To the Golden Shore…

How I wish I could take each of you with me to Myanmar.  It has been and remains my favorite country in the world, and it thrills my soul to see what our Lord is up to in this far away corner of our world.  I had the privilege of traveling to Yangon, Myanmar again last month and visit with our good friends and partners to learn about the ongoing work of Aquila in Myanmar.  In addition, thanks to the generosity of our partners, I was able to carry in the funds necessary for the remainder of our training conferences among rural leaders this year!  Thank you for your faithfulness to this work and to our brothers and sisters in Myanmar.

The highlight for me was to be able to once again teach at IMCP (The Institute for Missions and Church Planting) in Yangon.  Each morning I was greeted by 50 hungry students whose passion for our King is unsurpassed in my estimation.  I had been asked to teach on “spiritual leadership” and we had an amazing time as we spent our days in the Word of God.  I wish each of you could meet these students, who for the sake of the Kingdom of God, are willing to suffer hardship and loss in order to see people come to Jesus.  It humbles me each and every time…

I was also blessed to carry in funds for additional work among earthquake victims and orphans.  It is amazing to see what the body of Christ can do as we partner together for the sake of those who so desperately need to hear of Jesus.

Again, thank you for your prayers and support of this work.  There is much work that remains to be done and literally millions in Myanmar who have yet to hear the glorious gospel of Jesus.  Would you stand strong with this ministry and tell your friends.  Your gifts and prayers are making a tremendous impact on the other side of the world!

That all may hear!

Jeff

Only the Lord could…

Jeff mentioned to you last week that we were having our annual Aquila Project Board of Director’s meeting — and he asked you to pray for our time together.  I want to thank you for your prayers, we had a really great meeting – probably the best one in several years.

There was a spirit of unity. An evidence of our collective reliance on the power and presence of God in our lives. The ability to relate in authenticity with each other. A collective desire to bring glory to God through our ministry. And a sweet time of prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving in addition to prayers seeking God’s direction.

Our board unanimously approved our 2010 financial report, and accepted our equipping schedule/buget for 2010.

We have been ‘hinting’ at some new directions in ministry. I believe we are on the threshhold of seeing some new opportunities materialize.

To this end, I want you to begin praying specifically for a ‘scout trip’ that Jeff will be making in late summer to Malaysia.

In the days to come, I will be sharing more information about this trip, the rationanle, the opportunities, and the challenges.

Thank you so much for taking this journey with us!

Growing leaders…giving hope,

David Robbins

Exciting Days Around Aquila…

These are some exciting days around The Aquila Project, and we want to thank you for your involvement with us by your prayers and generous financial support.  Together we are making a tremendous impact in the lives of believers across Southeast Asia, and we are looking forward to all that God has in store for the coming days!

This weekend the board of directors of The Aquila Project will be meeting here in Tulsa.  We will be meeting to celebrate all that God has done in the past 8+ years as well as to pray and plan for the coming days.  We have many opportunities, in fact more than we have resources to cover, so we are looking at how to be the best stewards of the resources God has given us to impact the most people in restricted access nations.  Will you pray for us as we meet this weekend?  We would really appreciate your prayers and support.

On Monday, Thomas, our national director will be arriving in Tulsa to spend some time with our staff and board.  Thomas is one of our heroes and we consider it a privilege to have him in town.  You have heard us speak a great deal about Thomas and his work in Burma, so we would like to share with you a couple of opportunities for you to hear him speak.  Thomas will be speaking at the chapel services of Voice of the Martyrs in Bartlesville on Tuesday morning (April 12) at 9am at the new VOM facility in Bartlesville. This event is open to the public, if you would like additional information contact Jeff or David.

On Wednesday evening Thomas will be speaking at Eastwood Baptist Church in Tulsa at 6:30pm.  Again this is open to the public and we would like to encourage our partners in this area to take advantage of these opportunities to hear a dear brother and co-laborer in Burma.

Again, thank you for your prayers and support for this ministry.  You are making a difference in this world!

That all may hear!

Jeff

Tragedy in Burma

Received the following report from our friends in Burma yesterday, please make this a matter of fervent prayer:

”I was so sorry to hear a bad news from a friend of mine in the earth quake area.  24 Baptist Churches and many other churches are totally destroyed. In one church 21 of them had a prayer meeting when the earth quake took place. As the church fell down all  the 21 of them died in the church itself. Some of them are the one we gave training. Thousands of Christian’s houses are also destroyed and hundreds of them are now admitted in the hospital.

About two years back I sent to some of you about the Hmong people in that area. Many of them are Christian and many of them are also unbelievers coming to Myanmar from Vietnam. I am
the only Christian leader that they know and ask me to send missionaries to their their area in two years back.  Now many of them died in the earth quake and many more are admitted in the hospital
with out any money.  I am the only one they know to ask help. So, they rang and asking me help. They also cried on the phone as their dear one are dead.  If you could find some fund for them I would be so glad to visit them and help them in the name of the Lord.

Still today the earth quake is taking place at least one time a day but not as strong as the first one. Some road are crack for 5 to 8 feet. Many houses are dipped (buried) into the ground.

In xxxxxxx mission field our missionary Mr. Peter and his new believers were having a new bamboo house dedication prayer meeting in one of our new believers’ house. The house owner thought giving them tea and biscuits after the service. Unfortunately their house also was broken and 27 of them are very badly injured because of the hot water. They are admitted to the hospital and I told to Mr. Peter that all the expenses for their hospitalization will be paid by our mission. I have send Ks. 100,000 = $ 117. If you could find some help for them also it would really be a blessing for us. We will need at least $ 400 more for our new believers.

I will be waiting for your reply. Please remember them in your prayer also.”

If you would like to help these brothers and sisters in Christ, we will do all that we can to get the funds to them as quickly as possible.  At the very least, make this a matter of prayer and ask others to join you in these prayers.

That all may hear!

Jeff

News from Burma…

A powerful earthquake rocked the border regions of Burma, Thailand, and Laos late last week. Quakes registering 6.8 and 7.0 hit within minutes of each other in a mountainous region that is 68 kilometers north of Chaingrai, Thailand.

The death toll has been listed at 240, but relief agencies fear that getting accurate numbers from the Burmese government is unlikely.  The quake was felt as far as Bangkok (450 miles) and Hanio (400 miles).

The earthquake was in far Southeastern Shan State, which is the state our friend John lives in – however he is quite far north of the quake’s epicenter.  We finally received some info from him this weekend.

Please pray for John and the missionaries/church planters that are working in Shan State – they may have additional opportunities to minister to people affected by this recent earthquake.

John writes:
Praise God. We all are save here. It is not severe in our mission
field as well as in Txxxxxxx. The internet connection is very bad now
a days and I could hardly check my mail now after a week. Thanks for your prayer. I really miss Tulsa, the family and all of our friends.
I Remember you in our prayer too.

Thanks for your ongoing support for this work and for your prayers for our friends working in Burma!

Thanks for taking this journey with us!

David

Our Response to Global Crisis

It seems that every day as I turn on the news, the violence in our world continues to grow. Whether that’s in Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Jerusalem or countless other locations around the globe, it seems like a never ending stream. How are we as Christians to respond to the news we see each day?

There are several approaches we could take. One is to bury our heads in the sand and hope it doesn’t come here, this is a choice to live in fear and denial. Many believers make this choice each and every day, choosing to live in isolation from a world that desperately needs what the Kingdom of God has to offer. This choice leads to an ever shrinking world in the life of the believer.

Another choice is to pick a side and fight for whichever side we choose. Vilifying entire groups of people and nations for the sake of our own pride. This is a popular choice as well among believers, listening to only one side and growing to hate those on the other side of the equation. This “us vs. them” approach leads us to deny that those we are against have any worth or value in this world, and creates a huge disconnect from the mission that Jesus gave us in the Great Commission (Matthew 28). Again, this choice leads to an ever shrinking world in the life of the believer.

A better choice, I believe, is to choose to follow Jesus in his mission to reconcile the whole world to the Kingdom of God. The global situation we see unfolding before us each day on the news is too complicated and too important for the citizens of the Kingdom of God to pull away from in fear. It is a scary and dangerous world, but it has always been a dangerous and scary world for the followers of King Jesus. But he has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). There will be many hardships in the coming days around the world, but we, as citizens of the Kingdom should be moving forth with the life changing message of Jesus into those places of suffering and pain.

So what do we do? Be informed, pay attention to the things that are happening in our world and make them a matter of fervent prayer. Stand for what is right in this world, and oppose those who would take away freedom and dignity from people no matter where they live. Finally, look for ways you can make a difference in the lives of people in your own community. We are ambassadors for a Kingdom that sets men free, let us take that message across the street in our city and around the world. Remember, in the end HE WINS!

J

Investigating a New Opportunity

Several weeks ago Jeff Easley (Aquila International Director) met and were praying about our work. One of the questions that was on both of our hearts and minds was, “What’s next.” – We have both felt a sense that God is about to ask us to do something new — but what that means, we are still seeking His direction on. Opportunities abound.

We have standing invitations in several areas. However, there is one area that has caught both Jeff and my attention. But in order to expand with integrity and make commitments to national partners that are solid (long term) commitments, we want to be wise — seeking the Lord’s direction prior to opening our mouths. Would you pray with us? For wisdom. For necessary resources. For boldness. For increased faith. For unity.

Our Board of Directors is meeting in early April. The focus of that time will be celebration of the good things God has blessed us with — but also a time of concerted prayer and discussion regarding some next steps. Thanks for taking this journey with us!

David

Praying for a friend on the otherside of the world…

I received a prayer request from one of our longtime friends and partners in Cambodia, Mades Meas.

There has been a death in Mades family. Extended families often live together in Cambodia. Mades has brother-in-law was killed on March 5th during a traffic accident.

Mades gives the following information:

I don’t know where to begin exactly with this! Whewww… This morning our family was in a deep shock when we received a phone from Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) radio reporting that my brother-in-law, Sophearun, was hit last night, Saturday 05, 2011, at around 10:00pm by a drunk driver and got rolled over, police reports. Sophearun passed immediately at the incident place. It was a big shock and loss for our family. Sophearun has lived with us for about 7-8 years. Before I went to study in the US through an exchange program, I used to sleep on the same mat with him. When we moved to our new house, his bed is just across from our room. Last night our daughter was asking for Pou Nieng, Uncle Nieng [Sophearun's nickname at home] after coming from the amusement park. Sophearun has built a good cohesion with our daughter as well as with other nieces and nephews. It’s gonna be a challenge for us when Allison asks for Pou Nieng again, and again. We would only explain her where he is with tear both inside and outside. He will be missed greatly! Sorry I can’t go any further, now!

Prayer Request this very moment!

Please kindly pray especially for my mother-in-law for comfort and encouragement. My mom-n-law has been a great single mother over 26 years. I appreciate her greatly and it’s a blessing for us that she lives with us. Now, she’s in a deep grief and agony. So, please, please, please remember to pray for her.

The police detained the drunk driver and his car. Please pray that the reconciliation between us and the car driver’s family will go well after the funeral is done. Please pray for peace and forgiveness in our hearts.

Please remember to pray for our family’s recovery!

Thank you so much for standing with during this time. We truly appreciate your kind attention and prayers.

Thank you for standing with our friend and his family in prayer during this difficult time!

David

Courageous Wife and Missionary dies in SE Asia, aged 37

Ann Hasseltine Judson was the first woman missionary to leave America; her story of constant love for Christ encouraged many other women to serve Christ on the mission field.

The Judsons were among the first missionaries to leave the US. In 1813, they began their mission in Burma. They set a goal of translating the Bible and founding a church of 100 members before their death. By 1850, they left the Bible, 100 churches, and over 8,000 believers.

Many of her friends and neighbours thought Ann was wild and romantic when she went off to India in 1812. It was unthinkable then that a young woman would travel to some little known spot on the globe to work among the unsaved in primitive surroundings. It meant leaving behind her family with little hope of seeing them again in this world. But Ann Hasseltine Judson insisted on going; she knew this was the work God had called her to do.

Ann accepted Christ as her Saviour at the age of 16 and began to spend time in Bible study and prayer. She wanted to be used by God and prayed, “Direct me in your service, and I ask no more. I would not choose my position of work, or place of service. Only let me know your will, and I will readily comply”. At the age of 21, Ann wanted to become a missionary to foreign lands. So did the Congregational minister named Adoniram Judson that she married on February 5, 1812; two weeks later, the newlyweds sailed from the US for Calcutta, India. After opposition from the Indian government, the Judsons began their missionary work in Burma, located between India and China. The gospel had never reached that land of over 15 million people.

They settled in Rangoon and began learning the language. The Burmese frequently told the Judsons, “Your religion is good for you, ours for us.” After nine years in Rangoon there were only eighteen converts. Adoniram translated the Scriptures. The Burmese had no idea of a God who was eternal, without beginning or end, and it was difficult to find words to accurately describe the Christian truths. Nevertheless, within three years the Judsons had prepared a Burmese grammar, printed two tracts, and translated the Gospel of Matthew. Ann had formed a society of indigenous women who met together on Sundays to pray and read the Scriptures.

In 1823, war broke out between Britain and Burma, the Burmese thought the Americans to be friends of the British and Adoniram was thrown into a death prison. Ann, then two months pregnant, became a prisoner in her own home. She courageously pleaded with government officials for her husband’s life and was secretly able to bring supplies and food to Adoniram and his fellow prisoners. Adoniram was moved secretly to another prison, he was forced to walk barefoot eight miles over sand and gravel – he was near death when he finally arrived at Oung-pen-le. Ann took her three-month-old daughter and followed after her husband. Adoniram was eventually released and united with his wife and infant daughter. Ann, however, was still weak. She died of a fever on October 24, 1826. Her daughter died within six months. Ann Hasseltine Judson was the first woman missionary to leave America; her story of constant love for Christ encouraged many other women to serve Christ on the mission field.

Praying for the Nations…Buddhism

Today we will conclude our series through “THUMB”, a handy way to pray through the peoples of our world.  Watching the news the last several weeks has been amazing as we have watched the world begin to unravel across the Middle East and North Africa.  It is more important now than ever that we as followers of Jesus cry out to our God for the sake of the nations and those living in darkness.

Buddhism is the largest religion in China, the fastest growing religion in Australia, and growing rapidly in popularity here in the United States.  In our work with the Aquila Project, we have worked predominately among Buddhist people and have learned to love them.  They are a gentle and kind people who have a genuine hunger for truth.  Here are some “basics” on Buddhism:

· The current universe has evolved through natural law.

· Truth has been given through countless ages by various Buddhas or enlightened beings.

· Gautama Buddha, who lived 2,500 years ago, is the teacher for our era.

· While salvation depends on individual effort, the Buddhist is to take refuge in the Buddha, his teaching (dharma) and the Buddhist community (sangha).

· The Buddha taught Four Noble Truths: (1) suffering is real; (2) suffering is caused by selfish desire; (3) suffering will cease when selfish desire is eliminated; and (4) selfish desire will cease through following the Noble Eightfold Path.

· The Noble Eightfold Path that leads to nirvana involves (1) Right View, (2) Right Resolve, (3) Right Speech, (4) Right Action, (5) Right Livelihood, (6) Right Effort, (7) Right Mindfulness, and (8) Right Concentration.

· All living things are subject to the law of karma, the principle of cause and effect, which controls the cycle of reincarnation.

· The Buddhist is to abstain from killing, stealing, forbidden sex, lying, and the use of illicit drugs and liquor.

· There is no God or Supreme Creator.

Would you make an effort this week to pray for the Buddhists in our world? Pray that God would reveal Himself to them and that those working to take the Gospel to these people would find ways of communicating the truth to them?  As we join together in prayer, we can make a difference for the sake of the nations!

That all may hear!

Jeff

P.S.  For those who have forgotten already THUMB stands for; Tribals, Hindus, Unreligious, Muslims, and Buddhists…