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Kenya Update
Issue 23 | Jan - Mar 12
The Official Elim International Missions Magazine
lP ease Help this issue
ciation
Asso Elim Relief
e Mending th
brokenness
hurch: rsecuted c e P e th d n Iran CSW a adarkhani in N r to s a P n o us? An update it mean for s e o d t a h pring: W The Arab S i& ress in Hait PLUS: Prog nd for Swazila Sacrificing
OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
editorial [BY CHRIS JONES]
All jobs have their various challenges and pleasures and one of the joys of my role is the privilege of seeing firsthand the real transformation we are able to bring to desperate and destroyed situations through our ERA appeals. I wish it was something that you too could see firsthand. In this edition of Outreach you will read more about Elim Relief Association and I trust this will give you some idea of the work that we are able to do through your giving plus some of the rationale behind what takes place. All the ERA appeals we have launched and the subsequent action taken have had a major impact on the areas they have focused on and out of these there are many wonderful stories to be told. But there are three that stand out for me personally as being both heart-warming and heartbreaking. The first is that of the Pakistan earthquake back in 2010 when as a result of a devastating earthquake many were killed and tens of thousands made homeless. With the onset of a bitterly cold winter being imminent, the need to get aid to the victims quickly was paramount. The journey to the outlying areas is a tale in itself, but the welcome we received was totally unexpected. Remember this was at the time when the relationship between Pakistan and the West was beginning to be strained and we were not too sure what awaited us. The welcome we received was unforgettable as the whole population of a number of surrounding villages turned out to greet us and show us their thanks. I will never forget when the time came for the village elders to distribute some of the goods we had brought in our convoy, total chaos ensued as parents, grandparents and children alike literally wrestled and fought
in desperation to secure food, blankets, tents, in fact anything that would help them survive the cruelties of the harsh winter weather that was on its way. So intense was the tussle that ensued that the only place we could find that was safe was to stand on the roof of one of the vehicles we travelled in whilst the action took place all around us. One further aspect of that visit I will never forget is that after the aid had either been distributed or safely put away for a later date, we were invited to share tea with the village council and tribal leaders as they expressed their gratitude for the help we had brought. Sitting in the foothills of some of the most fierce and rugged mountains in the world, drinking tea and discussing cricket and the merits of what eleven we would choose if we could pick a world team will live with me forever! Time and space have gone so at some later stage I will share with you the other two outstanding memories I have. Most importantly I want to say that all the stories we are able to tell about lives being changed and communities transformed through ERA is down to the generosity and sacrificial giving of people like you, without whom none of this would be possible. Thank you
CHRIS JONES INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS DIRECTOR
arabSPRING the
CHRIS JONES WRITES | about the recent ‘Arab Spring’ and what it means for the future of the Middle East and us as Christians.
contents
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ERA EAST AFRICA: KENYA - IN A DRY & WEARY LAND | 06 PROGRESS IN HAITI | 08 INTERVIEW WITH MERVYN THOMAS OF CSW | 10
12
VOLUNTEERING WITH ELIM MISSIONS | 12 SACRIFICING FOR SWAZILAND | 16 A WEAPON IN THE FIGHT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE | 18
04
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COVER STORY
ERA : MENDING THE BROKENNESS It’s a tragic fact that there will always be disasters taking place across the world that result in a desperate need for relief aid. OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
E.R.A.
ELIM RELIEF ASSOCIATION
mending the
brokenness
It’s a tragic fact that there will always be disasters taking place across the world that result in a desperate need for relief aid. These can be due to natural phenomena such as earthquakes, flooding, drought, or as a result of war and violence. When we first learn that a disaster has or is taking place, our first response has to be to pray for people suffering and mourning, and also to pray for aid agencies that can speedily be on the scene to be able to provide emergency help. At Elim Missions we are not a rapid relief agency, we can’t be there in the immediate days following a disaster. Thankfully there are many excellent rapid relief agencies, including many from the UK, that are on the scene within a matter of hours.
Once we have assessed the situation, we send funds as quickly as possible to help with short-term emergency needs such as water, food, medicine, burying the dead, temporary shelter and sanitation. Then, depending on the response to our appeal and with regard to the particular situation, we assess how we can help in the medium term. This could include such things as repairing or providing transitional housing, health programmes, orphan care, helping set up micro-businesses, seeds
When we launch an ERA appeal to raise funds to help provide relief aid, we always ensure that we have either Elim representatives or trusted partners on the ground to oversee this. So there may be instances when we can’t help in a country where we have no trusted contacts. But where we know we can make a difference, we alert our Elim family and are always so thankful to them when they respond with funds to help. 04
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ERA provides for short-term emergency needs such as water, food, medicine etc
Thank you to everyone wh
A appeals over
the years. Your giving ha s made a massive difference in the lives of
Following some relief appeals, we are able to help longer-term through providing personnel to help with areas such as orphan care and education and also building such things as clinics and permanent housing. This longer-term assistance would generally be for a defined period of one to three years.
people in desperat e need.
But we can’t do anything whatsoever without your help. Thank you to everyone who has responded to our ERA appeals over the years. Your giving has made a massive difference in the lives of people in desperate need. And we always welcome giving to ERA even when there isn’t a specific appeal, so we have funds ready to respond quickly to a new situation. ERA MAKING A LASTING DIFFERENCE Back in 2003 there was a serious food crisis in Zambia. ERA gave funds to buy seed and fertilizer to avert a major crisis in the Nyangombe area where Elim Missionaries Gordon and Sybil McKillop are ministering. As a local initiative Gordon coupled the giving of aid with compulsory attendance and compliance to the most modern methods of maize-growing agriculture and this teaching has continued over the years. Gordon reports that if you
Gordon McKillop with a local at their Maze farm
talk with anyone in the area, they see the beginning of successful maize farming dating from the ERA investment in 2003. That year people grew 300 tons of maize. In 2010, the same people grew over 2000 tons of maize! This is being used as a cash crop to help educate their children and help families lift themselves out of poverty. These people have asked us to thank everyone who gave to the ERA appeal back in 2003 to help them get started in a time of great need.
ERA APPEALS OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS: 2001
2002
Mozambique Flooding
2003
2004
Malawi Famine Kenya Flooding Zimbabwe Famine
Afghanistan & Iraq Wars Southern Africa Famine
2005
o has
responded to our ER
and fertilizer, access to clean water and sending short-term teams to help. And alongside the practical aid, the good news of Jesus Christ is shared.
2006
2007
2008
Middle East conflict Ghana & Mozambique Flooding Sudan War
Indian Ocean Coastal Regions Tsunami Guyana Flooding Pakistan & Malawi Famine Sudan War
2009
2010
2011
Haiti Earthquake Pakistan Flooding Iran M & M Uganda Famine Philippines Typhoon
Burma Cyclone Kenya Conflict Zimbabwe Cholera Epidemic
Japan Earthquake East Africa Drought
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05
dryweary land
WATERING a
and
“I was impacted by the n of connectio nown some unk rs to praye people’s ana and k r u T h t r God in no ing to some k God spea in the Elim le p o e p n unknow urches h C l a t s o Pentec ey e what th iv g o t , K U elp His could to h family”
This is the river that was flowing so much in September that is stopped Paul getting to the village, it is now a dry barren wasteland.
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ERA EAST AFRICA : KENYA
BY PAUL HUDSON
The child was screaming uncontrollably. She was being consoled but held on to by her relatives. Her only desire was to run far away from these strange people with a white skin that she had never seen before. This shows clearly just how far north into the Turkana region of Kenya we had reached, where white people had never been seen before. In my visit in September last year I had not managed to reach this village called Lupongo. After five years of no rain it began to rain the week I arrived, perhaps something of the fact that I’m a Brit! The rain was not a blessing. It came in such monsoon quantities that it destroyed the little road infrastructure that the region has, isolating thousands of people within their communities. The villagers of Lupongo and other nearby villages crossed the rivers to meet me and the vehicles carrying 10 tonnes of food aid. On seeing the team waiting for them, the village elder said to me, “God has come to our village.” They had been praying for the last five years for food and relief and on that day it had arrived. These words encapsulate the work of Elim Relief Association (ERA). At that moment I was impacted by the deeply moving connection of some unknown people’s prayers to God in north Turkana and God speaking to some unknown people in the Elim Pentecostal Churches UK, to give what they could to help His family - unknown to each other, but very much known by the Father. How amazing is this!
So this is the story. God has moved Elim UK once again through ERA to give sacrificially to meet a real need and transform communities. In the tiredness of constant appeals from many quarters of our charitable society, I want to tell you and encourage you not to get tired. Giving to ERA really does work. It changes lives. It prevents deaths. It brings the gospel to thousands. In Lupongo now because of what you have given there is: • a borehole that will not only provide necessary water for drinking and washing, but will also be used to irrigate a new farm of maize to be planted soon and also animals can be reintroduced into the community, all of which had been wiped out due to the famine • a lovely church building, the first in that area ever (the church has grown to 85 adult members meeting under a tree for 14 years), this will have a multipurpose use for the education of the children and also health awareness classes • the Pastor now has a motorbike which he uses to carry the sick to the nearest clinic 20km away, he also has had his home replaced as it was burnt down • along with 10 tonnes of food aid
A borehole bringing fresh water to a village for the first time
At the opening ceremony thanking God for the borehole, the church danced and sang in true Turkana style that God was turning their dry and
Paul Hudson with the girl he met on his September visit
So December saw me again in north Turkana and this time I was determined to get to Lupongo along with the team of John Martin, who was with me to film the story, and our missionaries David and Bobbie Tinnion, who had arrived to spend the whole month in East Africa working with several of our partner organisations, particularly in Uganda.
barren land into a blessed land. I have often sung songs like this over the years in a spiritual sense, but here I was enjoying God doing this physically. He really was turning their land into a blessed land again. Yes there will be tough days ahead but through ERA God has announced a new day for His people. The highlight for me was to meet the little girl again that I had first met in September. She was the girl I gave my half empty bottle of water to and she held on to it as if Christmas had arrived, but not knowing what to do with something so precious that she had never had before. Her parents had died of some preventable disease and she was being raised by her grandmother. I was praying to find this rag-clothed little girl again. After a few hours of searching the Pastor found her, a member of his congregation. I was so pleased to see her and now she looked cleaner, healthier, she was brighter and was wearing a lovely dress. I was unashamedly moved to see her and I had brought her a present, a large bottle of water! I may not see this girl again but I feel so privileged to be part of her journey. I only have that privilege because you gave through ERA. We are producing a film of our visit. May I encourage you to watch this when it is released. It will be a moving tribute to the lives of God’s people who struggle in a way that most of us will never know. It will be a tribute to God who changes lives today all over the world. It will of course be a tribute to you, who gave to ERA; individuals and churches touched by the plight of the poor and needy. Thank God for you and please keep on seeking God with open hands for those who are unknown to us but known by our God. If you would like to hear more about Paul’s visit to Kenya you can listen to our East Africa Podcast at: www.elimmissions.co.uk/podcast you can also see more photos at www.facebook.com/elimmissions OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
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BY BECKY HALDANE
Two years on from the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January 2010 this troubled country is still picking up the pieces. In some areas it’s almost as if it just happened last month. However the resilience of the Haitian people is extraordinary and you could be forgiven for thinking that nothing had happened here other than physical destruction. Of course we have all seen enough news to know that is not the case. With approximately a quarter of a million people killed in a single day, there are countless families still grieving the loss of children, parents and siblings. One of the side effects of this is that almost overnight Portau-Prince and the surrounding area became over run not only with tent cities but also with orphanages. I say ‘orphanages’ but in reality what has happened is that people have just gone with children who required a home to the nearest person they could trust. One of these people is a pastor that the Foursquare missionaries here, John and Debbie Booker, met a few months ago. He and his wife live and work in one of the poorer areas of Port-au-Prince, living in three rooms attached to their church with their three boys. Their living conditions would be difficult enough living in three rooms, but what I missed out was the fact that after the earthquake they took in 15 wee girls who were suddenly in need of a new home. Not to mention the fact that the pastor also runs a school for around 200 local kids in his small, dark, one-roomed church building. 08
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The pastor and his family now sleep together in one room while the 15 girls sleep in the other, sleeping on the floor with very little light or ventilation. Because the rooms are so small and dark it is difficult to take photos to show just how desperate their situation is. No one could blame the children for being bitter or sad or even angry about their situation. Yet when you visit you are greeted by a sea of infectious smiling faces. The pastor, Pastor Renolds, has been taking care of these girls with very little assistance up to now and has done the most incredible, verging on miraculous, job. Where many of us would be hesitant to offer overnight accommodation to someone if we didn’t have a spare room, this man and his wife have taken in 15 extra children with the expectation that they will stay with them into adulthood when they are ready to leave home. This isn’t an orphanage as we would
“With approximately a quarter of a million people killed in a single day, there are countless families still grieving the loss of children, parents and siblings.” imagine one to be. All of the girls call Pastor Renolds ‘Papa’. For me that was one of the most poignant moments of my first visit when the enormity of this couple’s commitment hit home. When we visited we had a couple of visitors from Abundant Life in Belfast with us. With their help and also some of the ERA money that was given last year, Foursquare has been able to secure the purchase of a strip of land right next to the church property. Plans are being drawn up currently to build a new home for this extended family. There is another piece of land right next to it which is vacant but currently not for sale…but when the owner changes his mind, we’ll be first in with an offer! Sometimes it feels as though we’re not making enough of a difference here. The problems we see all around us can seem too big. I have two responses to this. On a spiritual note we have to keep reminding ourselves that our God is so much bigger than any problem we can present to Him. He is able to do all things. That is number one! The second is the thought that to be able to help the orphans of Haiti each church and organisation must all play their own small part and, between us, we change the future of a generation of Haitians who would otherwise grow up with no education, poor life skills, failing health and no real hope or joy in their lives. Through partnering with Foursquare Haiti, Elim Relief Association is directly and indirectly influencing the lives of around 70 children in three different orphanages. It might be with food and clothing, accommodation or education, sometimes as simple as taking teams over to play with the kids and cuddle them for a couple of hours. We recently completed a well at one orphanage so they have unlimited clean water. Relief work is very different to what we think of as ‘mission’ work. In some senses the effects can be instant. When we put up a new tent in the tent city, within ten minutes we have housed a family! The bigger picture of need in Haiti will take years to change. It is a challenge and a privilege to be part of this work. TOP: Becky Haldane MIDDLE: Pastor ‘Papa’ Renolds BOTTOM: One of the girls from the orphanage
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Christian Solidarity Worldwide MERVYN THOMAS OF CSW
is an advocacy organisation which provides a voice for Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith, in places where Christians wouldn’t otherwise have a voice. International Missions Director, Chris Jones recently met with Mervyn Thomas, Founder & CEO, to talk about CSW’s ministry. Here are some of the highlights of what Mervyn shared during their time together. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ADVOCACY? Advocacy means different things to different people. At CSW we are talking about providing a voice and speaking up for those who are unable to speak for themselves, as it says in Proverbs 31:8, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” We represent persecuted Christians in front of governments, legislators, at the UN and elsewhere, with people who can make a difference. ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH RELIEF PROJECTS? I believe God has called us at CSW to provide a voice for persecuted Christians. There are many temptations to do more than that through getting involved in practical and relief projects because there are so many needs. Yes, we usually take something to meet short-term needs when we visit people, but God has called us to focus on being a voice for the voiceless and we must be faithful to that calling. ARE YOUR REPORTS ACCURATE? The way our organisation is viewed by governments around the world is testimony to the fact we concentrate on providing accurate reports. Praise God He has opened doors, giving us a great reputation. There’s a lot of information out there, some lies, some with a grain of truth. We treble check our sources so we know the information we put out is reliable and tested. We aren’t interested in being the first organisation out with a story; we are only interested in being out with an accurate story. If we got it wrong, governments wouldn’t want to listen to us. And our reports are always objective, we never put spin on a story; we try
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not to sensationalise, even though some of the stories we are telling are sensational.
Egyptian revolution kicked off, so this really was a Holy Spirit inspired campaign.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED? In the 1980s a CSW team visited Nepal because 130 pastors were in prison at the time for preaching the gospel with many people coming to Christ. The chief Hindu priest in Kathmandu said he was surprised to see the team. He said he would never dream of putting a Muslim in prison because the whole of the Islamic world would be after him, nor would he put a Jew in prison because the Jews are so well organised they know when their people are in trouble, but he could do whatever he liked to a Christian and no one said a word. This hit home so hard and I determined in my heart I never wanted to hear that said again. I desperately want to provide a voice for every Christian and made it my life’s work. We need to be there speaking out saying, “What are you doing to my brother?”
I recently visited Egypt and there were many opinions as to what is going to happen in the future. Some felt the revolution is yet to come. The elections may usher in an Islamic government of some kind, even though the majority of the population probably don’t want this. So we don’t know what’s going to happen, but out of all the countries involved in the so-called Arab Spring, it might well be Egypt that has a bloody short-term revolution.
CAN PERSECUTION BE PREVENTED? CSW is part of the Religious Liberty Partnership, a worldwide partnership involved in religious freedom and working with the persecuted Church. One of the projects that has been instigated is an early warning system so that we can see where we think persecution might happen, looking at how it has happened in the past and seeing the signs so we are ready to speak out before it happens and, by speaking out, could prevent it. WHAT ABOUT THE ARAB UPRISING? There is a lot of hope across the world about what the future might hold as a result of what is being called the Arab Spring. But at this stage we just don’t know what will come about for Christians and freedom of religion as a result of this. Situations could get worse and opportunities to preach the gospel could be even more limited. We have 26 countries of focus and each year we campaign for one of them. In August 2010 I met a doctor from Egypt who was interested in setting up a day of prayer for Christians in Egypt. As we talked I had a strong Holy Spirit impression that we needed to focus on Egypt in 2011. So in September 2010 we decided to hold a day of prayer for Egypt on 29th January 2011. Then just two days earlier the whole
Stability in the Middle East is key to everything that’s going on in the world. People are only just waking up to the fact that actually religion and religious freedom plays a vital part in everything. In virtually every conflict around the world you can peel back the layers and it comes down to religion. WHAT ABOUT THE UK? In the Foreign Office there’s a Human Rights Department but no one in that office has a role that focuses on religious freedom. But there’s beginning to be awareness that this is key. We need to pray for Christians in government who are doing a tremendous job. Christianity is being taken out of everything in this country, we are bending over backwards to be tolerant of other faiths, but in the process we are being intolerant of Christians. Over the years I’ve noticed the progression of persecution here, often beginning with disinformation about Christianity which can lead to discrimination or marginalisation. We need to be aware we are on a progressive path to persecution and need to offer protection to Christians. The only way we can counter disinformation is with good information. We have great churches making a difference in our communities, and we’re not telling our stories. We need to say we’re doing things because we’re following the teaching of Jesus, because we are Christians. This could turn the tide. Thank you for all the support from Elim churches, it’s a great support to us, we couldn’t exist without the support of people praying, protesting, providing and proclaiming. For more of this conversation listen to our podcast at www.elimmissions.co.uk/podcast For more info on CSW visit www.csw.org.uk OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
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volunteering WITH
Elim Missions
BY CHRIS JONES 2
When I first heard that there may be a possibility of me doing some voluntary work in the Elim International Missions office, I will admit that I did not snap up the opportunity joyfully and without hesitation. Not only because I would have to move out from my home in St.Albans and away from my family earlier than originally planned, but also because I didn’t consider packing boxes and making tea to be the most exciting use of my time! As it turns out, I needn’t have worried; Malvern is a beautiful location, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and I have also learnt a lot about both the world of international missions and the background work that has to be carried out in order for that world to function successfully. You may be wondering why I still haven’t introduced myself, and soon you will see why. My name is Chris Jones, but in order to avoid confusion (apparently there is already a Chris Jones here at Elim Missions!) I have become known as ‘Chris 2’ or simply ‘the volunteer’. I am currently on a gap year before going to the University of Warwick to study Mathematics, and on December 6th I fly out to Romania to spend five months serving as a
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and I have also learnt a lot about both the world of international missions and the background work that has to be carried out in order for that world to function successfully.” 12
OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
missionary in and around Botoşani (a town in the north-east of the country). I have always had a strong desire to take a year out before university, and despite the significant increase in tuition fees I will incur by choosing to study next year, I strongly believe that the valuable life experience I will gain will far outweigh the financial cost. My main targets for the year were to grow myself spiritually, and to grow myself professionally, and I decided that serving as a volunteer with Elim Missions would help fulfil both of these quite nicely. So here I am - sitting at my desk, surrounded by paperwork, cardboard boxes, DVDs, flyers, magazines, and other random bits of office equipment - taking some time out to reflect on my five weeks here. I have carried out various tasks, most of which being background jobs that the team here simply do not have the time to do alongside the day-to-day running of the organisation. These include packing 500 bags of promotional/ informational material for this year’s Summit tour, opening and sorting the pile of mail we get every morning, despatching Direction magazines to our missionaries, dealing with a mound of paperwork that required scanning and/or shredding that had built up, and reorganizing a lot of the files and folders on
the missions computer system. I was also fortunate enough to attend the Missions Training Course on 31st October and the Far East Focus Group on 28th November, both of which I can recommend to anyone interested, and also the Summit at Coventry on 1st December. One of the main things I have discovered in my time here is just how rewarding it can be to serve. Ironically, I have learnt that the best way to grow yourself spiritually is to humbly reduce yourself in how you think, see and act. Not only do you then bless and honour others, you give God space to amplify his personality traits in you. This has been a valuable lesson for me over the last five weeks, and one that couldn’t have come at a more perfect time with my trip to Romania looming. I hope that you can also find joy in the areas in which you serve, and be ever more transformed into His likeness as a result. I also hope that you will join me in honouring the fantastic team here at Elim Missions, who do so much of the ‘ugly’ side of world missions so well. They kept me working hard, but also managed to make the experience an enjoyable one. The best part was, they didn’t once ask me to make a cup of tea!
FOR RECIPE TRANSFORMATION METHOD: 1. Place Loose Change And Notes Into The Globe
£ £
£
£
£
£
2. Each Quarter Take The Globe To Your Local Elim Church And Empty The Contents
3. Shake Contents Along With That Of Other Globes And Send To Elim Missions
INGREDIENTS:
x1 Missions Globe
x1 Generous Heart RESULT:
Lives
Transformed Please get in touch for your very own Missions OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012 302 6750 Globe | missions@elimhq.net | 0845 13
arabSPRING the
By Chris Jones
The phrase ‘Arab Spring’ was unheard of until recently and now, because of events of the past months, it has become widely used and is instantly recognised as to what it is referring too. However, there are those who are beginning to voice concerns that the Arab Spring is already leading to many Christians being persecuted. Thousands of Christians in the Middle East and Africa are enduring what some are calling a ‘Christian Winter’ in the midst of the ‘Arab Spring’, a movement of political unrest that has given way to Muslim domination and rising hostility against Christians. The ongoing events of the past 12 months in the Arab world, coupled with the tensions in Israel, make these not simply interesting days that could be met with a glib reference to end times, but days when we as thinking Christians need to intelligently understand and discern, without resorting to sensationalism, what is unravelling in the Middle East and how we can best respond to this. 14
OUTREACH || Jan - March 2012 OUTREACH
Adding to the already high tension is what some are calling a potential energy revolution due to the discovery off the coast of Israel of probably the largest offshore gas reserve in the world and the biggest find in a decade. The implications of this discovery are huge and although yet impossible to quantify, in the future it could change the face of the Middle East as we now know it. Already many are asking whether abundant natural resources are a blessing or not. Indeed this is a valid question for in reality it could be said that the basis for future confrontation and conflict between Israel and Lebanon is being sown and the new battlefields could well be the oil and gas fields off their coasts. Israel already has plans to enlarge its Navy and with Israel and Lebanon still technically at war, tension is sure to rise in the coming days. To return to the matter of the Arab Spring there are a number of questions that these recent events raise. For me two stand out above the rest. Firstly, why was everyone, including our press, our governments and politicians, surprised by these events when any close observation of what was happening in country and understanding of history clearly indicates that such uprisings are possible. For many decades the people of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and other nations have been ruled and suppressed by, as one writer puts it, modern days Sultans therefore these nations have been ripe for revolution for years, so why the surprise? Here’s an extract from a newspaper article: “In Tunisia, protestors escalated calls of the restoration of the country’s suspended Constitution. Meanwhile, Egyptians rose in revolt as strikes across the country brought daily life to a halt and toppled the government. In Libya provincial leaders worked feverishly to strengthen their newly independent republic.” These words could so easily have adorned the front pages of today’s newspapers when in fact these are the headlines announcing the uprisings in these nations in 1919. For our Middle East experts and politicians to say what is happening now has taken them by surprise is either to have no understanding of the current situation or what took place historically, or that they have simply taken the opportunity to stand back and watch to discover what is
best for their own national interests! The second aspect that intrigues me is the apparent surprise at the rise of the Islamists and especially the Muslim Brotherhood in these countries, as they stand on the brink of sharing if not actually taking power. To be surprised by such an outcome is either naive or perhaps a realisation that events are out of control and that to support the winner is always a good strategy. The Christian Winter at this time looks a very real possibility as the Middle East mainstream Islamist are strongly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood who are single issue parties concerned with proselytising and introducing Sharia law. Let’s not be fooled if in the coming days we read that these new governments speak the rhetoric of reform, moderation, of a modern Islamic rule, for this will simply be for the purpose of improving their image and seeking approval from the West for their new governments. As one writer says it so well when referring to these Islamic parties, “The West knows much less about Egypt’s most powerful opposition forces than it should.” And to this I add, this can be echoed across the region. There are primarily two reasons why I am sharing about this with you. The first is to start a conversation where we feel free to express our views and comments that perhaps don’t always reflect the correctness of our days. And secondly to exhort and remind us that in the midst of all that is happening, and may well continue to happen, is that we are a people of hope, who indeed take time to understand something of the days in which we live and know and discern how to pray, speak and live. OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012 OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
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Sfor
acrificing
SWAZILAND
LLOYD AND JO CHESHIRE ALONG WITH THEIR 3 CHILDREN, MOVED TO SWAZILAND IN NOVEMBER 2011. LLOYD WRITES OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR... 10 years ago the Lord gave Joanne and I a prophetic word that we would be working in African Communities, surrounded by African children. That sounds great we thought, putting it to the back of our minds and thinking that maybe when we are old and grey and the children have all left home, then maybe that will be the time to answer His call. In July 2010, Joanne was working for Youth For Christ and had the opportunity to go with one of the schools she was working in to visit a project in South Africa called Hands at Work. On her return it was clear that God was stirring us up and reminding us of the word He gave us nine years before. After words of prophecy and numerous Scriptures were given to us, it became obvious that 16
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we couldn’t ignore His call to Africa. So after visiting Swaziland in November 2010 we decided with Chris Jones and Kevin Ward (Senior Pastor of Challenge Ministries Swaziland) that we should prepare to move. The following months were a very difficult and heart breaking time as we set out to inform our family and friends and of course our beloved church family at Ward End Elim. After only being Pastor at Ward End for nearly three years we hadn’t imagined we would be telling them that God was moving us so soon - yet despite the emotions, everyone at the church was incredibly supportive of our decision and set out to join us by partnering with us in actively raising financial support. And so began the long, hard road to raising the personal support that we needed. Whenever one steps out in faith and obeys the Lord’s calling to do whatever He is calling you to do, the enemy brings on whatever he can to try and disrupt that call. Sure enough, both in our personal life and within our church at Ward End, he tried all he could to accomplish his mission of stopping the call of God and subsequent blessing on our lives.
Yet God strengthened us through it all and, like Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Be encouraged; if you choose to obey God’s call, the storms will come, but if you keep on walking through, ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ He will strengthen you for His purposes. And so a year from when we first visited Swaziland, in November 2011 we left for Swaziland to the warm heat and beautiful sunshine, having been amazed by the Lord’s financial provision and blessed to be a part of such an amazing ministry here in Swaziland. The work of Challenge Ministry in Swaziland is well known and supported throughout Elim, as it seeks to ‘Win, Train and Send’ the people of Swaziland through its many varied outreach programmes. Our role within all of this is mainly to offer Pastoral Care within the Potter’s Wheel Church and Challenge Ministries – in particular pastoring the Pastors of our Church Community Plants (ICBC-In Community By Community). We are also responsible for the many long term (over two weeks) volunteers that the ministry is blessed with from all over the world. Joanne is also working with the young people and helping with the Church/Ministry administration. We are here to serve this amazing ministry that God has given Pastors Kevin and Helen Ward and so whatever the need we have said to them, we will, in God, try and meet it. In the first four weeks after we arrived, we settled into our lovely home – which is on
1 million people, “38%Withof only the total population
(although it’s probably higher) is infected with HIV/ AIDS (biggest population per head of population of HIV/ AIDS in the world).
”
the Challenge Ministry Farm where one of the orphanages is as well as the TCMI (Life Skills and Bible School for young men and women). We have managed to get Kieran (10) and Maddison (6) into a good primary school in Mbabane, though at the time of writing we are still seeking God’s direction for our older daughter Naomi’s schooling, and are settling into our new roles and amazing church family. We are so thankful to God for His amazing blessings and that He has chosen us for ‘such a time as this’ to serve Him in this beautiful little country. Though there is great poverty and huge needs in Swaziland, there is hope and His name is Jesus and His Church here. If you would like to know how to support us as Elim Missionaries or how you could support Challenge Ministries Swaziland please get in touch with us via Elim Missions office. We’d love to hear from you. Lloyd and Joanne Cheshire OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
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BY MANDY CAMPBELL
A WEAPON IN THE FIG
During the years in which I have been working with Elim International Missions, I am aware of the way in which God has enlarged my heart for the poor. My desire to ‘make a difference’ grows increasingly as I read the statistics, watch the news channels, read the newspapers and generally keep myself informed on issues affecting our world today.
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“But whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him.”(1 John 3:17).
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OVER
the last year as a Lifelink Team we have been researching some of these world issues, to help us be better equipped to do our work and ensure that we are making a difference in the areas close to God’s heart. The first of these is POVERTY. The dictionary describes poverty as follows: A condition where people’s basic needs for food, clothing and shelter are not being met - the state of being extremely poor (Oxford Dictionary) According to the latest statistics, over 840 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished. Every day 26,000 young children die due to poverty, hunger and preventable diseases. 640 million children are without adequate shelter and 400 million have no access to safe water. Many of these children die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and conscience of the world (source: Unicef) The Bible contains over 300 scriptures about the poor, social justice and God’s deep concern for both. Many demonstrate the need for Christians to respond to poverty and hunger with compassion stating that this is proof of the love of God within us.
“Whoever is kind to the needy honours God.” (Proverbs 14:31) In Luke’s gospel Jesus refers to the Great Commandment, “Love the Lord your God
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EVERY DAY 26,000 young children D I E due to poverty, hunger and preventable
diseases.
GHT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.” In Luke 10 Jesus explained what a ‘neighbour’ is by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan – here’s a summary: A Jewish man had been beaten by robbers and left half dead beside the road. Two different religious leaders (a Priest and a Levite) passed by but did nothing to help. Finally, a Samaritan man came by and took pity on the injured man. He gave him water, patched up his wounds, put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he could rest and recover. The Samaritan man gave freely of both his time and his money to help a Jewish man who was not only a stranger, but also was of a different religion, a foreigner and an enemy of his people. In the parable, Jesus challenges us to, “Go and do likewise.” What is interesting in this passage is that both the Priest and Levite reacted to the injured man by thinking, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But the Good Samaritan reversed the question, “If I don’t stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” Scripture has therefore brought me to the conclusion that, in order to honour God and make a difference in my life, I must care about the poor. “Whoever is kind to the needy honours God” (Proverbs 14:31). I am privileged to be able to do this, through my work as Director of Elim Lifelink. I would
like to encourage and challenge every reader to be involved in this vital work. Lifelink is involved in raising funds for many projects in some of the world’s poorest countries. These include supporting local enterprise in Swaziland, Nepal, The Philippines, Burkina Faso and Uganda; feeding the hungry and providing shelter for the homeless in Malawi, Sierra Leone and Honduras; rescuing girls and women from the sex industry in India and Cambodia; providing health care in Malawi, Swaziland and Cambodia and providing education in Brazil and The Philippines. This is just a very small example of the work we are involved in. You can read more on the Elim International Missions website www. elimmissions.co.uk/Lifelink In closing, I would just like to quote a couple of very famous people: “God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.” Bono, lead singer of U2 “To me, a faith in Jesus Christ that is not aligned with the poor ... it’s nothing.” Mother Teresa When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed. OUTREACH | Jan - March 2012
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