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Burma Cyclone News Update

Cyclone Update-  New Life Orphanage- Yangon Myanmar

As you would have seen in the media, cyclone Nargis has devastated areas of Myanmar, particularly in the southern areas. Reports to date, suggest more than 15,000 people have lost their lives and 100,000's of homes destroyed.  All general communication lines are down and it is anticipated that it will take at least 3 weeks to restore.

Israel, the Orphanage Pastor, emailed prior to the cyclone that the children from Hope orphanage would join New Life for safety at the main compound. We have been attempting to contact the New Life Orphanage in Yangon since with no success.

Jon Amiss, one of the Australian supporters of New Life Orphanage is currently in Burma, and we have not been able to contact him. Please pray that Jon is safe, and that he can return home safely.

The following email has just been received from the Australian Ambassador,  Bob Davis, in Yangon.

Dear Eddie

Veronica and I and all our colleagues at the Embassy are safe.  Please let Frank know and that we have not been able to contact Bella as phones are still inoperable and traffic hazardous.  Will let you know if we come across Jon but we have no contact details as he did not register with our on-line consular system.  

Best wishes   Bob

Please pray for Bella, Israel, their family, staff and all the children for their continued safety. Please also pray that aid organisations will gain entry into the Country to assist the many thousands who are now homeless. The next few months will also be very challenging as water and sanitary infrastructure has been damaged.

We will advise as further information comes to hand.

CRCA World Relief will be promoting a special appeal for relief funds this coming Sunday (May 16th). More information will be released re: this as soon as it is at hand.

Thanks for your prayerful support

Eddie Bos

Feedback: dave@redlandscrc.org.au bos@royalfoods.com.au

For a general news update on the situation go to: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/fears-cyclone-toll-could-echo-2004-tsunami/2008/05/06/1209839604671.html

 

 

Burma Cyclone update

While we have no specific news of the New Life Orphanage, this general news report comes from www.news.com.au Monday morning:

Hundreds killed as cyclone toll rises

From correspondents in Rangoon

May 05, 2008 03:54am

Article from: Agence France-Presse

MORE than 350 people have been killed after cyclone Nargis tore through Burma this weekend, an information ministry official said.

"According to the latest information we have, altogether 19 people were killed in Rangoon division and then about 222 people killed in Irrawaddy division,'' the official said last night.

Nargis made landfall around the mouth of the Irrawaddy River, about 220km southwest of Rangoon, late on Friday before hitting the military-run country's economic hub of Rangoon.

More deaths were reported this morning.

The cyclone has ripped down power lines, battered buildings and left uprooted trees and other debris scattered across the streets of Rangoon.

Five central and southern regions and states - Rangoon, Irrawaddy, Bago, Mon and Karen - have been declared disaster areas, the official said.

Police and army have been deployed throughout the worst-hit areas to start the clean-up operation.

The information ministry official said that seven empty boats had sunk in the country's main port, while Rangoon's international airport was closed until further notice with flights diverted to the city of Mandalay.

The storm cut most electricity and telecommunications in the nation just a week before a crucial referendum on its new constitution, the first polling in Burma since general elections in 1990.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23646211-401,00.html

May 05, 2008 06:30 

Cyclone Approaches Burma Orphanage

Hi all,

Just received this email from Israel this morning. New Life Orphanage and the people of Yangon are in desperate need of prayer as Cyclone Nargis hits the city. Bamboo houses  with leaf roofs will not stand a chance in these sorts of winds.

Please pray for these people   They are already desperate to survive.

Thanks

Janette

(Message from Israel below)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Janette,

Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We have received information about Cyclone Nargris heading toward nearby Yangon. The whole city is preparing for it.

We moved the boys to dining hall (concrete building) from their dormitory which is temporary bamboo tent. We are worried for the children from Hope too, so, we asked them to come and sleep at NLF.

This morning, we bought the thatch leaves for the building repairing for the temporary building and Hkawn Nang house.

We have had constant rain for 2 days already and some parts of NLF have been flooded. We pray it does not get worse.

Please pray for us. I am not sure how many days the cyclone will take to pass. I am so sure that God will take care of us, but still we need much of your prayer.

Pass our love and thanks and our prayer requests to all our Aussie friends and families.

May God bless you all.

Thanks

Israel 

 

Melody on the Move...

Dearest everyone,

Time is zipping by way too fast these days, so I'm sending out this little update to you- unlike my uni assignments of olde, I will not leave this until 10:30pm the night before.

So as you might be aware, or perhaps not- either way- in a little over three weeks I am heading on a very exciting, challenging and eye-opening adventure across cultures, oceans and customs checkpoints. I'm going to Durban, on the coast of South Africa, for four months, to volunteer with a Youth for Christ project called the Youth Development Centre. You can check out their lovely informative website here: http://www.youthkzn.co.za/index.html ... but the basic run down is that these people exist to serve and address the needs of kids and youth- really massive needs like homelessness, family breakdown, poverty, HIV and AIDS, gender inequality and life skills. The particular facet of the project I'm volunteering with is called Tennyson House, serving homeless youth through things like drop in centres, street outreach, short-term residential care, and prevention and intervention.

I'm really excited about being a part of the work that is going on there, and four months should be plenty of time to settle in, develop a heart for the beautiful people there and allow God to use me in His mission. There are going to be a lot of challenges to face, like working in a completely new environment, with completely new people, in a completely new country. And I'm a bit of a softie and will probably get a bit homesick, too.

So I would love your support in this, and if you would like to pray for me, here are a few things to start you off at this stage:

Preparation: I'm still waiting on my Visa to be approved, am yet to finish my immunisation shots, and of course would love prayer that God will prepare me physically, emotionally, and spiritually for my time in South Africa.

Safety: South Africa can be a dangerous place, and where I am going there is a fair bit of street crime. I'll be fine though.

Health: steering clear of any nasty viruses etc. so I don't have to waste any time getting better!

Purpose: that this won't just be a time-filler or something to fondly look back on, but that I will truly grow from it, and might be a blessing in the work that's bring done for God's glory.

And finally, I would love to see each and every one of you before I head off, so you're invited to a bit of a farewell shindig: Saturday 10^th May (I leave the following Friday) at my place (8 Kerby Place, Wellington Point) from 7pm. I really would love it if you can make it, as this might the last time we ever see each other... I could get eaten by a lion or become the bride of a maasai warrior. So write it in your diary in big red letters, maybe add a little bit of highlighter for extra effect.

I love you all, and will be in touch again soon!

In Christ,

Melody

 

 

Prayer Diary

Rachel Barham

Rachel Baraham was admitted to Redlands Hospital today, and later transferred to the PA this afternoon. It appears she has developed hydrocephalus. She will be in theatre this afternoon where a shunt will be inserted to relieve the pressure on her brain. Please pray for David and the family remembering that Suzy is also in Belmont Hospital at present.

Prayer exercise

With my current series on prayer starting this Sunday morning, I wonder if I can ask you to keep a list of everything you pray for between now and May 11. Just write down what you pray for, irrespective of what it may be. You just have to keep the list yourself, you don't have to send it to anyone. At the end of next week, I ask a question for you to consider. Thanks, DG 

 

Midweek News

 Sunday

9am: What could be more irritating than trying to satisfy a whole bunch of people clamouring for what they want? That's what people at Dominos get paid to do - so keep me out of it! Why should I do that? More: why should God do that? Does he ever get sick of hearing all those prayers? What hope have we got? Just think for a moment: if you were God, would you answer prayers like the ones you offer?

5pm: The Lord God, the roaring Lion, is Sovereign over all the earth. 
That's the first thing that becomes clear in the prophecies of Amos: 
God is our all-powerful God. Every person in the world is under his Lordship, under his love, and under his judgement. And everyone is expected to live responsibly as his image-bearers. This means loving others and treating them as Jesus would. While plastic religion is all about going through the motions, Godly faith is all about caring for everyone else in God's world. As the church, we need to be extra vigilant about setting an example in relationships and calling the 
world to Christ's Lordship. Amos 1:3-2:3.

 CRC Women's Conference

We need the support of all the ladies of our Queensland Churches, of any age, but especially of the younger generation between 20 and 50 year, to attend the Ladies Retreat - Convention. It is the 1st time that this convention is held in Queensland. At the moment we have about 175 participants, not many of Queensland yet!
It promises to be a very good program, with excellent speakers. Give yourself a treat and come away with us to get encouraged, enriched and relaxed.
Sign up for the whole 4 days or for 2 days, you wil be greatly rewarded. Enrolment forms are on the table in the foyer.
Any questions ? Ask Emmy Warren.

YAK News

Bowling at AMF Capalaba

Fri 9th May

Dinner time

Stay tuned for more details

 

Also, don't forget to set aside 11-13 July for the YAK camp.

TLF campsite again.

 

Mid Week News

 Redland City Youth Services - Friday Night 7:30

The first of these exciting services will be hosted by us on Friday evening 25th April, 2008. Please pray for the team as they prepare for this Youth Service.

Sunday

9am:  The Westminster Catechism (17th century) asks the question: What is the chief end of man? The answer: To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
This morning our focus will be on the glory of God as well as on the amazing truth that God's people already in this life are reflecting some of that glory. But how do we, in the nitty-gritty of daily life, bring God the glory in everything we do?

5pm:  We often hear that we should read the Bible more. But is this really what God wants, more and more reading? Proponents of Plastic Religion, such as those in the time of Amos, and today, make a great deal of reading the Word of God, knowing lots about the Word of God, but yet still come under the judgment of God. Why is this? This Sunday night we begin our series in the book of Amos, looking at 7:10-17, and being challenged to consider our response to the Word of God. Are we simply going to listen to it, be wowed by it, or are we actually going to live it?

New Small Groups Getting Started

We would like to kick of two new Small Groups in the next few weeks.

 1)      Thursday night for ladies (mixed ages)

2)      Men's Group (night negotiable)

 If you would be interested in being a part of either of these groups, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Clinton (clinton@redlandscrc.org.au; 0424 477 487)

Support your local Soccer Team!

Redlands Crusaders v Enoggera B

Game starts at 3:00pm on Saturday, 26th April, 2008 at Clarks Road Soccer Club, Clarks Road, Loganholme.

Come along and cheer our team on.

How they're doing so far this season:-

Redlands Crusaders Results

29-Mar-08
 1 vs CCC United (A)
 won 3 - 2
 
12-Apr-08
 2 vs Caboolture (H)
 draw 0 - 0
 
19-Apr-08
 3 vs Victoria Point A (A)
 lost 2 - 3

 

Opportunity - Seniors Outreach Ministry

Redland Residential Care, the nursing home attached to Redland Hospital, is seeking assistance with brief - but very necessary - monthly devotional services for the residents of the home. These would typically comprise of

• Opening prayer
• hymns interspersed during service
• Scripture Reading
• Devotional reading
• closing prayer
• Individual prayer for the residents
• Holy communion could also be offered after each service.

Could this be a great ministry for seniors to seniors?

Something that interests you, even if you are not representative of the youth of yesteryear?

Please prayerfully consider this, and if you would like to be involved, please email dave@redlandscrc.org.au or phone 0418 383 055

Prayer Update

Bob Ireland was readmitted to hospital yesterday with more chest pain. PLease remember Bob & Willie in prayer, and ask especially for healing and recovery after Bob's bypass operation last week.

 

Carlee Spiers (Update)

Apologies...

Carlee's opertation was a cornea transplant (sometimes I just write stuff too fast...) Even so, please keep praying for a speedy and effective recovery - DG

 

Thursday Tune Up

Plastic Religion?

Godly faith for God's World - Studies in the Book of Amos

Imagine a society that is just growing in wealth. Resource stocks are up, inflation is not too bad, the majority of people own their own home, many are even thinking of a second home - just because they can. Then image that just about everyone in this society is religious. They go to church, they sing their hearts out, they attend Bible studies, they give to the cause of the church. This society has everything that it needs, peace, prosperity, culture, religion, leadership, everything they could imagine, everything that indicated that the blessing of God was on them.

So imagine Israel's surprise, when 3000 years ago God sends them the prophet Amos and says, "Your Religion is plastic, your past is an abomination and your future is destruction." Not a message that gets well received. The prophet Amos hits hard, he calls it as it is. He shows us that below the surface, the plastis veneer of religion, Israelite society was sick. The poor are abused, the wealth is horded by the rich, the religion is merely for show. And he makes God's promise clear - if you go this way you have defiled the promises of God, used them for your own benefit and are going to be destroyed.

Amos calls us, today, to examine our lives, our hearts and our church. God calls us, and invites us into change, real change. God's call, through Amos is for a Godly faith, founded and built on Jesus. Because this is God's world, and his church has a role to play in making the greatness and the goodness of God known.

Starting on Sunday 27^th April, for 6 weeks in the PM services, Dan and Clinton will be preaching through this book. We want to really encourage you to read through the book in the coming week, individually, as families, and in Small Groups. As you read, if you come up with anything that sounds strange, out of place, or you just don't get, email us (kroony@mac.com; clinton@redlandscrc.org.au) and we'll endeavor to address those issues through the series.

Small Group study material will also be made available. If you would like to make use of this email clinton@redlandscrc.org.au

Sunday PM - What's the big deal?

This is the question we ask when we really want to get to the bottom of something: the missing money, the broken window, the stain on the carpet. Our hope is that there is an acceptable explanation.  What about life? Can we ask that question about life? About being a follower of Jesus? About the church? Sunday night we ask this question from God's perspective. When you understand the answer, it may just change your life. Want to read ahead? Go to Eph 2:11-3:21

New Elders

Marcel Doedens and Cameron Nugent will be installed as elders on May 11, 2008 in the AM service

Outreach @ Redlands CRC: Let's go!

We are seeking to make the value of outreach, and our actual involvement in this ministry, more prominent n every area of church life. For that reason Dan Neville has been welcomed into the Ministry Team as Outreach Coordinator. Dan and Gayle are keen to see this critical area of ministry gain a real lift. To that end, they would like to hear from any people interested in discussing how this can be done. This is not a sneaky way to ‘put you on a committee' - it really an opportunity to develop some exciting ideas and gain some common vision for outreach.

Dan & Gayle would love to hear from all you interested people: please contact them on 3824-4084 or dnev@bigpond.net.au

Prayer

* Carlee Spiers' operation (retina transplant) went very well. Please pray that the Lord will work through this and beyond it to bring healing and recovery to Carlee

* Please keep those older people in mind who are suffering reduced mental faculties in old age: Alf Tasman, Aad Mostert, Wia Bos, Tood le Clercq. Keep asking that even as their mind unravel they may know the nearness and goodness of the Lord in the land of the living

* Remember the people currently in Burma: Frank and Janette Hemelaar, Rowena Forno, Allete Visser, Bev Heazelwood. Give thanks for the safe return of Eddie Bos last Tuesday. Pray for peace in Burma and for freedom to carry on the work at the orphanage

* Clinton's parents arrive in the next few days. They will be staying for a week or so. Give thanks that they can celebrate the wonderful goodness of God in Clinton's recovery

Feedback: dave@redlandscrc.org.au

 

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