In this issue:

i) Mission Fields

ii) Bengal Bible Training Institute (BBTI) - S. Thomas

Mission Fields

AFRICA

BOTSWANA: Jim and Irene Legge – Prayer partners will be aware that Jim has recently been unwell. He visited a specialist in Johannesburg last week who was pleased with the progress that Jim is making. Please pray that Jim will continue to make good progress and that he will be restored to a full measure of health and strength. [EoS]

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Mary Ratter is due to return to Katoka on 27th February. Please pray that she will have a safe flight and that she will quickly settle back into her role at the hospital.

ZAMBIA: Caroline Rawson – Prayer partners will be aware that Caroline is currently undertaking a period of short-term service at Kalene Hospital. She has contracted Malaria and we are asked to pray that she will make a full and speedy recovery. In addition she advises that, following a recent storm, all email and telephone communication has been temporarily broken. Please pray that normal communication will be restored as soon as possible.

AMERICAS

COLOMBIA: Jim and Sharon Fleming: "Pray for Jim as he ministers with the Emmaus work internationally: Follow-up from the India conferences, a new work beginning in the Dominican Republic, big steps being taken towards the [Special Area] project – basically helping, guiding, training, working with dozens of Emmaus workers all over the world every week." [MSC]

COLOMBIA: Bruce and Priscilla Simpson: "Our first AGAPE dinner of the year was the best yet with over 65 adults and 26 children present. Great singing, warmth and friendship, a good message and a delicious meal were followed by fellowship and some fun activities and games. Many visitors were there and heard the Gospel preached." [MSC]

EL SALVADOR: Helen Griffin: "The gospel hall in Izalco desperately needs space for Sunday School classrooms. Along one wall of the property, we are thinking of building some rooms, just floor and roof to start with, and some bathrooms. There are teachers willing to teach, but without something to keep the sun and rain out, it is impossible to reach out into the community and bring more children in. Right now, it is mainly Christians' children in the Sunday School." [MSC]

ASIA

INDIA: Ron and Lilo Penny advise that the Director of Education has agreed that an English medium school can be established in Kollegal. Please pray that the permission granted will be honoured and that the Lord will bless this new venture of faith. [EoS]

INDIA: Ben and Peters: "Our labour among children at BVN [school] is very fruitful. Our constant teaching of the Word of God has motivated some young people to obey the Lord in water baptism. All of these teenagers have come from a [non-Christian] background." [MSC]

INDIA, COUCH BEHAR: Timothy Das (timothy das <timothy_das@yahoo.com>, Tanmoy Shah and Samuel Das of Bethel Prayer House, Vill & P.O-Khagrabari, Coach Behar 736118: "Our next Workers’ Family Conference (W.B) is only a few months away from now (23 to 25 May 2006). Hope some of you might have received our previous prayer letter of July 2005 and are praying over this matter. If some of you have missed it, here are the details of the proposed Workers' Family Conference to be held at Courch Behar, North Bengal. Theme of the conference is:”…..As for me and my household we will serve the Lord”(Joshua 24:15) Speakers are: Albert Sunil M.(Aurangabad) and Sam Mathew (Mumbai). 120 delegates (Evangelists with their families) are expected to attend this conference and the total expense for this concerence is estimated at Rs.150,000/-(Rupees One hundred fifty thousand) out of which the Lord has already provided us Rs.80,000 (Rupees Eighty Thousand only). We look to the Lord to provide for the balance. [eMail]

PHILIPPINES: Dr. David & Shelly Johnson: "We were invited to show the 'Left Behind' series at a local [religious] high school where one of our elders from Bocaue teaches night school. One of our other elders gave a Gospel message and we gave out evangelistic literature. We thank the Lord for about 50 students and some faculty who were there, and we are praying for their salvation." [MSC]

SPECIAL AREAS

VARIOUS AREAS: John and Claire Wadsworth advise that their daughter, Rachel, has recently undergone surgery on her eyes. The surgeon is extremely pleased with the outcome. Claire and Rachel will remain in Hong Kong until Thursday to enable the consultant to be assured that there is no infection or complication. Please pray that Rachel will make a full and complete recovery. In addition we are asked to pray that Rachel’s passport and visa, which are due to be renewed in July, will be renewed without any complication. [EoS]

Bengal Bible Training Institute (BBTI) upcoming programmes

Santosh Thomas

Dear Brethren: Greetings from BBTI, Jamtara in our Lord’s name. By His immense blessings various ministries of BBTI are going on well.

Jamtara is situated in Jharkhand and is 16 kms away from the Bengal border. There are thousands of children and young people who need to be taken care of spiritually. Like children in major cities and Christian states, they are deprived of opportunities to attend Christian camps and programmes to know Christ or even to grow in Christ. BBTI sense this need and has the burden to address it. We, therefore, prayerfully propose to hold a “Kid’s camp 2006” during the school vacation time (April 13-16, 2006).

We expect around 400 to 450 children to attend this camp. They will be from several villages and localities where our existing assemblies are situated presently. We intend to cover twenty-seven districts of Bengal and Jharkhand through this effort. We trust and pray that within few years the spiritual and moral conditions of our Assemblies in this place will be progressing considerably.

We have short listed some of the evangelists-able men and women who are trained and have the burden for children ministry as resource persons to conduct the programmes effectively and prayerfully. CAMP LEADERS : Sam & Jim Mathew (Mumbai), Paul Varghese (Kolkata), P.Samson (Chakradarpur), Rajender Rajwar (Dhanbad), Samson D’Cruz (Kagadia), Molay Kanti Das (Kolkata), Shomen Besra (Asansol).

We would be happy to have you with us at this camp; but we also recognise that many of you may not be able to be present here due to time and distance constraints. However, we encourage you to be a part of this programme by supporting us financially and praying for the success and effectiveness of the camp. The Camp will be for four days and some children would be travelling more than 250 K.M to reach Jamtara. Estimated expense is around Rs. 150,000 which includes food, pandals, teaching aids, stationary, sound system, gifts to resource people and other camping expenses. Because of the poor economic conditions of the participants and local believers, we may not be able to raise more than Rs.10,000. This leaves a deficit of Rs.140,000 which we expect the Lord to provide to us through the prayerful support of our brethren.

Please continue to pray for the upcoming events at Jamthara:

1. Children’s camp - 13 to 16 Apr 2006
2. Summer Bible study April 2006 (This Bible Study is for the new believers of our

Assemblies of Bengal & Jharkhand)
3. Passing Out of the Present Bible School Batch- 8 Apr 2006
4. Peace Outreach Ministries. Thinpahar(Feb-2006), West Bengal (April 2006).
5. New batch (Bible School) commences in July 2006

In His Purpose

Santhosh Thomas
sanbbti@hotmail.com