Febuary Updates-19th Feb.

Dear friends,

I thought I would just send this update for your encouragement and mutual joy,

One little area of ministry I have been involved with has been bringing me much fulfillment and yesterday was probably the most encouraging day so far...
For several months I have been meeting with two young men, for a few hours on the weekend, in the neighbouring village to study the Word of God and pray together. Both are believers in Jesus Christ and are able to communicate in English which makes it an easy introduction for me into this culture for now, until I am more proficient in their own language (I am working on that!), unfortunately one of them recently left for South Africa to seek employment there (And we pray for the Lord's ongoing protection and hand upon him) but the Lord quickly sent another young man to be the companion for our other young friend, so our number went to three of us again.

Yesterday, I took along with me the other Intern who serves along side me, A., and we were 5 in total and another of their friends who is still of another faith joined us for our 'biggest' gathering yet. Our host- FC seems to have been in a backslidden state and through recent interaction with some of our number has been renewing his faith, Praise God! (Oh, and we also had M's little brother join us who cant be more than 6 and is so cute!)

So there we all were, huddled together on the concrete floor of F's living quarters leaning in over our bibles trying to hear the opening prayer above the pelting rain on the corrugated iron sheets 2 metres above our heads. Thankfully the rain died down and we were able to hear one another:) 

There were several encouragements that came out of yesterday's meeting and I would like to share some as a means of encouragement and opportunity to pray for these young men and their village;

The longest standing participant of our group-M said to me that before we used to meet together he struggled to read his bible regularly but now he reads it every night before going to bed and equates it's intake on a par with the necessity of eating food to stay alive... isn't that so true! "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!" Deut.8:3) He has also been a part of a church that seems to preach more of man's religion than God's word and I have been praying (I'm not the only one that has been praying) that he will develop his own convictions of truth from God's word and be able to stand up for the true faith. Yesterday he told me that he is ready to, 'leave them and join me' without any direct encouragement from myself. (I quickly tried to discourage 'joining me' especially since I will be leaving soon, but also because I believe it will be better to remain where he is and stand up for the truth and allow God to move him out if the church does not accept the testimony of truthful biblical interpretation and living! But the main thing is that his convictions in the truth of God's word are growing and giving him discernment (Heb. 5:14) with the help of the Holy Spirit within him, and this is worth celebrating and praising God for don't you think!?

The second longest standing participant-FK also testified to me yesterday that before we started meeting together he would be embarrassed to take his bible into public, now he says that is no problem and he says he even shares from it in public. (A Muslim community)
He said yesterday, "I am not concerned that some of them (Other-faith neighbours) are well studied, because I know what I believe!" That is positive faith, where it should be! Praise God for this too.(Matt.16:17b -  true revelation from God cannot be shaken) I encouraged him by highlighting the helpfulness of Christian brotherhood especially in times of persecution.(See 1Pet.5:9)

Then upon A.'s first meeting, an instant connection was made between him and one of the newer participants who is a local primary school teacher and has indicated a keenness to try set up opportunities for A. within the school to minister through sport, English and religious education, huge scope there for endless opportunities!

So with overflowing gratitude in the goodness of God and the delight of serving Him with the gifts he has given for His service we look forward to what God does next, with full reliance on His guidance and a dependence on the precious Holy Spirit to continue building His Invisible eternal kingdom, in God we rest.

Dave.