August 2024 App Update, Australia, UK, Ukraine, Israel
APP UPDATE There's a new content update on our "
Bible Companion" app. Enjoy! If you don't have the app you can get it for Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.carelinks.bc or for iOS / Apple
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-companion/id1475914490 We thank God for His huge blessing upon the app which is the backbone of our preaching and pastoral work and has reached the phones of at least 3 million people.
UK VERA was one of the first attendees at our Russian group in Croydon nearly two years ago. She is an older lady from Ukraine, who immediately made a deep friendship with Tatyana, who we baptized a while ago. Vera is a great Bible reader and has been a loyal attender both at The Venue and at the pub on Sundays despite now having a very long journey to get there. It was with great joy that she decided for baptism. We took her and sister Tatyana down to Ashford in Kent, where brother Igor and sister Irina live. Irina and Nastya and the two young children were those we evacuated from a danger zone in Ukraine at the beginning of the war after sister Nastya's husband was killed at the front. They have settled in well and have been praying for fellowship opportunities. So, we had a great time together, along with brother Charles and brother Andy from Hookwood. It was true fellowship together, the highlight being the baptism of Vera in their bathtub after a great confession of faith to us all, and breaking bread together afterwards. Everyone prayed, with translation so we all remained together and understanding each other, and those prayers said so much about the very real path everyone in that room is walking with their Lord, our common Master and Saviour. Irina made us Ukrainian borshch, and it was a fitting send off for Duncan as he prepares to go now to Ukraine. We appreciate your continued prayers and financial support for our work there and with our Ukrainian refugee brothers and sisters, both within Ukraine and now in other parts of Europe. Our relationships go back many years, and it is absolutely natural that we rise to help them now in their time of need.
Driving back to Croydon, our new sister Vera's phone rang. It was her son whom she had not seen for some years, now in Bulgaria. He had got everything together to come to the UK to visit her, and will arrive in London this Saturday, Lord willing. This was totally out of left field for Vera, she had no idea this was his plan. So, we drove the rest of the journey along the M20 motorway with truly great joy in God's super abundant grace to us His children. You can see the video of our baptism service, breaking of bread and everyone's prayers and spiritual thoughts at
https://youtu.be/z88gWwfAKew Everything is translated into English, but you will hear everything also in Russian and some Ukrainian.
We made the long drive to ANDY who lives overlooking Warkworth Castle in Northumberland and is caretaker at the local school there. Another follower of Church in a Pub in Croydon. Originally from Rhodesia via South Africa, Andy was shattered by the death of his beloved wife from cancer, turned against God... and has now turned back to God with all his heart and soul. Life with its complications has left him at 65 years old in the UK now pretty much friendless, living in a small village in Northumberland. But truly he is so connected with the Lord and already has been taking communion on his own, whilst longing to be baptized. Which we did in fairly cold water at the nearby beach. You really couldn't ask for a more lovely man with a true heart for the Lord. Video of this lovely occasion and his moving words of appreciation at
https://youtu.be/3gsP1N8gaXU
It is such an honour to help such lovely folks like this.
UKRAINE / ISRAEL
Lord willing, we are about to start a trip to Ukraine and Israel in these challenging times and ask your prayers for it.
PRAYER POINTS
- For those recently baptized
- For all those struggling with bereavement and relationship loss
- For our work in Latvia, Ukraine and Israel
- Thanksgiving for all the huge blessing upon all the outreach efforts both recently and over the years
With love from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks