Helping Marginalised Children in Africa

Bethany Children's Trust, Children, HIV, OVC, Poor, Zimbabwe
There are millions of marginalised and vulnerable children in Africa. A few years ago Susie Howe, the wife of an elder in a Newfrontiers church in London, found herself in Zimbabwe due to her husband having an assignment there with his job. Professionally Susie had been an HIV/AIDS nurse in one of the large London teaching hospitals and, when approached to help with the needs of orphaned children, she felt that children were not in her area of expertise. But God had other ideas. In this first part of a conversation I had with Susie she is transparent about her walk with Him and how she launched a very effective initiative, now called The Bethany Children's Trust, that is helping churches to address the needs in several African nations. She has also helped thousands of…
Read More

Ministry update – Asha HIV, India

HIV, India, News, Poor
I love visiting Mumbai in India! I have been many times. One of the ministries that impresses and humbles me most is the ministry among those infected and affected by HIV. I have reported about this ministry on a previous occasion. I have just received a full report of what was achieved in 2012. This is just an extract. Scan it and absorb the diversity, the love and compassion, and the holistic approach that Nelson, Pamela and their team bring to those who are often rejected by society. Ask God to touch your heart as you read. I will let Nelson tell the story. What do we do? Connect the HIV infected people to their families who normally disown them; often it takes months or years. Of the 47 people…
Read More

Resistance Fighter – Book Recommendation

Books, Christian ministry, Cross-culture, HIV, International, News, Poor, Zimbabwe
Resistance Fighter has just been published and is a read-at-one-sitting book. For me it turned the tedium of a flight from UK to West Africa into an enjoyable, challenging, emotional and disturbing experience as Susie Howe took me from the joys of playing with lively orphaned children in Zimbabwe to the horrors of learning of children accused of witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Susie's autobiographical record of her life (how much she has packed in already!) recounts how she has sought to walk close to God in obedience as He has taken her and her husband Jeremy on a number of unexpected excursions into situations that most of us have never experienced nor even dreamed existed. Starting with her childhood she tells of growing up as a talented…
Read More

Ministry Report 4 – Jubilee Health Centre, Cape Town

Christian ministry, Good Practice, Health, HIV, Ministry Report, News, Poor, South Africa
I love receiving regular updates from the Clinic based at Jubilee Church in Cape Town! They are always full of faith and testimonies of God’s intervention – so I felt to share a report with you to be blessed also! It is written by Dr Caryn Wilson whose passion and leadership of the Team make this a highly effective ministry. This is one of a dozen Mercy Ministries from Jubilee Church and at the end of this blog is a video made about 18 months ago showing how they integrate together, an important feature of good practice in a church’s social ministries. But first, let Caryn tell you the story.   Our experience of working alongside God in the Jubilee Health Centre is aptly described in the words of a…
Read More

Administration in the Church and Ministry with the Poor: Index ~ June – December 2009

Administration in the Church, Biblical Administration, Christian ministry, Equipping, General, Good Practice, HIV, India, Kenya, Ministry Report, Poor, Zimbabwe
I have been writing this blog for about 6 months and am aware of a growing following, so some may have missed the early material. To help you find that material it seems appropriate at the turn of the year to Index these 6 months. Clicking on the Topic will take you to the first in the series. There have been 3 main series on Biblical Administration and The Poor. There are also some Ministry Reports and National Reports, and two on Conference Administration which punctuate these Series. Series June 17th – Aug 29th Lessons from Jesus the Administrator in Mark 6. Jesus - The Administrator! Sept 3rd – Oct 22nd Some ‘good practice’ Indicators when ministering with the Poor. The Poor deserve the Best - part 1 Oct 26th -…
Read More