THE INTERNATIONAL MINERS MISSION

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1 A big 'ank you' to all our supporters and fellowships who pray for, and give so generously to support, e world-wide ministry of e International Miners' Mission. We would be delighted to arrange for a speaker to visit your fellowship to tell more about e work of IMM. Contact David Shillitoe in writing at: 53 High Street Kimpton Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8PU or David at dshillitoe@minersmission.com Our website can be found at Visit our website at David at dshillitoe@minersmission.com The International Miners Mission is registered charity and company limited by guarantee Registered office: 53 High Street ~ Kimpton ~ Hitchin ~ Hertfordshire ~ SG4 8PU Glynn-Vivian Miners Mission Incorporated 1906 THE INTERNATIONAL MINERS MISSION February and March 2010 Men ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18 verse 1 Monday 1 st February Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak, supported by IMM in e Donbas coal mining area of Ukraine, scheduled a trip to e Russia is winter. He says it is now more difficult to spread e Word in Russia because of e legal system which is now restricting Gospel preaching. They are eager to help eir Christian broers and sisters in Russia because ey are constantly being asked to do so. Please pray. Tuesday 2 nd February The economic challenges continue to impact industry world-wide. We give God e anks and praise for answered prayer by providing work for Peter Robertson (IMM Australia) in Sou Africa His contract began on January 4 for an indeterminate period of time. Wednesday 3 rd February Please pray for Peter Robertson (IMM Australia) and his new work in Sou Africa which is not exactly wiin commuting distance of Australia, may well take time to adjust to. Please pray, too, for his family and e inevitable impact on eir lives. Peter s wife Gwen has joined him for part of e time. May eir time togeer be very special. Please send all correspondence to: David Shillitoe ~ General Secretary 53 High Street ~ Kimpton ~ Hitchin ~ Hertfordshire ~ SG4 8PU ~ England

2 Thursday 4 February Peter Robertson (IMM Australia) who has been working in e mining industry in Sou Africa for about a mon, expects to work wi IMM SA team members at weekends promoting eir ministry and making eir crucial work known to a wider audience. May his commitment to Introduce Miners to e Master and at of IMM SA bear rich fruit. Friday 5 February Join IMM USA in welcoming and praying for Pookkattu & Molly Paul who have been seconded is year from SIM to IMM USA. IMM USA looks forward to working togeer wi em not only wi regard to eir work wi IMM Sou Africa, but oer IMM USA s ministries. Praise God at eir son, Phillip, obtained straight A s at e end of his first year at University. Saturday 6 February Please join IMM Sou Africa team in praising God for e vehicle at was given to Pat Langa by e SIM missionary in It is better an e one stolen from him! Faki Bodibe reminds us in his most recent report at When e enemy is out to get us e Lord shows at He is on our side. Sunday 7 February Remember e ministry of Dennis Manneh in Sierra Leone in prayer. He is much in demand as a preacher and pastor in e many villages in e diamond mining area around Tongo Fields. Please pray for protection on e roads, which often are no more an dirt tracks. 2 Monday 29 March Pray for Aniceto Rodriguez, Aurelio Castro, Rene Churata, and Roberto Mazca who serve high altitude mining areas in Souern Peru. Please pray especially for Juan Carcausto who needs physical healing. Pray for adviser Santos Valero who heads up e Chiguata Bible Institute near Arequipa. Tuesday 30 March Jacinto Rivera, Carmelo Histronoza and Edgar Tito minister in many churches in e Pasco and Huayllay regions in Central Peru. Pray for fruit at will grow from e ministry of ese faiful workers. Wednesday 31 st March We praise God for e continuing ministry to remote parts of Eiopia, where local artesian mining, mainly for gold, takes place. Remember in prayer e eight IMM sponsored pastors and evangelists, often working faifully on eir own. Children wait expectantly at an open door in Eiopia Photo used by e kind permission of Amanda Hottinger 15

3 Monday 8 February Pray for all members of IMM UK Committee who meet today in Harlington, Bedfordshire. Please pray for travelling mercies, wisdom as current projects and problems are discussed, at God will be central to each decision at is made and at all e glory will be given to Him. Nicolas and Beatriz Ajhuacho have been faifully working amongst e churches in e mining towns and villages around Oruro, Bolivia for some 15 years on behalf of IMM. Praise God for eir faifulness and perseverance in spite of many difficulties. Friday 26 March Nicolas Ajhuacho and Florentino Apaza have faifully served e Lord rough IMM for about 15 years now over a widespread area in e Oruro region of Bolivia. Ask God to provide eir every need and keep em strong in e Lord. Pray for IMM adviser Julie Noble, presently on Home Assignment in e UK. Saturday 27 March IMM sponsored missionaries in Bolivia, Juan Silas (Llallagua), Emilio Aguilar (Villazon), Celestino Fuentes (Potosi) and Manuel Mamani (Aruni) work in mining areas where Satan is often worshipped underground. Pray for spiritual streng for em, and for Jhonny Orozco who is eir supervisor. Sunday 28 March But grow in e grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory bo now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18. Praise God for e young people finding Christ as a result of e faiful ministry of IMM sponsored evangelists and pastors around e world. 14 Tuesday 9 February In Romania, Pastor Cornel and Sanda Hudulin, who oversee e outreach to coal miners and eir families report at e team is doing well. These include Valli, Marian, Viorel, Aurel and Daniel, who faifully visit e mining villages of e area holding services and preaching e Word. Pray for travelling mercies for em all, please. Wednesday 10 February Marian Popescu, Romania wishes everyone in IMM a blessed new year full of success and spiritual satisfaction bo in our families and our churches. Also, Marian would like to ank you all for e support given to em in prayer and he sends many greetings. Thursday 11 February Marian Popescu and e IMM sponsored team took e Gospel to mission churches in e norern part of e county of Gorj, Romania in December The team witnessed in Musetesti and Carpinis from December, Curtisoara on e 25 and Sambotin on e 27. Praise God at He richly blessed is time of evangelisation. Friday 12 February We understand from Marian Popescu in Romania, at e time of evangelisation during December in e county of Gorj was during some very bad weaer ere was, in Marian s words lots of rains but e villagers and e team did not let it hinder eir mission, praise God. 3

4 haven t had one and have never read one. He acquires e Bibles cheaply at e Bible Society of Chile store. Victor says ey are always needing money to buy Bibles. A 'Christmas festival' held in e City Hall in Targu Jiu, Romania end It was arranged by e evangelical churches and was a great opportunity to present e Gospel. The big combined choir takes to e stage! Saturday 13 February Cornel and Sanda Hudulin were able to hold evangelistic Christmas meetings in a eatre in Targu Jiu, in cooperation wi oer churches in e town. A good number responded to e invitation to accept Jesus Christ as eir Lord and Saviour. Hallelujah! Please pray for ese new converts. Sunday 14 February Pray for preparations for an IMM USA visit to Peru and Bolivia from 18 February to 5 March IMM participants will be Tom Gilliam, Stuart Burns, Pookkattu and Molly Paul. Please pray at eir travel plans go ahead wiout any insurmountable hitches. Monday 22nd March From Chile we learn from Victor Varas at his efforts are dedicated to visit new residential areas where miners live, and to make contact wi em. Victor gifts tracts and makes literature (e.g.: PowerPoint archives) available to ose wi Internet access - to strengen friendships and develop knowledge of Christianity. It goes well. Victor hopes to continue wi is. Please pray. Tuesday 23rd March Victor Varas, Chile, continues wi his home visits. He says ey enrich each oer mutually in eir conversations. Victor says it is incredible how little we know people when we don t spend quality time wi em. In his experience his visits have made it possible for him to teach more and help em to know more. He continues to attend meetings and, in his words, greet em as church. Wednesday 24 March Titus and Debbie Boggs lead God s work at Laurel Mission in Big Laurel, Kentucky. USA. They also teach at nearby Living Waters Christian School. Thank God for eir faifulness and for e many lives at have been changed for e better. This work is supported by IMM USA. Monday 15 February Peru, Santos Valero writes: Recently at Chiguata Bible Institute, we held a four day study of e Sermon on e Mount using e Inductive Bible Study meod. This was a blessing for all involved and we ank IMM USA for eir support in making is possible. Thursday 25 March IMM USA provides scholarships for two students at Clear Creek Bible College in Pineville, Kentucky and also at Huanuco Bible Institute in Peru. Pray for Wesley Griggs, Michael Salisbury, Ismael and Yuri Huaman Espinoza. The idea is at ey should serve in mining areas. Pray at God would use em mightily for His glory. 4 13

5 Wednesday 17 March Pastor Chingovo and his wife in Zimbabwe help blind people, bringing e meals each week and holding a service for em. Please pray for is ministry. There is much joy and happiness and praising God on ese occasions. Thursday 18 March IMM UK recently provided a shipment of children s knitted cloing to children in need in Ukraine where e winter is very harsh. The cloes were knitted by e women of e Prayer Shawl Fellowship at Bedford Congress Hall of e Salvation Army. The fellowship is e highlight of e week for one member who does not attend church. Wiout it her life would be more restricted. Please pray at ere will always be an outlet for e cloing produced by is vital fellowship every Thursday morning. Friday 19 March Victor Varas in Chile, reports at eir labour continues in Rancagua. The broers of e church are growing in spirit and knowledge. The broers Arturo Lobos and Carlos Lobos his son, and Rodrigo Zambrano continue working in e copper mine El Teniente. Saturday 20 h March Victor Varas is very keen to train each Christian miner to give a witness of at which God is doing in his life. They know at ey are light in a place where oers want to find it. But each day it s more difficult to be heard. These Christian miners continue to persevere by testifying of e Good News of salvation. Sunday 21 st March Victor Varas tell us at CristÖbal Mangini continues to be enusiastic in serving God in e copper mine at Saladillo, Los Andes, Chile. CristÖbal is taking Bibles to miners who Tuesday 16 February Please pray for Romania 2010 a conference and celebration of IMM s world-wide mission. The event is scheduled for late September 2010 and involves much hard work to bring it all togeer. Please pray at God will open doors and at plans will not be warted by e evil one. Wednesday 17 February Alex Balakhon, confirms at it has been a really extreme winter in Ukraine, weaer-wise. There has been much snow on e streets. During New Year s night many towns and villages were wiout electricity. Please pray for e situation in Ukraine we have had our own challenges is winter! Thursday 18 February Alex Balakhon in Ukraine, says at he and his family are well and at he sees God caring for em in a special way. He now has a good job wi a regular income anks to e practical generosity and prayerful support of IMM supporters. However, at is far from e case for many in Ukraine who have lost eir jobs, or, who work but are not paid for several mons. Please pray. Friday 19 February Remember wi ministry of Rev. Pardon Chingovo and e seven oer pastors and evangelists, who visit regularly e mining areas of central Zimbabwe. Praise God at many have responded to e message of Christ s unconditional love of e poorest of e poor. Pray at ey may grow in eir fai. Saturday 20 h February In Eiopia, we remember in prayer e ministry of e team of evangelists and pastors working faifully in e Shakisso and Kibre Mengist gold mining camps and in surrounding villages. The work is often demanding but e reward of seeing miners and members of e families accepting Christ as eir Saviour is so rewarding! 12 5

6 Sunday 21st February We continue to pray for Victor Varas in Rancagua, Chile. This is e last year he will be officially ministering to families in is important copper mining town after 40 years of service to IMM. Victor asks for prayer for ose who have lost eir jobs, because of e recession. Monday 22nd February Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak, Enakievo, Donetsk region, Ukraine shares e good news of eir recent work. The young people of e church had several crusade trips including a furer trip of two days to e miner's village of Roskoshnoe in Lugansk region. Praise God for such missions. Sunday 14 March And whatever you do in word and deed, do it all in e name of e Lord Jesus, giving anks to God e Faer rough him. Colossians 3:17. Praise God for e ministry continuing in Shakisso gold mine and surrounding areas of Eiopia. Monday 15 March Pray for Faki Bodibe (Chairman) Vusi Ndinisa (Secretary) and Seelan Govender (Treasurer), Elijah Dube, Patrick Langa and Phillip Dungulu. These are e members of e IMM Sou Africa Committee who make important ministry decisions and share Christ wi e many miners. Oer workers in Sou Africa are Mohau Mofokeng and Andrew Mayaula. Tuesday 23rd February Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak says ere is church in e miner's village of Roskoshnoe, Ukraine which has a very small group of elderly Christian women. During two days e young people walked rough e village literally visiting every home, inviting local people to e service wi music of e ensemble, testimonies and preaching of Gospel. Wednesday 24 February The response in Roskoshnoe was encouraging. Those who came were bo e young and not-so-young. Children came too. The whole community was on e move. On Sunday e church was filled wi local people who came to listen to God s Word. May all e glory be given to God and e seeds at were planted bear rich fruit. Some smiling faces greeted e English visitors from IMM UK at e day-care centre at e church of Boitekong, Sou Africa, led by Julia Langa Thursday 25 February Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak and e you group had evangelisation trip to e Urzuf settlement by e Azov Sea (Donetsk region) of Ukraine, where ey helped e small local church again. The local people were more disposed wi crowds coming to listen to e Christian music and preaching. Tuesday 16 March Praise God for e safety and heal of e little children aged from 2-6 who are taken care of in e day-care facilities at are run by Mesdames Langa, Mofokeng, and Mayaula. Thank God at at e end of 2009 ere was not one seriously ill child amongst em, even ough some of em are very ill when ey come to e facility. The Lord has been good and has taken care of e children. 6 11

7 Tuesday 9 March Praise God for e close working relationship between IMM Australia and Out of e Pit based in Sydney, which has a worldwide website linking Christian miners togeer for fellowship and support. Please pray for Peter Robertson as he represents bo organisations in e Per area. Pray also for Bill Rowlands and Stuart Fraser, e oer IMM Australia Committee members. Wednesday 10 March Please pray at e Board of IMM Sou Africa have been able to meet and plan for e year and e way forward. There are many challenges and opportunities for ministry in e mining areas in which ey minister. They are eager to see how best to lift e name of Jesus in e mining communities of Sou Africa at ey service. Thursday 11 March Thank God for opening e hearts and minds of people in e Philippines rough e ministry of Bishop Joy Bendoy. Please pray for him, Jupiter Sevilla, Salvador Espante, Gonzales and oers working in e Cebu mining areas on e island of Mindanao. They are sponsored by IMM Australia. Friday 12 March Faki Bodibe writes from Sou Africa: Thank God at is past year we were able to go to e preaching points regularly even ough some weeks we had car problems. The Lord was faiful in at we went and came back and we did not have to sleep on e road due to vehicle breakdowns. Saturday 13 March In East Driefontein gold mine, Sou Africa, a recent meeting was well attended. The Christians had done well inviting nonbelievers. Please pray at e seed planted in many hearts takes root and at God will bring in e harvest very soon. Friday 26 February Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak sees such kind of outreach ministry is very useful for e young people. Praise God, ey become stronger spiritually, ey are able to testify about e Lord and eir prayer life becomes deeper. Ivan Gartvig, directly sponsored by IMM participated actively in e trips wi our musicians and all of e young people of e church. Saturday 27 February In e Philippines, we are asked to pray for Bishop Bendoy and e 3 teams of evangelists sponsored by IMM Australia, as ey visit e mines. Sometimes eir visits are not welcome but, in oer, cases ey are welcomed wi open arms. Please pray at many may come to e foot of e Cross. Sunday 28 February The ministry in e Enakievo Church, in Ukraine is bringing new folk into e fellowship. The Friendship You Club run by Ivan Gartvig has new members. Recently a young woman and her daughter repented of eir sins. Also a young man came to e church after he was released from prison. Pastor Alexander Nagirnyak continues to be encouraged. Monday 1 st March IMM USA is visiting Peru and Bolivia about now. Please pray for travelling mercies at all times and in all situations in which ey find emselves. Their aim is to attend a Latin Link Conference in Lima. They will network wi Latin Link missionaries working roughout Latin America. May eir time togeer bear rich fruit. Tuesday 2 nd March From time to time, we get news of churches at were founded by IMM workers years ago. Graham Lange, who founded e church, still occasionally visits e Bergmannsmission fellowship in Ampflwang, Austria. Praise God for continued grow and a strong leadership of e church. 10 7

8 Wednesday 3rd March Recently e Enakievo Church, in Ukraine has celebrated e marriage of Roman and Ella. This joyful time is soon to be followed by e marriage of Stas and Anzhela. Stas became Christian recently and was baptised is year. Anzhela is a girl from a gipsy family who accepted Christ two years ago. Give God e anks and praise for ese young people and eir commitment to live eir lives in is way. Thursday 4 March On 19 December 2009 e Enakievo Church, in Ukraine arranged e 400 years of Baptist Church in Europe" Conference. Please pray at it was a time of good fellowship during which relationships were made for e first time or renewed, and at e event will long positively impact e lives of ose it touched. Saturday 6 March Again from Chile, Crist bal Mangini, who works in a mine, writes: Many times while on e job I have shared e word of God, and I ve been invited to homes of fellow miners to pray for eir families and to share e word of God. Pray for Crist bal as well as Victor and Ana Varas, long time IMM missionaries in Chile. Sunday 7 March Friday 5 March Crist bal Mangini, who may possibly take over from Victor Varas, writes from Chile: In e heart of e ear inside e Andes Mountains ere is much need for God; even ough many people mock and laugh at e Gospel, many oers have a great hunger and irst for God. Pray for ese miners to come to know Christ. Blind people in Zimbabwe enjoying a square meal provided by Pastor and Mrs Chingovo. Funds from IMM Switzerland make is possible. He upholds e cause of e oppressed and gives food to e hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free. Psalm 146:7 Remember in prayer ose who are hungry in Zimbabwe, and particularly ose in Zimbabwe being reached rough e ministry of e Rev Pardon Chingovo and his team. Cristóbal Mangini, a Christian miner, made e trip to Santiago, Chile to meet Victor Varas, IMM Missioner for nearly 40 years. We ank God for bo eir ministries. 8 Monday 8 March Peter Robertson, Elijah Dube and Patrick Langa have been visiting a number of churches in e Randfontein and Rustenburg mining areas of Sou Africa in December 2009, sharing God s work among local miners. Pray at fruit for God s Kingdom will result from ese initial contacts. 9