May 2021
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
During the past 12 months we have all wondered how long this pandemic will continue, and what purposes God will accomplish in allowing such a global event to occur. Our finite minds will never know, but for the believer there is always hope and joy at the end of turmoil. Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Such seasons are temporary. The restrictions faced in lockdown and quarantine are temporary. The time away from friends, family and loved ones is temporary. In God’s divine plan this pandemic is temporary. However just as seasons of suffering come to an end, we are also reminded that periods we savor and cherish are temporary. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. The enjoyment of a newborn is temporary. The bliss of a married couple’s honeymoon is temporary. The excitement of a holiday and rest from work is temporary.
There is only one thing that is permanent. 1 Peter 1:24,25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. The word of God liveth and abideth for ever and it is by this word we preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are thankful to the Lord that through the work of QMBC we are able to spread His word far and wide, regardless of the season.
With the current overseas mail situation, we find that we are not as busy as we were prior to the pandemic. The mail is coming through fairly regularly, but the volume is much less than normal. Mail from Thailand is now only arriving about once a month, but we are thankful to the Lord that it is still getting through. A check of our records shows that in the twelve months to December 2020 we posted out a total of 130kg of mail to overseas countries, compared with 200kg in 2019, and 196kg in 2018. The amount of mail from Australian students has remained consistent over the last two years.
The students from the various prisons who are doing the QMBC lessons continue to encourage us through their letters. Please pray for all of our students who are imprisoned in various countries, that they may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and that those who are believers will be built up in their faith. They face many difficulties which we know nothing about, and need our prayer support.
The situation in Papua New Guinea is a cause for concern, not only because of the pandemic, but because we have not received any mail from there since October last year. The person who was handling our mail has been transferred to another area, and it appears that nobody is collecting our mail at the moment! Please pray that we will be able to sort out this problem soon.
Praise Points
- For the continued provision of funds to meet every need.
- For new student enrolments, sent in by existing students.
- For those students who have professed salvation as a result of the lessons.
Prayer Points
- That the problem with the mail from PNG will be resolved as soon as possible.
- That those of our students who are imprisoned in various countries will be blessed.
- That past students who have not done their lessons for a long time will contact us again.
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:
Patrick, age 29, Thailand:
I want to use this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful work you are doing in the life of prisoners all over the world. May God bless you all and give you more strength to continue the good work. I also want to tell you that many of our brothers went home last year. God is real, making a way for us to go home through the help of the King of Thailand by giving us amnesty. Please always help us to pray for the King’s long life and more wisdom. Thanks for the Bible you sent to me, I am so grateful.
Emmanuel, age 32, Thailand:
I know things are not easy, the whole world is crying for the Covid-19 pandemic but I always pray for you people that God who answers before we call will see you people through. Thank you for the answer to my question I asked and the new lesson – in fact I’m very grateful for all the good things you people are doing for me and other inmates. By the special grace of God now my sentence is coming down. If God permit, either by the end of this year I will gain my freedom or maybe it will not reach before early next year, but I would like you people to remember me in prayer, most especially for air ticket to go back home.
Peter, age 40, Thailand:
I always thought about money first, but today God is first in my life. He has revealed Himself to me through prayer. I’m very happy to know more of the things of God today. When I started reading my Bible, I find more knowledge and wisdom in it. Sometimes when I look at what I gain in this prison, I feel happy because I now have a chance to study the Bible. I can stand bold to preach the word of God without fear. Thanks be to the Almighty God who made me His own instrument. He promises to forgive us our sin and make us new again. When I come across the promises in the Bible it gives me a lot of hope and strength. I’m not afraid because I know my God will never leave me or forsake me.
Andy, age 27, Ghana:
I want to introduce myself again, I am a Christian friend of Queensland Mailbox Bible Club from some time ago. Unfortunately there was a fire outbreak at the place where I work and as I have been relocated from my former area to a different environment, I was living at the work place when the incident happened. Some items got burnt so I lost the details of the Bible Club, but [when] cleaning at home I came across one of the letters I received from you. I want to join the Bible Club again to study more of the gospel of Christ and also I have a friend who is interested to join.
Elizabeth, age 32, Hong Kong:
Please remember me in your prayers because now I have got my day of going to court. The first hearing is on 18th May and the trial on 30-31st August and 1-7th Sept. I hope God will help me to go through it. Also thank you so much for your lessons, they are so wonderful and I enjoy them very much. The one on Love, Dating and Marriage was so wonderful and enjoyable and it encouraged me very much.
Jonny, Hong Kong:
I can’t thank God enough upon every remembrance of you. Most of all, that you are safe in all this time of pandemic. The God who saves you all is worthy to be praised. I am really impressed with all your efforts in a manner of preaching to the world the undiluted words of God. With your studies it is absolutely fantastic because your Courses enable one to know what he does not know about the truth in the gospel.
Alma, age 35, Hong Kong:
[I am] from Philippines. I came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper to support the needs of my family. Sad to say that our life is unpredictable, I’m a victim of Parcel Case, that’s why I’m here in prison almost one year and three months waiting for my freedom. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to share my problems in my life regarding my case matter…my problem is that I don’t know how to start my life again. I lost everything. I broke my promises to my family, to my kids as well, as I promised to give them a better future. Yes! I belonged to a poor family, that’s why I decided to apply as a domestic helper. When our mind is full of God, there is no room for worry. God has a purpose and reason why I’m here. I never lose hope, the truth shall prevail.
From students doing the Panorama Course:
Australian Student:
When I moved into my current share house, all the doors were closed and people stayed in their rooms. I prayed for ‘open doors’ (spiritually and physically). Over time, we flat mates started to share a meal and sit in the common area. There have been a number of spiritual conversations. It occurred to me that God had answered prayer, and the house (and hearts) are now different from when I first moved in. Praise God!
Candace, age 31, Hong Kong:
[In answer to the question ‘What is the most important thing you have learned in this lesson’]…the last days are near because the Bible says “in the last days men shall be lovers of pleasure more that lovers of God” That’s happening now.
Neville, age 58, Hong Kong:
In 2014 when I lost my job on the mine, I ended up sleeping on the street for a year and I got into this position of drug trafficking. Why? to support my alcohol and drug habit. The day I was to go for a passport I got in a robbery and assault and was damaged with a big stone and ended up in hospital with blood on the brain and hip fracture. When I was released out of hospital, I still didn’t listen to God’s warning signs and started drug trafficking [again]. In 2015 I got arrested and was served a sentence of 14 years. I was so close to the door of hell you could smell the smoke on my clothes. God snatched me away “It’s not your time”. What did I need? A “place of safety”, and that’s why I am in prison.
Paithoon, age 24, Thailand:
I’m keeping going on with God, though sometimes it looks so hard but God always strengthens me whenever I’m weary. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I never lose heart, I talk to God each day… “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing” Psalm 126:1,2. Thank you again for your prayers.
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