(I’m very grateful to those from within the EMF mission family and from among our Channel Islands supporters who have contributed to this article.)

This autumn, EMF worker Bruno Pires (Portugal) is doing deputation on the Channel Islands, and planning this prompted a discussion amongst the office staff about our history there.  Many of our missionaries and representatives have gone there on deputation over the years, and we’ve been so grateful for the support they’ve known and the hospitality they received.

As Joan McWilliams (former EMF staff) noted, the Channel Islands were often overlooked by mission organisations when arranging speaking tours or deputation, because of costs and tight schedules.  But EMF’s sending people there has resulted in long, fruitful, and mutually beneficial relationships, for which we are very grateful.

The position of the Channel Islands, between the UK and the rest of Europe, has surely played a part in the interest that people there have in the work just a few miles across the sea. And, like the rest of the UK, the Channel Islands have welcomed so many different nationalities in recent decades, people who have become part of the fabric of the islands and brought with them an awareness of what is happening in other places.  Not only does this bring a mission field to your doorstep, as one contributor noted, but it serves to deepen your interest in gospel work in other countries – it may have been somewhat abstract at the start, but becomes more real when you meet people from the places you’ve heard about.

Wendy Evers, who worked in the EMF office for many years, shares that the interest in EMF on Jersey and Guernsey goes back as far as Omri Jenkins.  Mr Jenkins was the Director of EMF for over 30 years, until his retirement in 1988.  She remembers a pastor on Guernsey who used to invite Mr Jenkins and others to speak about the work.  He owned a parrot, who was allowed to fly about freely in the house.  In fact, almost everyone approached for this article mentioned this parrot – it appears he was somewhat infamous and not entirely popular within EMF!

Wendy also remembers a work started by Quennevais Evangelical Church, Jersey, in the 1990s, amongst Portuguese nationals who had come to the island from Madeira. Portuguese EMF missionaries were then sent to the island and preached at that work while there.  

Jenny Bougard, a member at Quennevais, writes: ‘As a child growing up at QEC I can always remember having a representative coming to speak, normally annually. The founders of QEC, the Rev Bill Edwards and his wife, Mary, were instrumental in setting up the links between the mission and our church. Bill has gone home to Glory, but Mary still remains a key part of our membership and faithfully follows the work of EMF, diligently reading and praying for all aspects of the labours of the missionaries in the different countries. Besides QEC, EMF had very strong links with Jersey Baptist Church and Tesson Chapel, a tiny independent chapel on the Island.

Jenny also tells of the impact that these visits had on her personally.  ‘I remember dear Anthony Williams, who has now gone home to the Lord, bringing us the old slides of countries where EMF worked, especially of France, Spain and Portugal, and I especially recall the pictures of the Catholic festival parades with the Madonna, which years later in Barcelona I witnessed for myself whilst there one Easter time and it was exactly as the slides had shown!’ 

Guernsey’s EMF links are many years old in fellowships such as La Villiaze Church, Cobo Mission and Vale Mission. Steve and Mo Henry, and Steve’s brother John, have fond memories of EMF as far back as the 1980s.  They remember numerous missionaries staying with them, and John was himself able to visit workers in Spain and in Norway.  Mo writes: ‘We really appreciated and enjoyed hosting all the EMF folk over the years – we and our three children enjoyed very good fellowship with the missionaries!’  She adds, ‘We were drawn to EMF because they used national workers, and we have been grateful for their input over the years’.  

Jenny adds that the gospel focus of EMF is very important to supporters on the islands – that EMF’s ‘main heart and focus is on preaching the whole counsel of God to the saving and building up of souls – and this has never wavered. It is always so encouraging to read of the Word of God changing lives through the gospel being preached, believed, and practised in the hearts and lives of the people of Europe.’  

As Bruno heads there soon, we’re praying that his visit will inspire, encourage, and bless the people of the Channel Islands, and indeed a new generation of praying, faithful friends, both for him and for EMF!  He is one of our younger missionaries, full of passion and enthusiasm for the work to which God has called him. So we’re excited to send him, praying that a fresh new interest, building on these years of faithful support, will be ignited by the stories he has to tell – stories with the same heart as of old: of the gospel being preached, believed, and practised in hearts and lives across Europe.

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