July 2022 Australia, Afghanistan, Canada, Iran, Ukraine, UK

AFGHANISTAN
This week we baptized ABDULLAH from Afghanistan, having been introduced to the Persian Bible Companion app by another brother.

AUSTRALIA
We had a wonderful online baptism of DARLINGTON in Victoria, Australia, originally from Africa. He had been a Pentecostal but started to ask questions during the Covid lockdown. He got hold of Bible Basics which he read five times... and doctrine by doctrine, grasped the real picture of the Bible about the nature of God, the Lord Jesus, hell, the soul, Heaven going at death, and Satan. And he saw through speaking in tongues and "miracles" falsely so called. It's a really amazing testimony from an intelligent but humble man. He is a great user of the Bible Companion app. We gathered together from north and south of the UK, Canada and from throughout Australia- from WA, Vic and QLD to be with our brother and hear his testimony. Do hear his story and share in his baptism-
 https://youtu.be/imqjQu95nOo
 Do pray that his wife and others follow his path, he's already in contact with a local sister in Victoria.
   
CANADA
For nearly 2 years we've been discussing with MARZIEH, an ex-JW in Canada, going over difficult passages relating to Satan and the Lord's nature. Jim & Anne Barton have been involved in this, and so it was a happy time when they along with others met with her online to witness her baptism. She's originally from Iran but speaks French fluently having lived now very many years in Quebec. You can see the video at
 https://youtu.be/qhKabNerNsw
 here she is just up out of the water in her bath tub
   
IRAN
Fruit from the Persian Bible app continues to come in. This week we were able to hold more online meetings and baptize ALI and then a young married couple, ASHKAN and LALEH. We get so many appreciative messages, reflecting how the seed of the Gospel has indeed found good ground.

UKRAINE
Our war widowed sister Nastya, whom we evacuated from Ukraine to the UK, is settling in to UK life and 6 year old Ilya stepped out to his first day in a UK school this week. All such a challenge, with language, culture and all the uncertainty and suffering in Ukraine ever in their minds. Do pray for them and so many like them both in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe that we're trying to help:
   

UK
The Croydon "Church in a pub" goes from strength to strength. More new attenders, and folks inviting their friends. We'll outgrow the place if it grows more. They all seem to like it and send such nice messages afterwards and some invite others, and they are swapping phone numbers and in touch with each other outside of church. It's amazing. And nearly all are local Brits- a social group we never thought would be so responsive. Plans to invite Iranians have been shelved for the moment as we simply don't have space for all those wanting to come. Quite amazing what God's doing with ordinary folks. We baptized Karen on Monday and she gave a great personal testimony of quitting smoking after her baptism and having held on nearly a week... a great testimony-
 https://youtu.be/PkJGuf0d2lc
 We are currently going through the book of Jonah in the talks, finding connection with God inside a fish, far from the Jerusalem temple... outside of religious structures... like a church in a pub...
https://youtu.be/WORx9hau5Hg
 We now have 4 attenders seriously considering baptism.
A violin has kindly been donated for our brother Behnam after last week's appeal.
In Wales, ALAN contacted us, having engaged with us online. He had been searching for true relationship with the Lord Jesus for a very long time. It was a pleasure to drive him to Barry Island to meet up with our wonderful self baptized sister Jackie and her sister Priscilla. The change in Jackie since her baptism is truly a transformation... of a once secular atheist woman who once stood on the streets of Cardiff distributing Marxism Today, to a wonderful new creation in Christ. We baptized Alan with Jackie and Priscilla assisting, and it's wonderful to hear Jackie encouraging our new brother. It was an unusually lovely baptism because of this, in addition to the lovely weather and bay on the island. Do share Heaven's joy-
 https://youtu.be/9r5ynVE96ug

           

PRAYER POINTS
   - For those recently baptized
   - For wisdom about our pub church in Croydon, and gratitude for the amazing blessing upon it so far
   - For our dear ones in Ukraine
   - Repeatedly, prayer requests are received from newly baptized brethren asking us to pray that close family and friends would respond to the Gospel. Let's pray for this.

With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks