OPERATION MOBILISATION MAGAZINE no.1 2019
“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.” LUKE 4:18 (NLT)
Sharing the love of Christ among the least reached
IN THIS ISSUE
ROMANS 10:14
“ …how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
no.1 2019 On the cover:
An elderly woman in a Rohingya refugee camp in southern Bangladesh Photo Credit: Garrett N
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World News North Africa
Honour, shame and trust
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United Kingdom
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OM Ships
A light for the neighbours
Return to Logos Hope
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Himalayas
Trekking for the gospel
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Serbia
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Seeing the Iranian Church grow
OM Blog
‘The only constant, is change’
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Cambodia
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Bangladesh
My sin is forgiven
After the media leave
DEAR FRIENDS, As I read through this edition of Global, I am so encouraged by the stories and testimonies of people being reached with the good news of Jesus Christ. However, as thrilled as I am by the encouraging stories of people reaching out and sharing the gospel with least reached people all around the world, I am, at the same time, so aware of the challenge and need that remains for the gospel to be spread. Nearly three billion people have never heard the truth about Jesus and live in areas of the world where there is no Christian witness. The bottom line: we need to see more people motivated and mobilised to GO, step out by faith, and seek to make disciples of all nations. One of the highlights of 2018, for me, was preaching at a large gathering of young Christians in Moldova. As I preached a challenge for mission, and looked out at the 1,300 young people, I began to quote Jesus’ words, “The Harvest is plentiful but...” the problem was, as I got to the second part of the phrase, I found myself unable to continue. There I was looking out at over a thousand young people—who love Jesus and are committed to following Him—and I was about to say, “...the workers are few”. Such potential for the gospel was sitting right there in front of me! I wonder what could happen if many of those Moldovan young people stepped out in faith to serve the Lord? I wonder what could happen if more of us, and more of our churches in the UK, rededicated ourselves to the Lord’s Great Commission?
Operation Mobilisation Registered office The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7LT. t: 01691 773388 e: info.uk@om.org w: www.uk.om.org Scotland 210 Kennedy Street, Glasgow, G4 0BQ. Northern Ireland The Lodge Studio, 2 Bridge End Road, Templepatrick BT39 0DB. Registered as a company limited by guarantee no. 2564320 and charity no.1008196 (England and Wales), and SCO40988 (Scotland).
Editor: Cortney Alexandra Lee
May I propose a challenge for us all in 2019? How about praying, very specifically, that one Christian you know would get involved in a world mission trip this year? How about specifically encouraging and challenging that person to go, even offering to support them in different ways? How about considering yourself to get involved in a mission trip – specifically and intentionally seek to share your faith with someone in your locality? We send around 30,000 copies of this Global magazine. What if a proportion, say 3,000 people reading this editorial, were to take up the challenge to pray for, encourage and help mobilise one person to be involved in world mission in 2019? Wow, what a difference that could make for world evangelisation! The Harvest is plentiful, and whilst the workers may presently be relatively few – they and we (the workers) are out there! What a difference to the least reached and what a potential impact, if we could all get more involved in mobilising others to go and share Jesus with the lost. Praying together with you for more to be mobilised for the least reached.
Stories and images: OM International © Global magazine 2019. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced in any form without written approval from the publishers. Country file information taken from Operation World, 21st Century edition.
Matthew Skirton, OM UK Director
Panoramic shots and pressing prayer updates, keep up to date and in touch via social media. facebook.com/OMUnitedKingdom
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WORLD NEWS
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19
by Nicole James
WORLD NEWS Sending everyone, to everywhere to share the gospel
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or a number of years, the leadership team in one Central Asian country have been praying for a specific region— “a difficult place, spiritually, with a proud and aggressive tribe of Central Asians,” described Kevin*, the OM country leader. “Very few churches exist in the three major cities, and these churches face significant persecution from authorities and the community.” OM in Central Asia is seeking to mobilise existing churches to reach beyond their walls and recognise their role in reaching people, in their region, who have never heard about Jesus. One of the most strategic tools for introducing Central Asians to missions is OM’s annual Central Asian outreach, where participants gather for centralised training before being sent out in small teams for shortterm outreach trips. A local pastor was asked to participate in the Central Asian outreach this year. He said that God was leading
his church to engage the same area of the country that OM workers had been praying about. “Their vision was to open a church there,” Kevin said. “The team went [on outreach], shared the gospel and experienced God working in amazing ways and opening eyes to see Jesus.”
“ OM’S CENTRAL ASIAN OUTREACH AIMS TO SEE THE GOSPEL GOING OUT TO EVERY VILLAGE AND CITY OF CENTRAL ASIA.” When they returned, the short-term team shared about their experiences, Kevin explained. “As their pastor of 20 years listened, he was touched and said, ‘We should send more people, maybe everyone, to everywhere… to share the gospel!’”
OM’s Central Asian outreach aims to see the gospel going out to every village and city of Central Asia and to see the lives of those participating in the outreaches changed for His glory. This team’s eager participation—and their pastor’s subsequent response—encouraged OM leadership to continue pressing forward in the ministry. “Not only did we see God drawing people to Himself, but also the pastor and the sending church have been challenged to be declaring Jesus to the unreached parts of their country and beyond— seeking to reproduce their vibrant community of Jesus followers across Central Asia,” Kevin said. Praise God for the shortterm team’s fruitful time in an unreached area! Pray that God would continue to open doors into this region for OM and local believers to share the gospel of Jesus.
Over 60 villages and only four churches… Bus4Life, an exciting mobile ministry centre, has had a successful tour among the villages of northern Odessa, in one of Ukraine’s least reached areas. Throughout the tour the Bus4Life team provided fun children’s activities for the crowds of inquisitive children who showed up to hear all that the team had to share. According to OM’s Hensie van der Merwe, many of these children had the opportunity to hear the gospel for the first time. With only four churches in an area spanning over 60 villages, this Bus4Life outreach has played a vital role in helping OM establish a longterm strategy and vision to support new church planting initiatives in this area. Please pray for our OM team as they endeavour to see new churches planted in this remote region. Give thanks for the ministry of Bus4Life, as they continue breaking new ground for the gospel.
*name changed
pray Pray for everyone everywhere to share the gospel.
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OM IN NORTH AFRICA
by Nicole James
HONOUR, SHAME AND TRUST
By living like Jesus, OM workers build trust with local friends and gain opportunities to share Jesus.
As foreigners in this country, the only way we can share with people is through relationship,” states long-term OM worker, Amanda*, who is based in North Africa. “We want to look for avenues where the gospel makes sense. Amanda, who has lived in her host country for over a decade, understands what maintaining a good reputation means for ministry in the local context. Therefore, she cautions new team members to be exceedingly careful about their reputations. “The way they live portrays a certain reputation, and already people see they are different,” she explains. Building relationships in North Africa requires an understanding of the potential friends’ culture – one of the most important aspects of which is the honour/shame dichotomy.
“THEY LOOK FOR SOMEONE THEY FEEL THEY CAN TRUST, WHO’S NOT GOING TO JUDGE THEM.” Problems and issues convert into the shame category. Praises and good grades fall into the honour category. Every aspect of a North African’s life lands in one or the other. Shame, however, only surfaces when it’s known. Dishonourable occurrences, as long as they’re secret, cannot be used to shame someone. GLOBAL 4
“For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.” Psalm 33:4
realise God purifies; He cleans; He changes.” Amanda shares. “We’re all looking for someone to care for us,” she summarises. “We have to listen to and love people, but always be pointing them to the Saviour, who ultimately loves them and gave His life for them.”
‘THEY NEED THE LOVE OF JESUS’
Still, when North Africans, “come up with situations in their lives, which are problems or issues, and they feel the need to talk about it; they look for someone they feel they can trust, who’s not going to judge them,” Amanda explains. OM workers often earn local friends’ trust because, “they’ve already established we are a different kind of people and we live an honourable life.”
‘THEY CAN TRUST US’ “All of my North African friends have shared with me about difficult aspects of their lives and families,” Amanda states. “It’s definitely true: they feel like they can trust us and tell us things.” A close friend told Amanda that two of her brothers had committed suicide. Other friends also shared negative stories about their husbands or financial problems they faced. “One of my biggest ministries over the years has been caring for the women, just loving them when they didn’t feel like anybody else really cared.” These women, “just need someone to hear them and care about them,” Amanda explains.
Celia* served with OM in North Africa for two years. At Christmas, she invited a North African girl over for a celebration. “I made Christmas decorations, and I gave her a Christmas present and Christmas dinner,” Celia describes. The friend visited Celia’s apartment several more times. Then, one day, she looked up at Celia with her eyes full of tears. “Before you came, I have not been in any other house that is not my family,” she told Celia.
“ ONE OF MY BIGGEST MINISTRIES OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN CARING FOR THE WOMEN, JUST LOVING THEM WHEN THEY DIDN’T FEEL LIKE ANYBODY ELSE REALLY CARED.”
“Mine was the first house she went to, she could call ‘friend’,” Celia explains. “It’s the most common thing to go visit your friends, but she didn’t have any friends.” “They’re just so lonely somehow; they just need to be loved,” she continues. “They need the love of Jesus – that is what is missing from their lives.” Pray for workers in North Africa to lead honourable lives that would attract North Africans to them. Pray for deep trust relationships to be built that allow workers to share the love of Jesus with their friends.
“They know I’m not going to judge them by it. I’m not going to think they’re lesser people because of their problems,” she adds. One young woman told Amanda that she had been raped. “She was so broken,” Amanda describes. “She felt so impure, unworthy to get married... [and] have a family.” Another woman, who was already married and a believer, told Amanda about similar struggles. Those friends, “didn’t think there could be anything else for them. But [I wanted them] to *names changed
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OM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
by Maria Smith
A LIGHT FOR THE NEIGHBOURS The Friendship Centre is a community hub, based in a particularly diverse part of England. The residents hail from Bangladesh, Somalia, and Pakistan, and there are very few Jesus followers among them.
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ohn* and Riya* work alongside other Christian volunteers to run the centre, bringing practical support and a much-needed spiritual light to the community. Through friendships and training courses, they build connections with the community, and take every opportunity they can to share about Jesus. One of the ways the centre supports the neighbourhood is through training. A local Muslim lady teaches a sewing course,
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giving the women the skills to make their own salwar kameez (traditional Indian clothing). One lady, having completed the course, set up her own clothing business and is now able to make a living. The centre also has computer facilities to host IT classes, and an area for English conversation classes. The volunteers incorporate a short Bible study into every lesson. For cultural reasons, men and women meet in separate rooms. The team have found that while the women are sewing, their husbands are quite happy to sit with a cup of coffee and chat in an adjoining room. “I’ve been having conversations and building friendships with the men,” shares John. “It can be difficult if they have limited English, but we just try to find links with people.” The team have found that locals enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the centre, and some visit almost every day. “As soon as I came to this place, I felt peace.”
“ WE TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY,” SAYS JOHN. “WE SURVEY DOOR-TO-DOOR – IT TAKES A LONG TIME, BECAUSE THEY ALL WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.” *names changed
Ayesha* came from an abusive home, but she found a safe place at the Friendship Centre. A social worker volunteers monthly at the centre to provide as much support as possible for the community, but they are aware that there is still more work to be done. The Friendship Centre is an investment into a community that needs to see the gospel lived out, and to experience the freedom and peace that only Jesus can bring.
OM SHIPS
by Cortney Lee
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
RETURN TO LOGOS HOPE Meet Liam and David. Liam was only seven years old when his family joined Logos Hope for three years. His time on board left a lasting impression and Liam decided to return as an adult member of the crew where he works alongside people such as David, the Book Fair Manager. HOW MANY VISITORS DO YOU AVERAGE IN A DAY? We average 2-3,000 visitors per day with around 7-8,000 at the weekends around Latin America.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT PERSONALLY AND MAYBE SPIRITUALLY THROUGH BEING IN MISSIONS? L: Personally, I have learnt more about what it’s like to live walking with God, making sure I focus on serving Him especially while doing an unpleasant job like dealing with the rubbish. Doing it with passion and for the Lord. To remember He has a plan and a purpose for me and that I shouldn’t worry about anything. I have learnt to be flexible and that it is very important when living in God’s plan as it may be different to your own but to accept it. I have learnt that I have a lot of aspirations but also that I need to trust God!
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D: I am learning to make people aware that being a missionary is a calling, but we are not an elite group. I also want people to understand how important it is to share your faith wherever you are and whatever stage of life you are at. Sharing your story with as many people as you can is so important, and on the ship we get a very good platform to do that.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FEEL GOD MIGHT BE SAYING TO YOU DURING THIS TIME ON THE SHIP? L: One of the main things that is impacting me is the realisation that the number of people in the world who have never heard the name of Jesus is increasing— not decreasing. This is definitely something that motivates me. D: The thing that stands out to me is John 3:17 – Christ didn’t come in to the world to condemn the world but to save it. If Jesus
came into the world to save the world, we must follow Him and it’s important that we don’t condemn the world either.
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT THE SHIP MINISTRY? L: Being able to see different places and people and being able to interact and become friends with crew on board the ship who are all from different cultures and backgrounds. D: In many countries in Latin America we have buses bringing people to the ship. Every day we have time for people to connect with folks, and they will take them through the Journey of Life (The story of the Prodigal son) and at the end, many people feel that they have problems with their family, we pray for them, and we are able to share the gospel with them, and they may accept Christ.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT JOINING THE SHIP? L: It is the definition of a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity, so you should definitely do it! You have a chance to travel the world and live with people from all around the world, all different cultures and languages. You get to do all this while serving God and seeing the change He can make in people’s lives. D: The ship is a great training platform for young people. People who join need to understand that their ministry includes the work that they do five days a week in a department, as well as their outreach days. All the work they do on board is a vital ministry.
Logos Hope visits each port for about two weeks and opens the gangways to hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each day. In the past 45 years, the ships have averaged one million visitors per year. The floating book fair offers over 5,000 titles, providing many visitors their first-ever opportunity to purchase quality educational and Christian literature. In each port, the ship’s crew joins local churches to show the love of Jesus to people whatever their circumstance, culture or background.
Want to follow the ship as she sails? Check out www.omships.org or www.facebook.com/omships
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OM IN SERBIA
by Nicky Andrews
SEEING THE IRANIAN CHURCH GROW IN SERBIA Iranians in Serbian refugee camps are turning to Jesus, becoming baptised and sharing their faith – events that one OM leader describes as being straight out of the Book of Acts.
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olker Sachse, an OM leader in the Balkan region, does not cry easily. But in recent years he has often been moved to tears by the plight of those he has met in Serbia through OM’s ministry, serving tea among refugees in one of the government-run refugee camps. Today, tears of joy brighten Volker’s eyes as he describes how many refugees from Iran are turning to Jesus during a worldwide move of God. “It’s a privilege for me to witness the Lord touching so many Iranians in Serbia,” he shares. Commenting on OM’s mission to see vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached, Volker says, “This is exactly what I see happening in Serbia amongst the Iranians!”
BAPTISING REFUGEES IN BULGARIA Volker shares the story of an Iranian, Ali*, living in Bulgaria, who has played a strategic role in God’s work in the Balkans. Ali is in his 50s, was affected by the Iran-Iraq war, and had previously pursued a life of extreme violence in the drug gangs of Teheran. When the Islamic revolution broke out, GLOBAL 10
Ali fled to Bulgaria and became heavily involved in the criminal underworld as a major drug dealer. Convicted of murder, he was sent to prison. There, he was led to Christ by a visiting Bulgarian pastor and immediately began preaching to his fellow inmates, many of whom accepted Jesus as Lord. Ali was released from prison in 2015, just as a new wave of refugees from the Middle East entered Bulgaria from Turkey—a new route due to other borders being shut down. Ali started preaching the gospel to every Iranian refugee he met, and many responded, even becoming baptised right away.
ENCOURAGED BY A DREAM, NOW NETWORKING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM One of Ali’s contacts, who accepted Jesus in 2016, is Farzad*. Ali gave him his first Bible and supported him when Farzad was baptised by a Bulgarian pastor.
“ HE ENCOURAGED BELIEVERS OF EVERY NATIONALITY TO MEET TOGETHER FOR FELLOWSHIP. ”
“...and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47
“ THE REALISATION THAT GOD WANTED HIM WHERE HE WAS, LED FARZAD TO BECOME BOLDER IN PREACHING AND DISCIPLING. ”
*names changed
Volker has got to know Farzad well over the past two years and has seen how God has used him to share His love with other Iranians in Serbia.
A SPECIAL VOLUNTEER FROM GERMANY
In autumn 2016, when Farzad entered the Serbian refugee camp in Sîd, he witnessed to the handful of other Iranians in the camp. A year later, Farzad had a powerful dream. “Farzad saw a highway filled with lots of people walking to somewhere beautiful,” says Volker. “But his own feet just wouldn’t move, he was rooted to the spot. He sensed the dream was from God, telling him to stay where he was.”
Amongst Farzad’s network is Ramin*, an Iranian-born German, who now pastors a Persian church in Germany. Ramin contacted Volker and became one of the volunteers staffing the OMrun community tent in Serbia. In August 2018, he led Bible studies and prayer meetings for Iranian believers in the tent for five days. Five people attended the first day’s Bible study, and the number rose to 20 by the fifth day.
The realisation that God wanted him where he was, led Farzad to become bolder in preaching and discipling, both in his native Farsi, and in English. He encourages believers of every nationality to meet together for fellowship. Volker explains that Farzad also witnesses tirelessly using social media, to Iranians in the rest of Serbia. “Everybody knows him!” laughs Volker.
“There was one Iranian Muslim guy who came along just to disrupt and criticise, but he gave his life to Jesus on the final day!” recalls Volker.
pray Praise God for the openness of Iranians to the Gospel.
Thank you for partnering with us. Your gifts to OM Europe’s Refugee Ministry help make this possible!
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OM BLOG
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19
by Lenka, OM International
BLOG.OM.ORG An excerpt from our OM International blog, written by OM workers describing mission from their perspective. Visit blog.om.org to read more.
‘ THE ONLY CONSTANT, IS CHANGE’
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friend once told me, “the only constant is change” and in six years of serving in missions, those words still ring true in my ears and heart. We experience change all the time—change in career, change of marital status or sometimes we change countries we live in. Companies change their strategies, countries change their borders and the world changes its climate as we speak. “Reaching the least reached” has been a new phrase on OM-ers’ lips. Yet, it’s not just OM that’s changing. It’s the global face of missions. “In the 1900s, Africa had 10 million Christians and by 2000 that number had grown to 360 million. This marks the largest quantitative religious shift—in world history. With this shift in mind, here is another question: what do you picture when you think of an average Christian? In the present, the movement of Christianity has shifted to what is called the Global South. To describe the ‘average’ believer today, it would be more accurate to say: black, African, female around the age of 28! By 2100 it’s estimated that three out of four Christians will be living in the Global South.”* As Christians, we need to embrace the global shift. How much freedom to be different do we give each other in brotherly love? Knowledge and context change our reactions into responses. Our judgement of another is highly bent by our own cultural background. In the light of the global shift we ought to see how our strategy, work environment and missions, in general, needs a ‘revamp.’ I’m happy to see movements that
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“ COMPANIES CHANGE THEIR STRATEGIES, COUNTRIES CHANGE THEIR BORDERS AND THE WORLD CHANGES ITS CLIMATE AS WE SPEAK. REACHING THE LEAST REACHED HAS BEEN A NEW PHRASE ON OM-ERS’ LIPS.”
* Philip Jenkins, The New Face of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South
rethink the typical western model of missions and create new structures and principles more applicable to the majority of Christians, globally, today. I’ve interviewed a South African colleague on the topic of what Africans uniquely offer in missions. The collective community approach, the relational ease and simpler life standards came up as strengths. The South African Indian community, with their caramel skin complexion, can easily blend into any country in the Middle East, Latin America or gypsy community within Europe. The European-descendant Afrikaans are rich in expertise, strategy and resources. Each one of these South African subcultures has unique strengths which need be recognised and respected. Are we willing to put down our cultural glasses to actually see the strengths according to the new scales, or are our wellused comfortable standards blocking our view? May OM be a place of listening, mutual respect, deeper understanding and trust.
OM IN CAMBODIA
by Nicole James
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17
MY SIN IS FORGIVEN Tiny, intricate spirit houses spin in the wind as they hang in front of homes and offices. Every business features an elaborate altar within sight of its front door – fresh food and abundant tea provided daily as offerings meant to ensure protection and luck. Temple spires peak out amidst urban skylines and rural rice paddies alike.
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Evidence of Buddhism infiltrates nearly every aspect of Cambodian society, but for many people, religion is less about rituals and more about superstition and following tradition,” said Sokhem*, one of the teachers at OM Mercy Teams International (MTI).
He grew up in a remote province, steeped in Buddhist tradition, but “I feared God,” he recalled. “I knew there was a God who existed in the world, but I didn’t know who could forgive my sins, who could carry me to eternal life. I didn’t think about that; just, yes, there is a God.”
When it comes to Christianity, Cambodians are likely to whisper in the Khmer language about the foreigners’ religion. “I know how they make fun of God,” Sokhem said, “but I don’t mind because I was like them, too.” Before 2014, Sokhem was not a Christian.
After Sokhem married, his wife encouraged him to pursue higher education. In order to afford tuition, Sokhem also took a job at a restaurant run by a Christian woman. “I didn’t realise who Jesus was yet,” he said. “But the boss encouraged us to attend a weekly Bible
study, to learn and to get to know Jesus, so step-by-step, I felt in touch with God and that God wanted me to connect to Him.” Then, one day, the pastor who taught the weekly Bible study approached him: “Sokhem, if you want to accept Christ, tell me.”
“ I KNEW THERE WAS A GOD WHO EXISTED IN THE WORLD, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW WHO COULD FORGIVE MY SINS, WHO COULD CARRY ME TO ETERNAL LIFE.” “In my mind, the answer was already yes,” Sokhem recalled. “I was so surprised [because] the teacher knew my heart.” Sokhem told the pastor he wanted to give his life to Jesus, and he was
pray Pray for the Kingdom work being carried out in Cambodia.
baptised later at a celebratory picnic! “Yes, it’s this. My sin is forgiven,” Sokhem confirmed. After graduating with a university degree, Sokhem spent two years working at an acclaimed international school. During that time, he dreamed about a job where he could serve the Lord completely. “I wanted to be with kids who were broken, who had no father, no mother, who were poor, who didn’t have proper education,” he said. Then he heard about OM MTI. OM MTI, helps Sokhem to connect with his students and pray for them. He also travels to another province to share God’s Word. “My vision is a church where I can teach English, a church where I can preach the gospel, a church where I can have my people come together and worship Him alone, not other gods. I want to see this in my community. Holy Spirit, help me.” *name changed
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OM IN BANGLADESH
by Hannah Nagel
AFTER THE MEDIA LEAVE In and around Cox Bazar, where over 919,000* Rohingya refugees are living a year after many fled their homes in Myanmar, ten days of heavy rainfall in mid-July flooded some of the camps and washed away roads. The government, along with teams of volunteers, have worked to repair roads and shelter upgrades have continued in the camps throughout the summer months.
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“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
OM and partners have made a long-term commitment to serve the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazaar. We are working hard to relieve their suffering through regular distribution of food and essential supplies; providing better shelter; improving health and hygiene and safeguarding vulnerable children. Your prayer and financial gifts through our Mercy Appeal have been vital to this ongoing ministry. Thank you!
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s of the 12th of August 2018, 40,296* refugees have been relocated to new sites that were developed, and infrastructure was strengthened. Flood mitigation and response has ensured that there were no major incidents during the on-going monsoon season. Continued preparedness was vital in the camps as the country entered the cyclone season in October and November.
aid, and beginning more projects to engage the community. The reality, though, is that many in the camp are staying sick because of the rain and heat of the current season. The team continues to build relationships through a sports programme. They are engaging the Rohingya and local men with football training, conversation, and discussing Biblical values. One regular football participant told the team,
“ I AM BECOMING A USELESS MAN WITH NO WORK, NO MONEY, AND CANNOT GO OUT OF THE CAMPS. SOMETIMES I FELT I WILL DIE HERE!” According to recent reports from humanitarian response groups, camps, settlements, and the host community; the area south of Cox Bazar remains under-served, still, in comparison to the larger camps in the north. There is a lack of medical care and other support in this area, for both the Rohingya refugees and the host communities. It is in this location that the OM team has continued building relationships, distributing
“We are suffering different kinds of diseases. I am becoming a useless man with no work, no money, and cannot go out of the camps. Sometimes I felt I will die here!” Another man, who has been in Bangladesh for over a year now, told team members, “I haven’t seen my brothers and sisters for many months. I feel like you are my brothers here because every time you come, you ask about us and talk to us, but
many people don’t.” One new local team member has joined the work, and construction has begun on the land owned by the local partner. This will be where the child-friendly space and other work will be based, once proper permissions are granted. To date, over 4,000* families have received aid from OM and their local partner. In August, 150 families and 50 children received relief—specifically in the camps where OM has been running sports programmes six days a week, children’s clubs three days a week, and informal English classes with ladies. Upon surveying the area and finding out what the greatest needs were, 1,000 more packets were distributed in the area in September. Based on the requests of the families themselves, aid included: clothing and sandals, bedsheets, towels, plates, glasses, bowls, soap, and drinking water. Give to OM’s Mercy Appeal. This fund enables OM teams to respond to cries of help in times of crises such as this. www.uk.om.org/mercy *UN OCHA
pray Pray for the work of OM and their place within this community.
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WE DON’T DO BORING. WE BELIEVE IN FUN, ENGAGING EXPERIENCES WITH INTERACTION. Our mix of Bible studies, live music, sports and workshops are designed to challenge people to find and grow their own relationship with Jesus in an exciting way, with thousands of other like-minded Christians. Every summer, more than 4,000 people from all over Europe participate in a week of worship and discipleship.
YOUTH LEADERS GO FREE WHEN ACCOMPANYING A GROUP OF 6-8 TEENAGERS.*
Join us at TeenStreet and using your own passion to serve God, we will help you and your youth group find ways to have a real friendship with Jesus and reflect Him daily in their world.
27 JULY–3 AUGUST 2019 OFFENBURG, GERMANY VISIT WWW.UK.OM.ORG/TEENSTREET OR CALL US ON 01691 773388 TO FIND OUT MORE. A Ministry of OM
*See website for full Terms & Conditions.
