Stories from the Field
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Unwanted Scraps
BY EMMA, A PIONEERS UK FIELD WORKERArua, a bustling town in the north-west of Uganda, has one of the best fabric markets in East Africa. Shelves of colourful, fun rolls of cloth (called ‘kitenge’) lie stacked up, begging to be sewn into smart shirts and cute dresses. On the market floor, amongst the mud and dirt, lie discarded scraps of fabric, unused and unwanted.
The sounds of laughter and chatting ring out. It’s Thursday evening and we’re meeting...
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My People, My Country, Myself
Our world is constantly changing, and field workers in ‘creative access’ countries have to be flexible and innovative to find ways to stay on the field. Stacey* has been with Pioneers for several years and has been involved in a variety of ministries, but her calling has remained the same: sharing the love of Jesus with the people of Asia. We recently asked Stacey to share with us about life in her country, and some of her highlights and lowlights of serving...
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Spirit Walk
BY KERRY, A PIONEERS UK FIELD WORKER
Thoughts on Spirit Walk, by Steve Smith (2018, 2014 Ventures)
Oh no, not another book about the Holy Spirit! This was my initial thought when I saw Spirit Walk, but having become somewhat students of Steve Smith, my team decided to read what turned out to be his final book. Steve died of cancer, aged 57, and...
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How is Your Inner Life?
BY DR DAVID SMITH Readers of this blog may know that I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of years writing a book on the biblical tradition of the prayer of lament. But in addition, I recently worked on a set of Bible reading notes dealing with Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, which of course includes Jesus’ teaching on the subject of prayer. So let me begin with the words of Jesus. At the very heart of what might be called the ‘manifesto’ of the kingdom of... -
Africans in Europe: A Call to Prayer
BY HARRIET, A PIONEERS UK MISSION MENTOR African diaspora Christians living in Europe are confronted with a phenomenon that presents both a great opportunity and a challenge of equal magnitude. The state of the continuing decline of Christianity in Europe has been a great concern in the global church for a long time now, with many churches in this region being deserted and eventually closing. However, in these same regions, African churches are on the increase. At the same time, there has been... -
Reflections on the Coronavirus
BY SARAH*, A PIONEERS UK MISSIONARY In The Psychology of Waiting Lines, first published in 1985, the author David Maister found that uncertain waits felt longer than known, finite waits, and that the uncertain waits created more anxiety. He used the example of a doctor’s waiting room. If patients arrived half an hour early for their appointment then they would wait placidly during that time. However, as soon as even a few minutes passed after their appointment time then their... -
A Time to Weep
Seven years ago, I moved to England from America, full of passion for God, the gospel and the British people. It was the fulfilment of a lifelong calling, and I felt that after years of waiting, finally my ‘real’ life would begin. I was on top of the world. Little did I know that I’d entered a local church situation that would ultimately dismantle my hope, my faith, and my sense of self. Three years after my first joyous Sunday, I staggered out the door with my...
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On Petrol, Providence and Prayer
I was a missionary in Africa once. In Botswana, to be specific. One summer, my very best friend brought her Sunday School class from Texas for a mission trip/safari. We spent the first week of their trip doing children’s camps in the villages where I worked. For the second week, we were off to Chobe National Park in northern Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Early on the morning of our departure the nine of...
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January: Resolutions Part One
New Year’s resolutions. People love them, people hate them. People rarely manage to keep them. But we sure do try, don’t we?
I’ve recently been encouraged to try a different type of New Year’s resolution. Call it a New Month Resolution or a 12-Part Resolution if you like. Instead of one or two big resolutions to keep all year, I’ve chosen one new skill or habit to cultivate each day for a designated month,...