Mission Partner’s Prayer Bulletin

JUNE 2018
NEXT PRAYER MEETING:
**SUNDAY, 10TH JUNE** AT CHRIST CHURCH ST IVES, 1 COWAN RD **10.30-11.30AM** IN THE
PASTORAL CARE LOUNGE ROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR
The latest prayer letters from our Mission Partners are available on the Mission Board.

Matt & Samantha Archer (Verity, Ezekiel, Keziah, Imani & Joash)
Tanzania, CMS | msarcher@cms.org.au

 Pray that we would manage our time well. We are in the process of packing up the house, handing over
ministries and starting to think about the transition that awaits us. After 12 years it is a big job! One sad part was
farewelling our dog as we gave him to friends. Pray that we will finish well here in Bunda over the next 2½
months.
 We don’t know what God has in store for us next but we are thankful that He will let us know when the time is
right. Pray that we will be good stewards with the skills the Lord has given us.
 We fly out of Nairobi on the 21st August when our two months leave without pay from CMS will begin. This gives
us a chance to visit friends we made during our time in Bunda. We plan to be back in Australia at the beginning of
October and begin with CMS again early November. Pray for safe travel and smooth logistics.
 Pray for Matt as he hands over the BBMTC ministry team to the team he has been working with over the past 6
years. The building of the welding workshop and the second teacher’s house are close to finishing. Pray these
projects will be completed before we leave.
 Solomon has been doing a great job as Principal. Last week at the third board meeting, the Bishop announced the
Diocesan Development Officer (DDO), Simon Chiwanga, is to be the new Principal of BBMTC. He will continue as
the DDO and Principal of BBMTC based in Musoma. Solomon will continue as Vice Principal and oversee the day
to day running of the centre. Pray for Simon for wisdom and godly guidance as the Principal of BBMTC. Pray for
the students that they will continue to be diligent in their learning as they come towards the end of a long term.
 Pray that BBMTC will continue to have a strong focus on Bible teaching for years to come and that the aims of the
centre are reached. At a recent BBMTC board meeting there were discussions about whether the amount of
Bible lessons in the timetable should be reduced. Matt’s colleagues at the centre are convinced that Bible
teaching is a main subject at the centre and in line with one of the original purposes to start the centre – to
enable young men to have a good understanding of the Bible and who Jesus is to help them be godly leaders.
 Verity and Ezekiel are still loving RVA. This term has been the rugby season and both of them got to play some
rugby. Pray they will both finish well at RVA and will have good farewells and transitions. Keziah, Imani and Joash
have just had a week at RVA for a home school conference. Pray it was a good productive fun time despite cold,
wet weather.
 Imani had her 9th birthday with lots of friends at a nearby lodge with a swimming pool. It was also a farewell to
another family we have become good friends with as they return to Norway. Thanks for praying and thank you
for your generous support of CMS. We are eternally thankful for all supporters of CMS enabling lives to be
transformed and hearing about lasting hope - the aim of CMS.

Dave & Leonie Painter (Joshua & Grace)

Cambodia, CMS | trekcambodia@gmail.com

 We continue to give thanks for the opportunity to study at Moore College. This month Leoni will have mid-year
examinations and Dave will be handing in the first section of his thesis for marking.
 We pray for strength and perseverance of the teachers and students of Phnom Penh Bible School as they
continue their studies through the Cambodian hot season. We uphold the principal, Son Vuthy, as he continues
 to search for good evangelical lecturers for the new academic year beginning in October, so that the students
may receive as much effective, faithful teaching as possible.
 Pray for the nation of Cambodia as they approach the five-year elections near the end of the month. The last
independent newspaper was recently sold and is now giving far more favourable press to the government, and
now there is talk of all internet traffic being up for govt. scrutiny.
 Pray for good opportunities to meet up with friends and supporters over the mid-year break. We are inviting our
supporters to a prayer meeting followed by a barbecue at the place we are staying on Sunday 24th June
(praying from 3pm) - contact us on dlpainter@cms.org.au for more details.
 Pray for CMS as they continue to seek to raise sufficient funds for missionaries going out to serve around the
world - especially now as they seek to make their end of financial year budget.

Ian & Debbie Farr

Singapore, OMF | iandeb@omfmail.com

 The OMF International Centre here in Singapore is continuing to struggle to get visas for our workers from
overseas. We are currently in a long process of repeatedly filling out forms to explain why we don’t pay large
salaries and that we are a non-profit charity. We have seen God answer many prayers but visas are getting more
and more difficult to get. Please pray that the government department that we are working with would allow us
to continue to get the visas we need.
 On July 9, a key member of the finance team is expected to arrive in Singapore from 12 months Home Assignment
in Germany to resume his role as International Accounting Systems Manager. Please pray that his visa will be
granted.
 Praise God for a new Finance Manager who will support workers coming from countries where OMF does not
have an office. Richard Booth attended the recent Orientation Course here in Singapore and then stayed on for
another week for Finance Manager Training. Richard will be located in New Zealand. Please pray that God will
help him to settle quickly into his role.
 Our big news is that our friend Hydie is moving into the third bedroom of our flat (it has an ensuite bathroom).
We will be sharing the kitchen and living areas. Please pray that this arrangement will work out well.
 Filipino Fellowship’s 11th Anniversary was celebrated on May 20. Praise God for God’s faithfulness. Praise God
also for the way in which He is using Hydie to bring many new people into the Filipino Fellowship.
 Praise God for the Filipino Bible Study that meets on Friday nights in our home. We are currently studying
Romans. At Filipino Fellowship on Sundays we are studying Philippians. Please pray that God will help us to
understand His Word and put it into practice.
 The last Toddler Time for this term will be on Tuesday June 12. During the northern hemisphere summer vacation
(June – July), many of the employers travel or return home to their home countries with their kids. We don’t hold
Toddler Time during this time. However, on June 19, we will commence “Coffee and Bible” for domestic helpers
(10am – 12 noon). Hydie and I will be conducting "Christianity Explored" which is a short course from Mark's
gospel. It will be held every Tuesday starting on June 19 until July 24 for 6 weeks. Please pray for good attendance
and that God will bring many ladies into a saving relationship with Himself.
 There will be 23 adults and 23 children attending the next Orientation Course for new missionaries (June 28 – July
20, 2018) here at International Centre. Praise God that there are 9 full time Serve Asia Workers (SAW) plus
several local volunteers (including Hydie) who are available to help with KidZone part time. Four of the full time
short term workers are from the UK, the others are Swiss, German, American, Australian and 1 from HK). I will be
doing the airport pick-ups and orientation for the KidZone Workers starting from June 22. Please pray for good
health and strength. I will also be helping with KidZone itself with the kids aged between 6 – 11 and taking the
kids on outings. Please pray for Anke Capito (KidZone Co-ordinator) who will lead KidZone and that God will help
us all to communicate well with one another and the children that we are looking after.
Richard & Lisa Cho (Luca, Aidan, Sianna & Jordan)
Thailand, OMF | emailgocho@gmail.com

 Praise for God for the opportunity to reconnect with Jazz and other graduates of the James O Fraser Centre at the
Karen Youth Camp. Please pray that the plan for Rich to meet up with Jazz every 2 months to continue to mentor
him will come to fruition.
 Praise God for the training Rich led for the group that Winai organised, to go on a short-term mission trip to the
Isaan province. It was on how to build relationships with people who are not Christian.
 Praise God that Lisa was able to have significant conversations with 2 of our neighbours and Pong, the mother of
one of Jordan’s friends at school while interviewing them for her Thai language module.
 Praise God that we happened to find a new church plant meeting at a local park in Chiang Mai. Please pray for
wisdom whether we should start getting involved in this church plant or whether we should continue to look for
another more suitable church plant.
 Please pray for LIsa’s dad who suffered a stroke and is undergoing therapy and rehabilitation. His speech and
right side have been affected. Praise God that we will be able to see him while in Australia for a short holiday.
 Please pray for a short-term team from Ashfield Presbyterian Church (a supporting church), who will be helping at
the OMF Thailand conference (28 June – 1 July) and then coming to visit us from 1-5 July.
 Praise God the kids have completed their first year of school here in Chiang Mai. Please pray for wisdom as to
whether we should home school some of the children again, especially Jordan who has had some issues at school.
The new school year will start at the beginning of August.

John & Ruth Ridgway (Ranjini & Raja & Jessica)

Based in USA, Navigators | johnridgway2011@msn.com

 My father passed away on the 1st April and we raced back to Sydney to organize the funeral and everything went
well and we spent most of April in Sydney. Kindly praise the Lord for giving my father 99 good years, he was 6
weeks short of 100) and he was a fine Christian man and was married to my mother for 70 years and sought to
ensure that all the grandchildren got a good education.
 From the 3-7 June, John and Ruth will be in Phoenix spending time with Ruth's niece, Debbie who is close to being
in the kingdom. Pray for our conversations with her and that she can enter into His kingdom.
 John speaks at a family conference of about 100 people in California from 17-22 June on “Knowing God deeply
and letting His life touch others through our lives lived well”. Pray for John’s preparation and that every family will
be touched to know Him more and to make Him known.
 John is in the process of putting his booklet “Your Kingdom Come” on Amazon and there are now 5 translations
done. Pray for all the complexities to be completed in these next weeks.
 Kindly keep praying for good health for Ruth and John who were both hit with bad bouts of flu/virus/bug that
knocked us both out for about 3 weeks in May.

Stephen & Susan Rockwell (Matthew, Luke, Michael & Jonathon)

Cape Town, supported by Christ Church |srockwell@gwc.ac.za |
rockwellfam@gmail.com
 Steve has been very busy in the last month with presentations and preaching. Thanks for energy for him and pray
for continued energy as the month of June also promises to be very busy.
 Thanks for some rain that has fallen. Whilst it is not nearly enough, it was nice to get a little bit of rain and has
given us hope that maybe more will fall soon. The dams are still dangerously low, and this rain did not help them
at all, but the grass is not quite so crunchy under our feet anymore! Thanks to God for providing this rain, and
please pray that more will fall in the coming months.
 Steve is going to Jerusalem to GAFCON at the end of June. He is being sent as part of a delegation from GWC to
represent the college there. This year there will be the largest group of African Anglican leaders gathered ever! A
great opportunity to spread information about GWC. Please pray that this will be a fruitful trip.
 We have had some sickness in the house. Please pray for health and energy for Suse and the kids as we complete
the second half of this term.
George Whitefield College
Cape Town, South Africa | djweaver@gwc.ac.za

 Lectures have ended and exams begin on the 4th June. Please bring all the students before the Lord as they write
their exams; especially those first year students who are new at tertiary level exam writing and those not writing
in their first language.
 After exams, from 17th – 24th June, students undertake an intensive week of ministry in various Churches. Ask
the Lord to bless the students and use ministry week to spread the gospel.
 GWC faculty will be completing their first semester assessments of students in June. Please pray that he will give
wisdom as they mark a large volume of exam papers in a very short space of time. Pray for their health and
strength as they complete a very busy first semester. Ask the Lord to grant them a restful holiday period.
 Pray also for all Explore students who are writing exams in June. Pray that their understanding of God will grow
as they prepare. Give thanks for the Explore facilitation training conducted by Mark Dickson at Umlazi, Durban
at St. John’s church in mid-May. Pray for new facilitators to start Explore groups through this training.
 Praise the Lord for funding from the Bible Society towards GWC’s distribution of Bibles and Explore material.
Pray for the team of Explore translators as they assist with the translation and editing process of Explore
material.
 Thank God for His provision thus far for building the Hope Centre. Please pray that the Lord will raise up donors
for the final R4 million needed to complete the project. will be completed in July and the interior needs to be
fitted out.
 There will be a GWC delegation comprising Mark Dickson, Alison Lee, Steve Rockwell, John Child and Phumenzo
Masango, attending the GAFCON conference in Jerusalem from 17th – 22nd June. Please pray that through this
conference Christ’s global church will be strengthened with solid Biblical foundations.

Chester Hill Anglican Church Paul & Beth Webb & Nate & Jen Cheung
South-West Sydney | pawebb83@gmail.com, narfan@gmail.com

 Praise God for a wonderful new opportunity at Chester Hill High School!! For the first time ever, the Principal has
agreed to help us with both Scripture (yrs 7-9) and a lunch time Christian group (mostly senior students). John
Pement will lead the lunch time group and is our new Youth leader. He gave up a secure fulltime job to work
three days a week for our Church. The first week there were 3 kids and the next week there were 15 voluntarily
coming along at lunch to think through some big questions about Jesus. Give thanks their enthusiasm to learn
and pray that God will be working in their hearts to bring them to be able to freely ask their questions and find
their true hope in Jesus. Pray that God will continue to bring more youth to Himself and transform their lives as
they meet Jesus.
 Give thanks for the wonderful partnership with people around Sydney (including some at CCSI) who have
provided blankets for some of our refugee contacts. It has been a very practical way to show God’s love and has
led to many conversations about why we love them – because God loves them. Pray in particular for one Iraqi
man who has been reading the Bible with someone at church and was especially touched by Jesus’ sacrifice while
reading Isaiah 53.
 Give thanks for the Filipino ladies we mentioned last time. Last time at Bible study, they had questions about
grace and so the group spent the Bible study just thinking through the issue. They have been enthusiastic to
learn and have even invited two other Filipino Catholic ladies to church so they can learn from the Bible too!
 Pray for wisdom, faithfulness and clarity as we think through our church’s vision and strategy over the next
month and think about how to communicate it so that the whole church will be excited to join in.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He
will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and
increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those
who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31.