22 Mar
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- Sam
Pray for Japan
Whilst the news headlines have turned to other worrying events in North Africa, the tragedy and chaos continues to sweep through Japan.
It is hard to sum up the magnitude of the disaster that struck Japan on 11th March. But we must find eyes to see God, ears to hear Him, and voices to call out to Him.
12 Nov
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- Yannick
Introducing Annecy
[As most of you know now, Yannick has come to from Annecy in France to Loughborough in order to do DNA. So we asked him to help us all get an idea of what the town into which we are planting a church is like].
After just a few weeks in this country, I‘ll try to draw you a little picture of my native region, Annecy, where some of you will plant a church in a few months. Like a real Frenchman, I’m proud of my country, so I’ll have to confess you that Annecy is the most beautiful city in the world. And I don’t exaggerate!! (Us French are not like that you know.)
06 Jul
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- James
Annecy Awake!
Speeding through the landscape on Europe’s fastest train, the industrial estates of Northern France give way to lush farmland and forest until the steel track begins to cut through the increasingly undulating terrain. The TGV rounds a wide bend and finally, after 11 hours of travelling, the crystal clear waters sweep into view. Stretching into the distance, reflecting the mountains still capped in snow that surround its shores, Lake Annecy presents a stunning welcome.
There are worse places God could send you. Ali Wilson and I travelled to Annecy this April to meet some members of the church community in the town and take part in a week of mission activities. Much to the despair of the language police, the French continue their passion for using English words in their promotions and everyday language. These few days of inter-church outreach activities were no different being engagingly entitled ‘Annecy Awake!’ (exclamation mark obligatory).
25 May
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- Paul
Cambodia Update May 2010
“They claim it might be cholera that killed him.” The project manager broke the news that the younger brother of a child in our feeding program had died from severe diarrhoea.
It’s ROASTING hot but I was making the most of the early morning cool when I looked up at the razor wire around the compound and wondered when I stopped noticing things like that. It made me realise how certain things now appear normal and I became aware of how at home I feel. Growing up in Asia means that a lot in Cambodia is ‘normal'; other things have become ‘normal’; yet there are still some which will stay ‘abnormal’ – like passengers on motorbikes who have an arm in the air holding an IV drip or seeing people with missing limbs - a reminder of the Khmer Rouge horrors.
24 Feb
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- Jez
A 'Thank You' From Compassion
After hearing of the terrible earthquake in Haiti last month we took a collection for the work of the charity Compassion who do a lot of work in the country. We received reply from the CEO of Compassion UK this week, and as I found it both inspiring and challenging I thought it would be good to share.
25 Aug
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- Louise
Chad Chat from Louise
Well another month's gone by and it is time to update you on happenings in my life here in Chad. (see previous update). It seems too soon to be talking about, but I am heading off on R&R again in a couple of weeks so hopefully I will be able to catch up with some of you face to face. This next R&R comes slightly earlier as it's only just over 2 months since my last trip home. I have arranged it like this as it's the school holidays in Chad and I want to get back here in good time for the build-up to next term. I am looking forward to it as this last period has probably been the busiest and most stressful of my time here so far.
02 Jul
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- Paul
Paul Heads out to Cambodia
“Cambodians believe that if you take a photo with 3 people in it, the middle person will die”…just one quote from my orientation guide there!
The bus jolted along the road past lush green paddy fields, from Poipet on the border, to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Leaving the HIV/AIDS rehab home and pushing a moto-taxi through mud and monsoon rain, I now had the 8 hour journey to dry off and think. Fellow passengers included a man with an IV drip fixed to the luggage rack, a family with a chicken on a leash and a girl lying in agony with her leg bandaged...
23 Mar
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- Louise
Chad Chat from Louise
Well it is time to give you all a wee bit of an update on how things are going here in Chad. It's one month in and I am feeling a bit more settled. It has been a tough time with the new job in a very new environment and in a different language and I have missed you all very much but I do feel that I am starting to find my feet.
Home
I have just had my first full week at my main base. I am living in a town called Am-Layouna which is 15 minute drive from the Gaga refugee camp. I live on the CORD compound in a small toukoul (pictured above) on the ‘expat’ section of the base and the rest of the staff are in a separate section. I have my own kitchen, toilet and ‘bathroom’ and a lovely lady who comes and does my cooking! This is always fun as she mainly speaks Arabic with a bit of French and so our communications have led to some very interesting meals!!
25 Jun
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- Claire
Albania 2008
A group of us are going out to Albania this Sunday (29th June) until the 15th July. Open Heaven has established links with two Churches in Albania, in Kruja and Paskuqan, which we have sent teams to in previous years, and is exploring links with a third in Korça.
04 Apr
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- Louise
Tithe Your Holiday
Tithing is something Christians are generally familiar with but we usually apply it to our finances. I would like to propose a new type of tithing, ‘our holidays’.
Holidays can be precious and they are times we look forward as an opportunity to ‘get away’ to relax, explore new countries and cultures as well as enjoy what the resorts have to offer. How about this year we each tithe a part of our holiday and we use this time to pray and/or invest practically into the place we have chosen to go and relax...
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