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03/03/2003
Missions Insider Report by Christian Aid
http://www.christianaid.org
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1. India: New Churches Formed in
Hindu Heartland
A mission team in India conducted gospel meetings in a dozen villages, dedicated
two new churches and saw many strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ in a recent
journey across parts of Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh states in northern India.
The team first conducted gospel meetings in a series of small fellowships. The
leader said, "People possessed of demons were set free and some sick received
their healing. One girl was miraculously delivered from the clutches of demons.
The evil spirits had overpowered her for quite some time, but after we rebuked
the spirits in the name of Jesus, she was instantly set free. Many villagers
received the gospel with joy and are now ready for baptism."
The team planned to reach the next village by 5 p.m., but didn't get there until
8. By that time it was pitch dark and the villagers had gone to bed. Even though
the village was "electrified," there was no electricity. The host pastor got up
and prepared food for the team.
Over 50 people gathered for a gospel meeting the next day. Many asked for
prayer. One of them was an influential village leader who was paralyzed. "He was
touched by the Lord and now is offering his property for the Lord's work," the
leader told Christian Aid.
The team next traveled to the Lucknow region where on two successive days they
conducted inauguration services for new church buildings in two locations.
One of the missionary pastors they visited was a Hindu Brahmin convert. Hindus
angry at his conversion had cut down all his mango trees and poisoned his fish
pond, killing all his fish. They also cut down all the trees fencing his
property. Now villagers are claiming his private courtyard is a public
throughway. "He and his wife were greatly encouraged by our visit," the leader
said.
"Please pray for our brothers and sisters in the field," he requested. "Many are
living under threats to their lives. One missionary and his coworkers are facing
persecution daily. Another worker and a new believer were badly beaten and false
charges filed against them in court."
Yet in another area, a retired Christian worker with the federal government,
believes opponents of the gospel dare not come against him because of his
respected position. His son is a lawyer with the High Court. He even built a
school in the community and erected a big cross over it so it can be seen from
afar.
In all, the team traveled 1500 miles (2500 km.) over very difficult roads in the
heart of the Hindu homeland. To learn how you can help, write
insider@christianaid.org
and put MI-407 660-AGA on the subject line.
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2. Philippines: Missionary Walks Slippery Path
A Filipino's arduous trek into the hinterland of Mindanao Island was rewarded
when he saw discouraged believers revive through the preaching of the Word of
God.
The missionary serves with an agency that translates the Scriptures into
minority languages and provides literacy training to the people. In this region,
the team has trained 117 literacy teachers, 15 lay supervisors and 42 village
health workers. As a result of their efforts, more than 3000 people have learned
to read, but nearly 27,000 others remain illiterate.
This missionary supervisor decided to visit the interior area and sent word he
wanted to meet with the literacy lay teachers and supervisors on a certain date.
The missionary set out with two child escorts to the village. It was raining and
the path he chose to take was one traveled by horses and carabaos. Since the
path was exceptionally muddy, he went barefoot. To avoid some of the mud, he
tried to walk along the sides of the path, but stepped on sharp rocks and
thorns. When he grabbed the tall grass to keep from slipping, he got thorn
pricks and cuts in his hands from sharp-edged leaves.
Reaching the valley, they found the river was flooded, but calm. They strode
through the muddy waters without incident. Upon reaching the village, the
missionary's weariness changed into enthusiasm.
He thought he might see as many as 20 literacy workers, but instead 50 literacy
workers, lay pastors, elders and even village chiefs representing nine villages
were waiting for him. The group sang hymns, pondered God's Word and prayed in
their native language, which was the language of the missionary, who came from
this village and people group.
The missionary spoke on Galatians 6:7-9 and Ephesians 5:14-20 and encouraged
them to visit inactive believers and organize prayer meetings. The meeting
revived the village leaders and they scheduled their next prayer meeting before
the meeting ended.
Four elders volunteered to accompany the missionary on his return trek. This
time the river was higher and swifter because it had rained during the meeting.
They also took a horse trail that turned out to be even more slippery, steep,
and harder to climb than the first one.
Despite the difficulties, the missionary finally returned to his base, feeling
deep peace and joy because he had encouraged the local workers and saw them rise
to mobilize others for the Lord.
To learn how you can help this translation and literacy-training ministry, write
insider@christianaid.org and
put MI-407 801-TAP on the subject line.
New Tribes Mission News:
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Philippines: Ibaloi tribe: Paul Burnham -- Martin Burnham's father -- has
apparently suffered a minor stroke. This is not his first one. He is on
medication. Please pray for his recovery.
Papua New Guinea: In addition to church planters, NTM in Papua New Guinea
needs missionaries who can serve as bookkeepers, electricians, teachers,
construction workers and administrators. And that's just part of the list for
one of the 19 countries where NTM is planting tribal churches. Pray for
laborers! And pray about whether you can be an answer to that prayer. Find out
more about serving one to four years:
http://www.ntm.org/how/associates.shtml
or look into serving as a career missionary:
http://www.ntm.org/how/career.shtml
Indonesia: Sungai Bihak tribe: Six villages have asked for missionaries
to come and teach them God's Word. Pray for laborers!
Mission Network News
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(India)--India's Gujarat state
is bringing in a new law to stop the practice of religious conversion. Other
states in the election cycle are seeing the nationalist movement growing
stronger. Dave DeGroot is with Mission India of Grand Rapids . "We're watching
the elections very carefully. There is a very strong nationalist Hindu movement
that could possibility be moving from one state to another. However, each state
has its own complexion; each state is an entity to itself. We have to just take
it on a state-to-state basis." DeGroot says ministry has gotten creative, in
spite of the increased risk for those involved with evangelistic work. "One
group in Tamil Nadu just had 33 people step forward for baptism and we're very
happy to hear that. These are all people that stepped forward since the new
anti-conversion law came into effect. They are going to go across the border
into a neighboring state, into a rather remote jungle area, and they're going to
hold the baptism service in a river there."
(USA)-President Bush is pushing for federal funding of faith based relief
initiatives for the poor, an evangelical organization is pushing for more church
involvement. Here's Life Inner City's Ted Gandy says churches have a Biblical
obligation to get involved. "Many people want to do something, but they don't
know what to do. And so, Here's Life Inner City recent has put together
something called 'Compassion By Command'
http://www.compassionbycommand.com
, which is a innovative video based Bible study designed to motivate and train
Christians to reach out to the poor in their communities." According to Gandy
there's a lot people can do. "Teaching English as a second language. Doing job
training, or life skills. Or, they may get involved in childcare. All those
things are not ends in themselves, but because they're caring in a compassionate
way for people, it's a tremendous opportunity to share Christ and lead people to
the Lord."
(Tanzania)--Bolivia's President has formed a new government after recent
protests left 33 dead and hundreds injured. Just seven months in office, there
are already calls for his resignation, and rumors of coup plots. Grace
Ministries International's Bolivian team reports that an uneasy calm has
returned to the area, but they ask people to pray for the country and their
continued work. At the moment, they are safe and have been outside of the areas
of the main disturbances, but the unrest forces them to be especially vigilant.
(Papua New Guinea)--JAARS is launching on a one million dollar project,
literally. The group needs a helicopter that can transport missionaries and
supplies to isolated groups living in the mountains and coastal islands of Papua
New Guinea. Because of the rugged terrain, JAARS believes their best tool is a
Bell Long Ranger helicopter. With it, JAARS can speed Bible translation by
providing quality services for Wycliffe Bible translators and others.
(USA)--And, Worldwide Christian Schools have typically been involved in
overseas programs but recently have focused their attention on the poorest
Indian reservation in the United States. Spokesman Dale Dieleman, says they hope
to help educate and train at-risk Lakota students. "In terms of setting up an
alternative vocational school which will also be really understanding more of
their own roots and their own cultural heritage as well as leadership skills and
even business skills and how to set themselves up in small business, etc." "The
Lakota Training and Leadership Institute" in South Dakota, plans to begin
classes this summer. Organizers say they hope to show God's love through the job
skill training, self-esteem building exercises and relationship that are built.
"We want to partner with them but not really to take the leadership. Working
with basic Lakota values but also interpreting them through the eyes of Christ
and through biblical perspectives."
"The Truth"
ryan24steven@hotmail.com
http://1040window.org/main/whatis.htm
The 10/40 window nearly 3 billion people who have never heard the name Jesus
Would you like to help me send bibles and tracts to places such as these and
others. If so please pray about it and e-mail me.
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#333 (fri) Today please pray for Al
Hufuf in the 10/40 window and also for Invercargill, New Zealand.
#334 (sat) Today please pray for Az Zarqa in the 10/40 window and also for
Toulbouse, France. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please
also continue to pray for Israel!
#335 (sun) Today please pray for Gasa Dzong, Bhutan in the 10/40 window and also
for Mannheim, Germany.
#336 (mon) Today please pray for L'Ariana, Tunisa in the 10/40 window and also
for Brasov, Romania. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please
also continue to pray for Israel!
#337 Today please pray for Dukhan, Qatar in the 10/40 window and also for Gyumri,
Armenia. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please also
continue to pray for Israel!
#338 Today please pray for Nouadibou, Mauritania in the 10/40 window and also
for Alabama USA. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please
also continue to pray for Israel!
#339 Today please pray for Werder,
Ethiopia in the 10/40 window and also for Port Hedland, Australia. Pray for
whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please also continue to pray for
Israel!
#340 Today please pray for Ceuta,
Morocco in the 10/40 window and also for Lima, Peru. Pray for whatever the Holy
Spirit lays on your heart Please also continue to pray for Israel!
#341 Today please pray for Nazret,
Ethiopia in the 10/40 window and also for Lae, Papua New Guinea. Pray for
whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart Please also continue to pray for
Israel!
#342 Today please pray for Gao, Mali in the 10/40 window and also for Base
Arturo Prat, Antartica. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart
Please also continue to pray for Israel!
Today's missionary is The Oliverias - Wesley, Tina, Lee, Raquel, Jeff and Lisa,
church planting among the Portuguese speaking people in Florida.
And Pastor Ralph Baladjay Philippines training young people to preach the gospel
their needs are tracts reading materials and bible study helps. And
Paul and Bev they have both been having medical problems.
Pray that all goes well. Also for The Redfields Wayne, Linda, Isaiah, Ruth and
Ezra missionaries to South America serving the Unreached Andean mountain people,
Church planting by soul winning and discipleship
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