2024-09-30-accounts - Silk Road Ministries International

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Annual Report of the Trustees of

Silk Road Ministries International for The year ending 30[th] September, 2024

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It is hard to believe that this past year is over and we are facing another year of what could be even greater challenges! The world remains in turmoil, with no end to the wars and conflicts; Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar are facing insurmountable challenges, with such huge destruction of homes, buildings, infrastructure and above all - human lives. International charities are swamped with ever escalating emergency needs and with the demands for urgently needed humanitarian aid. SRM International has continued to help the most needy with food, shelter, education, medicines, and comforting hope. But as always, more could be achieved with additional resources.

Myanmar. The Campbells had an incredible time in Myanmar in November 2023; the reunion and fellowship with the staff and students at both Bible Colleges, Calvary Theological and Missions Academy (CTMA), and Myanmar Vision Christian College (MVCC) was very special. Their genuine gratitude to SRM International was evident and their thankfulness to God for His great mercy and grace was very inspirational. They suffered so much in the Covid years, and then the military coup in February 2021 brought even more death and painful separations. But even with such suffering came a resolute determination to carry on with their daily lives!

While in Myanmar the Campbells spent time listening, brainstorming, and counselling Ronald, the principal of CTMA, about the purchase of a suitable property for a male students’ dormitory. The funds were raised relatively quickly in several countries and transferred to Ronald at CTMA. He was able to negotiate a suitable price with the owner of the house directly opposite the college and the house was purchased on 1st.January 2024. Renovation work commenced immediately; the foundations were reinforced for additional storeys and the ground floor was raised above street level, to avoid flooding during the monsoon season. With the support of generous donors, additional funds were provided for these renovations which were almost entirely completed by the end of September. Some minor finishing work is still required, as well as equipment and basic furniture. All of this refurbishment should give CTMA more suitable facilities into the future, to house the male students and staff.

The two Bible Colleges commenced the new academic year in June 2024, with 20 students at the Calvary Theological and Missions Academy (CTMA):15 male and 5 female students and 15 students, 6 male and 9 female students at the Myanmar Vision Christian College (MVCC). It is absolutely incredible that they were able to travel safely from regions of fierce fighting to Yangon. They successfully overcame huge challenges and many obstacles to journey from war torn areas, in response to the call of God on their lives. Both Bible Colleges have now completed their first semester, the students have sat and passed their examinations and are preparing for the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. They continue to be very concerned for their families living as refugees on hillsides, in makeshift shelters with little or no food. Myanmar’s high inflation rate means that it is extremely difficult even to purchase a bag of rice at an affordable price! Rice is now almost 3 times what it cost a few years ago!

CAMBODIA. House House Organization (HHO), in Kompong Speu Province, Cambodia, continues to be a source of great blessing to so many in those remote rural villages. The various ministries of the Hope House Organization, in Kompong Speu Province, are a source of great encouragement to the children who are doing so well in their studies. The Campbells visit in June 2024 was an opportunity to review the Hope House school, the farmland development and to interview some of the former students.

The staff and the principal, Yem Sarorn, are always at full stretch with almost 300 lively children in daily attendance at the Hope House school. Annually an average of 25 children graduate from HHO and are sponsored by the organization to attend the secondary school approximately 4 miles away. The various annual festivals are always highlights for the children in the school year and the Christmas festivities are high up on their list! Over 400 children past and present participated in the Christmas day activities organised by the school staff this year. The children shared a simple fish meal together, sang Christmas carols, received gifts and listened attentively to the story of the birth of the Christ child.

The farmland is flourishing thanks to the undoubted benefit of the Kubota tractor. The crops are now more plentiful and of a better quality. Fruit trees are finally beginning to provide the children with really good fruit snacks, the fish ponds yield at least 2000 Red Nile Tilapia each year and the goat sales supplement the school budget by approximately $3000USD annually. An international team is working with Yem Sarorn, the Director of HHO, to investigate farm development initiatives and future income generating schemes. During their visit the Campbells not only reviewed the HHO school functions and farmland development but more importantly they spent time with the Director, Yem Sarorn, and the staff. The Campbells were accompanied by a local Hong Kong church volunteer, Abdiel, helped the Campbells to interview 6 former pupils from the early years of the school ( 2009-2015 ).They were quite happy to share their experiences and stories; all of them are university students, studying medicine, accounting, IT , history and education.

When the grade 6 students leave Hope House school for secondary school, all are given backpacks filled with books, stationery and other basics for their new school. Hope House sponsors these primary school leavers and the staff organise regular follow up meetings to encourage them to stay on in secondary education and if possible, to attend College or University. The parents try hard to get them to leave the secondary school and work in the factories! One student, Menea, stayed on in secondary school and was accepted for teacher training at the University of Phnom Penh. She was one of those interviewed and she explained that she was working in a factory during the day to pay for her University fees, and studying at night. Principal Sarorn interviewed her and appointed her as the supply teacher to cover for teacher Mey’s maternity leave. If she does well we have been told that she will most probably be retained as a permanent teacher in the reception class because the current numbers necessitate an additional teacher. Another former student, Sophat, currently a fourth year medical student in the University of Phnom Penh, often goes to help out at Hope House school. These are choice young people whose lives have been impacted by the school and want to serve their communities and become role models for the present schoolchildren.

A future goal is to update the present solar system to provide ceiling fans and air conditioning for the school classrooms because of the excessive summer temperatures of over 40C. Abdiel is an industrial engineer and he assessed the system, concluding that more solar panels and batteries could be installed.

Dr. Tom Johnson is such an incredible help and whereas he may not be able to hold regular clinics at the Hope House school, he is always ‘on call’ to help Sarorn and Sophat, if he is up at the school, to diagnose and prescribe the correct medication for some of the common sicknesses e.g. diarrhoea and dengue fever.

Due to sickness the Campbells were unable to schedule their Welsh meetings for August-September. However they are planning to undertake a very full itinerary of fundraising meetings next spring when they will be in the UK from mid-February to early May, 2025. I continue to serve as a trustee and as the SRM International secretary/administrator/treasurer in a voluntary capacity, from my home office in Rainhill, Merseyside.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeffrey Ellison

Secretary / Administrator/Treasurer of SRM International Trustees

SRM UK Trustees: Mr. Paul Buchanan, Mr. Jeffrey Ellison, Mrs. Margaret Ellison, Mrs. Zeta Towers. Registered Charity Number: 1064590

Independent examiner's report to the trustee5 of Silk Road Ministries International I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Silk Road Ministries International for the year ended 30 September 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of Silk Road Ministries International you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Art 2011 {'the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Silk Road Ministries International accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5llbl of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l accounting records were not kept in respect of Silk Road Ministries International as required by section 130 ofthe Act,. c Year Ended 30 September 2023 2 the accounts do not accord with those records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. John Beech 29 Powell Drive Birchley Billinge Nr Wigan WN5 7RX May 2024