Profiles of speakers for our 2015 conference
In 1989 change took place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; Christian prisoners were released and returned to their homes. The great need of these believers led Matthew Hillier to form CMIAID which has sent over 80 containers packed with Bibles, literature, clothing, food, medical supplies and a wide range of equipment to Russia and the former Soviet Bloc. In 2011 Matthew married Ruth and they continue to serve in the Lord’s work together. They now live in Moldova where much of the work of CMIAID is focused, and where a number of new projects are under way. Matthew and Ruth are commended to the work by Eastwood Christian Fellowship, their home assembly in Sydney, Australia.
Michael and Janet Stafford, commended from the Assembly in New Milton, Hants, worked in Nigeria for 17 years in the literature and medical work at Ika. They returned to UK in 1980 and managed a Christian Conference Centre until hearing God’s call to the Torch Trust for the Blind where they have been involved for 27 years. In addition to working in UK they are involved in the Torch work in Malawi, based in Blantyre. This included setting up a braille unit for the production of Scriptures in African languages. They visit Malawi every year, preaching and teaching and giving practical help. A container is sent every year and Janet organises the distribution of its contents to blind and poor folk.
Richard McClenaghan: Ruth and I can both look back in our early Christian years to the time when the Lord laid it on our hearts to serve Him, but it wasn’t until the late 1970’s that the Lord renewed that call and in 1981 we fully surrendered to His will and with the commendation of the assembly in Maldon Essex, we spent 14 years in SASRA. before being redirected into our present ministry for the Master. These things don’t normally happen suddenly and from 1988 to 1995 while still working with SASRA. we became involved in supporting believers in Romania and in 1991 made our first visit there, to the assembly in the town of Risnov. This changed our whole concept of their need and over the next four years our involvement increased, until in 1995 we were commended by the Guildford and Harrogate assemblies to serving the Lord in Romania and the UK.
In 1989, Dietburg and Thomas Jennings established the work of The Ministry for Europe Trust, through which they have sought to serve the Lord in Eastern Europe and, more latterly, in Israel. In those 25 years and along with their partners and colleagues, they have seen the Lord's hand in great blessing and were permitted to help lead the introduction of the first Bibles/New Testaments into Macedonia, Bosnia and Armenia. The main focus of the work has always been, 'to help and encourage those working for the Lord in Europe', however, MET has also lead a number of pan-European Gospel outreaches, as well as reaching every home both in Northern Ireland and Shetland with the Gospel. Today, while continuing the above, a further new development of the work is the teaching of the uniqueness of the Word of God.