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Wild deer vainly foraging in the snow at the bottom of the garden of our hosts’ house near Grand Rapids

For the first three weeks of February, Malou, myself and Francis Kumar (an AMEN Indian partner and founder of ‘Tender Heart’) drove over 3000 miles (5000+ km) through 11 states of the USA speaking in churches and at missions services as well as meeting with many people. From the warm sun of Florida to the deep snow of Michigan, we enjoyed the beauty of creation as well as great fellowship and ministry opportunities. Half of next month we will be in Serbia again.

Thanks for all your emails, prayers and support.

Gareth and Malou Bolton

(www.amentrust.co.uk)

SCHEDULE

Mar 3 Fly to Belgrade, SERBIA
Sun Mar 4 International Christian Fellowship, Belgrade (Luke 4:1-44)
Mar 5-17 Teaching at HUB, Belgrade Bible School – Missions Module for 2nd year Bible School students
Obadiah for 1st year Bible School students.
Sun Mar 11 Local church ministry in Serbia
Mar 17 Fly to London
Sun Mar 18 All Nations Church, Manor Park, London
Sun Mar 25 Oak Hall Church, Caterham (am & pm)
Mar 25 Dorset with Mum Bolton

 

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Around 48 years ago, Ken Weaver asked me, a new believer, if I would speak in his church. I said, ‘I don’t think so’. Then later, he asked me again……

Earlier today, here in the UK, firework displays announced the arrival of 2018 while 2017 was consigned to history. Despite the many challenges the world currently faces, the opportunities for Christians have never been greater. Modern travel has had a huge impact; most places on the planet can now be reached within 24 hours while many communities are increasingly international and multicultural. At the start of this new year, let’s resolve to ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’. We wish all our supporters and friends a peaceful and blessed New Year.

Gareth and Malou Bolton (www.amentrust.co.uk)

Jan 5 Fly Heathrow to Bangalore
Jan 6-9 Ministry in Bangalore
Jan 10-12 Ministry in Chennai, (Joseph Paul & El Shaddai orphanage)
Jan 12-16 Ministry in Virudunagar, (AMEN VMM Youth Camp + Workers’ Refreshing Camp)
Jan 19-20 Fly Madurai to Shillong
Jan 20-28 Ministry in Meghalaya, (Awon Shanglai)
Jan 28-29 Fly Shillong to Heathrow

2,700 AMEN shoeboxes were taken by a team of 16 to the Roma and others in Romania. A 40 foot container also brought some important supplies.

Malou celebrating her mother’s 82nd birthday on the island of Batanes, Philippines

 

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Most Filipinos want to visit Batanes, Philippines, at least once in their life time.

 ‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.’ Titus 2:11
Jesus is grace personified! The infant born in the shed two millennia ago has blessed us all beyond comprehension. His love is like no other love in its extent, its sacrifice, its permanence and its effects. He did not come primarily as a healer, nor a teacher, nor a prophet but as a suffering Saviour. It is because of him that I write these words; it is because of him that you are reading them now. It’s only because of him that we can be brothers and sisters in the same family.

United by this one great reality, we wish you all a Happy Christmas, full of joy and peace.

Gareth and Malou Bolton

(www.amentrust.co.uk)

SCHEDULE

Thu Dec 7 Fly to London from Manila, PHILIPPINES
Sun Dec 10 10.30am: New Farm Chapel, Alresford, Surrey
Sun Dec 24 10.30am: Cliffe Mission Carol Service then to Dorset
Sun Dec 31 10.30am: STEPS, Sherborne, Somerset

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At Wentworth Primary School in Dartford, Betty taught Gareth when he was aged 6 and Gareth taught Clyde when he was aged 9

After 50 lectures and meetings over 8 days with Belgrade Bible School in Serbia teaching Ezekiel and 1 & 2 Kings, we are looking forward to a slower schedule as we head to the south of the country to speak in two Roma churches. En route back to London next week, we will visit the International Museum of the Reformation in Geneva. The remainder of the month will be spent in the Philippines where, with other Filipinos, we will focus mainly on pastors’ and leaders’ team building and training on Batanes, Malou’s birth island, in the north of the country. Again, thanks for your partnership, interest, prayers and support,

Gareth and Malou Bolton
 

SCHEDULE

Nov 2-4 Ministering in the south of SERBIA 
Sun Nov 5 International Christian Fellowship, Belgrade
Nov 6 Fly Belgrade to Geneva, SWITZERLAND
Nov 9 Fly London to Manila, PHILIPPINES
Sun Nov 12 Brethren Baptist Church, Manila
Nov 12-19 Malou’s family & AMEN partners
Sun Nov 19 San Juan Gospel Chapel, Manila
Nov 20-Dec 4 Ministry and break on Batanes Island

“Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.” GEORGE MULLER

The current students with some of the staff at Belgrade Bible School (HUB), SERBIA

The view from the gates of Belgrade Bible School (HUB) in Serbia

Our good friend Prof. & Dr Reginald Prithiviraj of Tirunelveli, India, sadly died of pancreatic cancer on October 8. It was as a result of a conversation Gareth had with Reggie in 1995 that led to the establishment of AMEN (www.amentrust.co.uk). Through the media ministry ‘Verity Films & Communications’ (www.verityfilms.com) he set up with his wife Caroline, countless lives continue to be touched

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Alvin, a full time worker with VMM, certainly holds the attention of these children

Sometimes, a verse catches your eye for the first time, even though you must have read it many times before. Yesterday I read, “But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin” Galatians 3:22. How good it is that the gospel is the remedy for those who acknowledge their captivity to sin and commit themselves to Christ. It is in that confidence alone that we go forward. In a few hours, Gareth will leave for a week in Santorini, Greece, while Malou will finish designing the next AMEN newsletter (www.amentrust.co.uk) and continue updating our website (www.garethandmalou.org).

We would value prayer for wisdom as we put together our schedule for 2018, not Gareth’s favourite job!
Thanks everyone and may God bless you all,

Gareth and Malou Bolton

SCHEDULE

Oct 1-7                Oak Hall in Santorini, GREECE
Sun Oct 8           Dartford Community Church (home church)
Sun Oct 15         Brewham Chapel, Somerset
Oct 15-19           Dorset with Mum Bolton
Sun Oct 22         Crayford Baptist Church (am and pm)
Oct 23 – Nov 6    Belgrade Bible School, SERBIA (teaching 1 & 2 Kings and Ezekiel)

 

 

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Habakkuk 2 v 14

We spent the whole month of August on board Logos Hope. Gareth completed a series of messages from the book of Jonah, gave 25 personal evaluations to potential preachers, spoke at a Haitian leadership conference, delivered devotions to engineers, crew, catering staff & the school plus he spoke at church services every Sunday on shore. Malou completed the Kairos and CEF courses, shared the gospel with many Haitians on deck 4, invited many visitors for meals on board, and we both had numerous formal and informal conversations with individuals. Your prayers, support and interest are all much appreciated.

God bless you,

Gareth and Malou Bolton

SCHEDULE

Sept 4 Arrive in UK from Logos Hope
Sept 6-15 Oak Hall in ITALY (Gareth only)
Sept 11 Malou to Dorset with Mum Bolton
Sun Sept 17 High Street Chapel, Hopton, Norfolk
Sept 18 Bean Primary School, Dartford
Wed Sept 20 Cannon Court EC, Fetcham, Surrey
Sun Sept 24 ChristChurch, Banstead, Surrey
Sept 25-28 Dorset with Mum Bolton

(www.amentrust.co.uk)

Habakkuk 2 v 14

 

John 12 v 24

 

Haitian volunteers and translators sing their National Anthem in the Logos Lounge

Psalm 113:3

Johnny Fils, interpreter, and his friends in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

Kairos group, including Malou, after receiving their certificates from Pil-Hun Park, Logos Hope director, on right.
________________________________________

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In the Bahamas together with Jane & Alistair, lead elder at Dartford Community Church

I am writing this from our cabin on board Logos Hope on a warm, wet and stormy day in Freeport, Bahamas. The week ahead will be busy and varied but, I trust, a blessing. It includes continuing a series from the book of Jonah in morning devotions, a message on unity at a pastors’ conference, morning assembly in the ship’s school, a conference message explaining why social justice is an integral part of mission and speaking to local volunteers, to a short term group and at a local church. Malou will be involved in touring visitors, co-leading a ship’s family group and working as an ‘ambassador’ taking visitors through the evangelistic ‘Journey of Life’ experience which is based on the parable of the prodigal son. As always, your prayers, support and interest are all greatly and genuinely appreciated.

God bless you,

Gareth and Malou Bolton (www.amentrust.co.uk)

SCHEDULE

Jul 28-Aug 7      Freeport, BAHAMAS
Aug 10-28          Port au Prince, HAITI
Aug 29-30          Kingston, JAMAICA
Sept 1                Santo Domingo, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Sept 2                Fly Punta Cana to Barcelona, SPAIN
Sept 3                Overnight in Barcelona
Sept 4                Fly Barcelona to London Gatwick

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I am writing this while travelling back on the bus from Oak Hall’s visit to Slovenia. Although a favourite tourist destination, according to Operation World, Slovenia is the 14th least reached country in the world. It was encouraging that on the last evening of the trip, a couple of local church planters shared what we had been discovering ourselves in our own study of Ephesians, namely that the Christian life is a battle necessitating prayer and perseverance. They were proof of the verse, ‘Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.’ Psalm 126:6. Our next update will be sent from the Logos Hope in the Caribbean.

God bless you,

Gareth and Malou Bolton (www.amentrust.co.uk)

SCHEDULE

July 7            OM UK (Quinta) team devotions: ‘Evangelising the World’
July 8            FFM conference, The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire
Sun July 9    Belvedere AOG church, SE London.
July 12          Gareth and Malou’s 20th wedding anniversary!
July 13         MV LOGOS HOPE  in the BAHAMAS

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Despite speaking at five meetings on the Sunday in Aberdeen, we managed to find time in the afternoon to visit Dunnottar castle

We will spend most of the month of June in three southern African countries. There will be a great variety of speaking opportunities with OM (a selection of which is listed below) plus much travelling. As usual, our main prayer request is that we might maintain our walk with God since that will affect everything else we do.

Thanks again for your encouragement and support.

Gareth and Malou Bolton

(www.amentrust.co.uk)

June 2            Arr. East London, SOUTH AFRICA
Sun June 4    1st City Bapt. Church, East London
June 5-7         Meetings around East London; fly to NAMIBIA
June 8-11       Team retreat, Walvis Bay, Namibia
Sun June 11  Living Water Family Assembly
June 11-13     Missions Conference (3 nights)
June 14          Pastors’ Breakfast (Gareth); Women’s Tea (Malou); Youth Service
June 15          Pastors’ Breakfast
June 16           Fly to Harare, ZIMBABWE
June 17-21     Meetings around Harare
June 22-24     ‘GO’ Conference, Harare,
Sun June 25  Fly to London from Harare
Jun 27-Jul 4   Oak Hall in SLOVENIA

“…the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him…” Deuteronomy 4:7

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Young local spectators at a cricket tournament in Lahore, Pakistan

Greetings on May Day, the start of the second third of 2017. We recently returned from a month’s ministry in S Asia. Although the media usually portrays Pakistan negatively, we were surprised to find much freedom. Twice Gareth preached outside via a loud speaker – once at a cricket tournament and once in a ‘Christian’ street. It was also challenging to meet believers who are committed to taking the gospel to others, whatever the cost. One told me that once you start talking with people, you find many of them are really searching. Thanks for praying for opportunities, for boldness and for safety.

Gareth and Malou Bolton  (www.amentrust.co.uk)

Schedule

May 2-6             Oak Hall at the Keukenhof, Netherlands
Sun May 7        Crayford Baptist Church (am & pm)
May 9-13          Dorset with Mum Bolton
Sun May 14       Wall Heath EFC, near Birmingham (am & pm)
May 20-21          Oak Hall Summer Team Weekend
May 22              Teach ‘Nehemiah’ at Oak Hall Bible School, Kent
May 26-28         Deeside CF missions weekend, Aberdeen, Scotland