Engage Issue 51 - 2021 by BMS_World_Mission

Issue 51 • 2021

The BMS World Mission magazine

I WILL STAND Support courageous Christians serving Jesus in hard places COMING HOME A testimony from Thailand A LETTER FROM KOSOVO Freezing winters and healing wounds in post-war Kosovo

Editorial

FACING THE FUTURE Hannah Watson August 2021

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO BMS World Mission works in fragile states and unevangelised communities, serving some of our world’s most marginalised people. We also work with people on the move, supporting them on their journey from insecurity towards peace, or enabling them to remain in the nation they call home. With your help, we send UK Christians and support local believers, working alongside trusted partners on four continents. Our highest goal is to see people come to faith in Jesus Christ and experience life in all its fullness.

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ssue 51 of Engage has been a real joy to put together. It’s filled with stories about how BMS World Mission supporters really do make a difference. In the news section, you’ll hear about a pastor (page 4) who has been so encouraged by the leadership training he received that he’s helped co-ordinate a conference for over 40 others. You’ll read about how your generosity has changed lives, from the story of a young family living in Uganda (page 5) to the global stage, as we continue the fight against Covid-19. You’ve reunited mothers like Ishya* in Nepal with their children, after she thought she may never leave the Covid ward she was on (page 9). And you’ve encouraged families in Mozambique that there is hope after natural disasters, in a year where they’ve lived through devastating cyclones, along with a pandemic (page 10). Because we know that BMS supporters never stop looking for opportunities to share Christ or to support those in need, we’re sure that you’ll also be excited to hear about our 2021 Harvest appeal, and are praying that you might share it with your church. I Will Stand tells the stories of courageous Christians coming to faith in hard places. Find out more on page 12. In a year where we’ve been reminded once again that so much is out of our control, I’m thankful that God in his kindness chooses to use BMS supporters to bless others, and to make his name known. God bless you,

Hannah Editor Use the freepost envelope included in your mailing to send us a note, a cheque or anything else in response to this issue!

Write to me at magazine@bmsworldmission.org

We look forward to hearing from you!

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In this issue

4. News Rainforest outreach for Peruvian pastors

5. A truly global Church Dr Kang-San Tan on the role of Christians in advocacy

6. Thank you! From rowing challenges to community hikes, you kept moving in the name of doing good

10. We are family Strengthening families after Covid-19 and cyclones

12. I Will Stand Support courageous Christians serving Jesus in hard places

16. Coming home Via gambling dens and a political coup, Prathum finally came home

18. A letter from… Kosovo Freezing winters and healing wounds in post-war Kosovo

19. Letters We love hearing your views

7 For as long as it takes Covid-19 relief and the stories of the people you protected

BMS World Mission Website: www.bmsworldmission.org Tel: 01235 517700 Email (general): mail@bmsworldmission.org The Baptist Missionary Society: registered in England and Wales as a charity (number 1174364) and a company limited by guarantee (number 10849689).

Managing Editor: Matthew Fearon Editor: Hannah Watson Design: Malky Currie Front cover photo: Annette Among The views and opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of BMS World Mission.

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News

Pastor Humberto became a Christian after he was given the keys to an old church. Now, he’s passing on the BMS leadership training that he received when he was a new pastor.

RAINFOREST OUTREACH FOR PERUVIAN PASTORS A new hub established in Samito

new hub for the training and discipleship of river pastors has been created in the Peruvian Amazon. And, excitingly for any BMS World Mission supporters who read Pastor Humberto’s testimony (one of our most clicked on stories on the BMS website in 2020), he’s at the centre of it all. He’s hosting pastors on his land, and deciding themes for the conferences. Despite the pandemic delaying opportunities to meet, one conference has already been held in Samito with 40 to 50 pastors in attendance. And another is planned while BMS mission workers Dave and Michele Mahon are on home assignment in the UK. It coincides with exciting new disciple-making movement (DMM) training for the pastors, delivered by BMS partner Big Life. But Dave and Michele are delighted that these things are taking place while they are away – it’s a sign that their task of enabling and empowering the pastors is bearing fruit.

Covid-19 casts a long shadow, and all these events take place after a heartbreaking year for Peru. In June, the country made a sobering decision. It revised its total number of Covid-19 deaths, more than doubling previously reported figures. It’s been a “sad and difficult time” for the pastors, says Michele. “They’re dealing with a lot of deaths, a lot of sickness… With people not being able to meet, the finances of the church struggling, the morale being low, there’s a kind of depression. You’re not able to do anything – you can’t do anything. So you don’t.” The new hub and DMM training disrupt the feeling of limbo. Dave and Michele’s long-term focus is on creating sustainable ministry, and these exciting ventures move everyone one step closer to that goal. They are rejoicing in seeing church leadership training created and hosted by locals, for locals. And it’s all thanks to your support.

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Peru’s population:

33 million people Peru’s Covid-19 death toll*:

over 180,000 people Number in attendance at the new conference:

40 – 50 pastors *at time of writing

Read Pastor Humberto’s amazing testimony at www.bit.ly/ TheAccidentalPastor

From the General Director

A TRULY GLOBAL CHURCH? Kang-San Tan

Your support means Simon and Ketty can grow enough food to make a living and feed their little daughter.

FEEDING FAMILIES ACROSS CONTINENTS

hank you so much to everyone who gave to the BMS World Mission Feeding Families appeal. Because you raised an incredible £39,059.97, farmers in rural Afghanistan are receiving training on growing nutritious food that gets them through harsh winters, river pastors in Peru are being equipped to be

stewards of God’s creation and farmers in Uganda can grow enough food to provide for their families. “I want to thank the churches in the UK for their support to us here,” says Simon, who attended agricultural training in Gulu, Uganda, funded by your generous giving. “We trust God and believe that our lives will keep on improving.”

A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER

t was such a joy to have so many UK Christians come together at the Baptist Assembly 2021 back in May! It was great to be joined online by keynote speaker Shane Claiborne, who challenged us to love our neighbours, wherever and

whoever they are. And we were completely bowled over by the generosity of BMS supporters, who responded with open hearts to the Covid crisis in Nepal, described by our partner at the Assembly. A fantastic total of over £200,000 was raised, to help people in real need.

sk me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (Psalm 2: 8). “… Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28: 19) World mission is not simply one of the functions of the Church. It should be the supreme culture of the Church that worships a global God. God is a missionary God; when the Church ceases to be missionary-minded, it loses its core identity as a missional community for the world. So how does the Church engage in effective modern mission? In addition to sending and equipping, and to prayer, Christians can and should get involved with public advocacy. How we spend our money has a direct impact on our neighbours overseas. And foreign aid has a critical part to play. While many Western nations (Germany, the US, Sweden and France) have increased their global aid budgets, the UK decided to reduce our contributions by more than two billion in 2020, and we will make further cuts in overseas aid for 2021. In light of this, let’s bear witness to our global God, in our pulpits, prayers and our giving to overseas mission today.

“A

Thank you

s f n o o r i C p h m ad a h C Row, Kenneth, row! A huge shout out to fundraising superstar Kenneth Hall! After

hearing from BMS World Mission surgeons Andrea and Mark Hotchkin about the need for an X-ray facility at the hospital in Bardaï, Chad, Kenneth wanted to help. “When I told Andrea and Mark, they suggested I row the equivalent of the distance from Bardaï to the nearest X-ray facility in North Chad.” That came to a whopping 656km – but Kenneth wasn’t fazed! He completed over 6,500 pulls on his rowing machine over three

days and ended up raising over £13,000! “For anyone thinking of fundraising for BMS, I say go for it!” he says. Thanks Kenneth!

To Chad and back! The best kinds of fundraisers are the ones which grow bigger than ever expected – which is what happened at Kidlington Baptist Church (KBC). What started as a

All the children who took part in the Easter community trail got a free Easter egg – yum!

Giving life – for the cost of an Easter egg The wonderful folks down at Prince’s Drive Baptist Church, Wales had a great idea for an Easter fundraiser – encouraging the congregation to donate what they might spend on an Easter egg! These generous gifts,

along with donations collected on their community Easter trail guiding people through the

Easter story, led to them raising an amazing £2,517.15! That money will contribute to the cost of C-sections at Guinebor II hospital. “It is a blessing to play a small part in the work that is happening in Chad,” says Miriam Finch. Thank you so much to everyone who took part – you’ve made a real difference!

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youth group endeavour to get more active during lockdown became a churchwide attempt to walk the distance to Guinebor II hospital in Chad and back, all to raise money for BMS’ Operation: Chad appeal. “It just blew up,” says youth worker Scott Cheeseman. “We even had people from outside the church sending us miles!” Tallied up, participants managed to walk around 7,962 miles and raised over £3,400 – well done to everyone at KBC!

Covid-19 relief

For as long as it takes Just as great power comes with great responsibility, great crises can come with great opportunity. We’re so thankful that, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, you have taken every opportunity to support your neighbours around the world.

hrough your prayer and financial support, BMS World Mission has been there from the start of the pandemic: providing practical help and spiritual support to over 40,000 people in 24 countries across 2020. Your giving enabled us to build a satellite Covid-19 hospital in Chad, as well as supply hospitals across several countries with essential equipment and supplies. And through your generous gifts, people right now in the countries hardest hit by Covid-19 are receiving essential food parcels, hygiene supplies, face masks and medical support. Grants funded by you are helping people to get back on their feet. Right now, they’re rebuilding lives and livelihoods devastated by the crisis. But, as faithful supporters of BMS, you give so much more than just money… “Because of your prayer and partnership with us while we were facing difficult situations… our social department is transforming the lives of thousands of people,” says Dipak Rai, who heads up BMS’ partner in Nepal. And, along with your prayers,

you’ve also put your faith into action.

All in this together? Thousands of you signed our Campaign for a Covid-free World petition which we posted to No.10 in April this year. The petition calls on the UK Government to ensure that everyone can live in a world safe from

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Covid-19 – not just those in wealthy nations. ‘We’re all in this together’ is a phrase we’ve heard a lot since our world changed in early 2020. Unfortunately, the rhetoric doesn’t stretch to us ‘all being in it together’ when it comes to distributing the solution. At the time of writing, while the UK marked over half of

the population having been fully vaccinated against the disease and over 75 per cent having had their first vaccination, Sri Lanka had just managed to offer first vaccinations across one of their nine provinces – amounting to just over 25 per cent of the country’s population. It’s an ongoing battle, but there are positive signs that things are beginning to change. At a recent G7 gathering, Boris Johnson stated that he wanted to see the world vaccinated by the end of 2022. We will keep working and praying until we see this become a reality. And, as we do, your prayers, your giving and your actions remain as important as ever.

The church at work So while we continue campaigning for equitable access to Covid vaccines, we also need to respond in communities where Covid-19 is causing damage right now. That’s why we launched our Global Covid relief appeal. We want to raise money to provide more hygiene bundles, vaccines and emergency support to communities in Albania, Sri Lanka and anywhere where, sadly, Covid is still an all-too-present and devastating reality. The good news is that, as ever, in the midst of the turmoil, the church is at work. Over 70 years old and already facing health issues, Vera turned to Tek Ura, a BMS-supported church and community centre in Albania, when she was struggling to breathe in April last year. The church worker, Ada, helped get Vera admitted to hospital where she was placed on oxygen. Alone and scared, church members were the only people Vera could lean on during her long hospitalisation. “She didn’t know whether she had Covid as no-one had told her,” explains BMS-supported physiotherapist, Rexhina, who works at the centre. “But she said that ‘all the nurses were wearing big white suits’. At Tek Ura we were really

You gave Vera the confidence to go and get her vaccine.

In the midst of the turmoil, the church is at work worried about her, but thankfully she recovered.” Since coming home, Vera has been attending activities at Tek Ura as society has begun to cautiously open up. But she is, understandably, very nervous. “She agreed to come to the health promotion session on ‘Staying safe, living with Covid’, says Rexhina. “Vera did not know where to go [for her vaccine]… She had felt that the vaccine was not for ‘someone like her’. Much of our health work at Tek Ura is around enabling people to understand how to access the services they need, and this has also become part of this health promotion session on Covid.” As a result of the session, and the

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support that she’s receiving though BMS supporters, Vera is confident about getting her vaccine, and being part of her community again. That’s thanks to the money you’ve raised through the Global Covid relief appeal. And in Sri Lanka, you’re getting vaccines to people who desperately need them. “My mother is 85 years old, wheelchair bound and has advanced dementia,” shares Suven, an attendee at the vaccine clinic your donations are keeping open in Colombo. “She has a day and a night carer, and with me and my siblings visiting her often in our family home, she was exposed to the Coronavirus. We were anxious about how we could get her vaccinated.” Your generous gifts will allow more vulnerable people like Suven’s mother to be protected. “The doctor in charge was very helpful, and the nurses kind,” says Suven. “They came to the car to give my Mum the vaccine as she finds crowds intimidating. We are so grateful to everyone involved and really hope this service will be made available to others too. Thank you!”

COULD YOU GIVE to the Global Covid relief appeal to help others like Vera and Suven’s mother? We’re raising funds to protect vulnerable people in Albania, to vaccinate people in Sri Lanka, and to help around the world wherever the need is greatest. Go to www.bit.ly/GlobalCovidRelief today to find out more, and please consider giving what you can.

The risks of running out of hospital beds and ventilators is very real Across the world, there are many others like Vera and Suven’s mother who are isolated, vulnerable, hungry and without support. Vera was lucky to be able to get a hospital bed and the oxygen she needed but, as confirmed Covid cases rise across many poorer countries, the risks of running out of hospital beds and ventilators is very real. Chaha* works as a nursing supervisor at a BMS-supported hospital in Nepal. “Many patients want to be under the supervision of health workers at the hospital,” Chaha told us. “Since we are only admitting serious patients due to the lack of beds, I feel bad that we are not able to fulfil their desire.” But it’s not just their immediate health that is at risk. Without a vaccine, many people are struggling to work and, with a huge proportion of people in these countries engaged in daily wage labour, no work means no money, no healthcare and no food for their families. “Many people have lost their jobs due to Covid. Therefore, they cannot afford even basic healthcare,” explains Chaha.

In it for the long haul We were bowled over when, at the Baptist Assembly this year, over £200,000 was given in response to the message from Dipak Rai, Executive Director of Nepali partner Multipurpose Community Development Service. He described how many families in Nepal have a choice to make between working their daily-wage jobs and risking catching Covid-19, or staying at home and plunging their family into increased hunger and poverty. The money that you gave means that fewer families are faced with that choice. The needs for Covid equipment, supplies and training in Nepal have been met – with enough money left over to help partners in other countries. Patients like Ishya* have recovered after being given treatment that they otherwise couldn’t afford, and have been reunited with their families. “I had never faced such sickness in my life. I did not think I would be able to meet my family again,” says Ishya, a mother-of-two brought to a BMS-supported hospital with severe breathing problems, a high fever, a

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cough and chest pain. But doctors visited her on the ward, making her laugh and smile, and encouraging her to listen to music and to move around to lift her spirits. “I was so happy to be able to finally meet my family again,” Ishya says, after she was released from hospital a week later. “I would not be able to fight this on my own.” “Thanks to everyone who gave so generously to help our partners in Nepal and South-East Asia,” says Ben Drabble, BMS’ Director of Communications and Funding. “When I asked people to give the equivalent of a cup of coffee, I wasn’t expecting 60,000 cups!” But there’s still a way to go. For every country like Nepal benefitting from increased Covid supplies and training, there are other countries still desperate for help. Countries you can reach through our Global Covid relief appeal. So, behind all the bad news on our screens, we thank you on behalf of our partners, our mission workers and the people they serve, for truly showing that ‘we’re all in this together’ as we work to rebuild a fairer world. For as long as it takes. • *Name changed

Mozambique

Liz and Sergio moved to Mozambique in 2013, to work alongside the Mozambican Baptist Convention and build capacity in community preschools.

Food kits co-ordinated by Carlos contained rice, s – and they also came with two face masks and inf

We are family

BMS World Mission workers Liz and Sergio Vilela have been living out the Bible’s teaching that revolutionises what it means to be family in every circumstance. Read on to find out how. Words: Hannah Watson Images: Jacob Barrell and the BMS Mozambique team

Each family has its struggles: it’s a cliché, but that’s because it’s true. But in Mozambique, being family can bring its own unique challenges. If in the UK, the pandemic taught us that the word ‘family’ could mean love and loneliness, support and stress, ‘I miss you!’ and ‘We’ve spent way too much time together!’ all in the space of one day – well, in Mozambique, families have lived through two further cyclones since the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai in 2019, on top of a pandemic. Ordinary families often live extraordinarily tough lives. BMS play therapist Liz tells the story of a friend whose husband had passed away with debts. In the course of his life, he’d fathered another family, as is

common in Mozambique, and married a second wife. And while his pension was split evenly between the families, the responsibility for taking care of his ill health had not been shared – nor had the debt. But where family had become a source of sadness to this newly widowed lady, her church family comforted and prayed with her. It’s just one story, but Liz and Sergio’s ministry in Mozambique truly does radiate love for families in whatever situation they’re in. Whether it’s the parents supported after the cyclones, the church families encouraged in their outreach, or the couples celebrating the blessings of Biblical marriage, families of all kinds have been helped to thrive in the most difficult of circumstances.

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Helping families… when tropical storms come in threes “Because of Idai, people were a bit more prepared. Families put sandbags on top of their houses, because last time a lot of them lost their roofs.” Liz and Sergio are reflecting on how people coped with the onslaught of Cyclone Eloise less than two years after storms Kenneth and Idai caused catastrophic damage in Mozambique. People may have been able to better shore up their homes, but another major concern was food. No quantity of sandbags can protect fields of crops from torrential rain. When

Helping families… after the worst has happened

sugar, beans, oil, salt and sugar formation on Covid awareness.

Cyclone Eloise displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused millions of pounds worth of damage.

“A child I worked with had to hide under a bed when the roof to his home came off,” says Liz. “It was raining, he was all wet and he stayed there all night.” For lots of the adults that Liz works with the response to crises is that when the worst is over, it’s done with – it’s been and gone. Little children don’t have those reserves to draw on, or the knowledge that the raging winds of a cyclone might soon pass. Liz has been working in orphanages, churches, preschools, and even with vulnerable families living in the shell of the deserted Grande Hotel in Beira, helping parents to understand how children respond to traumatic events. Knowing that you can help children through the unthinkable by giving them boundaries, affection and lots of love gives families hope to face the next crisis, together.

Helping families… and marriages to thrive floodwaters washed away their allotments, families lost a whole year’s worth of food reserves – and Covid-19 restrictions that limited when people could work made the task of restoring what was lost even harder. As one tuk-tuk driver told Sergio: “I would prefer to die from any illness than to die from hunger.” Seeing the scale of devastation, the Church family rallied round. The need was everywhere, so with Sergio’s support, a group of churches identified those who had lost their jobs, who were widowed or who were living with a disability as being amongst those they could help first. Using BMS Coronavirus relief funds that you helped raise, food parcels were purchased and distributed to 425 families, or roughly 1,616 people. And seeing the Church had followed through on its word to bring

aid where so many others had spoken empty promises, a senior lady in one of the villages was prompted to exclaim of the Christians she encountered: “You are not a people who lie”. As Carlos Tique Jone, a BMS mission worker and Sergio’s colleague wrote in his prayer letter: “God has done many things in people’s lives through my work in this country. With your generosity and support, our BMS team was able to deliver food parcels for many families and bring to them the hope of having something to feed their families.” Carlos’ letter says it all: the work would not be possible without God’s goodness and your gifts. Thank you for supporting Liz and Sergio to live alongside families in Mozambique, making a difference in the most difficult of circumstances. •

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Sergio tells a story about taking his daughter to a local bread shop. A concerned lady stopped him, asking whether the girl’s mother had died. That’s how countercultural it can be for a father to be seen to be looking after his children in some Mozambican families. “If a man helps at home, others might say he’s not a real man,” says Sergio. “Or that his wife has put a spell on him through the witch doctor.” So, at Liz and Sergio’s church, a friend has run a Bible study, gently challenging couples in the congregation to live distinctively from a Biblical point of view. The fact that it’s a Mozambican man leading the study cuts through the idea that Christian models of marriage are for foreigners. “And they really liked it,” said Liz. “The women felt inspired.” “And the men heard that they should look after their wives” adds Sergio, “as Christ loved the Church.”

Harvest

‘As long as I live, I will live for Jesus’ Stand with courageous Christians this harvest. Words: Sarah Stone

ave you ever met a Christian who loves Jesus so much, it stops you in your tracks? Someone who makes you want to be better, just by talking to them? Who exudes so much grace and conviction, you question what you’re even doing with your life? (Well, maybe that last part is just me…) I recently met a lot of people who fit this description. Men, women, teenagers. People from bustling cities and others from remote villages. Women and men who live thousands of miles from each other, and from

us, but who are united by their unshakeable faith. I met them on Zoom. I can't tell you their names or show you their faces because that could endanger their lives. I can’t even tell you where they live. But I can tell you their stories. And I’m excited for you to hear them. These believers are standing for Jesus even though walking ‘through the valley of the shadow of death’ has been a lived reality for them. They've been rejected by family. They’ve been accused of murder, attacked and imprisoned. And some of them have had to live

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out their faith in secret, studying the Bible alone or writing letters to Christians overseas, desperate to know more about Jesus. By supporting BMS World Mission, you’re supporting these believers. This harvest, stand with a global community of extraordinary Christians who have dedicated their lives to following God’s call – trusting in his unfailing love through the darkness. And by supporting them, bring hope and the love of Jesus to some of the hardestto-reach communities in the world.

They’ve been accused of murder, attacked and imprisoned

I am not going to turn back to my old religion

…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age BMS-supported church planters S and R followed Jesus’ call to another part of their home country. The people they live among have a different culture, a different religion, a different language. “In the beginning they hated us,” says S. “We tried to make friends with people. We visited them, we tried to learn from them what they love, what their pain is, what their joy is. I tried to honour and understand their language and culture. Now, we have very good relationships with the community.” Through prayer, patience and hard work, husband and wife S and R have grown friendships in their new community. They built trust with their neighbours, helped them when they were in need, and prayed with them when they were struggling. Over time, they have had the opportunity to share the gospel, and 25 people have now come to know Jesus through their ministry. It’s exciting for them to see

how God is working through them, but it’s challenging too. While they feel convicted to share the good news and the hope they’ve received, and while they celebrate that some of their new friends have come to know Jesus, they also grieve over the persecution these new believers are facing. “When people become Christians, their community curses them and hates them,” says S. “So that is great sadness for them, and us also.” S and

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R are working hard to support these new believers practically, emotionally and spiritually. “We need to communicate with them a lot, provide them with counselling, help to meet their needs, and encourage them.” In the hard moments, S says that the Bible helps him. The words of Jesus encourage him when he feels isolated, afraid or overwhelmed. “Jesus says, ‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28: 20).

So do not fear, for I am with you… 14-year-old B came to faith through the ministry of BMS mission workers, but most of her family don’t yet know she’s a Christian. They are Buddhist and she’s scared to tell them. Her fear of the repercussions of her newfound faith in Jesus has not stopped her from sharing the gospel with her school friends. “I have brought two friends to Jesus,” she says. “They asked me a lot of questions, like ‘is God real?’ And now, they both believe in Jesus! I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel fantastic about that.” Almost everyone in B’s community is Buddhist. She suspects that one neighbour is a Christian because she doesn’t take part in any of the Buddhist rituals that are a central part of community life, but she doesn’t know for sure. B tells me that she’s memorised Isaiah 41: 10, so that

she’s not afraid wherever she goes. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you…” Although she is just 14, B is confident she will never lose her faith in Jesus. She didn’t know anything about him until she visited a small church run by BMS workers in her grandma’s village. “When I came to church, I felt relaxed, I felt happy, I felt loved,” she says. “I wondered, what is happening here? “Jesus is like a father to me. When I’m stressed or unhappy, I can talk to Jesus.” B sadly lost her father when she was very young, but in Jesus, she has found a Heavenly Father who will be by her side for life. She wants to be able to tell her family about her new faith, and for them to meet Jesus too. “I am not going to turn back to my old religion. I am going to follow Jesus for the rest of my life. And my prayer is that one day I will bring my mother and my family to Jesus.”

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The strength of the Lord keeps us going …they will seize you and persecute you W knows what it is to suffer for his faith. Because he was a Christian, he was accused of being involved in the murder of a Hindu leader. He was beaten and imprisoned for 45 days. His own village has also attacked him for his faith. “I’ve had stones thrown at me and faced a lot of discrimination,” he says. “When I was in prison, when people were beating me up, the words of Jesus kept coming back to me: ‘They will seize you and persecute you. They will… put you in prison… But not a hair

of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.’ (Luke 21: 12-19). So I kept on remembering that, and I found the Lord’s strength.” Despite opposition, with BMS support, W has continued to preach the gospel. He now oversees more than 400 house churches in his region, and he is even seeing some of his attackers begin to follow Jesus. “In the areas where I’ve been beaten up or persecuted, I have started to see some fruit, one or two people starting to come to faith,” says W. “And I’m praying that more and more people, those who were persecuting me, will find the love of God.” W is grateful that Jesus is

using him to share the gospel, even though, at times, it is incredibly hard. “The strength of the Lord keeps us going,” he says. “The Lord means everything to me. As long as I live, I will live for Jesus.” These men and women are just a few of the extraordinary believers you are supporting across the world. You will probably never get to meet them, but by partnering with them, you’re sharing the love of Jesus in words and actions with people who have never before heard the good news. I can’t tell you their names, but they are fearfully and wonderfully made, and they’re doing a very good work. •

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Will you stand? There are more stories to tell. This harvest, we’re inviting you to support the amazing Christians BMS is partnering with across the globe. Our appeal, I Will Stand, shares the stories of three believers, in their own words. Meet Christians from North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Let God speak to you afresh through their powerful testimonies. And then stand with them through giving and prayer. Our appeal looks a little different this year (in more ways than one), and we hope you love it. Visit www.bmsworldmission.org/ iwillstand today to find out more.

Testimony

Coming home:

Prathum’s story Prathum’s story doesn't start in the gambling dens. It doesn't start with the tragic losses of her husbands and son. No, Prathum’s story begins with a friend – a friend who started her on the journey home.

rathum and her friend grew up together and, coincidentally, they both shared a name. The Prathums both came from farming families, owning fields in the luscious hills surrounding the village of Wang Daeng, Thailand. When our Prathum, affectionately known as ‘Prathum Two’, grew up, she married a man in another village, and moved to be with him. ‘Prathum One’ married a man in Wang Daeng and stayed behind. While Prathum One became a pillar of the community in Wang Daeng, Prathum Two was forging her own path – one decidedly more dangerous. She was known for being honest and reliable – and so was headhunted to become a money collector for a gambling den. But the job was dangerous. Gambling is illegal in Thailand, and Prathum had to employ bodyguards to be with her at all times. She became very rich, but also experienced many personal tragedies along the way. She married three times – but each of her husbands passed away. Not only that, she also tragically lost her only

son. Things came to a head in 2014. Following a coup d’état, the new Thai Government imposed a stricter ban on the gambling dens Prathum worked in, leaving her without a source of income. So, after many years, and with a heart burdened by loss, she made her way back to Wang Daeng, and back to her old friend. With the support of her friends and family back in the village, life continued on for Prathum Two in Wang Daeng – except with some new arrivals. BMS World Mission workers Helen and Wit Boondeekhun moved to the village and started teaching English classes, running a basket weaving project and telling stories about someone called Jesus. Slowly, people in the village started attending Wit and Helen’s church. One woman, Suree, gave her life to Christ. She began inviting people to join her at church – including Prathum One. “She came to the Bible study and her faith grew stronger,” says Wit. “And then she opened her heart to Jesus.” So joyful in her newfound faith, Prathum One asked Prathum Two to come with her to church – and when she said no, she kept on asking! “I

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was invited to come along to church so many times that eventually I couldn’t refuse any longer, so I just said: ‘Ok, I’m going!’” says Prathum Two. She agreed to come and help cook at a youth camp the church was holding. During the camp, Prathum Two became curious about what this ‘foreign religion’ was all about, so she asked to come to the Bible study to learn more. She came back week after week and began to get to know Jesus, to learn about God and how to depend on prayer. She found herself singing songs of worship while she worked. She experienced answered prayer after people paid her back some money she had loaned them. Her faith grew inch by inch until she was ready to give her life to the Lord.

You’re sharing Christ across the world Without your support, Prathum wouldn’t know Jesus. Because you support BMS, church planters like Helen and Wit Boondeekhun are able to share the gospel’s good news with people who’ve never heard of him before. Head to www.bit.ly/HWBoondeekhun to discover more about their work, and how you can support them.

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“I wanted to find real rest and peace,” says Prathum. “I wanted to have a better life.” But while Prathum was embarking on a journey that would change the course of her life forever, another tragedy was about to befall her. Prathum One had been diagnosed with cancer. Prathum Two, who had lost so much already, was now going to lose her dear friend. A husband was about to lose his wife, and the church and village would lose a pillar of their vibrant community, loved by so many. Tragically, in January 2021, one month before Prathum Two got baptised, Prathum One lost her battle with cancer and went to be with the Lord. “It was very, very sad,” said

Prathum. “She was a good friend.” It was an unbelievable tragedy not to be able to share her baptism with her dear friend, who had brought her to church in the first place. Her heart was once again heavy with grief, but this time she had someone to take it to. She knew there was only one way to experience real comfort and rest. Prathum publicly gave her life to Christ and knew she had come home. The night after her baptism, she had a dream. She found herself in a field surrounded by lambs with spotless white wool. “I saw a person come running past the sheep, and he ran towards me,” says Prathum. “When he got to me, he said, ‘My little child, you have come back to your Father God.’” Prathum knew then that she

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had chosen the right path, and that she had a Father on whom she could always lay her burdens. This might be where Prathum’s story concludes for now – but it’s not where it ends. In many ways, Prathum Two is carrying on where Prathum One left off. She’s continued sharing her faith, and has helped bring a beloved family member to Christ. She serves her community well by cooking regularly at church, and by selling refills of washing up liquid and laundry detergent. It’s a far cry from the life she used to lead, and she’s experienced so much loss along the journey. But now she has someone she can always depend on. Now she knows she’s home, at last. •

Letters

A letter from Kosovo Dmitri* and his wife Daria* heard God’s call to serve while at a Baptist seminary in Prague. Over the past ten years, they’ve welcomed Action Teamers, learned to stay warm in dark Kosovo winters, and witnessed to Jesus’ love in deeds and words.

Dear friends, Both Daria and I studied at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague. We were considering what we would like to do, and I expressed the desire to do charity work in Kosovo. In 1999, there had been the war in Kosovo, and there were lots of wounds and a lot of need. As a native Serbian, I wanted to explore whether we could do something there. In our first house, we didn’t have proper carpets. It was just soil, covered with some cardboard and then carpet over the top. It was a year before we found our first building where we set up our centre. I was teaching English, and we ran classes mainly for preschool kids. We didn’t have insulation, but we had a very nice children’s playground that we built – it was the only one in the village and perfect for outreach. In wintertime we had to close it on several occasions. It was so cold that the water in the toilets was frozen. When we moved to our new building, we had to give up our playground, but we had central heating and we were much closer to the Roma community, which was very

beneficial and a blessing. But one of the biggest disappointments for me was that even after ten years, parents from a minority ethnic group decided to drop out because we had more Roma kids attending. When BMS World Mission teachers Robert* and Rose* arrived, they brought so much improvement. I could praise them for hours. I switched to being responsible for the administrative work. Daria was our legal representative, and also, in a sense, our boss: monitoring our budgets, finances, helping with the classes… We supervised Action Teams, which was a unique and amazing experience. The locals really appreciated that Action Teamers wanted to become part of their community. I would like to say thanks a lot. I spent seven years in Prague – it has so many beautiful things. But if I could turn back time and choose again whether I want seven years in Prague, or ten years in Kosovo, I would choose ten in Kosovo. Thank you, Dmitri BMS-supported worker, Kosovo *Names changed for security reasons.

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IT WAS SO COLD THAT THE WATER WAS FROZEN

LETTERS FROM... THE UK

Answers to faithful prayers

God’s wonderful work

I was so moved to read the short article [on page 3 of Issue 50] ‘Love-ly news from Wang Daeng’. Two, three, possibly four years ago now I read an article in Engage in which we were asked to pray for Wit, Helen and (I think) a young man called Ajarn Tah, who was relating to young people in Wang Daeng. I seem to recall at the time of writing there were no other Christians in the area. I set my alarm clock every Wednesday afternoon at 3 pm to remind me to pray for these stoic mission workers. I have tried to be faithful in praying each time although not, I’m afraid, 100 per cent successfully. But, what a joy it was to read the short article today about the 70 people gathering in Helen and Wit’s driveway for fellowship with a local pastor giving a short gospel presentation when some responded to the call for salvation but then, to read about five baptisms completely blew me away. The amazing grace of God and his answers to the faithful prayers of Helen, Wit (and Ajarn Tah) and others over many years is so humbling and it is hard to find words to thank him enough for all his goodness. Jenny

Dear Hannah, Many thanks for your letter and 50th issue of the magazine. Well done. I find it uplifting to be able to read about God’s wonderful work that BMS is doing around the world, and the charitable contributions being made by so many volunteers. Keep up the good work. God’s blessing. Fred

Amazing stories speak for themselves Thank you for Engage. I find it interesting, informative and very well presented. However, (here goes!)… I find it really O.T.T. in the hyperbole that marks every issue. Words like “amazing”, “incredible”, and “fantastic” are frequently overused… Cannot the facts simply be left to speak for themselves? Ann

Get in touch! If you’ve been inspired or challenged by anything you’ve read in Engage, have been busy raising money for us, or have anything else you want to share, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch using one of the methods on page 2!

Editor’s note: Thank you so much for the

feedback Ann. It was thoughtfully written, helpful to hear, and lovely to be able to correspond with you about it. I’m so glad you wrote in.

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Across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, people are coming to faith – often in life-threatening circumstances. Will you stand with them this harvest?

Engage Issue 51 - 2021

Articles inside

Coming home

Letters

A letter from… Kosovo

News

I Will Stand

Thank you