This past week Joel had opportunity to attend the AGM of a denomination in Kenya. We all very much appreciated the invitation and we are encouraged by the interest shown in the work of Feed my Lambs and in our materials. Quite a number of Pastors are intending to register the children in their Churches and we look forward to having them involved in our Bible Course. There was also great interest in our library materials and the teaching materials we are currently producing ourselves. Pray that there will be great fruit from this opportunity and that many children will hear the Gospel as a result. Pray that we may continue to be a great encouragement to the local Pastors and Children's Workers as they seek to reach out with the Word of God to children in their locality.
Over the weekend Joyce was able to travel to an area called Homa Bay. Homa Bay is in Western Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria. Around 10 years ago my dad and I made a brief trip there but as the journey took longer than expected it was late by the time we arrived and we didn't really see too much in the end. Joyce was able to minister in a small Church in the area and the Pastor has been in contact with me to say how encouraged they are and are looking forward to our continued partnership in sharing the need of salvation with children in the area. We met Joel and Joyce during our very first time in Kenya in 2006 when they both attended our first training seminar. It is such an encouragement to still have them as good friends almost 11 years later and to see how they are serving God. Very often we find ourselves asking Joyce her opinion on matters and today I have been communicating with Joel and getting advice on certain issues. It is just a reminder that we are a team and we need each other. It could be easy for missionaries to be so carried away in serving and helping local people, that they can forget that they also need the locals. We certainly are very aware that the work of Feed my Lambs would not continue without national people on the ground and we are very thankful for those who play a part in the ministry which God has established.
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Many years ago my dad was encouraged to invest in what seemed like a very easy way to make money. There is a saying which goes like this, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." Well, my dad soon became suspicious and realised the venture was something known as a "Pyramid Scheme". Defined by Wikipedia as follows:
"A pyramid scheme is a business model that recruits members via a promise of payments or services for enrolling others into the scheme, rather than supplying investments or sale of products or services. As recruiting multiplies, recruiting becomes quickly impossible, and most members are unable to profit; as such, pyramid schemes are unsustainable and often illegal." I heard my dad refer to this many times over the years as he recounted what had happened at the time. This past week I was again reminded of it as I had a discussion with a Kenyan Pastor about Pyramid Schemes. More and more people are told, more and more join the scheme. They may make some money in the short term, but in the end they loose because it becomes unsustainable as investors get fewer and fewer. Usually the only person to profit in the end is the one at the top. It got me thinking about the sharing the Gospel though. If only everyone who is saved would share the Gospel so keenly. Then more and more people would hear and be saved. The amazing thing is that the Gospel gives eternal life as we follow the Lord....it never becomes unsustainable and is open to all. I was reminded of a little chorus I used to sing with the children when I taught Sunday School..... "If you tell two people and I tell two people then four more people will know. If they tell two people and they tell two people then more and more people will know." It is easy to tell people about the latest news or who is doing what or the latest entertainments. What about sharing the Gospel so that more and more people will know? We thank God for opportunities in this past week to continue in service for the Lord. William has been leading meetings; yesterday he shared from God's word in the nursing home which was such a blessing; he has also been preparing for future meetings. I have played the organ at meetings; finished writing our prayer letter; marked Child Protection Assignments. Joyce has been caring for her own children who have been sick and continuing to oversee the work. Joel has been preparing to represent Feed my Lambs at an event this week. In different ways, we have been serving God so that more and more people will know. Pray for us this incoming week as we continue to serve the Lord. Thank you for your prayers over another week. We are grateful for opportunities to share about the ministry with those who had not heard of us or who knew very little about what we do. We thank God for these new openings.
Continue to pray for Joyce. She was delayed visiting an area of Kenya called Homa Bay due to some sickness with her children. We thank God that they are well again. I visited Homa Bay once with my dad and it was quite a long drive. Pray that Joyce will know safety as she travels. We appreciate your prayers for Eunice as she works in the office on a part time basis. Pray that the Lord will continue to help her as she marks lessons and carries out other admin work. Pray on for Joel who is finding his feet well. He is following up on various aspects of the work and getting to know those we work with. He will be representing FML at an event next week and would really value your prayers for this. He will have opportunity to share about our materials and library and we are trusting that those who attend will see the importance of reaching children with the Gospel. After a busy run of meetings here in Northern Ireland; William and myself have caught our breath a little this past week as we only had to share in one meeting on Wednesday morning. We thank God for His help during that time and in other aspects of the work throughout the week. We continue to value your prayers in the day to day running of the organisation and our individual tasks within in the ministry. Last night we attended a meeting and heard God's servant share of how he goes on board ships that sail into Northern Ireland and shares the Gospel with the crew. Often these men and women will be from countries where it is difficult to bring the Gospel, yet here they are being brought to our shores. They are hungry for the Gospel. Just another reminder and indeed a challenge of how blessed we are in Northern Ireland and yet how laid back we sometimes are in regards to serving God. Let's not opt for the easy life....let's spend and be spent for God. On 30 August 2001 I underlined a verse in my Bible. I was reminded of this verse as I thought of last week's blog and email which was sent out to prayer partners. We shared details of the drought which is being experienced in Kenya, Uganda and indeed in other surrounding countries. We shared photos of children starving to death. It is fair to say that, while there have been those who have been praying; the response so far to the appeal for practical help has been disappointing. We leave the situation in God's hands and trust that His people will be burdened to pray and do what is in their power to do. But it got me thinking about this verse in Lamentations 4 : 4. As I looked it up, I saw another verse which I had underlined on that same date in 2001. As my dad and I prepared to visit Kenya for the first time in 2006, these verses were precious to me. Our aim then and in the years which have followed has been to feed the children spiritually with the bread of life. Boys and girls are hungry for the Word of God.
But today I have looked at these verses and been reminded of the drought in Africa. I have thought about the response received over this past week and I have wondered to myself...how can people turn a blind eye to images of children fading away to nothing because of lack of food. The weak body can be seen, the cries can be heard. Have we become so hardened and so caught up in our own lives that we have little concern for others? And then I considered the soul....the soul of the child which cannot be seen. The soul of the child here in the UK, or in other parts of the world, even in parts of Africa....the soul of the child who is not physically starving, but who is healthy and has the best of everything. Yet, that child is also dying. Fading away spiritually. Now the question comes....if we can so quickly turn a blind eye to a child that is dying physically and we can ignore the pain and suffering which can be seen....then how much more easy is it to ignore the plight of the soul which can't be seen? And so as I turned the pages of Lamentations, reminding myself of these two precious verses which can perhaps be applied to the physical and the spiritual; I noticed yet another verse I had underlined in Lamentations 1 : 12. This time there was no date beside it...but the challenge is still very relevant today.... Perhaps this is a question we all need to ask ourselves when we consider the children; those who are physically dying.....but also as we should consider; with even more urgency; those who are spiritually dying. |
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August 2022
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