Mission Partners
Rod and Marja Boatman have been working in Zambia since 1989. Rod currently teaches Maths and Physics at Amano Christian School and gives Bible teaching in vernacular assemblies. Marja leads a puppetry team into schools, churches and sometimes on national television. She leads Bible study groups and offers literacy classes in the local language and English. In addition, Rod and Marja assist missionaries in more remote parts of the country by running a guest house, purchasing groceries and hospital supplies, arranging dental appointments, booking flights etc. Dennis (b. 1994) attends Amano Christian School, and Jenny (b. 1996) the International School.
While teaching in an international school in Sudan, Christine volunteers with the Sudanese church in their street-kids programme. This seeks to provide homeless boys with Christian love and care, shelter, an opportunity to receive an education and some vocational training. A number of those who have been 'rescued' in this way have in due course gone on to university and become stable contributing members of society. A few have returned to help others with a similarly difficult start in life.
The aim of The Pocket Testament League (India) is that there should be a living witness within the hearing distance of every man and woman in the subcontinent of India. Members are engaged in evangelism and discipleship, literacy and educational programmes. They go only to areas where there is no Christian witness already. This policy has meant a lot of persecution and resistance and even threat to life, but in several areas there have been marvellous changes as people's lives have been transformed by the power of the gospel. Many graduates of the Institute of missions Studies training programme continue to work with PTL. There are now 4 Christian schools run by PTL in areas which had very little access to basic, quality education. These have become centres for transformation of the whole area.
Project O is an orphan support organisation, founded and run by Martin and Vashti Downs, who live in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa with their two sons Joseph and Jesse. Project O currently run a child sponsorship programme for AIDs orphans in the Valley of the Thousand Hills, which pays for a monthly food contribution, school fees, school uniform and supplies, placement in a HIV/AIDS education programme, and as many other needs that can possibly be met. Project O are also currently in the process of building Christian run 'Homesteads' which will house up to six children and a grandmother. These homes will eventually become 100% self sufficient, providing their own food and some of their own electricity, with any money needed coming from projects installed withing the homes, such as selling crops or running a fish farm on the lake in the valley. As with all young charities, Project O is in desparate need of financial support in all areas of their work, so please visit their website (see our links page) to find out how you can help.
Alaric Dunsmore-Rouse, Japan: I first came to Japan in 1995 to work in a church in the south of Sapporo teaching English and the Bible. Whilst I was there I realised the great difficulty that Japanese people have in not only hearing about Christ but also in making the individual decisions necessary to accept him, due to the intense conformity instilled into them from an early age. I felt that God was leading me to go back full-time so in 1998 Bible college in the UK was the next step. Then in 2001, back to Sapporo and the OMF language centre for a year of Japanese. Following that, I worked at a church doing one-to-one bible studies, counselling and student work. Home assignment followed in 2006 and then a year doing the language advisor role at JLC. Then in 2008, I moved into full-time university student ministry at Hokkaido University being simultaneously in charge of the short-term missionaries and occasional teams.
Andy Mayo works with Oak Hall Biblen School in Serbia. You can find out more by visiting their website at www.OakHall.org.uk.