Welcome to SASRA - - The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association

Prayer Disc Script

August 2010

ASR Meg Atkinson

Swindon Area

This is Scripture Reader Meg Atkinson recording the SASRA Prayer Tape for September 2010.

Prayer tapes don’t normally have a theme but this one lends itself nicely to the theme of walking.
At the time of recording I’ve not long returned from my 100 mile walk around Nijmegen. I gave out over 2,000 Kojak Lollies to our troops, which were well appreciated. The start of the march was brought forward by 1 hour due to the expected temperature of 35 degrees plus. So, I was on the road by 3:30 am. The hot weather was enjoyed throughout the week. To those new to the march I’m often asked what a Scripture Reader is or what is my role in the military. This gives opportunity for a brief explanation whilst marching down the road.

However I had two excellent contacts I’d like to share. Having completed day two of the march I bought a soft drink and sat on a bench under the shade of trees to rest. A group of
mature soldiers from Rhinedahlen saw me, "Hello Padre how was your day?”, as they joined me on the bench. Nigel a first timer at Nijmegen asked: "are you one of those born again people?” What a wonderful time of sharing followed. Nigel’s wife was converted twenty years ago so he is no stranger to godly matters. This year on my backpack, I had a beautiful wooden foot with the words on "We walk by faith not by sight”. On leaving Nijmegen, I gave it to Nigel to remind him of his first 100-mile walk but also a reminder of the greater walk he’s yet to begin personally with the Lord.
The second conversation was with Jefferson, a soldier recently arrived at 29 Regt which I visit on my rounds. I was making my way back to my accommodation when I heard my name being shouted. I was being beckoned over to join 29 Regt team in their celebration of completing the march. Jefferson hadn’t met me before but was soon quizzing me. He was baffled as to what was it that caused me to come back for over thirty years. What a lovely time of sharing with this young man, I was able to give him a ‘Journey into life’ and he said to make sure I looked him up on my next visit to the unit.

I am now looking forward to the Arnhem one-day walk. It is very different in several ways to Nijmegen march but again it affords good opportunity to mingle and witness. Ged is a mature man who works at Frankfurt airport but walks with the group I walk with. Between the two years we have walked together I have sent Ged books and a DVD on science and the Bible - pray all the talking and reading will result in action of trusting the Saviour.
And what about walking around my units on a daily basis. Kiboi is a most pleasant young airman who always engages me in spiritual conversation. He has watched a DVD and read the book, ‘If I could ask God one question”. He is now reading Roger Carswell’s book ‘Things God wants you to know”.

One afternoon running around the gym at circuit training Keith said, "Meg will you come to my new section and do your paper tearing story?” Keith saw it in his previous section and it caught his imagination. After doing it again Keith accepted a DVD on creation and the book "If I could ask God one question”.

One day spending time with the guard force at Buckley Barracks it wasn’t long before I found myself in the big black chair answering questions on my specialist subject - "God and the Bible”. Darrel listened well and asked if I had a Bible for him would I help him read it and understand it? A Ghurkha soldier also asked if I had a Bible in his mother tongue. Please pray for these named young men and many more who hear the gospel that seeds sown will take root and produce fruit.

The Ladies’ football season begins this month and, yes, I will be part of the Lyneham Ladies Team again, along with any other sporting activity I get roped into.
Another activity I am involved in at Lyneham is the monthly "Recovery Day”. This is a compulsory activity for RAF personnel who have returned from operations in Afghanistan. They come to Lyneham to be addressed by the Station Commander, social and psychiatric professionals. After the various administrative details are complete the Physical Education Officer and myself take the group on a six mile walk, believe me it is very pleasant we go through fields up hills and we finish off on a canal walk where we stop for refreshments and debrief before returning back to base. The point of the walk is to enable the troops to share their experiences in a relaxed non-threatening environment. It is only a beginning to what, for some, may be a long road to a full recovery, both mentally and emotionally.

In closing I am greatly indebted to all you very faithful friends of SASRA. I receive such wonderful support and a great encouragement and I thank you for that and I wish you God’s very best. Amen!

Prayer Disc Script

August 2010

ASR Nick Wilson

Salisbury Plain

This is Scripture Reader Nick Wilson recording the SASRA Prayer Disc for August 2010.

This is my third year on the Salisbury Plain, and I thank the Lord for all the opportunities and for good health and supportive family. Please pray that suitable accommodation may be found for us. We may have to move from Bulford as they need all me quarters for Military Personnel.

We praise God that Robert, our son, has got into Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School and will be starting, DV, in September. If we move to Warminster, he can get the train into Salisbury and I can take Suzanne, my daughter, to her school in Durrington. She has GCSE's this and next year. Suzanne will spend four days at Kneller Hall in July as work experience. Please pray for her future. Dolly is doing a great job befriending our neighbours and entertaining.

Due to cut backs, ‘Look at Lifer’ are not able to use Tilshead any more. Joseph made a profession of faith last year and many Bibles and literature have been taken over the last two years. I thank the Lord for answered prayer. They have their meetings in Blandford and I have been given permission to continue our open discussions. ASR Bob Elliot is happy for me to be on his patch for these sessions. Please pray for a full recovery for him and Anne. It was real joy to join Bob at St Athan for one evening of evangelism with a group of sixty RAF. Please pray for the eight who accepted Bibles from Bob and the three who wanted to know more about Christianity after the talk.

We all had a good hour chat in the Detention Centre. Three very fervent atheists and a thinker. One of the atheists said he wished he could be happy as I was. Pray they may meet other Christians along the way and be convicted of sin, and seek the Saviour.

Lee made a profession of faith in Germany five years ago with ASR William Wade, while I was in training. He invited me into his room to watch some excellent preacher on the internet. It was good to see him going on well with the Lord.

Encouraged Taiwo in his faith. He can now move on, praise the Lord, after two years of great trials.

Please pray for B, 19 Regt RA, Marriage break up with three children. Could empathize with him and shared that God had brought me through. Michael listened to the Gospel. He was in severe pain in the ward. His W02 did not believe him when he said he was not well enough to do duties. He said he would have to leave the Fusiliers. Pray for healing of body and spirit, I see so many of these cases.

Daniel listened and shared his life for two hours in the Detention Centre. We watched the Nooma "Trees". He was going to Colchester, then soldiering on. I recommended that he went to the Alpha afternoons at Colchester. Many soldiers have told me that they enjoyed going there on Sundays. Here a seed, there a seed.

Please pray for Ronnie's safety as she goes to Afghanistan. Praise God for promotion for her (Lt Col). Both Ronnie and Ian have been hugely supportive. He is now a primary school teacher.

After much prayer, I have been invited back to Bulford CofE Primary School to do assemblies.

We meet for Bible Studies most Thursday evenings at Kate's home. Padre Richard takes the study if he is free. I was very humbled when Kate asked me in to talk to her Troop of Tank Transporters. That made my job so much easier as I meet them on guard duty or in the cookhouse.

Another Divine Appointment. I met Mark, a Cpl, in the REME in the cookhouse. After general banter and making him smile quite a few times, I asked if he believed in God. Not sure he said. I like to see it for myself. I shared what God had done in my life and given me hope and joy that grows. He gladly listened to the Gospel through the Evangecube and cards. He opened up that when he was in Canada on exercise, he experienced a problem with his eyes and sensation in his brain. He had another scan on 8^th July. I asked if I could pray for him, and he said he really appreciated that. Please pray for his salvation as the Lord has laid him heavily on my heart.

Please pray for Paul, who lived opposite us. He has PTSD and maybe medically discharged from the Army. His wife has left him. I helped him cut the grass, which had grown several feet, while he was on sick leave. He looked so much better. His Dad is going on well after his heart attack. He has had contact with several Padres in Afghanistan. Pray for seed sown.

Danny still needs much prayer, with his drinking problem. His family came round for a meal. His mother in law has died. He wanted to come round again once his wife and daughter had returned.

I had another wonderful afternoon at the Army Athletics Competition at Tidworth. A soldier from 16 Regt RA was really interested as I shared the Evangecube and my Testimony with him. I encouraged a few Commonwealth Christians.

At 34 Battery in Larkhill, I have had good times sharing the Gospel. I showed the Wages of Sin card to ‘S’ he said you gave that card to me in Edinburgh in 2007. He had it tattooed on his wrist. Many other soldiers have done the same thing.

I was thrilled to meet four Christians working in the same office at 4 Battalion REME, that has just arrived from Bordon. They asked me for whole Bibles, Christian Calendars and other literature, which I gladly took up the next day. Pray that they might share the Gospel with their colleagues. A Staff Sergeant came in and asked if I was doing much business. It's all free and these soldiers are interested in its message.

A real joy to visit eight guardrooms. Sometimes the reception is very lukewarm. If they are heavily into their games, I leave them. So many have listened with interest to my testimony and cube. Pray for others to bear fruit later.

Met Thomas in the MRS from Perham Down. He came from my village where I grew up near Dover. I shared the Gospel with him. He had been injured in Cyprus. I met Arnold, his sergeant who had come to see him. He was related to my friend Frank, who had become a Christian in the Scots Guards Band with me! Divine appointments

Thank you for your prayers that keep the Lord's work going.

Prayer Disc Script

July 2010

ASR Gary Sinnamon

Catterick Garrison

"Why should we pray?” A young Artillery soldier asked me one Monday evening. Startled by the question I asked him why he was thinking about the validity or purpose of prayer. " My best friend,” he answered, "who was 19 years old lost his life on Friday”. His mum was a devout Christian who prayed for his safety everyday. Gary tell me what is the point in praying?”

With tears in his eyes an infantry soldier, with whom I am friendly with, approached me. A friend with whom he had gone through training with some 8 years ago and served with ever since had just been killed. He was soon going off to meet the dead soldiers family and he had one question he wanted to ask before he went, simply why?

The deputy head teacher of one of the primary schools where I often take school assemblies told me recently the school has never felt tension like it was currently feeling. "We try to go on as normal,” he said, "but there is a palpable sense of fear.”

As many of you will know Catterick Garrison remains the largest military garrison anywhere in Western Europe. Normally there is just under 10,000 soldiers stationed here, most of which form part of 4 Mechanised Brigade. However now is not a normal time, and as such there is a lot less than 10,000 soldiers currently stationed. That’s because a few months ago 4 Brigade deployed to Afghanistan.

A palpable sense of fear and the questioning of the purposes of God is evident because as expected, the Brigade has and is continuing to take casualties. As such requests for prayer revolve solely around 4 Brigade’s current deployment.

I would urge you to pray for the Chaplains and Christians currently deployed that they would have great wisdom in dealing with soldiers in very difficult circumstances.

I would urge you to pray for the safety of those currently deployed. Pray that on the front line they would come to a saving knowledge in Jesus Christ.

Pray for those seriously injured.

Please Pray for the families left behind worried sick about loved ones.

Finally please pray for us left in Catterick that we would have wisdom in dealing with those also left behind and with the Brigade when they return from Ops.

Thank you for your continued prayers

Prayer Disc Script

June 2010

ASR Roddy Macleod

Hello and thank you for taking the time to listen and pray.

My name is Roddy Macleod and I am the Scripture Reader at ATC Pirbright mainly, but also visit Deepcut, One Royal Anglian, Wellington and Keogh Barracks. By the grace of God and the permission of Army Chaplains and Commanding Officers we still, after 170 years, have this privilege, of access to soldiers.

Pirbright is a very busy place and the camp I spend most of my time at. There are approximately 1500 soldiers under training there at any one time plus 1000 staff. I have freedom to interact with anyone from the youngest recruit to senior officers. I get a very warm and friendly response from most people and have the support of the Chaplains to help.

I meet many soldiers from day to day! Some I speak to once and never again, others I speak to a couple of times, others I speak to over a period of months on a weekly basis and others I never speak with at all. All (unless they refuse) will be given a copy of the New Testament and Psalms and a copy of my own personal testimony. We give out approximately 100 of these each week, on average.

I find the response of the vast majority is positive and many listen with great interest to the Gospel I talk to them about. The message is very simple: we are ALL sinners and in need of a Saviour, there is a Saviour available to whomsoever will have Him. We come to Him by prayer, attending church, reading the Bible and speaking to God’s people. We ask Him into our lives and search for Him until we find Him (when we seek for Him with all the heart it is then He promises to be found). This is the basic message I preach trying to expand on each part of it when possible.

Most of the young men and women I meet and talk with are completely ignorant to the message and content of the Bible. 90% say they know nothing at all about the Word of God and the teaching of the Bible. This gives me a blank sheet to work with and many opportunities to share the amazing message of Salvation through Grace as the gift of God.

We still have the opportunity to speak to as many as 400 soldiers at Sunday service. The Soldiers have to come to church 4 times during their 14 weeks training course here at Pirbright. On the whole they enjoy the experience!

Keogh Barracks is the latest place I visit instead of Bordon, which has now been taken over by ASR Tiaan de Kerk. It is a Phase two training camp where soldiers go to learn to be medics. I meet many trainees that have moved on from Pirbright to Keogh for further training. I hope my wife will be able to join me as a part time Reader at Keogh, as many of the Soldiers here are female.

I got married in Singapore December 2009 and have now been joined in the UK by my wife. Esther was a policewoman in Singapore and a piper in the force Woman’s Pipe Band, spending time at the Edinburgh Tattoo where she met many of my colleagues who later "match made us”. Please pray for us both as we endeavour to serve the Lord as one.

I would ask you all to pray for continued support and friendship from Commanding Officers and Army Chaplains. It is vital we have their support to be able to access camps and speak with the men and women of the armed forces.

Pray for four soldiers that I have been taking on a Baptism course. I was very impressed with their sincerity and desire to change.

Pray for ‘D’ and several other Christian soldiers, pray they will live for the Lord and not be drawn to sin.

Pray the Lord will bless His Words spoken and many tracts and much literature given out to many young men and women.

Pray for the many soldiers who have returned from Afghanistan in April/May. Pray they will all receive God’s healing in their minds.

Pray for all the families that are mourning the loss of their loved ones, from this war.

Pray for many young men and women who have been badly injured and are recovering but to a life of disability.

Some words from the Psalms to close; a pen picture of the Lord:

(Psalms 145:8/9 NIV) The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Thank you for listening and thank you for praying.