Pastor Chris Williams Speaks to 2.22

On February 26 of this year, the 222 group had the privilege of meeting together and praying for our brother Chris Williams, the chairman of Grace to India and pastor of Disciples Community Church. Chris was our speaker for this year's mission conference, we received a huge blessing by having Mr. Williams in one of our student's homes, praying over him for specific situations and people in his life back in India and how we as a group can support him in any way we can.

We want to continue to pray for our brother as he travels to Myanmar and to Thailand as he visits local churches to encourage and to train pastors.

For the Retired Military Police group in Thailand, as Chris has seen men come to Christ and has seen many of them bear fruit, pray that God would continue to be glorified through these men.

We also would like to pray for Vichalle, a young man in Chris's life who just recently has received assurance of his Salvation, there are many ways that Vichalle can be and wants to be used in India, pray that he would continue to grow in the Grace and knowledge of our God and that God would use Him mightily.

Also for Chris's son, Stephen who we believe is about to graduate from seminary, pray for wisdom and guidance that it would be made clear to Him as to where God wants him to be now that he has completed his studies. For Chris's family, as they miss him very much as he travels, that God would comfort and strengthen His wife during this time.

Pray for a school group in India that Chris is involved in. Children are abandoned by their parents and brought to this school. They are raised there and the Word is taught, but recently Chris has seen that when children are grown up and move on that no fruit is seen and they then become part of the world and neglect what they have been taught. Please pray that the children would be doers of the word as they move out.

If you'd like to contact Chris Williams and send him your encouragement, you can E-mail him at
chriswilliams AT vsnl DOT com.

Thank you all for welcoming him this year.

-This report submitted by Chris Kay.

New BCLR Blog for Missionary Prayer Requests

Pat Howell has recently launched a new blog to assist us in praying for the missionaries of the Bible Church. You can keep abreast of the current praises & needs of our own missionaries now at www.bclr1530.blogspot.com.

A Word From LaJuana Magee of IFO

"My life has undergone tremendous change after finding IFO.
I have been touched by the faith of those involved".
Aloke from India

"Yes, I believe in miracles because now I know there is a God".
Wei from China

The quotes above are just two of the lives that have been touched/changed by the love of God demonstrated through his people.

What a wonderful privilege we have to serve the Lord in such a way. IFO serves to enlarge His kingdom and His righteousness in the lives of internationals who come, year by year, to live and study in Central Arkansas. Most of the hundreds of internationals that come, have never heard the message of the gospel. Most have never stopped to think about eternity. Over half of the internationals that study in Central Arkansas are from restricted or closed countries. Last year God allowed us to see many hearts become open to His love and grace and several place their faith in Him.

As I have been picking up the new internationals from the airport, I wonder which hearts and lives will change during their time with us. Knowing that is the work of God, brings great comfort. Knowing that He has placed them in our paths to love, serve and tell, challenges me. I hope that it does the same with you. We are expecting around 120 new internationals at UALR and 100 new internationals at UCA. We do not know how many new ones are at UAMS. There are hundreds! Central Arkansas has become a mission field in itself. You can be a missionary right here where you live.

Would you pray about how God will use you this year in the life/lives of internationals?

Here are some ways to serve:

1. Become an American Friendship Partner: Plain and simple - be a friend! We ask that you spend a couple of times a month with your friend. Contact them once a week; e-mail is fine. Let them be apart of your life.

2. Come to Conversation Club: A “once a week for six weeks” commitment beginning the later part of September. We have Conversation Club during the lunch hour at UAMS, on Monday evenings at UALR, and Thursday evenings at UCA. You don't have to commit to all campuses. If you are interested, choose one campus.

3. Special Events: We have several throughout the year. Sign up with IFO to get info messages about our special events. Come and make a friend.

4. Hospitality: As internationals come into a new cultural environment, adjusting can be hard. Helping them get settled is a demonstration of God's love and care for them. Sometimes they ask, "Why do these Americans do these things for me".

5. Holiday Hospitality: Invite a international to spend a holiday with you and your family.

These are just a few ways that you can serve with us.

Would you think about it? Would you pray about serving with us?

If you would like more information on how you can be apart of this ministry, contact LaJuana Magee at

LaJuana@IFOarkansas.org or check out or website at www.IFOarkansas.org

2.22 will be helping with the Fall IFO Picnic - See blog post below!!

IFO PICNIC - Details & Ministry Opportunities

International Friendship Outreach (or IFO) is a community based program offering opportunities for social and cultural interaction between American hosts and internationals who study, work, or live in the central Arkansas area. They also sponsor a number of social events and outings during the year. They offer these services in both the Little Rock and Conway areas. IFO is a mission partner of the Bible Church of Little Rock.

Below are details for the upcoming IFO Picnic:

When: Saturday, September 16th, 2006
Where: Maumelle Park (off Hwy 10), Pavilion #2
Time: Official start time 5 pm. However there is some help needed before this to get set up starting at 2:45.
What: Food, Fun & Friends followed by Volleyball, Basketball & Soccer (games will be setup beforehand along with some board games for early arrivals.).

Don’t forget to bring lawn chairs of something to put on the ground to sit on as we do not have enough seating. Also, if you could empty your ice makers and brink in picnic coolers for drinks and food, it would be much appreciated.

BCLR 222 Group members are being asked:

1) To buy a case of bottled water and put it in the church refrigerator the evening before (or they can give me the case no later than two nights before the picnic and I can take it to the church OR they can place the water in their own cooler and bring it themselves). We would ask that everyone who does plan on coming to the picnic to please bring a case of bottled water (I think there are 24-36 bottles in a case).

2) To go to the church on Saturday afternoon at 2:15 pm to pick up any food that has been dropped off for the picnic; to fill the Igloo water coolers from the youth department and ice chests with ice; to fill the coolers with water; to load folding tables (11-12) and chairs (50-100) and bring to Maumelle Park by 2:45 pm.

3) To set up the tables and chairs

4) To break out of our group and to mingle and converse with the international students. To eat with them, get to know them and let them get to know us, and to enjoy the games which will follow the activities.

5) To help with breaking down the tables and chairs. On the set-up and break down we can split where some people come early to set up and others stay late to break down.

I am asking that people not PROCRASTINATE on letting me know if they are going to be able to be at the picnic or not. So if you can give me an answer by the END OF AUGUST it would be greatly appreciated. I need to let Vicky know as soon as possible how many of the 222 group are going to be able to help so she can know if she needs to ask others in the church to help with set up and tear down. The most important thing is spending time with the students so if all you can do is come for the picnic but can’t come early or stay late that is NO PROBLEM! We want to build God-glorifying relationships with these international students and show them that we care about them.

Please contact Michael Hamline to let him know if you want to participate:

A) Email
B) Phone: 501-225-1011
C) Tuesday night where sign-up forms will again be available. Please give these forms back to me or else I won’t know you signed up. If you have already signed up then you don't have to contact me.

STEP Ministries and 2.22

Quite a few from 2.22 took 9 hours out of their summer to serve in an inner-city ministry called STEP. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, from 5 until 8, each "mentor" is paired up with one (sometimes two) "mentees" for the purpose of relationship building and Bible study.

Rachel Riggan served in STEP in July she said:

I had a 13yr. old girl who is a Christian, and seemed to have a teachable heart. She has a sad home life as 3 siblings have different fathers.She and one sister have the same dad but he took off when they were little. She has had a mentor this last year, so she knew more of what was going on than I did at first. She was eager to learn and she did ask lots of questions. I think she is still trying to understand alot of things. I enjoyed her so much and wished that the program was longer than 3 days. It is amazing how you go to serve to be a blessing and you end up being blessed through them. The Lord is so good!!!

Rachel Riggan & Alecia

If you served in STEP this summer, send me an email describing your experience & a photo, and we'll post it on the blog.

Meanwhile, here's a couple of photos of other 2.22ers and their mentees...

Lani Stine & her new friend

Emily Griggs had two young ladies to mentor

Jason & Ross Riggan

15 yr old, Carl Johnson & Aaron Wilson

(Wow...I really look fat in that picture, don't I?)

2 From 2.22 Go To China

Hi everyone!

Yes, it's true, Laura and I will be leaving for China on July15th. Please keep us in your thoughts.

Because blogs and xangas are public, we must be careful as to what we say. However, don't let that discourage you! If you would like to keep in touch with us (which we would love for you to do), our emails are: laura.neale@gmail.com and anna.neale@gmail.com . Simple yet practical. Also, adventures from our travels will be posted regularly on our xanga sites: www.xanga.com/lauracricket and www.xanga.com/annaphora. Again, please take care as to what you say. We will crave encouragement while we are there and if you just go to our sites to see the adorable Chinese children, please do. We love posting pictures most of the time.

Thank you for your interest in what we are doing. We appreciate it greatly!

The Neale Sisters

Hear Jim Elliot Preach!

In conjunction with the movie "End of the Spear" coming out in theatres across the country, here's a few links to even further familiarize yourself with the five missionaries. These links include audio, video, interviews, blog sites, and more.

Click here for a link to the Plymouth Brethren site that contains several audio/video resources.

Also, a blog not exclusively devoted to the missionary martyr, but lately has generated lots of buzz - expecially about the casting of Chad Allen (a homosexual and outspoken gay advocate).

Click here to visit SharperIron.