Gareth and Malou Bolton

Previous News - June 2009 to

June 2010

Our mini Scottish tour provided the right balance between exercising our vocation and enjoying a vacation (while celebrating that birthday!) In many of the meetings, people seemed to be specifically challenged about their involvement with mission, even though that was not always the main message. 

After we have spent the coming weekend in Carlisle, matters relating to AMEN will occupy the following weekend. Our charity is launching a number of initiatives including publishing an International Cookery book, funding the SIKKATT Centre in a needy part of Manila, and distributing DVDs as we launch our shoebox project for Christmas 2010.    

We aim to send 3000 shoeboxes to Roma Gypsy families in Romania at Christmas. If your church would like to join the churches already participating, please email Chris at chrischatfield@hotmail.com for further details. 

It’s exciting to see what God is doing and the doors He is opening. (www.amentrust.co.uk). We always pray that the supplies will continue to match the opportunities and needs we face.

God bless you all, Gareth ><> Malou Bolton   

May 2010

We have just returned from a missions conference in Rora House, Devon, where we greatly enjoyed sharing the platform with a challenging dynamic pioneer Australian missionary to Borneo. 

You will see from our calendar that we leave again on Friday for Romania where AMEN (www.amentrust.co.uk) was able to deliver 300 shoeboxes last Christmas to the Christian gypsy community. This year, we would like to send ten times that number! 

At HUB (Belgrade Bible School) Gareth will teach 1 and 2 Chronicles and Malachi over four days. At the end of the month, we shall start a ministry tour of Scotland when we will also have a holiday, as it includes a rather significant birthday for Gareth! 

Thanks for being our faithful friends - some of you we have known for over 40 years. God bless you all,

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton

18TH MAY UPDATE:

We spent last week in Romania and Serbia. It was a blessed and busy time and has further strengthened AMEN’s partnerships with three different ministries – Christian media in Serbia, work amongst Romanian gypsies and a pro-life programme in Romania. We are now praying for increased funding to meet the significant needs and opportunities we have (see www.amentrust.co.uk). While Gareth taught 1 & 2 Chronicles and Malachi at HUB (Belgrade Bible School), Malou introduced Children’s Funfair (EE) to those students involved in children’s work. This week entails catching up with administration matters, reading and preparation. Next Sunday, Gareth speaks on ‘Pentecost’ in Vine Evangelical Church, Sevenoaks. We then leave for a mini ‘ministry and holiday’ tour of Scotland on Wed May 26. God bless you all, 

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton (www.garethandmalou.org)  

April 2010

Memories of some meetings will stay with you the rest of your life; last Sunday was one of those. After the message entitled ‘The Cost of Following Jesus’, I made (unusually for me) an open appeal for people to come forward. Slowly they came until 15 or so were standing at the front. A number seemed quite broken and were weeping. The Logos Hope team then came to talk and pray with them and continued to do so for some time after the service had ended. As a result of that, four are today attending evangelism training on the ship. 

Later that day, the evening meeting on board with over 300 Haitians was translated into Creole. It was fun to switch periodically from English to French which the interpreter seemed to enjoy as well! One personal encouragement for us has been to see the next generation(s) picking up the baton. Over the last few weeks, I have spoken with Luis Palau’s son, George Verwer’s grandson and heard Billy Graham’s grandson preaching.

Sharing the Gospel with Filipinos in the Bahamas	El Capitano, the mascot of the MV Logos Hope

Thanks for being our friends from all around the world – we pray that you have a special Easter celebration! God bless you all,  

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton  

March 2010

It never ceases to amaze me the different places that God puts his people. A couple of weeks ago, I was speaking in a church in Essex, when I was approached by one of their members. 

In Ephesians 2:10 we read that we are God’s workmanship (the original Greek word gives us the English word ‘poem’) i.e. something beautiful, quite unique and personally designed. The verse continues, ‘created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do’. So lying ahead of you, me and every believer every day of our lives are opportunities which have been prepared for us to utilise for the glory of God. That means something unique has been arranged for us to do tomorrow.       

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton

February 2010

The highlight of the 60 lectures and meetings I spoke at during the last two weeks in Serbia has to be the times I spent with the recovering heroin addicts based at Novi Sad Christian fellowship. 

It took me back to the many occasions in the 70’s and 80’s that I visited the drug unit at the local psychiatric hospital as a voluntary social worker. Their testimonies, rapt attention and note taking as I spoke at three church meetings were all very special. With care, prayer and discipline, many have a positive future. 

On Friday, Malou spends a few days with her friend Cecilia, a Filipina, who lives in Swansea, Wales. 

On Saturday, Gareth flies to Zurich to speak on ‘Nehemiah’ with Oak Hall in Switzerland. 

Thanks for being our friends on this journey. 

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton  

January 2010

Last night we observed how the Swiss welcome the new year. From our chalet balcony, we were treated to a multitude of firework displays as each home in the valley sent fire and light into the night sky against the backdrop of the towering snow-covered Alps. The celebration made for a beautiful, exciting and unforgettable sight. As we enter into the unknown of another year, we want the communities around the world that we visit to experience the beauty and wonder of the light of the world visiting their homes and lives. 

‘You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in Heaven’. Matthew 5:13, 16

We wish all of you who receive and read this update God’s blessing for 2010. Happy New Year everyone!

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton  

December 2009

The Men’s Day Conference held in St Ives, Cornwall saw a number stand to make a fresh commitment at the close of the three sessions. God gave grace as we were still somewhat jetlagged after our return from India less than 48 hours earlier. 

Last Monday, the missions course we spoke at in Bognor Regis Baptist church had already seen three leave for the field. We would love to see other churches offering something similar – the potential is great. 

This year has seen a growth spurt in AMEN with the adoption of new projects and partnerships. With the need to see a significant rise in gifts in 2010, we also need to make some important decisions regarding the future. You can see below some of the 100s of shoeboxes AMEN has sent this Christmas to gypsy families in Romania.

We wish all of you who receive and read this update a very happy Christmas, a blessed New Year and a fresh experience of the grace of God sent to us from Heaven and laid in a manger in Bethlehem.      

November 2009

The trip with the 50+ Brits visiting the seven churches of Revelation in Turkey went extremely well. One evening, we arranged for a couple of veteran ex-pat church workers to speak to us in a hotel room. Having just heard of the relative scarcity of churches, we were amazed to find a newly established church only 300 metres away which most of us attended on the Sunday morning and which provided lunch for us all. On the return flight from Istanbul, we had a long conversation with a zealous JW. It concluded with him saying, ‘I will think carefully about what you have said’.

Miscellaneous:  

• I have started converting thousands of slides to digital format – below is an early result from April 1977. 

• In Cornwall on Nov 21, Gareth will speak at a men’s day: ‘HOLINESS – Being a Man of God in the 21^st century’ 

• Pray for the our India visit, including the AMEN retreat in Goa and for wisdom as we put together our 2010 diary 

Thanks for your support and interest. God bless you all, 

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton

October 2009

Moving from one standard of living to a very different one can be quite traumatic and lead to a condition called ‘culture shock’. From the grinding poverty of the slums and squatter camps surrounding Manila to the unashamed profligate atmosphere of Macau’s 24/7 casinos, the photos below give you a flavour of what we have recently experienced.

Earlier, the 11 Brits who embraced life well among the poor in the Philippines, left us feeling very proud of them. After they had gone home, we continued with a few days teaching in Macau plus a day retreat with the staff of OM Hong Kong. The responses made it so worthwhile, especially when you hear that someone’s outlook and understanding has changed now that they have a Biblical perspective on their situation. 

A few minutes ago, I finished reading ‘The Shack’. I am surprised and encouraged that a novel that deals well with the difficult subjects of ‘suffering’ and ‘Trinity’ has sold so many copies so widely.

LATE NEWS  Due to the serious effects of the flooding here in Manila, our charity AMEN is being asked to help our partners. Find out more and please make a donation NOW at www.amentrust.co.uk

Many thanks for your partnership and encouragement. God bless you all, Gareth ><> Malou

September 2009

Earlier this week we returned grateful, but rather tired, after an overnight bus trip from France. We had also slept intermittently the previous night as the temperature outside our tents had fallen to 9 degrees! However, the sight at the final meeting of a number standing to signify various decisions they had made was very humbling. 

One guy came to Gareth in tears and said he had recommitted his life after four years on the run from God. He knew a number of things in his life had to change and was now very determined to do exactly that when he returned home.

By the time many of you read this, we will have just attended a two day AMEN Trustees meeting in Worthing. Since AMEN is becoming involved in an increasing number of projects in the developing world, we need wisdom as to how best to make some structural and administrative changes. 

On Friday, we fly to the Philippines to lead a dozen folk in a two week missions trip working with street children in Cebu (OM) and amongst the urban poor in Manila (MMP/AMEN). Encouragingly, some of those coming with us this year also came last year. On Sunday, Gareth will speak in two churches in Cebu.

With our appreciation for your prayers and support

Gareth and Malou

August 2009

I am writing this on a hot afternoon in a Spanish market place not far from where I am speaking in the principality of Andorra. Our recent nine day AMEN visit to three projects in India and Pakistan was significant and the only opposition we experienced came one evening in the form of a relentless bombardment of insects combined with the high summer temperatures. However, it was a small sacrifice to pay when, at the close of that meeting, a number of nominal Christians professed faith in Jesus. 

The blessing of being upgraded to Business Class	After 8 flights a bed is very welcome!

In a week’s time, we fly to a Christian run hotel in Switzerland where Gareth will be speaking daily on the subject, ‘How to make a difference in the world’; a team will be simultaneously running a children’s programme. Just a few miscellaneous matters:

1.      Over 20 recorded messages for you to listen to and/or download have recently been added to this  website. Click here to see the collection.

2.      There is still room for you to join us on our mission trip next month with Oak Hall to the Philippines from Sept 4-18 but be quick! http://www.oakhall.co.uk/pages/summer09philippinesatom.asp

With our appreciation for your prayers and support

Gareth and Malou

www.garethandmalou.org (Personal Information); 

www.amentrust.co.uk    (AMEN Charity)

July 2009

The mixture of visiting friends, taking meetings (c. 20) and seeing the sights, seems to have worked out quite well and we will certainly return from this trip awed by the stunning New Zealand scenery, especially in the South Island. 

Scenery in NZ	First Church

While secularism has made major inroads into society here (affecting everything from politics to education), it is interesting to note the significant part missionaries played in the signing of the crucial Waitangi treaty between the Maoris and the then colonial British government; in many ways this was the birth of today’s New Zealand. While visiting that site this afternoon, we thanked God for the many who have since gone from these islands to the nations with the gospel. Thanks too for your partnership with us in the work we are doing. 

Warm regards, 

Gareth ><> Malou

June 2009

Originally named Formosa by the Portuguese (meaning ‘beautiful’), this island has a smaller percentage of believers than her much larger neighbour, China, a nation with which she continues to experience a very unsettled relationship. Some Taiwanese seem to have heard little or nothing of Jesus, so it was a great privilege to speak to about 2300 people at the International Night in the port of Hualien. A local Baptist church had prepared all the follow-up materials and provided all the counsellors. Before the conclusion of the event, I led in a prayer of commitment. Afterwards, I could not get near the counselling tables for the crowds who were there, some filling in forms, some talking and some praying. A few days earlier, Malou had spoken at the Foreign Brides conference. This was for those women from various Asian nations who had married local Taiwanese men. It proved to be an appropriate word and was well received. Meanwhile, twice a week at morning devotions, under the general heading of ‘An Introduction to Christian Ethics’, subjects as varied as abortion, capital punishment, same sex  relationships and the 10 commandments sometimes resulted in a lot of discussion later in the work place.

Before returning to the UK, we visited the northern Philippine island of Batanes where Malou had been raised and educated. Getting there is always a challenge because of the weather, the few flights and the high price of the tickets. The only other plane operated by the small airline we took had crashed a few weeks earlier with the loss of both pilots and all passengers. Our prayer lives certainly took on an added dimension before and during our flights! Nonetheless we had a great time on the island, eating lobsters, drinking coconut milk as well as swimming daily and fishing. On the Sunday we both shared in the Baptist church which regularly prays for us.

                Three of Malou’s 10 brothers and                                         Still crazy after all these years!

               sisters and a few of her 18+ nieces                                           (that is Gareth, not Malou!!!)

                                   and nephews!   

We fly to New Zealand next Tuesday for 3½ weeks of ministry and visitation and to see something of the country. It will be the middle of winter and a first visit for both of us, making it Gareth’s 108^th and Malou’s 86^nd country. Since we need to redeem some expiring Skywards miles with Emirates airline, the flights are only costing us £61 each. Click here for more details of the upcoming NZ visit. We greatly appreciate your friendship and your interest in our work, God bless you, 

Gareth ><> Malou Bolton (