July 2009
Our work in North Africa continues to grow as people respond to the media broadcasts and house group follow up strategy. Our production team was recently given permission to use a state owned TV production area for taping. The government leader for media was on the set every day and even sponsored a reception on the last day of taping for our crew.
In the past several days I‚ve had some very encouraging reports from our teams on the frontlines.
Our work in North Africa continues to grow as people respond to the media broadcasts and house group follow up strategy. Our production team was recently given permission to use a state owned TV production area for taping. The government leader for media was on the set every day and even sponsored a reception on the last day of taping for our crew. As far as we are aware that has never happened before in this M*m country!
Our workers in Thailand recently shared about the transformation of a family. The father was angry, his daughter was crippled since age 2 after falling out of a tree, and his wife could not please him. He was angry with his crippled daughter and felt she was useless. When both his wife and daughter came to Christ, this father watched the love of God change them. Our team would often carry his daughter and even clean her when she soiled herself. The team invited the father to our church camp. They asked him to be the „transportation safety inspector‰ for all the families. The first night at the camp he battled his demons as the conviction of the Holy Spirit was upon him. His past life as a fortune teller and spiritist was now holding him back from responding to Christ‚s love. By the morning he had made his decision to follow Jesus. His prayer of surrender set him free. He now carries his daughter on his back and is sharing the message of Christ‚s transforming power and love with all of his neighbors.
Thank you for your prayers, support and involvement as together we invest in transforming lives in mission.
Items for Prayer
- Pray for Rob & Marlene as they continue working to develop a training center in Central Asia. Surrounded by alcoholism, abuse and violence, Rob & Marlene are working to bring transformation to their community, sharing the message of the hope, peace, grace and love Jesus offers. Pray that the Lord will sustain and strengthen them.
- Thousands will gather in Asuncion, Paraguay this month for the Mennonite World Conference. Pray that God‚s name will be lifted high, that strategic partnerships will be strengthened and that hearts will be encouraged by news of what God is doing in and through the global Mennonite family.
Ministry Highlights
- Six people- one youth group member and a family of five- were baptized recently at RETO church in Guadalajara, Mexico. Praise God for the growth of His church, and for the faithful ministry of Alfredo & Sandra Beltran, Trever & Joan Godard, Sandra Plett, Jen Schmidt, and Stacy Kuhns. Pray that RETO church will have many opportunities to shine the light of Christ in their city and that many more people will decide to follow Him.
- A weekly ESL/evangelism outreach led by Judy Griffioen in a Phuket, Thailand park is bearing fruit. Judy‚s daughters, Amber & Amanda, started this ministry months ago, when they began meeting in the park with friends for worship and prayer. Recently, a woman who sells food in the park gave her life to Jesus and now invites people to come and hear what‚s going on each week. Praise God!
Until all have heard,
Randy Friesen
Vision for Mission