China, Morocco, Iranians in Turkey, November 2007
Over the last week or so, God's Angels have again been busy in the hearts and lives of His people from Morocco through Turkey and Iran to China. We feel very much to be marching in step with the Angels above us.
We've mentioned in previous carelinks how brother Ali fled Iran about a year after his baptism. He arrived in Turkey about 13 months ago where we've been assisting him in his appeal to UNHCR for asylum, and supporting him. The authorities ordered him to live in a small town in the mountains in Central Turkey, and that's where he is. We visited him this weekend. Where he is, there's very little work and he receives no support from UNHCR or the Turkish Govt. whilst his application is in process- which can take up to 3 years.
With death threats over the border in Iran, local Turkish Moslem opposition, no family support, surviving by odd jobs, with no clear progress by UNHCR on his case... life is hard for Ali. He sets us an example of what it really means to give up all for the Lord and move out of our comfort zone, doing that which is foolish in the eyes of men in the life of faith. Ali reads the word daily and is definitely growing into a tower of spiritual strength. He has been distributing Farsi and Turkish Bible Basics to people he meets, and it was a real pleasure to baptize MASAUD, a Sorani Kurd also seeking asylum. He and Ali have just moved in to a derelict room in a collapsing house. It was quite an exhortation to visit them there. They have one narrow mattress and a sleeping mat. No chair, no table. A kettle, teapot, 3 cups, 2 plates, one heating ring.
They have bags with their clothes in, some Bibles, Bible Basics, and a teach yourself English book and dictionary. That's it. In this mountain town, temperatures are below zero at night. The back window is broken- they'll fix it up soon with a board, but at the moment there's only a towel to keep the draught out.
The ceiling is made of cardboard and leaking water drips through it when it rains or the snow melts.
After the baptism, we did the breaking of bread. Masaud said he had watched Ali doing it on his own previously and had been impressed.
They had to get a third cup so we each had a cup from which to drink the wine. We each said a prayer for the bread and for the wine, so the meeting took a while. But it was a memorable memorial meeting, sitting on the floor together, reminding ourselves that where two or three are gathered together, "there am I in the midst".
We were able to give some significant welfare assistance for which they're truly thankful. There are other refugee brothers and sisters in these kinds of situation- please do what you can to support them. You can donate by credit card online by clicking here . As in any traumatic situation, we take spiritual strength from fellowship with our brothers and sisters, knowing that if we suffer anything, it is so as to share what we learn as comfort to others (2 Cor. 1:3-7). Here's where technology can be a wonderful thing. Duncan was able to show them on the laptop a scan of the last letter from our Afghani brother Faris, who was beheaded for his faith a few hours after writing it; and also pictures of other Iranians being baptized. The letter of brother Faris is in Dari, which is understandable by Farsi speakers such as our brothers.
Our Iranian brethren in France were also just a mobile phone call away, and so it was great to put them in touch:
Please do pray for our brethren in that small room. For them to find some work, for the UNHCR to accept their cases, and soon, so that they can move to a safer country; for their wonderfully brave commitment to witnessing for the Gospel; and for their health, nervous and otherwise. Whilst in Turkey we were also able to visit our Russian speaking sister Anna. She's having great nervous problems because of the ongoing difficulty of living as a Christian in a working class Moslem area. She knows Turkish and Russian, and she's busy re-reading Bible Basics in those languages, comparing it with the English version, so as to improve her English. Please pray for her.
CHINA
Meanwhile in China, we were able to fund a local brother and sister to go visit some of the contacts from the www.carelinks.net website who had received our literature and after much correspondence had requested baptism.
Brother John Thatcher sent the funds for the long train rides off to our brother, and he now reports the baptism of DAISY and he's still en route to another contact:
"Sister Long and I arrived yesterday evening,around 23:00.and we went to every hotel around the railway station to find a room with a bath tub as it is impossible to find a swimming pool in winter. We baptized our new sister, Daisy. she is quite faithful.... I'm now in XXXX ,and will go to XXX at 02:00 to baptise another person who contacts with us. i pray to God that he can get full immersion. Attached pic of DAISY."
Here's a reduced version of the picture:
We give thanks for the way the local brethren and sisters here are working together and following up on the contacts which their internet work has created. We also need to continue to pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters in this work.
MOROCCO
And at the same time in Moslem Morocco, a local brother has been following up with other contacts, and we were delighted to receive an email informing us of the baptisms of SARA, MOUNIR, TARIK and TIJANI.
In all these cases, in all these lives, it's a privilege to be "workers together with Him" and we're so grateful for your prayers and support as between us we continue witnessing to God's grace and ministering it.
With love from your brothers and sisters of CCM