Sis. Chenoor, China, Nepal, Latvia, April 2007
SISTER CHENOOR
As recently reported, our sister is facing major problems with the Turkish authorities not letting her leave Turkey despite all documents now pretty well in order for emigration to Canada. Sister Liz recently visited her and reports:
"I was very happy to be able to spend some days with Sister Chenoor in Turkey. She is safe and well, but is feeling very lonely having been separated for several months from her husband who is seeking asylum in the Nederlands and her family who were able to go to Canada last year. She is very grateful for all the messages of loving and prayerful support passed on to her. It seems that the Turkish government is still adamant about not giving her exit permission to leave for Canada, despite appeals from UNHCR. An appeal has also been made to the European Court of Human Rights in an attempt to solve this dilemma but so far nothing has been heard from them. Other ways are being sought that will allow her to leave legally but these have yet to be resolved. We thank God for you all and your continuing prayers and loving concern for her and her difficult situation. We so hope and pray we will soon have some positive and good news to share".
Here's the latest photo of our sister, to help focus your prayers:
Her husband, Bro Hazhir, writes:
"On behalf myself and chenoor I would like to thanks for your all kindly attentions and hospitality with our problems. During your stay chenoor was very glad and pleaser and also she with you were busy with useful think and her development in her English language...Many love and pray for you and your family. God bless you.Hazhir".
On a more positive note, we're pleased to report that another Iranian refugee brother, Mojtaba, has been given leave to depart for a Western country:
"Bro. Mojtaba is well and fine. He accepted by CIC and will leave turkey on 23 May and all his process until now is good and without any problems. Many love and pray. God bless" So we do give thanks for that.
NEPAL
Our new brother Santosh is eagerly spreading Bible Basics to all and sundry and his emails reflect his great zeal to spread the Gospel to people in the remote parts of Western Nepal:
"I am still in contact with more people. Now I have found out that people are not easily convinced. They raise so many questions. They just ask what, how , why etc....I just arrived from a village in western Nepal to Kathmandu. I am happy that I could write you a few words after some time. I experienced that the necessity of bible in those places is really high than in Kathmandu. People are illiterate and ignorant about human values, morals and the purpose of their birth. They just spend their lives just without doing nothing. I distributed all bibles in Surkhet. I had to make photocopies of the Bible (which you had given me)and distributed to a public library, college students and other interested people. My trip in those areas now proved really meaningful because people could find opportunity to read bible and know something...
I have been reading 5 pages of psalms everyday before going to sleep. In the meantime, please convey my regards to other brothers/sisters...
I have spoken them about baptism and they gazed me with amazement. I told them my own experience. First of all, they were quite suspicious and not ready to hear me. I would try my best to prepare them for baptism and inform you. I hope God will give me more strength and courage to work for him. Since this is a noble mission, I am sure I will success in the long run... I found out that although they are prepared, still they feel much hesitated due to their primitive thought".
Again, we pray for our brother's great zeal to spread the word.
CHINA
Brother John took time out from a business trip in the Far East to meet contacts in China. He writes as follows:
Had to tell you that I baptised Tony and his wife (Yang Ming) last night in a Hotel pool. I had tea with Tony first and he was keen to tell me what he understood. We read from Rom 6 v 3-12 and Lk 15 1 -10 at the pool, had a prayer and sang one verse of "To God be the glory" in Chinese and English. They were very excited and emotional about their new life.
Also had a great talk today to a young lady that was my interpreter for the last 2 days - the basics how God is the maker of the universe, owns us, loves us, we will die because of sin, Jesus is the victor and only way, coming back, we can live forever in his kingdom, gives us purpose and reason for life. Her name is Linda - please pray for her. I asked if I could email her information on the Bible so she could make an informed choice on God; and that the choice is very important - life and death . I will give her your website. I can understand better how the Apostles and you must feel leaving them.
God bless
John"
We rejoice in this news and invite others to get involved with following up with contacts- we get replies from our webpages from almost every nation under Heaven. The harvest is so great- fish waiting in the sea just to be caught by us, to the Lord's glory.
LATVIA
Progress continues renovating the old house we're working on. Really anyone who can come over and paint or do anything at all is really welcome to contact us- there are cheap flights from the UK and Western Europe.
Here's Sister Lia and Bro Raimonds fixing a window:
Our breaking of bread and Bible class meetings with deaf folk continue.
Here's Bro Vladimir interpreting into sign language for his wife and daughter:
The meetings take quite some time, as we have to write out what we want to say, and one of them then interpret it into Latvian and Russian sign language:
After the recent baptism of 5 people in Latvia as previously reported, we are greatly encouraged at the progress of the Truth here. Please do pray for the work and come over and join in if you can. We're currently looking for speakers at our Bible Schools- let us know if you can help!
With love from your brothers and sisters of CCM