May 2021 Joint breaking of bread, Burkina Faso, Canada, Guinea, Iran, Israel, Uganda, UK
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 08:00 a.m. GMT on the Facebook "
Carelinks Ministries" page; and on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6697401754?pwd=K0VWNDlScGwzaThPM2tiU0didmNyUT09 Meeting ID: 669 740 1754 Passcode: XPb9Sz
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] on
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81015280780?pwd=LzAwNDRTTzhNcFpiRGlmaGx6YUpvZz09 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 . Also, Bible class on Wednesdays at 7 PM North American Eastern Time
COMBINED BREAKING OF BREAD MEETING THIS SUNDAY 16th MAY God willing
Typically on Sundays brother Jim Barton runs a breaking of bread meeting out of Ontario, Canada around 3 PM UK time, and brother Duncan runs one for newly baptized converts at 9 AM UK time. Both on Zoom.
This Sunday, the 9 AM new converts group are having an 'outing' to Canada, and we will all meet in brother Jim's Zoom room at 3 PM UK time, which is 10 AM North American Eastern Time [11 PM Sydney Australia time]. Perhaps this week you might like to attend with us; Jim's room is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9123758179 Meeting ID: 912 375 8179
We look forward to some musical items and also an exhortation based on Genesis 22, the sacrifice of Isaac. Come along and meet some really interesting brothers and sisters from all over the world.
BURKINA FASO Our contacts in the Sahel / sub-Saharan region of Central Africa are living in some of the world's poorest areas. Please pray for William, who has acquired an excellent knowledge of the Truth through months of using the app. But he has only solar power to charge his phone, little internet, and no water source for baptism. Funds have been sent to book a hotel which has a pool hopefully with water in it... let us know if you'd like to attend the baptism once finally it is set up. And do pray William can baptize himself:
CANADA MIBENGE was baptized online in his bath tub in a very happy online service, again with live music from Jim Anne. Originally from Congo and now in Quebec City, he has studied French Bible Basics online with us after downloading the French Bible Companion app in response to Google advertising; and is very keen to follow his Master "in spirit and in truth". We had two self-baptized French speaking sisters with us, Oksana from France and Justeen from Florida USA, but as it happened our brother speaks English fluently and we hope to see him at Jim and Anne's weekly Zoom meetings. Which seem a great 'place to be' for action and spiritual growth in Canada. Details at
https://www.virtualchurch.cc/events.html 
GUINEA Our French team have so many problems dealing with our brethren and contacts online; and DANIEL was no exception. The problem with cheap secondhand phones is that their battery life is often only for 20 minutes or so, and internet connection is usually bad. We began the baptism service for Daniel, but after 10 minutes his battery died and he had nowhere to recharge it... and we resumed the meeting, resulting in his baptism, three hours later:
IRAN We baptized FARSHID, HAMZEH and MOHAMMAD this week, yet more fruit from Google advertising of the Farsi app.
ISRAEL Folks have understandably been asking about the welfare of those we've baptized in Israel over the years and also online during the pandemic. As you can see from these messages, they are all alive, but living in great fear with sirens wailing and star wars taking place above their heads as the Iron Dome rockets try to shoot down the rockets from Gaza. I know you are all praying for the situation. But Sister Maria is not in a good position, she's married to an Arab and lives in an Arab village in Israel. She's originally from Hungary.
She writes:
"
Thanks . I'm alright but prayers for it to cease, as on the ground it's a civil war, the worst is the hatred between Jews and Arabs now in every city, even here the village i am in it has started , with some teenagers . All because of the Mosque in Jerusalem. I thank you for prayers , i need to step out in Faith , i experienced hatred before from [my husband's] family. Only Jesus can touch hearts".
There is little materially we can do, but our heart breaks for God's land and those upon it. We have ramped up Google advertising of the app in Israel, spending around £150 / week on it now, to hold out the true Hope of Israel seems the most appropriate thing to do.
UGANDA WASSWA in Uganda was baptized, he had studied all of Bible Basics with Edd and Steph McIntosh in South Wales, UK, and was able to travel to a local river and ask a friend to immerse him in front of witnesses worldwide.
UNITED KINGDOM PATRICIA, a 57 year old London woman, has a most unusual testimony of how quite without churches she came to the Lord Jesus, quit various addictions five years ago, and after five years clean, seriously wanted to commit herself and her new energy to the Lord Jesus. A good number from worldwide gathered to hear her confession of faith and witness her baptism. It was really a lovely service, and Patricia expressed several times her marvel at the love she felt being shown to her from worldwide. Believers unknown to her, from across Australia, Africa, Europe and UK were gathered together for her... and Jim Anne got up at 04:30 a.m. in Canada to do live music for us [any other musicians are welcome to offer their services... to save them having to be up all hours leading songs like "I have decided to follow Jesus"]. But when you hear Patricia's tesimony, you will see why they make such effort to be involved...
see
https://youtu.be/CUNci-lH9no Brother Harshit from India was present and it was lovely to hear him witness as to how he had been helped by long pastoral conversations with brother Mark Hawkins in Australia, and how our team didn't just baptize him and leave him without further guidance. There is so much to do in preaching and pastoral care for this growing army of true believers... with baptisms most days on average.
Brother Marcus and others continue mailing out hard copy NEV Bibles worldwide especially to those recently baptized or approaching baptism. Here's a grateful comment from newly baptized brother Harshit in India:
PRAYER POINTS - For those recently baptized especially those in Iran facing difficulties
- For the peace of Jerusalem, and for our brethren there, especially sister Maria
- For more helpers in the endless, 24/7 work of follow up
- Thanks to God that He has so clearly blessed the spread of the Gospel throughout the pandemic
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks