December 2020 Latvia, Iranians, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, USA
We strongly recommend you download the
"Bible Companion" app, from where you can access
Carelinks messages, daily Bible readings,
Bible Basics, commentary on every verse of the Bible and audio exhortations on every chapter of the Bible.
For Android / Google Play at
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.carelinks.bc and on the App Store for Apple / iOS at
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-companion/id1475914490 You can break bread live online as follows:
Sunday mornings GMT on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/69292278377 Sundays at 3:00 PM New Zealand time. That's 1 PM in Sydney Australia; 10 PM in New York, USA on Saturday evening [run by Br John Aldersley in New Zealand]
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81842718993?pwd=YWY1K0dDOW8yVCs2MDh4Mm80YWdoZz09 Sundays at 10am North American Eastern Time [3 PM UK GMT time, 11 PM Sydney Australia time]. Run by Br Jim Barton in Canada.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9123758179 Meeting ID: 912 375 8179
APP APPEAL Total downloads of the app [in all languages] are now approaching 800,000 in total. This is a lot of people now having the true Gospel on their phones, along with all they need to grow in Christ after baptism. So, a reminder of previous weeks' major appeal for significant funds [13,000 Euro] to majorly upgrade the app, offer video talks and a breaking of bread exhortation for each day, and make it available in Farsi, Russian, Spanish and French on Apple [iOS] iPhones and iPads.
USA Brother TIm Anderson is overjoyed that his local garbage truck driver has downloaded the app- his signs advertising the app on everything he owns, it seems, are a great encouragement to us all to make a local witness:
LATVIA We're continuing taking food, clothing and Bible teaching out to a lot of people here, in sub zero temperatures. Brother Roberts is such a blessing, running around collecting clothing donations and then distributing them appropriately as needed. Rob advertised on social media for folks with spare clothing in Riga to donate them, and many are responding, resulting also in lots of opportunity to introduce the Gospel to the donors.
FRANCE After a lot of correspondence, we witnessed the baptism of JEAN in Paris. He is very serious, erudite and reverent, and dressed himself in a white gown after we did the baptism service and he went to the bath tub; another contact in Paris was also present online to view the immersion . He came online just as . Afterwards, brother Jean wrote that he had so longed for baptism for a long time: "Vraiment merci de me faire baptiser j attendait ça depuis longtemps Que le seigneur de benis".
IRANIANS Every hour or so we are receiving messages from new or existing Farsi speaking contacts, not only in Iran but also in Afghanistan, the UK and around the world. They are so eager to know the Lord Jesus in spirit and truth, despite all the risks from the regime. The Farsi app is just the ideal way for them to quietly study, and we look forward to it being released for Apple soon [it's only on Android currently]. These are the kinds of messages we get and the correspondence we have:
We were pleased to witness the baptism of sister HASTI after lots of chats and correspondence. She had so many questions but was so teachable over a long period. Reza in Canada helped translate although she does know some English. Such a pleasure to teach those who want to learn, and who are also not just blindly accepting what we say, but are searching the scriptures to see if these wonderful things are so (Acts 17:11). Although searching the scriptures no longer means going to the synagogue in Berea and asking to see the Old Testament scrolls, but now means just searching the Bible on the app on your phone in your appartment in Shiraz or Tehran or Kabul or London, checking out what you were told in online teaching. Times have changed, but the message and spirit hasn't at all. Afterwards, Hasti said that this baptism was really a dream come true, which she had never thought was going to be possible:
We mentioned before the wonderful spread of the true Gospel amongst the small Jewish community in Iran. Charles and Duncan were able this week to witness the baptism of ASHGAR by brother Elias. Again we marvel at the amazing penetration the Gospel is having into every part of global society:
We were also able to baptize a married couple, AMIR and MASOUBEH , again contacts from the app.
TURKEY We've reported previously many baptisms in central Turkey, and despite Covid restrictions, the group keeps going and we were delighted to be able to witness the baptism of NASRIN in a pool. Good attendance from UK, Australia, Latvia and also our very enthusiastic new sister Mina from Bosnia. It's wonderful that from Manchester UK to Perth WA we can gather together to witness these baptisms. She went under the water, rose, put her hands together in prayer, really very moving, and so amazing we could see it all from a phone propped up on the side of the pool.
SAUDI ARABIA Conversion by Muslims to Christianity here is forbidden and heavily punishable. But for around a year an Arab man has been using the app and we have exchanged some wonderful emails as he came closer and closer to the Lord Jesus. We were able to witness the self baptism of DANIEL [his Christian name he has chosen, as he feels like Daniel living in Babylon], in luxurious surroundings but with a very humble heart.
PRAYER POINTS - For those recently baptized
- For those spending the night in very low temperatures, below zero
- For the new Iranian brethren who fear for their lives and especially brother Daniel in Saudi Arabia
- For the many people now approaching baptism
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks