Outreach by the Roadside

This correspondence from Rev Arlindo Marcal probably doesn’t need any explanation with it – but I can’t help wondering what it would be like in Australia if gospel literature was so easily distributed and so readily accepted.

I was travelling from Dili to Maliana yesterday. On the way we passed through some Mambae subdistricts such as Hatolia.  I had three boxes of ‘Miguel’ book in my car.

We met many kids along the road and decided to distribute the books. We were able to distribute all three boxes. Kids liked it - when they saw us, they immediately ran to the car for the book. What they liked most was, as we explained to them, that the book has Mambae and English.

May God bless our project.           

                                  

Every child, I so strongly believe, deserves to read books is his own mother tongue – even more so the greatest book of all – the Bible! Please continue to pray for the translation of the Bible into the Tetun language and to also pray for opportunities in the future that the Bible can also be translated into Mambae. Pray for the Mambae-speaking people of Timor-Leste, that they may have a real thirst for the knowledge of God.

(PS - I've included some Wikipedia links for those of you who want to improve your knowledge of Timorese geography)

The Daughters of Joanna and Susanna

And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

Luke 8:3

The foreign mission movement, for a long time, was heavily supported by women. In small groups, at least around the English-speaking world, women would come together to pray and raise funds for missionaries spreading the gospel across the globe. They would give of their time, their money and their energy for His work. They were the Daughters of Joanna and Susanna.

They are still around today.

Raising funds by producing and selling
 a cookbook was once very popular

I have met them - a lot of them. Sadly, they are often undervalued in too many churches. They work quietly with what they have. Sometimes they give of their time and their knitting wool. Sometimes they bake cakes. They write letters to people serving overseas. They sent cheques. Many of them are old, have raise families and have served the Lord for decades. But they would never think of retiring from that service.

One faithful woman I know creates greeting cards and gives the proceeds to the work of the gospel overseas. Another woman makes handmade soap for His work. They are the Daughters of Joanna and Susanna. I thank God wholeheartedly for them.

Do you know any Daughters of Joanna and Susanna? Can you share their stories?

Gathered to his People

Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.       Genesis 25: 8

For those of us who have been following the blog diary of Pastor Douglas Duncan, witnessing his struggle with cancer and his inspiring faith, following his journey, reading his poems, we rejoice that he has now been 'gathered to his people' too. There is great sorrow in death but when a godly man dies, there is also rejoicing. His son has added a final entry to Doug's Diary pointing out the glorious news that Doug is now at the wedding banquet of the Lamb! How good is that!!

I knew Doug when he was living and working in Tasmania. He was, among many, many other things, captaining the Boys' Brigade.

My prayers and thoughts go out to his family.