News from Europe / Eurasia


news from azerbaijan 

I get a good feeling from the fact that you my brothers believe in me. We are still waiting for the exit clearance to escape to Canada. I realize that we all have to carry on, just as we all have to suffer in this life. God speaks to me by you and by all situations I find myself in. Thank you!
Bro. N.

I am trying to improve my English so I can translate more while we are waiting here to get our clearance. We very much love you all. It meant very much that Sisters Cindy and Liz came to see us.
Sis. E.

 


news from belarus 
TERESHKI

We here are continuing in the truth, although we are surrounded by Catholics and Orthodox. I find people here think that the word ?Christadelphian? sounds like a cult imported from the West, I think ?Brothers in Christ?, ?Bratya vo Hriste?, sounds more local and more like we are true local brothers and sisters.

Sis. Anna

 


news from bosnia 

We are delighted to announce the baptism of RENATO; may the Lord keep him in the way to His Kingdom.

SARAJEVO
I am sorry that I did’nt write before, as soon as I got back to Sarajevo [from the Bible School], I got a call from my family; my mother is very sick and she was on the bed for last three days, she has epilepsy - and it has been the worst ever. So as soon I arrived in Sarajevo I went to her. We came back from the Bible School as it was planned; the guy came around 2 am and we left Croatia and arrived in Sarajevo safely. I dont feel very well because of my mom, I spent two nights by her bed so I am tired. She is going to stay in the hospital for two days and I'll be with her. Please pray for my mom, she is a wonderful woman and mother and I dont want anything to happen to her. I feel bad because I was having a good time while she was sick; in all that panic nobody could call me because I wasn’t available. I feel so bad about it. But you know what Brother, I  trust God and I beleive that He knows what is good for me. I may feel bad about it but I truly trust Him. I felt so good and proud when I baptised my friend; God wanted me there, I know that for sure. Our God is a good God. Thank you one more time for everything that you have done for me and my friends.
Bro. J


news from bulgaria 

SOFIA
You will need moral and spiritual support in the work in Afghanistan. Let God and the Lord Jesus keep you safe. I hope the mission is worth the risks. I send my love in the Lord to any Brothers and Sisters there.
Bro. Lyuben

Note: Our Brother has written several interesting articles about Bible codes. You can view them at

http://www.carelinks.net/booksandarticles.html.

 


news from croatia 

ZAGREB
Long time since we had any writing contact, but we are connected in Jesus and we always will be. I'm very good, actually great! All medicine which the doctor gave me I have thrown away, because I had epileptic fits because of them. Now I'm more than six weeks without any medicine apart from Jesus, and have never felt better. I had very serious problem with my mum, so she spent three weeks in hospital. All my free time I spent with her, even though I had to be at work. She's much better now and back home. Please pray for her. In Croatia nowdays American churches are very popular (mostly Pentecostal, Church of Christ, Mormons...) and they find many followers. The Bible's God is too simple for them it seems, but I have found some people willing to read Bible Basics and I need more copies… I've made some T-shirt recentlly with Bible verses on. I feel so great wearing them, and many people ask what that and this mean, so it could be a good way to talk to them about Jesus. I'll print links you gave me and will try to translate as soon as I can.
Sis. Anita


news from ireland 

June and I are migrating to Australia under the ‘Aged Parents Scheme’ after 15 years in isolation in Ireland. ‘Our three’ have no intention of returning to live and work in the UK or Ireland. Mark and Rosalind are settled in NSW and Wanda is in Singapore. Hence our decision to migrate! Your recent editorial (March/April) was most apt and much appreciated. April 1 was the final class for us in Cork, 13 friends were present - 19 folks in all, with Derek and Cis Palmer (Tenby), John and Christine Dunning (Mountain Ash) and ourelves. The hotel room was packed. Derek presided, John spoke on ‘The Parable of the Sheep and Goats” and I rounded off the evening – and our association with the group – by using the theme, ‘The Bible, the Lord Jesus and Us’. It was somewhat emotional for us; we’ve known one friend for over 14 years and most of them for about five years. It is a very interesting group, including mainly Catholic’s a few Protestants and a Baha’I couple. Derek has now taken over as co-ordinator, with John in reserve, and will hold classes once a month in association with the brethren who man the Dublin flat. We hope that our friends will be prepared for the coming of the Lord, for which we pray.
Bro. Ken and Sis. June Camplin


news from israel 

PETAH TIKWA
We very much miss the visits of Brother Duncan and Sister Cindy. I am going soon to Ukraine and will do all I can to spread the gospel there in the Russian language.
Bro. Vladimir


news from italy 

I am still awaiting the result of my appeal to the UNHCR. Here it is very hot and life is so hard for me. I am praying and hope for positive results.
Bro. Naizghi

Bro Chris Tarry has visited out brother and inspite of the appalling conditiond under which he has to exist, he is strong in faith and very courageous for the Lord and has already made four converts

 

Photo: Bro. Naizghi
news from kazakhstan 

ALMATY
Thanks to using the Bible Companion I have now read the Bible through five times... We are trying to distribute leaflets to support the work wherever we can.
Sis. Lena

ASTANA
I am so sorry for my long silence, which has been totally my fault. My mother’s flat caught fire and was totally destroyed, it was a miracle that we are alive. I have been busy replacing all furniture and rebuilding the inside. I received no help from the brothers at this time so I have been lonely throughout it. Now the worst is behind me. I love you and pray for you.
Bro. Anatoly

KOKSHETAU
I was interested to read about the Bible School, I was very excited about it and I am with you all. I always remember with much warmth the lectures at Bible School which I heard.
Sis. Tanya

We are preparing to attend the next Bible School in Moscow. We love you all and welcome you to visit us.
Sis. Svetlana

We are very sorry whenever we hear of divisions, here we do not uphold such things, our love and desire is for the truth to spread.
Sis. Irena


news from latvia 

We are delighted to announce the baptism of ROMAN; may the Lord keep him in the way to His Kingdom.

JEKABPILS
We are waiting the arrival of more leaflets, as we have already distributed most of those we have. We pray for you.
Bro. Sasha

JELGAVA
I realize we are the choices that we have made. So for me, I have chosen to do the will of God, and to ask for His will to be done in my life. This then is the choice I have made, and it will define who I am.
Bro. Janis

VILANI
I am wishing that people would realize that the help and love they show for others cannot be measured in the value of money or things, for me what is important is the love that I have been shown by my brothers. I will hold the faith to the end of my days which may not be far away. Till then I am reading every day with the Companion and also a few pages from Beyond Bible Basics.
Bro. Fyodyor


news from lithuania 

VILNIUS
I am working building at the moment. I am thinking of trying to enter university. My thoughts are always with our dear brothers down there in Bosnia and Serbia after I visited them.
Bro. Valdas


news from macedonia 

I had some problems with my computer which delayed the translation work a bit but now I am working on it again.
Bro. D.

 

Photo: Aija, Nadia, Vaira and Juris fellowshipping together at the Riga Bible Scool

 

Photo: Young people doing the readings together at the Winter Bible School


news from moldova 

CHISINAU
We send you our warm greetings! We had a new baby daughter in our family, Anastasia, and she has some problems so we are praying to the Lord for help.
Sisters Roza and Stella


news from morocco 

We are now out of our country. We have no mobile. Please pray for us. We have many problems and need your help in prayers.
Brothers S & H


news from pakistan 

Sis. Safina reports the baptisms of another three illiterate women in Sahiwal; may the Lord go with them in their walk to His Kingdom

I am in touch with the Brothers from Afghanistan. If we can get money to them then I think they can make a journey to Kandahar to find out the fate of the family of our late Brother Faris and the other Brothers there. We will pray more and I will communicate with you what news I receive from there.
Bro. K.

NAWABSHAH
We are remembering with joy the Bible School in Multan and we still think on the lessons taught by Brothers Steve and Duncan. We are sorry to have been out of contact. We love you and miss you.
Bro. I

KARACHI

I am praying for the will of God to be done and for the establishment of His Kingdom in Pakistan and in the whole world.
Bro. F

SAHIWAL
I want to inform you that I am arranging a Kids’ Seminar in Sahiwal. I will invite all our Christadelphian Sunday Schools to participate in the Seminar. We will make a programme with Bible songs, colouring and running competitions, Bible quiz and a lunch. Please pray that this will happen!
Sis. S

TOBA TEK SINGH
Last evening I was in FSD to see some Brothers and Sisters. It was nice meeting with them. Because of the traffic problems I went late so I could meet one or two and came back earlier because I have to leave for Islamabad.
Bro A

Requests for literature from Pakistan are dealt with by our Pakistani Brethren and Sisters. Here is a letter which they use in replying to contacts. It shows their great love and care for the individual. We encourage Brothers and Sisters in all countries not to rely upon the Western Brothers for preaching but to take as much responsibility as they can for preaching themselves; the Pakistani Christadelphians are a great pattern to us all in this.

 

Dear friend

Greetings and love from the Christ-adelphian Pakistan Team.

I am here to tell you that there is a team who love you and praying for you and all others that are studying the WORD of GOD and seeking for the TRUE message of Christ. We are very happy to learn that you have read the Bible Basics manual in English and you motivated your friends and relatives to study it and now you need it in URDU. GREAT!

Can you please send us your postal address that we can post you Bible Basics in Urdu. Would you like to meet any of our members in your area (openly or in privacy)? It depends on you. Also let us know about your interests, hobbies and age and briefly write some thing about your family background and religious activities/involvement. There are many young, talented and devoted men and women in Christadelphian Team in Pakistan. I hope you will enjoy our fellowship and will learn more about the WORD of God.We love you and pray for you.

 


news from poland 

I never expected that working at school would be so time-taking, and I am not talking here about teaching, but about all the paper work. At present I give 37 lessons a week. Fortunately, I have graduated from Academy of Physical Education and this year I have been a double student! As to vets, one lives nest door to me, and I am happy that he doesn’t treat people! In our lives we fulfil many different social roles, but some people forget to be a human first before being a doctor, manager or president.
Bro Thomas Makaruk


news from russia 
We are delighted to announce the baptisms of ROMAN, ILDAR and OKSANA (Kazan), SERGEJ & NADIA (Abinsk) and ALEKSEY, NINA, KRISTINA, ALLA, NIKITA, VLADIMIR & SVETLANA (Irbit); may the Lord keep them in the way to His Kingdom.

 ABINSK
We much enjoyed the visit of Brothers Peter and Duncan, and we hope that they had good impressions of us here.
Bro. Sasha

EFREMOV
I am now retired but I still have to work in a factory to try to get enough to eat and live on. I cannot afford to attend the CBM Bible School in Moscow. I am planning to move far away to Chelyabinsk to be with my son. I look back over eight years in the brotherhood and I am very happy. I continue to break bread and to read with the Companion largely on my own, although sometimes I have fellowship with Sis. Kretova. The British visitors mainly go to Yelets and so I don’t get to see them here.
Sis Valya


MARIJ-EL
I am happy to say that my tribunal was OK and they gave me alternative service. I want to say thank you to Sis Ludmila who helped me, for all of you who prayed for me, and for Bro Duncan’s efforts for me at the last minute and writing to the authorities, and thanks to God for helping me.
Bro. L
.

OKTYABRSKIJ
I have delayed writing because my mother is so sick. We have nobody here interested at the moment, even Sis. Larisa’s relative has decided not to be baptized, so we sisters here are studying together. We are praying for you all.
Sis. Natasha

RZHEV
I would appreciate more leaflets to distribute here. I was in Moscow some time ago for the meeting of the brothers. I am earnestly trying to spread the truth to more people but would love very much to be visited by anyone travelling on the Riga-Moscow train as my town is right on the railway line.
Bro. Sasha

SHAKHTY
I have heard that another trip is being made to Afghanistan to preach, and I want to tell you that I am very much with you in my prayers for this. Tanya and I have a great sadness at this time because of the loss of our child. In all, is the will of God.
Bro. Andrej

SKOPINSK
I have distributed all the leaflets given to me when you came to baptize me. I am so eager to do more for the truth and to develop an ecclesia here, but I have so little time, I have to work very long hours, and people here are very preoccupied with their problems of life.
Bro Sasha

UST KATAV
We here are all very disappointed by recent problems that have arisen, but when we received Morning Star magazine, this gave us faith and understanding again. We are with you all.
Sis. Nina and Sis. Snezhana

Photo: Russian Sisters greeting a Brother recently baptised in the Urals

 


news from spain 

We are awaiting the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, to establish God’s everlasting Kingdom here on earth. I am very thankful for the books you sent to me, which arrived in good order. It is with great pleasure that I thank you very much for putting me in touch with Brothers in Christ here in Spain. Please can you help me with a Hymn book.
Bro. Jude Osozetin

 


news from turkey 

We are delighted to announce the baptism of SANAZ. Our new sister is from Iran and needs our prayers as she starts a difficult walk to God’s Kingdom.

We are well and have solved our residence permission until March 2005 but we have to make a daily signature in the Police station. We went to Ankara for the second time and asked UNHCR our process and they told us they couldn’t do anything for us at the moment, as we came to Turkey from Iran via Iraq. We are now waiting, however, waiting is so hard for us at times, with our problems of basically surviving. We are spreading the word further in Ankara, Van and Konya.
Bro. H.

My children have been reading Bible Basics and are wishing to be baptized. Our situation here is now desperate. We have been here a very long time since leaving Iran, and we are only hoping that a Christadelphian ecclesia in a Western country can adopt us.
Bro.F.

 


news from turkmenistan 

Thank you for all your support. We have had many orders for our slippers, camels etc. from Brothers and Sisters around the world and we hope that they like them. We are doing what we can to survive and also to tell the message to others here.
Sis. G.

Comment: If you would like to be an agent to sell the work produced by our Sisters, please contact info@carelinks.net

 

Trinidad Problem and Need for Prayers

We regulary receive encouraging letters from Brother George Constantine, who a few years ago was sentenced to death by hanging in Trinidad and learnt the Truth in prison through Bible Basics. The situation has been complicated and many different appeals have been made, each giving hope to the condemned that they would not be hanged. Last year the Judicial Committee met and the decision made that those on death row would be re-sentenced as a matter of judicial discretion. This has been contested by the Trinidad and Tobago State Government. Trinidad is still a member of the Commonwealth and has appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London which is the final appeal court of Trinidad and Tobago. On 7th July the previous decision was overturned by a meeting of eight Law Lords. This means that the death sentence is still legally enforceable in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Privy Council comes under the Leader of the House of Lords, the Rt Hon The Baroness Amos. The Christadelphian Advancement Trust wrote to her concerning our Brother’s position, and whilst she cannot as a minister of the Crown comment or advise on individual cases, she constructivley replied to us on 28th July, giving some interesting facts and the account of the hearing. She rightly said, “as will be apparent, the matter is not entirely straightforward” The Judicial Committee upheld the right of the Trinidad Constitution to exact the death penalty, so what is to be the position of those who were informed last year that “their mandatory death sentences would be quashed and that they would be re-sentenced as a matter of judicial discretion” The Law Lords decision overrules that made last year, so legally Trinidad have the right of execution. However, the Law Lords were concerned at “the agony of mind of a man facing execution” and felt that those to whom last year’s judgment had been made could have the sentence of death set aside and instead impose a sentence of life imprisonment.

From this it would seem George has been spared execution, but we feel that life imprisonment is not really what we want. One legal person we discussed the case with was under the impression that the verdict could be changed to man-slaughter and that would give the possibility of George’s immediate release. Whilst this is an optimistic hope we are seeking legal advice as to how to further proceed with the matter.

Prison life is depressing and hard and the Prison Staff in Trinidad are taking industrial action to improve their own conditions which appear to be nigh on intolerable. This has alas had an adverse effect upon the prisoners, but not on those at the negotiating table! We should remember our Brother George in our prayers. Several do write to him but owing to his circumstances it is not possible for him to write to everyone. In particular Sister Helen Pyper in New Zealand writes to him regularly, every two weeks and has more or less ‘adopted’ him as a member of the family, an example that we find so humbling, especially as they have been doing that consistently for some years.

In the Caribbean Press the Privy Council’s ruling has received a mixed reception, for and against. Simeon Mcintosh, a Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of the West Indies, has written an extensive article on “Privy Councils decision flawed”. So things are not as cut and dried as one would have hoped.


news from ukraine 

We are delighted to announce the baptism of VALYA. May the Lord bless and guide her life to the end.

BILA TSERKVA
I recently had such problem as my grandmother fell over and did serious damage to herself, she is like a mother to me. Thanks to her I learnt English and was able to find the advert in the newspaper for Bible Basics which led to my precious new life in Christ. I had to buy so many medicines for her and even sold my telephone and anything else I could to buy them. I am so concerned for her and life has become very hard for me. Please pray for her as she is the dearest to me and I had been teaching her of the truth.
Bro. Alex

KHARKOV
Bro. Vasiliy baptized his relative Valentina, and since then, she has had an amazing improvement in her health. Praise God!
Sis. Ludmila


POLTAVA
I am getting supportive letters from our Russian speaking Brothers and Sisters from all over, even from Israel. I am very excited about this and it gives me strength to go on.
Sis. Ludmila

I am preaching to two of my neighbours and need copies of Bible Basics to give to them. I am writing more articles and helping to run the meetings here. We wish God’s blessings on you all.
Bro. Genna

 

  


previous page table of contents next page next chapter