Prayer Letters

Graham & Frieda's Update

August 2006

Dear praying friend,

On Monday morning, July 31, I was on the train heading home from the airport. We’d just arrived back in Sydney after a month in Indonesia. Sydney greeted us with crisp, clear, sunny weather. I was excited to see again the world’s largest natural harbour. But I couldn’t really enjoy this beautiful sight because our train window was besmirched by an over abundance of ugly graffiti!

As we continued on our way home that morning, my thoughts went back to the variety of experiences we’d just left behind in Indonesia. I pondered: How much “graffiti of the soul” – the sin-scratches on the window of my own soul – had hindered those to whom I had been ministering from seeing Christ in all His beauty? I then marvelled once again how, despite this ever-present “graffiti of the soul,” God had caused the light of the glory of His Son to shine through our imperfect lives, “…so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.” (2 Cor.4:7)

Some highlights from our July 3-30 Indonesian trip . . .

Experiencing many answers to prayer: safety, good health, ease in speaking Indonesian, also lovely family times with Alison, Andrew and 18 month old Gracie.
Looking to God ahead of each ministry: “Lord, it’s not by the might of my words or learning, or by the power of my personality or human abilities, but only by Your Spirit. Take my feeble words and use them to change hearts and renew minds.”
The Spirit’s leading and empowering for ministry at a youth camp and in a Jakarta church.
Good rapport and interaction with our 12 seminary students, and spiritually beneficial class sessions on the very important subject of “Contemporary Spirituality”.
Spending time with dear servants of Christ – Pastor and Mrs. B. B. – seeing their joy in the Lord amid their poverty, witnessing the richness of their generous hearts as they give themselves for the sake of desperately poor non-Christian families around them.
Encouraged by a phone chat with one of my 2004 seminary students (a pastor and a university lecturer), and by a successful Christian businessman who testified to us concerning God’s awesome power to renew his own soul and restore his marriage.

And the book project . . .

We have passed the last marker in the rather long trek towards having our book, United in Marriage by One Lord, printed in India. All details regarding text, layout and cover design have now been finalised.
What happens next and when? This English edition could be in our hands by early October. Can you believe it? YES!
Now comes the all-important distribution phase.

*** PRAY that God will show us His way and the person to help us with the distribution of our book.

Talking of hard work ahead … during this recent visit to Indonesia, we met twice with the director of our Indonesian publisher. We had very fruitful discussions about this present book, but he also asked me to get moving with a sequel. He’s convinced that more needs to be written soon on this hot topic. (I was able to tell him that God has been already impressing this matter on my heart.)
A. is the Indonesian brother who has been given the responsibility to edit the Indonesian translation. With the Lord’s help, he is doing very good work. He has already finished his revision of chapters 13 out of the 18 chapters.

*** PRAY for the Spirit to give A. the best and clearest idiom and words so that the book will powerfully communicate God’s message to today’s Indonesian readers.
*** PRAY also for us as we work with A. on the remaining chapters.

We are also in the early stages of making contact with other language groups. May God guide us through each detail of the entire process.

Other prayer points for the next couple of months . . .

Mid-October to early November we will be travelling to Russia ministering among several teams and in different churches. .

*** PRAY for both of us as we prepare ourselves to teach God’s Word.

Our web designer has already prepared an attractive Equip & Encourage Int’l website design. We are presently preparing and editing different materials that will be posted on this website. (Our website is also listed on the back cover of our book.)

*** PRAY for us as we choose and edit a wide variety of ministry materials which we hope will serve the wider community of God’s servants around the world.

While we are at home in Sydney, we have plenty of opportunities to exercise other equipping, mentoring and encouraging ministries, for example, to a few folk in our home church, and especially through emails and phone / Skype calls.

*** PRAY that God will alert us to His word of truth and encouragement for each person He brings into our lives.

In closing, MANY thanks to you if you were among those who responded to our invitation in our last Update – to write us a short, friendly email. We truly appreciated receiving each email, and continue to do so. How important it is not just to love one another but also to actually say so!!

With our sincerest thanks for your prayers and encouragement,

Your brother & sister in Christ,

Graham & Frieda

Equip & Encourage International
Graham & Frieda Roberts
PO Box 892, Hornsby, NSW, 1630, Australia