Now - and then ..

Not the end ..

For us and Rev Barnabas (the Mission Department manager), we are heaving a sigh of collective relief. We have completed two years' worth of training materials, lesson plans, field visit learning and written examples of how learning has helped and been applied in practice. The long journey of taking a concept and turning it into a course is over. Meetings to reflect and then plan have punctuated the past two years. The collaborative process of writing materials that can be used in any cultural context within Bangladesh has been stretching and time consuming. And being able to respond to the real life challenges our students encounter as they share the gospel in new areas, has required a precarious amount of flexibility in making a timetable.

just a step ...

In one way it would be nice to take some time off from thinking about the course and students which have been so present in our thoughts. But in reality we need to clear our heads, take a deep breath and set some dates for the next cohort. It is the end of the first course, but for BBCS it is the beginning expression of a plan they have been formulating for years, to equip their outreach workers and pastors with practical skills to sit alongside their theological education. We are very aware that we need a special grace of wisdom as we think and pray this through.

along the way.

For the students, as they return back to the places where they have been sharing the gospel for the past two years, they have outreach programmes to plan and run. Because of the generosity of the BMS grant, every student has a small budget to run an outreach Christmas event. Their work continues. New relationships to be made. New believers to disciple, more people to prepare for Baptism, new emerging leaders to develop, new places to take the gospel. Maybe this is the biggest joy to see the fire in their eyes as they express confidence in God to fulfil this calling. Please pray for their protection, the guiding of the Holy Spirit and that the outreach programmes will be fruitful.

Living with the unknown ..

At 10:30 am on Friday 21st November a 5.7 earthquake shook Dhaka. It lasted 20 seconds, but during that time, we all experienced fear and shock. As we met in the office corridor after it had ended, there was a sense of thankfulness because no one was harmed and there was no damage to the office. Sadly, the news then began to come in about the damage, injury and some loss of life in other parts of Dhaka and in the place closer to the epicentre. There have been four further small earthquakes since then which has added to the anxiety that Dhaka is unprepared if a very big quake were to come in the future.

And in the same way politically, as we wait for the date of the election to be announced, there is fear and worry about how this will impact on safety. Our General Secretary asks that everyone will keep on praying for Bangladesh from now until the hoped for election in February. Over these days there have been big events politically in Bangladesh, but we are waiting to see what will happen next.

In October Lou caught chikungunya (a nasty mosquito carried virus) and seven weeks on she still has lots of pain and mobility problems to contend with. Many of our colleagues are also struggling to recover from this disease and Pete still has the odd twinge after he was ill in August. It is a disease that can have long term impact, but it is not unusual for it to take months to recover from. So please pray that we will all recover, even if it is a slow process.

and a promise.

And finally, as we have written this, we recognise that we are reflecting the rhythm of the Christian life. As we prepare for Christmas, we refresh our souls by remembering the hope that is to come. And afterwards, we will face each day with confidence, because Immanuel, God is with us, and He walks that unknown path with us.

Thank you for your prayer and support for Bangladesh and Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha, and for us!

Happy Christmas

With our love

Lou and Pete