Renewed in the Spirit of your mind

One day a man returned into our fellowship who had been away from the Lord for many years. On his fourth or fifth service he took several Bibles in our library that were shuttered and needed some fresh up and brought them to the book repair shop. The next Sunday these Bibles were standing solid with renewed and repaired covers. Such attention and respect to God’s Word struck my heart. Some of these Bibles were new when he was doing his first steps in faith. Jesus teaches us that until we get to heaven, our journey on this earth is not finished. He gives a new beginning to a person who returns to him.

“For All Club”

We had a meeting in January with a Christmas theme. Several of the parents of our children came for the first time. It is a big step for us. These were heart-hardened people trying to steer clear from all Christians. Please remain in prayer for the hearts of our people that their hearts will soften more to be able to receive the truth of God’s Word.

Praise and Prayer Points

Our trip to West Asia region in December went well. We met with prospective leaders and taught them how they could use a house church method in their reaching of their nations for Christ. Please pray that those leaders continue to make disciples in an effective way.
We had a Christmas special service on January 7th here in Ufa. Yes, Christmas is celebrated here on a different date. The worship hall was full. Some of our friends came, mostly those with whom we maintain relationships. Pray for those who come so that they can make a decision to follow Jesus.

Friends and Family

Tomorrow we are going to resume our school year. As we do the home schooling, those assignments are becoming more and more complex. Sometimes it takes significant time for us to get prepared. Pray for the wise scheduling and stamina as we help them to be prepared. Thank you for your prayer and support. Thank you, Grace Church, Northville BC, Maryland Ave BC, and Richard Purnell, for making our trip possible! Happy New Year!

You can make tax deductible contribution to Ufa Bible Ministries which is recognized by the IRS as a 501c3 non-profit entity. Make checks payable to:
Ufa Bible Ministries
PO BOX 1761, Columbia, SC 29202

Praises

Greetings and Happy New Year!!!
The time goes too quick I tell you! I thought there would be a little more time for Christmas movies and relaxing but we are officially out of the shoots and on the run! December was a nice break even if it has come and gone!
We had a lovely cooler December than usual. I noted in the last P&P that the dry hot season was back. Well, that lasted only a short time and the cooler rainy season hasreturned. This made the time a bit more seasonal for us, I don’t think so for the nationals.
Rinnah and I participated the beginning of December in the market which is usually end of month, but December it was the first weekend. We thank God for that because of all of the activities the end of November and beginning of December had everyone running. Rinnah runs her school closer to the USA schedule, the breaks are similar here. The Christmas event was in December.
You’ll see in the photos some of the cuties in the Christmas program. Of course there was the getting ready for Christmas. One of the other things is the last of the rains had the outside garden fence come down which became our early December project.

P1 & P2 at Nazina—We Wish You A Merry Christmas!! The angels on the tree were one of the bible and art projects I did with the children.

More Praises & Challenges!

Girls Dorm Fundraiser!
We will continue to fundraise and attach the flyer for updates when we send out the P&P’s as well as the status of that only! Thank you all who have given and please if you could continue to pray for success, we trust that the Lord hears and will answer!! I must confess my joy and appreciation!! Thank you, Thank YOU!!

We did receive a sizable donation, we just haven’t had validation from TMCI. I mentioned some donations take a bit longer in their systems. We still have a ways to go but I’m so encouraged at the progress. We will at minimum contact the graders to come and start that process sooner than later so the government will see some progress and hopefully let us get this done without too much interference. It’s interesting that they seem to want help but only in their way and then they can be very demanding on how you help. Some of it I understand but when you have a school doing good work, they will threaten to close you for a dozen or more reasons it seems, it is not just us. And we’re hearing more and more stories where as they are trying to control and take advantage of those doing good work. The children, the country and the development is what is hindered and the ones that lose. But this could just be falling under that category of more and more birth pains as we get closer, only God knows and He is still in control!!

Prayers

 Please pray for FMLK , I understand the teacher that was at the helm of all the shenanigans is in prison. Clare is reporting that we should have plenty of interviews that will start shortly. Pray we get the right teachers according to His will and that He will give us wisdom and insight into this process and each of these that will be interviewed. Prayers for all the staff to be righteous and honest and that there will be an-other chapel leader in the near future.
 Pray for another couple of streams of funding for FMLK. This is an ongoing prayer. We certainly see God providing from these young Spanish volunteers and even in this there are parameters and stops.
 Pray for the fundraiser for the Dorm & Fencing (not on the docket yet?) needed as the requirement from the government.
 Please continue to pray as Bill teaches and shares and has these new opportunities to speak to not only leaders but the youth as well. We also will be meeting with another couple here soon on partnering in another youth activity that I have had on my heart forever!!
 Please continue to pray for the Muslim community that we (several of us believers) have communication and surface relationships with. Pray for the Lord to invite these friends into a deeper relationship with the
Christian community, dreams/visions, and the Lord Himself.
 Pray for the Muslim woman I love and having great Spiritual conversations with and that it is all worthy of her considering Christ. We stay in contact and she is such a delight!!
 Pray as we serve to see with Spiritual eyes and for boldness in these days.
 Join us in prayer, for all of us to see Him as the author and finisher of our days and the desire to fulfill His purpose for each of us!!
 Pray as Bill has his sciatica addressed. We’re praying for no surgery and the chiropractor I see, he has started going to. It is promising, yet she is all the way to Kampala. Pray as I address an injury from Princess pulling me to the ground as she chased a cat. It is painful and a long healing injury. No more of me holding on to her leash, she is just too big and strong for me.

Bill was quite busy up until early December as well, he and George agreed this group in Kyenjojo might have been their very best group so far. For being organized and hungering for the Word!! Love that you can see their passion!!

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

As the trees and lights come down and summer ministry is upon us, it is good to reflect and pray for all those in whom God worked this Christmas season. Unlike last year, I was well enough to enjoy most of the season including Christmas Day activities with children at the City of Launceston’s Christmas dinner. While mostly secular, there were ways to start conversations including the candy canes on the big coloring banner and hats that the children made. Do you know how the candy cane represents the story of Jesus coming and the Gospel at Christmas? If you haven’t heard it, here’s a fellow explaining on YouTube. (You can copy and paste into your browser) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MnHeOodxHY

2024Children at Launceston’s Christmas Dinner Enjoy Play-Dough Activities

This was also the way a couple friends and I shared in a craft booth at Perth Baptist Tabernacle’s Christmas Festival. The children made candy cane ornaments with beads and pipe cleaners as we had conversations about the story. Later, children from the local Primary School performed the Nativity while adults joined in singing carols in the church building.

Christmas Carol Events and Festivals are big in Tassie, and Good News Club was able to participate in two others. My own Network of churches held one for the families of two of our Good News Clubs, a preschool music program, and Kids Churches of the Network. The Good News Club children sang and signed “Mary Had a Baby”. God did an amazing work there because Phil from my church, who was to play the guitar for them to sing as well as lead all the other music at the festival had a stroke two days before. The Dr. at the hospital said most people with this kind of stroke can’t even talk. I was scrambling to find out how to make music work for the festival when I am not a musical person at all. Would you believe the next day, he was out of the hospital and told me he was still planning to come to the festival?! He did and played music for an hour and a half including our Good News Club song. God is a miracle working God.

Then, many Christian organizations got together to do a Carols Event at Riverbend Park. Churches and people from a variety of backgrounds sang. Good News Club participated by having a table for balloon animals. I added a candy cane to my balloon making repertoire for the first time this year. Can you guess why?

Prayer Requests

➢Praise God for good health to participate in Christmas events.

➢Pray for all who heard the Gospel at Christmas this year throughout Tasmania that God would water those seeds.

➢Pray summer ministry training days coming up for our different teams on 11 January and 19 January. Pray that I would be able to communicate clearly with the volunteers and that God would unite us as teams.

➢Pray for children in our summer ministry at City Park 21-23 January and George Town28-30 January that many would come to know Christ.

End of Year 2024 Reflection

The year 2024 is coming to an end and before that happens, I FIRSTLY like to reflect on the open doors of opportunity for ministry and SECONDLY on some inspirational points how to reflect, but also how to listen.

At the beginning of 2024, ample situations came my way to see the flow of the love of the Father reaching various people. Those who came to gather in larger meetings, as well as those at cozy gatherings. Sometimes the one on one get-togethers seem to be the most amazing events. Certainly lives were transformed, hearts healed, believers equipped, and the Kingdom of God was expanded. Glory to God!

The global reach with “boots on ground” included four nations on three continents, named Africa, Europe and North America and the nations: USA, Tunisia, Switzerland and Germany.  I hope you received the detailed reports filled with God-kind of connections, signs & wonders, and outreaches, sent throughout the year 2024.

END OF YEAR 2024 REFLECTION 

AND LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025 

Have you had an opportunity to reflect on what has happened in your life during 2024?  

At the end of a year, I always carve out extra time, in a quiet space, to listen to God and reflect.  

During the time of reflection and on a daily basis, I like to start out with

THANKING: because thankfulness gives life and there are always blessings, special surprises and examples of God’s goodness and provisions. 

PRAISING & WORSHIP: Our heavenly Father is enough and He gives me ample reasons to thank Him, praise Him and give Him all the honor, exalt His holy name, worship  and glorify Him. 

TRUSTING:  Trust the Lord with all your heart (see Prov. 3) and give your hopes, dreams, fears or worries to Him.  If we trust Him, and giving our unfinished business or uncertainties still weighing on us to Him, then the end result can be a deeper peace, increased freedom in Jesus and a deeper connection with the Father.  

LET GO AND DON’T TAKE, EVEN UNCONSCIOUSLY, HEAVY WEIGHTS WITH YOU INTO THE NEXT YEAR! 

ENTER INTO HIS REST & LISTEN:    

As we enter into His Rest and Listen, we receive revelation knowledge on how to spend our time, how to deal with situations and how to go into our mission field, which can be our families and calling, the workplace, business, neighborhoods,  just to name a few.   
God spoke with Moses as a friend face to face (see Exodus 33:11)

ABIDING IN HIM – JOHN 15 “ABIDE IN ME, DWELL IN ME

As we make the Lord our home and abide in Him, we will be safe in His arms and rest under the shadow of His wings.    When we enter into the Holy Place facing Him, we are to be quiet and listen.  Many times, while in the presence of the Lord, our mind is busy thinking about many things, which means our soul has to be quieted, much like David said: “My soul is quieted within me, even as a weaned child.”  (see Psalm 131:2)

MY PRAYER FOR YOU:   

My prayer is, that you will receive a fresh download of God’s will and purposes for your life.  I pray that you will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, that your focus will be on Jesus, your ears tuned and your heart quiet with eyes wide open!  AMEN

It’s true, when you receive direction from the Lord, it can give you clarity and resolve for years to come.  With the revelation of the Father’s will and purposes comes responsibility.  When the Lord shows us, it is so that we can make preparations toward it.   

THANK YOU!

Every gift you sow equips believers, and your “YES” to Jesus helps brings Heaven to earth. Your generosity creates opportunities for countless lives to encounter God in fresh and live-changing ways.

 Abiding in Christ,

Gabriele Gilpin

More Than Conquerors’ School

Graduation 2024

We are pleased to announce the completion of the 2024 school year! God did it! He saw us through one more year in Nicaragua. God is so good! We thank Him for His faithfulness.

This last week was our 18th graduation! How time has gone by. We have seen so many young people begin in the 1st grade and then to see them graduate from High School. What a blessing!

We want to give a special thanks to our staff in Nicaragua, who have worked countless hours to make this school year and graduation happen. Especially Pastor Carlos and Violeta Moncada. For the last 10 years, they have been such a huge blessing to this ministry. We praise the Lord for their faithfulness and their dedication. Please keep them and all of our staff in Nicaragua in your prayers.  

Urgent Prayer Request

We need another financial miracle. Please agree with us in prayer once again.

We urgently need $13,000 to make it through this month and finish the year.

Staff Salaries for December = $4,626

Yesterday we were supposed to pay our staff, but we didn’t have the finances to do so. In December not only do we pay our normal salaries to our teachers and staff, but in Nicaragua, by law, each employee is to receive an extra month of salary, which makes our payroll double this month. Which they more than deserve, but it makes it difficult for us financially.

Social Security = $3,425

We currently owe social security for our teachers and staff for September through November. This alone is over $3,000. Please agree with us for the finances to get caught up with this right away so that we can stay current with the government.

Utilities Bills = $1,483

Some of these are past due already.

Other pending Bills and Expenses = $3,470

Please agree with us in prayer for the finances we need to make it through this month. The majority of these finances we need before the end of this week, so we need a miracle!

I am standing and believing God for a miracle! Will you agree with us?

In Christ,
Charity Ford