August 2023 Turkey, UK
TURKEY It was many years ago that we baptized brother Gulhan, and all those years he's been in touch and a diligent Bible student and preacher of the Gospel. His preferred method is to send people the PDF of Turkish
Bible Basics and over the years we've gone to see him in various places he's lived in Turkey and baptized his contacts. It was a pleasure to go again and baptize SARKAN, a former atheist who had been through
Bible Basics and has a good knowledge of the Truth. Gulhan has had a bad accident at work, being splashed with sulphuric acid with terrible burns. The surgeon has taken skin from other parts of his body in order to reconstruct the damaged area. We provided some assistance in connection with this, but his faith and love of the Lord is as strong as ever. We long for the day when all these scattered ones will come together in the glorious Kingdom, we all await and believe in.
UK For two years, KAM has been developing his understanding of the true Gospel and more recently, urgently desired to be baptized. It was a pleasure to meet him and baptize him in a public swimming pool in West London. His wife is still in Iran, and we plan to baptize her online. It's pretty tough being separated from loved ones, surrounded by Muslims who get lots of help from mosques and other Muslim welfare organizations. But through such long dark tunnels of life, men come to the light of the Lord Jesus.
We're delighted to report that brother Arash has just been granted asylum in the UK. He was an airline captain who became a Christian and sought asylum after experiencing so many difficulties with his faith. He has been invaluable in translating for us in countless meetings and baptisms. He's now actively seeking to find work as a pilot in the UK. He writes: "Dear Duncan, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for your incredible support and prayers during my journey. it is immense joy that I share news that I have received my refugee status. Your constant prayers and encouragement have played a significant role in bringing about this positive outcome. I am truly humbled and overwhelmed by your kindness and love. please know that your support has made a profound impact on my life, and I will be forever grateful for everything you have done for me. May God bless each and every one you abundantly for your unwavering faith and compassion. Thank you so much. Arash"
Then we drove down to Devon and baptized PATRICK, a young British ex-army guy now working as a truck driver, covered in tattoos... but who has seen through the nonsense of the fleshly life and has come to the Father "in spirit and truth". Our new brother has been studying the Bible carefully every spare hour he has, and has copious notes written in his hard copy Bible. It was so wonderful to hear his confession of faith over coffee and then to go down to the beach and baptize him. He and his mother have attended our online Zoom meetings on Saturdays. We are undoubtedly seeing a trend in the UK of young British males seeing through the hedonism of society and turning to the Bible to find the Truth. But they generally encounter difficulties in attending face to face church meetings; but that is not to say that they don't have a passionate commitment to the spiritual life. Our online approach is clearly helpful to them, and with each baptism, the word is spread by them to many others in their peer groups. And so, despite the decline of formal church life as known in previous generations, there is every evidence that God's Truth will not die out in this generation. Video of Patrick's baptism at
https://youtu.be/0wd7iCii2WA 
Despite the continual rain before heading off to Turkey and Latvia we got out with the kids and brother Spiro to give Croydon another chance of the Gospel, with microphone and Christian songs, letting passing folks have a go singing karaoke to those well-known songs.
Video at
https://youtu.be/uNpYGP2Nitc 
And church in a pub continues on Sundays. This week, brother Spiro brought a load of clothes which were spread out on the snooker table in the bar and well received; so many are doing things so tough in these difficult days of huge inflation. We really feel that this is an ideal way of backing up the teaching of the Gospel with necessary humanitarian support. For so many, this is the only decent meal of their week.
And a reminder of our garden party on Saturday 9th September, God willing, in South Croydon.
PRAYER POINTS - For those recently baptized
- For those baptized who for whatever reason don't have a face-to-face church family
- For the future of the true Gospel in this world as society changes radically and so quickly
- For our work in Latvia, Italy and Austria this week
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks