Who We Support
Alma currently supports a number of people, in the UK and abroad. This page contains some information
about what these people are involved in doing.
Long-Term Mission
Ken and Alison Barrett
Ken and Ali are based in a local church in Alcala de Henares, 25kms outside central Madrid, Spain. The church in which Ken
serves as an elder is due to give autonomy to another church at Azuqueca within the next year, so leadership issues are a
priority. Their church is setting up a cultural and social auxiliary close to the present building to meet some of the pressing
social needs in Spain where unemployment and physical are big issues. They are also leaders in the ministry of the Madrid
Bible Teaching Centre which publishes a national magazine for the Brethren churches, publishes theology, training and history;
runs training courses and has an historical archive to stimulate historical church history research. Ken is also a member
of the Spanish OM board and involved in initiaitives in outgoing, proclamation evangelism both in Spain and South America.
Eunice Burden
Eunice works with OMF and lives in Singburi, central Thailand. She is involved with HBS (Home bible seminary) a course written
in Thai in the late 70's to help equip lay leaders to be able to lead and teach the Bible as most were unable to go to Bible
College. It covers the whole Bible, in depth. Eunice teaches 5 classes herself and is involved in encouraging Thai leaders
to teach the course themselves. She is also involved in updating the materials. At present only the overview of the OT,
the Pentateuch and the gospels have been completed, and she is now starting on the book of Joshua. Eunice is also involved
in preaching and teaching as and when the opportunities arise.
BISC
BISC, Bristol International Student Centre, is a Christian organisation linking students from overseas who study at Bristol's
universities and colleges, with local people and with each other. It is a registered charity supported largely by local evangelical
churches and it offers friendship and events to students of all faiths or no faith. Please pray for the Lord's blessing on
major activities such as the International Reception and Christmas meal. Please also pray for all the new students to enjoy
BISC as their 'home away from home'. Lastly, please pray for the trips and events to be a wonderful opportunity for deep friendships
to develop and for the Lord to lead conversations in such a way that His love can be shared with all internationals.
Ben Evans
Agapé Student Life is a student led group here in Bristol, and across the world, committed to trying to give all students
an informed opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus. Ben is the local Agapé staff director and his primary job is
to inspire, coach and disciple the student leader team as they trust God to reach their university. He is also heavily involved
with them as together we engage Bristol students of all kinds with the gospel. For more information check out www.agape.org.uk
Short-Term Mission
Natalie Aitken
I went to Thailand in 2008. I spent 3.5 months in Thailand in a place called Pakkred just north of Bangkok. I was working
for a charity who supported children who had been abandoned due to their multiple disabilities. I spent time playing with
them, washing and dressing them and trying to improve their quality of life through physiotherapy. We also just enriched their
lives by taking the children on short day trips to aquarium's and play centres. My time in Thailand changed, challenged, renewed
and inspired me in all areas of my life. Through interaction with Thai staff and the teenagers and children I met I was challenged
by their faith and their stories. God challenged me about the way I looked at things and who I was as a person. I experienced
God at a completely new level whether it was through creation, other people or meeting with him during a Thai church service.
I was able to take time and just be in his presence and to listen to what he had to say. I saw and experienced a very real
God. All of the challenges, changes and the experiences I have had have helped my faith and trust in God deepen. I was able
to spend time with God each day which has enabled a deeper friendship to build up.
Rob Judson
This summer I went to Musoma in Tanzania for 5 weeks as a leader of 2 separate teams, with a charity called Go Make A Difference
in Tanzania (Go MAD in Tanzania). We were partnered with the Anglican Diocese of Mara in Tanzania, and got involved with various
projects they are doing. Musoma is the same place I went to last year for 3 months with Go MAD in Tanzania and Tearfund. While
there, the teams made 700 large bricks which will be used to build a secondary school in the area. We also helped in a children's
home for children under 2 that cares for kids whose mothers have died. The home looks after the children while they are at
their youngest and greatest vulnerability to illness. At the age of about 2 they are given back to a family member to care
for them.
We also got involved with providing mattresses for people with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, as they would otherwise
sleep simply on a hard wooden bed frame. We purchased 250 mosquito nets and distributed them to some of the poorest people
in a nearby village called Mkirira (where I was helping last year), to help prevent people acquiring malaria. A new development
a discipleship project was started in a village called Butiama which helps the villagers to develop and own an income generating
scheme, to be able to provide for themselves and they also learn about God through the Bible as part of this.
It was amazing to get to go back to Tanzania and see what God is doing through his church there. I saw God touch people's
lives through the work we did and he also changed the lives of the people who went, including me, helping us to understand
how blessed we are in our country and challenging us to live lives which love and serve others.
Jon Albon
In the summer of 2010 I joined a Tearfund summer team to Rukungiri in southwest Uganda, approximately 400km from Kampala,
which is the capital. The town has a population of about 15,000 people. Due to its remoteness the town has a problem with
water shortages, especially during the dry summer period.
There were 10 of us in the team and our main work was at a local Mother's Union Training Centre, where
we were building two rainwater storage tanks (one 30,000 litres and the other 5,000 litres), as well as improving the sanitation
of the shower facilities by building a grease trap.
At the weekends we had some free time and we were able to do some different things. We visited other water improvement projects
in the area. We were also able to play football against a local boy's school, lead Sunday school and take a service in a local
prison.
It was a fantastic experience and it is something I would highly recommend doing if you ever get the chance.
On the trip I learnt a lot about myself, mainly through putting myself slightly outside of my comfort zone, doing things that
don't come easily to me. Being separated from all of the possessions we have filling our lives at home, made it easier for
me to spend time with God and build my personal relationship with him. I was amazed to see the attitude of the people there,
especially the children. They were all so happy despite having very few of the things that we take for granted in the west,
such as clean running water and a flushing toilet. They valued their spiritual well-being and their relationship with Jesus
so much higher than their physical well-being.
Richard Eves
For the past two summers I have been part of the UBM "Beach Team" mission at Lyme Regis in Dorset. The team seeks to reach
out to holiday makers with the Gospel, primarily through the "Holiday Special" Children's club that runs every day on the
beach, and also through evening family events and one to one contacting. This year in particular it was inspiring to watch
God work through (and sometimes in spite of!) the weather, the relationships the team members formed with holiday makers,
and the eagerness of the children to hear the good news about Jesus.
Prayer Points:
- That the follow up work that goes on through the year (in particular letter writing and the Postal Bible Club) would be
maintained and fruitful.
- That God would continue to bring back the same families each year, so that relationships can become deeper and more fruitful.
Bryony Thomson
This summer I was working with Friends International in Bournemouth, we ran a cafe every night, with "question raising" dramas,
events and optional Bible studies every night. The focus was on building genuine friendships with international students who
came from all over the world and loads of different backgrounds, most have never heard about Jesus so it's an amazing way
to show His love in a practical way and we got a lot of opportunities to discuss the Gospel.
