God's Promise For The Future

"I will pour water on them that are thirsty and floods upon the dry ground."

(Isaiah 44:3)

This encouraging promise was given to us before we returned from Romania in August. Our trip was incredible. The country was hot and dry and we were amazed by the poverty and desperate need of the people. We visited many Gypsy villages around Tigru Mures and shared the love of God with the people we met. We shared the money we had with the head-men of the villages for the needs of their people. These are so great that only the Grace of God can ever be sufficient. The good news of Jesus is the only answer and the work of reaching Gypsies for Christ must continue. We enjoyed fellowship with our Romanian and Hungarian colleagues and strong links have been formed. We will give you news of various projects as they develop. In the meantime please pray!

September and October have been busy months for us. We have not spent much time at home but it has been refreshing to have fellowship with old friends, to make new ones and to visit the Gypsy church in Lancashire. Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship engagements continue for Sonnie and our prison work takes up a good bit of time and effort. One of the highlights of the year was the £3000 Silver Award Rosemary won from BT Community Challenge for the work of the New Bridge. In October we were invited to give a presentation on Gypsies For Christ at a meeting of Open Doors and the E.M.A. This was very well received. Bernard Mends and Rev. C.F.Thomas of the C.B.F. who was visiting from Paris came with us to help answer questions. If your church or fellowship would like to hear about our work we will be happy to come and share with you and answer any questions.

We have also been involved with Bernard and Professor Paul Ellingworth of the U.B.S. and the Scripture Gift Mission in the preparation of a Romani translation of the Prodigal Son, entitled "The Drom - The Way" (top left). This very exciting and interesting project will bear fruit in the New Year when 30,000 copies of the booklet will be ready for distribution. Our share in the cost of this venture is £2000 and we are trusting the Lord to provide. In December we will be hosts to Valdemar Kalyinin from Belarus. He is a Gypsy pastor who also works on the translation of scriptures into Kalderash (Gypsy language). Rosemary is also applying herself to language studies in preparation for future trips abroad. These are all items for prayer.

We have made contact with Basharat Ureem from Pakistan. On completion of his studies at Bible School and a period of practical work, he will return to Hyderabad, Sind, to work among the gypsies there. Martin Gilmore from Bath, feels the Lord is leading him to share in our work and we look forward to fellowship with him and support from his home church. Terry Hurst, a lay preacher, from Downley has offered to be our representative to the Methodist churches in the High Wycombe area where he lives and works. Please remember Bash, Martin and Terry in your prayers.

Our AGM was held on the 12 November 1994. It was attended by our trustees, committee and helpers. The discussion was lively and many new ideas were put forward. We look forward to growth and expansion of the work in the New Year. We are considering a trip to the Ukraine with the Bibles for Russia team from Lancashire in April and further trips to Romania later in the year. So there is lots to pray about and praise God for.

Christmas will soon be here and we send you our love and greetings for the season. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and His peace reign in your heart in 1995.

Sonnie and Rosemary.

From the Redbridge Yellow Advertiser dated 20th May 1994:

"Rosemary Gibbard of Ashford Road, South Woodford, has received a BT Community Challenge Silver Award for her work for The New Bridge, an organisation which befriends men in prison.

Just retired as a BT Credit Controller, Rosemary has been a tireless member of The New Bridge for 14 years.

She and her husband George are active members of the Way In Christian Fellowship, South Woodford, and belong to the evangelical movement Gypsies For Christ.

The BT awards are given annually to employees who have given outstanding service to the community."

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