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THAILAND PERU ROMANIA
a taste of a taste of
InternationalInternational
MissionsMissions
ROMANIA - OAZA- Caminul Felix- Casa Minunata
Brian & Margaret Burton
Phuket Phuket --ThailandThailand Church contacts Church contacts
Neil and Valerie HarrisNeil and Valerie Harris
Margaret Saunderson
LimaLima-- Peru Peru Church contactsChurch contacts
Bill and Norma Trahearn Bill and Norma Trahearn
Caminul Felix Caminul Felix ––
Casa MinunataCasa Minunata
Third Edition Third Edition
March 2008March 2008
David Faulkner, Jonathan Start, Nigel Rowe
KenyaKenya
Jerusalem Jerusalem Jenny RobinsJenny Robins
JERUSALEM KENYA
RomaniaRomania Church Contact Vicki AllanChurch Contact Vicki Allan
The Opening of Sussex House, Phuket
Earthquake Devastation in Chincha, Peru
Lek from Sussex House
Gypsy Camp - Oradea, Romania
a tastetaste of internationalinternational missionsmissions a tastetaste of internationalinternational missionsmissions
JERUSALEM POST Jenny RobinsJERUSALEM POST Jenny Robins
I returned to Israel in the middle of September, knowing what I was going back to of course
because it's all familiar, but not really knowing what God was going to do this time round,
that's always a mystery!
I arrived right at the beginning of the new Jewish year, so there
was an overload of Jewish holy days, festivals, celebration such
as Rosh Hashanah (new year, the completion of Torah reading to
begin again for the new year), Yom Kippur (Holiest day, the day
of Atonement, a period of fasting, praying, repentance,
forgiveness and celebration accordingly) Amazing to see people
really celebrating the fact that they are forgiven, if only they knew the Freedom Jesus
brings/ bought, but .......He said, The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has
been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, 'though seeing, they may not
see; though hearing they may not understand. 'Luke 8v10.
The majority of people who listened to Jesus were Jewish people as he was! We have
freedom when we know we don't have to wait for the new year
to come round to be forgiven! Then there was Succot or Feast of
tabernacles (a time of remembering God's faithfulness to the
Jewish people while they were in the wilderness). As well as
Jewish traditions there are other people groups including Muslim
celebrations of Ramadan. So it's a big mish- mash of religious
holidays. It's hard to keep track of them all. Its fun trying to run a
guest house when all of our different suppliers are Muslim,
Jewish, Catholic whatever and having to think about when they won't be working and how
long for because of their holidays! ha!
I began to get involved with an Orphanage in the Palestinian area of Bethany. The Lazarus
House' is a 'Big House' with 36 girls and one little boy. These children are all from Muslim
backgrounds and not particularly nice backgrounds, obviously! The lady who heads it up is
a Christian Arab lady called Samar. Pray for her! She is amazing. She is one of two Christian
ladies that work there. She personally raises the money for each
child to be sent to the best school in the area which is a Russian
one, and is in constant battle with the school because of the way
they are treated because they are orphans. So please pray for
her. I go either to cut hair or teach them to sew, which is really
fun coz these kids are amazing and they love a lot!
sharing in whole school gatherings
(at the girls’
school, around
800 of them!)
• Preaching at many different
churches, in many surrounding
villages
In the second week we were focussed on
helping to teach at a leaders’ conference for
probably around 500 people, mainly from the
Butere district. It was great to be able to
teach God’s Word, in small and large groups,
to people who were hungry to hear and to
learn, and to do so alongside teaching pastors
from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. I’m sure
people went away better equipped to lead
and live for Christ than when they arrived.
I thank God for safe-keeping whilst we were
there, for His blessing on all that we were
involved in, and for everything that I learned
from such a wonderful trip. There are so
many things I could mention, but primarily
when listening to the church leaders from the
various African nations both publicly and
privately, many of whom work in extremely
demanding situations, I was struck by:
• Their clarity of thought – they are
wholehearted in their commitment to God
and His Word; if God has said something in
His Word they seek to obey it.
• Their confidence – they trust God and take
Him at His Word despite hardships that I
for one have never experienced
• Their courage – just like us, but in
different ways, they face tremendous
opposition to proclaiming the gospel in
their various different circumstances, but
seem to count their lives as worth
nothing compared to knowing Jesus and
doing what He has called them to do.
I’d finish simply by saying that anyone who
has the opportunity to go on short-term
mission to a two-thirds world country should
take it. It grows your trust in God, and is thus
an experience that brings you closer to
Him. I’d also ask that we continue to pray for
the nation of Kenya. As is well-known, shortly
after our trip, the election took place and has
been followed by violence and economic
hardship. We pray for those of our team who
remain there (especially Jonathan) but also
for our brothers and sisters for whom this is
home, that God would grant peace and
reconciliation and
that many would
come to Christ at
this very difficult
time.
David Faulkner
P.S A total of
£3200 was raised
on Sunday 17th
February for the special appeal from Mike
Jones in Kenya. Many thanks to all those
who gave.
Outreach to Kenya, Outreach to Kenya, continued continued David FaulknerDavid Faulkner
10 1
2
JERUSALEM POST JERUSALEM POST continued continued Jenny RobinsJenny Robins
a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
During November and the beginning of December the managers of the Guest House were
home in Leicester. So I was supervising while they were gone, which involves a lot such as
delegating jobs that have to be done, lots of practical things but at the same time as
dealing with every different type of person whether its guests or volunteers or staff or
whatever. At this time I probably should have been stressed but I couldn't be because of
all God was teaching me about Freedom in Him, and what is there to worry about
(whether its practical, spiritual, personal whatever) when I have nothing, because of giving
it to Him and dying to all daily, 'be anxious about nothing pray about everything' right!
(Also easier said than done).
Christmas was amazing also. Christ Church is one of the only places not Catholic, that
celebrates Christmas. The town being where it is and what it is, attracts Israelis.... in bulk
on Christmas Eve! Hundreds and hundreds of people, mostly Israelis, come through our
tiny compound to see us sing and celebrate the birth of our and their Messiah! Crazy! To
observe our carol service and ejoy the friendship that we all want
really between us and them, mov- ing on from past views and
happenings. We want to share and prove the sovereignty and
love of God, with the world, all people groups, all nations not
missing out one lonely face, no one. I believe this begins with
the Jewish people because God's plan through history
concerning them proves that He is who He says He is. God's love
and mercy and justice has been displayed to them throughout
history whether they have been good or not, if that's not a dis-
play of God's love, mercy and faithfulness for the whole of mankind I don't what is.
If you want a better look at what God has been doing go to my blogspot, I have many a
tale about teapots and daddys which are both very glorifying to God which you can find
at:- jenniferdaniellerobins.blogspot.com or email me at:-
If you want to support what I am doing in Jerusalem in prayer, or finance email me or talk
to Mom, Kathy Robins home number 01384 830543
a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
Kenya 2007
It was a great privilege to visit
Kenya for the second time in
November/December 2007,
two years after my first trip.
Nigel Rowe, Jonathan Start
and I travelled with a team
put together by International
Mission Support (see www.imsmission.org)
headed up by Mike Jones, who lived in
Stourbridge for many years but now
resides in Kamloops, Canada. The team
was a great mix of ages (if I recall correctly
17 to 67!) and, by the time we arrived at
our destination it was a great mix of
nationalities too – Kenyan,
Tanzanian, Ugandan, American,
Canadian and of course a few Brits!
We were based for 14 days in Butere,
which is about halfway between
Kisumu, a large city on Lake Victoria, and
the Ugandan border, and is pretty rural
and basic. IMS has worked there for many
years and therefore although for Nigel and
I this was a short-term mission, it was very
much part of a long-term commitment by
IMS to the region, which has helped see :-
(a) dozens of churches planted in
surrounding villages and thus
hundreds (if not thousands) come to
Christ;
(b) the church taught and equipped;
(c) material/economic
support given through
financing the establishment of
small businesses; helping to
build a school, homes and
church buildings; and even
whilst we were there this time
the setting up of a small
(interest free) loan scheme.
I thank God for the example of
holistic mission provided by
IMS. A the same time as the activities
described below, there was much going on
behind the scenes, one example of which
was the announcement that after detailed
discussions during the second week, IMS
would be paying for a lovely pastor from
Tanzania, brother Moses, to establish a
facility in his home town to look after
widows in his community, which he had
been longing to be able to do for many
years. It was an honour to be present
when Mike broke the news.
The first week focussed on :-
• Outreach into the upper market of
Butere and two more distant villages,
via testimony, drama (Nigel and I
working on sketches together for the
first time in
20 years!)
and
preaching.
Visiting the
boys and girls
secondary
schools and
Outreach to Kenya Outreach to Kenya David FaulknerDavid Faulkner
9
We were also able to pass on the sum of £125 to Noble House to assist with the refurbishing of their
kitchen project. This money was donated by cell groups and individuals from Amblecote Christian
Centre.
It was very encouraging to note that many electrical kitchen items were donated by members of
Amblecote for Noble House and sent with the lorry. Other requested items i.e. boxes of cereals,
washing powder, canned fish, craft materials, toys and clothes were also donated in abundance by
Mops, New Life, cell groups and individuals for which Casa Minunata, Caminul Felix children and the
gypsy families are extremely grateful. The e-mails we have received in response to the lorry’s delivery
have been so touching.
The families and friends in Caminul Felix and Casa Minunata are fast becoming a very important part in
our lives with bonds of fellowship deepening at every visit. The nurturing of the physical, spiritual,
emotional and socio-economic needs of the children is paramount to Caminul Felix. The house parents
are now beginning to experience new problems with the teenagers in some of these areas which vary
from behavioural and relationship problems to finding funding for further educational needs.
The children are growing up and some are even getting married. Does anyone remember Lavinia from
Lisa Potts House who came over for several years with the choir? Here she is in 2007 on her wedding
day!
TLC are now setting up an area of fundraising in order to support the educational needs of students and
have been able to send the sum of £1100 with the lorry before Christmas to assist this on going need.
This money was raised from a sponsored slim earlier last year.
Bill and I spent time discussing these situations with some of the house parents and our links with Care
for the Family in England may prove advantageous as we are putting them in touch with the work of
Care to see if they can be of some support. …...
So the Mission continues this year ……….
Romanian Mission 2008
A team of eight will be flying out to Caminul Felix in May, four of whom will be visiting for the first time.
We would value your pray support as we plan for this trip to enable us to show TLC (The Love of Christ)
to those less fortunate than ourselves. The team includes Bill and Norma Trahearn, Valerie Harris, Vicki
Allan, Jenny Bufton, Christine Sutton, Gill Swan and Kate Gregory.
Romanian Focus Romanian Focus continuedcontinued—— Bill & Norma TrahearnBill & Norma Trahearn
A few Lines from Nok — Brian went to England for a couple of
weeks in October 07 as he had to take
Lek to IBTI. She’s one of the girls from
Sussex House. She will be there at least 2
years. When she comes back she will surely be
a great help to me especially with all the
translation work I have to do. Please
pray for her to be able to adjust to the
weather, food and language. Last time I
was in touch with her, she seemed to be
getting on well with her study and
English food except the weather is a bit
unbearable at times. You know why!! News from Brian & Margaret Burton
In January Brian was in Hawaii where he was
given 15 minutes to share about the work in
Thailand but was then invited as a speaker at a
Pastor’s Conference which followed.
Although the original intention was to
spend time with Margaret she had been
unable to go so the whole trip was taken
up in ministry.
a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
In November last year I set off for a month long trip to the island of Phuket in Thailand. Whilst
over there I worked alongside a team called the PAIS Project and Phuket Christian Centre
which is led by Pastor Brian and Margaret, former members of ACC.
For the majority of my time there I worked in schools
teaching sport and drama, in a home for HIV children
and an orphanage. This was great fun and it gave us
many of opportunities to share Gods love with the
children. At the HIV home we were forbidden to talk of
anything to do with Christianity, however they are now
letting the team teach the children Christian songs
which is really amazing.
I also visited the Morgan Island with Adrian and Pastor Nok. Now this was something else!
These people are also known as the sea gypsies and live off fishing in the sea. It was crazy to
see how different these people’s lives were and how their island was so bare…However, they
had such inspiring faith and they have experienced many miracles from God especially after
the Tsunami. This was a big encouragement to me and I loved the way that their experience of
‘church’ was so natural, i.e. they all met in their own homes (tree house like buildings!) and
talked and worshipped God together.
Thailand was a big eye opener to me, I learnt many things whilst out there
and came back encouraged and inspired by the lives of the people I met and
worked alongside. I can also say that I certainly grew up! Living in a com-
pletely Thai speaking town alone was definitely challenging but I have to say
it was also great fun!!
Mission Mission -- Phuket, Thailand Phuket, Thailand Keeley WaldronKeeley Waldron
Lek
a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
3 8
a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
Following our visit in May 2006
Bill & I felt compelled to return
in October 2007 to build upon
relationships made with
Caminul Felix Villages, Casa
Minunata and Theranova. At
the same time we hoped to follow up existing work
with the gypsy families and also establish new
connections. A practical project of making rustic
tables for use in Noble House had previously been
arranged. Our daughter Jennifer and son-in-law
Andy had the task of constructing 12 tables in a
week. No mean feat considering the materials
provided were unprepared tree trunks!
In the meantime Bill and I became ‘chambermaids’
for a week in Noble House, helping in the
preparation of hosting a party of 45 people from
Sweden. This entailed humping a dozen mattresses
around the building, preparing an unused room to
convert into a dormitory, ironing 45 duvet covers,
sheets and pillow cases, cleaning rooms, making
beds and reversing the
process when the party
left at the end of the
week.
In between the domestic
chores Bill and I visited
Theranova, the Teenage House, spent two days
working with the children with special needs at Casa
Minunata, visited Sunflower Design, delivered
sponsor gifts to Casa Falkenberg (Swedish House at
Caminul Felix 11) and spent time with the children
and families at several of the houses on Caminul
Felix 11. We managed to fit in helping prepare the
barbeque for an evening with the Swedish party and
listened to a presentation of the vision of Caminul
Felix in Swedish!
A Marriage Enrichment Seminar led by an American
couple was also arranged for the House parents
from both villages to which
we were given an
invitation. This gave us
the opportunity to renew
our friendships with the
House parents from
Caminul Felix 1 as well as
receive some very encouraging ministry. So all in all
we were well blessed!
During week 2, in between varnishing the tables, Bill
and I were taken to visit the gypsy families living on
tips. It was a huge privilege to be able to take with
us enough food to feed 10 families for a few weeks,
sponsored by TLC. To witness first hand how these
people live is simply shocking and there is obviously
much work that could be done to help these people.
We understand that the Smiles Foundation in
Oradea also have contact with these families.
From the gypsy camps we were taken to visit
another poor family with special needs. Ioan and
Maria Falvaschi are a dwarf couple with a normally
developed 7 year old daughter, Cristina-Maria.
Because of their disabilities they are classed as
outcasts in society and are unable to find work.
They live in very sparse accommodation funded
initially by Americans who have now moved their
support elsewhere. This couple have difficulty
making ends meet and needed another sponsor to
help support them as they do not come under the
umbrella of the Smiles Foundation.
Funding to provide them with enough support for 5
months was found for which they were
extremely grateful. On our return we shared this
situation with TLC and
they have agreed to
provide the necessary
sponsorship of £25 per
month from January 2008.
Romanian Focus Romanian Focus —— Bill & Norma Trahearn Bill & Norma Trahearn
New Life is supporting a
ministry in Constanta, South
East Romania called “Heart
to Heart”. This ministry
(totally
independent & separate
from any work at Caminul Felix) began when a
young pastor & his wife, Traian & Elena Pascalau
felt a burden from God to reach out to
Pensioners living in their town. Not all of these
people are homeless or extremely poor but some
are poor, homeless & living rough on the streets.
Many Old people in Romania lost their homes
when the former Communist government
collapsed. The government had housed many old
people in the homes of those who had left the
country under Communism. When these people
returned the older folk were forced to vacate the
houses they had been living in, putting them on
the streets. Considering temperatures can be as
low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in the winter
sleeping rough is not a pleasant experience.
The Church provides a welcome, a hot meal, a
hot shower & a change of clothes, if needed, to
around 30 people over the age of 60 three times
per week at the day centre Whenever possible
meals are taken to peoples homes if they are
unable to attend the centre. Hospital transport,
financial help etc is given when possible, many
being unable to pay for things we would take for
granted, the basic pension being around £10 per
month.
The project was started
without any offer or promise
of help. Much of what has
been done has been through
the giving of the Church
people, it isn’t a large Church
& the average salary is
around £80 - £100 a month.
Things are beginning to
change, people, groups etc
like us are seeking to support
this wonderful work.
Traian, Elena & the Church have a dream to build
a residential old peoples home. The dream took a
step forward in April 2007 when someone in
Sweden gave them 30,000 Euros to buy a plot of
land that they wanted to purchase for this
purpose. Through the “Heart to Heart” project
several older people have made a personal
commitment to Jesus & 5 were baptised in the
Black Sea in September 2007.
New Life members want to help those similar in
age but in a much worse situation. We are giving
financially on a monthly
basis. We will be looking for
ways that we can raise extra
finance during this year.
Some members of the Team
will be visiting the project
this year to see how we can
best support the Church in
their efforts to help the older folk. Later on it is
planned to take a group of New Lifers to meet the
older people of Constanta.
If you would like to know more or be involved
with this New Life project please see one of the
Team., which include Phil Cook, Christine Cox,
Andrea Hall and Linda Methuen.
Phil Cook
New Life Ministries
RomaniaRomania——‘New Life’ Heart to Heart Project ‘New Life’ Heart to Heart Project
4 7
Step team! It is a shame as the
nursery is doing really well at the moment,
and Maryluz has now organised for the
children to have lunch as well as classes. She
works very hard and is amazing!
Chincha: In this earthquake affected area our
involvement has grown in a way we didn’t
expect! Those of you who prayed for Mary
Salazar will be delighted to know that she did
become a Christian and so did several
members of her family! So we went down to
disciple them and found that there were 50
people there wanting to study the Bible!! - A
bit like Peter going to Cornelius’s house!
So we have been trying to hold a regular
Bible study for people in the neighbourhood
but it is not easy being so far away ( nearly
200 miles!) However various of the women in
La Tablada have been helping in this (that
church really has a missionary vision) and
they also started a children’s work there on
Saturdays which is now being carried on by
Mary and her family.
Kenya 2007
It was a a tastetaste of iinternational nternational missionsmissions a tastetaste of international international missionsmissions
And now a contact of Jono’s called
Manuel, who lives in the area is going
every Weds to hold a service there, which
is a great help.
The community is giving us a plot of land
to have a children’s club and Bible studies,
hold medical campaigns, and teach
handcrafts. So we need to build a simple
wooden structure there and please pray
that we will know how best to develop
this work and that God will provide the
right people to help. and that more
people will come to know the Lord in a
real way. I keep saying I am not going to
start any more new works but God keeps
opening doors!!!! And I have to say that
beginning new works is exciting!
Jono has been able to provide quite a lot
of little houses for people there as
housing is now the main problem in the
aftermath of the earthquake and the
government doesn’t seem to have done
much to help with that. So that is
something that still needs a lot of help
and many people’s employment was af-
fected as well.
*The money raised by*The money raised by
Amblecote Christian Centre for Amblecote Christian Centre for
the houses and earthquake appeal the houses and earthquake appeal
so far is £408, Jane Longden is still so far is £408, Jane Longden is still
on the case with her works swear-on the case with her works swear-
box!box!
While I was away in
the summer the one
major event that
happened here was
the earthquake on
15th August with its
epicentre about 130
miles south of Lima
which you no doubt saw pictures of on the
news, and many of you wrote to ask me
about.
It caused great destruction in the towns and
villages of that area with over 500 dead and
some 80,000 suffering damage or loss of their
homes and belongings. I was very impressed
by how people all over Peru responded to
help in the aftermath, and the church in La
Tablada has kept up an involvement in the
area around Cañete through the Word of Life
group who came to La Tablada in May. Jono,
another Latin Link missionary who is working
in La T, has been doing a great job
co-ordinating and channelling gifts so as to be
able to provide food, clothes, blankets to
some of the more remote areas.
He also discovered some prefabricated
houses for £100, measuring 3x3 metres, so
took 20 of those down in a lorry! Obviously
they are really small but are better than a tent
or bamboo matting on top of the rubble
especially as it has been really cold. We want
to help another community in Chincha which
is also very needy and which I visited last
month. It is very sad to see people with no
home trying to rebuild their lives and although
our help is only a drop in the bucket, people
are very appreciative.
Our contact there is Mary Salazar, the
regional supervisor of nurseries in la Tablada
whom Maryluz introduced us to. She was in
the earthquake when it happened, visiting her
family, so was quite traumatised, but we have
been able to pray with her and she felt better,
so pray she can come to know Jesus.
We are very aware that if the epicentre had
been here in Lima, the damage would have
been immeasurably greater and millions of
people would have been affected. There have
been some knock on effects though, and one
of these has affected our nursery because it is
built on the side of a hill on terracing. The
authorities are tightening up on safety
regulations and even though it is only a
wooden building they say that it would not be
safe if there were a strong quake in Lima. So
they have said we must rebuild it with
retaining walls and proper foundations. And
we have to do it before the school year starts
at the beginning of March, so really as soon as
possible!
We were planning to do this in January 2009
with the possible help
of a team of firemen
from UK but they were
not free to come this
Jan, so it will be quite a
big job a bit like
building La Roca
church but without a
Peru Peru Earthquake Update Earthquake Update Margaret SaundersonMargaret Saunderson Peru Peru Earthquake Update Earthquake Update Margaret SaundersonMargaret Saunderson
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