Newsletter 3rd October 2007

Duncan and Jan Weir

e-mail : duncanhome@aol.com, janonwater@aol.com

address: 21 Green Lane, Farnham, GU9 8PY

tel: 01252 713790 (home) 07989 211 445 (mobile)

website : www.bridgeforthenations.org.uk

October 3^rd 2007

Hi everyone

As promised here is the update to complement the recent report about our visit to Goiania and Rio de Janeiro – 16^th August – 6^th September. (Please see our website to review this.)

The word given to us a few years ago – “that we should be neither here nor there but both here and there,” has been confirmed time and again with various other words. Over recent weeks we have revisited these ideas and have now put more structure into the “here and there”.

Our work in Brazil is clear: to establish CursoKairos in the country with a national leadership, not as an end in itself, but to see intentional cross cultural mission embraced and encouraged by the Christians in the nation. This area is developing well and we are encouraged by the progress already made. Next year we expect to spend a total of six months in Brazil to further these goals. Already 26 Brazilians have completed the course in Goiania, Brazil and a further 7 national facilitators have begun a training programme with us. We currently are making plans to reach a further 8 cities including Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro and stretching from Criciuma in the South to Sao Luis in the North, to Recife in the North East, to Salvador in the East to Uberlandia in the central area. We are very encouraged by the large number of contacts we already have - as a fruit of our previous 2 years in Brazil + the number of new contacts which are developing rapidly. Brazil has potential to become one of the greatest mission sending nations and CursoKairos is a vital tool in equipping the Brazilian church to fulfil its destiny!

Our thoughts and ideas are also taking shape with regard to our time in the UK. One aspect is our desire to help with the development of Kairos in the south of England (there are already well established bases in the north at Leeds and the midlands at Loughborough). Another strand is that of facilitating Kairos courses (in Portuguese or dual language) with Brazilian churches in the UK. We already have contacts with several such churches. The third strand relates specifically to our home town of Farnham. We are currently facilitating a course with participants from 5 different churches in the area and we hope this is a catalyst for further developments. We want to see intentional cross cultural mission develop in our town and are available to help churches not only in sending people to unreached people groups outside the UK but also to welcome and reach distinct people groups within our local area.

Further objectives of the Brazil and Beyond Project are to take Kairos to Portugal (in 2008) where we already have some good initial contacts and also to go to Mozambique in the near future with a cross cultural team of Brits and Brazilians.

We hope you can join with us in prayer that these objectives and goals can be realised in the coming months. We do believe God is calling us to this ministry but to accomplish this we are looking for more partners. We also want to strengthen our sending base by putting together a small sending team who will share with us in this vision. If you feel this is a role you could fulfil, can you please contact us as soon as possible as we would like to discuss this with you.

To outwork these plans neither of us can take up any full- or even part-time employment. Occasional Supply teaching days are one means of supplementing the basic financial support we already receive. However, we really want to be as free as possible to pursue the strategy we have outlined here. We need an additional £700 per month and we would ask you to prayerfully consider this request. If you are a UK tax payer Stewardship Services forms can be directed to you from Richard Wimbush. Otherwise we can send you our personal bank details.

Thanks so much for your continued support and interest.

Please visit our website for more details and to see our photos. (www.bridgeforthenations.org.uk)

Also, please send us your news – we love hearing from you.

Duncan and Jan

Duncan and Jan Weir, 05/10/2007