Dear Friends,

We send you greetings in the Name of Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers for us in March. It was a busy month in terms of preaching and study but things seems to have gone well. We also sent out our prayer letter at the end of the month which is why this update is a later than normal.

Debbie would like you to pray for her as she works on two written assignments. Deadlines are approaching and the time seems too short to complete what she wants to cover. I submitted my essay on Romans and some assignments for the Study Skills module and the tutors are happy with these. I am, however, behind in writing the essay on the Pastoral Epistles so pray for us both as we tackle these things in the next few weeks.

This month marked our 10^th wedding anniversary. We thank the Lord for these years together. Although we were not able to get away to celebrate the day itself we have booked a city break in June. We have never been to Prague so it should prove interesting and, hopefully, provide a different venue for romance.

We are just back from a few days in London visiting friends. Although we have quite a number of other friends and supporters in England we would like to see, a longer trip will have to wait until later in the year (D.V.). It was great to have a total break from study and taking meetings and to have some time with David, Judy and their daughter Emily.

On 27^th we will be taking the morning service at Lambeg Baptist Church and we will attend the SIM conference at Magherafelt Baptist on 25^th April. Since our next update might not be sent out early enough, please remember the Sunday services at Carr Baptist on 4^th May during which I should be the preacher.

Thanks again for your prayers.

David and Debbie

Prayer Letter

Dear Friends,

We send you greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus.

Studies

Both of us are studying at present. David is working on three modules at the Irish Baptist College and I am taking a three-month course at the Belfast Bible College. This time around, David’s subjects are Romans, The Pastoral Epistles, and more work on the Study Skills module. (He is pictured here with some other students and staff at the college.) My course is a post-graduate certificate in theological education and I am the only British person in the group!

Blog

We have set up a blog. Our prayer letters and monthly updates sent out by email will be ‘posted’ to the blog and we will add some other items from time to time. Please feel free to visit the page which is available at davidanddebbie.blogspot.com.

Security at Kagoro

Since we wrote last year, SIM has been working on improving security for the missionary housing at Kagoro. A wall has been built to surround the house the Shelly family are living in and apparently a wall is also being constructed to surround the house we use. This should help but ultimately we depend on the Lord for protection and encourage you to keep on praying for that (Psalm 91:2).

Keswick Convention

We have never been to the meetings at Keswick but since we have the opportunity this year we decided to attend one of the weeks. The organisers of the conference have kindly made accommodation available to us free of charge since we are missionaries.

We praise the Lord for His help in our deputation meetings. Please pray that we would know the Lord’s strength and wisdom as we continue to have opportunities to share about God’s work at Kagoro.

Thanks again for your prayers.

David with some students and staff at the IBC

March update

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the name of the Lord. Thanks for your prayers during the past month as we have been involved in our studies and some meetings.

Praise the Lord for a good start to the course I (Debbie) am taking at Belfast Bible College. I am now in the fifth week of study and it has been both an exhausting and stimulating time. There are three Africans on the course, three from Romania, one from Slovakia and one from India so it’s quite a mix of nationalities. A major challenge last week was trying to explain to two of them what “craic” and “banter” mean!

David is making good progress in his studies and continues to prepare his assignments on Romans and the Pastoral Epistles. Please pray that this time of study would be beneficial for both of us and that the Lord would keep us safe as we travel.

The month ahead will be a busy one as each Sunday we have the opportunity to take part in church services. Please remember the Missionary Sunday at John White Memorial church this Sunday, 9^th March. The following Sunday morning, 16^th March, we will take the PWA Service at Sloane Street Presbyterian Church in Lisburn. David will be preaching at both services on Easter Sunday at his home church, Coagh Baptist and will take the services at Saintfield Baptist on 30^th March.

It’s been a joy to share in the study of God’s word with a group of ladies from Coagh Baptist Church. We are learning from the lives of some Old Testament women and our study will continue each Thursday evening until the 20^th March. Please pray that all who attend would be strengthened in their faith.

I would also value prayer for the Lord’s help as I speak at the Baptist Ladies’ Rally at Coagh Baptist on 19^th March.

With so many activities and lots of study to do we need much of the Lord’s help in using our time well.

Thanks for your fellowship in this ministry. May you know the joy of the Risen Christ as you celebrate His death and resurrection this Easter.

Yours in Christ,

Debbie and David

Update for February

Dear friends,

We send you greetings in the Name of Jesus.

Many thanks for praying for Debbie as she took the mid-week meetings. That series has finished and she received many positive comments about the material covered. Debbie has been asked to lead a ladies’ Bible study at Coagh Baptist Church starting this week and running until Easter. That will be on Thursday evenings (D.V.).

Debbie started her post-graduate certificate in Theological Education course at the Belfast Bible College today and has to decide on an essay title and a project title within the next week.

I am studying ‘Romans’ and the ‘Pastoral Epistles’ modules this time around. It is great to be digging deeper in the scriptures and I would appreciate your prayers as I work my way through the commentaries and other relevant books. I also have an assignment for the ‘Study Skills’ course to complete before the end of the month.

We have set up a blog: davidanddebbie.blogspot.com. We will post these updates and our normal prayer letters to that site and also add in some other things now and then.

Thank you for praying for the various meetings we take here and there. February isn’t too busy in that regard. We will take a morning service at Dungannon Baptist on 17^th and will be speaking at two SIM prayer meetings on 5^th and 15^th February. Sundays in March will be much busier so pray we will be able to get some preparation for those covered this month. Thanks.

Thanks for remembering us in prayer.

In Christ,

David and Debbie

Debbie teaching at the mid-week service

Update for January

Dear friends,

New Year’s greetings to you! May this be a very blessed year as you continue to serve the Lord.

It’s fun to look out at the snow that has just fallen as it’s the first we’ve seen in a few years.

Many thanks for your prayers for us during the last month. It was lovely to celebrate Christmas with our families and catch up with a few friends. Thank the Lord too for help given to David when he preached at Coagh Baptist last Sunday.

Now we’re getting prepared for the work ahead of us this month. I (Debbie) will continue the series of Bible studies on First Peter at Ballynahinch Congregational during the rest of January. I’ve really known the Lord’s help so thanks for praying. We will also take the Sunday morning service at the Congregational on January 13^th as part of their missionary weekend. The 11^th January is the Ladies’ meeting at Donaghy Congregational and on the 23^rd we’ll be at Carndaisy Baptist for their Ladies’ meeting. We would appreciate your prayers for these opportunities to share what the Lord is doing in Kagoro.

David will take another set of classes next week which should generate enough essays and assignments to keep him busy for the next three months. I plan to start the Theological Educators course at Belfast Bible College on 4^th February.

The new MA in Theology programme starts at Kagoro this month so pray for those teaching in that course and the new students who have been admitted into the programme.

“Blessed (happy) is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” Psalm 146:5. May we be encouraged as we enter 2008 that our help and our hope is in the Lord.

Yours in Christ,

Debbie and David