Keith Walker, SIM-UK Director
SIM is an international partnership working in over 40 countries within which SIM-UK is delighted to play its part. Nothing we do here in the UK is disconnected from the work of SIM missionaries in Asia, South America and Africa. During this year we have sent new colleagues out to, and supported those already working in, each of these three continents.
SIM Sudan is seeking to contribute towards the rebuilding of the church and the communities in which they are placed in Southern Sudan. SIM Sudan leaders have been glad to welcome skilled engineers with a heart for discipleship coming from the UK. Justin and Deborah Agnes (from Cambridge) working in Doro, will shortly be joined by Kevin MacLennan from Inverness. In the most literal sense, Justin and Kevin are deploying their professional skills to rebuild broken communities. Their passion however is to leave a spiritual legacy beyond the provision of water or medical facilities. Shortly after arriving and building their new home in Doro, Justin and Deborah wrote of their desire to help rebuild the churches through the offer of training to local pastors. Kevin comes to SIM with good experience of discipling ministry through his involvement with Navigators. He has a heart to disciple Sudanese workers alongside whom he will serve in building a medical centre.
These are the kinds of people SIM-UK has aimed to mobilise for mission through 2009 — skilled people with a heart for discipling Christ’s people and supporting the ministry of his churches. Space forbids us from telling of those sent out to train missionaries in Korea, to reach women in Bangladesh, to work amongst children in Ghana…
By contrast with these new workers, Tim and Tricia Barrow have served with SIM in Southern Africa for many years. Now based in Johannesburg and offering support to our workers in countries across the region. This year presented them with a new opportunity to serve the people of Zimbabwe. Under Tim’s direction, Zimbabwean SIM workers supporting the United Baptist Churches’ work amongst those affected by the HIV-AIDS pandemic, have been able to offer food aid to some of Zimbabwe’s many hungry people. SIM-UK’s appeal in the spring of 2009 raised over £70,000 to support this work. More recently spontaneous giving has come through our new website in support of SIM’s relief work through Gospel churches in Ethiopia.
It has been the privilege of SIM-UK to be a channel for gospel-focused giving, and for gospel-motivated servants to be sent to the farthest reaches of this world during 2009.
