Chaplains Choose Life

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Jeremy

The impact of our Choose Life programme is reaching beyond the classrooms it was designed for, and into hospitals, prisons, and airports – as Kenyan chaplains take up the call to “Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live”.

Back in May 2010, a group of clinical chaplains from the Kenya Association of Chaplains were trained to use the Choose Life Bible resources. Then last year, Choose Life Coordinator Jane Wanjiku Kihiu accompanied some of the chaplains to the Nairobi Women’s Hospital. This facility cares for patients (both male and female) who have been victims of war and undergone violence of all kinds, including rape.

During the visit, one of the chaplains talked about the work they do and how they use Choose Life: “We daily practice and walk by the principles of Choose Life – concern for other people is our driving force … our time, presence and dialogue with those who have been abused makes them feel somebody still loves and cares for them in spite of the evil done to them. The children specifically get enthusiastic to continue with life and make the right decisions even though somebody chose to treat them wrongly.”

Jane says: “It’s so encouraging to see equip people who are dealing with the weak and vulnerable of society as they make God known to them and bring a ray of hope. It is both encouraging to the chaplains and to those they minister to. We thank God for what he is doing.”

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Wycliffe Bible Translators

Posted on March 11, 2012 by James

Phil Prior, Head of Communications at Wycliffe Bible Translators, updates us on their work: “We are currently involved in more than 1,400 Bible translation programmes around the world. Working with partners, such as SGM Lifewords, our vision is to see a Bible translation programme begun in every language that needs one by the year 2025.”

  • “Worldwide, work still needs to begin in 2,040 living languages – that’s around 350 million people who can’t hear God’s Word in their own language. Pray that God would provide the people and the support needed to make this vision a reality.”
  • “Bible translation involves the whole body of Christ. There are over 1,200 Bible translation vacancies – 700 in roles that have nothing to do with languages. Pray that accountants, journalists, mechanics and IT specialists – to name but a few – would join the linguists and play their part.”
  • “This January The Cameroonian Association of Bible Translation and Literacy celebrated their 25th anniversary. SGM Lifewords have played a part in making translated materials available in the country, through the Cuvok Power to Save literature. Please pray for more partnerships like this, where organisations can work together for the glory of God.”

For more about Wycliffe in the UK visit www.wycliffe.org.uk

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Restoring broken hearts

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Jeremy

When Amanda’s parents brought her to her first Pavement Project counseling session, the initial impression of the workers was of a very angry, very troubled, little girl. Her behaviour had proven too much for her previous foster families and her current carers were almost at breaking point. Amanda explained to the worker that the abuse she had suffered as the hands of a previous parent, whom she referred to as her ‘uncle’, had left her feeling isolated and unloved. The anger caused by these feelings would overwhelm her any time she felt threatened, and she compared herself to a nervous and angry lion.

As the sessions progressed, the workers helped Amanda to understand the love that God had for children just like her – a God who takes away our anger and restores our broken hearts. Hearing this message, Amanda told the worker that she wanted God to help her to change. No longer would she shout, scream and throw objects at the wall. All she wanted to do was to sleep safe in the knowledge that she was a child in God’s hands.

During her final session, Amanda told the worker that though she would always remember her past, she no longer worried about it. She wasn’t the bad child from before but “a glass of clean water” and that she was “loved and treated like a human being.” At the end of the session, Amanda explained that she would never forget that Jesus loved her, that he is with her and that he will support her for the rest of her life.

  • This story is taken from our From the Streets newsletter, which has all the latest stories from Pavement Project. If you would like to receive this, you can subscribe here.

*children’s name changed to protect their identities.

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Children-at-risk in Brazil

Posted on March 4, 2012 by James

Cleisse Andrade, Pavement Project Co-ordinator in Latin America, updates us on the situation in Brazil: “Last year 1,140 children and young people were counselled. We also now have 156 active workers, and 20 partner organisations using the Picture Me process.”

  • “Praise God for all the young people who were counselled in Brazil in 2011. Please pray for them, that they would continue to develop a relationship with God and be helped in their emotional and physical needs.”
  • “Over 30,000 children are subject to child labour in the Amazon region. Soon, Pavement Project will run the first training workshop in Manaus (one of the cities in this area of Brazil). Please pray for us as we select the organisations for this training, and ask God to help us choose workers who will reach children´s hearts.”
  • “Maltreatment and violence against young people is a serious problem in Brazil. Pavement Project was recently invited to speak about this subject on a Christian television programme. Please pray for those who watched, that they would be moved to seek change so that physical violence against children is no longer tolerated in this country.”
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Choose Life in Africa

Posted on March 1, 2012 by James

Sammy Kamore, from SGM Lifewords in Kenya, writes: “The team from the Kenya office have been working with local churches in the aftermath of a petrol fire that devastated Sinai, one of Nairobi’s slum areas. We’ve been training pastors and other church workers to use the Choose Life programme to reach out to people at this time of loss and despair.”

  • “Praise God for his guidance and provision as churches have been supporting the victims of the Sinai fire tragedy. Pray for us as we continue to work with the churches to help the survivors find meaningful life-transforming experiences.”
  • “Give thanks for the ongoing use of Choose Life in schools and churches. Pray for the Choose Life training sessions that will take place in Kibera on 3 March, that God would protect both the facilitators and the trainees, and that he would be glorified as we engage with different communities through Choose Life.”
  • “Ask God to continue to give his wisdom and guidance to all those using Choose Life to reach pupils with the Bible and its values. Pray too for the children, that God would sustain and protect them as they continue to grow up and make choices about their lives.”
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Striving towards the goal: a prayer reflection for March

Posted on March 1, 2012 by James

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus –  Philippians 3:12–16

As Christians, we press on towards a prize. In Philippians 3, Paul compares the Christian life to running a race, using the phrase “press on” to give us a picture of running swiftly to reach the goal: salvation and everlasting life in Jesus Christ.

When I watch the Olympics, I’m amazed at how fast the track athletes can run. They train long and hard to compete, and it takes a great deal of effort to be a world-class runner. This is the way it is in the Christian life as well. Not that we can work hard to earn salvation – it is God through Jesus Christ who makes us righteous, so that Salvation is God’s gift to us through faith. We don’t automatically achieve spiritual maturity when we trust Christ as Lord and Saviour – it’s a growth process that takes time and effort on our part.

Paul makes it clear that he hasn’t achieved perfection, but that he needs to remain focused – not looking back at the past, but pressing on towards the prize. In order to grow we need to read and learn from the Bible, spend time in prayer, and gather with other Christians for encouragement and discipleship. We need to be engaged in the pursuit of becoming more and more like Christ, just as Paul was. Let’s encourage each other press on and keep our eyes on the prize!

Peter Mkolesia
SGM Lifewords Africa Director

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New translations for global ordering

Posted on February 26, 2012 by James

Jesus: An Introduction in Arabic

Zbigniew Szalbot from SGM Lifewords in Poland writes, “It’s always exciting to see our resources – both new and old favourites – translated into more and more languages, so more and more people can read their life-changing words. These products are all part of the Global Bible Resources project, which is keeping us busy in the Poland office.”

  • We thank God for nine new Bible resources which were printed last month: Day By Day (Russian, Vietnamese), Jesus: An Introduction (Russian, Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, Romanian and Persian), Perfect Peace (English) and Suppose (English). Please pray that they will be used to sow God’s Word into the hearts of everyone who receives and read them.
  • We also have four new titles ready for print. These include new You Matter (Polish), as well as two booklets in Arabic – the evangelistic Jesus: An Introduction and the pastoral Daily Strength. Please pray for funds so that we can print these resources and make them available to everyone.
  • More language versions of You Matter are in the middle of the translation process. The Portuguese Brazilian booklet is almost ready for print, and translation/proof-reading work in the Italian, Korean and Spanish is also well under way. Please pray for God to give his blessing, wisdom and guidance to all translators, proof-readers and other people involved in the project.
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SGM Lifewords partner: UCCF

Posted on February 12, 2012 by James

Nicola Chalk, Supporter Relations Officer for UCCF, writes: “Last term UCCF launched Uncover, a series of six seeker Bible studies. The focus this term is the huge number of CU Mission Weeks happening at universities up and down the country.

  • Thank God for the overwhelming response from CUs to the Uncover initiative – we’ve had to order several extra print-runs to satisfy demand and many CUs have already got a number of Bible study groups up and running, with more students coming to faith than many of us can remember!
  • Praise God for Edd’s (a CU member) friend who has come to faith. He is convinced that Jesus is God, that he loves him, and can forgive him. He has been to CU, got stuck into a church, and has told his girlfriend and parents that he has become a Christian and now wants to live putting Jesus first.
  • Both Cardiff and London CUs put on city-wide mission weeks this and last term, and many more CUs across the country are running evangelistic weeks on their campuses. Please remember CUs in your prayers this week, and throughout the term, as they seek to reveal all that Jesus is and means to them.

To find out more please visit uccf.org.uk

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A big thank you for your support this Christmas

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Jeremy

A big thank you to all those supporters who responded to our Christmas appeal this year. Hundreds of people made a gift and in total we received over £27,000 in donations.

“We trust God to provide us with everything we need – and that means relying on faithful and generous supporters who respond to God’s call on their money and time” says Danielle Welch, General Director of SGM Lifewords. “Thank you so much for making this ministry possible.”

Some of this funding will go towards translation work, with a long list of new titles being developed for our Global Bible Resource Website. Jesus: An Introduction has already been printed in Russian, Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, Romanian and Persian, as well as the English edition, with Arabic being prepared at the moment. A number of other titles are being translated, including Suppose, Day by Day, and You Matter, which is being proof-checked in Italian and Korean at the moment – all thanks to our supporters.

Beyond our booklet ministry, we are looking forward to extending Pavement Project in India this year, and we hope to run training workshops in Indonesia to equip workers there.

Please join us in thanking God for his provision, and that he will bless these various initiatives around the world.

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125 Years Young!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Jeremy
Same Word Different World 2011 promotion

Sharing Life Words since 1888

Throughout 2011, our message to UK supporters has been “Same Word – different world: freely sharing life words since 1888”. It’s a reminder, not just of our heritage, but of our mission to bring the constant life words of the Bible to an ever-changing world. It was communications theorist Marshall McLuhan who said: “We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror.” Looking to our past is instructional and inspiring – if we are wise, we draw lessons from it to fuel our future ministry.

Throughout next year, we will be driving towards a landmark in the life of SGM Lifewords – our 125th anniversary on 6 February 2013. Work is already under way to make 2013 a year of celebration, praise and activity that will tell our story, share our ministry, and invite more people to partner with us for the next 125 years.

William Walters founded Scripture Gift Mission (initially as Scripture Text Mission, then Illustrated Scripture Mission) at a time of technological innovation and social change. Finding creative ways of communicating the Bible that resonated with people’s lives was his passion. Now, 125 years later, we find ourselves once again in a whirlwind of technological and social upheaval – but the mission remains the same. What a challenge; what an opportunity.

SGM founder William Walters

The story of SGM Lifewords is made up of many individual stories of God’s grace and power at work around the world. Many of our supporters have a lifetime’s partnership with this ministry. Freda and Joy Leswell have been involved since they started Sunday School over 80 years ago. In a recent letter, Freda recalled her fond memories of “Mr Brown” (former General Secretary Norman Brown, called home earlier this year) and the special copy of Daily Light that he sent when Freda “completed all 13 advanced question booklets” for the Young Sower’s League. Mr Brown wrote saying, “I hope it will be a blessing to you”. And, it has been, as Freda says, “It is hardly readable now due to being used so many years … I also have an up-to-date copy.”

We’re sure that Freda and her sister Joy are not alone in how they “remember the kindliness and faithfulness of true servants of the Lord, like Mr Brown and Mr Fiske, who were part of [their] own spiritual life and teaching.” We hope that many supporters will share stories of their time as Young Sowers; of using booklets in outreach; of deputation work or events; of Bible studies, prayer times, and fellowship. You may be an ex-staff member or long-term supporter, or you may have come to the ministry more recently, perhaps through Pavement Project or through the internet. Together, your unique experiences form the story of SGM Lifewords.

With 2013 in mind, we would love to hear how SGM Lifewords has been part of your Christian experience. So, please write, email, or telephone us to share your story. Our aim is to build an archive of stories from supporters and former staff. Where possible, perhaps we can come and film your story to create a “video library” of real life history being told for generations to come.

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