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.

Charlotte Martin - Power to Change

September Happenings

One of my highlights this month has been opening my team's check-in chat every morning and reading about my teammate Hope's (front middle of the picture above) on campus activities. Hope works with international students in Ottawa as well as leading our Vietnam partnership for global missions. Here are snippets from what she shared the first week of September:

TUESDAY - Yesterday while welcoming [students] on campus, a student stopped at the booth. She was asking for directions and I was sure I knew her . . . and indeed it was a student from China that I had journeyed with from 2017-2020. She had suffered a lot of mental health issues and has done online classes off and on for the past 4 years, but now she is back for her final year. It was a great reunion. She said to me "Hope, we must get together because I really want to share everything that happened." 

WEDNESDAY - Yesterday's highlight was meeting a Uyghur from Northwest China - her family has been in Canada for 3 years. She wants to get coffee. Another highlight was meeting some Afghan women!  On the way to my car I was in tears of thankfulness. In [God’s] mercy He has brought those Unreached People Groups to Canada and to my city!

THURSDAY - Heading to campus soon to welcome students. Yesterday's highlight - I had some good conversations with some guys from Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

I echo Hope's thankfulness that God is bringing the nations to Canada and I invite you to join me in praying for international students. Pray that they would find community and that they would have opportunities to learn about Jesus.

Another September highlight - we have 7 mission trips for 2025 confirmed with two more pending. We hosted a staff mission trip info session yesterday and received this response: 

“Thanks for the great info session today. I watched it with my wife and kids. We are praying where God might lead us. It was very visionary and makes us want to go!” 

It’s inspiring to see God stirring in entire families to join him on mission! Liza, thanks so much for your partnership that gives P2C staff and students the opportunity to engage in God's global work.

Off to Korea

As I type this I am at the airport waiting for my flight to Seoul, South Korea to attend the Fourth Lausanne Congress (Sep 21-30). This is a gathering of Christian leaders from around the world to coordinate and collaborate in order to increase effectiveness in advancing the gospel worldwide.

I am still in need of $1100 to cover the cost of flights for this gathering. If you feel God nudging you to give to this expense you can donate online at p2c.sh/charlotte or by calling 1.855.722.4483. Thank you so much for your prayerful consideration.

How to pray for my time in Seoul:

• That I would know how to contribute well and wouldn’t be shy

• For inspiring interactions and conversations

• That God would work in my life through this conference

Excited to serve Him, 

Charlotte

J&R K - South Asia

Dear Praying Family & Friends,
Thank you for remembering us in your prayers as we start off our 3rd year at Hebron School! Here are a few ways you can pray this month.

• PRAY for our eldest as he continues to settle into life at college on the other side of the ocean from us. He is--so far--very much enjoying his program, the school, students and campus life at Heritage College.

• PRAY for the Alternative Service that has kicked off here this month. The first few sessions we are exploring the purpose of church. What is it? Why do we participate in it? What are God's thoughts on it? And what should it mean to us? May our new batch of Year 10s coming in feel free to explore their questions on faith and Christianity.

• PRAY for J as he has a very full teaching load this year. He is also on his third year of his teacher training course. Pray for good time management, enthusiasm in the busyness, and that he'd be able to stay on top of curriculum development and maintain healthy disciplines of rest & work.

• PRAISE for all the new staff who have joined the school again this year. Especially for new staff to support the Alt Service & Cycling Club for which we are very grateful.

• PRAISE for our son settling in well in Canada. We're so thankful for the support of family nearby and for the small, family-like atmosphere of Heritage College.

• PRAISE for a number of students entering into their last year with whom we've been able to develop close relationships. May Jesus use this year and our ongoing relationships to bless, encourage, & love these kids who come from difficult home situations.  

• PRAISE for 40 years of life for R this month! We are blessed to be in a loving, supportive community and thankful for health & strength to continue to serve the Lord in South Asia.

Top Left: The first Cycle Club ride of the year.
Top Right: Students hard at work learning AutoCAD skills.
Bottom Left: The workshop is organized for the start of another year!
Bottom Right: Fabulous Forty!

Phil & Andrea Bauman - SIM

Feeling at home...September 15 2024

Thank you for your prayers for us over the last couple of weeks. 
We have thoroughly enjoyed being 'home' in Ghana. It is hard to believe that we have been gone more than 5 years.

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

• We praise God for the opportunity to be back in Ghana and see friends and colleagues. (The picture above is with current and former staff of SIM Ghana).

• Praise God for great board meetings. SIM has a very engaged and encouraging board that is a joy to work with. Pray for Phil and the leadership team as they work on the things the Board has endorsed.

• Tomorrow we part ways. Pray for Andrea as she heads home to Canada and for Phil as he goes to Ethiopia to contribute to a church leaders conference. Following a few days in Ethiopia, Phil carries on to South Korea to participate in the Lausanne Congress.

• Continue to pray for our kids, for Kieran and Mackenzie as they enjoy parenting, for Liam and Meridith as they progress in their marriage and for Cara as she settles into life and studies in Toronto.

Thanks for praying for us
Phil & Andrea