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March 2003
Praise items:
Praise for the safety of our youngest daughter, Sara, and David
Treece, who returned from Thailand before their town in Central
Asia was devastated by the worst earthquake they have had since
1949. About 1,000 homes and schools were flattened, over 4,000
injured and at least 250 died in the catastrophe. Pray that they
will find hearts open to the Lord in a deeper way due to this
tragedy.
Sara writes:
I'm afraid the information you received, though comforting,
wasn't right. We returned from Thailand on the Thursday night
before the earthquake and classes began that Monday when the
biggest one hit. We were on our way upstairs to class, rushing
because we were late, and we didn't even feel it! But when we
got to the fifth-floor classrooms the lights were still swaying
and everyone was exclaiming about it. There have been plenty
of aftershocks, at least 5 over 4.6 and we've felt many of those.
There hasn't been any damage in our area. The epicenter was
about 65 miles from here in the desert, but nearby villages
and farmhouses were leveled as the mud-brick homes there are
made from sandy soil, which is less stable than clay. This caused
the deaths and injuries you hear about. Many people also were
burned as they have coal fires in their homes this time of year.
It wasn't a populated center, but rather a rural area or damage
could have been much worse.
We hear from some who have visited the area that the army has
done a very good job at providing basic needs and has set up
tents for the homeless. Local work units have also been taxed
to pay for this. The basic emergency needs are being met fairly
well but the long-term help to get restarted may be where we
can do most. Many injured people have been brought to the hospitals
here so that they are overflowing.
What an opportunity this is for us to reach out to people.
One thing that is at our fingertips is visiting the people who
have been brought to the local hospitals. There are so many
that have been paralyzed and many don't have relatives nearby
and have lost everything. Please pray about how we can best
use this opportunity. We are meeting as a group tomorrow evening
(March 7) to discuss what we can/will do. We've been contacted
by a relief organization that may want us and others to work
with them as translators. Reconstruction work could go on for
a long time.
Thanks to many of you who expressed concern about Sara and David
in the midst of this emergency, though we understand it wasn't
covered much in the news in the United States. God has been so
good to provide protection many times over!
Praise for an encouraging meeting with four of our former Meghwal
evangelists, Daud, Lazar, Kevel, and Haima. Fred had prepared
a Bible study with discussion questions about the future of the
work. He never had an opportunity to present them because the
four men were so eager to share what God was teaching them and
the new ideas for ministry He was giving them. Haima said several
times, "What we really need is the fullness of the Holy Spirit."
How true for us all!
Praise that at their suggestion a teachers training mini-course
is being held this week to prepare four of the most educated young
leaders to teach Open Theological Seminary courses to lay people
in their areas. Pray this will bear fruit in new small Bible study
groups that can meet more often and reach more people. This is
one of the things God is "working together for good"
out of the closing of the New Life Center.
Praise that two young literacy teachers, Daniel and Ayoub, while
voluntarily carrying on literacy classes, are privately preparing
to take exams to earn high school diplomas. The brothers, Haima
and Keval, are privately working toward a college degree in addition
to carrying on their evangelistic outreach.
Praise that the Worldwide Ministries Division of the PC(USA)
has designated an Extra Commitment Offering account to which funds
can be sent for ministry among the Meghwals here in Pakistan.
Contributions from individuals may be sent to: Central Receiving
Service, Section 300, Louisville, KY 40289. Write the title ("Spreading
Good News Among Meghwals") and the ECO number on the subject
line (ECO #040075) of the check and put it on your cover letter,
too. Send a copy of the cover letter to the Office of International
Evangelism at 100 Witherspoon St. Louisville, KY 40202-1396. If
a church is donating, the instructions ar ethe same—and
this is very important—except that it is Section 590.
Continue to pray for the McBane's support to be provided and
a new visa issued so that they can return to Pakistan as soon
as possible. If you need more information about this, please contact
George and Gail at (479) 524-0932 or gailgeo@hotmail.com.
Praise for the coming of Nicky's brother, Symen Van Leeuwen,
to spend five weeks in TMK where Dale and Nicky worked. We joined
him for his first week there and were able to visit villages each
night. He is a real Barnabas, "Son of Encouragement,"
and did much to lift our spirits and those of the families living
on the Pandivah Plot. After others share God's word in each worship
service, he leads in a time of prayer for the sick. Praise that
often we learn of healings several days later. Praise that tensions
between workers were eased as we met face-to-face and talked them
over. Pray for continued unity and harmony among them. Pray for
Symen as he continues this ministry for four more weeks before
returning to his job as a fireman in Brisbane, Australia.
Praise for Andy, a 19-year-old, enthusiastic, musical young man
from England who was born in Nepal. He has joined Paul and Pat=s
household to help home-school Elisha (13), Ashley (11), and Joel
(7). All are delighted.
Prayer items:
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
Right now we feel we and the McBanes are learning lessons in
"waiting on the Lord." It is far more satisfying to
be doing something, but He seems to be indicating the need to
wait and trust Him for the future. Praise that any plan to sell
the New Life Center seems to have been thwarted. Protests about
closing it have resulted in pressure on the ARP's to open it again,
at least with a nominal staff. Rumors abound and it is difficult
to discover the truth. Pray for the plans being made for its future
use, that the Meghwals will not be antagonized by how things are
done. Pray for the right staff to be chosen, that they will have
a teachable and humble spirit and treat the Meghwal workers with
respect.
Pray for any workers who are approached to join this new effort,
that they will discern the Lord's will for their future and not
be hurt or dishonored. We are quite certain that neither the McBanes
nor the Stocks are included in the plans. But God is in control.
In the meantime we are planning several small group meetings
to be held in the local church. Praise for their cooperative and
helpful attitude. Pray for the following programs planned for
March.
- March 4-6: Training for young educated men to teach Open Theological
Seminary courses in the villages.
- March 6-8: Timothy group. Four young men (Haima, Kevel, Rattan,
and Muradu) doing advanced study will complete the fifth workbook
on Matthew. Daniel and Ayoub will be doing a Bible survey course.
Daniel's wife died in December. Pray for him as he fathers two
small boys and is trying to further his education, as well as
dealing with his deep sorrow and loss.
- March 13-15: A retreat for Marwari Meghwals who are preparing
for baptism. We expect about 12-15, which will tax the accommodation
space at the local church. Pray for real heart response.
- March 17-19: The Saraiki Meghwal retreat for those preparing
for baptism has been postponed until early April because of
weddings.
- March 25-29: Fred will be helping to teach a residential Open
Theological Seminary course at the church. This will be attended
by people of various churches and tribes, including some Meghwals.
We know you are all praying with us that war with Iraq will not
break out this month, but some diplomatic solution can be found.
We have had many assurances of your prayers for us as this crisis
looms. No place on earth is safe except as God protects. Pray
especially for Christians in Muslim lands including Iraq. They
are very vulnerable to attack.
Your faithfulness in prayer is such an encouragement to us at
this time of tension and transition.
Many Thanks!
Fred and Margie Stock
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 162
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