A special service was held in Ballinderry Parish Church on Sunday last 25^th June 2006. The Church family of friends had gathered to ask for God�s special blessing on the 14 people going to work with their Crosslinks mission partner Karen Salmon in Ethiopia. The team will be away for 3 weeks from Sunday 6^th - Saturday 26^th August and will be based in Mekelle.  They will be working under the leadership of Karen Salmon and will be involved taking Holiday Bible Clubs in the Operation Rescue Centre or orphanage, hospital visitation and any other practical work required.

Operation Rescue works with destitute children living in foster care or with a parent dying of H.I.V.  As English is not widely used, the team will have to work through interpreters and will need to make use of visual materials as much as possible. They will be taking some materials in the local language Amharic, obtained from the Every Home Crusade in Belfast.

The team will have been greatly encouraged and humbled by the way in which the Ballinderry Church family together and many friends farther afield have supported and encouraged them.  They have been amazed to see their financial needs met and would ask for the continued prayer for the team and the families they will leave behind in August.  Each one of them is excited about the venture but also scared as they face so many unknowns. But, to quote one parishioner, the God who called each one to go is �large and in charge!� and we know that he will enable each one to share the love of Jesus. The hymns sung at the service said it all �

�Father I place into your hands,
the things that I can�t do�

and

�How deep the Father�s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure,
that he should give his only Son,
to make a wretch his treasure.�

A spokesperson for the team said, �We go in Jesus name because He has given us life�.