May - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

Our Gospel Work in Africa and Israel 155
of the recent visit of Miss Margaret Macaskill and Miss Petra Beukers to the
Home for six weeks to give further training to the housemothers.
Kenya. From Sengera, Rev Keith Watkins reports that the work continues
despite the difficulties caused in the area by the activities of a new Church
led by sodomites from North America. The improprieties, some of a pagan
nature, occurring at funerals, and against which our Church there has witnessed
for years, have increased. This has necessitated our Church withdrawing
from a situation in which God-honouring worship cannot be conducted. Our
people would wish it to be otherwise and alternatives are being explored, but
it is almost impossible to prevent their extended families imposing their wills
on the proceedings.
However, work among the youth is more encouraging. Another wellattended
Youth Conference was successfully held at Sengera in December.
The Mission has also begun a new scheme, of giving help on Saturdays with
school homework for secondary and upper primary pupils, which is being
used by some 30 pupils. Although they need more than education, it is hoped
that they will do better in their examinations as a result and that, by the
Lord’s blessing, they will be made a blessing to the Church.
Israel. Although Rev John Goldby has withdrawn from Israel, he is still involved
in the publication of the new Westminster Confession of Faith in Hebrew
and the revision of the Hebrew New Testament (of which the Gospel of John
has been finished) but it has been decided that, “with the completion of the
present translation projects, the [Jewish and Foreign Missions] Committee
expect our work in Israel to cease meantime”. Mr Goldby hopes that the Gospel
of John will be published soon, and we pray that the distribution of it and
the Westminster Confession will bear much spiritual fruit. After Mr Goldby
returned to Britain, church services continued in Jerusalem under Mr Al
Hembd (a communicant in our Texas congregation and employee of the TBS,
who is studying at the Hebrew University) but, as there is no longer a core
of people attending regularly, these have been discontinued for the present.
In conclusion, it is encouraging to those who are engaged in mission
work that “the Word of God is not bound” (2 Tim 2:9). Their labour is is not
in vain in the Lord, whether sowing the good seed of the gospel or maintaining
the institutions which are handmaids to it. God says about His Word: “It
shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and
it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Is 55:11) – surely a great motive
for plying the throne of grace to plead for His blessing on its proclamation.
Strive above all things to obtain full assurance of future bliss. To this end take heed
of neglecting your communion with God in holy duties. Take heed of bitterness,
wrath, anger; by all these the Spirit is grieved.
Thomas Case