The monthly prayer meetings at a Dereham care home organized by the local branch of Overseas Missionary Fellowship International (UK) have been growing in attendance. The meetings take place at Eckling Grange, a Christian residential care home and sheltered accommodation complex on the edge of Dereham, Norfolk. Retired OMF missionary Janet Barrow organizes the meetings, which have grown in size from 5 to around 12 regular attendees, with up to 18 on occasions. The purpose of these meetings is to provide prayer support and encouragement for missionaries around the world.
Janet Barrow, who has experienced the support of the prayer group herself during her time as a missionary in the Philippines, emphasizes the importance of prayer in the lives of missionaries. The group has been supporting missionaries for over 30 years, including a family in North Thailand and another family currently living at Eckling Grange who had been working in a Creative Access Nation. The group also welcomed a new young missionary preparing to go to Japan last August, allowing them to share in the excitement, calling, and challenges of her upcoming mission.
In November, the group had a special visit from Tim Jenkins of OMF East Region UK, who shared highlights of his recent trip to South-East Asia, specifically the border between Thailand and Myanmar. These meetings provide an opportunity for residents of Eckling Grange to hear updates, pray together, and enjoy fellowship. The group receives regular updates from their link missionaries, allowing them to share in the joys and sorrows of their daily lives in different cultures. Despite their own limitations in traveling, the residents see prayer as a vital way to support and be part of God’s plan for sharing His love in South-East Asia.
If you are interested in finding out more about OMF prayer groups in your area, you can email Tim Jenkins. The group’s dedication to supporting missionaries through prayer and fellowship continues to grow, providing a valuable source of encouragement for those on the front line of overseas mission work.
