Howell - Williams Update - May 6, 2008

As many of you have learned, the death toll in Myanmar is now estimated to be over 20,000 people who have lost their lives.  Please continue to pray for the people of this nation, that God might work to bring repentance and faith to many through the faithful testimony of the believers there.

Here is an update from Chris Williams:

Dear Pat: 

We didn't get into Yangon as the flights were all cancelled. So we escaped the cyclone but I spoke to an American friend Chad who works there and he gave me bad news which was then confirmed by the BBC. I do not need to elaborate the devastation but am praying that God will lead folk to contribute generously so I can take into the country funds to help local believers to rehabilitate. The Kachin and Chin States are in the North so saved from the hit which was largely in Yangon and South Myanmar.
  
Tom and Lisa and I are in Thailand ... I am waiting for a flight into the USA for the TMS graduation and Tom and Lisa will return back to India. It has cost a bit of extra money being stuck like this but we are having a one day Seminar with Surasak and Peter (the latter attended 2008 Shepherd's Conf) on the 8th May. Interestingly Greg Stephenson will also be around that day with a missionary from his church (CCC) who with his wife wishes to work in Laos and here.
 
God be with you.
 
Chris
 
Postal Address:
A-1/204 Anusuya Enclave
Wanowrie
Pune - 411040
Maharashtra
INDIA
Phone: 91-20-26815618

Howell - Myanmar Update/Chris Williams

From Sammy Williams (Chris' son)

Pat,
 
The last update I had received was two days ago on the 3rd.   My dad, Tom and Lisa stayed on in Bangkok because of the cyclone.  All flights into Myanmar had been cancelled.  They are still going to try to get into Myanmar, but I think that may be unlikely at this point.  They have a May 8th pastors meeting in Bangkok that they will stay for and then return to India.

We’ll keep you posted if we hear more.
 
Sammy

From Pat Howell

Dear BCLR Family & Friends,

You may have heard about the recent cyclone that has ravaged Myanmar. News reports describe much of the country and particularly Yangon (Rangoon) as being devastated by the storm.

It is estimated that 10,000 people have lost their lives.  Obviously, this number may increase. 100,000's are homeless.  Power is out throughout much of the country.  Food prices are rising precipitously.  Sanitation problems are already evident and very problematic.  Basic necessities are at a premium throughout much of the country.

As you pray, be advised that Chris Williams (our recent missions conference speaker) is currently in Myanmar accompanied by Tom and Lisa Schuck.  (Tom teaches at the Pastoral Training Institute in Pune, India).  Do pray for their safety--and for their ministries to the Kachin and others in these days.

I will keep you posted once I hear from Chris, but communication to and from Myanmar is fraught with difficulty.

I am scheduled to join Chris in Myanmar in July.  Please pray that my trip will remain on the calendar and that somehow, God will bring blessing through us and even greater opportunities to bless these dear people.

Serving with you,

Pat Howell

Claxton - May 5, 2008

From James Henrich:

I spoke this morning with Mark Claxton.  He and his family are well. He asks that we pray in the following ways:
 
1)      acquisition of the Russian language….they are making progress
2)      patience with living in a society/culture that requires more time for daily tasks than USA
3)      strength, wisdom and ability to plan/organize a conference in Kiev May 14-16
4)      physical safety and spiritual growth of children
5)      funding Lord willing to return to Little Rock for a month in August to celebrate his parent’s 50th wedding anniversary, to report to BCLR and to visit supporters….Mark said that normally they wouldn’t plan a visit to the US this soon except to honor his parents on this special occasion.
 
He is looking forward to the arrival of the BCLR adult / student team in July. In the meantime, if you’d like to call Mark yourself (at no cost), his number is 501-255-2603. They are 8 hours ahead of us.
 
God’s blessings,
 
James

Panjwani - May 2, 2008

From Shannon:

Thank you, thank you, thank all of you (!) for your prayers. We have entered into a very difficult time on many fronts.

I will say I have been tempted to be very discouraged by the teen-age girls. Even Pummi (who is very strong) seems to be too busy these days and is not putting the Lord first in coming to house church or discipleship or even Bible club very regularly. This is very unusual for her. She did come this morning and said her mother has been quite sick and she also has been sick for over a week. I encouraged her again in putting the things of God’s Kingdom first and then He will multiply her time for other things. She needs to make better choices with the limited time she does have.  She does work hard in her home and in the fields daily. Nayna has just returned from her in-law’s yesterday I heard yesterday. I have yet to see her.

Bible club is running well, but numbers of children are down somewhat. Again maybe harvest season, but it seems the ground is very hard right now. Please remember Soni in your prayers. She is the girl who professed faith during VBS. She came to meet me once and wanted to say she has not gone back on her profession, but I realized she somehow misunderstood that she could not continue idol worship while at the same time proclaiming Christ as Lord. I again explained to her the way of salvation by faith through Christ alone. I have not met with her since and need to find time to go to her home. Guddi is also remaining very busy and has charge over her entire house. She finds it hard to get away to come for teaching.

On an encouraging front, there are several ladies from a far away village who have come to the Lord and many have taken baptism (They came to Christ through a woman named Sunita, I think). They come about 2 hours travel by foot and by train to the big church on Sunday but have never had anyone to disciple them and admit that they don’t understand anything that goes on in the church.

I have wanted to teach the first of these ladies who became a Christian (Sunita) for the last 3 years, but she (and now these other ladies who have also become Believers) can only come in time for church on Sundays and then must catch their train immediately afterwards, so there was no time for me to teach. But just 2 weeks ago we revisited this issue. The women asked if I could call them for teaching on another morning of the week. We decided on Saturday mornings. They will come to our home, and Gloria (the nurse from Minnesota) has agreed to help with childcare so I can teach the ladies from 9-10am. I have also told Pummi and Sunita (the lady who works with us) about this meeting, because these village women are just like them—illiterate, from rather backward villages, and many are the only Believers in their families. I think it might be very encouraging for all of them to meet together since the Christians in the church here don’t really accept these village Believers from Hindu backgrounds. This coming Saturday is supposed to be our first meeting. Please pray that all may come and also for the teaching, as I speak in Hindi, and their mother tongue is a dialect, though they understand Hindi to a good degree. It’s just hard for me to understand them sometimes!

Again, we stand in such need of your prayers. Dinesh has been able to share with many people in the hospital since we returned, and one or two men have really become interested. One man whose name is Anil almost died from a snakebite but was treated here, and God raised him up. Dinesh shared with him, and he apparently became a Believer. He has been coming regularly for teaching, but again, he comes from quite far away. Pray for Dinesh. His heart is so much in ministry that it’s hard for him to have his heart in medical work these days.

Mack - May 1, 2008

Some people asked for these pictures. So here they are. The rest of you are getting them even if you don't want them. Sorry about that.  

Just use the delete button if you don't want to have to look at them.  Incidentally, at this point Beth is pretty sure this is it. She’s visiting settlements to plan ministries in the Robertson area and she’s already while visiting there doing Bible studies and counseling with women. It may be the real thing

Wayne preached at his church on April 20 - we met his people and spent some time with Sybrand for several days. We stayed with a lovely couple who are part of the church. The church is a church plant of about 3 years of age. Had about 65 people there on Sunday morning with the majority returning for a second dose on Sunday evening. Robertson is a lovely town - no walls around houses, no electric fences, only recently did they begin to lock their doors. Crime is not the issue that it is here in our area. People are actually retiring to that area because of its beauty and because of the low crime rate. There are many black and colored settlements close by - we drove by several and visited one - so if the big even does occur Beth's present ministry would simply be enlarged and transferred to another area. Anyway, there you have it. 

Josh and Marda and the children are doing well. Pray for him as he will be going to Uganda to take part (preach) at a conference there - a conference where he and a few men from The Master's College will be the speakers. Wayne will be doing a pastor's conference in the Barberton area of South Africa next week end with black, colored and  white pastors in attendance.

And also the Shepherd's conference is coming toward the end of May and the beginning of June - this is held  in three locations - Johannesburg, Polokwane and Capetown. After that we gear up for the big trek back to the USA with a stop over for the GMKI conference in Israel.

Blessings. Love to hear from you.

Carol and Wayne

 

Bridgman - May 1, 2008

Praise for: 

1) For good attendance at kids Easter program

2) Prayer meetings on Tuesday; we are studying th the book of Ecclesiasties.

3) Starting new English classes

4) Church members are encouraging eachother to pray for land and building

5) Some boys who attended the Easter program have been coming on Friday afternoons

6) Many opportunities to witness to kids playing baseball and soccer in the park, and older folks in groud golf club

7) Mr. Taniguchi has come to church during April.

8) Kevin and Jeffrey are doing well

Pray for:

1) Good follow up of those who have started comimg to our fellowship recently

2) Mr. Igarashi, a Christian businessman, asks for healing and salvation for his son who has cancer

3) Mrs. Omura asks for continued prayer for health and her daughter's special needs

4) Dr. and Mrs. Yoshii want to start a ministry of evangelism and couseling with their patients  

5) For the boys who are coming over on Friday afternoons to be spiritually open.

6) For special evangelistic meetings on May 24 and 25 (Paul sings a solo)

7) For Mrs. Watanabe to choose to get baptized soon and Her daughter's salvation

8) Financial provision for Sanyo Church as we look forward to purchasing land and building a building (Pray for the financial goal of $300,000 to be met)

9) Mrs. Omori continues to miss church because of bad health, pray for healing

10) More English students and friends who are seeking the Lord

11) For Paul as he fills the role of the chairman for the Japanese neighborhood organization (Cho nai kai)

12) For Mr. Hamada as he hasn't been well enough to attend church recently

13) Our financial support to continue to improve (also special needs for Kevin's educational expenses)

14) For our evangelistic meetings planned this Spring (one in particular is our 19th anniversary on June 29)

15) The planning of effective evangelistic events for all of  2008 ( We will have a nationally known Christian special speaker next September)

16) Spiritual growth and unity of the believers at Sanyo Church as we develop a vision for growth that includes purchasing land and building

17) That Miss Kubo and Mrs. Demura would be free from family obligations to come to church again.