7th Nov 2009

Dear Praying Friends

We hope you are all cheerful, and well in body and soul. Thank you for your prayers.

October was busy. We started our first Alpha course which is being attended by 2 men and a woman and we are hoping 2 more women who have expressed interest will join in. We have had 3 sessions so far. Please pray them into the Kingdom. "And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase".

Our dates this month are Tract distribution 8th, Men's Breakfast 14th, Children's Blessing Service 15th, Thanksgiving Meal 23rd, English Cafe 27th and Girls Fellowship 28th. The Children's Blessing Service is held on the same date as the 357 festival when children of those ages are taken to Shinto shrines and offerings made for them. In our service we pray for them, explain the 5th commandment and give the parents a good talking-to about bringing up their children in the Lord! More generally, please pray for the spiritual vitality of each member that they will really understand the gospel and live suitably.

Glenda also visited Christine in India who is now in the throes of GCSE exams which will continue on and off until June 2010.

Our home assignment dates have been provisionally decided as May 2010 to Feb 2011 - we would aim to spend the first 5-6 months in UK and the last 2-3 months in SA.

Thanks again!

Yours in the grace and grip of the Gospel

love from Rod and Glenda


PS Esther has asked us to append this paragraph for your prayers; we would only add God's guidance for her future after DTS.

I am doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM in Wollongong, Australia. It has been running for nearly 2 months now, and I feel like I have already learned so much about God, and gotten to know Him more personally too. This school has been a completely new and challenging experience and I'm sure it will become more and more like that as we get closer to the time of outreach, which is now 6 December. Our DTS of 19 people has been divided for outreach; one is going to Cambodia and the other Thailand. As the time for booking plane tickets is now approaching very fast, it would be wonderful if you could pray that God provides the appropriate finances for each and every person. I found out that I am going to Cambodia (which is where I genuinely feel called to go) and am extremely excited about it. Another girl and I are planning to make an illustrated gospel in Cambodian style art to try and reach the people who cannot speak English. Please pray that this works out well, and that God will provide the necessary resources. As most of you know, Cambodia is a country of a very oppressive and traumatic history, and many still suffer the effects of the landmines etc. We really want this outreach to be a success and for it to bring many Cambodians to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, so that they can find healing and belonging in Him. Please pray for God's guidance and wisdom in how we go about ministering to these people. Thanks for all your prayers!! God bless,
Esther