John and Fran Corby

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST REGION
SUMMER 2008

THE RUSSIA–GEORGIA CRISIS
Pray for all those who have been affected by the crisis between Russia and Georgia, and for the ECMU church (The Evangelical Christian Missionary Union, our ministry partner in Russia) in the area. CAMA Services of the U.S. C&MA has agreed to give financial help to our partner church near North Ossetia that is reaching out to thousands of refugees who have fled the conflict.

VISA ISSUES
Russia: While the majority of our visas have been procured, there are still a few being worked on. A new point recently brought to light is that these new visas limit bearers to only 60 days of work-related travel outside their host city, which will cause problems for several of our people. Please pray wisdom for Tim Crouch, the Field Director, and those helping him as they seek resolutions to these continual and complex visa problems.
Spain: The children of John and Lorraine Young and Tim and Melanie Wendel are still awaiting visas even though the parents have received theirs. Pray that these papers would come through quickly so as to alleviate the stress on these families due to separation or having to make plans for a long trip after school has begun.

EXCHANGE A CIGARETTE FOR A LOLLIPOP!
Russia: On the 31st of May, which is called the Day of the Fight against Tobacco, in the small town of Gostagaiyevska, an outdoor outreach event took place calling all onlookers and residents of the town to quit smoking. This outreach took place at the initiative of Christians from the Alliance church there.

Onlookers heard testimonies by Christians who have been freed from this addiction as well as songs proclaiming the One who frees people from their sins. Two Christian praise bands performed and several Christians mingled with passersby, explaining the four spiritual laws. Anyone who wished to do so was able to exchange his/her cigarette for a lollipop!

ALLIANCE WORLD FELLOWSHIP
The Alliance World Fellowship in Europe (EMERALD) encourages young people from the ages of 18-26 to join together for 2 weeks each summer in Almeria, Spain. From August 13-27 those helping will learn about Islam, and will meet and share the gospel with those passing through Almeria in southern Spain on their way to/from Northern Africa. Normally youth from Holland, France or Great Britain attend, but this summer two young women from the Open Door Church in Moscow attended as well. These young people will also meet with Spanish youth from a growing Alliance church in that region.
To see what is happening around the world in the Alliance World Fellowship go to www.awf.nu.

PRAISE
• The President of the Evangelical Church of Macedonia, Pastor Mirco, has been cleared by the courts for any wrongdoing in the building-related disaster in Koumanova, Macedonia last year! Continue to pray for the local pastor and the constructor who remain in prison awaiting trial.
• While the Lais were stateside this summer Rev. David Chang and family from the Detroit Central Alliance Church carried on the ministry in the Chinese church in Berlin. In addition, two seminary students from the Hong Kong Alliance Bible Seminary were doing an internship in the church. That’s Living the Call Together!

KURDISTAN
These past weeks have proven to be exciting if stretching for the new team in Kurdistan. The Lord has been faithful in enabling the 4 families in their many adjustments to a new and very HOT environment where water and electricity can be scarce. One home was broken into with computers and other items being stolen. Money locked in a safe for the purchase of a car was “somehow” missed even though the back of the safe had been mutilated.

Pray for unity and a spirit of perseverance & determination for team members in difficult circumstances as they begin to study Kurdish. And pray for the set-up of the new Language Center which will be open to the public in October, following Ramadan. Short-term teachers who can go for 2-month periods are needed! Plans for an International church and short-term Bible school classes are also in process.

SUMMER CAMPS
RUSSIA: A team visiting from Stow Alliance Church in Ohio helped teach at an English Language Camp in Moscow. Over 100 students, mostly college-age attended. Throughout the year people from the Open Door Church will continue to host events and spend time with these campers, presenting God and His love.

KOSOVO: Community outreach via basketball and English camps were the highlight of the summer in Gjilan.
A group from North Ridge Church in Raleigh, North Carolina worked hard running a camp of 100 kids each morning, working with the local "professional" team in the afternoons, and spending every evening with their new friends and contacts! Jeff Singfiel said, “The local coaches are incredibly taken with camp coaches who have years of coaching experience and a great love for the game and the Lord Jesus. Besides garnering favorable national media attention, the local mayor hosted a luncheon to meet the team and our colleagues.”

At the same time the wives were teaching English classes to 20-30 students. On two afternoons the English Camp, along with the local church youth, worked on a service project repainting a portion of a neighborhood school that was covered in graffiti. Musicians also made the trip and gave an evangelistic concert in the sports arena on closing night. These events will provide a big boost for our workers in developing relationships with local people.

SPAIN: This was the fifth year for English Camp in the Madrid suburb of Tres Cantos. Thirty volunteers, mostly from the U.S, were there to help. For the next 12 months workers will attempt to develop and deepen relationships with the families of the 100 elementary-aged children who attended. A majority of parents attended the closing ceremony. This camp is a great bridge-builder into the community.

BERLIN: A young lady from a M. home attended camp in Berlin and was extremely respectful of the Bible and teaching times. While showing no personal spiritual interest, when asked at the end of camp what impacted her during the week of camp her reply was, "That Christians really love their God."

PRAY
Health concerns: Continue to pray for healing for Ivan Wall, who (along with his family) has been on a medical leave in the US since last November. Thus far, the doctors have been unable to diagnose the cause of his health problems. Ivan has recently had pneumonia again. Pray, too, for Sarah Rowley. Having just finished language study in Russia she will have surgery August 22 (in the US) to remove a possibly cancerous lump on her thyroid.

Russia: Three targeted cities have great need for buildings for ministry - a church, a community center and English Cafés. Pray that locations will be found at affordable prices by those starting these ministries. Pray, too for the Pregnancy Resource Center being started in Moscow as it begins offering resources and services to women in need. Pray for the right person to serve as the director.

Israel: A family working with kids in the West Bank is in desperate need of a vehicle. Traversing bad roads week after week has caused their van to break down for the final time. Pray for this essential need to be met.

All of the ministries you have read about here are supported by your giving to the
GREAT COMMISSION FUND
OF THE
CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE.

Thanking you for your partnership and support as you join with us in prayer,

John and Fran CORBY - along with the EME team

__________________________________________

EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST REGION
The Alliance World Week of Prayer
April 27 - May 4
We welcome the partnership of those who want
to uphold ministries in Europe and the Middle East.

EASTER!
In many Eastern European countries Easter was celebrated on April 27th. There were outreaches planned for this day; from egg hunts to music programs, drama, to events in the city park and to service to the community.

IRAQ
Recently the pastor of the Baghdad Alliance Church was told of an imminent threat on his life. and that of his family. Church leaders came alongside him and his family, counseling him to leave Baghdad.

While he and his family have struggled with leaving their home and the church they love, they also have an amazing faith in the Lord. Could it be that the Lord is not finished with his ministry yet, and that perhaps he had been moved for a period of time for another sort of ministry? He has embraced what the Lord has for him at this time and is eager to see how doors will open before him.

Pray: for this displaced family – loneliness, the childrens’ schooling, long term living arrangements and support.
Pray for the Baghdad church as leaders there continue without their pastor. Fifty people are preparing for baptism!

THE BALKANS
Macedonia

Of the thirty people in who attended a Valentine Dinner fourteen were church attendees and sixteen were unsaved English students and their spouses who walked through the church gate for the very first time!
Pray: for continued contacts with these people. Several invited our missionaries into their homes.

Many will remember the crisis last fall when two were killed in a cave-in at a church construction site. The construction has begun again in Khoumanova! Ultimately, this building will result in a church and seminary where young church leaders will be trained. There is still no word about an eventual trial for the pastor and the contractor. Pray: for Sasha and Sime. Pray too for Katya, one of the widows, who has been involved in a small ladies fellowship group that meets weekly, as well as the other unsaved widow.

The last EMERGE told of a conference where several of our fields got together to share about the effectiveness of Community Centers as an avenue for ministry. PRAISE GOD as you read the following report:

KOSOVO

A group from the Silicon Valley Alliance Church partnered with the Resurrection Center by teaching two computer courses (the basics of Word and Excel) to 35 local teachers and professors. Some Kosovars had doubted the expertise of those who were coming to teach the seminar, but every student was impressed with the quality of the teaching. One participant, a principal, expressed his disappointment that others from his school hadn’t attended. Some told the national who works at the center that they sensed something “different” in the Center and in those who had taught and interacted with them. Every day after the courses there was a time for coffee and conversation. Seeds were planted.

Then . . . last week the workers at the Resurrection Center sponsored an outreach for the community. A Julliard- trained classical pianist gave a wonderful performance. In preparation for the concert the friendship of one of our workers with a teacher at the city’s music school paved the way in acquiring an excellent venue and the sound system free of charge, as well as good promotion for the event.

Over 300 people attended, thrilled with the artistry of this world-class musician, including many community leaders. Those present also heard a clear presentation of the Gospel when Sam shared how music is not the most important thing in his life but that Jesus Christ is. One person said, "I will always remember this night for the rest of my life; I will tell my children about it."

Pray: that the words of Sam’s testimony will produce fruit, especially with those who have grown up "religious" but empty, and that the presence of this Community Center will continue to be a place of LIGHT .

BOSNIA
Pray: for the team in Sarajevo as they explore options for developing further ministries in that capital city
Pray: for the women who attend an aerobics class. A short devotional is given and healthy recipes with
scripture verses printed on them are shared.

ISRAEL

Pray: for those who have responded to outreaches into the Old City area. Many have requested follow up, or even made decisions for Christ. Many of these are majority-religion-background men, some of whom have been contemplating Truth for many years. Pray for these new believers as they are discipled in their new faith. Pray for courage as their lives can change drastically as family and friends learn of their decision.
Pray for the safety and peace of mind for a single worker who has been stalked but also experienced a break-in along with harassing phone calls. The source of this disturbing behavior comes from other religious groups who do not want evangelicals in their city.

Over 85% of the guests attending a church-hosted Mother's Day breakfast were from the majority religion. With a desire to open a ministry center in this community offering things like English classes, computer education, and forums on family issues this was a great way to get to know the women who will be the initial “target group.”

RUSSIA
After the October ’07 law that made previous visa process no longer viable the field has had to explore other possibilities. Praise the Lord that 14 of the15 units needing visas are covered for this coming year.
Pray: for the one family for which a visa solution is needed. Pray for the ongoing process of extensive paperwork for the visas and new tax implications.

Praise: The growing church plant in St. Petersburg held its first missions conference!

“If I’ve changed this much by page 42, imagine what will happen when I’ve read the whole thing!” said a young man after beginning to read a Russian New Testament. He was surprised by how simple it was to understand God’s Word. As Russian Orthodox services are in the “old” Russian style most people don’t attempt to read the Bible themselves.

FRANCE
Toulouse International Church has blessed and sent off a French language group to start a French church.

The new church in Poitiers having purchased their own property has just been informed by the newly elected city officials that there will be difficulties enlarging the building due to parking limitations that did not exist before.

GERMANY
Pray: for Reno, a young man from the Open Door Church, who recently discovered he has stomach cancer.
Praise God that a man who has been attending the English Café outreaches attended a Sunday service.

SPAIN
After years of squeezing dozens of people into a living room for “church” the group will begin meeting in a new rental facility.

Recently, the Life and Family Church in Madrid also signed a rental contract for a new meeting place able to hold 300 people. Due to the present weakness in the rental market, the church was able to negotiate a lower rent than what was originally arranged. This church recently finished 40 Days of Purpose campaign with 40 cell groups.

GREAT COMMISSION SUNDAY

Alliance churches across the United States will participate in a Great Commission Sunday Offering in May. What you have read here is just a thin slice of what has happened in a 9 week period in just our area of the world, and it is made possible because of those of you who give to the GCF. The Great Commission Fund is what keeps Alliance ministries world-wide active, and without continued giving it becomes difficult for those with whom you partner to accomplish what the Lord has called them to do.

Unfortunately, just as many of you may be sensing a pinch financially, those of us who work in Europe and the Middle East have experienced up to a 25% drop in the value of the dollar. Moscow has become the 2nd most expensive city in the world; food prices in the Middle East have doubled on many items. We strongly feel that God is using our teams in exciting and cutting-edge ways, and our desire is to continue boldly in our places of ministry. In the past many of you have responded generously and sacrificially to this offering in your church. Wouldn’t it be great if each person sitting “in our pews” caught the vision for how they can participate in what God is doing world-wide? Were that to happen, there would be abundant resources avail¬able for us to reach lost people for Jesus – where odds are greatly stacked against us. May God lead you – and then bless you – as you give and pray.

Thanking you for your partnership and support as you join with us in prayer,
John and Fran - along with the EME team

Corbyj@cmalliance.org, Corbyf@cmalliance.org

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

No information provided at this time.

With thankfulness to the Lord we report:

SARAH ROWLEY does NOT have cancer. She will return to Russia later this month to begin full-time ministry.

The family in Israel FINALLY got their new vehicle. They can now continue their ministry in difficult areas without worrying about breakdowns.

Approved Specials

If you wish to contribute to one of our specials (vehicle funds, building projects, etc.) you may select it from the Approved Specials List.

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