Gospel News — Jan-Apr 2013

32

NEWS FROM BROTHERS & SISTERS

NEWS FROM AUSTRIA

now another Christmas is approaching and while it was once a time I loved, a time for meeting friends and for meditation, modern development is largely not my taste – it is now a time to spend money we can ill afford (often) on many useless luxuries – with little or no thought of what was once the meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator, in whose memory it was once intended to remember Christ's birth: (but He was probably born in September, not December.)

two years ago I was travelling home on a bus and as I stood up to press the `stop' button, the driver had to brake violently because a young man turned his car exactly in front of the bus. I fell on the back of my head and woke up in Hospital. I was transferred to a Hospital outside Innsbruck with head injuries, broken bones in my right foot and, which they discovered later, broken bones in my spine. I was operated upon later and now have five pins in my spine. I was in Hospital from 7th December until the end of may, so I could almost regard it as a holiday – I was very well treated.

In September I risked going to my caravan: I have neighbours from Italy with whom I have been friends for years, and I discovered that they had prepared the caravan for me, having cleaned and washed everything. I was almost speechless at all this kindness.

If such kindness were spread around the world, wouldn't it be a happier place? I see American, British, european and Austrian news on t.V. and it is absolutely frightening. I have wondered several times why God the Creator doesn't wipe mankind off the face of the earth.

It is interesting to read in Genesis that He did have regrets: there are many man-made problems which man cannot solve. It is so good to know that the Creator has given power into the hands of His Son Christ. There is so much beauty in our world if only we have the eyes to see it.

NEWS FROM CONGO

I want to tell you that our ecclesia and my family are keeping well by the grace of God, and to inform you that I am travelling to Kikwiti to visit a group of friends who are studying the Bible, and will spend four days with them.

NEWS FROM GHANA

ACCRA

By the grace of God, I have now got a personal P.o.Box. The address is: P.o. Box 582, La-Accra, Ghana. Since April last year we have had five baptisms in Subri, one brother and four young sisters. two of the sisters are daughters of Bro. Amo and two are daughters of Bro. Sakyi.

I have now arranged to stay for two months in Accra and two months in Subri. With much training, Bro. Duncan okai Kotei, my son, has taken over the Sunday and Youth Section. I help him whenever I am in Subri. These five baptisms are his first products.

For three years now, Ghana and Ivory Coast have been having a Joint Bible School. our last School was from 12th – 15th october 2012. our usual place of meeting is Shama. The Bible School was successful and well attended and the theme was "Holding on to our Faith".

Apart from our daily morning devotions, six addresses were delivered. two brethren from Ivory Coast gave their addresses in French, two from the U.K. and two from Ghana. (I gave the 4th address, "Faith and Works".) our main interpreter was Bro. maximus mensah (a Ghanaian resident in Ivory Coast). We had two outings in the evening. The public preaching was given by Bro. Yosef Somua Anim of Accra ecclesia.

The 6th address, which was also a farewell message was, "The good fight of faith" and was given by Bro. Stephen Sykes. In his usual mood, he gave a