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This month: Make poverty history -
Prayer: practice makes perfect -
By Routemaster to Africa -
Albanians making a difference -
World Congress update
2005 is a year to change the world. All you need to do is to find our how.
Make poverty history
Will you help to ‘make poverty history’? Do you dare to believe that it's
possible?
In 2005, the UK will chair the G8 and take up the presidency of the EU.
This means that the UK government will be in a unique position to challenge the
unjust structures that keep millions of people trapped in poverty.
Charities, trades unions, campaigning groups, celebrities, churches and faith
communities have joined forces to create a year of action which might change the
world.
On 29th January, from 11am to 4pm, Bloomsbury Baptist Church, in Shaftesbury
Avenue in London, sees the launch of ‘MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY’, an ecumenical event
to mobilise and inspire people of faith to take action throughout the year.
Speakers include the Rev Joel Edwards, of the Evangelical Alliance; Ben Mussanzi,
from the Democratic Republic of Congo; Martin Drewry (Christian Aid), Stephen
Rand (Jubilee Debt Campaign), Alison Fenney (CAFOD) and Paul Chitnis (SCIAF).
To find out how you can become involved individually, locally or nationally,
call the Catholic Institute for International Relations on 020 7288 8600 or the
United Reformed Church on 020 7916 8632. Alternatively, visit
www.MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY-churches.org.
The involvement of the Baptist Union of Great Britain in MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is
being coordinated by the Faith and Unity Department at Baptist House. For more
information, contact Graham Sparkes on 01235 517728; or email
gsparkes@baptist.org.uk
From the Baptist Union of Great Britain and supplied by Graham Clarke.
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BMS doctor Jane McNutt is helping to make healthwork come alive for medical
students in Albania.
Working as a volunteer, McNutt is currently helping BMS long-term worker, Nicola
Pearce. McNutt returned to the ABC healthcentre in Tirana last summer for two
years, having spent six months there in 2002/03.
Part of McNutt's work at ABC is in teaching vital practical skills to the
centre’s 150 final year medical students. Up until now, studies have been
theory-based, but it is essential that students get hands-on experience.
McNutt is also organising the training for Antoneta, a newly-qualified doctor
who is working at the ABC health centre for a year.
Living and working in a less developed culture can be frustrating. While
carrying out some physical and developmental assessments on poor children with
physical or mental disabilities at the clinic, McNutt questioned what she could
do for them. Amid feelings of helplessness, she was encouraged by God's
intervention in one encounter.
She explained: "Some of the other doctors at work prayed with a girl whose
behaviour was disruptive. The next day, two of us met her mother on the street.
She wanted to know what we had done because her daughter was so much better.
"I felt so encouraged after meeting her because I realised that God is in
control and he understands situations better than I do and he knows what each
patient I see needs."
from BMS World News.
Please pray:
* That the students at ABC will be sufficiently skilled and confident to apply
what they are learning from Jane McNutt to their future jobs.
* That Jane and Antoneta's relationship would continue to grow, and that they
will learn a great deal from each other.
* For Jane to know God's guidance in all of her work and life in Albania over
the next two years.
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By Routemaster to Africa
Since July this year, the charity ‘Teddies for Tragedies’ has sent over 400 of
these locally-knitted teddies - including some produced by friends and members
of Marshalswick Baptist Free Church - to destinations around the world.
These include:
* 150 teddies to various countries in Africa aboard a London Routemaster bus
being driven across Europe to Cape Town and which aims to visit 12 African
countries, providing medical and other charitable aid.
* 100 teddies to Ghana and Burkina Faso, along with a consignment of water
pumping equipment from Three Valleys Water.
* 50 teddies to the Philippines.
* 50 teddies to Brazil, for orphans and street children.
* 40 teddies to Uganda.
* 25 teddies to Zambia
* 24 teddies to Nepal.
* 100 teddies to a residential centre in Calcutta, India, for children whose
lives are affected by leprosy.
For further details of Teddies for
Tragedies, contact Tricia Gibb on 01727 866734.
By Doreen Coombs.
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Albanians making a
difference
As part of our 125th Anniversary celebrations, we are hoping to support mission
work in another part of the world - and what better way to do this than for this
group of ‘Albanians’ in Marshalswick to support another group of Albanians in
Albania!
On 18th January - from about 8pm, at our church meeting - Nick Nightingale,
formerly the Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs will be explaining
the part we can play in supporting work with some of the poorest children in
Europe - the Roma Children of Northern Albania.
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This part of the meeting will be open to anyone to attend.
The church meeting will start at the earlier time of 7.30pm so that necessary
business can be conducted.
By Graham Clarke.
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World Congress update
Some 12,000 visitors - drawn from all over the world - are planning to attend
the 2005 Baptist World Congress, being held from 27th to 31st July at the
International Convention Centre and the National Indoor Arena, in Birmingham.
This Congress marks the centenary of the the Baptist World Alliance.
Bookings for the Congress have been received from over 30 countries so far,
including Bolivia, Myanmar, Cameroon and Papua New Guinea. Moreover,
according to a recent report in the Christian press, the Congress has received
‘the 1,000th booking from a Baptist pastor and his wife in Estonia’ (sic).
The Baptist pastor in question is the Rev Eerik Rahkema. He and his wife
Tahti, are from Haapsalu in Estonia, a town 120km south of the Estonian capital,
Talinn. They are able to attend the Congress thanks to funding from
Tabernacl Welsh Baptist Church in Cardiff - the church where Marshalswick
Baptist Free Church member, Angharad Little, worships when she is in Cardiff.
Tabernacl established a link with Haapsalu Baptist Church last year after a
request from the Baptist Union of Wales for Welsh churches to partner churches
in Estonia.
The small team from Tabernacl which visited Haapsalu in March 2004. included the
Rev Hugh Matthews, former Principal of the South Wales Baptist College. He
commented: "They gave us a tremendous welcome. Their enthusiasm to put the
gospel first is something we would like to have here."
According to the Congress’ organisers, this event represents ‘a unique
opportunity to rub shoulders with our world family of Baptists, being blessed by
them and providing them with encouragement in return’.
From the Baptist World Alliance Congress.
To register for the Congress online, visit:
www.bwacongress2005.org.uk and
click on the yellow ‘register’ tab at the top of the page. To register
manually to attend the Congress, please ask the church secretary or minister for
the necessary Registration Forms.
To view the accommodation available for delegates, visit the "accommodation"
section of the Congress’ website (see above). This section is being
co-ordinated by the Birmingham Convention Bureau.
Further details of the Congress can be obtained from the Congress Office, on
01235 517755. or email:
information@bwacongress2005.org.uk
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