If you have been watching the news in recent weeks, the name "Myanmar" has become familiar to you. The Southeast Asian country is in great turmoil due to the totalitarian military junta in power there. To date, the military has killed or imprisoned many, and made great efforts to silence voices within from sending information to the wider world. What information has leaked out is not good. Human rights abuses have been prevalent ever since the junta refused to acknowledge democratic elections of ten years ago that would have removed them from power. Now, curfews, meeting restrictions, price increases, the use of force to quell demonstrations are the substance of the news on the subject. They massacred thousands of Buddhist monks in the uprising ten years ago: the situation is ominously similar today.

In the midst of this turmoil sits a small minority of Christians. Among them is our own minister, Rev. Kima, his wife and family, and the church which the Lord has allowed him to gather. The chaos is the most severe in Yangon, apparently, but is also widespread throughout the country. Restrictions have now been placed upon believers trying to meet in Inle Lake by the local authorities, and the fledgling church can no longer meet out on the lake in Kay Lar village. [Personal visits by our evangelist in the area in homes are still able to take place, and the church has been meeting on boats out in the floating farms.] Communications have been cut off nearly entirely thus far as the government tries to shut down the Internet and all outgoing media. Many have asked about the status of the Kimas and the churches they are trying to establish, and we can confidently say that they are in God's hands. They are all fine, though burdened with the doubling of the prices of all commodoties that are affected by the price of fuel, which the junta doubled arbitrarily to raise funds for their military action against the freedom movement. We have just received word that the Kimas are the proud parents of a new baby girl, born on September 28! So we rejoice with them. For the time being, we will refrain from providing pictures of our friends, since the military is now regularly photographing anyone suspected of being in the opposition party. Myanmar reportedly has the most severe and thorough censorship on the Internet of any nation on earth at present. We do not wish to provide faces for the enemies of God's people. ("Kima", by the way, is a shortened version of our brother's name which he has used for our benefit -- we wouldn't be able to pronounce his legal name! -- and so in God's providence it is safe enough to use the name with which we have become familiar.)

Please pray for the Kimas and all believers in Myanmar. Pray for their safety, and for their courage as they seek to find ways to meet in spite of the restriction of no more than five persons meeting at any one time in any one place. [This restriction has now been lifted, and Sunday services are able to take place -- praise the Lord!] We will keep our constituency informed of developments as we learn of them. Pray, too, for the Kimas' support. They need regular monthly supporters badly. We are still able to get funds to them so far: pray that no obstacles would arise to that situation. Thank you.

March, 2008, #226

 In this issue:

• Memorial for Dr. Thomas G. Proctor
• Memorial for Rev. Clyde Field
• Ed and Lehia Paauwe Update from Australia
• Mark Baldwin takes a little ministry vacation in Thailand
• Dr. Pine's trip to Southern California
• Western Reformed Seminary 25th anniversary
• Team Timothy USA gets ready

PMU Summer Prayer Requests July-September, 2007

• Miriam F – Asia. Praise for the Lord’s sustaining grace through recent health challenges. Semester of teaching English is over for now, and personal work will demand much time and effort. Pray for safety (her field is clamping down on Christian workers with renewed vigor), and continued support.
• Mark Baldwin – Cambodia. Praise for a new apartment and means of transportation (a 100cc moto!). Praise for progress in language studies, which are going very well. Mark is able to fellowship with a BP church plant in another part of the city, for which we are grateful. Pray for opportunities to connect with local people; for evangelistic doors to open; for good health and endurance in the great heat of Phnom Penh. Mark will travel to Florida in August for Synod, so please pray also for the Lord’s journey mercies upon him.
• Ed and Lehia Paauwe – Australia. Ed is recovering well from back surgery in May. July will see him and Lehia traveling to Melbourne to do some ministry there. Ed has been able to return to preaching on a limited basis. Praise for their good support, and progress in the development of Evangel Bible Institute. Praise for the good ministry of the Word of God in the Perth congregation.
• Khawl and Mawite Kima – Myanmar. The work in Myanmar continues to expand and flourish, in the midst of a country that struggles to maintain equilibrium and order in the face of a totalitarian regime. Praise for the thriving church in Yangon; the new orphanage location in Yangon; the church plants in other parts of the country; and interest on the part of many in the BPC of Myanmar. Pray for more regular monthly supporters for their account.
• Len and Karen Pine – Home Office, USA. Praise for God’s faithfulness in travel and opening doors. Praise for leading Karen to work in the office as the new Missions Assistant, as Mrs. Ruth Pine (Len’s mother) retires from her faithful service. Pray for more regular monthly supporters; for minor surgeries during the summer for Karen and Eli; for preparations for summer camp and Synod.
• Team Timothy Brazil – Praise for all funds raised; for good preparations; for all visas received. Pray for travel mercies for July ministry; for open hearts to receive the Word; for safety and good health for the team members as they undertake the hard physical labor of church construction; and for sweet fellowship in their labors together.

May, 2007 #218

• Myanmar Summer Camp Report
• Mark Baldwin gets reacquainted with Cambodia
• Miriam's ongoing work in China
• Columbia BPC calls Brinegar to pulpit
• Lots of "News to Know!"

Prayer Requests from PMU

 12/11/2006

 Miriam F
– Ch-na. Pray for comfort in loss of her mother. Praise for a new roommate, and
a new apartment. Praise for much personal work and the promise of her old
teaching job held for her for the coming semester. New supporters are needed.

 Mark Baldwin
– Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Praise for passing
ordination exams.  Praise for improvement
in health, good support levels (could use a few new supporters still). Pray for
preparations to return to the field, hopefully by March 2007, including some
limited deputation travel.

 Ed and Lehia Paauwe
– Perth, Western
Australia, at BPC of WA. Pray for pastoral work, teaching
in Evangel Bible Institute, youth work, safety and health. Praise for recent
youth conference blessings (November); pray for ongoing work of the Spirit
through the preaching and teaching of the Word.

 Khawl and Mawite Kim – Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). National workers planting
churches in Yangon and the Inle
Lake region. Praise for the
multiplication of converts and mission works, and for interest from other
independent Reformed churches in Myanmar in the work. Support of $1300/month
is needed to sustain the various ministries on the field. Pray for
deteriorating political situation in Myanmar as well, and for safety and
provision for our brethren there.

  Len and Karen Pine
– Home Office, Grand Island,
NY. Field Representative for PMU
and family. Pray for safety in frequent travel, wisdom in setting priorities
and vision; support needs, health, and faithfulness. Len and Karen will be traveling to Bolivia in March to minister there;
pray for provision and preparation for a good work of training and
encouragement. More monthly supporters needed.

 Ruth Pine – PMU
office manager, bookkeeper, secretary. Pray for health and strength.

 Team Timothy –Brazil team of sixteen now completed,
beginning preparations and fundraising for summer 2007 ministry; remember
especially team leader, Rev. Tito
Lyro. US
ministry to Zephyrhills, Florida, now recruiting members for March
24-30 canvassing ministry. Team leader: Rev. Steve Brinegar.

 Home Missionaries
– Rev. Keith
Fagerheim, Springville, NY;
pray for search for new church location in the area. Rev.
Steve Brinegar
Zephyrhills, FL; pray for move to
more central location in a tri-city area, praise for new contacts coming in.
Church planting fund could always use additional support!

 Church Inquiries
regarding affiliation with BPC – New contacts in Northern California and Tennessee.

Miriam F – new job teaching English adults from remote villages going very
well, personal work, safety and health. New supporters are needed. Preparing
for summer travels in US. Pray also for S and her daughter, who are trying to
secure enough funds and the visas to visit the US this summer also.

Mark Baldwin – home on deputation after successful short-term assignment;
support levels need to be brought up to sustain for long-term ministry; health needs;
funding for deputation travel and medical expenses; preparation for ordination
exams while home, and safety in travel.

Ed and Lehia Paauwe
– pastoral work in Perth, Western Australia, at BPC of WA, founding
Evangel Bible Institute, youth work; safety and health.

Khawl and Mawite Kim and son, Nathan
– national workers in Myanmar,
planting churches in Yangon and the Inle
Lake region. Support of
$1100/month is needed to sustain the various ministries on the field. Especially
pray for the Lord to make a way to get support funds into the country. Praise
the Lord for new church organized in Yangon.

Len and Karen
Pine – Field Representative for
PMU and family. Pray for safety in frequent travel, wisdom in setting
priorities and vision; support needs, health, and faithfulness.

Team Timothy Bolivia
– pray for preparations for summer ministries, remaining funds to come in for
team members George and Rita Gatis,
readiness of hearts in Bolivia.

Team Timothy USA – pray for the Lord to raise up workers for
VBS in Knoxville, TN, through PMU.

Famine Relief Project -- praise for good response thus far, pray for ongoing support for our brethren in Kenya.

Home Missions: Pray for contacts and church plants under way
in Springville, NY (Keith Fagerheim, pulpit supply); Elma, WA; Zephyr Hills, FL;
Evansville, IN; San Bernardino, CA.

Foreign Missions Contacts: Pray for contacts developing in Indonesia and Uganda. Praise the Lord for the
safe return of Rev. John
Dyck, PMU Council member, from
East African ministry in Kenya
and Uganda.

If you have been watching international news lately, you may have seen the terrible plight that has struck the nation of Kenya as a result of three years of continuous famine. The struggles there in some areas are tremendous, and our brethren in the Independent Presbyterian Church of Kenya have not been spared. Scarce food supplies and scarcer water have threatened to close the Mwingi Reformed Bible College, caused students to have to leave (there is no money for school fees - all must go toward buying food), and placed ministers and congregations in the difficult position of having to choose between feeding one's own family and supporting the Lord's work.

The situation has come to a crisis level, and PMU is launching a campaign to raise funds for famine relief, to be distributed by the leadership of our sister church in Kenya, the IPC. These funds will be used to purchase food, help the Bible College stay open, sustain ministers in outlying areas, and generally help keep body and soul together until the rains come again, and there can be a harvest. Will you help? Please download the attached flyer and post in your church or workplace, and help us assist our brethren who are suffering in the midst of this terrible famine. All funds earmarked for famine relief will be sent to the field, with nothing held back for our offices. Please call, email, or write for more information -- PMU has already sent some funds on their way, but much more is needed. $50 can feed a family for a month or more -- your partnership in this effort is greatly appreciated!

December 2005/January 2006, #204

Miriam F – new job teaching English adults from remote villages, personal work, safety and health. New supporters are needed.

Mark Baldwin – home on deputation after successful short-term assignment; support levels need to be brought up to sustain for long-term ministry; good health and safety in travel.

Ed and Lehia Paauwe – pastoral work in Perth, Western Australia, at BPC of WA, founding Evangel Bible Institute, youth work; safety and health.

Khawl and Mawite Kim and son, Nathan – national workers in Myanmar, planting churches in Yangon and the Inle Lake region. Support of $1100/month is needed to sustain the various ministries on the field.

Sarah Comfort – missionary candidate. Pray for ongoing education, preparation for field ministry, and raising support. Target date to go, summer 2007.

Len and Karen Pine – Field Representative for PMU and family. Pray for safety in frequent travel, wisdom in setting priorities and vision; support needs, health, and faithfulness.

Ruth Pine – PMU office manager, bookkeeper, secretary. Pray for health and strength. Bible Presbyterian Church of Rwanda - newly formed denomination needs prayer for wisdom, spiritual stamina, boldness in testimony, meeting of needs of pastors, training and ordination of leadership.

Team Timothy –Bolivia team now preparing for summer 2006 ministry; seeking the Lord’s guidance for US ministry in 2006 also.

Church planting points in process – Springville, NY; Elma, WA; San Bernardino, CA; Chicago, IL; Evansville, IN. Existing congregations in the Midwestern US are also seeking affiliation with the BPC with the assistance of PMU.

July-August, 2005, #200