Phil & Andrea Bauman - SIM

Thank you for your prayers for us.

The following are some things for prayer in the coming weeks:

• We praise God that the Lausanne Congress (5000 global Christian leaders in attendance) was a great opportunity for Phil to connect, think and pray together with a wide cross section of leaders about how we carry out the work God has called us to. The theme was 'Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together.'

• Please pray for us as we spend a couple of days this week with our International Leadership & Services team in Charlotte and then also a day with the SIM Canada team. Pray for Phil to have wisdom to share wisely at these events and for us to be an encouragement to our colleagues.

• Praise that Andrea's Dad is recovering well. Please pray that the detailed results of tumours removed will come quickly so he knows what, if any, further treatment is required.

• Praise that Meridith has a job in Ottawa. Pray for Liam and Meridith as they move next weekend and for safety for us as we will be driving to Ottawa to help them settle into their new place.

• Praise that Andrea's sore hip is improving. Please pray that she'll be pain-free for travel to Charlotte.

• Please pray for our sending church. Wayne, the Care Pastor has been given a terminal cancer diagnosis. We are praying for healing if that be God's will. With the tragic death of our friend and now this - it has been a tough few weeks for our church family.  

Thanks for praying for us
Phil & Andrea

Gord Martin - Vision Ministries

Pray that Yonatan Hiruy, pastor of an Eritrean church in Toronto will get his permanent residency, it's complicated. Praise for those who have come to Christ recently through the ministry of Mingpeng in Waterloo and Princeton NJ. Continue to pray for stabilization of Indy's health, it's been "quite a ride" for him. 

Esther Frey - Puerto Rico

We thank the Lord for answering after waiting for 6 years. We finally signed  the papers last week to receive the house that was donated to camp. Now we hope to get an exemption from penalties.  Then we can sell the house to the person who has been living in it since 2019.

This month we will have children’s club every Friday.  Pray for a good attendance.  Also we are trying to renew interest in a young peoples group.  They will meet twice in October.

October 6th is our congregation's 44th anniversary.  We thank the Lord for His faithfulness.

My present plans are to have a knee replacement done November 6th.  It will be done by the same doctor who did my other 3 replacements.  Your prayers are welcome.  

Phil & Andrea Bauman - SIM

Thank you for your prayers for us.

The following are some things for prayer in the coming weeks:

• We praise God that Andrea's dad's surgery went well. Please pray for continued healing and that he will be able to be home soon.

• Please pray for our friend Les whose wife Lucy was tragically killed in a bicycle accident last week. These are good friends of ours and we are grieving. Pray especially for Les and his kids as they walk through these dark days.

• Praise for the opportunity for Phil to participate in the fourth Lausanne Congress in Seoul Korea. Pray for Phil and colleagues who are present that they will hear and learn what God has for them.

• Andrea has had a very sore hip recently. Please pray for healing and relief from the pain.

• Please pray for the time for Phil to do some much needed preparation for upcoming speaking engagements and for Andrea to keep up with her work serving SIM's personnel coordinators.

• Our kids are all doing well. We'd value your prayers for Liam and Meridith as they prepare to move to Ottawa for Meridith's work.

Thanks for praying for us
Phil & Andrea

Jenn Brubacher - Youth For Christ

Light in a Dark World

This summer was a holy invitation to take a front-row seat in the lives of many youth. And I have to say, in some places, it is utter darkness; some of it is almost too dark to comprehend. Jesus' words were ringing through my head:

"I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark…" (John 12:46).

The broken things in us need to come to the surface, from darkness into the light. When we talk with students about coping in healthy ways, being present with them as their past experiences erupt to the surface and showing them with our words and our own lives that God is making all things new, the Gospel is rolling out in real-time. There have been some amazing, although painful, moments of this happening. Here's what some students said this summer:

"I hate being me. Why, if there even is a God, did he make me like this?"

"Jenn, when you shared your story, you shared my story. How did you do it?"

"I'm proud of myself."

"I'm way more confident in myself than I was before."

"Maggie*  and I were enemies forever before the trip, but now we're actually friends. We decided on the bus up here that we wouldn't be mean to each other, and it worked!" *name changed

It is an honour and a gift to walk with these students. May we continue to say 'yes' to God's invitation and be light in this dark world.

Youth Camp

"Hey, this is a safe place, and I’m right here with you. I’m not afraid of your tears or your questions. We’re in this together.”

These are the kinds of things we were able to say to students at youth camp. Conestoga Bible Camp holds a very special place in my life, and this summer, I spent a lot of time one-on-one with students who had a more difficult time at camp. Camp is FUN! Along with the fun, I’m amazed by the opportunities to be present with campers, speak the truth in challenging moments, and share life for a week. Some campers experienced being seen in their dark moments for the first time. Other campers had the time of their lives, and it was great reconnecting with students from Listowel. May God grow the seeds that were planted!

Muskoka Woods

We took 19 students from our junior high drop-in crew to Muskoka Woods for a week of camp, and I have to say, it was truly life-changing for some of them. We talked a lot about God making the broken things in our lives new, conquered fears, learned to cope in healthier ways, laughed a lot (also cried a lot), and some of these students, like youth camp, experienced being seen in their dark moments for the first time. Please pray for them!

Prayer 

• For deep healing, particularly for M, T, E, J and C

• That God would grow the seeds that were planted this summer

• For students as they transition back to school

• For volunteers and staff to join our team in North Perth

 What's Coming Up 

• Volunteering as the head coach of the junior boys volleyball team

• Youth Collective

• Field Trips

• Drop-in reopening!

Check out our latest Work Friend's episode!

We truly cannot do this work without you. Will you join my monthly support team and be part of what God is doing in this community?

I’m incredibly thankful for your prayers, encouragement, support and friendship. Thank you for doing this WITH me.