News from the
Mission Field

In the past week, much work has been going on behind the scenes to support brothers and sisters in Ukraine and those seeking to flee as refugees. First of all, we need to acknowledge that many of our elderly members spread across Ukraine do not wish to leave their homes, or may be unable to due to age and infirmity. The upheaval it would cause and the danger they would face whilst travelling is such that a number have opted to stay where they are, even in cities that are under Russian constant bombardment. Our ability to communicate with these members is in some cases very limited, since many do not use modern communications methods that we are used to.  continue reading

December 2021 arrived, along with the Costa Rican Year-End Bible School. In a very rare occurrence indeed, I was in Costa Rica for the second time within six months. This came out of several circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic. It is truly a blessing that we were able to hold this Bible School in person, as well as provide a link for those who could not be here in person. Technology truly is a blessing in these circumstances. continue reading

The CBM-UK is asking the brotherhood to join them in prayer for our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine. We understand a few brothers and sisters have made it over the border into either Poland, Romania or Lithuania, however most of our brothers and sisters are hunkered down in the homes or basements still in the Ukraine. continue reading

The situation in Ukraine remains fluid and so by the time this appears it could well be out of date. We have a number of brothers and sisters in the danger zones in Ukraine. The Donetsk region was taken over by the rebels in 2014, but they were fought back by Ukraine soldiers, so that Kramatorsk, where our Sis Elena M lives, went back into Ukraine control. continue reading

This is the latest news as of 11am, Saturday 26 February. Our CBM Linkman and others involved in the work in that part of the world are in regular contact with several of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Some of our brothers and sisters are frightened and need our prayers. We will update the brotherhood as news emerges. We have a number of brothers and sisters in the danger zones in Ukraine. continue reading

Since our initial update about the effect of flooding and then Storm Ana on our brothers and sisters in Malawi, we have received an update which now puts the number of those in need of welfare aid at over 2,800 people. To put this into context for our community, the Southern Region is where 150 of the 172 Malawian Ecclesias are based (with a membership of approximately 8,000). The Malawian Area Elders have requested food aid from CBM Welfare for around a third of all our members in Malawi from 111 different ecclesias. continue reading

Between January 22-25, Tropical Storm Ana hit Madagascar and then tracked to Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Tens of thousands of people have been affected across this region of Africa, including many of our brothers and sisters in Malawi who live in the south of the country. For them, this storm happened just days after severe flooding across a wide area, which had already caused many homes to collapse and had destroyed hundreds of fields of newly planted crops, affecting over 900 members of our community. continue reading

Below is a further update from Bro Alan Struckman, our Tonga Area contact, on the recent undersea volcanic eruption with tsunami significantly affecting the Kingdom of Tonga. Please continue to pray. Low-capacity communication channels started operating again in Tonga on Saturday 22 January. We are very grateful for this, allowing us our first contact post the damaging volcanic eruption and tsunami. continue reading