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Chaplaincy for the Beijing Olympics & Paralympics
 Please pray for my Chaplaincy application for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics in August/September 2008.
Two months ago I received the very detailed official application form a few weeks ago and lodged it with the Australian committee for the Beijing Games. It will be screened with many others and a short list be sent to the Chinese Olympic Committee min Beijing. There will probably be thousands of applicants and only about 70 will be accepted. Please stand with me and pray for these issues
Athens Olympic Village.
That my application will be accepted with favour.
- That they will place me in a strategic venue in the Olympic Village and the Stadiums to be able to reach and counsel the athletes, officials and volunteers
- That accommodation will be secure and adequate for the 8 weeks (not like Athens where I had three different changes and ended up paying about $3,500 extra)
- That the funds will be available for the flights, accommodation (the Games don't provide this. It's a voluntary position), and food.
- That God will already be preparing the hearts and attitudes of the athletes He will enable me to reach right across the full spectrum of nations at the Games.
- That I will be prepared and discreet in my counselling as well as alert to witness for Christ and bring many to Jesus.
- That I will stay within the law prevailing at the Games (in a Communist nation), and not get anyone into trouble. That's always a concern, but if the athletes indicate they want help for a spiritual need then I can proceed with an approach to bring them to Jesus.
- That God will help me to keep healthy and strong for this strenuous venture.
- And also for the finances to come in during those 8 weeks (of absence from preaching ministry) to support the 35 orphanages we help, and to live and pay the regular ministry bills.
It looks like I've passed that screening, and now it goes through to Beijing itself. Here's the email I received last night.
I'd really appreciate your prayers for this vital matter. I don't take these issues for granted. It's a battlefield for the lives and souls of men and women, who if won to Christ, will have a huge platform from which to share the gospel to millions whom we personally may never reach.
Chernobyl Orphans Camps - Urgent Need
 Please would you pray with us for the Chernobyl Orphans Camps this year? As you know we hold two of these camps each year in July in Latvia, for 230 orphans who have been affected by the radiation of that notorious area. We've done this for the last six years with twelve different orphanages. All the children come to the Lord and so many healings have taken place where these children have tumours caused by the radiation. My manager in Latvia and the bishop of the region have written to me to say they are about $20,000 short on the budget this year, for these two camps.
The expenses involve:
*Costs of the busses from southern Belarus/ northern Ukraine to Latvia,
*Costs of the camp site, food, medical treatment for the severely damaged children,
*Excursions each afternoon to the beach or country theme parks,
*Educational toys for each child,
*Bibles in their language
Chernobyl Orphans coming to the Lord = works out to $100 for each child.
Work Related Courses for the older Orphans
The needs of the orphanages in Eastern Europe are huge as they have just come through a very severe winter. Now we start the older orphans on work related courses to prepare them for leaving the orphanages and making their own way in life - such as driving courses, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, plasterers, chefs, hairdressers and florists courses. Please stand with us to help these youngsters get a good start in their work vocations.
God bless you for your faithful prayers. We appreciate you very much.
Love and blessings,
Dave & Margurita Smethurst,
20 July 2007
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