April 2024 Australia, Iran, North America, UK
AUSTRALIA Another baptism in Western Australia by brother Mark, of GAVIN down near Lake Clifton some way south of Perth. As ever, after a lot of correspondence. It was good to see his family attend and be so enthusiastic about his baptism.
Video at
https://youtu.be/jqNB1CFE5Vo Let's stop thinking and saying that people "aren't interested" in the western world.... they are, and even in materialistic Australia. Let's follow Mark's example and get out there and engage with them, in the Lord's strength and guidance.
IRAN There are those in Iran and Afghanistan who know how to use VPN to get around the various blocks put in Christian material like ours. With joy, after lots of online contact, we were able to baptize online MILAD. Many thanks to brother Arash for helping with the translation.
NORTH AMERICA Again, thanks to the app and our increasing online presence, we were so happy to connect with STEVE and to witness his self-baptism in his bathtub. Here again was another man for whom church didn't "work" and failed to give him the authentic personal relationship with Jesus he so desires:
UK Whilst Duncan was away, brother Spiro led the meeting at church in a pub, with good attendance:
ALEX was living in Croydon and came across us, but moved to Dover where he got a job on the ferries and now a flat, with a grand view of Dover Castle. He was so eager to be baptized and it was a joyful occasion indeed. The Lord yet again is at work. He hopes to still come up to see us often as he can.
Video at
https://youtu.be/kw5Z6IWVRAc 
Driving back from Dover it was a pleasure to visit with sister Irina from Ukraine, now safely reunited with her husband brother Igor. They are so happy to finally be together again:
But this is a classic case of an 'after and before' photo. Irina hardly looks the same woman. We think back to the early days of the war, sister Nastya's husband being killed at the front leaving her with two very young children, their town near to being surrounded by Russian forces, constant bombardment, our visit to them to evacuate the family, 5 adults and 2 children and their few belongings cramped inside one car for countless hours, checkpoints and the rest of it... but leaving brother Igor behind, with all the tears that involved. And all the prayers now answered, with brother Igor against all odds now united back with sister Irina. We thank God:
These kinds of before and after photos are powerful testimony to the Lord's work, saving, transforming and leading. This again came to our attention when brother Ewan, who came off drugs a year ago and was baptized last June, shared a recent photo of him taking a walk near where he was baptized in the sea near Newquay UK. The thin, haggard young man is truly transformed and we thank God for this:
PRAYER POINTS - For those recently baptized
- Thanksgiving for the Lord's work in saving our dear ones out of Ukraine and transforming the lives of those we've baptized into Him
- For the logistics of getting around England and Scotland baptizing candidates for baptism this week; and brother Mark asks for the same prayer in his work in Western Australia [a huge state]
- For our brethren and our future work planned for Israel and Ukraine
- For those in Ukraine currently without electricity due to the heavy bombing of power stations, especially in Kharkov
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks