Mission Outreach

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"Dr Rhiannon Lloyd is a former doctor of medicine and psychiatry. Since 1985, beginning with a time of training with Youth with a Mission , she has been in full-time Christian work, ministering extensively in cross cultural situations. Since 1994, she has pioneered a reconciliation ministry in Rwanda, working with African Enterprise. She has also been running reconciliation workshops in South Africa since 1996. Teams are now beginning to go out from Rwanda to take the message of healing and reconciliation to other nations. More recently she has also run workshops in Ivory Coast and D.R. Congo. Before starting the work in Rwanda she spent many years teaching on courses for Christian workers and counselling people with deep emotional wounds.

Although living in Wales, Dr Rhiannon Lloyd's ministry is based at Mercy Ministries in Le Rucher, Geneva ."

Previous newsletters here

RHIANNON’S PRAYER UPDATE 14-4-08

(Important Notice)

If you wish to respond to Rhiannon, please see contact information below.

Thank you

12 Caroline Rd, Llandudno LL30 2TY Tel 01492 875132

personal email : rhiannonlloyd@lerucher.org

Dear friends,

Greetings from cold North Wales, where the snow on the hills is still lingering!

Thank you so much for accompanying me in prayer once again. We experienced many spiritual battles, but so many answers to prayer on this trip. Brace yourself for a long but very encouraging report….

Rwanda

The first thing I did on arrival in Kigali was to pass on your gift to some earthquake victims, who were immensely grateful for your support. I will write a separate report for those who contributed. The first week AEE and Le Rucher ministries held a joint forum for reconciliation agents from all over Rwanda. It's always so good to meet up with our old friends again, and this time it was encouraging to have some new groups of young people with us. It was a good time hearing from each other, encouraging one another and receiving some more input. Some of them are very active, achieving great results. Theobald from Cyangugu said that the local government are saying that if they have problems that are too hard, they call for him - ‘the man with the cross'. Many are working in schools, setting up healing and reconciliation clubs. It's the same theme coming from every region, of people repenting and others forgiving. Of course the needs in the nation are still huge and there is much work to be done. We ended with a great time of affirmation between young and old, and between men and women. I also took the opportunity to affirm them as Africans and specifically as reconciliation agents.

The second week, Christian from Le Rucher, Geneva, came to teach a seminar on debriefing. The week ended up being a group debriefing session where everyone had time to process their difficulties and sorrows with one another and with Jesus. The response was very enthusiastic, and they want him back! One session which had many of us in tears was an impromptu role play of Jesus bringing the believer into the arms of the Father. Some friends from Congo and Burundi came to join us for this week, making for more reconciliation in the Great Lakes region. While at this seminar we heard that Pastor Baraka was critically ill in hospital in Congo. (We learned later that he had been poisoned. After much prayer he is slowly recovering.)

The third week was filled mostly with time on the book with Joseph and Anastase. This went well – thank you for your prayers. We got a lot done, but had to spend some time looking at cultural differences in the way we present things. It's a challenge, but will end up being a more enriching book. We still have a lot to do and will have to continue working by email or, hopefully, by Skype.

Congo

Cathy almost wasn't able to join me because of being snowed up in Geneva and Amsterdam, but God answered prayer and got her on other flights against all odds, so that she and her luggage arrived in Entebbe just in time to fly out to the Congo with me. The first week was a staff development week in Nyankunde with our regional teams. After an initial spiritual battle which seriously threatened our programme, we had a wonderful week. Again we heard feedback of how the ministry has led to countless changed lives. There common themes like –tribes now free to visit each other, chiefs are recognising the value of the workshops, pastors are now using the workshop teachings in their sermons, etc. Cathy and I shared the week's teaching. Here is some of the feedback at the end of that week:

“This has increased my hunger to do God's will.”

“Before I came, I felt God was a dictator. Now I know He's my friend.”

“This week has been a deliverance for me and a beginning of a new journey of joy and rest.”

“Now I understand why Peter said, ‘Let's build tents here!' It has given me a lot of resources to help me work with people, and to see God as a faithful friend. I'm working hand in hand with Him!”

On Friday 28 th we had a training day with 200 militia who had repented after attending the workshops. Many more militia have repented, but these were chosen because they are now actively involved in churches and have already joined intercession groups. In the morning I taught on God's weapon of love. It became very clear that there can be no lasting change in Ituri unless family life is healed. When we enquired, not one of these ex-militia had grown up feeling loved. As we explored God's Father heart and His ideal plan for family relationships, many were deeply touched. We had a ministry time to receive God's love and then to express it to one another. In the afternoon a Congolese brother taught on the effect on a nation of shedding innocent blood and of rape. Following this, they spent the whole night crying out to God for mercy, asking Him to cleanse and sanctify the land.

The next day, we all marched through Bunia waving Jesus flags, the ex-militia singing and dancing as we went. We ended in a public place where the ex-militia sang songs they had written. One song described how they were the ones who had troubled the region by killing, raping, and looting, but now they had found a great Saviour. Now they wished to be ambassadors of peace. Several of them testified of their involvement in the war, relying on the power of sorcery, but how Jesus had set them completely free. What an amazing privilege it was to be there! The teams will follow them up and seek to disciple them further. Hopefully in a couple of months I will have my own blog on our website and can show you pictures.

The final week was spent in a retreat for the 6 core leaders with their wives. Again it was real battle. Jean Marc's little 2 year-old son had been diagnosed with spinal TB which had already destroyed 2 vertebrae. He was suffering constantly and crying all the time so that they couldn't join us. After prayer he settled and they came. The deformity in his back is now improving, but he is not able to walk and needs a miracle. Creating new vertebrae is no problem to the One who created the universe.

The morning we were leaving for a 2+ hour journey into the mountains, Daniel's youngest daughter was very ill with malaria. She had been vomiting all night and had a fever of 40'. It was clear that they would have to take her to the hospital for intravenous treatment. The team gathered around her and prayed, and God instantly healed her.

The core team retreat turned out to be a very precious time with God ministering deeply into their lives. It's wonderful to see these marriages blossoming. They are also convinced that the next step in the ministry is healing families.

Please keep praying for the teams in Rwanda and Congo as they seek to pioneer changes in their nations and in the region as a whole.

We have been asked to consider ministering in Kenya , and possibilities are being investigated. Please pray for God's clear guidance in this. We have no interest in doing anything that is not His leading. Trinidad is not going to materialise and needs to be laid down, but there may be possibilities in Jamaica next year.

So now I'm home for a little while, and have lots more work to do on the book. On April 23 rd , the children's choir from South Africa who recorded the album ‘Heal Africa' will be performing at Antioch church, Colwyn Bay, at 7pm. Dave Bankhead who made the albums will be with us too, as well as Dave & Liz Pass from South Africa. They will also visit schools in the area. Pleas pray that their visit will be a challenge and blessing to many. At the end of the month I take Gwenda on holiday to CenterParcs in Cumbria. In June I'm travelling again but will contact you before then.

Much love to you all,

rhiannon's signature

Main points for prayer:

1) Praise to God for all His faithfulness and answered prayers during the last trip

2) For the ex-militia to be rooted and grounded in God's love and make a huge impact on their communities

3) For little Moses to experience total healing

4) For the ongoing ministry of the teams in Rwanda, Congo, South Africa

5) God's ongoing grace for the team in Le Rucher

6) For the visit of the South African children's choir to Colwyn Bay on April 22-24

7) For Gwenda's holiday April 28-May 2

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Le Rucher Ministries
CP 442
1215 Geneva 15
Switzerland
Tel: +33.450.28.33.79
Fax: +33.450.28.33.85
email: reconciliation@lerucher.org
website: www.lerucher.org