Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa
“Dear Lord,
“We come to You on behalf of suffering, persecuted believers in Africa. As we think of the opposition and obstacles to their faith, we thank You for Your Spirit at work there. We pray for new Christians in these places and for the work in connecting them to other believers. Protect them from those who would oppose their work. As we consider Your church in restricted Muslim countries, we give thanks for their testimony. Truly we can say they are ‘hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.’ [2 Cor. 4:8-9] May Your gospel be proclaimed!”
Amen. [Adapted from Open Doors]
Renewing my Strength like the eagle,
Charlotte
BushTelegraphAfrica
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Website
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Bush Telegraph website will be under construction and not available until further notice. Pray that we get it back on track soon.
Airfare covered!
Each year a big prayer concern is my airfare to and from Africa as it’s above and beyond our normal budget. There’s always Master Card, but that means interest payments. Calvary pleasantly surprised me with a check to cover my airfare. We praise the Lord for this unexpected love gift!
Thank You Calvary!
Last Sunday evening I was honored to bring a mission presentation. Before the service Pastor Paul and staff made me feel so welcome and relaxed – even prayed over me - that I didn’t feel too nervous. Afterwards folks came up, including my Power cousins Krinda and Todd (on Mother’s side). Donna plans to donate reading glasses and another gentleman, Todd, gave 200 Bibles! We will be ‘feeding the multitudes not only physical food, but spiritual food - the Word of God!
Cousin Todd & I
**PRAYER-N-PRAISE HIGHLIGHTS**
At long last our national Team has begun the Bible School Renovation Project in Leer! We’ll send a more comprehensive report next time.
SOUTH SUDAN
Thanks to YOU and YOU and YOU, we’ve sent school fees for 25 of the 31 orphans. Pray we find sponsors for the remaining 6.
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“Thank you for your support and prayers…. The children are doing well and send you greetings. We all [traveled] to Pastor Henry’s church [in the bush] to worship. My Kenyan orphans finished 1st Term on 10th April and are enjoying school holidays. They go back to school May 6th. The Ugandan orphans are doing exams … will be back in school on May 3rd…. Pass our regards to … our prayer partners…. God bless.”
Yours in His Love, Mama Josephine & Family
CONGO. Letter from Pastor Delphin, Goma
Dear Mama and Bush Mission,
“.... My family and I are grateful for the mission support … for house rent and school fees….
About security in Goma: the Rebels are negotiating with the government … and still in the same area (Rutshuru District). Bunagana continues to be their Headquarters. People are happily awaiting U.N. troops from Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa to stop Rebel forces.
“Pastor Ebenezer and family are doing well at Bunagana. His daughter is no longer sick after two months in hospital. [Note: she was raped by rebels]. All my children are doing well at school: my two eldest daughters are finishing (High School) next year; one studies in Bukavu South Kivu this year. Only five families of widows and 16 orphans live near the church. We feed them with our small resources. Three families joined the church; five people will be baptized soon after a learning period about salvation….”
In His Love, Pastor Delphin
About Pastor Guy: his church in Phoenix recently relocated to a larger building shared with another church with better facilities at 1/3 the rent. When we met last week he said, “I praise God that He helped me bring my four orphaned grandchildren from the Congo to the USA … my family now totals 12!”
Dear Mama Charlotte,
“We have a great program for you [in] … Rwanda…. Thank you also for your advice about John, the boy with the cleft pallet I brought with me to Nairobi. Your suggestion to take him to Kijabe Hospital was super. When I got back to Rwanda I told friends about your advice. We concluded that you are a caring mother and missionary. Your … programs are fitting to bring people to Christ…. May I request you come to Rwanda in October or November…?”
Thank you…, Pastor Celestin, Director
CONTAINER FUND UPDATE
Heaven Sent Ministries made a generous donation to the Container fund. That, along with donations from Stan, Andy, Darrell and others, brings our shipping fund up to $6,000. We still await word from Universal Aide Society of Canada regarding their proposed donation of over $5,000 (keep your fingers, toes and hands crossed!). Pray we reach $15,000 by mid-June, our shipping date.
USA. Letter from Andrea & Stan regarding life-saving medicine
Dear Charlotte,
“The Lord is good …. The 24 bottles of Vetericyn [medicine] should be delivered soon…. UPS will deliver it to [your home in] Glendale…. It is a gift from Mary Ann in the memory of Larry Trembly….”
Love, Andrea
Note: We also praise God for donated relief supplies from Marsha and Gordon; Richard and Melody; Sandy; Lily and the Bulletin Stuffers; Rose Marie; Susan and Janet; Helen and others.
Food from Heaven Sent Ministries
Dear Friends of the Persecuted Church,
IT’S SAFARI TIME! In Zambia we lived on the edge of Wankie Game Park (now called Hwange), a few miles north of Victoria Falls. It’s the largest falls in the world, discovered by David Livingstone in 1855. The Africans called it “The Mosi-ao-Tunya” meaning “The Smoke That Thunders”. You could hear the roar a mile away! Being a nature lover, I could feel God’s presence and hear His voice through that beautiful sound.
Every wild beast you can imagine lived in that park. Since the borders had no fences, we often came upon wild animals such as hippos, lions and elephants along the roadside. Oh! You haven’t lived until you’ve been charged by an angry 26,000 lb. mama elephant! That’s when I got my first gray hair. How did Noah ever manage that ark?
After Jesus’ baptism, He was driven out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan and, “He was with the wild beasts.” These words cause me to ask, “Lord … are we bombarded by wild beasts of a different sort today?” At times it feels like a jungle out there. Then when Jesus said, "Go … and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Mark added, "… preach the gospel to every creature."
Now don’t laugh but again I asked, “Lord … are You saying we are to invite creatures – like hippos, lions and elephants and so on – to join us on Sunday mornings?”
His answer came, “No My child … but you are to be aware of the world around you – not just the people. There is a danger in looking into a mirror where all you see is yourself.” He continued, “All my creatures, great and small, teach you to listen to My commands … and to the voices of the least, the last and the lost. You learn about Me, the Creator, in the beauty of My creation, like Victoria Falls ... from these lessons your faith will grow.”
I love the eagle – a great example of God’s love. "Like the eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the Lord alone shall lead us." (Deuteronomy 32:11)
The last lesson of the eagle comes from my favorite verse: "They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles." (Isaiah 40:31) As YOU wait upon the Lord, may YOU fly like an eagle! Thank YOU for putting your faith, hope and trust in God.
Surprise visit!
Delena and the grandchildren (Katie & Nate) were in town in early April to help out Delena’s best friend, Kathy, who suffered a serious head injury. Since it was an emergency visit, we didn’t expect to see them. Surprise! Delena made a quick stop on their way back home so Grandma got in a few hugs!
Health Update
I kissed my walker good-bye – before throwing it out the door. I’ve finished physical therapy; completed the iron regimen; and had my last visit with Dr. Manning. He took X-rays. Pleased with results he released me for the ministry trip to Africa, thanks to your prayers. You know my heart – how I long to serve the Lord. I rejoice in the physical energy, strength and enthusiasm He has provided as I press onward, forward and upward.
Special evening
Attorney Joe and his lovely wife Rhonda, strong advocates for missions in our community, invited folks over for an evening of fellowship. There I met a number of fine folk including missionaries Bill and Pat of Kenya: “We work in Kitali,” they said. Imagine their surprise when I replied, “I know it well.”
Lf. Sister Pat, Mother’s Day
Special prayer request for our beloved mission secretary, Sister Pat Karsten. She has selflessly served Bush Telegraph for years and last week was admitted to hospice. She became ill last November. Her two children are here now and Pastor Bob Bartlett keeps us updated on her condition. We believe in miracles, however, we must institute emergency contingency plans. Please, from this point forward, make checks payable to:
Bush Telegraph
P.O. Box 39383
Phoenix, AZ 85069
(Not Living Water of the Valley as before)
UGANDA. Letter from Mama Josephine
A NEW DOOR - RWANDA!
Last year while at Mayfield Guest House in Nairobi, Kenya, I met Pastor Celestin, Director of the Rwandan Orphans Project. He invited us to minister in Rwanda. Read on.
KENYA. Letter from Pastor Patrick of Busia
We encouraged him and his church to begin an outreach to the Street Kids in Busia. His response below is an answer to prayer!
KENYA. Letter from Pastor Walter
Dear Mama and Bush Mission,
“ … I am just back from West Pokort…. We were doing mission work at a place where heavy rains caused many to be homeless and without food. We have been … reaching them with the message of … our Lord and Savior. Our Nairobi church has supported us with clothes, blankets, mosquito nets and food. We distributed to needy families…. I am on my way to Nairobi but I left behind three pastors I am [mentoring] from my church. They are praying and counseling those who lost family in the floods. We are planning to buy [tarps] to … construct shelters for three families in need….”
God bless you, Pastor Walter
CONGO. One of our widows
CONGO. Team to Kinshasa!
We have been invited to join a Team to Congo, this summer. It will be a city-wide Conference in Kinshasa, the capital! The Team numbers 9, including Pastor Guy of Phoenix and Pastor Fanchon of Ohio, former Congolese refugees. We’ll be hosted by Pastor Chris’ church in Kinshasa where we held a city-wide Conference in 2011. Pray for preparations; that the message of the Cross and the faithfulness of God will go forth unimpeded by Congo’s recent violence and rebel activity.
KENYA. Street kids live at the dump
Field Reports
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“… This is the work that God has called us to do…. Let the mission know that we are taking action in handling these Street Children and Orphans. I made a survey of them on Monday and found we have over 200. No church is helping them. We have two orphanages in town … that were turned into primary schools. We will start small with 5 street children. We begin with this plan:
“3 Mattresses, 5 blankets; 90 KG maize (corn) flour; 10 liters cooking oil; 10 KG sugar; house rent; and misc. Total cost: 22,500 Kenya shillings ($270). Therefore we start small and soon we’ll add other things. We will teach them about Jesus and later take them to school.”
Blessings, Pastor Patrick
PRAYER-N-PRAISE REPORT
APRIL 2013
USA. THE EAGLE – AND THE FOOD – HAS LANDED!
Eight double pallets of special food for the malnourished arrived safely from Heaven Sent Ministries of WV, to Calvary Community Church. We placed the shrink-wrapped pallets in the courtyard, a secure area. Terry and I said, “We better cover them with a tarp – in case of rain,” a
rare phenomenon in Phoenix. We bought 8 bright blue tarps but struggled to throw them over the
tops of the tall pallets. That’s when Rich and Cliff, Calvary staff, appeared like angels of mercy.
“Let us help….” In no time the job was done – better than we ever could have. They even added another layer of shrink-wrap OVER the tarps in case of strong wind. You may wonder, “Why do you use tarps when a cheaper plastic is available?” Each tarp will be a refugee families’ home one day.
PRAYER-N-PRAISE REPORT
APRIL 2013
April 2013