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Want an ARM multimedia presentation in your
church? |
| As Development Director, I'm visiting a lot of churches in the
Midwest! We have a video/Power Point presentation that will inform,
encourage, and promote evangelism in your church. |
| If you would like an ARM presentation for your whole church-- or
a group within it-- please inquire by reply or call 573-729-6355. We
are now scheduling 2010. Thanks again for all your prayers,
support, and encouragement! |
| -- Rod |
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resources, please email info@arm.org, call
1-800-CALL-ARM, or write to PO Box 1490, Joplin, MO
64802. |
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Want to help? |
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resources, please email rodfar@arm.org, or write to 3127
Hwy K, Salem, MO 65560. |
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ARM Prison Outreach
International
Branch Ministry
Reports
April 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
On FaceBook?
Follow ARM Prison Outreach at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=335786778886&ref=nf
or just go to FaceBook and search for
"ARM Prison Outreach."
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.
"One
Special Birthday Party"
Kerry
Decker, USA Director of the Rapha House Freedom
Center
Aiden Palmer just celebrated her eleventh birthday. It wasn't your
typical party for an eleven-year-old. But, then, Aiden is not your typical
eleven-year-old.
The invitations to her party read: "My WISH is for
a brighter life, not for me but for the victims of human trafficking." And
her guests were instructed not to bring any gifts but only donations to
benefit Rapha House.
Leading up to her party Aiden wore a different
Rapha House tee shirt to school every day for a week. She called it
"Impact Week" and wanted to tell as many people as possible about Rapha
House and human trafficking. (Once she even wore her Rapha House tee shirt
to the doctor's office and had a chance to talk her doctor about human
trafficking.)
 On the day of her party, Aiden wore another Rapha
House tee shirt as she greeted her guests. During the party, they laughed
and ate some cake that displayed a Rapha House logo. Then the girls
watched a short homemade video about life in Cambodia.
My daughter
Karen Johnson shared a little about Rapha House with the moms who
attended. Altogether about $450 was raised at Aiden's birthday party to
benefit the girls at Rapha House.
Aiden sent her guests home with a
goodie bag. In it was a bookmark that she had handpicked for the occasion.
It read: "Count Your Blessings."
I am. And one of
the blessings that I'm counting today is Aiden Palmer. This little lady
has made a big difference to the Rapha girls. Happy Birthday,
Aiden!
On FaceBook?
Follow Rapha House at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rapha-House/150559895031?ref=mf
or search for "Rapha House."
Gifts for Rapha may be sent
to:
ARM-Rapha, 3127 Hwy
K
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REPRESENTATIVES READY TO SERVE
David O'Grady continues to
represent 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.
Ansil Harpold is now
representing ARM in the Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio! Churches and
individuals in that area of the USA may contact Ansil through the ARM
office in Joplin -- 1-800- CALL ARM.
ARM's
Baptistries Around the
Globe
Over the years, ARM has donated
hundreds of baptistries to mission fields around the world -- as well as
donating units to prisons and military bases. Just in the last few
issues of this report, you've seen such units used in Mexico, Cuba, the
Philippines, and Cambodia. The following is a thank you note from the
Krause family in the Philippines:
One problem we have faced with all
these baptisms is the time and cost of transporting those who were to be
baptized to the beach for baptism. The beach is accessed via a very
long and obstacle filled road. The tricycle-cab has suffered a lot
of damage during some of these trips hitting pot holes and going over half
buried coconut trees. Often the road is flooded and dangerous to travel
on. The number of people who can attend to witness the baptism is
limited by the amount of people we can transport at any given time. Since
gas is now over $4.50 U.S. a gallon we also face the cost involved since
these roads swallow up fuel because of the hazards to be
negotiated.
We made this problem known in our
updates and were advised to contact American Rehabilitation Ministries in
Joplin, Missouri. This group provides portable baptisteries
for their prison ministries in the U.S. and world and also makes these
available to missionaries like us who face problems in implementing the
ordinance of baptism. They graciously agreed to provide us with a new
portable baptistery free of charge but we would need to arrange to have it
delivered to us in the Philippines. We had planned to have our video
ministry visitors bring it to us in February 2009 when they were scheduled
to come to Kalibo to video our Pacific Rim Ministries efforts but sadly we
had to reschedule their visit because of some problems we were going
through at that time. So Bro. Jim Small sent it to us via the FOREX
mailing services with the Onarga Christian Church where he is the preacher
paying for the mailing expenses. We then were able to dedicate this
baptistery during their visit in November 2009 and are so thankful to ARM
(American Rehabilitation Ministries) for this wonderful gift.
We now only have to walk a few steps
outside our chapel front door to baptize souls into Christ.
ARM has the vision to realize that
those who face prison and embark in crime are often void of the knowledge
of Jesus Christ and the standards set forth in God’s word for Godly
living. The prisons in the Philippines and even in our region are
filled with offenders who often start their lives of crime at a young
age. Many are imprisoned for major offenses often only to be
released because there is no plan or program to rehabilitate their torn
and muddled lives. So bringing people to Jesus is a ray of hope in a
region where darkness, sin and corruption prevails. We are so thankful for
ARM and their realization that the Good News of Jesus changes lives and
the futures of so many souls worldwide.
May God bless us all as we share His
message of hope during this New Year of 2010 and look forward to the
Second Coming of Jesus which will be a great and wonderful day for us
all.
Serving the Lord with Love for the
Lost,
Darryl & Carol Krause
As we start 2010, we
know there will be many requests for more baptistries for mission fields,
prisons, and military bases.
At $795 per unit for portable
baptistries and $975 for Communion Table Baptistries, we will invest tens
of thousands of dollars in building and donating these units.
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
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ARM's Branch Ministry in the
Philippines
Report from Ernesto
Alocelja
|
I.
Baptism:
34
II. Confessed Christ, awaiting
baptism: 7 female inmates
III. New Church Planted: The
Church of Christ at Dulangan
IV. New open Jail Ministry:
Davao City Jail Annex
V. Special Meeting Attended:
General Assembly Meeting of all Services Provider at Ray
of Hope Village
VI. Special gospel presentation
at Restauro Compound, Dawis, Digos City
VII. Bible studies at
Villaester and Family, and Mrs. Fe restauro
VIII. Mission Trip: 1st mission
trip in davao Oriental Province by the team and
volunteers.
1. Special prayer for
Peter dela Cruz at Lupon, davao Oriental
2. Special prayer for
Pastor Diaz at Cabadiangan, Lupon
3. Special prayer for
Pastor Elizer Alderete of Manikling Church
4. Special fellowship
service for Cobrado clan in Sigaboy, Davao
Oriental
5. Special lecture
and prayer fellowship for Silagan family at Tamban,
Sigaboy
IX. The team and volunteers
attended the burial of Bro. Juanito Mordese, very active elder
of Camutan Church, Antipas.
X. Give aways:
1. 15 laundry soap given to ray of hope village
2. 50 pieces candy given to Davao City Jial
annex.
3. 8 pieces laundry soap, 1 used pants, 1 big empty paper box
to PRC inmates.
4. 29 pieces medium size bath soap given to new baptized
inmates in BJMP-Digos City
5. 21 sliced laundry soap given to Davao City Jail
Annex
6. 7 pieces assorted used clothes given to PRC
inmates.
XI. Snacks served:
1. 6 packs native
delicacies served to Ray of Village inmates
2. 100 pieces native
delicacies served to PRC inmates
3. 150 native
delicacies served to BJMP-Digos inmates
4. 300 pieces native
delicacies (Butchi) served to BJMP-Digos
5. 112 Banana Cake
served to PRC inmates
XII. Donations
Received:
1. 1 kilogram
communion bread from Maam Adona
XIII. Donations
given:
1. 50 ml grapes
powder, 50 ml communion bread donated to Old Bulatocan Church
of Christ
2. 3 boxes pencil, 1
pad paper donated to ALS in BKMP-Digos City
3. 2x3 tarpauline
sign board given to Church of Christ at
Katangawan
4. 2x3 tarpauline
sign board given to Church of Christ at Banas,
Toril
XIV. Religious Materials
distributed:
1. 1 box large print
bibles given to Maam Fe Cole’s friend
2. 1 pack outline
sermon given to Pastor Jerry Tamonde
XV. Gifts Given:
1. 30 pieces used
clothes given to female inmates at BJMP-Digos
City
2. 1 big ceramics
bowl given to Lourdes
Tamonde. |
Jaymark M. Alocelja --ARM Phil. Information Sec.
Approved by: Ernesto O. Alocelja
ARM Chaplain
|
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News from
Mexico
From ARM's Alfredo Jose
Aparicio
Dear brethren in Christ
Jesus,
I am so very happy, as God has given
me such wonderful and precious brethren as you are. Also, I feel a great
burden because of the many earthquakes and natural disasters, such as what
is happening to our dear brethren in Chile.
It is a great privilege to see more
and more people come down to the baptismal waters in the Hispanic world
every month. We had 39 baptisms in February. 82 of our Bible
Correspondence Students graduated from our courses. We had 2,218 new
people register in our courses, as they are so eager to learn about God’s
blessed Word.
Four months ago, a new group of
Anonymous Alcoholics was started in Agrícola Oriental suburb on the East
side of Mexico City. I was asked to show them how to overcome their
drinking problem, and I asked them if they were for something that
transforms. I spoke to them about God’s power and His transforming Word.
That He died for us! The power of Christ is with His death on the cross.
It is so wonderful to see changed lives. Now, most of them are studying
our courses, and the amazing part is that their families are involved
also.
I wish to share with you a long letter
that came from Chile: “For four days, the Christian Church in La
Viña helped us, and all went so wonderful. We were able to gather many
good things. Then, we had in mind to send a group of people to deliver
these things we had gathered. I planed to give away things to the most
needed and poor people. Our dearest objective was to share God’s Word with
others, living in difficulty. We wanted them to know that God is our only
hope no matter what! We had places where no aid had reached, such as
drinking water and food. Our mission was given a name: Lipimavida,which is
the name of a place in the coasline of Maule, Chile. So, 24 of us left on
this mission trip from our local Church on Thursday at 1:35
am.
As we were leaving Santiago, we were
impressed by all the damage caused by the earthquake. At Curicó we were so
afraid, as curfew was in operation. There were soldiers all over on the
streets. So, we went to the police headquarters to get a legal document
and permit to continue our journey, but it was denied and we were arrested
all night. Most streets were closed due to the earthquake. All was so sad
and people were so terrified.
We knew we needed to reach Lipimavida.
Our journey should have been 6 hours only, but we made it in 11. All we
could see along the way was destruction and desolation!
This was a very though journey, which
I had not traveled before. It was a dirt road among mountains. What I did
like was the forest, almost completely virgin. As we traveled, I was able
to read some signs nailed to trees. One of them read, “Trees are
closer to God that to the ax.” Another one read, “When a tree falls, if it
does not kill us, it strengthens us.” It reminded me of our walk with the
Lord. For the ones who trust the Lord, nothing can harm us. Trials
strengthen us indeed!
At last, we reached Lipimavida, a
ghost town and totally devastated. Houses were completely torn down from
their foundation. Then, we reached Infiernillo, where we found despair and
hopelessness. People were so terrified indeed! They had lost
everything, even hope!
We could talk to these people during
the day, but they went to the mountains to sleep and take refuge. Our
objective was to give them back their hope! If we remained in the town and
slept in town, they would also come back and stay in town, no matter the
constant earthquakes. However, we were also afraid. Every time there was
another earthquake, they would call us to come to them to the top of the
mountains! This got to my heart, as they cared and worried for
us.
Our work, besides taking them clothes
and food, was to share God’s love to them. That was our main purpose, to
bless them. So, we all got our hands to the physical labor. Some took food
to them. Others settled to drill wells to get drinking water. Others sat
up tents! Some cleaned the streets and some homes which seem suitable to
live in. There was no electricity or drinking water. The people there
needed us and we were there to help them! God had sent us there to be a
blessing, and that is what we did!
Something that impacted me was this
old lady walking into town carrying two baskets full with fresh eggs. She
gave them to us. She had lost everything, and brought us all she had left.
Does this remind us of something? God touched our hearts through these
people as well. We were giving and giving and still we had
plenty!
We lacked more time to continue our
work, but we planted, and others will come to water and see things grow
and reach full maturity. God’s Word is indeed so amazing! It gives
fruit!
We visited other coast line villages
and places, such as Iloca, La Pesca, El Duao, Lipimavida, and
Infiernillo. All these places suffered so much damaged! If for us this was
hard to see, just imagine the people living there. There is so much we
must be thankful of. For example, we just turn the water faucet, and there
is running water all day. There, we spent three whole days without any
running water. That was stressing. When living in necessity, we are so
grateful to God for His wonderful blessings in our cities. We thank God
for bottled water, which we did have.
We want to go back there again and see
how things are improving. Hardships help us become better people, and that
is what we want to do. Now, we hope these places regain their previous
status and more tourists come to see for themselves how beautiful these
coasts are.” Ana Rojas (Santiago, Chile).
I know you are hectic and busy people,
but I ask of your prayers on behalf of the following:
Pray for my
country, Mexico. It is a pity that Mexico has become a very dangerous
country, living under the control of drug dealers and the mafia. People
are killed and executed in open day light. In two months, 1,721 people
have been executed by the mafia. Our cities are the most dangerous around
the world. Crime is done in the open. Children and old people are killed
by criminals. Delinquency is so high now. Just in front of my property, on
the street, people are robbed at any time.
Lets
continue praying for God’s help since we need to reach these bad people
with God’s Wonderful Word. Values are lost and we must fight to get them
back to our children and society!
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: On February 6,
at 6:00 AM, in Cascadas de Agua Azul, Tumbalá, State of Chiapas (Mexico),
as they were sleeping in their own homes, 40 brethren (men, women, and
children) were brutally beaten with sticks, fire guns, stones, and
machetes.
Three of them died, 15 were kidnapped,
12 are badly injured. One brother had both of his arms cut. Another one
had his tongue cut. Some of the brethren are tied and held by the road
side for people to see how they die, slowly bleeding to death. All this is
done by the Communist group called Ejército Zapatista de Liberación
Nacional (EZLN), a guerrilla group in Chiapas. Our brethren only speak
their indigenous languages: Tzetal and Cho’l, and have no way of defending
themselves.
The police from Ocosingo and Palenque
are not willing to intervene and rescue our brethren. It is afraid of the
guerrilla group. The Federal and State Government are not doing anything
to protect our humble brethren. I am enclosing some crude pictures of this
reality. Please help us pray for our dear brethren living in this part of
the world. God bless you all!
Your coworker in Christ
Jesus,
Alfredo José Aparicio
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ARM's Branch Ministry in Russia
Report From Dr. Nicholas E. Alyoshin
Glory to Christ, my beloved brother!
IMMERSIONS. Five members (3 girls and 2 boys) of the “NIKA” – youth
ministry were immersed on 07.03.2010. Fyodor, the younger brother of
Nike’s husband Yura, was among the immersed persons.
PRISONS. This month the DOM ARM ministers 11 times visited prisons,
prison camps, etc.
On
02.03.2010 our bro L. Burlakov and two his friends visited in the
Novorossiysk hospital the heavily beaten public activist V. Karastelyov
(it was done on the basis of the Christian charity in spite of the
financial claims of Burlakov on Karastelyov).
On
07.03.2010 our chaplaincy contacts S. Titarenko and V. Chirikov met the
former police major Alexei Dymovskiy (he tried to disclose the corruption
in Novorossiysk city and Krasnodar Territory police and was arrested on
22.01.2010), who was liberated from Krasnodar prison. Titarenko and
Chirikov were waiting for him since 09-00 till 23-00 near the prison
building. The battle for the Dymovskiy’s soul is going on now: from one
side our brethren managed to send the Bible to Dymovskiy, and he was
reading it in his prison cell; but from the other side he was reading the
book of colonel Kvachkov – the Russian paganist, who had been accused in
the attempt to murder A. Chubays.
MOSLEMS. The idea to restore the population of the Caucasian
leopards in the mountains of the Krasnodar Territory, having been
developed by me since 1996, and unexpectedly supported by the Russian high
officials, has brought a surprising result. The Russian Government has
decided to create “a natural corridor” for the leopards migration; the
corridor will connect the Caucasian natural reservation (near Sochi in
Krasnodar Territory and in the mountains of the Adyg Republic) with the
Teberda one (in Karachay-Circassian Republic), and with the natural
reservation of the Abkhazia Republic. Thus, the “leopard project” has
brought to life new geopolitical reality, which connects the historical
lands of the Adygs (of Adygeya, of Circassia, of Abkhazia). It means, that
without any military battle, any separatist action, any political clash,
but simply on the environmental basis, the everlasting dream of the Adyg
peoples – to have the united territory with the passage to the sea – has
been realized. It is a good platform for the continuation of the DOM ARM
work with the Adygs (Adygeans, Circassians, Abkhazians,
Kabardinians).
MISSION TRIPS. On 23 – 25.03.2010 I visited the Adyg
Republic, including the Caucasian natural reservation. I was accompanied
by the local members of our congregation and ministry. We decided to name
(not politically or administratively, but biogeocenotically or
biogeographically) the area of the Caucasian leopard habitation “The
Principality of the Leopard Hg’ashyumyshae”. The last word is the hunting
Adyg term, used by the famous Swedish scientist and missionary (of the
“Light in the East” missionary union) Leo Martensson to translate the New
Testament denomination of the leopard (in Greek: pardalis – Rev.,
13:2).
Some of our brethren, having emigrated from Russia on Religious
basis and living now in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Poland and USA, began
to discuss the possibility to create outside of Russia of the so called
“The Christian Democratic Party of the Exiles of Russia”, which would have
tried to introduce into the public life of the Russian society Evangelical
ideals, leaning in this activity upon the Christians, emigrated from
Russia, and considering the idolatric Moscow Patriarchate to be the
obstacle in this process.
MEDITATIONS. On 29.03.2010 two terrorist women (“alive bombs”)
exploded two huge blasts in Moscow underground railway. About 40 persons
were killed; about 100 – wounded. For some last years I have been working
to produce the Spiritual methodology to prevent such fanatical suicide
bombing. My results were published and reported at some international
conferences (both – Christian and Moslem) in Crimea (Ukraine) and in
Caucasus (Russia). My results in this sphere caused to take interest of
the numerous Christian and Moslem Spiritual and political figures. But the
Russian authorities do not want to use my results. “They are like the deaf
asp that stoppeth her ear” (Ps., 58:4). Therefore, they have, what they
have.
DIVINE ACTION. My sister Nathaly Koff (who lives and works in
Moscow, and is the volunteer Moscow DOM ARM representative) decided on
29.03.2010 to take a car, not the underground railway, to reach her office
in the morning. Thus, she was saved from the explosions. It was the Divine
Action, indeed: “Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for
me: for thou art my strength” (Ps., 31:4).
From the other side, on 28.03.2010 (on Palm Sunday!) the former
chairman of the Prikubanskiy Federal Court of Justice of Krasnodar (where
my “spy” process had taken place in 1999) A. Lazarenko committed a suicide
(he shot himself dead with a hunting gun). The chief of the Krasnodar
Territory Governor Administration Religious affairs department Babskov
(who had called me “the Religious dissident” and tried to persecute me)
was dismissed from his office (new chief now is Vashchenko). “Break their
teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young
lions, O Lord” (Ps., 58:6)! And Jesus Divinely acts, indeed!
Alleluia!
YOUTH MINISTRY. In March “NIKA” – ministry members spread
about 500 student daybooks, containing the special youth Evangelizing
texts, among the University students of Krasnodar. Many of those, who had
taken the daybooks, filled the questionnaires and decided to have contact
with our daughter Nike ministry. On Palm Sunday (28.03.2010) her ministry
organized a youth Christian quest in Krasnodar. About 100 students took
part in this action.
PUBLIC RELATIONS. On 02.03.2010 I had a speech at the 20 –
years anniversary conference of the Krasnodar branch of the “Memorial”
(the union of the victims of the political and Religious repressions), of
which I had been one of the founders in 1990.
In
March the so called “Historical Encyclopedia “Ekaterinodar – Krasnodar
1793 – 2009” appeared in our city bookshops. The book contains (for the
first time for many years!) the article about my father – E. P. Alyoshin –
the founder of the rice industry and rice science in the USSR and Russia.
Since 2000 he has been living in Germany. The publication of the
encyclopedic article about him in the volume with the preface of Evlanov
(the Krasnodar city mayor) shows, that some changings are going on in the
public sphere here.
SUPPORT. We received the ARM February support through Max Goins
“We-Go” system OK. We received also the e-mails, letters and calls of
support from Rod Farthing, Max Goins, Nikolay Plutenko (USA); E.
Novozhilov (Poland); G. Leiser (Germany); A. Novosyolov (Switzerland); S.
Turchik (Italy); Shapiro (Ukraine); A. Hamzin and E. Filipyeva (Crimea,
Ukraine).
We
spread about some dozens of different items of clothes and some quantity
of food among the prisoners. The clothes and food were collected by local
brethren.
During all our expeditions in March we were transported by the
private cars of our brethren; they also provided us with their flats to
stay, when it was necessary.
In Jesus our
hope!
Dr. Nicholas E. Alyoshin
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