1st August, 2009

John Duco in Monrovia, Liberia has put on a conference for 700 men and women from Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to plan to open 700 new churches in 5 years, as far away as Guinea, the Western Krahn region, Mali and Senegal.
 



31st July, 2009

 
Lizzie Norman goes with a University team for a sponsored climb of Tanzania's Mt Kilimanjaro to raise funds for a children's charity but the trip is threatened by swine flu with over 100,000 new cases in the UK last week. If you catch it you can't travel and if anyone develops it overseas the whole group will be quarantined, which would be sad. You can help by praying the words of Psalm 91 with them.

30th July, 2009

Moses Aringo in Malawi says that the sister of the angry man who came to stop his brother's baptism but instead fell in love with Jesus, has now been baptised as well. See April 26 news. All three say that they will help the rest of the family to know Jesus.




29th July, 2009
 

TEN YEAR JOURNEY
TO THAILAND

Years ago Andy and Val Simcock came for tea and we talked about God's call to mission. It took another ten years before they heard God asking them to live in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Today they came back for lunch and this time it was they who talked to us about their Open Doors project to provide a home for vulnerable young people from the border with Myanmar, a home where worship and following Jesus is lived out. Hear Andy and Val speaking.




28th July, 2009
 

WHEN THE DARK NIGHT
TURNED GOLDEN

And then it happened. If I had been asleep I was now wide awake, my eyes like saucers, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end, for I could hear a distant swishing noise as if a wind were coming. It was getting louder, coming nearer and through the narrow windows I could see the dark night turning golden with an unnatural incandescence that grew brighter by the moment. "Fall, glory of God," the pianist shouted. Amen they all replied as the swishing noise reached the door and the golden light streamed into the room.  Click here to read what happened next . .




27th July, 2009
 

IS LIBERIA GOVERNMENT
TRAPPED ?

Charles Johnson from Liberia says that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called for some warlords to be banned from public office and prosecuted for war crimes. Even President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is listed as a financier of the war. Will she let her government implement this report which to quote James Baldwin, writing about America 40 years ago, is a nightmare from which there is no  awakening. People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.




25th July, 2009

MAKING MONEY IN INDONESIA
FOR INDONESIA

Plantations are one of our ways of creating funds and employment in the developing world with all the profits going to fund projects for the lost, the last and the least of that country. Click here to see the first photos of a new lobster and bawal fish farm in Indonesia with crops to follow soon.



Pasteur Chéfou Hamma in Abidjan, Ivory Coast says I read this page regularly and greatly appreciate your tireless work to bring so much comfort and encouragement to thousands all over the world. I would like to work with you.

                       Click here to see how Chefou can do that.




24th July, 2009
 




THE HENRI NOUWEN MOMENT
IS THIS THE MEANING OF LIFE ?


I believe deeply that our few years on this earth are part of a much larger event that stretches out far beyond the boundaries of our birth and death. I think of my life as a mission into time, a mission that is very exhilarating and even exciting despite my fears, mostly because the One who sent me on the mission is waiting for me to come home and tell the story of what I have learned.




23rd July, 2009

Johnny Auguste from Haiti has been to the Dominican Republic where Haitian workers are 3rd class citizens to open a free DCI School of Mission for them. Click here to see more photos.



We need an experienced volunteer page maker for these simple multi-language pages which are updated daily. You will need your own laptop or PC and internet connection. Our webmaster Yoppi (photo) is in Indonesia but as long as you speak English you can  live anywhere in the world. E-mail us and tell us all about yourself.




22nd July, 2009
 
After seeing this 10 minute Willow Creek video, you could have heard a pin drop except for tears people were holding back. People said they were overwhelmed, challenged, sobered. After this even a stone statue would want to come alive and go to the lost, the last and the least. Click to see A Thousand Questions or download it free.


Prem Thapa in Nepal is taking a 6 man medical team into remote areas through heavy rain to treat up to 300 sick people over the next three days.





21st July, 2009
 




Juan from Buenos Aires, Argentina has a beautiful short radio program of daily Christian reflections in Spanish to give free to radio stations. Download it here 



Doctor Miriam Diaz and her two children from Guatemala leave Canada this month for Nigeria to work in missions there.





20th July, 2009

Tito Camino in Lima, Peru will give you free materials and consultancy for education in Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Iberia, Iñapari, Assis, Brasilia and Rio Branco in Brazil.



Jorge Rojas Castillo in Costa Rica says that church meetings in Tegucigalpa, Honduras have been closed by the military because of the political tension.




Daniel Nievas from Argentina is part of Dunamis, a believer's football team that is training in Bolivia to go to Africa.






18th July, 2009

WELCOME TO OUR NEW FRENCH TRANSLATORS

Emilienne is from Cameroon, she's 24 and has a Masters in English Literature, Jules is from RD Congo and has a School of Mission, Edoh and Afua are from Lome, Togo where they have a church and 4 children, and Jean-Baptiste, 57, is from RD Congo, married to Pierrette, they have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Our thanks to everyone who offered their time and skills for our French edition.





THE MONEY FORUM

What is happening this month is that because of the global crisis many pastors who were never enthusiastic about creating work for their people or creating income for their activities are now asking us for help to get business started. The big problem is that these applications are driven by need not by vision, gifting or God's call. Pastors who are good with the Bible are not necessarily good with budgets and competence in church does not always translate into competence in commerce. Actually, the man who is gifted by God to make money for mission might well be in the congregation not in the pulpit.
More in the Money Forum

More about The DCI Fund




17th July, 2009



ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

You want me to tell you what to do but listen, one important mark of maturity is to make your own decisions. God has a safety net for you in case you fall on to the wrong path. My experience from Isaiah 30.21 is that God will either confirm your decision, change your decision or cancel it altogether. All you have to do is to talk it through with Him first and then listen for His voice in the Bible, through believers, in pro-vidence or through circumstances. If you are going wrong you'll hear for sure.




16th July, 2009

David Jones in England says your July 6 story about the long preacher reminded me that when I started preaching, one old minister gave me his 3 golden rules: 1. Brevity; 2. Brevity; 3. Brevity. I am still learning.

Margaret Wendels in the UK says the Lord sees DCI people as a string of pearls, each pearl different and beautiful in its own way with its own place on the flexible string which moves easily and fluidly and allows pearls to be added or removed, beautiful in God’s sight who is especially pleased that nobody has ever turned the necklace into their crown by claiming headship, instead Jesus has always been the only head.




15th July, 2009
 
Mah Malachie in Danane, Ivory Coast says that my family, new churches and the School of Mission students are all doing well. My DCI Banking for the Poor micro-credit project had two new start-ups this month.


George Purkweri, Lira, Uganda says that 11 people nearby have died of hunger. The old and those with HIV who pray with us are doing very badly, even the strong can only afford one meal a day. The government is talking about a rescue but they are always slow.


Ajmad Missal and his wife Mala in Orissa, India say we train pastors, leaders and young people to plant new churches and to be effective in their local churches. Ajmad says I just did a 810 kilometer, 15 hour train journey to teach one class for the weekend




14th July, 2009

THE WORLD'S NOTICE BOARD

Pastor Saroj Kumar Hial in Visakhapatnam is taking the School of Mission to the rural villages in India which have seen so much persecution and suffering in 2009.

Click for free ready made articles, videos, guides, interviews, mp3 talks and audio to use in your radio programs or podcasts.

Marco Antonio, 50, says that he has started the DCI School of Mission lessons in Valle de Choapa, Chile with great hopes for the future.




13th July, 2009

  THE LEADER'S
  REFLECTION

Did you know that our lives which are observed by hundreds always speak louder than our words which are only heard by a few. Is it possible that instead of trying to work out yet more ingenious ways to bring the conversation round to spiritual things, do you think that we might be more convincing if we lived the fruit of a life that is surrendered to the Holy Spirit?  There might be a national or even a family law against speaking about Jesus but as Galatians 5.23 says, no-one has made any laws against loving somebody, giving them some joy, bringing them peace or being patient with them. You can't break the law by showing kindness, doing something good and maintaining your self-control when things don't immediately go your way. When your life is a fruit bowl of colours and flavours like these don't be surprised if that elusive conversation comes to you.



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







WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
OUR READER'S PHOTOS ?

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






11th July, 2009





MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IN DANGEROUS YEMEN

Our brave friends in Yemen, a truly dangerous place where hostages are frequently taken and killed, are reaching out to the third-class people living in poor conditions of famine who have no access to good food and free medicine. Last week they took some eggs to many underweight children with coughs, flu and hygiene problems. These people want to open a free clinic and give out some nutritious food for the young and the very old, and we are looking at ways to help make this possible. Right now after last month's killings they feel very frightened. Your prayer support will be more than appreciated by them.




10th July, 2009
 




WHEN SUNDAY LEAVES YOU
WORSE NOT BETTER

In marriage they used to call it the seven-year itch and scratching it could bring you some infinite regrets. But if like Mary and Joseph after 12 years you tend to lose Jesus in church and you leave the Sunday meeting with more relief than renewal how do you scratch that?

Read the rest of the article in The DCI  Private Collection.




9th July, 2009

ONE HUNDRED BICYCLES BRING
FREE MEDICARE IN BURKINA FASO
 
Our Spanish partners, Angel Olmo with his wife Abigail of EMSI Misión are developing their medical centre in Wemtenga, Ouagadougou and providing equipment, drugs, wells and long-term medical training in various clinics ready for a major free treatment and surgery campaign in 2010, with eyes, deafness and malaria on the top of the list. In March 100 volunteers will cycle 500 miles visiting unreached villages offering health care, surveying water needs and showing the Jesus Film.




8th July, 2009



THE WORLD'S NOTICE BOARD

Lots of new jobs on offer to look at on the Oscar notice board 

Click for some good advice about online schooling for children.

Click for 23 free articles from International Training Partners on topics like handling stress, problems at work, negative feelings and fifty ways to say thank you. Some are in Spanish too. All come highly recommended.




7th July, 2009

NEW USE FOR BIBLE
DISCOVERED

THIS IS MY STORY
JOHN FORKPA OF LIBERIA

Some of you may have heard of General Killer of the NPFL under Charles Taylor's command, a fighter who killed people and raped any woman whether old or young. I am the one! I committed these atrocities under the influence of drugs and alcohol which I couldn't leave. I was living in darkness, and attempted suicide twice. I didn't have any hope until Jesus came into my life and gave it new meaning. This happened two months ago in Kakata, Liberia when I watched a film called Burning Hell. Today, my past life has died and Jesus who died on the cross and rose again has given me forgiveness, a new heart in which He now dwells, and he is restoring my life. With thanks to Charles Johnson, Monrovia, Liberia who personally listened to John Forkpa.

Send in your story




3rd July, 2009
 


NEW SCHOOL OF MISSION IN TOGO

The leader is Pasteur Néhémie Tandu in Lome-Togo, with another free School of Mission due to start soon in Benin. We send our best wishes to everyone there.




2nd July, 2009

FOLLOWING JESUS
IN THE SHADOW OF EVEREST

This year five graduates from the Nepal School of Mission gained funding from The DCI Fund to start their own micro-businesses for self-support in unreached villages, and from there to draw their neighbours into worship and discovering God's love from the Bible. Today we have heard that all five men are doing well, their shops and goats are prospering and they now have eighty men and women following Jesus and meeting together. Well done Santos, Yadulal, Khuslal, Mahendra and Rabinra and well done to Prem Thapa for making it all possible.

Click here to send in your news or story

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
OUR PHOTOS ?

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


Click for Schools of Mission around the world
Click for Banking for the Poor projects
Click for projects to help orphans and the poor
Click to see some of the people in the DCI family
Click to see our School of Mission lessons in many languages

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 to see a forthcoming Wikipedia article on our work, researched and written independently of ourselves as part of academic studies requested by 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, 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.