We continue to have a very encouraging response to the Jabez website. As well as much appreciated compliments about the site itself, we receive a steady flow of messages from countries around the globe - including Liberia, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Burundi, Togo, Ivory Coast, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Korea, Israel and Kuwait!

There is clearly a very real need for the work Jabez is engaged in. In order to expand and hopefully meet some of this need, fundraising and promotion of our work are now a priority - requiring real wisdom, sensitivity and perseverance.

We thank God for the encouragement of continuing to receive so many messages, indicating the real need for work like that of Jabez.

Please pray for the continued growth of the work of Jabez. Please pray for wisdom for the Trustees as they consider prayerfully plans for future developments.

Please pray for fundraising and promotion activities, that by God's grace resources would become available to establish more projects - to benefit more individuals and communities.

Our work in Eastern Europe is centred in Romania. Jabez currently supports 8 students at universities right across the country – in most of the major cities.

As well as providing regular financial support, we are committed to supporting students in prayer. We also aim to visit Romania at least twice a year; we spend time both with the students individually or in small groups in their various home situations, and also arrange retreats where they can meet together for a time of fellowship, study and relaxation too!

The work in Romania continues to be the primary focus for Jabez. Since the work started in 1999 we have been very encouraged to see the growth and development of our students and graduates, and it is a real privilege to be able to be part of that process.

The death of our primary Romanian contact - Maria - in August 2005 left a significant hole, not least for her husband Emil. He and the family are going on well, and we have made alternative arrangements for the admin of the work of Jabez that seem to be working OK.

We are currently considering a combined student and graduate event for the spring, which would be a good opportunity for all those who have ever been involved with Jabez in Romania to get together for a shared time of teaching, fellowship and relaxation!

·We continue to pray for the Bartos family following Maria's tragic death. We pray that they would know God's love and comfort through the difficult times ahead.

·We pray that God would continue to lead and provide for His work in Romania, that we would be open and responsive to His direction.

·We thank God for the encouragements we have had since 1999 - particularly in the growth and development of our Jabez students. We pray for their continued faithful and obedient service, that their lives would continue to reflect God's love.

·We pray for the planning for a possible event next spring, that the way forward would be clear and that the outcome would be a further encouragement for all those involved.

We are currently exploring several possible projects in southern Africa. An exploratory visit provided some very encouraging leads and some good contacts were made. We are in the process of evaluating the opportunities prayerfully, and hope to get a Jabez project underway in the region in the future.

We are maintaining contact with possible partners, and trying to strike a balance between raising expectations and appearing uninterested! We are being made aware of new projects quite frequently – an encouraging indication of the need, and motivator for us to keep going!

·Please pray that we would know something of God’s wisdom and discernment as we try to assess possible work for Jabez to undertake in Africa – where there are so many needs.

·Relationships with partners are particularly important to us, and we pray that links would strengthen and that we would work really effectively together.

It is our intention to consider Jabez projects in South America at some point in the future. We already have some strong links with organisations working in the region which we intend to build on, as well as exploring new possibilities.

In light of existing commitments in Romania, and a decision to prioritise Africa as the next region for Jabez to explore working in, there is no news in relation to South America at present.

·Please pray that we would know when and how to pursue partnerships and projects in South America, trusting in God’s leading and provision.