January 2025 China, Iran, UK
CHINA We're delighted to report the baptism of HAN in China by our veteran, faithful preacher brother Donald. He reports:
"I baptized brother Han aged 55 at a sauna, he is a worker at a factory, I stayed with him at his dormitory for 2 nights preaching to him. We talked about life in Jesus, death, how God created all things etc. Earlier he had had a lump on his body but was too busy with working and had no time to go to the hospital for treatment. After half a year, the lump developed and was as big as a walnut. He was advised to seek medical treatment, but he still didn't have time. Half a year later, he had another lump on his body, but still didn't have the time. But this time he tried his best to put aside all the affairs and went to the hospital for treatment. After the doctor's diagnosis, he solemnly said, "You have a malignant tumor that has spread throughout your body. If you had come for treatment early, there would have been hope before the cancer spread. It's too late now, and there isn't much good hope!". Han said he immediately felt a chill in the heart, like a convicted criminal; he regretted not coming to see a doctor earlier. It's too late! It's too late! The time for treatment has passed! I regret it too much! He then realized that there is something in a person that is more powerful than cancer, and that is sin. The outcome of sin is death. Sin lies hidden within a person, like a cancerous tumor. Before it is discovered, one may not know the severity of its relationship, and it is not painful, itchy, or obstructive. Once understood, one realizes the terror, which is more terrifying than anything else. Sometimes people feel that they are not guilty, but it is also because they do not recognize sin. Doctors explain to that person the tumor and its terror; The Bible also explains sin and its terror to people. We who find ourself guilty, we go quickly to the Lord Jesus for healing. The Lord Jesus is a loving physician who never despises sinners. He came to save sinners. Don't wait, don't delay, don't procrastinate, don't say, 'I don't have time.' Like the person with a tumor, it delays their own life. What is more precious than life? You have time to eat, you have time to sleep, you have time to read, you have time to work, you have time to be for your children, you have time to be for your body, why do you not have time for precious eternal life! I told him how baptism symbolizes our going into the grave, associating us with the death of Christ, and indicating our 'death' to our previous life of sin, and connects us with the resurrection of Christ, so that we will have eternal life when Jesus comes".
All the same our prayers should be with brother Han as he fights the cancer in God's strength.
IRAN
Pleased this week to baptize online a married couple in Iran, YASHAR and ELAHE
UK
We took advantage of the new year sales to get out on the streets of central Croydon offering free Bibles and invitations to attend Church in a Pub and Lunchtime Church. There was an amazing take up, with several coming back to us and asking if they could have another Bible for family members. As ever with south London, there was a huge mixture of people who took them- from all nations and backgrounds. Just passing out New Testaments on a London street, the Gospel is going to all nations- and the Lord says that when the Gospel is preached in all the world, then shall the end come. We prayed that God blesses the seed sown on so many different types of ground; may some of the seed land on good ground to His glory. See the brief video of all the
action at https://youtu.be/Yo0uauBnhLY
We drove down to Cornwall to meet and baptize HARRY, a very smart young university student who brought another graduate with him to the baptism. The Gospel net really does call all types, and here again is a young man raised in an atheistic family who came to realize that God is real, read the Bible, fell in love with the Jesus he met in the pages of the Gospel records, and wanted to connect with His death and resurrection. And he wanted to do it in the sea, which was cold... to share a bit in his Lord's sufferings. He came well prepared with a wet suit, but before that we had coffee together and he gave such a wonderful personal testimony-
it's at https://youtu.be/QEbs96C23FQ
It's really so encouraging to listen to a young British guy explaining how he came to the Lord Jesus despite a background in atheism, do listen to him.
On Sunday at Church in a Pub we had a New Year's talk on Psalm 1, Be spiritually minded, walk with the wise not with the losers, it's at https://youtu.be/prum23BX2YI
On the Saturday we baptized JASON one of our online followers up near Newcastle. He suffers with fibromyalgia, late-stage Lyme disease etc., and it was really painful for him being baptized in his small bathtub. But we did it. On his front door he openly witnesses to his faith, and has a lovely verse above his computer, so relevant to him in his pain and weakness: "For the sake of Christ I am content with weakness... for when I am weak, then am I strong". Do pray for him. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said that if necessary, he would crawl on hands and knees from one side of England to the other... to lead one man to Christ. This week we were in Falmouth, near Land's End in Cornwall, in the far Southwest, and then up in the far Northeast near Newcastle. But driving comfortably, not crawling on hands and knees. Surely the Lord is keeping us active for Him, and He is simply so very active. Appreciate your prayers for the baptism of an ex-JW in Northern Ireland this week, especially with the snowy weather
ADVANCE NOTICE of our next Carelinks UK / Croydon Church in a Pub retreat weekend as before at the Carrotty Wood centre in Kent, 21-23 March God willing. We'll have a look at the Lord's parables... but the great buzz of fellowship with so many real, authentic new converts is what will leave you with abiding memories and strength. Do come along. The last weekend was so wonderful, all who came want to come again, but there are spaces. Let us know if you'd like to come.
PRAYER POINTS
- For those recently baptized
- For those sleeping rough in this cold and snowy weather
- For Jason and others in constant physical pain and battling cancer
- For our work in Northern Ireland this week
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks