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News Archive

Off to South Africa

Posted by Andy Carlisle on 9 Dec 2005

Tom (my son) is off to South Africa with Scripture Union for six months in January. Any support you can give him, especially praying, would be really helpful. His email address to contact him directly is lesscontroversialthanmurray@hotmail.com and you can read more details from Tom by clicking on the link below.

Hello!

It’s Tom Carlisle here, son of Andy and Ruth. I’m just writing to tell you that in January of 2006 I’m going to South Africa for six months with the Christian organisation Scripture Union to do some work in schools, and wondered if you might consider supporting me either prayerfully or financially?

I’ll be doing a few things out there – for me, the bulk of it is running kids camps and holidays for Christians and non-Christians alike; and I know from personal experience what an amazing experience these can be and what an impact they can have on kids – I wouldn’t be a Christian without them. I’ll also be acting as a general youth worker running Christian Unions and sports clubs where there’s a need; it’ll be an amazing training for work as a volunteer youth worker in general, and a fantastic chance to give six months of my life totally, entirely over to God. I can’t wait!

At present I’m working in a Starbucks in an attempt to raise money to go away. However, I prayed that I’d be doing this by faith, and, typically, God’s given me what I asked him for. So, it turns out that I have to hand the last instalment of money into SU four weeks earlier than I thought I had to – which means around £800 less money than I expected – which means I’m going to fall around £800 short of the minimum total I need to go to South Africa. Be careful what you pray for.

Which is why I’m writing to you. I can’t do this without prayer. Well, I probably can, but the fact remains that if I do, then it will have little or no effect and will be £3000, six months of my life and a place in South Africa wasted. I’d rather not do that. So can I please ask you to pray for me:
• pray that God will teach me what I need to be taught and that I’ll be responsive to what he’s telling me;
• pray that I’ll get the money I need to do what needs to be done in South Africa;
• pray that God will prepare the hearts of the children I’m going to meet and that I’ll be able to be his mouthpiece;
• pray for safety and preparation, as I prepare and arrive in South Africa, that I’ll be ready to pile into work immediately;
• pray for resources;
• and for my colleagues out there – for good relationships as we work together under pressure.

Anyway… I hope that’s some help as you now at least know what I’m doing, and I hope that you will pray. If you do feel compelled to give financially, cheques are payable to Scripture Union (or to Tom Carlisle – any money raised over £2900 and sent to SU will just get sent on to other projects, so if you wanted to buy resources etc. speak to me), and you can speak to me about gift aiding. And, of course, I’ll send you a snazzy newsletter telling you what I’m doing (lucky you!) and containing more prayer points.

Cheers,

TOM CARLISLE