30th June, 2009

SOMETIMES IT'S THE SHEEP
THAT SEEK THE LOST SHEPHERD

Dear pastor, our beloved shepherd, we don't really know what to say when our friends see you going into the Internet shop every day to look for money from all over the world. We always hoped that your first calling would be to us not to the building project, the board meeting or the budget. Once you told us that Jesus, the good shepherd said, "Feed my sheep and care for my lambs." We like that. It bothers us when we see you so anxious on Saturday because you don't have any food for us on Sunday and so little time on Monday, or Tuesday. Even sheep know that you will feel better if you spend more time with God and less time with Google. So how about a little more feeding and a little less worry about funding ? Luxuries we can live without, but we can't live without your love. Come and see how we are doing, call us by name, and always feel free to leave us to search for a lost sheep rather than a lost e-mail. 

From Proverbs 27, 22-24 and John 10.2



More articles like this, ready made for your magazine or bulletin,
and all free of charge, here in The DCI Collection.





29th June, 2009


THE WORLD'S
NOTICE BOARD

In Kenya I personally saw the burning alive of five elderly men and women accused of being witches. Full BBC report here.

Pastor Billiance Chondwe in Lusaka, Zambia is asking for volunteers especially to teach children from baby class to grade seven at the church school.

The free DCI School of Mission is now available in the Luo language for East Africa.





28th June, 2009
 

AFTER SERIOUS ILLNESS
MELODIE, 17, IS HOME

After many long days of waiting John Duco in Paynesville, Liberia is very happy that Melodie, his 17 year old daughter has left hospital. Melodie had the worst kind of malaria and hepatitis at the same time which turned her body green. For days there was no diagnosis or treatment until Melodie was moved through floods and pouring rain to a German clinic where for $15 a day they nursed her back to health. We thank God for answered prayer and breathe a sigh of relief.




27th June, 2009
 


THE MONEY FORUM

In Genesis 22 when Abram and Isaac were walking up one side of the mountain with heavy hearts, at the same time on the other side of the same mountain and completely out of sight, the Lord was also making the ascent. He was leading a ram which he tied to some bushes at the top because he got there first, as he always does. The ram was left in position ready to meet the need of Abram and Isaac who arrived a little later on. But as they walked upwards expecting the worst they did not know that out of sight their need was already met. They could not see God's provision until the critical moment when the angel of the Lord called out to them and showed them where to look. Then they discovered that their need was met, and it always had been. And as yours will be also. In Matthew 26:32 Jesus said, "After I have risen, I will go ahead of you." In order to keep this promise to his followers Jesus had to pass through crucifixion, death, hell, rise from the dead and move a ton of stone from the empty tomb, so do you imagine that anything today can stop him being there for you ?
More in the Money Forum






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OUR READER'S PHOTOS ?

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26th June, 2009
 

DON'T MISS THESE FREE
CHILDREN'S LESSONS AND STORIES 

Wycliffe Children's Team have a 12 brilliant interactive lessons with a teacher's manual here and here in Spanish, and a Children's Prayer Journey for Unreached Peoples here and here in Spanish. For even more really excellent children's materials in Spanish only click here




25th June, 2009
 




THE LAST RITES
AND WRONGS OF PATRICK

Irishman Patrick O'Ryan, was a well known handsome reprobate, embezzler, womaniser and much more. One fateful day one of his victims finally caught up with him and Patrick lay on his death bed. The village priest hurried to him, saying with urgency, "Now Paddy, will you renounce the devil and all his evil ways?"  Paddy found the strength to open one eye and replied, " No, Father, I will not. This is no time for me to be making influential enemies."




24th June, 2009  
THE DAY GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK IN LUO

Thank you to Martin for sending £100 to The DCI Fund to buy Bibles for people who can never afford God's word in their own language. Click here to see what happened when Bibles in the Luo language reached these villagers in Uganda. The DCI Free School of Mission lessons are now also available in Luo.




23rd June, 2009



ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

It was Henri Nouwen who said that we learn to love by choosing to take small steps of love every time there is an opportunity. A smile, a handshake, a word of encouragement, a phone call, a card, an embrace, a kind greeting, a gesture of support, a moment of attention, a helping hand, a gift, a financial contribution, a visit - all these are little steps toward love. Each step is like a candle burning in the night. It does not take the darkness away, but it guides us through the darkness. When we look back after taking many small steps of love, we will see a trail of candle flames showing where we have been and discover that we have already made a long and beautiful journey. To love is to think, speak, and act according to the certain knowledge that we are infinitely loved by God and in turn we are called to make that love visible in this world lighting one 'candle' at a time. Today will certainly bring us many opportunities.



Click here for our free collection of  short articles like this one, ready made to put in your church bulletin or magazine.





22nd June, 2009

19th June, 2009

18th June, 2009


WITH OIL, GOLD AND GEMS
WHY YEMEN IS IN WORLD'S BOTTOM FIVE

Life is slow here and backward although we are surrounded by modern nations. Why is this ? The answer is in one word, Qat. The people all chew Qat, old people pregnant women, children, everybody. It's a leaf that came from Ethiopia 25 years ago. Even our world famous coffee plantations are now Qat fields. Our shops open at 8 for three hours, then again at 4 for one hour and the rest of the time people sit in groups with cheeks like balloons, chewing Qat. It makes them hallucinate and they can't understand you. For all of our oil, gold and precious stones we are the 4th poorest country in world, women are not allowed to work, we have a war going on and at least 40% of our people are illiterate. May God send his mercy to Yemen and help those of us here who are giving education and medicines especially to Ethiopians who are treated as third class people. We have removed the writer's name for his own safety.
Click here to see the photos 

FROM THE EDITOR

This is a rare view of Yemen from the inside, a country that most people know nothing about yet it is one of the world's most unreached places, a place where every foreigner's life is in constant danger as evidenced by last week's kidnap of nine men, women and children. Of these, two Bible school nurses from Germany and a Korean lady teacher have already been tortured and shot dead. There is $275,000 reward on offer in Yemen for information.

17th June, 2009



THIS IS MY STORY

I am Maritza Hernandez, 51 years old from Choluteca, Honduras. It's a lovely corner of the world because this is where I met Jesus who saved me and is now waiting for you to open your heart to Him and be filled with his love. He will show you the way to go and give you eternal life. There is no-one like my Lord, He has filled my life with His glory and He is faithful.

Send in your story




16th June, 2009

BEGINNING OF THE END
OF 50 KILOMETRE WALKS TO SEE A DOCTOR

This week sees the foundations being laid for Michael Singini's new clinic in Mbuzi Mzumala, Malawi a DCI Fund project to end the 100 kilometre round trips on foot to see a nurse. See 16 May news. Michael e-mailed to say, "I am extremely over the moon. This is my dream coming true for the suffering people in my area. I will die cherishing this golden and wonderful miracle." The photo shows one of six piles of hand made bricks. Click here to see more photos

BIG FLOODS AGAIN IN LIBERIA

Our partner John Duco reports five feet of water and a lot of cold, miserable and homeless poor people around his church in Omega Tower, Monrovia. Photos



15th June, 2009

PIG FLU FEAR
CANCELS ZAMBIA PROJECT

Moses Aringo our partner in Malawi writes to say that his School of Mission in Mzuzu has 15 students, all doing well and so is the Bank for the Poor and the Mzuzu Church, but the students who are in the Zambia School of Mission want to change their pig farm project for goats because they are frightened of the swine flu pandemic, although this has nothing to do with keeping pigs.




13th June, 2009
 


THE MONEY FORUM

DCI has never been a fund-raising organisation, no appeals, no magazines, no offerings, rather we are a gathering point for givers who want to bless the lost, the last and least of the world.  Today our Money Forum has two new pages, one for people who want to avoid the traps in giving, and the other is advice for people who are fund-raising on the Internet.




12th June, 2009

DEATH AND DISAPPEARANCES
RETURN TO PERU

Our friend and partner in Peru Rolando Canazas is immersed in the pain of his nation at the unnecesary deaths of up to 80 Amazon Huambisa and Aguarana people and police when violence broke out during a protest in Bagua. Rolando said to me today many friends and fellow believers have either disappeared or have taken refuge with 1000 others in the Catholic Church. This You Tube video shows very grim scenes. More from BBC News or in Spanish BBC Video




11th June, 2009

ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

A while back an Asian pastor I know all but sold his soul for a few dollars a month to an American church which gave them an instant overseas program and photos of their their name over a shack in a faraway place. Now, as always happens, they have quit. Their e-mail talks about about falling income, the US economy, cut backs and so on, but when I saw it the last line gave the game away. The e-mail program added it own little message: "Sent wirelessly from my Blackberry," a Blackberry being the latest, top of the range phone that costs a lot more than those few dollars for the front line. I say, "Shame on you sir."




10th June, 2009


THE WORLD'S
NOTICE BOARD

Chuck Stevens from Canada will give you his latest ten-track worship CD Harvest of Love, for free. Download here. Thanks Chuck.



Pilar Norman in the UK helped her church to put on a special day of food, care and pampering for abandoned teenage mums. Pilar has 300 poems in Spanish free here.




John Duco from Liberia is back safe and sound from his trip to the Krahn unreached peoples. More news is coming.



Michael Singini is happy because his wife Emily gave birth to a baby girl, and he has gained funding from The DCI Fund for a clinic in rural Malawi. To celebrate both baby and clinic share the same name - Witness.



Adam Colson at Lake of the Woods Church, Virginia USA is teaching the DCI missions module and his students have led 10 teenagers to Christ just this year alone.

WEEKEND MAGAZINE
7th - 8th June, 2009

George Purkweri in Uganda has taken 30 young prostitutes off the streets and will train them in sewing. He has only 5 machines and needs 25. Click for photos



Les Norman says that while funds last if you buy one sewing machine at £70 for George The DCI Fund will add another £70 and make it two.



Matthieu Nshimimana in Burundi has 60 people in the Kirundi School of Mission. They have finished the Evangelism Course and are now on the Mission Course. They just baptised 5 people. Photos



Pastor Felly Nsungu in Togo invites you to the first graduation of Kinshasa School of Mission in DR Congo, July 12. Felly's students have struggled through suffering, war and hunger but all made it in the end.

George Purkweri in Uganda says his Business for Mission plantation is giving jobs and hope to poor people. Click here for new photos of weeding, fencing, fruit and pineapples going in and coming up.




Sammis Reachers in Rio has a blog full of mission links for people in Brazil.



Les Norman the editor is looking for volunteer translators for Italian, Russian, Arabic and Asian languages and an assistant pagemaker for Yoppi in Indonesia. 



Ana Avilez in Honduras has had a big 7.1 earthquake which brought people running into the streets in their underwear, kneeling and crying out to God thinking the end of the world had come.





6th June, 2009
 


NETWORK NOTICE BOARD

Anton in Trompsburg, South Africa welcomes short term missions and volunteers and would like to hear from Schools of Mission in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Our friend Pastor Daniel has 90 Mercy Homes in India caring for 900 children and slum kids. He needs to find $60 to buy uniform, books, a bag, shoes and an umbrella for each child. If you would like to help Daniel please e-mail him.

In danger areas Chattisgah and Orissa, India, Saroj Kumar Hial has opened a School of Mission in Hindi for poor untrained pastors in remote places.




5th June, 2009
 


MORE ANGELS THAN DEMONS THIS TIME ROUND

If you remember a couple of years ago the Da Vinci Code film was said to pose such a threat that pastors and priests everywhere put on special meetings to denounce the heresies and inaccuracies and to prepare their members for ridicule. It was of course a deliberate Hollywood trap to give the film thousands of pages of free publicity. In fact compared to 2000 years of far worse attacks, Da Vinci Code was merely a passing fly bite. Very few believers became confused and the unbelievers, not being theologians, enjoyed the crazy story. Well, Tom Hanks is back and Angels and Demons is in the cinemas with a similar totally unbelievable all-action story, although this time the Catholic Church comes out reasonably OK and the re-creation of the Vatican's art treasures and private buildings is spectacular. Neither is the Vatican itself unhappy calling the film a couple of hours of harmless fun. The churches didn't take the bait this time so Dan Brown's book is down to half price in some shops. I just bought a copy and you know something, last night I just couldn't put it down. I only wish the church I go to was this exciting !




4th June, 2009

BANKING FOR THE POOR
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE IVORY COAST

One of the best things that DCI does anywhere in the world is to offer interest free micro-credit loans to poor people, widows and orphans who often cannot even sign their name but they know how to work hard if given the chance. A little start-up capital, say $100, and poverty leaves the family for good. Latest clients in the Banking for the Poor scheme led by Mah Malachi in remote Danane - Ivory Coast, are Faustin with a small shop, Yvonne who is selling firewood, Prisca with a small food shop and Cale who sells fish. 




3rd June, 2009
 


KATHMANDU CHURCH MEETING BOMBED

Our partner in Nepal, Prem Thapa e-mailed news that a woman carried a handbag bomb into Assumption Church in Dhobighat placed it under her chair, asked for the toilet and left moments before a major explosion which has left three dead and many injured. Prem asks for prayer for Nepal's believers as opposition intensifies from the shadowy militant Hindu Nepal Defence Army.



 
2nd June, 2009


PAKISTAN STUDENTS AND STAFF
SAFE IN LAHORE BOMBING

The leader of the Schools of Mission in Pakistan, Pastor Sarwar in Lahore itself has e-mailed to say, "Thank God that through your prayers in the past we all are safe and well under the arms of Almighty God. The bomb was at a police station about 10 miles from our home. Thank you very much for your love and care." Our sympathy and prayers are with the many innocent victims caught by this Taliban bomb blast and the one that followed in Peshawar. See BBC Photos




1st June, 2009


HOW IT ALL STARTED FOR ME
RANLEDIS PEREZ, CUBA

When I was 10 I met the Lord through some missionaries but until then I did not even know there was a God. At 13 I took up weight-lifting and won 6 medals in national events and went on to study physical education. I kept on worshipping and seeking God although my parents did not accept my faith and my father even threatened me. When I started my degree I was a full-time leader in my church but then the university told me find a job in sport. Following Christ has brought me attacks but look - I was born in a wooden house in a place which is not even on the map; I deserved nothing from God yet He has given me a wife, a home, a church and parents who have accepted the Gospel. My mother serves in church and my father listens to my sermons. I never thought things like this could happen. I only decided to follow God whatever the consequences but He has always poured His help, patience, love and goodness into my life.


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ABOUT THE EDITORS

Les Norman is a writer, guest speaker, and the editor of these pages that call attention to the lost, the last and the least of the world and the work of DCI people and projects for the poor. Since 1977 he has been following the call of Christ. He is married to Pilar and they have three children.

Find out more here
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