August 2011 Romance in Eastern Europe Ukraine, HaitiI, Malawi
The Bible Companion readings for this Sunday include Mark 16, and there's an MP3 about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus at http://aletheiacollege.net/audio/risen.mp3
ROMANCE IN EASTERN EUROPE
Baptizing people all over the place in ones and twos, it's often hard for such converts to find partners who are in the faith. We encourage marriage within the faith and teach on this at every opportunity. But it's obviously a difficult question for many, a test of their faith that the Lord will provide. We're delighted to report the forthcoming marriage of brother Charles, our asylum seeker Nigerian brother living in Riga Latvia, and a sister from a village in northern Latvia, Evita, whose baptism we reported last year. Their married life will be far from easy, so many things are against them in Latvian society. We do however rejoice that they have found each other and they will be married this Saturday God willing in the Riga Bible Centre in a ceremony we will conduct in English with open invitation to attend.
The wind of romance continued blowing in Latvia; we're pleased to tell you of the baptism of ANASTASYA, girlfriend of our Iranian refugee brother Sherwin, and of their subsequent engagement. Here you can see Sherwin handing her the towel after her bathtub baptism [the brief Summer is drawing to an end in Latvia and the sea's already rather cold for some], Cindy congratulating her with a happy brother Sherwin looking on, and a simple engagement party:
Romance must be in the air because we were this week able to visit Ukraine for the baptism of sister Lena's boyfriend KOSTYA, and then to hold an engagement party for them. Lena has had many problems with her health, and only thanks to a kind major donation from brethren in the UK was she able to have operations on her knee caps which enabled her to walk properly again. She is now healthy and active and the happiest 21 year old in town. Her parents br Valerij and sis Ludmila have set a wonderful example of living the faith since their baptism in the 1990s. Ludmila runs a pet shop in their town from where she has distributed Bible Basics to her clients and over 30 people have been baptized in that town since then thanks to her witness.
Here's sis Lena handing the towel to Kostya after his baptism in the bathtub of her parents' apartment:
Our joy was compounded by the baptism of ANYA, a very intense woman who is a contact of Ludmila's. She at one stage wrote out the entire Torah, and is very well versed in the Old Testament as well as the New. At her confession of faith she seemed to ask us more questions than we asked her, it took two hours to answer them all. Our sister was totally overcome for joy at her baptism; here she is with sis Ludmila:
Brother Valerij led us in the breaking of bread afterwards, passing the bread and wine to Kostya and Anya for the first time:
Afterwards, Lena tried on a wedding dress her mum obtained for her, the date is set for September 23, God willing. Afterwards we had an engagement party, taking the family out to a restaurant together:
HAITI
The ways that the donations we get from our Brothers and Sisters in England were being used always on behalf of the Vulnerable Christians who generally come to our meetings on an empty stomach.
Why we cried out for support from our friends oversees? Is because I truly believed that they are living in a better condition than the Christians in Haiti who are suffering from every trouble. The fact that we there is one body In Christ, no matter where you may be, we form one body in Christ. Let us read what the bible says in Galatians 6: 2, Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will obey the law of Christ. If you’re reading in the 10th verse of the same chapter, you will see another true fact: So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in Christ. The Donations do not only provide Food and drink to the Vulnerable Brothers and Sisters who usually come to meetings on an empty stomach but also it is a blessing for majority of the Needy Children at the church. The ecclesia that is composed of 95 percent of young people who do not have a job, and the gospel that we are preaching could be easier understood by the youth because old people have already been slave to false doctrines, even if they hear the truth preaching, they cannot read the bible to see the reality while conducting a conference.
What is happening as a result of reduced donations is that it is obvious to see there is a reduction in the numbers of people who attended the meetings. I do not dare to say that some of them came because they would have a breakfast at the end of the service but all the same less people come since donations reduced.
See the pictures before and compare it with the pictures last Sunday. The left is a photo for 3 months and the right one is a photo of last Sunday.
I truly know that there is an economic problem all over the world. Your donations are not worthless and it is not badly used. Now I can simply say that we are facing the same difficulties as the others until the Kingdom of God establishes on the earth, just to put an end to our suffering and trials. People shall not live by bread alone but they need bread also to nourish the Body . The trouble is enormous by facing cholera sickness, cyclonic season that already been started , we still have people living under tents since after the earthquake. The new president seems to have the desire to change things but politically the parliament does not want to let him go through with them. Thank you so much for your generosity, Your Brother in the Lord who loves you so much , Esmath
MALAWI
Our joy at these positive developments in Europe is tinged by some very sad news from Malawi. Carelinks readers will have read over the last years of the baptism of a married couple in Norway who returned to Malawi and persuaded their former church of the truths of the real Gospel; this lead to the CBM baptizing the pastor of that church, and then brother Duncan visited in May and baptized many other former members of that church. Since then they have reported much interest and growth. Carelinks workers have been involved in many other baptisms in Malawi over the last 20 years. Recently the CBM sent a letter around Malawi stating they accept the new ecclesia as valid, but outlining a new policy in Malawi that all who break bread with or work together with Carelinks will be disfellowshipped as we aren't considered by them as brethren. This puts our new brethren into a very hard situation, being called upon to not recognize us in fellowship, or otherwise be disfellowshipped by their new found brethren. We ask for your prayers for our brethren to have wisdom and strength, and that division will somehow be avoided.
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks