Iranian refugees, German Bible Basics, Housing in Latvia, August 2007

IRANIAN REFUGEES

We're very grateful for your prayers and financial support towards the refugees. Funds received are sent off to our brothers and sisters by Western Union [many thanks to our efficient treasurer Brother John Thatcher] or given in cash by visitors.

Brother Ali writes:
"I really appreciated for your help. I know that you really worked hard to find this money and asked from all brother and sisters around the world to help. I hope one day I be able to help those who need. I finished my interviews with police and I have temporary ID card for this city and I will receive kimlik soon. I am not illegal any more and all this is because of the help of that brother from USA which I will never forget. Please send my best regards and thanks to him. Thanks you again for all your kindness.
Your brother in Christ Ali"

Our Sis. Esther Worrell has written some more thoughts about the situation with the refugee brethren and our responsibilities to them. You can read them at refugeelife

GERMAN BIBLE BASICS has now been finally edited and completed by our brother Dominik and sister Anja in Berlin. You can download it from http://www.carelinks.net/languages/german/BBDeutsch.pdf

HOUSING IN LATVIA

In God's strength, we are determined to see through the project of providing housing in Latvia for desperately needy brothers and sisters before the Winter sets in. To keep costs down we are trying to do all the remaining work ourselves. We don't like to single out individuals but we do believe in "honour to whom honour is due", and we have to thank our dear brother Graham for being such an endless source of practical building wisdom, hard work and dynamism. Our teams of workers are being augmented by local brothers and sisters.

We have been truly inspired recently by the presence of brethren and sisters who could easily argue that it's time to "put their feet up", having born the burden and heat of the day. But they don't.

Photo: We were hugely inspired to see dear brother Charles at 77, mixing cement and fixing skirting boards:
    

Photo: Here's Uncle Charles again, along with Sis Pauline [the plasterer and painter] and Sis Suzanne
    

Photo: And then there's Brother Peter -the -plumber:
    

Photo: A sister in her 70s down on hands and knees preparing the land near the home
    

Photo: Cindy struggling with the piping
    

Photo: Duncan struggling with the flooring
    

Photo: A pause to take our breath
    

Photo: The Goddards have just arrived from Australia via France- and went straight from the airport to the paint shop
    

So we appeal again for fellow workers to "come over and help us". If you can just paint, that's fine. We have hundreds of square metres needing two coats! And we suppose it's obvious that this project is in need of significant financial support. We all feel God's blessing very much with the work so far. You can donate via PayPal by clicking this link here . Whatever, please do pray for this huge undertaking!

PROGRESS IN THE WEST

Finally, we thought you'd be interested in the following couple of emails. We get up to 150 requests for Bible Basics literature per day, mostly from North America. They are faithfully followed up by the Vancouver ecclesia in Washington state, along with helpers in other states. Due to the cost of mailing, we write to each contact personally and ask they confirm they are serious, explain our doctrines, and explain that the aim of our material is to help them be baptized. Please pray for these people- we get many responses like these below. Do be encouraged that even in the West, people are interested.

I would be happy to confirm that I really would like a copy of your FREE "Bible Basics". I have not been seriously involved with religion for the past 10 years or so. What I hope to achieve is to become re-acquainted with the Bible. I don't go to church because frankly I cannot deal with the hypocrisy of most of the congregations that I've come across. I feel I can study and be a religious person on my own without the benefit of a church. At least at this present time in my life. I do want to learn more about the Bible so that I can answer my 2 young children's questions as they have not been brought up in the church. This book should give me the proper resources to accomplish this task. I hope I have allayed your fears that I am not sincere in my request. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my request.

Sincerely,
Linda

nope, this isn't a hoax request, I am truely interested in learning about the bible as it is meant to be read. and I am also interested in being baptised, but not by any one denomination.
my address is...