31st March, 2009

CONTROVERSY OF THE MONTH
IS FOREIGN AID HURTING AFRICA?

Dambisa Moyo writing in the prestigious Wall Street Journal says that $50 billion of international assistance goes to Africa each year yet evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that this aid has made the poor poorer, and the growth slower leaving African countries more debt-laden, more inflation-prone, more vulnerable to the currency markets and more unattractive to higher-quality investment. It's increased the risk of civil conflict and unrest. Moyo says that aid is an unmitigated political, economic and humanitarian disaster so it should be cut off and alternatives introduced. Read Foreign Aid Is Hurting Africa. Do you agree ?




30th March, 2009

COMMENTS
IS FOREIGN AID HURTING AFRICA?

This article shows the glaring stealing of international aid funds. Greed prevails. What is needed is a tidal wave of micro-enterprise development funds for trustworthy people.
Dr.Kevin Dyson, Australia.

There is no doubt from our mailbag that Africa is addicted to aid. Most people write for hand-outs instead of hand-up's into long-term solutions through work.
Les Norman, The DCI Fund, UK.

Our partner in Malawi Moses Aringo says that the DCI micro-enterprise scheme there has been a great blessing to many but many more are coming to ask for assistance. Typically, Miriam, a widow who is sick with AIDS victim borrowed 12000 shillings to start a charcoal business and has repaid 4000 so far. A Mrs Madise sells eggs with a loan of 15000 shillings and the income is a great help to her family. And Moses report tells of many more poor families now prospering.

In northern Uganda George Purkweri tells the story of one widow who borrowed just one chicken from the DCI Chicken Bank. From that one chicken she now has 18 hens laying eggs and this pays the school fees for her family.




29th March, 2009 

HOW NORMAL ARE YOU ?

"During a visit an asylum, I asked the director: "How do you determine whether or not a patient should be kept in?" "Well," said the director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub." "OK, I understand," I said. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup." "No." said the director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?" With thanks to our friend John Clements for making us laugh. Do it again John.




28th March, 2009



HOW CAN I JOIN THE DCI FELLOWSHIP ?

We have no formalities or registration process because we are not an institution, more of a fellowship based on following Jesus and His call. You are simply welcome, and we have a special page to help you make a start. We are a group of like-minded men and women working together all around the world, supporting each other's vision to reach the lost, the last and the least. We like the small group principle of Acts 13.1-4 which leads into worship, prayer, being open to the Holy Spirit and sending people out to be a blessing. The way forward is to begin talking to us and working with us which will lead in time to a friendship and then you can share your resources of men, money and materials with others and they can share what they have with you.




27th March, 2009



THE MONEY FORUM

The falling value of the pound and the dollar is significantly reducing the value of gifts sent overseas. In Japan, the £1 they had a year ago is only worth 62p this month, the equivalent of a 38% pay cut! If you are supporting people in mission, they will probably never say anything so why not ask how they are doing ?

26th March, 2009

CUBAN UNKNOWINGLY WALKS
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GEORGE MULLER

In the 18th century it is recorded of George Muller that without making his wants known to any man, but to God alone, he cared for thousands of British orphans. This week I asked our young friend Ranledis in Cuba how he was managing with his crowd of neglected children and elderly people. He replied that funds are always at zero for buying food and only by faith in God do they proceed. Typically last Sunday the cook arrived to find the cupboard empty, so she and Ranledis turned to prayer and waited. Within 15 minutes a man came with some money. Click to see more photos. To join us in supporting Ranledis click here.




25th March, 2009



DID ANYONE DESIGN THE UNIVERSE ?

Pastoral advisor John Lennox MA, MA (Bioethics), PhD., DPhil, DSc, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science, lectures on Science and Religion and has been in public debate on the Design of the Universe with famous atheist Richard Dawkins. Engage brain and follow the riveting trail (in English) on You Tube.  I saw the full brilliant DVD from Amazon and even felt a twinge of sympathy for Dawkins under the withering arguments of believer Lennox. Every School of Mission should buy a copy.

24th March, 2009

THEY PLAN TO TURN
SOUTH PACIFIC UPSIDE DOWN

Writing from Fiji Marion Male is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Christian Training Centre in Labasa. Marion says that she has never forgotten how the first money for her work came from the DCI Fund. Now ten years later God has really blessed NCTC and the students go out to many villages.Marion says that the training centre has taken shape from nothing to where they are now and these Fijian guys intend to turn the South Pacific upside down for Jesus. Congratulations Marion, it is great to hear from you.




23rd March, 2009

THE WORLD'S NOTICE BOARD

BBC Africa has these top tips on how to succeed in business from Africa's entrepreneurs, great reading for all of the DCI Banking for the Poor clients.

Patrick O'Connor writes to say a big thank you because after 16 years in Honduras he is now going to India and will be teaching the free DCI School of Mission studies there.




22nd March, 2009

THE LEADER'S
REFLECTION

Sometimes it's wise to wait, to say, 'I don't have the answer right now but I'll think about it, pray, and get back to you.' Your own need to rescue someone, or impress them and make yourself look good may come back to bite you. Allow wisdom not your ego to determine your response. When people are anxious for answers they'll pressure you into speaking before you have all the facts or have taken time to pray and consider the situation. If you ask Him, God will tell you what to say, when to say it and what to do, if it is you that He wants to use. Your mind says, 'Don't just stand there, say something,' but wisdom says, 'Don't just say something, stand there!' And quietly ask God for insight because one word from Him can settle things in a hurry. Someone else's need for an answer, and now - should not determine your need to provide one - now! Adapted from Bob Gass, The Word For Today




21st March, 2009








ONE MAN
IN A MILLION FOUND

In the Amazon of Peru you will find the Huambisa tribe, one of the world's unreached peoples, still largely unable to read or to write.  About two years ago our partner in Peru, Rolando Canazas, lived amongst the Huambisa for a while trying to share the love of God but like everyone else met with huge communication problems. Then Roland met Henry, a young Huambisa man who later chose to follow Christ. Henry has excelled through two years of education and language learning and this week he began specialist linguistic studies with CILTA, a Wycliffe/SIL Institute in Lima. Henry's passion is to return to his own Huambisa people with education, the gospel and to open free Schools of Mission in their own language. We consider it an honour to help sponsor this one man in a million for these university-level studies that will bless a entire people group.




20th March, 2009






COMPELLING PHOTOS
FROM BURKINA FASO

Click here to see three pages of photos that will touch your heart. It's the EMSI Mission to Burkina Faso that brought free medical care to thousands of penniless villagers and prisoners. The story is in Spanish, the photos speak for themselves.




19th March, 2009

READERS BUY NEW MOTORBIKE FOR UGANDA

Our readers got together to buy a new motorbike for the 32 Churches for the Poor that George Purkweri has opened last year in northern Uganda.  Click here to see some of the leaders who will share the motorbike to visit the different village meetings. Thousands of thanks to everyone.





ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

Did you hear that John Wimber, the musician, author and founder of the Vineyard Churches said that people know how sincere your worship is by your Words, your Walk, your Works and your Wallet.  That's scandalous, but it's true!




18th March, 2009





COMPASSION CARE'S PARTY
FOR POOR CHILDREN IN INDIA

To see lots and lots more photos like these please click here. Well done Doctors Cat and Mary, we are proud to be your friends and supporters.




17th March, 2009

AMAZING £58,000,000 FOR WORLD'S POOR
RAISED BY BBC RED NOSE DAY

The BBC annual Red Nose Day in the UK raised an incredible £58,000,000 (US$82,000,000) from the British public for Comic Relief's work amongst the poor of the UK and overseas including funds for 1,000,000 mosquito nets for Africa where one child dies every 30 seconds from malaria. To see if you can apply for a grant click here. Congratulations to Britain's comedians and stars.




16th March, 2009
 



THE DRIPPING TAP

Last night I didn't turn off the tap in kitchen properly and it dripped all night.  I could hear it from my bed but I was tired, and what difference does one tiny drop of water make anyway? This morning I found the kitchen sink full and overflowing and suddenly as I looked I understood how all the hundreds of little things that I do every day and every week make sense. You see, a life marked by brilliant activity and lived in the public eye is not necessarily a perfect life, or a successful or fulfilled life. On the contrary a life that consists of a thousand and one small activities and lived in the shadows can lead to fullness, holiness and can radiate beauty to the ends of the earth. Drip, drip, drip and keep dripping. The desert of this world is slowly beginning to blossom and bear fruit as all of our drips, day and night, come together and overflow north, south , east and west as living waters of hope, faith and compassion for the lost, the last and the least.




15th March, 2009

THE INFORMATION DESK

For everyone looking for Bible stories for children in Spanish Horizontes have over 300 hundred on display, according our friend Virgilio Zaballos in Spain who says his son Daniel thinks they are all marvellous.

14th March, 2009

SPIRIT WORSHIPPING KRAHNS
ASK TO BE TOLD MORE

Our partner in Liberia John Duco, tells us that the Krahns in Ivory Coast and Liberia trade together and have a ancient common interest in the worship of gods and evil spirits of all sorts. For years they have made life very difficult for visiting pastors. Knowing this, but having two Krahns with him in the team, and after a lot of prayer, John went to Grand-Gedeh in Krahn land. He tells us that 12 villages took them in and being a meticulous record-keeper John says that 2,347 people listened carefully to the team's gospel message. In the end 48 adults decided to follow Christ and amazingly about 1,741 people asked the team to come back and tell them more about Jesus.




13th March, 2009

CAN YOU HELP US WITH TRANSLATION ?

These unique pages have thousands of readers in every country in Africa and South America as well as the English speaking world. We would like to bring out editions in Korean, Japanese and later in Khmer and Thai. And we also need help with Russian and Italian.  Would you come and join our team of volunteers to translate into these languages or help us with making the web pages? Please say yes and e-mail Yoppi Margianto in Indonesia or Les Norman in the UK.




12th March, 2009

THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH
FREE SCHOOLS OF MISSION IN PERU

In Peru our partner Rolando Canazas has now recovered from the awful dengue fever that he caught in the Amazon and celebrated his return to life by opening a 3rd free School of Mission in Picapiedras with our friend from Lima, Juan Ballesteros. Afterwards Rolando did a presentation of the School of Mission concept in Huancayo, and now plans to open a 4th School there, with a 5th in Tingo Maria and a 6th in Huaraz by the middle of 2009. This is exciting stuff, we have been looking forward to days like these for 25 years!  Click here or on the photo to see Rolando, Juan and their friends in Peru.





12th March, 2009

THE WORLD'S NOTICE BOARD

The UK Langham Partnership provides scholarships for theological Ph.D. studies, study books in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese for pastors, students and Bible School libraries and helps with the costs of translation and publishing.

Schools and charities in the UK can buy a PC, with keyboard, screen and software for just £99 delivered. People overseas can ask the Oasis Charity if they can help them. Thanks to Jonathan Grimes for this brilliant offer.

For everyone interested in Sudan and Darfur Sudan Support Network has a new website which will keep you up to date by people who know what is happening.

10th March, 2009

   



TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE
IN BURKINA FASO ACCIDENT

Our partner John Clements has worked closely with Pastor David Zopoula in Burkina Faso for more than ten years. John is heartbroken today and we are all shocked to learn that David lost his life last week in a road accident. John writes, "David was a star which shone and burned brightly in the universe. When he laughed and joked, he lit up the room. When he spoke, his experience and integrity lent an authority that engaged and exhorted the best from within those who partnered with him. Loved by all who knew him, David was an inspirational pastor and apostolic Christian leader, a warm, dedicated husband and father and one of the best men you could know. The work he authored and began in Burkina will now outlive him. He died pursuing the vocational work that he lived for: establishing discipleship communities of Christ and encouraging them to live lives radically devoted to Jesus and his commission. To me he was amongst my finest and closest of friends and I loved him dearly. His life changed me and I will live the rest of my life in the radiance of his burning light." Our sincere condolences go to David's family, his churches and to John and Sarah.




9th March, 2009

A LONG WALK IN MYANMAR

Our partner in Myanmar, whom we dare not name for his safety asks us to remember him as he and a small team quietly take a 36 hour bus journey followed by a six hours trek foot to visit 3 remote villages in former Burma, where the message of God's love in Jesus has not yet been explained.

8th March, 2009

Micro-credit banks

UGANDA MICRO-CREDIT CLIENTS DANCE IN STREET

Click the image with your mouse to see a larger display of the micro-credit banks funded by Triodos Bank or see our own Banking for the Poor page. Our own DCI funded micro-credit scheme in Liberia has now funded 79 family heads, women and men, who care for 592 of Monrovia's neediest people. They were loaned $85 to $166 and now have profits of between $150 and $450.00. They send their thanks to everyone in DCI who brought them relief from extreme poverty. In Uganda, people in Aduku say that DCI Banking for the Poor is empowering the neglected and giving hope where there is no hope. Our partner George was met with joy and dancing in the street when he visited the 202 men and women in Aduku who are successfully repaying their micro-loans.

7th March, 2009

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN HAITI

Click here or on the image to see our partner Johnny Auguste in Les Cayes, Haiti who is opening new mission centres, opening free Schools of Missions, bringing hope to young people, and doing seminars with the help of the United Nations in Haiti, the poorest nation in the western world.




6th March, 2009

CUBA FENCE GOES UP

This is Ranledis, our partner in Cuba, putting up a new security fence partly sponsored by his friends here in DCI. Ranledis and Maria recently exchanged their town home for some wild land to accommodate all the people deciding to follow Jesus in Camaguey.  Click here to see the fence and here to see the people.

5th March, 2009


FIRST TIME EVER
DOING CHURCH BOOK IN URDU

Our partner in Pakistan, Sarwar Masih writes with the exciting news that Alexander Venter's book,  'Doing Church,' a title that we sent to all our partners last year has now been published by Sarwar in Urdu, with the permission of Vineyard Ministries. Sarwar is suprised to have many pastors, church leaders, Bible teachers and evangelists writing in to say how very happy they are to have this book.  Right now Sarwar is in Quetta on the Afghan border, 1,600 miles from home to visit the free DCI School of Mission students and leaders there.




4th March, 2009

THE WORLD'S NOTICE BOARD

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Luciano Gomes invites you to his new School of Mission.

From Senegal, West Africa Komi E Akakpo writes to say that his Apostolic Mission is starting a School of Mission as well. 

In Locust Grove, VA, USA Adam Colson at Lake of the Woods Church also has a well-equipped training school for young people using many of our DCI materials.

3rd March, 2009



INDONESIA SENDS TO MALAYSIA AND KAMPUCHEA

Two families from an Indonesian gathering of Christians who we shall not name for security reasons are leaving for even more difficult places for believers in Asia: Malaysia and Cambodia. Our partner in Indonesia went to the sending off meeting and said that was very touching, emotional, full of tears, vision and prayer. We are inspired by the courage of these four men and women and wish them God's very best. We have hopes of opening a base in KL, Malaysia in the next month to serve the people there, and we invite enquiries.




2nd March, 2009



STILL WINTER FOR BELIEVERS IN BELARUS

Eastern European experts Forum 18 News reports that two Danish visitors to Belarus were videod on a mobile phone by the KGB Secret Police, then arrested and deported because they were praying, reading, speaking from the Bible, greeting people and praying together in the congregation of Living Faith Church, which makes thirty-one foreign visitors who have been arrested in recent years.

1st March, 2009

MEETING UNDER BIG TREE
FOR 375 PEOPLE

Our partner in Monrovia John Duco, left Monrovia with a team of seven for a long trip to Mah-Diaplay in distant, rural Liberia.  No sooner than they arrived they met with the town chief and his traditional and legal elders and gained their permission to visit homes, towns and villages in the district to explain God's love to the people. In the end 1,270 people heard the Gospel, 73 men and women decided to follow Jesus, another 275 remembered the story from days gone by and rededicated their lives to Jesus, and seven places were appointed where the new believers will see each other for prayer and Bible study. Best of all, John says, was that a first worship service was held under a big tree and over 375 excited people attended, and stayed for 2 hours.
 

Click here to send in your news or question

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SOME OF OUR PHOTOS?

Click to see our Picassa Albums from around the world.
Choose one and then click Slideshow to see the display.

Click here for Schools of Mission around the world
Click here for Banking for the Poor projects
Click here for projects to help orphans and the poor
Click here to see some of the people in the DCI family
Les and Pilar

Who are we ?

Click here to see our Vision and Values statement.
Click here to see an illustration of what we do, more or less.
Click here to see our statement of faith

Click here (soon) to see the Wikipedia article on our work, reserached and written independently of ourselves as part of academic studies for the prestigious Fuller Seminary in the USA.


HOW YOU CAN HELP US
How to join us?
Click here for a special page

ABOUT THE EDITORS

Les Norman is a writer, an editor and the publisher of these pages that call attention to the lost, the last and the least of the world. Since 1977 he has been following the call of Christ. He is married to Pilar and they have three children.

Find out more here