gobaith i gymru

Arfon Jones (gig Field Officer): Arfon was appointed as gig’s Field Officer when the organistation was established in 1999. Before joining gig, Arfon was General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance in Wales. Arfon has written a modern translation of the New Testament, beibl.net, and is presently working on a similar translation of the Hebrew scriptures. He’s an experienced evangelist, youth worker and preacher. He has also translated many contemporary worship songs into Welsh. Arfon is married to Rachel, and they have two daughters – Carys Mair and Seren Ann.

Bethan Davies (Committee Member): I come from Llangefni originally, but am now married and live in Cardiff. I’m presently training to become an Education Phsychologist. When I left college I went back to Anglesey to do youth and children’s work with churches and other local organisations. During that time my burden for Wales’ children and young people grew. My hope is that every child and young person will get the opportunity to hear the true gospel clearly. I believe gig’s work is crucial in making the gospel message clear and easily understood for children and young people.

Ceri Darcy (gig Secretary): I am originally from Cardiff but I now live in Ammanford and work as a translator for the local county council. I am married to Rhodri and we’re part of Ammanford Evangelical Church. I have been the secretary for gig since 2004 and am responsible for arranging meetings and providing information concerning gig to members of the committee and others. I am really happy that I can support gig in a practical way and it’s great being part of a charity that is seeking to help Welsh speakers come to know God through their own language.

Dewi Arwel Hughes (Trustee): Dewi is a ‘gog’ from Bala, but has lived in Pontypridd in South Wales for well over thirty years. He has been a college lecturer and was Tearfund’s first Co-ordinator in Wales. He now works as Tearfund’s Theological Adviser. Committed to gig because he longs to see the Welsh-speaking community turn back to Christ, and also because he’s been close friends with Arfon and shared the same vision for ages!

Mary Nicholas (Trustee): I’m married to Philip, a mother of four (one daughter, three sons), and grandmother of five; I lecture at Bridgend College; have been a Christian since I was 16 years old. I was a Sunday School teacher for years. Recently I went out to Africa (Uganda) with my church -Danescourt Christian Fellowship where Philip is a deacon and treasurer. We’ve been married for 39 years, and continue to experience the goodness and grace of God daily. I consider gig to be very important for Wales and the present mission of the Church.

Owain Jones (Committee Member): I’m not a Gog or a South-Waliani, but a Mid-Walian, born and bred in Newtown. I still live there, working as a lawyer. I came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ when I was young, mainly because I could see that it was better to live a good life than a bad life, and that I could only be right with God because Jesus died on the cross. This was the trigger that made me go out and share the good news in various parts of the world, including prisons in Uganda, Kenya, and Bolivia. But the more I travelled the world with this good news, the stronger the urge to come back home to my own people in mid-Wales. It’s sad to think that the Welsh are so lost. I know that I am far from perfect, and I’ve made lots of mistakes in the past – things that disappointed my family and my heavenly Father. But we have a God that forgives, and wants us to walk with him again. So I thank God for gig, and pray that the work will help you to understand God’s righteousness on the cross.

Owain Roberts (gig Vice Chairman): I come from the Llyn Penninsula, and at the moment I’m a PhD student in the Institute of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at University in Aberystwyth. I joined gig in May 2001. I was eager to be part of a movement that encourages evangelism among Welsh-speakers of all ages. Looking at the present situation, I think that it is essential that we who speak Welsh have the resources and support to enable us to witness effectively to our fellow Welsh people. As gig’s name implies, Jesus Christ is the only real hope for our nation.

Sara Redwood (Trustee): Hi! I’m Sara, and I’m a youth worker at a church in Penarth, near Cardiff. I used to work at the National Assembly in Cardiff. I’ve joined gig because I believe God’s given me the ability to speak Welsh so that I can serve him, and I believe that gig is an excellent way to support Welsh-speaking Christians that feel isolated, as if they are the only Welsh-speaking Christian on the planet! gig shows, through the medium of Welsh, how fantastic and exciting God is!

Siôn Meredith (gig Chairman / Trustee): Graduated at Bangor, but living just outside Aberystwyth since 1987. Married to Janet, with two children, Hanna and Huw. A member at Santes Fair, Aberystwyth (Church in Wales) and have been gig’s secretary since the trust was established, and long to do something practical, in God’s strength, to bring hope to the Welsh-speaking community.

I’m now working for the Welsh for Adults, Mid Wales Centre, at the University of Aberystwyth. Before that I worked for Tearfund and CYD (the Welsh Learners Society).

Simon Jeffs (gig Treasurer): I come from Worcestershire, studied Physics in London and then Aberystwyth where I met my wife and started learning Welsh. We have worshiped at Baptist and Methodist Churches and as a family we felt called in 2002 to move from an evangelical English speaking church to join the Welsh Presbyterian Church. We look for God’s Spirit to move powerfully again in Wales, and see gig as being one of the channels He can use if we are willing.

Steffan Jones (Committee Member): I’m Steffan Jones, and come from the centre of the universe – Ammanford in Camarthenshire. I studied History in a little place called Cardiff, before staying on to work for a year with UCCF. I’m now the Welsh Work Officer with the Evangelical Movement of Wales, which entails travelling around various schools in South Wales, writing articles and booklets, and co-operating with various organisations and individuals that are serving God among Welsh speaking people. It’s natural, therefore, that gig is an important part of my work, and I share their burden, and Arfon’s vision, to reach Welsh speakers in language that’s easy to understand, with the Bible right at the centre of it all.

Watcyn James (Committee Member): For the last 20 years I’ve been a minister in the Crosshands and Tycroes area, near Ammanford. In October 2003 I started working for the Bible Society in Wales, hoping to promote the mission of the church of Jesus Christ in Wales. I believe strongly that Jesus has a great work to do in Wales again, and am convinced that gig has a significant contribution to make in seeing that hope become reality.

Gobaith i Gymru - Hope for Wales