15Jun 2012 by Nigel Ring

Malaysia and Burundi

Burundi, Drug addiction, Malaysia, News, Poor
Following my week in the Philippines I flew to Malaysia to meet up with Steve Oliver (South Africa and Dubai) and a team of thirteen from Burundi, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom. This was a variation of the team that had met over a period of three years (2006/9) as the Newfrontiers strategic Task Team for Ministry with the Poor. That team produced the two books Embracing the Poor and The Poor deserve the Best as advertised in the side panel. Since the team was formally disbanded in 2009 we came together in Mumbai in August 2011 where we led a conference on ‘Embracing the Poor'. This was now our next meeting. Melaka For me this visit to Malaysia was a first. From our arrival in…
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06Jun 2012 by Nigel Ring

Every member is vital – lessons from Philippines

Equipping, News, Philippines, The church
Meet Abby Abby walked towards me. She had been in the morning service at which I had preached about God's heart for the Poor a few hours earlier. Could it really be true that this young good-looking woman lived here? I was standing in the midst of Bamboo Village. Contrary to the image conjured up by such a name this was no idyllic rural community but rather a community who lived on the site of what had been a bamboo plantation, a community living in shacks on stilts to keep the floors of their houses above the stagnant swamp that filled the air with a stench of rotting vegetation and sewage - above the swamp, that is, until torrential rain causes floods which fill the houses with disease-laden water. Abby…
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20May 2012 by Nigel Ring

Foundations for Farming in India

Agriculture, Foundations for Farming, India, News, Poor
In March 2010 Mark Devaraj travelled from India to Zimbabwe to be trained in Foundations for Farming. He already had an agricultural qualification and the vision of the leaders in India was to have a ‘champion' who could train others as a means of blessing communities and opening them up for the gospel. Recently Mark had a visit from the originator and visionary of Foundations for Farming, Brian Oldreive. Mark has given me an update. The last 12 months After returning from Zimbabwe a year ago, I immediately planted a series of well-watered gardens to try growing maize using Foundations for Farming methods to see how it worked in our soil and climate. The results were really encouraging, and I went on to plant a larger area of about an…
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02Apr 2012 by Nigel Ring

Pioneering

Church Planting, Cross-culture, Mexico, News, Serbia
Recently I had the pleasure of being invited to join a Forum led by Mike Betts which gathered church leaders involved in UK, the European continent, Mexico and Kenya. In each session news was shared from particular locations and my notes hint at some of the interesting, diverse and challenging situations in which people in Newfrontiers churches find themselves. Here are some extracts from my jottings: Mexico Bruce and Denise went to Mexico soon after the beginning of the new millennium. Initially they went to work with the street children in Guadalajara through the Oasis en-Gadi ministry. After 4 years contacting boys on the streets they began church planting in a poor area where the main source of income was brick making. Generally there was very bad health due to…
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30Jan 2012 by Nigel Ring

Kenya drought – January update

Kenya, News, Poor, Relief and Development
When did it start? In November 2010 I was contacted by Edward Buria with a plea for help. Drought had once again hit Kenya and the Horn of Africa. In Kenya alone 5 million people were threatened with starvation. Could Newfrontiers churches raise some funds for food and water? Following an appeal, £260,000 has so far been raised to help alleviate the problem. Recent visit Recently I travelled with John Buria, Edward's brother, and his relief team into Turkana and Samburu to see what the situation is currently like and to learn about the intervention the Newfrontiers churches have brought over the last 15 months. After a long hot journey (temperatures around 40 degrees) we reached a remote location west of Lake Turkana, 17 hours by road from the Newfrontiers…
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16Jan 2012 by Nigel Ring

New Year, New Season, New Opportunity

Books, Good Practice, Kenya, News, Poor, Relief and Development
This is my first posting since before Christmas. I hope you had a good break and were able to celebrate the coming of Jesus to Earth for our sakes. Also, that you have entered the New Year full of hope and expectation! The past month There have been two significant events in my life in the last month. First, the Newfrontiers office in Hove closed just before Christmas. All enquiries should now be referred to David Devenish's office in Bedford (ddoffice@swissmail.org). Second, I have just returned from Kenya. I was there to monitor what is happening through Newfrontiers churches to assist with alleviation of shortages of food and water caused by the long drought they have been experiencing over the last 12 months. They are doing well but I heard…
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