October 2021 India, Iran, Italy Appeal, Russia, Turkey, UK
We strongly recommend you download the "
Bible Companion" app, from where you can access
Carelinks messages, daily Bible readings,
Bible Basics, commentary on every verse of the Bible and audio exhortations on every chapter of the Bible. For Android / Google Play at
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.carelinks.bc and on the App Store for Apple / iOS at
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-companion/id1475914490 You can break bread live online as follows:
Sunday mornings 09:00 a.m.UK time; on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6697401754?pwd=K0VWNDlScGwzaThPM2tiU0didmNyUT09
Meeting ID: 669 740 1754 Passcode: XPb9Sz. We are currently going through the book of Genesis, a chapter every week.
Sundays at 3:00 PM New Zealand time. That's 1 PM in Sydney Australia; 10 PM in New York, USA on Saturday evening [run by Br John Aldersley in New Zealand] on
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81015280780?pwd=LzAwNDRTTzhNcFpiRGlmaGx6YUpvZz09
Sundays at 10am North American Eastern Time [3 PM UK GMT time, 11 PM Sydney Australia time]. Run by Br Jim Barton in Canada.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9123758179
Meeting ID: 912 375 8179 . Also, Bible class on Wednesdays at 7 PM North American Eastern Time
CARELINKS CONFERENCE
The next Carelinks Online Conference will be on Saturday 6 November God willing, in our usual Zoom room
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6697401754?pwd=K0VWNDlScGwzaThPM2tiU0didmNyUT09
Meeting ID: 669 740 1754 Passcode: XPb9Sz
INDIA
It was a pleasure to online baptize SAIPIRIYA , an app user who has come to Christ in spirit and truth, a very humble and genuine young woman.
IRAN
Baptized two more in Iran, brothers P and I. They are an interesting story of how the Lord's calling hand, "the hand of providence", works. We online baptized sister Maryam in Iran some time ago, and then thanks to her witness, some of her friends and family were then visited in Armenia and baptized. Now they have spread the word to their friends in Iran, and this resulted in these two baptisms. And that of course is always how the Gospel has spread, after it enters into a family through advertising or direct evangelism, then it is taken from there by the convert to their family members and friends, who in turn take it further. This is what we are seeing here. We recall how as the Lord began His ministry in the record of John chapter 1, the message was spread to family members and associates in a totally natural way.
ITALY APPEAL
We have repeatedly mentioned the needs of our African migrant brethren in Italy, including Sicily. We are sending over significant sums to help with buying food and other welfare as they face a hard winter, with the entire situation made so much harder by the pandemic and associated economic issues. Carelink readers will have noted that there have been significant numbers of baptisms there. We are looking to provide £2000 in welfare over the next months and would appreciate your donations for this.
RUSSIA
Last week we reported the baptism of brother Gennady; here is his personal testimony- great encourgament that we are workers together with Him, for the radical transformation of human life to the Lord's glory:
"I was born and grew up in an orphanage, my parents were not around from the very beginning of my life, I do not judge them, I have forgiven. In the 6th grade of school, in 1993, some Baptists visited the orphanage. That was when I first really learned about God and the possibility of connecting to Him. And I so reached out to God - I talked with Him in secret looking for Him and cried, I climbed onto the roof of the house thinking that might get me a bit closer to Him and I called out for God. I sang to myself the Christian songs I had learned. When there was a storm, I climbed a walnut tree in the orphanage, thinking I could get a bit closer to God because He was in the storm. But as time went on, I forgot God. I had no opportunity to read the Bible as I didn't have one, I had no real understanding of God. So the fire for God just went out. There were times in the bedroom of the orphanage when I thought someone appeared in a dark silhouette and disappeared at night, I wondered if that was God. But then on finishing school I immediately started working, in 1998. I then saw what an evil world it is, all about money and material things. From time to time I did remember God at times, I did now and again try to pray to Him. But I fell into sinful habits, to fund them I was even stealing, and getting food from kind but unbelieving people. I tried three times to commit suicide, before each attempt I talked with God asking that He would not judge me for it. I went to live and work in St. Petersburg / Leningrad and to this day I have been there for 15 years. I started to change, I returned money to a woman from whom I had stolen money. I began to think more about God and wanted to understand Him. So through you He gave me an understanding of the Bible. And so I was baptized. I no longer smoke, for more than 4 years, I do not drink completely except for the breaking of bread. I thank Him and thank you so much. And there is much more I can add. "
TURKEY
Again online, we were able to baptize SAAD. Again, from the Farsi app and lots of correspondence.
We are planning a pastoral visit to our Iranian brethren in Turkey later in November God willing. We plan to hold a Bible School, and there will likely be welfare issues and expenses related to that of up to £2000. We are open to your donations towards this.
UNITED KINGDOM
Another three baptisms in the UK this week, of brothers M and A and sister B. Some were done in person, and all showed such genuine commitment to the simple truths of the Gospel . They were led there through traumatic recent experiences and the failure of Islam to help them navigate through them.
We've also been out on the streets in both Croydon and Brixton, distributing New Testaments. We returned to our old haunts in central Croydon to offer New Testaments to folks. Wearing the "Free Bibles" visibility vests is definitely the way to go- people were continually coming up to us asking for one. And some good conversations too.
You can see the video at https://youtu.be/W9CXQMJ3aEE
You can fit the captions to the photos: "I'm a Muslim, how am I allowed to take a New Testament!"; "Oh... yeah, I've been wanting to look into Jesus and all that"; "It's free? OK, yes, I will read that"; "I have a friend who really wants a New Testament, can I have one for her?"; "God bless you kids". The seed is being sown for sure. Ordinary Londoners are willing to talk and engage, as you can see from the photos. Let's pray more respond.
This week Lord willing we plan baptisms and more outreach work; in Peterborough this Sunday (17th September) and in Cardiff / South Wales later in the week. Let us know if you'd like to join in. And do pray for us.
PRAYER POINTS
- For those in need in Turkey and Italy at this time
- For those recently baptized
- For the spiritual growth of those baptized
- For our outreach work in the UK this week
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks