disease which leaves him in constant pain. The pain is now far greater than can be controlled by morphine and he writes as follows [below is a photo taken at his baptism, which was performed with him in acute pain, with two of his sons assisting]:
"May God always bless you and your dear family! Thank you for inquiring about me. I have been very ill and kind of hopeless. I have not been out of bed for two months now. Doctors say my only hope is getting a treatment available only in São Paulo, but at the moment I can’t afford to go there. Please, pray for me, I really need it. Love, Onaldo
May God bless and keep you safe and well! On Saturday Dérich brought your last email to me and I was deeply touched and happy with your generosity. Your contribution will sure help me to go to São Paulo and get the proper treatment. I am not yet ready to die much less to become a vegetable, I feel I have a special calling to help advance the true Gospel work in Brazil and am eager to give my all into this. In São Paulo I will go into a private clinic and ask to be taken into the university hospital, but to attain this I will have to undergo a series of tests while hospitalized in the clinic and pay for them, this will take from five to six days. The costs are going to be high. We are imagining that between transportation there, doctor, hospital and medications, it will cost over two thousand and five hundred dollars. Some of my friends and relatives have already contributed and I have 265 dollars with me already. Please be free to contribute with whatever you feel you can, any amount is very welcome!! I also have some good news: D is now ready to be baptized, besides him we have six others – two men and four women – ready to baptized. I am working hard toward wining as many as possible to the real Jesus. Sometimes I think I will lose my mind so strong is the pain I suffer. Please, pray for me! Greetings to your wife! May God bless you! Onaldo
I have a metabolic myopathy with hypertrophy of my leg muscles that gives me much pain. Now that morphine is not working anymore, the doctor in São Paulo is going to implant an electrode in my brain which is supposed to kill pain. I am paying the doctor the visit plus five or six days in his clinic and the exams, if every test or exam shows I can undergo the operation I will be transferred to the University hospital where he is a Professor and there, the operation (which costs 50 thousand reais if I was to pay for it) will be free of charge, since it is going to be a class. As for the doctor’s work and my stay in his clinic plus the tests –blood tests, MRI and others – he is even making it for less for me, because I am willing to be a case study for his students. Well, please, be free to help with whatever you can, you don’t need to come up with the total. Please, pray for me.God bless you. Onaldo"
Sister Cindy is a medical doctor and she and our other medics on the Carelinks team have done some research on the suggested electrode implant in the brain to deal with chronic pain. It is their belief that it has a high chance of providing relief from the pain for at least 12 months and a fairly high chance of providing such relief for the rest of our brother's life. The disease itself will not take our brother's life in the medium term. However they did make the point that he must be in literally unbearable pain for the doctors to be even willing to attempt this surgery, which is still in its' experimental stage. We are somewhat nervous to suggest making such a significant financial donation to one brother but we believe that confronted by the need, of a very genuine and spiritually minded brother in such pain, we should try to raise the 2500 $ required. Any donations you can make will be forwarded to him. Please all pray for him... to exist with constant pain uncontrollable even by morphine is an awful predicament to be in- most people in the developing world in such a situation simply try to take their own lives.
BELGIUM
Earlier this year we recorded the baptism of some Iranians in Belgium, as a result of their contact with an Iranian brother in Riga, Latvia. We're pleased to report that the early promise shown by those brethren in Belgium has continued, with regular meetings and distribution of literature, as well as spreading the Gospel by word of mouth to the many Iranians who are in Belgium, some legally, some illegally, some fleeing religious persecution, others the political situation there. Brother B has been in Belgium many years, and we were pleased to meet a number of contacts at his apartment; it was a pleasure to assist with the baptism of ALI and an older man, MEHRAN, who has been in Belgium 12 years already. They have to bear this with the pain of separation from family, hearing updates from your separated brothers about your mum dying of cancer in Tehran and unable to ever see her again, the pain of betrayal, of persecution and opposition from Moslems who feel you have betrayed your own culture. Truly the Gospel is attractive to the desperate in any society. There's a real need for Farsi [also called Persian] language Bibles for the Iranian brethren; any who can send them [e.g. they can be purchased online] should send them to us c/o Marcus Heaster, 49 Woodfields, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0HJ ENGLAND .
TURKEY
We're pleased to report the baptism of sister H into Christ, the mother of one of our Iranian brethren. She came from Iran to Turkey specially to be baptized and meet her son. Our thoughts and prayers go with her as she returns to a very difficult spiritual life in Iran.
CHINA
Yet another Bible Basics contact has responded to the Gospel in baptism, this time an older man- whereas most of those baptized are young men in their 20s. Bro. Donald reports:
I baptized Bro JIA in a sauna, I took the photos at the entrance as several people were having a bath inside.Bro Jia is a retired primary English teacher, he first knew the knowledge of Bible from English books. He had been influenced by some Protestant church groups, which have arisen with exponential development, more than 70% of the elders in this city are some sort of 'Christians', but it also means the seeds of heresy are sown, also, sometimes they are quite superstitious and refuse to accept any other interpretation of the Bible and are aggressive to others liken us who differ with them. Another reason for our brother to believe in Jesus is his illness , especially chronic disease tortures him as he gets older, indeed everyone is quite afraid of death. Even though he had a reasonable pension, in sharp contrast with most old men who have no pension and are fed by their children, he says he never felt so happy than now at this time that he has chosen Jesus ---- the teachings of the truth are as spiritual pills which bring relief from pain, and he dedicated himself to them through baptism. We stayed at the sauna for 2hrs talking about life and death, then read Roman chapter 6, prayed in Chinese,entered the bath and baptized him by water from head to toes. Jesus died on the cross for us, saved us from the power of sin and death. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of mankind, we understand that we are sinners, now Bro Jia decided to follow Jesus, to comply with God' s will. Lord please teach us, help us understand the truth even more, guide us on the journey to the kingdom of God. I am confident that we are remain firm in Faith. In Jesus.
I really can sense the power of God at work in our populous country, will keep on praying for him. Blessing, Bro. Donald"
Photos: Bro. Jia reading the Bible Basics section about "The promises of God" just before his baptism with br Donald
HAITI
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is nearly a year since I forwarded an appeal from brother Esmath in Haiti, who requested help towards feeding, clothing and supporting some of the very needy people in a country which has been hit so badly by disaster.
No doubt there will be many more difficulties to be faced in Haiti in the coming year, not least is a place for the ecclesia to meet. The yard where they currently meet has been sold. This location has been the centre for gospel proclamation, clothing distribution, feeding programs and providing support for orphans.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have helped with these material needs over the past year. And of course a thank you to all who have prayed not just for the well-being of the Haitian brothers and sisters but also for the spreading of the true gospel in this devastated country. Your prayers and help are much appreciated and still very much needed.
Your brother in Christ,
Nick Cox
PHILIPPINES FLOODS
Carelinks have baptized a number of brethren in the area affected by the floods. They are apparently all accounted for, but Bro Steve Jones forwarded us an email from a brother there:
"The flood that hit Cagayan de Oro is so worst. More than thousand of people died and almost all the resident in the city are affected including my family. The water got inside my house, what I did is, I immediately leave our house just to save my wife and my two daughters. Until now, we are not yet able to go back in our house most especially that there again another typhoon coming. It is just a blessing in my part that all the members of my family are safe. Sad to say that there are still a lot of people missing until now including the cousin of my friend. Thank you also for your prayers and concerns! To God be the glory".
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks