Time is flying. We are almost at the end of another month and more and more we are looking ahead and making plans for FML for the incoming year. Am also looking back alot at the minute and thinking of special times. It is 4 months today since my dad went to be with the Lord. He is missed so much. In regard to FML, it is at the market where we miss him the most. Customers are still commenting to us about how strange it is without him. William came on the photograph below. It shows myself and dad the very first time we had an FML stand at an event. I remember that night so well. So much to pack in the car as William, dad and I headed off to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. We didn't know what to expect. We had put so much thought into what we would have on display, what we would hand out and how we would answer the questions and enquiries. We were excited and we were nervous. The Lord helped. I am so thankful that dad was able to be a part of that night and many others like it since.
Dad will always be an important part of the work. A few days ago I spoke to Joyce in Uganda and she commented on how dad was a big loss to FML. She also remembered our dear friend Billy who passed away one year before; he was someone who also prayed much for us. We look ahead with mixed emotions but trusting God to guide us and lead us in the work. Joyce will soon travel to Kampala in Uganda as there is great interest in our lessons there. We pray that God will guide her as she speaks to the leaders of the Churches/schools who have enquired. Pastor Aringo continues to be busy co-ordinating the work and the lessons. He also will travel to the Kisii area very soon as new opportunities are opening up there. Moses and his team continue with the school ministry. We are discussing another new venture for the Nakuru area and appreciate your prayers as we pray over every issue concerning this. Pray that we will know the right time for this particular outreach. Please pray for the School Ministry team in Nakuru. We thank God for each one who accompany Moses to the Schools. Most have other jobs and are fitting in the schools around their work. Pray that they will be encouraged in their labours. Pray for the Pastors and children's workers in Kenya and Uganda who assist our team in distributing the lessons to the children in their vicinity. We have people who help in Mombasa, Kisumu, Uganda and other areas. We appreciate their help, especially in the rural areas which are hard to reach. We also ask you to pray for those who mark the lessons and assist us in this way. Without this help it would be very difficult to keep up. I have marked myself when in the office in Nairobi and it is actually quite a difficult job and requires discipline and concentration. We thank God for each marker. Pray for the new students on our child protection course. They are from Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. Pray that God will help them as they study. Continue to pray for the market ministry here in Northern Ireland. We packed up a bit earlier than normal on Saturday as the weather was so wet and windy and we had very few customers. However, overall, we did quite well financially over the two days considering the weather conditions. This week William will return to his course, after missing last week as he was unwell. Pray for him as he continues to study. No doubt, he will also be getting another load of coal, blocks etc. ready for the market. In the office this week I have accounts to record, money to send to Kenya, child protection assignments to mark and a worksheet to prepare as well as a few other things. I will be out of the office for the rest of today, so there is quite a lot to fit into Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before returning to the market on Friday. We are conscious that we need the Lord each day; we need Him here in N.I and the team in Kenya and Uganda need Him also. The weeks go by very quickly and we face many decisions and have much to pray about. Please remember us, as especially as we plan for the year ahead. We trust that the Lord will show us which projects to go ahead with and when to do that and that He will also show us which projects need to wait for a while. We need His wisdom and His guidance.
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The start of another week and we look back on what was another busy week.
This past week we had two meetings here in Northern Ireland, both in venues we have never been to before. The first was a ladies' meeting and I went to this one on my own. I enjoyed being with those who gathered and appreciated the invitation and interest shown, very much. Our prayer letter will be going there from now on and we are so thankful for that. Just last night, on Sunday evening, William and I both shared at another meeting in a Roman Catholic area of the province. The work is ran mainly by two ladies and we were amazed at the amount of outreach which they co-ordinate from a small room next to a petrol station. Once again there was great interest shown and many questions asked. It has been a very unusual few months of meetings for us, as all but two have been in new venues. This is really encouraging for us. We will go to another two new venues in February and March. We have never had a year with as many new places to speak at and it is definitely an answer to prayer. It does mean, however, that we have been sharing presentations which contain an overview of our ministry and have had fewer opportunities to share about our most recent trip in July past. However, we are thankful for those times when we have been able to share about the trip and are looking forward to a few meetings over the coming weeks when we will have opportunity to do this once more. We continue to value your prayers and thank you for standing with us. Today I had a long telephone conversation with Pastor Aringo in our Nairobi office. It was encouraging to be reminded of the many new children who enrolled on our course in the few weeks leading up to Christmas. Pray for them as they begin to study the lessons.
We are already looking ahead to the next few months. Regular children's rallies/events are being planned and we ask you to pray for everything that this involves. We hope these will be in different areas across Kenya and possibly Uganda also. Please pray for all of our representatives, distributors, markers and office workers. They are all serving the Lord and need your prayers. Most are voluntary workers and we would ask that you pray that God provides for their individual needs. One big burden that we have is for the need of Bibles. So many are now required and we have a lot of children who have reached Lesson 15 and need Bibles in order to proceed. We are thankful for gifts which have been received but the financial need is great. Please pray that God will provide and should you feel led to help we will appreciate this. In fact, we would ask you all to consider financially supporting the organisation regularly...perhaps on a monthly basis. It is so much easier to plan ahead when we have a good idea of what funds are coming in. We have come to realise that if everyone who receives our prayer letter, reads this blog, follows us on Facebook etc. was to support the work with even just a small amount each month it would make a big difference to what we could do. Are you in the UK? Would you consider £2.00 per month? US $3 per month? Kenya Ksh 250 per month? Uganda Ush 8000 per month? These are small amounts but could make a big difference to our work. If you would like to take this on you can set up a standing order, pay by paypal or by mpesa. We would ask you to make this a matter for prayer. We really mean it when we say that any amount, no matter how small, can really make a difference. (Remember, if you are a UK tax payer you can also gift aid your donations) This week we would ask you to continue to pray for William as he studys. In addition to his normal weekly class at Bible College, he is also attending an additional course for one evening. Please pray that the Lord will help him in all of these studies and also as he continues with his daily work in addition to FML work. He is a very hard worker and needs your prayers. I will be speaking at a ladies' meeting this week in a Church we have never been to before and then later in the week William and I will both share at yet another new venue. I was encouraged to receive another booking today to return to a meeting I have spoken at for the past few years. This is something else which we would ask you to pray about....have you had us speak in your Church before....would you please consider having us back again??? We understand that ladies' meetings tend to have different speakers each year, but perhaps there is a weekly prayer meeting in your Church, could we come once each year? A regular meeting would be a great encouragement to us of course, but it would also keep our prayer partners up to date with the work. Please consider this. Of course, the most important thing you can do for us, is pray!!!! Join our mailing list if you haven't already signed up or perhaps hold a prayer meeting for the work of FML. Pray! YOU can make a difference. Please pray and consider what God would have you to do. The beginning of a new year is a time to look forward and plan. That's exactly what we are doing in FML. We thank God for everything He has laid upon our hearts and we are excited about some new projects and ventures which are at the planning stages, but which will hopefully be implemented fully this year. Please pray that God will continue to lead and give us wisdom and enthusiasm in the coming days.
Our Nairobi office has reopened today and we ask you to pray that Pastor Aringo and the team will know God's help. Moses and the school ministry team will begin again this week also and we pray that children will respond to the Gospel. Joyce and her husband in Uganda continue to value your prayers. The market began again on Saturday and we were pleased with trade. Over the next few weeks we have 3 meetings all in new venues which we have never been to before. We are so grateful for these new opportunities and look forward to sharing with those who will gather. Please continue to pray for us in the many decisions we have to make and especially as we review our procedures and policies. Thank you for your prayers. |
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August 2022
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