Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - PL2010-34, 25-Aug-10

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PL2010-34, 25-Aug-10

The 'Day' and 'Country' designations below refer to the respective right-hand page(s) in the 2010 edition of the Points for Prayer Handbook, which contains useful background information to these prayer requests.

Click on these links for further information on Countries, Partners and People.

Days 13 to 15 – KENYA

Derek and Linda Roulston report that the most recent field day was a great success and that many local people are already asking for seed. Another field day on land preparation and planting is planned for mid-September. 

• Pray for the preparations for the next field day, that all who attend will gain something from it and that they will also be aware of God’s presence.  
• For the planning of the official opening of Agri Information Centre due to take place within the next few months. 

The Roulstons have enjoyed being together as a family over the summer holidays and are grateful for all the prayers for Laura-Jayne as she took her Leaving Certificate. Thankfully, her results were good and she will be starting university in September. Each of the children will shortly be returning to their respective educational institutions, in Kenya and Ireland, for the start of a new academic year.

• Pray for Laura-Jayne as she starts university - another stage in her life. Pray that she gets on well and will enjoy her course.
• Pray for Amy as she returns to boarding school in Ireland, (this will be the first-time she will be there without Laura-Jayne). Pray that she will be able to cope and settle back into school.
• Pray for Josh that he may get on well starting another year at boarding school in Kenya. Pray that he will enjoy all his time there, as he did last term. 

Tuum is at the centre of a major security operation after some people from Tuum attacked the neighbouring Turkana village of Kawap and two boys were sadly killed. As a consequence, a security operation is now underway in the area to find the cattle and the murderers. The mountain is surrounded by security personnel, assisted by helicopters. Most of those who live in Tuum want this futile cattle rustling to end, so there is good co-operation with the security forces. However, due to the tension created by this security operation, the Cowans report that it has been difficult for them to carry on their work. 

• Pray that there will be no unnecessary force used by the security forces. 
  
  
• Pray that this whole exercise will bring a sense of discipline back into the youth who have become very lethargic and lazy.
  
  
• Give thanks that the August youth camps had a good impact on those who attended. One week on, the Cowans can see lives that have been changed by the power of the gospel.  
  
  
• Give thanks for the contribution of the team from Waringstown Presbyterian who arrived back in Ireland on 21st August, and pray that the time spent in Tuum will help to increase their vision to be involved in mission.
  
  
• Give thanks for a good outreach at Seren after the youth camp. Pray that the people there will support Julius when he moves with his family, which will be soon.  Pray that people will not see church as merely physical help, but that the gospel changes the direction of our lives for good through Jesus Christ, and helps us see the grace of God all around us!
  
  
• Pray for preparations for students who will return to schools on 6th September. Many still need fees and personal effects.

Days 16 to 19 – MALAWI & SOUTH AFRICA

The Moderator, Rt Rev Dr Norman Hamilton, his wife, Evelyn, and daughter, Julie, who arrived safely in South Africa last weekend, having been spending the past week (and will continue next week) visiting with church leaders and seeking to learn from their experience coming out of a divided society, as well as exploring the link between evangelism and reconciliation. They are due to travel to Malawi on 4th September, where they will visit CCAP church leaders and projects in the Blantyre, Nkhoma and Livingstonia Synods, and meet with PCI missionary personnel currently serving in Malawi. They are due home again on 18th September. 

• Pray for safety in all travel and for good health for the Hamiltons throughout their trip. 
  
  
• Pray that their visit to South Africa will prove to be worthwhile and a good learning experience. 
  
  
• Pray too that their visit will be an encouragement to all the church leaders, missionary personnel and others they meet.

Rev Uel Marrs, Overseas Secretary, is in Zambia, where he is attending the annual meeting of CCAP Zambia Synod. He is due home again on Saturday (28th). 

·              Pray for trouble-free travel and for good health and safety for Uel throughout his trip. 

·              Pray for Uel’s meetings with church leaders and for God’s blessing on the CCAP Zambia Synod as it meets. 

Following the funeral of Prof Moses Chirambo, recently relieved of his post of Minister of Health in the Malawi government, Rev Levi Nyondo, General Secretary of CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, was arrested on Friday night, 21st August. He is charged with sedition because of remarks made at the funeral. Despite attempts to get bail on Saturday, he was held in prison over the weekend, but was granted bail on Monday. He has to report weekly to the police, but is free to travel within the Synod area as long as police are informed. The court proceedings are due to begin on 14th September.

• Peace for Rev Nyondo and his family under great stress at this time.
  
  
• Wisdom for Rev Nyondo, his deputy Rev Maurice Munthali and the Synod Moderator, Rev Maxwell Banda, as they deal with the media, etc.
  
  
• These three Synod officials and others making preparations for the Synod Assembly which meets from Saturday, 28th August to Thursday, 2nd September.
  
  
• The Holy Spirit to be powerfully at work in the Synod Assembly meetings so that all that is said and done will be wise, courageous and honouring to God in content, tone and method.
  
  
• The new Synod Moderator, Rev Clifford Baloyi, who will take over at the beginning of the Assembly.
  
  
• The staffing committee of the Synod which is responsible for moving ministers within the Synod.
  
  
• Good governance and the upholding of democratic principles by the President of Malawi, his ministers and administration.

Day 22 – ASIANS in the UK

Christopher and Nivedita Benjamin send the following prayer points:-

• Pray for the monthly prayer meeting which takes place on last Saturday of each month, in the home of one of the Benjamin’s friends, who is a Hindu. 
  
  
• Pray for Shobhna’s father, who is a Hindu, that he will find peace. Pray that he may understand the Bible and pray when he is upset.
  
  
• Pray for the weekly Thursday Fellowship which takes place in the Benjamins’ home, which between 12 to 15 Gujarati Christians come. Pray for good times of sharing and encouragement.
  
  
• Praise God that the local Brent Council has provided an accommodation to Aminesh and Shilpa, a Gujarati Christian couple, who come in to the meeting regularly. This couple has appreciated the Benjamins’ prayers and support for the family. Please remember Ronny their son, who has not been well for a long time and is waiting for another operation before the end of year.

Day 23 – PAKISTAN

Thousands of people are fleeing their homes in the southern Pakistan, near the coast, as floodwaters flow from the north. Floodwaters have been receding in the north of the country enabling more humanitarian assistance to the area. 

On 13th August, the Moderator, Dr Norman Hamilton, launched a Church-wide appeal to support relief work in Pakistan following the severe flooding. Contributions received from PCI members through their congregations will primarily be channelled through our partners in Tearfund and Christian Aid Ireland. Both agencies have been working in Pakistan for a long time (Christian Aid since 1954) and are already providing emergency food and medical assistance through their well-established networks. A portion of contributions received will also be donated to the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, a partner of PCI through the Board of Mission Overseas. This symbolises our standing alongside our suffering sisters and brothers in a time of particular need.

• Pray for all those who have been affected by the floods; especially for those who have been injured, have lost loved ones, or have suffered damage to their homes, possessions, and/or livelihoods.
  
  
• Pray that emergency supplies will quickly reach all those in need. 
  
  
• Pray that the funds needed to provide for emergency assistance and for the repair and rebuilding of damaged properties and infrastructure will be quickly found.

The Moderator’s letter encourages congregations to support this appeal and send their donations to the Financial Secretary’s Office, Church House, as soon as possible.  Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Presbyterian Church in Ireland’ and marked ‘Moderator’s Appeal for Pakistan’. Wherepossible, members should be encouraged to contribute under the Gift Aid Scheme. Alternatively, people may give directly to Tearfund and Christian Aid.  Details are available on their websites. For further information on the Appeal click here.

OVERSEAS TEAMS

A number of teams are overseas over the next week as follows and we encourage you to pray for them:

MALAWI – A group of seven people, five from Finvoy Presbyterian Church, one from Bushmills Presbyterian Church and Rev Drew Moore (retired), who works in Portglenone Presbyterian Church leave for Malawi today (25th). They are going to be present at the small opening ceremony of a rural prayer house in Rhumpi Presbytery, where the building was partly funded by members from Finvoy congregation.  They will stay in Ekwendeni and sharing in some work alongside Robin and Helen Quinn and some local Malawian teenagers - a children’s Bible Club in a rural village and encouraging some local youth groups.  The two men in the group will be responsible for some training sessions with BB officers, and the ladies will be taking a craft workshop day for some village women alongside Helen and Victoria Chihana.  They also hope to visit Mzuzu and PCI personnel currently serving there to see and learn more about their work.  They are due home again on 6th September. 

TANZANIA – A team of eight people from Knock Presbyterian is in Dar es Salaam supporting Kenny and Andrea Woodrow from Knock who are working with Wycliffe.  The team spent a week in the Sala Sala district working with street children, and this week are leading a spiritual envisioning week in HOPAC (Haven of Hope Academy), a school serving over 300 children and young people whose parents are missionaries, full-time Christian service workers (attached to 37 different Christian service or mission organisations), or local or international business people. The team returns home on 1st September.

UKRAINE – A team from First Islandmagee, with support from Second Islandmagee, First Larne and BallyclarePresbyterian Churches is in Transcarpathia in western Ukraine where they have been leading a two-week English language camp in the school run by the Reformed Church in Nagybereg and supporting the Roma mission outreach there, where Jenni Wolfe (who is also on the team) served last year. The team is due home, on Friday (27th). 

Prayer Points for these teams –

• Good health, safety, strength and energyfor all the team members and those they are working with.
  
  
• The work that each of the teams will be involved in.
  
  
• For the Word of God to be explained clearly and for spiritual fruit in the lives of those the teams are going to help or work alongside.

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