November 2017
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
Thank you for continuing to support the work of QMBC, both in your prayers and practical support. There are various ways by which you can do this; e.g., some are finding opportunities of encouraging young people to enrol with us. This is very important because of the ever-increasing spiritual darkness in the world, especially in regard to Satan’s lures to keep people distracted from finding the truth. The truth is found alone in the Lord Jesus, who said himself: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14.6). He prayed for his disciples that they might be protected from the evil one, and that his Father would “sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17.15,17).
As we look around us, we see the breakdown of law and order, and a continuing effort to introduce new laws – laws not founded on the Word of God, but laws emanating from men’s evil hearts. Some people in Australia want the Marriage Act to include same-sex unions. But in the beginning the LORD God said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Gen. 2.24). Those who want these unions allowed today, stand condemned before God (read Rom. 1.26-27). We should continue to pray earnestly that whatever the outcome of the proposed legislation, God-honouring laws will be upheld in this country.
Students from the prisons in Hong Kong and Thailand continue to increase, but sadly our students in other countries like Solomon Islands and Fiji, have decreased substantially. We are not sure of the reason for this, but it may be due to the disasters over recent years in those countries. While we regularly follow up our old students, the response is poor. Please pray for these students, that if they still have the lessons they will continue to study them and come to know Christ as their Saviour. We were thrilled recently to receive lessons back from an Australian student, after 15 years! Also some lessons received from PNG had been postmarked in 2004, but apparently were not sent on by the post office until this year. We wonder how much more mail for QMBC is sitting forgotten in PNG post offices!
Since our last Prayer News, another of our past workers has been called Home to Glory, at 97 years of age. Our brother George Palmer volunteered his time and wisdom from the inception of QMBC, both as a Committee member and an office worker. He faithfully attended the office every Tuesday, always bringing a delicious sponge cake for the workers’ morning tea! He ‘retired’ from the work a few years ago due to age and some health problems.
From time to time we provide a breakdown, by country, of the number of students who have returned lessons in the previous twelve months. For the 12 months to October 2017, a total of 1,444 students (142 less than last year) returned their lessons. The breakdown is as follows:
As this will be the last Prayer News for 2017, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued interest in QMBC, both by prayer and practical support. Without these, the work could not prosper. We trust that you will all enjoy the festive season, and that, in the goodness of God, we will be able to continue to work together in the coming year.
Praise Points
- For those students who have returned their lessons after many years.
- For God’s provision of funds, and the continuance of the work over another year.
- For God working in the lives of some of our students, as the following excerpts testify.
Prayer Points
- That existing problems with the mail from PNG will be resolved.
- That students experiencing hardship through uncertain mail services or severe weather conditions will not be disheartened.
- That our on-line lessons will be able to be commenced early next year.
From our Students
Please take time to read the enclosed excerpts from some of our students’ letters and answers to assignments, which we are sure you will find interesting.
From Students doing the basic Courses:
Jonathan, age 19, Papua New Guinea:
Yes, the Lord Jesus is within me…reading the VIA magazine I came to “An Iraqi Soldier’s Prayer”. I heard the word of God it was so clear: He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Now I realize and believe that I have eternal life.
Inglis, age 25, Papua New Guinea:
I usually go for Church services during Sunday, but did not really follow and obey what is mentioned in the Bible or what was spoken by the preachers. Since I received the first [QMBC] lesson, I realised that I need to change my life and have Jesus as my personal saviour. After reading the whole lesson booklet…I changed my life for good, because I want to walk my journey through the narrow road, which leads to heaven.
Jenny, age 27, Papua New Guinea:
We are very happy to learn this lesson with you, and learn more about our Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Thank you for your good work. I have a Bible but it is old and I have no money to buy new Bible because I am living in the bush. That’s the problem that I have. [We have sent her a new Bible]
Chosita, age 36, Hong Kong:
Before, I didn’t know about Jesus who saves us. I grew up in a Buddhist family. I enjoyed my life, going outside drinking and going for parties, but yet I didn’t feel peace inside. Still something was missing inside of me. Then one big tragedy happened to me, I got arrested and convicted. Here [in prison] I came to know Jesus and read the Bible. Then, I decided to get baptised and walk with Jesus. I am saved.
Raymond, age 31, Hong Kong:
Thank you so much for helping me find the way, which is Jesus Christ our Saviour! I was lost, and now I know that I can become a son of God. Please, I want to continue the next Bible Course and I want you to pray for me so that one day I will teach all my family to convert to Christian faith.
Jambia, age 44, Hong Kong:
I was born and grew up in a Muslim family. It was my desire to try to find the truth about God which led me to start to read the Bible with an open mind. I completed from Genesis to Revelation two times. What I recognized and understood led me to confess my sins to the Lord and I received Jesus Christ as my Saviour. Thank you, God. I am free from sins and with Him I have peace, love and happiness all the days of my life…looking forward to more things from you which I believe will harness my new faith.
Peter, age 32, Thailand:
By the grace of Almighty God who loves me so much and gave His only begotten son on our behalf, I received our Lord Jesus Christ here in Bombat prison Thailand, though I was born in a Christian home. He opened my eyes to see and know how much he loved me all the while that I had been living in sin. Thanks to Jesus for saving me. Thank you also for your help and lessons.
Patrick, age 29, Thailand:
The Lord has come to live with me…Jesus is my Saviour and forever He will be my Lord and my God. No going back or saying ‘no’ to Him, for my life has never been the same since I welcomed Him into my life. Jesus loves me and I love Him too.
Anthony, age 34, Thailand:
I must start by thanking this organization for the words you are teaching from the Word of God to people who really want a change in their lives. The lessons which you are impacting on people allow us to…know more about God, and I pray that our God will continue to establish the organization/ministries to the highest level because of your contribution to this generation.
From Australia:
I know that I am saved because I have asked Jesus for forgiveness and I want to follow Him. I know I am saved because the Bible says if you take the Lord Jesus as your Saviour you will have the gift of eternal life because Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
From students doing the Panorama Course:
John, age 34, Thailand:
Apart from what God has done, we didn’t get in right-standing with God by attempting to be good. We got there through faith in Jesus Christ. When we accepted the sacrifice of Jesus and made him the Lord of our lives, then God accepted us in right-standing with him.
Jackson, Hong Kong:
When they had no water to drink, the Israelites found fault with Moses. They should have just brought the problem to Moses and waited patiently. They should have believed and trusted God as the One who had met their needs in the past, and who would continue to meet their needs. He had always shown himself to be faithful in providing their needs.
Njoku, age 33, Hong Kong:
I became a disciple of the Lord from an early age and accepted the Lord as my Saviour. When I got older, I learnt the Word of God every day, and I am trying my best to share the Good News with others, even in here as a prisoner.