Blind western journalists and media outlets, mostly themselves of Christian origins, have a lot to answer for. Their silence with regard to the escalating violence against Christians globally is deafening. Even churches often seem to remain uninformed and too much in the background of this war against the forces of darkness.
On the first Sunday of Advent I asked the ten Sunday School children, “Who will come to us on Christmas Day?” In one voice they said: “Santa!” Sunday School children talking! That sums it all up: The battle for Christmas is lost. It’s fanciful to talk about ‘bringing Christ back into Christmas’. The world has won. Money always wins.
A miracle is happening in Gbellai Village, Liberia, Africa: a 75 years old man is in jubilation because it is the first time in his life that he not only could drink clean water from a well, but he could pump it up himself.
What you see here is all they've got except for a few things in a cupboard, but in one way they are rich: they want to bring Christ to the nation!
The media coverage tends to be sensational – and the response of the world has been tardy and confused. The reluctance of much of the Western World to really help and get involved is deplorable. Above everything else, Ebola needs to be fought in West Africa, then the whole world becomes a safer place.
The newly established EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF VIETNAM keeps growing and consolidating with our help. The “Vietnam Australian Bible School”, supported by AFA, is teaching elders, evangelists, pastors the Holy Christian Faith.
I apologize sincerely to all genuine Muslims in our land for the hatred and outrage shown by sections of the Australian community against some of the local Muslim community. At the same time I shudder when I think of IS (Islamic State) and similar groups and, more broadly, of the creeping Islamization in Muslim countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and elsewhere.
A Catholic country, yet also a pagan country (like Australia?), mission in the Philippines is hard. There is a Lutheran Church present but it is small, village based and seems to be shrinking with its ultra-conservative worship.
The Ebola nightmare: A silent killer spreads fear and horror everywhere but Lutheran Global Village, Liberia, is a lighthouse of faith and hope.
AFA has enabled the Lutheran Church of Thailand to begin mission work there starting from scratch. By now 500 people have added to the kingdom of heaven! It is abundantly clear that AFA has been a key factor in this amazing development – the hard work and financial sacrifices by our supporters.
Blessings to readers & supporters of ASIA FOCUS AUSTRALIA!
The newsletter for July is now available and features our response to a confused world of knowing what we believe, teach and confess. Also featured are big things in the making in Bhutan, A lost world opening up in Myanmar, the ongoing horror in Liberia, and many more articles.
Interested in spreading the word about the work of Asia Focus? Feel free to forward this newsletter in digital format if you wish, or pass on a link to our newsletter archive.
In the confusion of today’s world, competing world religions and the wilderness of modern life the Church of God needs to know what it believes, teaches and confesses.
They shouted ‘Heil Hitler’ in derision as I began to address an anti-gun rally in Gympie some years ago – a rally I had organised for the deputy Prime Minister of Australia at the time, Mr Tim Fischer. Many obviously hated me while others said, ‘Pastor Fricke is going into politics for sure.’ They knew that that I had just received an invitation to a private audience with the then Prime Minister Mr John Howard.
They were all wrong. My heart is with the Gospel and the Mission of Christ on earth, a mission directed to all but especially to the poor, despised and needy. My best buddy is a dispossessed, peasant rickshaw driver in Indonesia who had nothing, no future and who learnt English by reading the Bible. But this much for sure: I have always been controversial and rarely the flavour of the month, even in ‘the church’.
How does someone get caught up in the amazing growth of the Christian Church particularly in parts of S.E. Asia? It is not something that you aim to do but it easy to see in retrospect that there was a plan all along – it was God’s plan not mine.
As happens so often, my involvement in Asia Focus began with the telling of a story.
The story tellers were Pastor Noel and Meg Noack, who have a real heart for overseas mission. They had returned recently from a trip to the Plas Prei Training Centre in Northern Cambodia. They told their story of a visit to this outreach centre which aims to educate bright young Cambodian girls who come from backgrounds of extreme poverty at a church mission festival. As the story unfolded, they inspired me to join the next group of visitors to northern Cambodia.
Why not see for yourself? I had to see it with my own eyes… I had to know –Just what exactly was it about Asia Focus Australia that so many people were so passionate about supporting? What better way to find out than to walk in their shoes? So in 2012, bags packed, I set off for Myanmar and Thailand on my first mission trip. As it turns out I have now just returned from my FOURTH mission trip!
Amidst the heart and soul of Asia Focus in action, I got to see and feel first hand, not only the work that was being done, but how appreciative the people who are assisted by Asia Focus are. I witnessed how together ordinary people achieve the extraordinary, and as a result I became more actively involved, mainly organising fundraising activities and promoting the work of Asia Focus here in Bundaberg. Then in 2014 I proudly accepted the position of Secretary.
My name is Nolene Stark and I am the Administration Assistant for Asia Focus Australia, which means that I am the Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant to the President when he is away.
I became involved with Asia Focus when I travelled with a tour group to Myanmar,Thailand and Laos with Pastor August. We left Australia on the 21st January 2011 amidst the turmoil of devastating floods and loss of life here in Queensland. However, in Australia, everyone stands behind the victims; the whole nation pitches in to help. The stark contrast for me was landing in Myanmar where I found myself in a totally different world of unbelievable poverty.
The Protestant Churches are surprisingly strong in Myanmar. Large Baptist and Methodist churches have been there for the last 100 years. Tamil Indians introduced Lutheranism to the country years ago but, in the overall scheme of things, they remained a small minority.
