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ARM
Prison Outreach International
Branch
Ministry Reports
February 2010
Update
About
ARM's Branch
Report
NOTE: To
unsubscribe from Branch Reports, just reply with "no branch" in the body
of the email.
These summaries
from the leaders of ARM's foreign branch ministries are intended to
encourage the reader and stimulate prayer. Note the "Quick Link" menu to
the left; it will aid in navigating DIRECTLY to the article you choose.
Feel free to be a selective reader; should you have interest in only one
or two of these reports, you can easily select those reports from the
"Quick Link" menu. If you want a printable "plain text" version, just
reply and tell us! Also, you can find archives of ARM's worldwide branch
ministries at
Back to top
ARM's Rapha
House
Homes for
Girls in SE Asia
IMPORTANT NOTE: With the
wonderful growth of the work at Rapha, we will once again be
including updates in this foreign report! However, be advised that
due to the sensitive nature of our work, there will be no photos of the
girls or details that could compromise security. Thanks for
understanding.
"We Just Didn't
Know ..."
Stephanie
Freed, USA Director of the Rapha House
One of my favorite things about working with
the ministry of Rapha House is that I get to meet so many incredible
Christian brothers and sisters as I travel and speak to our partner
churches.
A few weeks ago, I was visiting a
church in a rural and quite remote area of the Midwest. The people
who live in this part of our country are extremely hard working and very
active members of their small communities and
townships.
As I gave the presentation of the
ministry of Rapha House and talked about the issues of modern day slavery
and sexual exploitation, I could see that the information was making the
church family uneasy. Let’s just tell the truth here. They
were shocked and uncomfortable. For me, the information I must
present is never easy, but this evening, it was exceptionally difficult
for me. I realized that for many of these people, it was the first
time they were hearing about these issues. I felt almost sorry about
the information I needed to share, and I really wondered if the message
was connecting.
At the close of my presentation, the
minister asked a church member to pray. An elderly man stood, and
after a few silent moments, he began to pray words I will never
forget. “Lord, forgive us where we have failed these children.
We just didn’t know…” Then his voice broke, and the prayer
ended. In this man’s prayer, I was reminded again that we are the
voice of these children. They need us to speak out on their
behalf. Thank you for being a voice for the Rapha
girls.
---------------------
We also encourage all of you to write to
Stephanie Freed (sfreed@arm.org) --
USA Director of Rapha House, or Kerry Decker (raphahouse@pacbell.net) Dir. of
the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, and request their email and/or
postal updates. You may also go to www.freedomforgirls.org
Gifts for Rapha may be sent
to:
ARM-Rapha, 3127 Hwy
K
Back to top
ARM's Baptistries Around the
Globe
Over the years, ARM has donated
hundreds of baptistries to mission fields around the world. Just in
the last few issues of this report, you've seen such units used in Mexico,
Cuba, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
Last year ARM sent SIXTEEN
baptistries to mission fields! Here is a
listing of those baptistries:
Pacific Rim
Ministries, Darryl & Carol Krause, Kalibo,
Philippines
North Haiti
Christian Mission, Mathieu Alexandre (2)
Woodford Corr
Centre Roger Wall, Queensland, Australia
One each was
sent to India, Portugal, Cuba, and Mexico.
One baptistry
was sent to Burmese church in Cumming, GA
One each was
sent to Albania, Cuba, and Taiwan.
Myanmar Hope
Christian Mission, Myanmar (Burma)
Monrovia
Christian Church, Liberia, West Africa (2)
Abdiel Fuentes,
El Paso, TX!
At the current time, we need
sponsors for eleven of these baptistries. At $795 per unit, we
have invested more than $8,745 into this program this year so that
those coming to Christ overseas can be immersed in obedience to the
Gospel.
If you, your Sunday School
class, or your church could sponsor even one of these, that would be
terrific. If you can only make a gift toward this baptistry fund,
that would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks for your prayers
and support.
Gifts for Baptistries
may be sent to:
ARM Baptistries, 3127 Hwy
K
Back to top
ARM's Branch Ministry in the
Philippines
Report from Ernesto
Alocelja
|
I. Baptism:
2
II. Confessed Christ
and awaiting Baptism: 75
III. Services
Conducted
1. Funeral service for Elezar
Estremos family
2. special prayer for Cresencio
Limutin and Danny Reponuya
3. Special follow-up for Emma
Libre family, Mar Jane Codizar and Gina ambol
IV. Assistance
delivered:
1. Assist the Christmas and
Thanksgiving of tagum City Church of Christ.
2. Assist the Christmas and
Thanksgiving of Uhaw, Fatima Church.
3. assist the Christmas and
Thanksgiving of Libuton Church.
4. Pick up of Miego’s
daughter.
5. assist the Christmas Program,
Thanksgiving of old Bulatukan Church.
V. Special Project
Conducted:
1. Mural painting at Kapalong Church of Christ.
VI. Christmas
Presentations
1. General Santos City Female
Dormitory
2. Panabo City District
Jail
3. AMAS provincial
jail
VII. Christmas Program
Conducted
1. Christmas and family re-union
at Balabag, Kidapawan City.
2. Lion City Church of Christ
Christmas Program and Church family re-union.
VIII. Special
Gathering Attended:
1. One of the principal sponsor
of Ebboy-Pandayan Nuptials at Kidapawan City Church of
Christ.
IX. Reading materials
distributed:
1. 8 boxes of large print Bibles
given to GenSan City Jail
2. 1 box of Large print Bibles
given to Jerim Vilar
3. 1 pack reading materials
given to Romeo Ebale
4. 2 packs reading materials
given to AMAS Provincial Jail
5. 1 pack reading materials
given to Pastor Tammy Silagan
X.
Give-away:
1.200 packs instant noodles to Gensan Female
Dormitory
2. 4 pieces bath soap to Malita Alfaro and Espie
Neri
3. 1 sack miracle fruit to Panabo City Jail
4. 36 sachet of toothpaste to Gensan Female Jail
5. 50 pieces used clothes to Panabo City Jail
6. 20 pieces used clothes to AMAS Provincial Jail
7. 36 bars laundry soap to AMAS Provincial Jail
8. 112 sliced laundry soap to Gensan Female Dorm
9. 42 Packs powder soap to Panabo City Jail
10. 32 sachet toothpaste to Panabo City Jail
XI. Snacks
served:
1. 200 pieces waffles to Panabo
Cuty Jail
2. 200 pieces fresh bread to
Panabo City Jail
3. 50 kilos native delicacies to
AMAS Provincial Jail
4. 60 kilos native delicacies to
Panabo City Jail
5. 200 pieces native delicacies
to Gensan Jail
6. 180 packs orange juice given
to Gensan Female Jail
XII. Christmas gifts
given:
1. Polo Barong to Pastor Tammy
silagan
2. 1 pack underwear to romeo
Ebale
3. 1 pack underwear to Pastor
Joejie Sabenorio
4. 3 kilos rice, toothbrush,
small perfume to Solomon Suscano
5. 10 kilos rice to Dante
Tawi
6. 1 big Tuna sardines, 1box
banana to Hermie Cobrado
7. 32 pieces small ceramics vase
to Kalilangan Church
8. 4 pieces ceramics jar to Emma
Libre
9. 2 pieces ceramics jar to
Pastor Badong family
10. 30 pieces
small ceramics vase to Cuyapon Church
11. 7 pieces
assorted ceramics to Balabag brethren
12. 2 pieces
printed t shirts to Osias Encarnacion and Billy
Cabalinan
13. 5 kilos rice
to Pastor Tammy Silagan
14. 33 pieces
small ceramics to Lion City Church of Christ
brethren
15. 1 box banana
to Fe Sarabillo
16. 1 box Banana
to Caroling Children
XIII. Donations
received from:
1. Mrs. Aida Arrocena- 11 boxes
banana
2. Dante Tawi- 6 bars laundry
soap
3. RLS Mission- 6 bars laundry
soap
4. Hermie Cobrado- 10 bars
laundry soap
18 packs powder
soap
24 double sachet
toothpaste
5. MCFCS- 9 bars laundry soap
6. Dante Tawi – 5 pieces small bath soap
7. De Castro family- 36 packs powder soap
8. Domingo Escobar- 2 kilos rice
9. Junnel Agiuo- 3 bars laundry soap
10. Larry estremos family- 42 packs powder soap, 36 sachet
toothpaste
11. dante Tawi- 6 pieces used clothes
12. Lolita ebale- 10 pieces used clothes
13. Dr. Elfred Batalla- 216 packs instant noodles
14. camuning Church of Christ-200 pieces waffles, ½ sack
miracle fruit, 200 pieces bread, assorted used
clothes
15. Kalilangan Church- 1 sack rice
16.Cuyapon Church- 1 sack
rice
|
Jaymark M. Alocelja --ARM Phil. Information Sec.
Approved by: Ernesto O. Alocelja
ARM Chaplain
|
Back to top
News from
Mexico
From ARM's Alfredo Jose
Aparicio
Dear brethren in Christ
Jesus,
I greet you knowing that our
Wonderful Lord takes good care of all of us, His children. On December
16th, my wife and I left Church around 8:00 pm and headed home. We cannot
explain why and how, but we ended up in a cross fire between the
Marines/Mexican Army and drug dealers. We could hear and see the
fired bullets all around us, but we suffered no harm! Indeed, the Lord is
so Great to us! We are so happy to have seen God’s hand protecting
us!
It is so true that if we are
obedient to the Lord He uses us in very special ways. Most of the people
studying our Bible lessons and baptized in December were people from the
most insecure countries in the world: Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela. In
December, we had 2,318 new students registered in our Bible Correspondence
Courses. 121 graduated from these lessons. 82 people got
baptized.
Also, due to our Bible Students
inside a jail in Mexico City, a new congregation was founded inside this
jail, with 122 inmates. The name of this prison is Reclusorio Oriente of
Mexico City.
At the Church in Cuernavaca,
due to this Christmas season, we had special meetings and activities. We
sang Christmas carols, had plays, read poems, sang special hymns, broke
piñatas, had a special hot drink, and did many activities to share Jesus
with believers and non believers. We had a crowded Church, and some people
had to stand outside and saw everything through the side windows. All was
done with the uncertainty of a drug dealers attack at any moment in the
streets of Cuernavaca. However, God is with us and nothing can harm His
people.
The impact caused by our CIY
Conference held last November is still being experienced. Parents, young
people, and Christian Leaders have been calling me to thank me for such a
great good job we did to spread the Gospel in that event. Most young
people who attended are now sharing the Gospel with their friends,
neighbors, and others in a very creative way. They are participating in
their Churches more now. They are being good living examples in their
homes, schools, work, and so on. They are experiencing a revival, which is
making them stronger Christians, and showing a better spiritual life. I
thank and worship God, as He is the only One Who deserves all Honor and
Praise.
I request special prayers for
our dear sister Victoria Sánchez Robledo and her family. I consider her my
sister in the flesh as well. She is suffering from cancer now. Her
husband, Cirilo Martínez, and she have been a great support to me in the
ministry. Their oldest daughter, Keyla, due to her husband’s work is now
living in Qatar, Saudi Arabia. They continue helping the ministry in
Mexico and in other parts of the world as well. They are facing very
though times, as they founded a Church there, but the Government has much
control on the people and their activities. Please pray a lot for
them. No matter what, the Church is advancing.
Cirilo Martínez was going to
visit the Church in Tejupilco, and marry a couple there, but due to his
wife’s cancer he will not go. I will perform the wedding ceremony now.
Please pray a lot for me, as the road there is very dangerous, specially
now with so many problems with drug dealers in that area of Mexico. I am
in God’s hands, and that is all I need!
Your fellow servant in Christ
Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
Alfredo José
Aparicio
Back to top
ARM's Branch Ministry in Russia
Report From Dr. Nicholas E. Alyoshin
Glory to Christ, my beloved brother!
1. IMMERSIONS. Yuri
Erkin, whom I had immersed in 2002, returned to Krasnodar after his long
journey to Australia and Balkans. He brought to Christ a man, named
Leonid, - the expert in the hand-to-hand combat. We immersed Leonid into
the Name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. PRISONS. The
ministers of the DOM ARM had 19 visits to different prisons, prison camps,
police detention cells, deportation camps, prison psychiatric hospitals
and the meetings with the relatives of the convicts.
3. MOSLEMS. We have
established the contacts with the congregations, working with the Moslems
(mainly Tajiks) in the Central Russia. These congregations are cooperating
with the German Christian mission “Alliance”. For some years it has been
working straightly in Tajikistan, but in 2009 it was expelled from that
state with the special order of its’ Government. I hope my contacts with
the Tajiks and my studies on Rumi theology will help these congregations
to work with the Tajiks in Russia.
4. MISSION
TRIPS. The DOM ARM ministers worked this month in Goryachiy Kluch,
Novorossiysk, Sochi (the towns in the Krasnodar Territory) and in
Simferopol (Crimea, Ukraine).
5. MEDITATIONS. The
biggest and most influential US Journal “Archaeology” (the publication of
the Archaeological Institute of America) in its last issue (Vol. 63, Numb.
1, January – February 2010) published the list of the “top 10 discoveries
of 2009” (watch also: www.archaeology.org/1001/topten/).
This top list includes the discovery of the ruins of the Pontus King
Mithradates VI palace in the Krasnodar Territory (Taman peninsula). This
discovery once more confirms the fact, that the apostle words: “To the
strangers scattered throughout Pontus … Grace unto you, and peace, be
multiplied” (1 Pet., 1:1-2), - are said to us, working around the Pontus.
This discovery is the splendid confirmation of the Holy Spirit work
through bro Max Goins. For many years before this discovery he was
prophesying, that the Light of Christ had been brought to the territory of
the modern Russia by the people from Pontus (Acts, 2:9). Now we know, that
even the capital of the Pontus kingdom with its’ palaces and temples was
situated in our territory!
Dear brother Max!
It has been said for You and about You: “Let us prophesy according to the
proportion of faith” (Rom., 12:6). And Your faith is the powerful armament
of Jesus!
6. DIVINE
ACTION. The chairman of the Krasnodar city council N.S. Kotlyarov (pastor
Dr. G. Leiser was acquainted with him personally) began in the end of 2009
– beginning of 2010 to cooperate actively with the idolatric
icon-worshippers. He publicly kissed the icons and had big speeches,
proclaiming, that the icon-worshipping was the only basis for morality in
Russia. He wanted to introduce the state and orthodox church censorship
for the Russian TV, etc. On 30.01.2010 this “moral” idolatrist took part
in the pompous ceremony to open the newly built gambling casino in
Shcherbinovskiy district (300 km NW from Krasnodar). On his way back to
Krasnodar he perished in the heavy automobile crash. The Divine Action is
clear: “When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he
hideth his face, who then can behold him? Whether it be done against a
nation, or against a man only: That the hypocrite reign not, lest the
people be ensnared.” (Job, 34:29-30). Amen.
7. YOUTH
MINISTRY. Our daughter Nike and her husband Yura during 25.12.2009 –
11.01.2010 were serving to Christ in Saratov-city (Volga region) in the
center for rehabilitation of the former convicts and drug addicts, which
belonged to one of the Evangelical Christian congregations. They also had
the Christmas theatre ministry for the children of the local population in
Saratov and surrounding villages.
8. PUBLIC
RELATIONS. On 19.01.2010 I was the honorary guest of the Krasnodar
Territory conference of the rescue teams of 10 different ministries and
services (Emergecom, army, firemen, etc., etc.). I was the only Christian
field chaplain (I am the one of the “Radiation Control” rescue team)
there.
On 26.01.2010 I was
invited to speak at the International conference of the “Golos” (in Eng.:
“the Voice”) civil rights organization (it defends the electoral rights).
The conference was organized by the “Black Sea Trust for Regional
Cooperation”, which was the project of the “German Marshall Fund”. At the
conference I met the well-known experts Nikolay Bliznakov (Bulgaria) and
Florina Presada (Romania). I was there the only Christian
Minister.
9. REPRESSIONS.
Brethren Yuri and Leonid (watch paragraph 1) acquainted me with the facts,
which let me conclude, that the fanatical icon-worshipping militants
(former mercenaries in Bosnia and Kosovo) had organized the plot to
assassinate the Rome Pope.
10. SUPPORT. We
received the December 2009 ARM support and Christmas gift through Max
Goins “We – Go” system OK. We received also the letters, e-mails and phone
calls of support from Rod Farthing, Bill Blair, Max Goins, N.G. Plutenko
(USA); A. Novosyolov (Switzerland); E. Novozhilov (Poland), E. Filipyeva,
A. Hamzin (Crimea, Ukraine).
We spread among the
convicts 20 Bibles, donated by pastor Dr. G. Leiser (Karlsruhe, Germany);
250 sets of towels, tooth paste, tooth brushes and soap; 15 kg of apples,
3 kg of oranges and 5 kg of bananas. The brethren of our Brotherhood
served to Christ with their private cars to move me and other DOM ARM
ministers.
In Jesus our
hope!
Dr. Nicholas E. Alyoshin
Back to top
David O'Grady is now
representing ARM in the great Northwest! Churches and individuals in
that area of the USA may contact David through the ARM office in Joplin --
1-800- CALL ARM.
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