In 2005 Stu and Wendy left the UK to go and work in a school in Zambia, they were there for a year and a half, returning to the UK before having their eldest child. They always felt that God would one day ask them to serve Him abroad again, they just weren’t sure where or what timing. Exactly 11 years after first going, they left to go again and work at the same school, this time just for 4 months and accompanied by their three children Megan, Talia and James. Whilst there they felt strongly that God was asking them to commit to being there longer term. They have prayed about this since returning last December and really feel this is what God is challenging them to do.

Amano Christian School is an international school and currently has about 140 pupils ranging from 5-18 years old from a wide variety of backgrounds, socially, economically and spiritually. It teaches from a Biblical worldview and all students are encouraged to establish a lasting personal relationship with Jesus and become responsible members of their community. It provides a high standard of education in the most densely populated province of Zambia, enabling students to develop their full potential and go on to influence those around them for the glory of God.

Stu will be working alongside the Zambian workers on site, building on relationships formed on their previous visits as well as keeping things moving practically. He will also help out in the school where necessary. Showing God’s love in practical ways.

Wendy will be teaching in the school, providing a good level of education, as well as, encouraging the children in their walk with God. She will also be enabling the school to take on more children from their long waiting list.

Megan, Talia and James will attend the school, make friends, learn and grow.

The Wardles are seeking people who can join with them in the adventure God is taking them on, by praying and through financial support as they will get none of their finances provided by the school. They will be providing newsletter updates, so please sign up if you would like to receive them.

The Global Partnership team’s purpose at Ebe is to implement and influence the church’s strategy for sharing the gospel and serving the needs of others cross-culturally. That includes helping the church to walk alongside those who go out from Ebe to serve God cross-culturally by supporting and encouraging them in a variety of ways.

Download a copy of the pledge letter HERE or fill in the form below.

In April 2017, the church responded to the East Africa Famine by generously giving to one of Africa Inland Mission's famine relief projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

Thank you so much for blessing our community by giving to the famine relief needs. We are very grateful for your prayers for the Gabbra. While the drought is very difficult, we are thankful that we can reach out to the community and show God's Love in this practical way. The food for work (famine relief) has opened up doors into the community & many are now coming to church as well as doing bible studies.

Thank you for being a part of this work & for being a part of reaching to the Gabbra of Northern Kenya.

In His Service
Eddie & Rachel Anderson.

Rachael Bee is one of our global partners at Ebe Church and she is working in Easton with destitute asylum seekers in Bristol. Find out more about Bristol Hospitality Network which she set up.

Bristol Hospitality Network
Call to the Church for Prayerful Action

www.bhn.org.uk

Jesus was a refugee and the people of Israel were strangers in a foreign land as they were slaves in Eqypt. In Matthew 25 (the sheep and the goats) Jesus tells us: 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me' and 'I was a stranger and you invited me in'. Perhaps we should take him at his word?

The people of Israel knew that the Great I Am was the one who 'defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing'. Andso they also were to be those who 'love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt' (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). Exodus, Exile, Ruth, Job, the Good Samaritan, the Bible is full of stories and imagery of displaced people and the call of God to his people to show the same compassion for refugees that he has. The Jewish people had a feast every year (the feast of booths) where they would imagine being refugees in Eqypt again and remember the faithfulness of God to the stranger.

I believe that God is calling His church to be His body in care for those seeking sanctuary in our nation. He calls us to this in word (speaking truth to power) and action (hosting and fundraising). I hope you will continue to join BHN in this way, constantly praying that God would reveal how you can be a friend to the stranger in our brothers and sisters seeking sanctuary here.

With Love in Christ,
Rachael Bee and all at BHN

What does BHN do?
* BHN accommodates destitute asylum seekers for anything from 3 months to 5 years (an average of 18 months). We have hosted over 100 people since 2009. All of them would otherwise have been homeless and destitute. Most of them are men, some are women. We host people in our men's house (11 rooms) and our host network (local people offering a spare room to a destitute asylum seeker (including some Redland members!) which has 12 spaces). We need another 15 families to offer space to be able to adequately meet the current need and allow for rest breaks in between hosting.
* We have a welcome centre that meets in Easton Christian Family Centre (the parish church) on Mondays from 12-3pm, you are welcome to visit anytime. At this centre we provide advocacy to support people to press on with a fresh claim, hot lunch for 100 people, English classes in 2 levels, tea and coffee and snacks and sometimes fruit if we can afford it, art table, games and a barbershop. Over half of our members are volunteers in this welcome centre and give something back!
* We have a solidarity fund which is £10 to the most vulnerable (who have no other money at all), we can't afford to give it to everyone so we have to try and work out who needs it most.
* We cook meals with our moveable feast social enterprise (often using Redland Parish Church's beautiful kitchen to help us with prep space) to raise funds and other fundraising ideas.

How does the asylum system work in the UK?
In the UK, if you manage to get here (which is hard) once you arrive you claim asylum because of 'a reasonable fear of persecution or ill treatment in your origin country'. People don't just claim from war zones, they also claim because of religious conversion or threats from Islamic extremists or political opinion or many other reasons. Many with good claims are refused. They are usually not sent back. Most don't have travel documents or their country won't have them back. They are made destitute by the UK government with no right to work, claim benefits of any kind, rent a house, drive a car, have anything other than emergency hospital treatment or GP advice. It is not a life. Living under constant threat of arbitrary detention for unlimited time, under threat of return to a place that would want them dead. Many of our members become very depressed and have suicidal thoughts throughout this asylum system. It is degrading, inhumane and immoral and it is so very far from the actions or words of Jesus. If we are the body of Christ, it cannot enjoy the support of His people.

This is our asylum system.

When you hear politicians talking about being tough on immigration, this is what they mean: Sending people with real asylum claims back to the places from which they've fled. About half of asylum claims are granted either after interview or after first appeal. Many more are granted after a fresh claim (all of those would have been called 'bogus' at some point by the government/media).

How can we help?
* Pray for us. We are small and entirely dependent on our key volunteers and a small part-time staff team to continue. We need strength from the Lord to continue this work. Our members face such huge challenges to get their story heard, pray for fair believing hearts in the Home Office and for better initial decision making.
* Pray for peace in our nation between people of difference and that we can be a body that truly demonstrates the way of Jesus to the world, welcoming the stranger and the outcast, seeking justice for the poor and oppressed.
* Regular standing orders from committed partners will keep us being able to provide a roof over the heads of destitute asylum seekers
* Fundraising of other kinds is also amazing
* Come to our welcome centre, meet asylum seekers and from that write to your MP raising issues of concern to our members. Use your voice to raise theirs.

How can hosting destitute asylum seekers help?
I met one of our former members the other day as I came home from our weekly Welcome Centre. I hadn't seen him for around 2 years. He told me he had graduated university in biomedical science! When he first came to BHN, he was homeless and destitute and just 19 years old. He took full advantage of living with an English family and improved his language and writing skills and went to every free English class he could. He came originally from Eritrea, a little known country but one that many asylum seekers come from. He ran away because he was a Pentecostal, punishable by death in Eritrea where only the Ethiopian orthodox church is accepted by the government. He was destitute for 3 years, got his papers, took an access course and then went to university.

Talk to those in the church who are hosting or more involved in BHN and find out more or pop in to our drop in so you can meet people for yourself. All are welcome.

www.bhn.org.uk

Rachael (07734 347817)

I’ve finished my first year at Bible college in Scotland, Motherwell and now it time for some catching up!

First I’d like to say thank you to you – Ebe church! – for sending me to Bible college last September, I have not forgotten that it is Ebe who sent me to Bible college, I have continually thanked the Lord for your support – your financial and prayerful support – which has been so immensely valued during my year!

For a year I was a student at Tilsley college in Motherwell outside of Glasgow. Tilsley college is a Bible college part of the missionary organisation GLO, the course is therefore mission-centered! But let me answer the first question that you might ask yourself… Why Scotland?

Let me go back a few years back. I actually have been a Christian for less than four years, and since I was saved I’ve had a passion for evangelism – for telling people about our wonderful Saviour Jesus, the Jesus I was not told about until my early twenties! – and a passion for the Bible!

Read much more (including about her heart for working with refugees in Italy) on Morgane's blogsite HERE