Miriam Ford, InterAction Worker – Brussels

June Newsletter
Avenue de la Couronne, 162, 1050 – Ixelles, Brussels, BELGIUM +32 470 579270
miriamford@hotmail.co.uk +44 7738 356096

Can you believe there are little more than two weeks left in Belgium now? The time has flown by
like no other year of my life and I’m having to make the most of the waffles while I still can!!  Here’s
a summary of what we’ve been up to with the GBU this past month, and how you can pray for
us/me/them over the next month.

The group at Woluwe finished meeting around the

Last meeting at Woluwe: Liza, Clairy, Grace-An,
Stéphanie
beginning of May. Seeing as the university there is mainly
medicine students, their blocus starts early and they have to
be very focussed on their exams. Please pray for them to
work for the glory of God in their exams, but that revision
wouldn’t become an idol for them and that seeking God
would still be their number one priority.
Please also pray for them when they return in September, as
they’re hoping to distribute GBU flyers on campus in an
effort to seek out other Christians on campus, especially first
years.

Last meeting at GBU Central: Medhi, Mickaël,

GBU Central finished a couple of weeks ago Alex, Ed; Me, Lucy, Annie, Hannah & Leena.
now, we managed to get to the end of
Colossians and most weeks had 7 or 8 people
there. (Apart from the week I was already
panicking about leading the study about “filling
up what is lacking Christ’s afflictions” when 12
people turned up!)
These last few weeks have really served to
encourage us all in the truth of Paul’s message
to the Colossians that ‘Christ est tout!’ – ‘Christ
is everything!’
Please continue to pray for the non-Christians ULB has just finished now too and I led a study
who have been/are in contact with this group there for the first time part way through May which
and have heard the Gospel this year. And also was both a joy and a privilege.  Please pray for the
for those Christian students who are actually continuation of this group as they are not allowed to
studying at the Bible Institute in preparation for meet on campus or display/give out any literature
ministry. Please thank God and pray especially there. They have been meeting in Tim and Emily’s
for Alex, one of the group’s leaders, who will be front room for the past three years which won’t be
moving into his second year at IBB in possible next year. Also please pray that in
September more students would come/return, and
September, and hopes in the future to be
be committed to the group. Numbers dropped this
involved in some sort of ministry (church, year from usually being around 15 before Christmas,
student?) in Belgium.  to about 4 or 5 since.
Personally, I guess it’s all just a bit overwhelming that I’m
leaving, for good. I’ve been really touched by the things people
have done and are doing, to say goodbye.
-I’ve said my last goodbye to Agatha who I’ve been studying
Philippians with since February, after our last study last week.
-The end of year staff meeting we had was encouraging as we
looked at the IFES ‘living stones’ vision together, of doubling
the number of students involved in IFES movements worldwide
by 2025, for the glory of God. It was also encouraging to Barbeque with the young people’s group
remember that the work here will continue, even though from church.
myself, and Tim and Emily are leaving. It’s humbling to know
that God doesn’t need us to do His work.
-I will soon be heading off to the InterAction Debriefing
conference (or as we like to call it: dis-orientation), which will
take place in Gersfeld, Germany from 13th-18th June. I’m really
looking forward to this time of sharing and reflecting on what
God has been doing and teaching us over this past year. All of
the InterAction teams from around Europe will be there and
I’m sure it will be a great time of teaching and encouragement!
-I’ve also had an interview for a teaching job this summer
which would be just PERFECT and would really appreciate your One of many highlights: visiting friend
prayers about that. Hannah’s home and family in Tournai.

Upcoming Events:
Please pray:
Sun 13th – Fri 18th June: Debriefing
 For students during exams and over the summer, that
they would keep their eyes firmly fixed on Jesus. Conference in Germany.
 For GBU staff over the summer as they prepare for the
Sat 19th June: Goodbye ‘do’ (going
new academic year.
 For IFES InterAction teams from around Europe as we to a high ropes course) with
gather in Germany; for safe travel and a great time of Groupe de Jeunes from church.
teaching, worship and encouragement together.
 For Tim and Emily as they prepare to move back to Sun 20th June: Last Sunday at
England mid-July, to work with International students in church
Birmingham. For a smooth transition and for the boys to
settle in quickly. Mon 21st June: Last IFES team
 For Lucy, that she would be able to sort out meeting
accommodation for next year before heading back to the
UK for the summer. She will be staying in Belgium next Weds 23rd June: Heading Home!
year and studying full-time at the Bible Institute, but
continuing to work with the GBU for the placement part of
her course, with a view to working with the GBU again full
time in 2011, (hopefully with a new IFES team). WORD OF THE MONTH
La Berme Central – car parking bays in
the middle of a road.

This is my penultimate prayer letter, I’m hoping to send one more in July when I’m back home, but let me say
again now thank you so much for all of your prayers and support and encouragement this past year. And even
though this is the end of the academic year, please keep on keeping in touch over the summer!
Love
Miriam xx www.ifesworld.org www.gbu.be http://miriam-ford.blogspot.com

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious
about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7