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Please visit this page regularly to get the latest news about events at Bradfield and Rougham Baptist Church.
News sheets in PDF format 
(Click picture below to view.)
 01-Aug-2010 |
 08-Aug-2010 |
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 22-Aug-2010 |
 29-Aug-2010 |
 05-Sep-2010 |
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James reports from Capernwray Bible School
We all hit the ground running at Capernwray Bible School. The work has really got going I am learning lots. The teaching is very practical and I am looking forward to getting out and putting it into practice. I thank God for your prayers and all your support, without your willing hearts, in this area, things might have been different for me. I am looking forward to more learning and refining over the coming months, not the easiest thing in the world but by far the most beneficial. As a church I have even pleaded for you, that you would be outward looking and continuing to reach into the community to build bridges to those who don’t know Him. We could spend our whole lives with our heads in books looking for answers and not find them., instead, look beyond the church car park and see a dying nation….find God in the heart of the broken. Love others as He loves you, what person could deny this joy in your life? I am sure
life will continue as busily as it has done so I will do my best to keep blogs and people up to date. Blessings and thanks.
Phil recreates the BRBC stained-glass window design on canvas
We all know that Phil Eley is a bit of a whizz when it comes to car mechanics - but now he has revealed a hidden artistic talent.
Phil has reproduced the design and texts from our stained-glass windows on canvas using car spray paints. Brilliant stuff!
The painting will be displayed at BRBC for all to enjoy - so be sure to look out for it.
James Martin travels to Brazil to share his love for Jesus - and his soccer skills
James reflects on his recent visit to Brazil; "It was strange packing everything up, to me it felt like I had only just got there and was settling in as well as getting to know everyone. I looked around the room for a moment before I took my suitcases downstairs, this had been home for 3 months after all... and a lot had happened in those three months. The journey for 2008 was coming to an end, and out of the blue I found myself leaving Brazil, something I have never thought possible 5 months previously. God had taken me on another journey to yet another corner of the planet. As I sat on my bed for the last time, daydreaming like I normally do, I thought about all the people I had met over the three months and how much they all had changed me and had been an influence in my life. I had met hundreds maybe even thousands of people from all different backgrounds and places in Brazil, each of them have changed me for the better.
It seems as if God is taking me on this crazy journey to the places He wants, and each time I go and return with the same thoughts. Before I left for Brasil my aim was to impact lives for the sake of Jesus Christ, and expecting myself to do most of the impacting. However, when I returned I found that I had been changed so much more by the brasilian people than I could ever hope to impact others. This was the same case for my trips to the USA and Africa. It's just more proof for me that God just isn't finished, there is so much more to learn. (Phillipians 1:6). I have always thought myself capable of jumping into any ministry in any country, especially England, but after a self-pride check things change.
Training is vital from many sources, many people have given me that advice. Like Paul says in Phillipians, God will never stop training me, be it through expriences in other cultures or even a future Bible course. I think it's amazing how He works so clearly. So now I look at Brasil as my 3month course on God himself and I have learnt loads from it.
I made it to the bus, emotional but in one piece. I said my goodbyes, at least for a little while and boarded my bus to Sao Paulo. I made sure to give Wanina, Vanio, Ruani, Krhisty and Kiko the biggest hugs as they now call themselves my Brazilian family, as do I. Two hours later I was navigating Jabaquara bus station for the second time but now with suitcases. I was met by Gui and stayed at his house for the night. The next morning we got up and spent another day in the slums. After tea we went to the airport and somehow I made it onto my plane. The flights home went well, I slept and had a MacDonalds breakfast in Madrid followed by lunch in London. I was pleased to be home but horrified at the temperatures outside."
Remember that you can read James' blog here: http://jamesymartin87.blogspot.com.
Rachel Andrews in Bangladesh with the ORBIS charity
Rachel tells us about her recent visit; "On the 18th of April I was privileged to be able to return to Bangladesh with the charity ORBIS to continue some further teaching on paediatric ophthalmic surgery. I had accompanied two colleagues from the West Suffolk Hospital ,Mr Anthony Vivian (Consultant Surgeon) and Mr Stuart McGill (Orthoptist) to Bangladesh in 2006 to start a programme of training for the doctors and nurses in Moulvibazar Eye Hospital, north east Bangaldesh. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries on earth and over one million people are blind. Our programme involved a week of working with them in the clinic and operating theatre and teaching them how to diagnose and then operate on children who needed squint surgery."
"The first visit had been very successful and in the interim 2 years they were progressing well. Within their limited resources they were operating on and treating children who had serious eye problems. The need for treatment when a child has a squint manifests itself in two ways, one, the sight in the squinting eye can often be saved if operated on in early years, and two, their development is delayed, they are usually denied an education, marriage and social status. Our second visit was to take them another step further in the complexity of this surgery and for me to train the nurses in best practice for the nursing of children on the ward and in the anaesthetic room."
"One of the main areas of concern was the lack of parent involvement which in itself creates anxiety for child and parent alike. We are very aware when doing a work like this that we are not trying to change a culture or work outside its limited resources but we can sometimes show them a better way and one which does not always involve finance! Perhaps the best illustration I can give of this is to see the smile of a mother and child together in the anaesthetic room awaiting surgery when previously the child would have been there alone and petrified and the mother left on the ward in tears. This is best practice as everyone involved benefits! We were able to perform 35 teaching operations which when working in temperatures of 40 degrees C, and an air conditioning which sometimes fails, is no mean feat! Well done Mr Vivian!"
"Since our return, I am keeping in close contact with the nurses via email and hope we will remain colleagues for years to come, we have become dear friends! The week went far too quickly and there is still a lot that could be done to further their aim of becoming a hospital of excellence in this field of surgery. Financially the program by ORBIS is now finished in this hospital although they would always be there in a support capacity. Personally I would love to be able to return in the not so distant future to give additional help to Priyota, the paediatric nurse, it would however have to be under my own auspice, and we have to see whether that is possible! I will certainly try!!
A big thank you again to all those people who donated money. We raised over £1000 and the money went towards instruments left for the surgeons, medical books and posters to cheer up the childrens ward."
James Martin at the US Christian Soccer Coaching Academy
You can keep up to date with James' latest US adventures on his blog which can be found here: http://jamesymartin87.blogspot.com. A recent entry reads: "Ben and I had our first game for the Cincinnati Vandals at the weekend. It was hard work and my legs are still bad. I'm very frustrated as I was no where near fit enough and now my legs are bad I can't work on my fitness until they recover. I hope they are better for the next game! We were able to watch Man Utd live today which was great, I feel starved of good ol' English football!". Remember James in your prayers - for his well-being and for his witness while coaching.
The African Prisons Project & the Freedom Cry CD
Prisoners in Africa are kept in the most appalling conditions; many are ill with AIDS and TB, diseases prevail due to malnutrition and a lack of hygiene. The African Prisons Project (APP) has been setup to promote education and health in African prisons through the construction of libraries and the renovation of medical facilities. APP aims to offer hope and compassion to people who have been marginalised and abandoned by much of society.
The condemned prisoners find expression by organising themselves into choirs - voices which are rarely heard outside the prison yards. In December 2007 a team from the UK visited Uganda to record the death row choirs at the Lusira prisons complex in Kampala. The resulting 'Freedom Cry' CD contains 13 tracks of inspirational African music; listen to one of the tracks: 
A Song of Freedom.
The limited edition 'Freedom Cry' CD is now on sale for just £10 with proceeds going to APP. If you would like to support the work of the Afican Prisons Project by purchasing the 'Freedom Cry' CD, then please send an email with your contact details and quantity required to: .