Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference ConTenTs · PDF filecountry: the low-lying Terai...

Weekend Schedule ............................................................................................. 3

Missionary Report: El Salvador ........................................................................ 4

Missionary Report: Nepal ................................................................................. 6

Missionary Report: Zambia .............................................................................10

Missionary Report: Armenia ........................................................................... 14

Sending Financial Support to Missionaries ................................................16

Table of ConTenTs

Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference

Langstaff Missionary Conference | May 10 - 12, 2013

2009 Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference • 3 •

May 10-12, 2013

Friday May 107:30 – 7:35 PM Opening Hymn, Prayer & Announcements7:35 – 8:10 PM Ministry Message “Complete Consecration – Giving ourselves wholly to the Lord” – Mr. Paul Poidevin8:10 – 8:15 PM Prayer Requests Announced8:15 – 8:45 PM Prayer Session

Saturday May 1110:00 – 10:10 AM Opening Hymn, Prayer & Announcements10:10 – 10:50 AM Missionary Report – El Salvador - Mr. Kevin Flett10:50 – 11:05 AM My call to Full Time Missionary Service – Mr. R. Raghu11:05 – 11:45 AM Ministry Message – “Missionary Work - The Mandate and the Method” - Mr. Michael Penfold

Lunch Break

1:30 – 3:00 PM Concurrent: Children’s Program in the tent1:30 – 1:35 PM Opening Hymn & Prayer1:35 – 2:20 PM Missionary Report – Nepal - Mr. R. Raghu2:20 – 3:00 PM Missionary Message – “Called to Continue at Home – ‘Uncalled’ but still Committed!” – Mr. Jack Hay

Break

3:30 – 5:15 PM Concurrent: Children’s Program in the tent3:30 – 3:35 PM Opening Hymn & Prayer3:35 – 4:15 PM Ministry Message – “Counting the Cost – Leaving All for the Sake of the Gospel” – Mr. Kevin Flett4:15 – 4:30 PM My call to Full Time Missionary Service – Mr. Paul Poidevin4:30 – 5:15 PM Ministry Message – “Cultural Challenges – Presenting Christ in a Non-Christian Culture” – Mr. R. Raghu

Supper Break

7:00 – 7:05 PM Opening Hymn, Prayer & Announcements7:05 – 7:20 PM My call to Full Time Service – Mr. Jack Hay 7:20 – 8:00 PM Ministry Message – “Missionary Work – The Message” – Mr. Michael Penfold

Lord’s Day, May 1210:00 – 11:45 AM Breaking of Bread12:00 – 12:30 PM Open Sunday School

Lunch Break

2:00 – 3:30 PM Concurrent: Children’s Program in the tent2:00 – 2:05 PM Opening Hymn, Prayer & Announcements2:05 – 2:45 PM Missionary Report – Zambia – Mr. Paul Poidevin2:45 – 3:30 PM Ministry Message – “Missionary Work – Monetary Considerations” - Mr. Michael Penfold

Break

3:45 – 3:50 PM Opening Hymn, Prayer & Announcements3:50 – 4:30 PM Missionary Report – Armenia – Mr. Jack Hay (also a brief update on Sri Lanka since report at 2009 conference)4:30 – 4:45 PM My call to Full Time Missionary Service – Mr. Kevin Flett4:45 – 5:30 PM Gospel Message – Personal Testimony – Mr. R. Raghu

Supper Break



• 4 • Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference

el salvador

Geography & Population

Known as the Land of Volcanoes, this smallest but most densely populated of Central American countries is also the only one without a coastline on the Caribbean, bordering Guatemala on the west and Honduras on the north and east. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with a narrow coastal plain and a central plateau. Being in one of the most active seismic regions, in the world, El Salvador has known its share of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the years. The climate is tropical with pronounced wet (May-October) and dry seasons. The temperature varies only with altitude year round. Its name is Spanish for ‘The Saviour’.

popUlaTion: ...............6.1 millionUnder 15 Years: ......28.9%GroWTH raTe: ............0.3%area: ............................21 041 km2 (slightly smaller than New Jersey)lanGUaGe: ...................Spanish (offi cial), Nahua (amerindian)reliGions: ..................Roman Catholic (57%), Protestant (21%), Jehovah’s Witnesses (1.9%), Mormon (0.7%)

Government & Industry

El Salvador is a democratic republic with 14 departments, gaining independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. A twelve-year civil war from 1980-1992 cost approximately 75,000 lives. Since then the country’s economy has seen reasonable growth and has the third strongest economy in Central America behind Costa Rica and Panama despite being hindered at times by natural disasters, government policy and corruption. With the global downturn, El Salvador has seen an increase in external debt in recent years and roughly a third of all households receive income monthly from family members working abroad.

CapiTal: .......................San Salvador (Pop. 600 000, Metro: 2.4 million)Head of sTaTe/GovernmenT: ......President Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena (Jun ’09)poverTY raTe: ............36.5% (2010)UnemploYmenT: .........6.9% (2012)inflaTion: ....................2.4% (2012)minimUm WaGe: .......$107-$230 CAD/month depending on industryindUsTries ................... food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metalsmaJor eXporTs: ........ offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles & apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity,

iron & steel manufactures

El Salvador

Honduras

North Paci�c Ocean

Guatemala

San Salvador SanMiguel

PuertoCurtuco

Sanata Ana

Sonsonate

Guatemala


• 5 •Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference

el salvadorBackground of Assembly Work

In 1968, Doug and Kay Reid were looking for a new place to serve to the Lord. Having been in Cuba and forced to leave due to political difficulties, the Lord laid on their hearts the need in a small country between Guatemala and Honduras: El Salvador. Knowing very little of El Salvador, Doug thought it best to make a trip to “scout out the land”. Not wanting to go alone, he asked Jack Saword if he would be interested in accompanying him on this journey. Jack knew Spanish from having been raised in Venezuela; he admits now that it was pretty rusty. At this time, Jack had no interest in moving to El Salvador as a missionary. However, in 1968, Doug Reid and Jack Saword drove a pick-up with a camper behind it to El Salvador.

Upon arriving in El Salvador, they knew no one. They spent the next three months having open air meetings and doing as much door to door visitation as they could. It was in those three months that the Lord of the Harvest laid on Jack the great need that was in El Salvador. So after going back to Canada (Doug) and the States (Jack), it was decided that Doug and Kay and Jack and Ellen would start the necessary paperwork to move their families to El Salvador. Jack and Ellen’s visas and paperwork came through and they had the green light to move to El Salvador. The Reids’ visas, however, were taking longer. Jack and Ellen decided that they would go on ahead, confident that Doug and Kay would not be far behind. Doug and Kay never did get their visas to go to El Salvador; instead they ended up moving to Costa Rica where they are still laboring for Him to this day.

In 1969, when the Sawords arrived in El Salvador, war had broken out between Honduras and El Salvador. Because of the war between the two countries, all Salvadorans living in Honduras had to leave and return to their native land of El Salvador. There were those that, while living in Honduras, had heard the gospel, been saved and were taught the truth of gathering in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Assembly testimony was started in the late 1800´s in Honduras.

Honduran brethren contacted Jack regarding different ones that had moved to El Salvador and were desiring Christian fellowship. Jack and Craig Saword have several amazing stories of how they found some of these Christians living as refugees scattered throughout El Salvador.

It was not long before at least three assemblies were established in different parts of the country, one in the east, one in the west and one in the center. Over the next five years several missionary families and a few single ladies moved to El Salvador from New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Some moved to the east of the country, others went west and some stayed in the center. The gospel was getting into areas that not even the Catholic priest would go. Jack Saword and others tell of how they would go to some of these places on horseback.

In 1979, political instability began to shake the country, and by 1980 El Salvador entered into a twelve year civil war. Beginning in 1979, the missionaries began leaving El Salvador and a few years later, the only assembly missionaries still in El Salvador were Jack and Ellen and Miss Hazel Brownlie. During the 80´s, the assemblies that had been planted continued to move forward but it was not an easy time. As the civil war intensified, several were forced to move into the bigger city and several migrated to the United States and Canada, leaving huge vacancies in some of these new works. It was during that time that Craig Saword got his pilot’s license and a plane was purchased to be able to travel from one end of the country to the other. By this time, all the major bridges had been destroyed and it was not safe to try to travel about the country. Craig would fly his dad out east and Jack would try to visit as many of the assemblies as possible before Craig would come back to get him in a week or so.

A peace treaty was signed in 1992, but a few years prior, different missionaries once again started moving to El Salva-dor. The assemblies once again were being visited on a regular basis and the gospel was brought to new areas. As of today, there are twenty New Testament assemblies in El Salvador, the last one being established in January of this year.

The missionaries currently living in El Salvador are Hazel Brownlie, Helen Griffin, Craig & Corina Saword, Kevin & Patty Flett, and Alan & Diana Clark. The assembly of San Miguel, in the east, has commended Antonio & Edith Ochoa and brother Raúl Aguirre and the assembly at Izalco, in the west, has commended Carlos & Ines Aguilar to full time service.

Prayer requests

1) for the new assembly of El Carmen, that men will be raised up to be genuine leaders in that assembly.

2) for safety and preservation of God’s people as we live in a gang-controlled environment.

3) for the salvation of Don Victor Larios of Santa Tecla, Corina Saword’s brother - his wife, children and many other

family members are saved and in assembly fellowship.

nepal


Nepal is located in Southeast Asia on the northeast border of India with China to the north. There are three main geographical areas which each stretch in thin bands from west to east across the length of the country: the low-lying Terai region in the south with a mix of forest, marshes, plains and valleys; the central Hill region with climates ranging from the subtropi-cal at 800 metres to the alpine at 4000 metres and the Himalayan Mountain region in the north containing 8 of the world’s 10 highest peaks including Mount Everest at 8 848 metres. While the Himalayas block the cold winds from Central Asia in the winter, Nepal is drenched by monsoons in the summer (July – October) from high pressure air masses from the Indian Ocean.

popUlaTion: ...............30.4 millionUnder 15 Years: ......32.6%GroWTH raTe: ............1.77%area: ............................147 181 km2 (slightly larger than the state of Iowa)lanGUaGe: ...................Nepali (offi cial), Maithali, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Newar, Magar, Awadhi

(Note: a number in government & business would also speak English)reliGions: ..................Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirat (shamanism) 3.6%, Christian 1.4%


Nepal is a relatively new federal republic, its people having voted to abolish the 240-year old monarchy in 2008. Much of the last century has been turbulent politically for the country. The government took several forms from an absolute monarchy to communist rule to a multi-party democracy. A civil war between the ruling monarchist and Maoist communist factions from 1996 to 2006, aside from leaving 18 000 dead, destroyed critical infrastructure and devastated the economy. Today, the largely agriculture-based economy continues to struggle and ongoing political instability (a permanent constitution has yet to be agreed upon) continues to deter foreign investment in the country.

CapiTal: .......................Kathmandu (Pop. 1 million – metro: 2.5 million)Head of sTaTe ...........President Ram Baran Yadav (Jul ’08)Head of GovernmenT .......Khil Raj Regmi (Chairman of Interim Election Government until Dec ’13)poverTY raTe: ............25.2% (2011)UnemploYmenT: .........46% (2008)inflaTion: ....................8.3% (2012)minimUm WaGe: .......$72 (CAD)/monthindUsTries ................... tourism, carpets, textiles, small rice, jute, sugar & oilseed mills, cigarettes, cement & brick productionmaJor eXporTs: ........clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, pashima, jute goods

Nepal

IndiaBangledesh

Bhutan

China

Kathmandu



• 7 •

Background of Assembly Work

Until recently, Nepal was the only Hindu nation in the world and they were proud of it. The power of the gospel has been so overwhelming that the nation could not stop the salvation of souls in spite of various laws. Though the gospel reached Nepal way back in 1800, assembly work had its beginning only towards the end of the 20th century. In the mid 1980s there was a work in Dharan, East Nepal, but this ran into difficulties.

It was during this time (1987) that Raghu and Lydia who were in Thane near Bombay, India were called out to serve the Lord in Nepal. Raghu - a Hindu Brahmin convert was challenged by the Lord to take the gospel to the proud Hindus. Since Nepal was closed for the gospel, they were led to stay in Siliguri, on the eastern border of Nepal. The Raghus migrated to Siliguri in September 1988 and are continuing the work of the Lord. It has pleased the Lord to use them in preaching the gospel to the unsaved Hindus. The Lord has used them to gather three assemblies in the eastern region of Nepal: Aiyyabari – about 120 km from Siliguri, Furkettar – about 150 km from Siliguri and Dharan – about 160 kms from Siliguri.

In the initial stages, the Lord provided a co-worker and translator to Raghu named Hari Shresta [a Hindu convert]. He was faithful to his call to serve the Lord. He contributed immensely for the growth of assembly work in Nepal, Sikkim and the border areas like Belgachi near Siliguri.

Aiyyabari is a village in the plains of Nepal. The work here started with one contact in 1988 and has now flourished into an assembly. In the beginning, the work was very difficult because of opposition to the gospel. Raghu & Shresta used to enter the village only after nightfall. The meetings were always indoor and very quiet. Baptisms were conduct-ed in secret places at night because baptism was considered as conversion of religion. It is a punishable offence even now. No one could stop the work of the Spirit, however, and souls were saved. The Lord gathered the first assembly here in 1990. The first breaking of bread with just 10 believers has now grown to more than 100. The assembly initially gathered in a small room of Bhim Bahadhur (the first believer of this village).

Furkettar – From Aiyyabari one has to travel to Kanepokhri in the west and take a diversion to the North to reach Latang, a village on the foothills. From Latang, Furkettar is about an 8 hour trek. Birka B. Limbu an ex-serviceman from the Indian army who was saved in a gospel meeting in Kalimpong, India had association with T.B. Limbu in Dharan. Raghu met him in 1988. Birka was following the truths of the Scriptures and serving the Lord, so Raghu decided to associate with him. Birka is the one who introduced Shresta to Raghu. The gathering in Furkettar was very small in 1988 with no proper knowledge of the Scriptures and especially the gospel. It became the responsibility of Raghu and Shresta to start from scratch. Except Birka and his brother Lok Hang, no one else was clear about salva-tion. The work started and it pleased the Lord to save souls. The first gathering of the assembly was in 1990. Many with wonderful experiences of conversion were added to the fellowship. However, the enemy was at work and the assembly was reduced to a handful of believers. Since then, the work has been continuing in spite of many setbacks.

Dharan: Raghu and Shresta worked in this town from 1991. Dhanendra, one of the oldest believers went home to be with the Lord in 2010. The assembly initially gathered in small houses of nearby villages and thereafter shifted to small rooms in the town. In 1992, Raghu met a young man called Vikram in the village of Kechawna near Aiyyabari at a meeting. This young man, saved by the grace of God - was keen in the Word and things of God. In October of 1992, Vikram came to Siliguri to stay with Raghu and traveled with him. Shresta wanted Vikram to be trained by Raghu, so that he could assist Shresta’s work in future. Vikram was found faithful at the young age of 15. He learned the Scriptures and New Testament truth. During his stay with Raghu, he met Mr. William S. Penfold, who recognized him as a potential servant of God. The Gangtok assembly commended Vikram to the Lord’s work in 1997. Vikram migrated to Dharan in 1998 after Shresta’s death. He has been continuing the work in Dharan since then.

nepal





Dhamak - a town about 20 km before Aiyyabari as you travel from Siliguri. A new work has just begun here. Bhupal Rai a believer commended a few months ago from Gangtok, Sikkim, India has stationed himself to do the Lord’s work here. We shall value much prayer for this new work.

Katmandu - the capital of Nepal. We were praying for this city since 1990. In 1997, Mr. Hyun Woong Lee from South Korea came here to serve the Lord. Initially, he was here on a student visa to learn the language. The assembly grew and now there are four assemblies in Katmandu (Katmandu, Lalitpur, Machegaon and Kappan).

In the initial stages of work there was always a burden to have educated and capable young men who could contribute in building literature work and in the ministry of the word. The Lord showed to us that from Sikkim, India, He would raise up men to contribute for the work in Nepal. In 1990, there was a couple in Gangtok (capital of Sikkim) called Sunny and Jolly Mathew. They were of south Indian origin, born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh, India. Keeping their house as a contact, we started door-to-door evangelism. It pleased the Lord to save souls and gather an assembly since 1992. Now there are about 40 believers in fellowship. The assembly in Sikkim has been a good contributor to the development of the work in Nepal in recent times.

By the grace of God, we have been able to produce our own gospel tracts and we have a magazine in Nepali called Samdhan (the lampstand), which is widely circulated among mainline churches. There have been some who have contributed immensely to the growth of the work. Notable among them was William S. Penfold. He had been visiting us almost every year since 1992. Though we were not able to provide much comfort and modern amenities, he never complained. He was ever ready to help with the work.

It is our earnest desire that all of us, including the assemblies, which have come up through the pioneering work, should remain faithful to the Word of God and contend earnestly for the faith and the truth. No doubt, we find it very difficult at times, but our confidence is in Him who has shone the light into our lives and redeemed us. We shall value the readers’ continued prayer support for us.

Update: There are more gatherings in different parts of Nepal now. Evangelists from India have stationed themselves in different places and are serving. The assemblies in Katmandu have also sent out workers into different places. The gospel work is now spreading into different parts of this country through the believers who have moved out of Kat-mandu.

INDO-NEPALI BORDER WORK:

Considering the restriction for open gospel activities in India during the 1980s, we desired some work at the border area. In answer to our prayers, the Lord took us to a place called Marapur. We had to travel by bus to Belgachi for 2 hours and trek 5 km through the tea estates to reach this place. Though for years we had gone house to house with the gospel, there was no fruit. However, the Lord in His mercy opened the doors in Belgachi. The work began in 1988 and from 1990 there is a small assembly gathering to remember the Lord every week. Most the believers are illiterate and all of them work in the tea estate. Some of the men and women were communist extremists. The power of the gospel has redeemed them. These believers, in spite of their limitations, are more evangelical. They keep witnessing and organizing gospel meetings on a regular basis in different villages in houses of unbelievers.

Update: Through the hard labour of the Belgachi assembly, a new assembly has started in Amjamni, which is about 25 km from Belgachi. The believers are continuing the work in different villages on a regular basis.

nepal

Sikkim Update: The assembly in Gangtok has now grown big with addition of young souls. There are able men who are labouring tirelessly for the nurture and growth of the assembly. It is the burden of all that more assemblies should be planted in this state.

Prayer requests

1) for unhindered gospel work and the growth of more assemblies in the areas of our work.

2) for the Lord to raise more able men and women to contribute for the growth of literature work.

3) for the saints to continue faithfully according to New Testament principles and to be preserved from the temptations

to compromise.



nepal

noTes


Zambia is a land-locked country in south-central Africa. Formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, Zam-bia is named for the Zambezi River which forms part of its border with Namibia and Zimbabwe on the south. Much of the country’s population is concentrated around the capital city of Lusaka in the south and in Copperbelt Province in the northwest. Zambia has a tropical climate, though modifi ed by its altitude, and consists mainly of high plateaus with some hills and mountains. In the southwest corner of the country, the Zambezi falls 360 feet (100m) over Victoria Falls (named after Queen Victoria by explorer and missionary David Livingstone). At 1708m (~1 mile) wide, Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of water in the world.

popUlaTion: ...............14.2 millionUnder 15 Years: ......46.2%GroWTH raTe: ............2.89%area: ............................752 614 km2 (about ¾ the size of Ontario)lanGUaGe: ................... English (offi cial), Bemba, Tonga, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Kaonde, Nyanja, Chewa, Nsenga,

Tumbaka, Lala (Note: there are around 70 indigenous languages spoken in Zambia)reliGions: ..................Protestant (67.8%), Catholic (21%), Other Christian (8.7%), Other (2.5%)


Zambia is a republic with nine provinces, gaining independence from the United Kingdom on October 24, 1964. For years, however, power remained with the United National Independence Party (UNIP), the country’s only legal political party until 1990. At that time, widespread rioting plus a coup attempt forced a change in legislation, and in 1991, a new constitution allowed for more than one presidential candidate. Zambia’s economy has historically been largely reliant on the copper mining industry. But when copper prices fell dramatically in the 1970s, Zambia slid into poverty, becom-ing one of the world’s poorest nations. Then the government’s privatization of state-owned copper mines in the 1990s helped to boost production and profi tability. Copper output has also increased steadily since 2004 due to rising copper prices and foreign investment. Despite a stronger economy, poverty, a high birth rate and HIV/AIDS continue to be signifi cant obstacles to economic and social progress.

CapiTal: .......................Lusaka (Pop. 1.5 million)Head of sTaTe/GovernmenT ...... President Michael Chilufya Sata (Sep ’11)poverTY raTe: ............68% (2007)UnemploYmenT: .........46% (2008)inflaTion: ....................15% (2006) Note: Methods of labour data collection have been widely questioned.minimUm WaGe: .......$80 (CAD)/monthindUsTries ................... copper mining & processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles,

fertilizer, horticulturemaJor eXporTs: ........copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, fl owers, cotton


Zambia

NamibiaBotswana

Zimbabwe Mozambique

ZambiaLusaka

Angola

TanzaniaDemocraticRepublic ofCongo

Rwanda

Burundi



The coming of the gospel into Zambia has had a profound influence on the country and culture. Even today, many people in Zambia, when they meet missionaries, thank them for coming and bringing the gospel to this land.The gospel first entered with Dr. David Livingstone, as he penetrated into central Africa, traversing much of Zambia, and what are now the five surrounding countries, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and the Congo.

The first assembly-commended worker to reach Zambia was F.S. Arnot, commended from the UK in 1881. He spent 18 months in the western part of what is now Zambia, with Chief Lewanika (1883), teaching and preaching. Just before he died in 1914, he reached the spot where Chitokoloki mission is situated now. George Suckling (UK, 1911) and Lambert Roberts (UK, 1913) settled shortly afterwards at Chitokoloki, and pioneered there in gospel work. Medical work was commenced to give believers help in times of sickness lest they return to witchcraft. Many unbelievers came to the hospital, experienced a demonstration of the love of Christ, heard the gospel and some came to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour.

A printing press was set up in 1917 and schools were established to teach the believers to read and write, and understand the New Testament which had been translated into Lunda and Luvale. Some of those who went to school went on to the teacher training school at Chitokoloki. They were then sent out to start schools and take the gospel throughout the northwest province of Zambia as teacher-evangelists. This was the beginning of assemblies being planted in what is now known as Kabompo district. One of these teacher-evangelists, Josiah Kambeu, was a respected elder at the Loloma assembly until his home-call in 1983.

The first centres for gospel outreach in Kabompo district were Kabulamema (1940), and then Loloma (1953) followed by Kayombo (Robert Neill in 1960). Dr. Sam Emerson was commended from assemblies in Northern Ireland (1956) and began the medical work at Loloma, followed by nurse Agnes MacDonald from Nova Scotia, (1958) and then later Marian Ronald (1965), Daisy Hanna (1967), Ella Johnston (1967), Joan McCready (1967), Charles & Anne Geddis (1965), Dick & Barb Towse (1966), Paul & Dorothy Grieve (1967), Margie Gould (1981), Julie Frank (2000), and others for shorter periods. Dr. Emerson and those who joined him in the work were active in the gospel throughout the district as they visited new areas, had medical clinics and preached the gospel. As they laboured together with many of the Zambian elders, people were saved and assemblies were planted.

There were three Zambian men, commended from Loloma, who laboured in the gospel, saw God at work, many saved, and assemblies planted: Loderick Mbumba (1962), Dickson Chitungila, and Daniel Kautingu. Often the nurses at Loloma would take these men and elders active in gospel work into new areas, or to follow up patients who had come to the hospital and who had been saved, and again the Lord blessed. Eunice joined the medical team at Loloma in 1974, and Paul visited and helped in (1973). We came together to Loloma in 1979. We were privileged to learn much travelling with these commended Zambian workers, reaching out to new areas, and seeking to help new assemblies.

We moved to the town of Kabompo in 1982 and use that as a base for working out into the district. We thank the Lord for a number of assemblies that had already been planted in the area and for others that have been established since then.

Fellow workers at the present are Don & Elva Brooks (1972) at Kabompo, and Tim & Joy Beer at Loloma (1998), together with our Zambian brethren, who also keep active in gospel work, and ministering the Word, as well as teach-ing the Scriptures in schools. We thank the Lord for capable brethren in the assemblies here who also have a heart for the things of God.

Besides reaching out into new areas, and seeking to encourage the assemblies in the district, we have been privileged to work with elders and missionaries throughout this part of Zambia in translation of tracts, booklets, and in later years,



Zambia


the Scriptures. A revision of the Lunda Bible was completed in 2004, (while we were at Sakeji School, helping in the work in that district) and we now lead a team of elders from assemblies in Zambezi and Kabompo districts, and fellow missionaries, in the re-translation of the Scriptures in the Luvale language. Looking back, we say with thanksgiving, “God is faithful”

Prayer requests

1) that God would bless those active in gospel outreach throughout the area, and that new testimonies for the Lord’s

Name would be established. We thank the Lord for a number of new assemblies established in recent years.

2) that the Lord’s people would be preserved. The pressures to fall back into witchcraft, slide into immorality, and the

attraction of materialism, weaken testimonies and ruin assemblies.

3) that as the numbers of foreign missionaries decreases, even more Zambian believers would rise to the challenge of

spreading the gospel to a new generation, leading assemblies in Scriptural paths, and partnering with missionaries

in the continuation of hospitals, clinics, schools, and literature work, to the glory of our Lord and Saviour.

4) that all in the Bible translation work would experience help from the Lord day by day.

Zambia


noTes


Zambia


noTes


Armenia is located in the south Caucasus region between the Black & Caspian Seas at the crossroads between Europe & Asia. It is a landlocked country bordering Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran to the south and Turkey to the west. Armenia is mainly covered by mountains, several of which are volcanic, with fast-fl owing rivers and one of the largest fresh-water high-altitude lakes in the world. The climate is continental, producing hot, dry sum-mers and cold, snowy winters.

popUlaTion: ...............3.1 millionUnder 15 Years: ......17.3%GroWTH raTe: ............0.107%area: ............................29 743 km2 (roughly half the size of Nova Scotia)lanGUaGe: ................... Armenian (offi cial), Yezidi, Russiania)reliGions: ..................Armenian Apostolic (95%), other Christian (4%), Yezidi (monotheist with some nature worship - 1.3%)


Armenia is a republic, having gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. The history of Armenia and the Armenian people, however, can be traced back to Old Testament times. Located in a strategic position regarding trade routes, it has often been subjected to warfare over the centuries as competing empires vied for supremacy in the area. The modern republic, despite concerns from some in the international community, has made some strides towards a more democratic state. Armenia’s economy enjoyed signifi cant growth throughout most of the 2000s but has been hard hit by the global downturn (particularly in Russia) in recent years. Armenia is heavily dependent on the imports of resources and raw materials to fuel the manufacturing sector of the economy and the two decades-long closure of its borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan due to territorial disputes, has at times severely hampered economic growth.

CapiTal: .......................Yerevan (Pop. 1.1 million)Head of sTaTe ............President Serzh Sargsian (Apr ’08)Head of GovernmenT ........Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian (Apr ’08)poverTY raTe: ............35.8% (2010)UnemploYmenT: .........7% (2012)inflaTion: ....................4% (2012)minimUm WaGe: .......$80 (CAD)/monthindUsTries ................... diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors,

tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, mining

maJor eXporTs: ........pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy


armenia

Armenia

YeravanAzerbaijan

Turkey

Caspian Sea

Black Sea

Georgia

Russia

Iran



Before the break-up of the Soviet Union, the land of Armenia was one of the old Soviet states and the communist legacy is still evident in the appearance of the blocks of flats that house many of its people. Residual atheism with its attendant vices affects many of the people. Economically, things are at a low ebb and the infrastructure is poor. There has been a ‘brain drain’ with economic migration taking many either to the West or to Russia. The assemblies have not been exempt from this trend.

Armenia is surrounded by Islamic countries, but many of its people are nominally Christian, the main religion being the Orthodox Church which is no friend of the gospel! In 1988 an earthquake devastated a region in the north of the country including the city of Guimri (there are different spellings of the name). Tens of thousands were killed and many others were permanently injured, and there are quite a number of believers there who were affected personally or who lost family members. Relief work brought some foreigners of Armenian race into contact with believers at Guimri and sparked an interest in the spiritual needs of the area. During World War 1, because of a genocide perpetrated by the Turks, many Armenians were scattered and the Middle East and Cyprus became havens of refuge. Amazingly, the scattered Armenians retained their racial identity.

In the 1990s, two Armenian brethren born outside the land began to take an interest in the country. The one was Levon Yergatian, co-founder of the Logos School in Limassol, Cyprus, and the other his son-in-law Toros Pilibosian. Before they went, there may have been or one or two Christian groups that passed for assemblies but there were major problems. In 1999, Toros and his wife Virginia were commended by the Limassol assembly and moved to Guimri. A half-built building was purchased and developed into a fine Gospel Hall and Toros and Virginia live adjacent to it.

Regular gospel activity is conducted in the hall and also in a disused ‘soup kitchen’ in another district of the city. In that area, many still live in abandoned containers that were used for relief work back in 1988. Many hear the gospel and over the years people have been saved. The Sunday School work fills the hall each Lord’s Day and has proved productive. Instead of receiving awards at the end of the Sunday School year, children whose attendance has earned it are taken for a vacation and the gospel is preached to them a number of times each day. Literature has been translated into Armenian and there is also a large distribution of calendars each year. An annual conference is held at the New Year, and some saints from Yerevan normally support that.

Yerevan is the capital city, and the only other assembly in the country is located there. Yerevan is almost two hours distance from Guimri. Brother Toros makes regular visits to help in the teaching of the Word of God. In the village of Divin, some way out of Yerevan, a hall has been erected as a preaching point and there are a few believers there.

A number of brethren from the West have visited Armenia to give help, the most frequent visitor being brother Wendell Webb, a business man from the Republic of Ireland. Dan Gillies and Jack Hay of Scotland have also visited on numerous occasions in recent years for gospel preaching and Bible teaching.

Prayer requests

1) for elders to be raised up and in general for more men to be saved - sisters far outnumber the brethren.

2) that believers might be preserved from the hankering to leave the country for material advantage.



armenia

Sending Financial Support to Missionaries

The following three agencies offer exceptional services to assist Canadian residents in sending financial support to those involved full-time in the Lord’s service. If the worker(s) you want to support are registered with one of these agencies, then it is definitely advisable to use that channel to send your gift(s), as this will ensure the safe and efficient transfer of the monies to the recipient, and can also provide you, as the donor, with a tax receipt for deduction on your personal tax return. If you are comfortable doing so, It may be a good idea to communicate with the intended recipient(s) ahead of time to see if they are registered with one or more of these agencies, and if so, do they have a preference which agency the funding is channeled through. If you wish to send your funds anonymously, these agencies can all accommodate that as well, but it would be a good idea to contact the agency first to see if your intended recipient is registered with them.

Gospel Trust Canada 80 Robarts Drive Milton, ON L9T 5P3 Website: www.gospeltrust.ca E-mail: [email protected] MSC Canada 101 Amber Street, Unit 16 Markham, ON L3R 3B2 P: 905-947-0468 Website: www.msccanada.org E-mail: [email protected]

Gospel Perpetuating Foundation Kerrisdale Professional Center 360-2025 West 42nd Avenue Vancouver, BC Canada V6M 2B5 P: 604-266-5677 Website: www.gpfcanada.org E-mail: [email protected]

For those residing in the USA and wishing to send financial support to the Lord’s servants, a similar service is available through: Truth and Tidings Gospel Trust, U.S.A.

3228 Blake Road Wadsworth, OH 44281 USA Website: www.gospeltrustusa.org



Langstaff Gospel Hall Missionary Conference ConTenTs · PDF filecountry: the low-lying Terai...

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