reaching out

MANDATE MINISTRIES UPDATE

(December 24, 2024) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share regarding their Chiang Mai, northern Thailand and Myanmar ministry, and an update regarding Ross’ health…

Hi friends, we are back in Chiang Mai now and loving it!

We’ve had the opportunity to catch up with many of our ministry partners, as well as preaching in some of the great churches in this city.

Ross achieved a significant milestone last week as he submitted his research thesis to the examiners on Leadership Development Programs in Northern Thailand, after four years of research, blood, sweat, and tears. Woo hoo!

Christmas Programs for Karen People
We were able to provide much needed food, supplies, as well as Bibles for the Karen people at two special events last week. Our team organised Christmas programs where food parcels and gifts were distributed.

The gospel was preached and the Karen people received the word and the Christmas gifts with great appreciation.


Ross’s Health Update
Ross recently underwent a CT scan and X-ray to determine the progression of the cancer in his body. It appears that the cancerous lesion in the liver has doubled in sizeover the last 2.5 months.

In the natural this is obviously not a good sign, fortunately we are not living in the natural and believing God for divine intervention to reverse this accursed cancer. Please pray with us for the total eradication of every cancer cell in Ross’s body, for total restoration of health and wholeness, and for overflowing strength and energy levels.

Christmas Camp
Ross was invited to be the speaker at a three-day church Christmas camp recently. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and ministry. It was very much an international camp with two church members not only from Thailand but also from Argentina, Nigeria, Malaysia, Philippines, Brazil, USA, and Karen people from Myanmar.

Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry to Asia.

Special Prayer Requests

  • Quick and total healing for Ross. ‘Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases’ (Psalm 103:2-3).
  • Peace and reconciliation in Myanmar.
  • For the Karen believers to rise up and declare the kingdom of God is here and expect to see the signs and wonders that will accompany it.
  • Finances for provisions for the Karen people and to print more Bibles: Sponsorship is code FW061; printing of Karen Bibles, relief and general ministry to the Karen people is code FW061D, and can be designated via this link https://donate.acci.org.au/form-6504140/fw061-ross-donna. Know that you can make a difference

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they have worked with local pastors and church-planters, developing in-service leadership training programs that address challenges and issues unique to this area of Thailand. Link rossw@investeternal.com
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ROMANIA SUMMER MINISTRY REFLECTIONS

(October 16, 2023) David McGuire, based in Sighișoara, Romania encourages leaders in their calling, and Christians to operate the 1 Corinthians 12 supernational gifts of the Spirit, boldly engage in spiritual warfare, and to share the gospel message and love of Jesus. He also builds homes for the disenfranchised, especially the local gypsy community.

David, originally from England, and Rodica, his Romanian wife, reach many children, many of whom have never heard of Jesus, through their cartoon DVDs outreaches. David has been called The Missionary With The Camera. He often conveys update reports to readers with his camera, not words! Here he shares some recent summer ministry experiences, including a  reminder that Romanian Christians and churches are still boldly assisting troubled Ukrainians with needed supplies.

David shares (adding photos of course)…
This has been a very full summer with organising conferences in Romania and Ukraine on subjects of counselling, healing evangelism, prophetic and general equipping, such as…

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MYANMAR/THAILAND MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

(June 26, 2023) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

Ka-ren people
We continue to help the people of Ka-ren State, Myanmar with food, tents and other provisions, as well as prayer and encouragement.

The bombing and ground assaults continue, so we do what we can to alleviate their suffering. We can understand soldiers fighting soldiers, but when women and children are tortured, raped and brutally murdered, that has to be demonic. It’s a humanitarian crisis but also a spiritual warfare.

Recently a Ka-ren friend of mine was talking with two ladies in Ka-ren State. They were both 70 years old and said that they had never known a time in their entire lives when they were not fleeing from war and the Burmese (Myanmar) troops.

It’s hard to imagine, as we take our freedom for granted.

Karenni people flee
Another ethnic group in Myanmar that is suffering under the brutal illegal government is the Karenni. Due to the constant attacks on their villages, many have had to flee across the border into Thailand. However, their plight is by no means without its challenges. There is very little food and shelter available to them.

These war refugees are in great distress and have had to carry the bedridden, sick, elderly, disabled, and children to safe locations.

Our team from Thailand was able to bring rice and other foodstuffs, as well as tarps for makeshift shelters to these groups. Next week our team is taking blankets to a group of 160 Kar-en and Karenni who they recently brought to the Lord. These beautiful people are extremely grateful for any help they receive.

Golden Triangle Lahu Training
Last week Pastor Ian Peters and Ross conducted a 3-day leadership training program in Chiang Rai for Lahu pastors and church workers. They came from Lao, Myanmar and Northern Thailand, so we called it the Golden Triangle Leadership Training Program.

It was a wonderful time of teaching, impartation and prayer with these men and women who are so hungry for God. They have very little opportunity to study and learn together in programs like this and were deeply appreciative.

In the Mountains of Chiang Dao
Recently Ross and his Ka-ren friend Weerachai were invited to conduct ministry at a village high up in the mountains of Chiang Dao. It was humbling to spend time with Pastor Suphan, who pastors the Ka-ren church there.

A faithful servant of God, he even gave Ross his favourite traditional Ka-ren shirt!

On the way to the Ka-ren village in Chiang Dao, we stayed overnight in a Lisu village. The food was great and the mountain views even better.

Needs
Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of every kind of our ministry to Asia.

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they work with local pastors and church-planters, developing in-service leadership training programs that address challenges and issues unique to this area of Thailand. Link via OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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GET CLOSE TO GOD — NOW!

(May 31, 2023) The late Dr Andrew Evans’ 1997 Heart to Heart challenge is still very relevant today! [See footnote]

Where are you in relation to God? James 4:8NKJV is a powerful scripture: ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’

Not even close? If you’re not a Christian, Ephesians 2:1-3 describes you well –

  • Doomed forever for your sins,
  • Going along with the crowd,
  • Obeying Satan,
  • A heart against God, and
  • Doing wicked things stemming from evil thoughts.

Strong words from the apostle Paul, yet that’s how you stand in your relation to God! The good news is in verses 4-6. In His mercy God loves you and wants to bring you into His family so that you can be close to Him.

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SEND NETWORK PLANTS 10,000 CHURCHES

(May 16, 2023) GodReports shares encouraging news regarding successful churchplanting planned with assistance from combined churches…

The continent’s largest church planting network, the North American Mission Board’s Send Network, has announced that Southern Baptist churches have planted more than 10,000 new churches across Canada, the U.S. and its territories since 2010.

Last year alone, supported by Send Network, the Southern Baptist Convention’s more than 47,000 churches worked together to plant 745 new churches.

Church plants increasing yearly
‘We are always excited to see an increase in churches planted year over year,’ said North American Mission Board (NAMB) President Kevin Ezell. ‘But our focus remains on the quality of the churches planted, which is why we’re more grateful that the survivability rate remains strong. Our goal is to see churches planted that impact their communities for years and multiply to reach more communities where churches are needed.’

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FEBRUARY UPDATE & ROUNDUP

(February 25, 2023) Elizabeth Kendal, RLPB, requests that, remembering Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV, we urgently pray alertly for the following –   

* NIGERIA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Today, Saturday, 25 February, is Nigeria’s presidential election being held amidst soaring ethno-religious tensions, gross insecurity and the threat of widespread election-related violence. Nigeria has a population of 220 million, around half of whom identify as Christian. Those most at risk are minority Christians in the Muslim North and all ethnic Igbo living outside the South East. [The Igbo are Nigeria’s most Christian (98 percent), most industrious and most widely dispersed tribe.] The Nigerian Church is one of the world’s leading missionary-sending churches.

* AZERBAIJAN: ARMENIANS FACE ETHNIC CLEANSING
Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) – an ethnic-Armenian Christian enclave in Turkic Muslim Azerbaijan – has been in a state of siege since December 12 when Azerbaijani agents blockaded the Lachin Corridor (the road that links Artsakh to Armenia). On 15 February the Armenian Weekly warned: ‘It is beyond any doubt that the actions’ of these Azerbaijani agents ‘serve as a consistent tool for Azerbaijan’s hybrid warfare tactics and systematic policy of ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Artsakh. … Cut off from the outside world, the 120,000-strong population of Artsakh is inching closer to an inevitable humanitarian catastrophe every single day. There are extreme shortages of food, medicine and other basic necessities. There is a lack of proper heating in harsh winter conditions.’

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‘GOD’S SMUGGLER’ BROTHER ANDREW PASSES TO HIS REWARD

(September 29, 2022) Mark Ellis honours this late servant of God.

The legendary Dutch-born Bible smuggler, Andrew van der Bijl, fondly known as Brother Andrew, who used his VW Beetle to deliver Bibles into closed communist countries at the height of the Cold War, is now with his Saviour. He was 94.

In 1967, he published God’s Smuggler, which tells the story of his conversion to Christ and adventures as a Bible-smuggler behind the Iron Curtain. When he crossed heavily-guarded checkpoints into closed countries, he was known for praying, ‘Lord you made blind eyes see. Now I pray, make seeing eyes blind.’

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WHAT IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE?

(September 19, 2022) Sabrina McGuire, 14-year-old daughter of missionaries to Romania, shares her first mission camp experiences…

The title above is a question I’ve asked myself many times before… and recently found some answers.

I had a great opportunity to go to a YWAM Christian camp where there were teachings on spiritual warfare, prophecy and many other subjects. Great teachings… but yet my heart  hungered for more. I never truly knew how to really practise Christianity in the real world… and I wanted to!

Blessing people
Fortunately we campers were told that our second week of camp was a mission trip to different locations in Romania. During that week we did volunteer work for churches, kids and food bases… and it proved to be a great way of blessing people as well as being blessed ourselves.

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KEEP YOUR COOL!

(September 17, 2022) Richard Winter reminds us that, like Timothy, we too have an obligation to finish the race.

Keep your cool is great advice for all of us in trying moments, testing times, troubling escapades, upsetting incidents… and when we just don’t know if we’ll get through, if we’ll make it.

It’s our modern phraseology for the great advice the apostle Paul gave young Timothy in respect of fulfilling his ministry obligations: ‘… keep your head in all situations…’ (2 Timothy 4:5a).

I would draw your attention to 2 Timothy 4:5-8 in full… ‘But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’

Remember Graduation Day when you have finished your educational journey? In the above verses Paul is talking about his own soon-to-be graduation day and exhorting his young son-in-the-faith regarding his future one. He highlights what Timothy  must be about, especially in view of the fact he must soon take his mentor’s place. And that must have been a frightening prospect to the young man.

Note a reality here: All of us, followers and servants of Jesus, must pass on eventually to our own graduation day, and leave kingdom work to others. That is what we have before us in this passage.

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HITTING THE MISSION FIELD RUNNING – IN HIS SEVENTIES!

(August 12, 2022) Michael Ashcraft brings an encouraging example-for-all story…

Full of youthful energy and untiring passion, German Gastellum wanted a bigger ministry challenge to pour his indefatigable self into – the mission field of Villa del Rosario, Colombia, just across the border from socialism-scourged Venezuela.

Chasing souls with vigour in his 70s
He was a spry 72 then! Yes, you read that right. Seventy-two years old! That’s when he started. Now, he is 75!

‘God gives me the strength through the Holy Spirit,’ he told God Reports at a June Bible conference in Tucson. ‘And the body is healthy. I have been through sicknesses and covid and all that, and I have survived that because of the high defences I have. One, I have spiritual defences; I have prayer and the power of the Holy Ghost working in me, and then I have normal defences and they’re kind of synchronised.’

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