A PASSION AND A VISION - for the Arab world - UFM Worldwide
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MAGAZINE OF UFM WORLDWIDE I SPRING 2018
A PASSION
AND A VISION
for the Arab world
THE 1881 GREAT GOSPEL MAKING DISCIPLES
PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES WHO MAKE
PAGE 6 IN KURDISTAN DISCIPLES
PAGE 10 PAGE 16
CONTENTS
GOSPEL
02 Gospel ambition
AMBITION
04 A passion and a vision
for the Arab world
06 The 1881 Project
If the gospel is to be preached
08 Caring for widows where Christ is not known, we need
and orphans to see some gospel ambition.
10 Great gospel
opportunities in
T
Kurdistan wo thousand years ambition to preach the
after Jesus looked gospel where Christ is not
12 An open door and out on the crowds known, so that I would not
many adversaries and saw people lost like be building on someone
sheep without a shepherd, else’s foundation.”
we look around the world Of course, this pioneering
14 I know the plans today and see that the work is not the only valid
I have for you harvest is still plentiful and ministry to be involved
the workers are still few. in. Elsewhere Paul makes
In the Republic of Ireland, it clear that there’s a vital
the least-reached English- place to continue the work
speaking nation in the of those who started it
world, there are 50 towns (see 1 Corinthians 3:5-15).
16 Making disciples who with no evangelical Taking the gospel where
make disciples church. In Northern it’s never been before,
Yemen, where the proclaiming the good
population is 8 million, news where there is no
18 Planting healthy,
there are perhaps only 20 church, is not, to use the
gospel-centred
or 30 believers. And down words of Christopher Ash,
churches in French- the road from many of compulsory for everyone.
speaking Europe our churches, there are But it is necessary for
countless communities some. And Paul is saying
who are still waiting for that if the gospel is to be
20 Serving short-
the opportunity to hear preached where Christ is
term at LIFE
the good news about not known, we need to
Academy,
Jesus. see some gospel ambition.
Burkina Faso
With these sobering This isn’t the ambition
realities in mind, it’s caricatured by programmes
22 New to UFM helpful to come back to like The Apprentice and
Paul’s words in Romans personified by so many
24 News Bites 15:20 where he writes,
“It has always been my
of our lives – a raw, self-
centred drive to succeed
02 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS
DIRECTOR’S
UFM DIRECTOR
DESK
that, too often, turns into So, what drove these taking the van to the market
selfish ambition. No, the missionaries to do in France. Unless…
ambition Paul speaks of and something that to many Unless we see the motivation
lives out is about something would have looked so weak? for gospel ambition. Unless
else, it’s about someone What lay behind Paul’s own we grasp the joy of seeing
else. It’s an ambition to see ambition to take the gospel people saved. “Those who
churches planted where where Christ had never were not told about him will
they’ve never been planted been named? Well it wasn’t see, and those who have not
before, to see Christ’s name so that he could plant his heard will understand.”
honoured where it’s never flag before anyone else.
been honoured before. He wasn’t trying to corner Friends, isn’t this an ambition
the market. No, it was that’s worth living for? Isn’t
When I first saw ambition this something worth devoting
something else that drove
like this I didn’t even notice. ourselves to, giving ourselves
him. The same thing that no
I was about 10 years old to? That dead people might
doubt got those missionaries
and we went to visit some come to life; that lost people
in France back in their van
missionaries in a small town might be found; that sinners
every week.
in France. It felt like we were might be set free. That those
in the middle of nowhere. It And Paul tells us what it was who have never seen and
was a market day and in the in Romans 15:21. Here is never understood might call
midst of that beautiful French the motivation behind the on the name of the Lord and
scene, with its cheeses and ambition. Here is the dream, be saved.
wines, its breads and pastries, the goal, the great desire:
the missionaries had set up “Rather, those who were not MICHAEL
their van. They did it every told about him will see and
week. The side of the van those who have not heard
opened up to reveal a mini will understand.” Isn’t that
Christian bookshop and they incredible?
spent the next few hours The latest fast car, or
trying to speak to passers- riverside Penthouse
by about the gospel. It apartment in the back of the
didn’t seem to be screaming weekend papers, will always
ambition to me. seem more appealing than
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 03
NORTH AFRICA
A PASSION AND
A VISION FOR
THE ARAB
W RLD
W
hat do a gifted “YOU ARE MY in touch with believers in
artist living in CHURCH!” her country, but her longing
North Africa, a to know Christ and grow in
theologian from the early You may wonder why Arab her commitment to him is a
church and the founder of Focus Media places such an recurring theme in the many
an orphanage in Egypt have emphasis on communicating email responses we receive on
in common? They all lived the Good News through the Shabibah website from
radio, television and the across the world.
out their Christian faith with
internet? A primary reason
a passion and commitment
that left a lasting legacy for
is that media can reach AN OPEN DOOR
people and places that would THROUGH MEDIA
future generations. Ten such
otherwise be untouched by
characters were chosen to “My story with Christ goes like
a gospel witness. Amina* is
form a panoply of “heroes this: while I was reading the
a young woman living in a
and heroines” of the Christian Qur’an, I discovered that Christ
remote area of Jordan, who
faith, the subject of Arab is great, greater even than
first wrote to our Arabic
Focus Media’s latest television all. He is the Spirit of God. He
website www.shabibah.org
production. The aim of this performed amazing miracles
a few months ago (shabibah
documentary series is to and He is the One who will
means youth in Arabic).
show that change must begin come at the end of time. I
She began by affirming her
with personal transformation want you to tell me of the
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
through a dynamic steps I need to take to believe
and asking questions about
relationship with Jesus Christ. in Him with all my might.”
baptism. She maintained a
The story of each character Abdulrahman* Saudi Arabia
steady exchange of emails
portrays the gospel in action with us and responded to We launched the Shabibah
across boundaries of culture, articles and programmes on website in January 2013 in
status and nationality. The the Shabibah website. When partnership with UFM. The
new series will be broadcast she was asked to consider web portal is accessed by
on our Arabic website and joining a church, she replied people in all 21 countries of
on satellite television, in that there were no Christians the Arabic-speaking world,
partnership with SAT-7, at all in her area as far as she which are located in the
one of the largest Christian knew and said, “You are my 10/40 window, home to
television broadcasters in the church!” Of course, we will some of the largest unreached
Middle East. do our utmost to put Amina people groups in the world.
04 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS
To give an idea of the potential excited to see so much hard as a base to raise up the next
reach of this media, over the work coming to fruition. generation of leaders to reach
past year, there have been over the communities they serve
“I don’t want to follow my father’s
100,000 unique visits to the with the gospel of grace.
religion just because I inherited
website, 35,671 downloads
it from him. I want to know the We have already experienced
of the entire Bible or a portion
truth – the true path to worship God’s wonderful provision
of Scripture and 521 people
the Almighty God, whatever that and have now reached 84%
who responded directly via
path may be! Could you help of the deposit required to
the site to express their desire
me?” Ashraf* Egypt launch the project. Please
to become a Christian. We
have also received hundreds pray with us that the Lord will
NEW MEDIA CENTRE direct us to the right location
of email responses from those
who wish to grow in their Organising and facilitating a and property for future media
walk with God as well as some film shoot for a production ministry. The centre will also
who ask searching questions team of around 20 people provide opportunities for
or seek spiritual counsel and has significant resourcing people to come to assist us in
help. Visitors to the site can implications. In 2016, we all sorts of areas.
also listen to audio broadcasts approached our church and
Lilias Trotter, the pioneering
and watch our television the UFM leadership with a
missionary to Algeria, wrote of
productions. proposal to establish a local
a heart which is “bursting with
media centre that can serve
a passion for the impossible.”
GENERATION Z as a hub for media ministry as
May we be inspired by the
Our most recent television well as a centre for equipping
longing for life in Christ
series is called The Rock and others. The centre will include
expressed by so many people
was developed in response offices, an audio recording
to the pressing need for studio, an on-site editing suite in the Arab world and infused
and sufficient space to store with a vision to reach them
Christian discipleship in the through the open door of
churches in North Africa. equipment. The centre could
also host training seminars media! For more about the
The programme covers key ministry of AFM, please contact
foundations of biblical truth in for discipling local believers
and training ministry leaders. us at info@afmedia.org
a discussion format. Themes
relate to the early stages of Our long-term aim is to use M AND J
Christian growth, including the Arab Focus Media Centre *Names have been changed
assurance of eternal life, the
importance of studying God’s
Word and of prayer, the need
to experience forgiveness
and the relevance of a good
testimony. We filmed in
several beautiful locations in
the Mediterranean, including
among Roman ruins, in the
mountains and beside the
cliffs on the seashore. The
film crew, who were mainly
volunteers, had a high level
of expertise and some had
travelled a long distance
to contribute their gifts to
this ministry. According to
believers in Algeria, this is
the first teaching series of
this genre and people were
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 05
TURKEY
THE PROJECT
I
n recent days, and The effects following average, we have 200 new
especially over the past this have been immense, enquiries each week and,
two years, Turkey has including decline in recently, we have pushed
been in the world news due tourism and growing for more outreaches to take
to the changing political unemployment. However, place in addition to our
climate and its implications. despite these things, this regular activities.
This country is still in a state is still a place of amazing
of emergency commencing gospel opportunity. Is it Let me tell you some of the
after a coup d’état attempt challenging here? Yes it stories of this year alone. An
on 15 July 2016. This is, but we believe our God atheist recently professed
resulted in a huge political sent us to proclaim the faith who’d read 2000
change, a presidential good news and that is what books then had a dream
system, and the subsequent we are committed to doing. and believed. He called
purge of those considered The Bible Correspondence the BCC and requested
to be part of the Gulen Course, for example, has another 5 New Testaments.
movement, which was seen people become more Apparently, he had
accused of being responsible interested and more are gathered about 40 of his
for the coup d’état. now coming to faith. On atheist friends and shared
06 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS
the gospel with them, and past year the goal was to leader, will prayerfully
several of them also now reach out to 18 provinces in decide how they are going
want to read the New 12 months. We have seen to do it. We already have
Testament. Praise God! our Father work throughout several teams planned from
the 5 years. People have different nations; Korea,
Another guy who believed
been called to plant churches Germany and Albania. We
said he could reach all
in new areas; we have seen long to see and urgently
the students in his area.
people come to work long- need more. Please check
Others from Universities
term here; New Testaments out the website for more
and libraries have requested
and other literature has information or email us at
books for their students
been distributed all over the info@the1881project.org
because they are studying
country and people have
Christianity. Some church The dates are:
heard the good news and
leaders reported recently
believed. Arrival: 14 July
that our BCC office staff
had put them in touch with In 2018 the project itself Orientation: 15-16 July
seekers and these have will conclude with an Outreach: 17-26 July
now come to faith and are outreach that has never Debrief: 27 July
attending their churches been attempted before – all
regularly. Praise God! We 81 provinces in 2 weeks! We Departure: 28 July
have every reason to be are praying and believing
If you cannot come please
encouraged about what our for around 150 people to
pray that the Lord will bless
God is doing here! join us both from inside the
this project and all those
country and outside. Are
The 1881 Project started who will be involved in it.
you interested in joining?
approximately 5 years ago D
Please consider coming over
with a vision to undertake
the help us!
outreach to all 81 provinces
in an 18-month period. We are searching for people
Initially it was a project to to join 24 teams. Each team
commemorate 50 years of will have an experienced
the Bible Correspondence leader and will provide
Course but the project has orientation, training and
continued. The focus of support. Each team will do
the second phase was on evangelism in 3-4 provinces,
reaching students, then we and, depending on the
had a prayer year, and this gifts of the team and the
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 07
UGANDA
PERU
CARING FOR
WID WS AND
RPHANS
Religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless
is this: to look after widows
and orphans in their distress.
James 1:27
W
ho are the widows quality health care. Kiwoko Hospital of Wales in Cardiff!
and orphans in is a beacon of hope and has With 30 nurses and 1 doctor
our communities a reputation for care and we are very busy! There can
and cultures? Who are those compassion. be up to 50 babies on the
who are vulnerable, lacking unit at times so the ward
security and in need of care round alone can take over
and protection? Refugees? 4 hours, then with new
The homeless? Those with admissions, sick babies to
disabilities? The list could review, and procedures to
go on. complete there is rarely a dull
moment!
James tells us to care of
such people. The commonest reason for
admission is prematurity.
Kiwoko hospital, in rural Our smallest babies weigh
Uganda, is a mission hospital less than a bag of sugar
that was set up to do this by Most of my work is in the (1kg, 2.2 ounces), have skin
providing holistic care in an hospital’s neonatal unit. that is almost transparent,
area ravaged by civil war. The unit admitted over forget to breathe, and are
The population are mainly 1200 babies last year. That’s very susceptible to infection.
peasant farmers, living hand twice the number of annual There is no doubt these
to mouth, with no other admissions to the regional tiny babies are vulnerable
means of accessing good referral unit in the University and totally dependent.
08 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS
Yet they are also precious
souls, made in God’s image
and melt my heart! Each
has their own personality
and from that very early
age can make their wants
known – usually to be fed.
They, and their families, face
many challenges during
their NICU stay. As staff,
we have the privilege and
sometimes heartbreak of
walking that journey with
them. We rejoice when
they don’t need the CPAP
to help them breathe any
longer, celebrate every extra
ml of milk they manage,
congratulate them when
they reach 1kg, or are big
enough to move from an
incubator to a cot and praise
God when discharge day
arrives.
We also feel anxious
when they are struggling
to breathe, hope with
every feed that they will
stop vomiting, share the
disappointment when their praise God for significant tetanus, all surviving despite
weight has decreased and improvements in the the challenges they faced.
dread seeing an infection outcomes for the very small Nothing is impossible with
overwhelm them. It’s during babies, but we lack many our God!
these times that I most of the resources available in
often feel prompted to pray As we seek to offer the best
wealthier countries. At times care we can, we also commit
with the parents. What this contributes to the death
a privilege to be able to each baby into the care of a
of a baby who would likely loving heavenly Father who
commit these tiny lives into have survived elsewhere.
the hands of our good and does all things well. We ask
After working in well- him to comfort those whose
compassionate God. One resourced settings in the
mother reminded me as babies don’t survive and give
UK, I find this particularly him the praise and glory for
she was discharged that we hard, however, the hospital
had prayed together for her each baby who goes home
motto is a great reminder, well. Our prayer is that the
baby, and was full of praise “We treat, Jesus heals”.
to God. Others have named families and friends of these
He is all-powerful and is babies will see something
their babies Kisakya (Grace), not limited by our lack of
or similarly significant of God’s love through us
resources. Each of the NICU and that they, too, will
names, glorifying God for nurses has amazing/unlikely
the lives of their babies. experience his love in Jesus
survival stories to tell, from and come to know him as
Sometimes the ending is 800g premature babies, to their loving heavenly Father.
not so happy. The death fitting babies, to those with
rate on NICU is low and we deadly infections such as DR BECCA JONES
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 09
KURDISTAN
GREAT GOSPEL
OPPORTUNITIES IN
KURDISTAN TURKEY
SYRIA
IRAN
IRAQ
W
e’ve been in to language learning. Pray that many women do not
Kurdistan for for their endurance and joy have much of a life outside
nearly 8 years in this great and necessary the home and so a visit
now and are grateful to marathon. filled with Bible stories,
God for blessing our private arts & crafts and sincere,
language consultancy where It is difficult to explain to compassionate friendship –
we are transparently doing Westerners quite what with the ever-handy blood
useful work and have a lot Anna spends much of her pressure reader – is an
of freedom. For example, week doing, although those holistic Christian outreach
this year another family who follow her blog can of great importance. It
with UFM have been able picture it quite well! Yes, feels unimpressive because
to come on board and we call it ‘visiting families’, it’s done home-by-home
devote themselves full-time but you have to remember not in a grand building.
10 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS(Sometimes, sadly, Christian Development.” You can in the hands of individuals
‘centres’ expect locals to read a report and listen to and churches can work okay,
meet us on our terms) I’m a podcast about this. We’re but it gets stuck in the mud
grateful to God that a flexible hoping the approach may somewhat when an individual
schedule allows me to help work in other countries too. ventures into a project that
with the never-ending home requires greater funding.
tasks and, so, free Anna up for
Of course, we are grateful
the rigours of home-schooling
for the individuals and
four children. Please pray for
churches that support us but,
us, “a family trying to witness
now that we are employing
to other families for Christ,
local editors, I have found
longing to see whole families
myself drawn away from
come to Christ.”
great opportunities to teach
Spiritually, our city is still the Bible in order to do
a wilderness. The New fundraising. Please pray that
Testament in the local dialect God provides the funds so that
has still not been published, this dictionary (up & running
although we make good on ku.wiktionary.org) will be
use of an app which puts developed and will continue
the drafts at our disposal to aid Bible translation and
on family visits, in taxis and preaching.
in shops. In the last couple
Distraction is a time-honoured
of years we have seen a
Please pray for us, strategy our Enemy uses
Kurdish-speaking fellowship
against the church! Just read
emerge and it has been a “a family trying to Acts 6. We now have so many
great joy to help one or witness to other opportunities to spread the
two believers start to teach
the Bible for themselves.
families for Christ, Good News and to train
longing to see believers and potential church
However, the work feels very
planters. Pray that fundraising
weak, not least because none whole families does not crowd out Word
of those who attend the come to Christ.” ministry.
fellowship are actually from
this province; they are Kurds These are very uncertain days
who have been displaced A recent trial we’ve faced is for the Kurdistan Region in
from Syria or the Mosul due to modern missionary Iraq. We do not know how
region to the south. funding methods. In the central government will
Victorian times, if a pioneer deal with this Region that,
We thank God that a needed to commission a like Catalonia, tried to gain
regional economic collapse dictionary, he could write to independence. We hope
forced our language the home committee and that anyone in power will
consultancy to move from they would raise the funds see we are doing good for
teaching English to focusing for him, since it would be families, for education and
more on the mother tongue. seen as a “mission-wide for language development.
We have gained a lot of project.” For example, in And above all, whether we
positive media coverage 1891 the American Mission are praised or persecuted, we
for our development of the Board funded Sir James ask God to continue to build
wonderful online Kurdish Redhouse’s classic Turkish- his church here.
dictionary and we make a English dictionary; his work
priority of inputting Bible endures today and is available F or more information,
vocabulary. We call this through Amazon. Today’s please email
“Bible-Driven Language practice of leaving fundraising robwarnerzeph39@gmail.com
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 11ONEHUNDREDFOLD
For a great door
and effectual is
opened unto me,
and there are
many adversaries.
I Corinthians 6:9
AN OPEN DOOR AND
MANY ADVERSARIES
S
ince the start of worked so well for digital Gospel Choir, to come and
OneHundredFold we Bible delivery in 2016 was share. In the end, the event
have experienced what broken and we could not was better than anything we
the apostle Paul was talking figure out how to repair it. had planned. Thanks to Jonny
about when he said that he Our family was preparing a Sanlon, we have a video of
was seeing great opportunity time of gratitude to share the whole event and would
and many adversaries at the what the Lord had done invite you to see it and rejoice
same time. This year has for us during Joseph’s with us at prayforjoseph.org
been like that. In 2016, we treatment. We invited
After the time of gratitude,
had found ways to safely many people who were not
we took a family holiday
distribute digital Bibles to believers to come but then
for the first time in 4 years,
people in closed countries we had a venue change
looking forward to a time
and were able to do that at the last minute and lost of rest and recovery after
for more than 200,000 our planned programme. Joseph’s long treatment.
people. Also in December Then Jerry Jones, our Chief But the adversaries arrived
of 2016 Joseph successfully Operations Officer, began to and Ezra, our 3-year-old,
completed 3 years for see his heath decline rapidly. acquired a very aggressive
treatment for leukaemia. Soon he was placed on a fungal infection of his scalp.
So, going into 2017 we were dialysis list and was having Weeks of seeking medical
excited to see what might congestive heart failure. treatment were not helping
be possible in our family THEN WE PRAYED and Ezra was having horrible
and in the ministry. But then symptoms and pain. On
the adversaries arrived. In Joseph’s event looked the team, we still could not
the Spring, we were having hopeless but, then, the Lord figure out how to solve our
major technical problems provided an amazing choir, technical problems and Jerry
and the same method that the Belfast Community appeared to be near death.
12 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSTHEN WE PRAYED so severe that it might be a for OneHundredFold in
year before we would find 2017 and we see even
Ezra was admitted to the out if his hair would grow more opportunities before
hospital with one of the most back, we are seeing a slow, us in 2018. We expect the
advanced cases of fungal but steady, recovery and tiny adversaries will show up again,
scalp infection seen at the hairs everywhere. And Jerry so we would ask you to pray
Children’s Hospital. That week survived his surgery but, not with and for us. One way
we launched our first attempt just survived, because he has you can do that is sign up for
to overcome our technical now been told he is cancer Prayer Flare – a text message
problems in delivering digital free! During all of this we service that we use to share
scriptures. During the time launched a second major prayer needs and answers to
Ezra was in the hospital we digital Scripture campaign prayer delivered right to your
would see more than 10,000 and have seen more that phone. You can sign up to
Scriptures go out to hard 130,000 digital Bibles Prayer Flare by sending a text
places. Then on the team, delivered. to 075 20 63 11. Please join
Jerry made an amazing with us.
recovery and to the shock of After a summer of visitation
his doctors actually saw his from the adversaries we have ED
kidney function improve and had an autumn of harvest.
so that he was removed from The graphic shows some
the dialysis list. of the ministry outcomes
But the adversaries were not
done with us yet. Just after our
holiday Kate’s foot was injured MINISTRY IN 2017
and it was baffling all the
doctors as to what exactly was
wrong. She was in great pain 91,000+ 200,000+
and on crutches all summer. Mustard Seed Digital Scripture
While Ezra was being cared
for in the hospital a deeply
embedded hematoma worked
its way out of Kate’s foot and
burst open the top of her
5,650+ 950+
Gospel Spiritual
foot. So, the day I brought
Presented Conversations
Ezra home from the hospital,
I took Kate to the A&E with
a nasty looking open wound
on her foot. And on the team 220+ 8,000+
Jerry did not get to enjoy his Profession Theological
improved health for long as of Faith Training
he was diagnosed with colon
cancer and was scheduled for
surgery that he was only given
a 50/50 chance of surviving. 400+ 500,000+
Helping House People Served
THEN WE PRAYED Churches
While progress was slow,
Kate’s foot began to improve
and now she is walking 30+ 30+
normally and her foot is fully Ministry Staff
healed. Though told that the Partners Members
damage to Ezra’s scalp was
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 13BULGARIA
I KNOW THE PLANS
I HAVE FOR YOU
I
sn’t it interesting how the change in the Bulgarians After 4 years teaching at
God works out his plans; we had counselling and the International School
we expect one thing and suggested we become part here, Nora joined me in the
he is doing something else. of their Mission team, SEND Counselling Service and
We didn’t plan to become international (an American has also been working with
missionaries in Bulgaria but Organisation). This meant 2 different ladies on two
that is what happened! we needed a sending different projects. The first is at
We are both born again organisation from Europe to a secular orphanage in an area
believers, Nora, from Ireland be part of SEND, and that is with high sex-trafficking and
was converted when she where we got to know and prostitution with 11-18 year
was 18, and I, Gisli from joined UFM. old girls because at 18 they
Iceland, in 1999. We met on must leave the orphanage and
We can say we came in the
a Christian counselling course often end up in prostitution.
backdoor because we have
in 2008, got married in 2009 In a secular organisation we
never been able to raise the
and 2 days later we landed in have to be careful we are not
full support necessary to
Bulgaria to work on a project accused of proselytizing so
serve on the field. So, we are
with trafficked victims. This the goal is to build up their
tentmakers, selling part of
didn’t take off so we both awareness, self-value and
our counselling service to the
sought the Lord’s guidance. self-esteem and to teach them
International Community,
We decided that Nora would to set boundaries and have
who actually subsidise those
stay teaching to provide us choices. Their understanding
we came to initially work
with finance and I would on life and expectation of
with, vulnerable people like
start a Christian Counselling their role in the future is quite
prostitutes, trafficked victims
Service. broken. For example, they
and children in the Roma
generally identify love and
In the first 2 years we worked community.
falling in love with having
a lot with Christians here in
Sofia, including missionaries.
One couple who had been
serving here for almost
10 years were
impressed with
14 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSsex, and nothing to do with
mutual respect and values.
The second project is working
with a Roma woman who
came for counselling to
Gisli for a few years, she is
uneducated, an ex-drug
addict who supported herself
through prostitution. This is
how amazing God is and how
you can never predict his plans
for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 The leader of the project and church leaders, Christians and
“For I know the plans I have the pastor of our church here Non-Christians, homosexuals
for you,” declares the Lord, are looking to buy land to and lesbians. One homosexual
“plans to prosper you and continue the work with an is now married and has a
not to harm you, plans to even bigger vision of trying little daughter. We thank the
give you hope and a future.” to get the children to stay in Lord that he has given much
This lady feels the Lord has education and training the wisdom in the Counselling
led her to work with Roma parents to pay taxes and pay Room!
children using education. She for utilities.
And what about the future?
has spent 4 years building up Gisli has been counselling up He let us know at one point
a relationship with a particular to 40 different nationalities, when we were very close
Christian Roma camp here in individuals and couples to giving up, Exodus 23:20
Sofia and asked Nora to use all with issues ranging from “See, I am sending an angel
her teaching and counselling relationship problems, ahead of you to guard
experience to help her to depression, anxiety and the you along the way and to
get the kids motivated. In effects of abuse. Some have bring you to the place I
the weekly work there has been severely traumatized but
have prepared!” We plan to
been much joy, and also one of the biggest challenges
train Bulgarians in Christian
disappointment, but everyone was counselling trafficked
Counselling so basically,
agrees in both projects the victims for 4 years who have
we will work our way out
hand of the Lord has been been rescued. His goal with
seen and that the kids have of our roles here! It will be
all has been to demonstrate
changed. Sadly, late this the love and compassion of interesting what the Lord has
summer the camp was torn God to anyone who seeks in mind!
down by the government. help, including men, women, GISLI AND NORA
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 15ITALY
MAKING DISCIPLES
WHO MAKE DISCIPLES
T I love being part of IFES.
his week I got a little Having been part of this
card in the post. On ministry more or less since I love its vision of seeing
the front was a group I started as a student nearly
of smiling students standing 17 years ago I’ve been so students built into
on top of a hill in Cyprus. On encouraged seeing God at communities of disciples,
the back was this message, work in my own life and in transformed by the
“Thank you for walking the lives of students all across gospel and impacting
alongside me this year and Europe. What a privilege!
sharing your insight and
the university, the
But being involved in this church and society for
life-with-Jesus with me! It was ministry can also sometimes
a great idea for you guys to be lonely. I’ve felt that and the glory of Christ.
start the Young Staff Network. I’m from a well-resourced
Here are a few of the smiling church and student can be really isolating and
faces that continue to benefit movement and am well that isolation can lead to
from the time you spent supported. So, imagine discouragement, lack of
discipling me. That’s the thing what it’s like to be the only perspective, burnout… You
with discipleship. It ripples to staff worker in a pioneering might be able to survive for
the end of the earth!” movement in Macedonia, or a while, but eventually it
I love being part of IFES. I love one of two staff in Croatia takes its toll.
its vision of seeing students in a student movement that It’s interesting that Jesus
built into communities of basically collapsed and lost never sent out his disciples
disciples, transformed by the all its students 4 years ago alone. He always sent
gospel and impacting the and having only become them in teams and I think,
university, the church and a Christian fairly recently. like everything Jesus did,
society for the glory of Christ. Being an IFES staff worker that was deliberate. In
16 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSlife, and in ministry we he knows it would be more could also recognise
need relationships, we need in line with what God has that same temptation in
community. That is one of the called him to do to spend themselves and ask for God’s
reasons why in IFES Europe more time with less people, grace to help.
we have started the Young showing and teaching them That’s ultimately what the
Staff Network (YSN). This is what it means to follow Jesus, YSN is about. Helping IFES
a group of new staff from but he’d rather do other staff to see that we are
all over Europe who come things because it means he disciples of Jesus, called by
together for a year to learn, gets more recognition. This him to make him known so
grow and support each other is a heart issue. I love that that others can become his
as a community through God was helping him to see disciples too. Please pray for
meetings together in person that, and that he was able to us as we seek to do that.
and over Skype and a study express that honestly so that
programme. We want to help others in that community HELEDD JOB
these staff lay down good
foundations and help them
apply the gospel to the way
they think about themselves
and their ministry. We want
it to be a place where they
can celebrate each other’s
successes and encourage
each other in their struggles.
And we hope that what they
experience and learn in this
community, they can then
take to their own contexts
and home communities to
bless others.
As I have journeyed with this
last year’s group of young
staff there has been one
challenge that these staff face
that has particularly struck
me. That is the challenge
to be missional. This might
sound strange. Surely full-time
gospel workers find it easy
to spend their time making
disciples of Jesus?! No, they
don’t. There is so much
temptation to be driven by
other people’s expectations,
maintaining programmes
and structures, doing things
that others can see, rather
than simply sharing their lives
and the gospel with others
who don’t yet know Jesus. In
one of our recent gatherings
one of the staff shared that
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 17FRANCE
PLANTING HEALTHY,
GOSPEL-CENTRED CHURCHES
IN FRENCH-SPEAKING EUROPE
G
od has been at work planting in French-speaking A THREE-PART MINISTRY
in wonderful ways Europe. We had been
in French-speaking praying and planning for an Our ministry is comprised
Europe over the past 70 opportunity to open up in essentially of three parts. First,
years. Hundreds of churches France since 2001, and were we’ve been adapting as a
have been planted and so grateful when the Lord family to living and ministering
many saved. But there is finally opened the door two in France, and ministering the
much work left to be done: years ago for us to come and gospel in our local area. Laura
his sure promise is that “the get involved with what he’s and the kids had very little
earth (and even French- doing here. French when we came and God
speaking Europe) will be has been so kind in helping
We were sent with UFM them all make great progress.
filled with the knowledge
by our home network of We’re thankful, too, for all the
of the glory of the Lord as
churches, The Crowded opportunities we’ve had to build
the waters cover the sea.”
House, and by Acts 29, relationships through schools,
Habakkuk 2:14
with this big vision: “to clubs and our neighbourhood
We are the de la Hoyde help to see French-speaking to share the gospel and to
family, and we moved to Europe littered with healthy, introduce local folk to our
the Paris Region in 2015 to gospel-centred church for church family.
get involved with church- the glory of Jesus.”
18 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSSecond, we’re involved in
a church-plant to the east
of Paris in our town, Val
d’Europe. This is a town of
30,000 people with no other
evangelical church and the
church started its weekly
services just a few months
before we arrived. Del has to be leaving the school The centrality of
been serving as an elder, and community we’d invested in the gospel: how
it’s been great to get stuck missionally and where we felt can we help planters and
in with leading, preaching, at home; but the Lord has planting teams to grasp and
discipling young adults and been kind in working good enjoy the length, breadth,
running evangelistic events. things through all of it. It’s not depth and height of the
The church is now 80-100 on been easy adjusting to a new gospel, and to have the
a Sunday and Del is coaching church culture with different confidence that the gospel
a young man who we hope values and priorities either really is all we need and the
to send out in the next year – but we’ve learned plenty answer to every question?
to plant a new church in through that too!
Growing a family,
Villeparisis, another nearby not a meeting: our
town of 30,000 with no
THE ENCOURAGEMENTS
churches are finding it’s easy
gospel church. Encouragements have been to grow a Sunday meeting
many, as outlined above, but in the major cities, but not
Third, Del works for half
one is to see how France in so easy to grow a family of
the week as Director and
particular is a springboard to disciple-making disciples. How
Assessment Coordinator of
mission among unreached can we plant churches which
Acts 29 French-speaking
people groups all over the display the glory of God in the
Europe, a church-planting
globe. Del travels to the gospel through the everyday
network which aims to help
Ivory Coast in February as community life of sinners saved
French-speaking churches
we build a partnership with and being restored by grace?
and denominations to plant
a French planter working in
healthy, gospel-centred, Mission through
an unreached people group
church-planting churches by community: how can
there; and the major cities
assessing, coaching, training we grow a culture of
such as Paris and Marseille
and supporting planters doing mission together as a
are simply full of refugees and
and planting teams. It has church community, taking not
folks from otherwise difficult-
been a joy to assess, coach just the gospel message but
to-access countries. The Lord
and support planters in very in his sovereign purposes also the community created
different contexts and to see is bringing the nations to by the gospel into the darkest
the Lord gathering together French-speaking Europe! parts of our countries?
churches and saving people
We’re delighted to be prayerfully
in such diverse places as THE NEEDS
central Paris, rural Corrèze, working out the answer to these
Switzerland and Belgium. Here are the needs that are on questions and to be following the
our hearts as we look to the Lord wherever he leads. Do get
THE CHALLENGES future: in touch if you’d like to join us on
God’s glorious mission in French-
Our boys faced some bullying Training: how
speaking Europe in prayer, in
at their school last year, can we effectively
finances or in person. And check
leading to our putting the and rapidly train
out www.acts29.com and
oldest ones in a new school up planters and teams to
www.crosslands.training
and home-schooling the plant healthy, gospel-centred
to find out more!
smallest one this year. Not churches to reach both French
what we planned, and painful people and the nations? DEL DE LA HOYDE
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 19BURKINA FASO
SERVING SHORT-
TERM AT LIFE
ACADEMY,
BURKINA FASO
T
hrough my links with from all over the world, When I heard of LIFE
UFM and previous but are taught through Academy, I thought it was
summer team to their common language – a wonderful opportunity
Burkina Faso I heard of English. The school started to use my degree to serve
LIFE Academy; a small with just 14 pupils, but has God – Primary Education
school in the capital of now grown to 25 students with a specialism in
Burkina Faso. The aim of across 4 different classes. Modern Languages
the school is to provide a Most of the students (French). As my university
Christian-based education attend the school full-time, term ended in April, I was
for children, enabling but a few participate on a able to travel to Burkina
their parents to refocus on part-time basis, choosing for 6 weeks across April
their own mission projects to take some courses and May for the past two
across Burkina. Children online or at home to make years. In 2017 I was joined
attending the school come up a full-time table. by Fiona Boddington!
20 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSDuring both trips, my
main focus was teaching at
the school, which in turn
released parents from their
teaching responsibilities.
I also helped out with
practical tasks such as
re-organising the library
and major end-of-year
clean-ups!
LIFE Academy is an absolute
joy to teach at. If anyone
is wondering about a new
way to use their teaching
qualifications (or interest in
teaching) and has a heart
to serve God, please do
consider serving at a school
for missionary children!
Both times I have come
away feeling like I have
learnt more than I have help the ‘beggar boys’ in Although very few people
taught! Different from Ouagadougou. Every day a have heard of Burkina Faso,
most schools in the UK, the free meal is prepared and it is a country that holds a
children have Bible class offered to the boys who are great piece of my heart, and
each day where they learn between 6 and 18 years old. I do hope I will get to return
from God’s word and pray We went along to help on to serve the Lord there in the
together, which is such a a Saturday when the boys future. As with every time
blessing to be part of. The would play games, wash I have served abroad (or at
children are not only full their clothes, have lunch and home!) I left knowing the
of knowledge and joy, but most importantly hear about people and the experience
have such a deep faith that Jesus in their local language. taught me far more than I
encourages my own. Despite a major language could ever think of teaching
barrier, as these boys only them. Serving abroad opens
A highlight for both of spoke a local language, it your eyes to a multitude of
us each week was the was a pleasure to be able to people who have not yet heard
opportunity to be involved spend some time playing about Jesus, across the world,
with ‘Kids of Hope’, a games and sharing a meal but also on our own doorstep.
programme was set up to with them. LAUREN BIRNEY
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 21UFM
NEW TO UFM
Thailand
Tom & Nerys King
Tom and Nerys are from
Highfields Church in Cardiff.
Tom was a secondary school
Chemistry teacher for 8 years
before he and Nerys studied
at Union School of Theology
in South Wales. Nerys studied
Psychology before taking
further courses in Counselling
and Mental health nursing and
worked as a psychiatric nurse. Middle East
In 2007 Nerys had the M&L
opportunity to go on a short-term M and L were accepted to serve with UFM in 2011
mission to Pattaya, Thailand, after studying in South Wales. Their sending church
working in a children’s home for is Beeston Free Church in Nottingham. M is an
6 weeks. Many of the children in engineer and will be exploring the possibility of
the home were a direct result of engineering consultancy work. L is full-time mum to
the sex industry and it was such a their two daughters. They are serving in the Middle
blessing to see them being raised East alongside J & J, initially learning the local
in a Christian setting. However, language with a view to evangelism, discipleship
visiting the city both day and and church planting work.
night revealed a spiritually dark
place where people are trapped in
the corruption and slavery of the
sex industry. This ignited a deep Ireland
burden and yearning for Thailand. Seth & Jessica Lewis
Since then Tom & Nerys have Seth and Jessica are
visited Pattaya several times from Daleville Baptist
and linked with a Christian Church, Virginia in
organisation called Tamar Centre the USA. They have
that works directly with those been working for 9
involved in the sex industry. Nerys years in Ireland as
hopes primarily to work with girls part of a church plant
and is expecting to face issues of in Youghal and have
abuse, addiction, abortion and dual Irish citizenship.
hopelessness and Tom plans to They have recently
be involved in pastoral ministry. relocated to work
They both feel a deep longing with Midleton Baptist
to disciple those lost in that city, Church in Cork
sharing with them the gospel and to plant a church in Carrigtwohill. They have 3
the love of Christ. children, Daniel (10), David (8) and Rebekah (5).
22 SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERSOneHundredFold
Justin & Lisa Black
Justin and Lisa and their three children, Lucy (17),
Emma (15) and Thomas (14), live in Bangor, N. Ireland
and are members of Bethany Baptist Church. Justin
has been working as a self-employed IT consultant and
he and Lisa have had a strong interest in serving God
with their gifts. Justin’s parents trained with New Tribes
Mission in England and the USA before joining the staff
team at Matlock Bath in England. It was during their time
in the USA that Justin came to faith in Christ. Justin heard
Ed Underwood speak at Bangor Worldwide Missionary
Convention and went on to find out more about the
work of OneHundredFold. Their son Thomas has congenital conditions and is scheduled
to have major surgery this year and next which makes being based in N. Ireland a perfect
fit for the family.
France Peru Uganda
Gethin Jones Charles Hart Bosco & Heidi Bukeera
Gethin grew up in Charles became a Christian Bosco and Heidi are
Wales and is a member at the age of 17 after members of Three Bridges
of the International getting to know a man Free Church in Crawley.
Presbyterian Church who came into his parents’ They have two sons,
in Ealing, London. business carrying a Bible. Ezekiel (2) and Eleazar,
After University he This man later gave him a born in September 2017.
spent two years with New Testament and it was Bosco grew up in Uganda,
IFES in Paris. Although through reading it that where he became a
this was intended to Charles encountered Jesus Christian while working in
be short-term service, and was irresistibly drawn the home of a missionary,
he began to feel very to him, recognising his own whose friend talked to him
strongly that the need of a Saviour. about the Lord. He has
churches in France are Charles lived in Spain for been training in the UK
not only small, with 7-8 years and, following his for the past few years to
many lost people still University studies, has been be a Pastor. Before Heidi
to reach, but also weak working as an apprentice met Bosco she served
in their understanding with Carey Baptist Church in Uganda working and
and enjoyment of the in Reading, working with living with street kids and
riches of the gospel. International students. vulnerable children. During
He felt compelled to Charles sensed God’s call to those years she too became
commit to France for Peru which was confirmed aware of the great spiritual
the long-term. He has while spending 5 weeks with and humanitarian needs
studied at Westminster David and Bertha Barnes last in Uganda, and the great
Theological Seminary, summer. Later this year he is need for local Christ-centred
Philadelphia, for the planning to begin studying churches. They intend to
past 3 years. theology in the USA for 2 return to Uganda to be
years before going to Peru. involved in church planting.
SPRING 2018 I 4 CORNERS 23NEWS BITES
SUMMER TEAMS
WHAT’S ON 21 June-9 July
South Africa – holiday Bible
Called to Serve club and Musawe Nkosi
Director
24 February 1-10 July Michael Prest
Carey Baptist Church, Reading Greece – student ministry Deputy Director
A day conference for those Gearing in English William Brown
Up for Mission, considering mission July Chairman of Council
for the first time, seeking God’s France – dates to be Matthew Evans
guidance or making the final steps confirmed Magazine Editor
before you go. Thailand – dates to be Peter Milsom
confirmed
Irish Spring Conference 145 Faringdon Road
13-15 April August Swindon, Wiltshire
Moldova – team already full SN1 5DL
Seagoe Hotel, Portadown 01793 610515
Bible Ministry: Huw Williams, Turin. admin@ufm.org.uk
For more information email COMINGS www.ufm.org.uk
david.morrow@ufm.org.uk & GOINGS Regional Director
based in Northern Ireland
Scottish Conference February
David Morrow
20-22 April 1-2 William to Amsterdam
The Breda Centre
Atholl Centre, Pitlochry, PH16 5BX 4-7 Iain to Paris 14 Glencregagh Court
Bible Ministry: Michael Prest, 10-18 William & Rosalind Belfast BT6 0PA
UFM Director to Uganda 028 9020 2222
For more information email March Regional Director
based in Scotland
iain@ufm.org.uk 6-7 Michael to Barcelona Iain Cameron
12-16 Elinor to Ireland
Family Conference 11 Newton Place
12-19 Michael and (Sauchiehall Street)
13-17 August (please note
William to USA for Charing Cross
different dates for 2018)
OneHundredFold Glasgow G3 7PR
Hothorpe Hall, near Market Conference 0141 353 0666
Harborough
April UFM Worldwide (USA)
Bible Ministry: Michael Prest, Suite 305,
UFM Director 1-22 Ruth McGarvey to UK 400 Office Park Drive
For further information May Mountain Brook
7-16 Michael to Brazil for AL 35223. USA
email rachel@ufm.org
MICEB Conference (+1)205 802 5911
admin@ufmworldwide.org
www.ufmworldwide.com
Chosen – The Story David, who is serving short-term with UFM
of Charlene Barr in Thailand, has written this book about Design and Production
Adept Design
by David Barr his adopted sister Charlene who had cystic
01603 340750
fibrosis. Before she died she asked David www.adeptdesign.co.uk
NEW to tell her story. After Charlene died
the Project opened Hidden Treasure
BOOK School in Uganda. CHOSEN tells a
story of faith, hope and healing because
sometimes the things we can’t change end
up changing us. Proceeds from the sale of
the book go to Charlene’s Project.
Available from Amazon on Kindle for 99p
and Paperback for £8.99 plus postage. 4 Corners is the magazine of UFM
Worldwide, Registered Charity in
England and Wales (No. 219946)
and in Scotland (No. SC039343)You can also read
