Britain's Rail Pastors Ministry & Prayer & Praise October 20-26, 2021

Britain’s Rail Pastors Ministry

Our Faith Promise Missionary Gary Seithel volunteers with Rail Pastors, a group of trained volunteers who are based in areas of Britain’s rail system which experience high numbers of suicidal incidents. Research shows a timely intervention at a point of crisis can have a long-term impact on preventing suicide. Their mission is to reach out to people in moments of crisis, offering compassion and understanding, taking the time to listen to concerns to move the person to a place of safety. It is demonstrating agape and "love thy neighbor". 

 

Here’s Gary with Tracy as Rail Pastors, at the height of the pandemic, at Romford Station East London. He writes: We’re so aware of the need for continual prayer and having a presence at the station bringing hope and life to others through Jesus. Just the week before, sadly there was a fatality here. It is a privilege to work in this capacity, not only engaging with commuters but station managers and staff as well.    

 

 

We love seeing the God appointments each time, especially in this COVID-19 crisis. People are searching for answers!  Sometimes, it’s simply starting a conversation by asking Is there anything we can help you with? or Are you OK?

 

 

One commuter responded, "Are you able to pray for me? All the churches are closed, and I can't find a Christian to pray for me!"  For 25 minutes we talked, shared the power and freedom in Christ to help him. We prayed together before he left, seeing a visible change in his countenance -- the peace that only Jesus brings. Thank you for praying as we help lead Rail Pastors and Street Pastors who are now back on the streets. Please pray for God appointments and spiritual insight to handle each situation.

 

Rail Pastors pray that the Holy Spirit would show them who to talk to and get them to safety. One day they were in Romford and felt the Holy Spirit’s prompting to move to Goodmayes Station. Gary writes what happened next:

Rail Pastors intervene: Chris (an evangelical minister) and I were on patrol in April this year and had two significant incidents.  A teenage girl was very agitated on the opposite platform at the Goodmayes Station, pacing back and forth with an old cup for begging.

We walked down to see more closely and prayed for her to settle down and know God’s peace.  When a train pulled into her platform, it looked like she got on that train. We reported our concerns to Adrian who was staffing the entrance, and he said they had seen her before and would radio ahead to look out for her. Then we moved to Chadwell Heath Station, where we helped a distressed 30-year-old man who was talking loudly to himself!  As we walked to the entrance to check on him, we ran into Adrian again, now working at this station. He said "Well done” highlighting the young girl!  She had been found walking on the tracks and was spotted by a colleague who got her to safety before a train came!  How gracious is our Father who allowed us to play a small part in seeing this young girl rescued and given the help she needed.

The English culture frowns on starting a conversation with someone you have not been properly introduced to. Rail Pastors have to overcome this by initiating conversations through asking simple questions. It really helps that our coordinator is from Columbia SA - she can speak with anyone!  Small talk with someone who is contemplating suicide can be all it takes to snap them out of the moment.  When Rail Pastors began there were over 390 suicides in one year across the nation. Romford Station was the highest with 30. The British Transport Police challenged Street Pastors to get extra suicide prevention training and help be part of the solution.  With God’s help and prayer strategies to deal with the spiritual darkness and oppressive spirit at Romford Station, there was a whole year with no deaths, and only one this year. God is so good. The Rail Pastor’s coordinator is being funded by the government.  It is costly when one person dies on the rails. Gary is working with the Head of Security of Greater Anglia network to reinstate their contract that lapsed last year for more stations to help on trains going out of London through Essex. Thank you for your prayers for Gary and the Rail Pastors in England- truly making a difference!

 (Gary Seithel serves with United World Mission, England)

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PRAYER & PRAISE - October 20-26, 2021

10/20 Diane Harrington 

e3 Partners Ministry, USA 

Pray for a new outreach of Care Net called the Pregnancy Decision Line (PDL).  It is the nation's only call center that provides personal "on the spot" coaching to both men and women when they are faced with a pregnancy decision. The PDL coaches are able to connect with people who are in the middle of making one of the most important choices of their life. Diane is eager to start her training in this very important ministry outreach.

 

10/21 Ruth Rhea 

Cru, USA

Ruth has some wonderful news to share of her impending marriage. She will continue working with Cru (full-time). Randy loves what she does with Cru and is excited about the lives she gets to impact. Thanks to COVID they have learned they can work from anywhere. Pray for them as they take this journey together. They would appreciate your prayers over the next several months.  

 

10/22 K & C 

USA/ME

Pray for all the issues over the recent debacle and tragedy in one of their ministry people countries. K got to preach the gospel to about 80 refugees in 2018 or 2019 in Athens, Greece.

 

10/23 Linda Summer 

The Agape Puppets, USA/Worldwide

Linda and her team praise the Lord for the wonderful response they received from their time and presentation of seven shows in Port Steward in Northern Ireland.  It was such an encouragement to the team because the crowd was so receptive and friendly. When people are on vacation and they choose to stop and watch a puppet show, listen to a story about Jesus and enjoy a Christian band, God is doing something incredible! They are so thankful to all who prayed for them!

 

10/24 Gary & Donna Ferch 

Friends in Action International, USA/Bolivia

Pray for their team of coworkers in Bolivia as they move forward on a missional outreach this month aboard El Misionero.  Pray for smooth sailing as they once again carry the gospel to the river people. Pray that many souls will be saved as they share the gospel, along with medicine, food, and clothing. Please pray for Gary as he continues with treatment and that God would guide and heal him.

 

10/25 Keith & Jaci Patman 

Wycliffe Bible Translators, USA/Central Africa 

Good news from on the ground in Africa. Thirteen Nugunu speakers (three pastors and 10 lay people) have completed a training course for leading listening groups. They will each gather a group of neighbors to meet weekly and listen to a portion of the recorded Nugunu New Testament and discuss it. Pray that many will come to know the Lord through these gatherings and Christians will grow in their faith as they study God’s Word in their heart language.

 

10/26 erin & Jay schipper

Operation Mobilization, USA/Worldwide

Pray for Erin's role in creating the OM Christmas campaign "Jesus changes everything". They

are including some Bible study/family discipleship resources in this campaign, so pray that they use Scripture wisely and well, and that the stories included in the campaign will not only encourage people to give to OM but also look for ways to live out God's transformational love in their own communities. They share the exciting news of a new baby boy coming in December! Keep them in your prayers. 

 

 

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Thank you for your faithful prayers for our Faith Promise Missionaries each week. If you're interested in knowing more about one of the missionaries you have prayed for, we have a program called MAP (Missionary Adoption Program) where we match church members with a missionary serving in an area of the world, or in a field of ministry, that is of particular interest to you for the purpose of praying for and encouraging that missionary. Interested? Find out more at https://www.fba.org/global-missions/missionary-adoption-program