April 2020 Letter

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Dear Partners and Friends,

We have never been this way before. Yesterday’s plans might not be enough for today. Every day that goes by brings a new challenge. So many are out of jobs, many people are sick, either with the coronavirus or related issues. Many are lonely, fearful, angry, or depressed. It is easy to be overcome by stress and anxiety. It is certainly a time of uncertainty.

But this is also a time to be thankful that we live in America, still the greatest nation on earth. We have the means to do medical research. We can still mobilize the teams and resources to help people in need. We live in a democratic republic, with the freedom of speech that many nations do not have. We have the freedom to live the Christian life and share the Gospel, a freedom that people in India do not have. Though we have so many questions, we still have so much to be thankful for. God is still on the throne and Christians are coming together to pray in an unprecedented way. Believers are meeting house to house, even if they are meeting online. The Gospel is going forth in new ways, and the lost are being saved.

I am reminded of God’s words of caution to Cain when he was upset after God rejected his offering. God said, “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” For us, fear, anxiety, worry, anger, and strife – all these things are crouching at our door. They want to control us, but just as God told Cain, we must master them. How? By turning our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us to meditate on what the Lord has done through the atonement of Christ. He has given us a new mind, peace within, and the promise of protection from anything the enemy could throw at us. (see Ephesians 1:17-19 and 3:14-20)

Do you think our present situation has surprised God? Do you think He is anxious or perplexed, wondering what He should do? Do you think He caused this situation, to throw the world into turmoil and upheaval? These statements do not reflect God’s character or His true nature. God is the giver of good things. (see James 1:17)

If you need prayer or help in any way, please feel free to reach out to us. And please keep our brothers and sisters in India in prayer, as they face the same kinds of challenges that we face. Together we will overcome, and God will be glorified.

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

                        Thomas

The Power of The Gospel

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Manu Shankar lives in a remote village. Thirteen years ago he received a Gospel of John booklet while he was visiting another city. As a young man of 24 years old, he read the booklet over and over. It surprised him and touched his heart, but as far as he knew, it was a moving story of just another Hindu Holy man. After a year he got married, and he asked his wife to read the booklet. She, too, read it and was very emotional about the man Jesus. They had never heard about Jesus before reading the booklet, and even after reading it, they continued to think he was some holy saint of Hinduism. Today Manu is 37 years old, and a father of two young children. Last April, his 12-year-old son brought home a Gospel of John booklet he received from our outreach team and handed it over to his father. When Manu saw it, he realized it was the same booklet he had received 13 years ago, which incidentally he still reads occasionally. His son told him that they were invited to a meeting in the neighboring village the following Sunday if they are interested in knowing more about this book.

Manu's Prayer Room

Manu and His family went to the meeting the following Sunday, where our outreach team had arranged a small public meeting. Regi was there in that meeting and preached the Gospel. He told them that Jesus is the only Savior who can save and forgive them from their sin. That Sunday, 21 people responded to the Gospel call, including Manu and his family. Last June, Manu was baptized in water along with others.

Regi was in Manu’s village for a meeting last December. They had told him it was for the dedication of their house, but when he reached the village he saw that alongside their house they had built a meeting room which was 40 feet long and 25 feet wide. With the help of local believers, they built the room using bricks for the walls, dry grass for the roof, and cow dung for the floor. When Regi arrived, it was not even finished, but since they don’t have any other place to worship, they asked him to dedicate it for the Lord’s Glory. They had their first worship in that  room that day. It was so full of people that there was not enough room for everyone to sit inside, so some of them were sitting outside the room and worshiping the Lord.

During the nine months after that first public meeting, hundreds of people came to the Lord in that area. The Lord empowered Manu and other brothers to share the Gospel with many people who had never heard the good news. In Manu’s own words, “we lived from generation to generation under the curse of idol worship. I heard the Gospel 13 years ago, but no one told us who Jesus is. It was 13 years later when someone finally came and explained to us who Jesus is, and what He has done for the remission of our Sin. Today we are saved by the grace of God, and we now live to tell the people what Jesus has done for mankind.”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

The Gospel Light Shines in the Darkness

Looking at the entire ministry, the year 2019 started with lots of apprehension: the news regarding the restrictions that the pro-Hindu government is trying to bring on the churches; news about the growing number of attacks on house churches in different states by Hindu radicals; and in general, the religious liberty our brothers had been enjoying for years was now under a threat. Many missionaries were arrested and sent to prison. Everyone in the mission field was feeling the impact of the news coming out every day.

In the midst of all this, the Lord was doing great things, revealing His glory by moving mightily among the people, touching the lives of thousands of people, healing them, delivering them, and drawing them closer to himself.

By God’s grace and favor, 2019 was one of the greatest harvesting years in our ministry. As most of you know, reaching the unreached is the main focus of our ministry. Last year, due to the combined efforts of our brothers in the mission field and our outreach teams (this includes Summer Outreach, Christmas and Easter Outreach teams), we reached hundreds of unreached villages and thousands of unreached homes. Our teams shared the Gospel and distributed “Gospel of John” booklets and New Testaments. By the grace of God, Exciting Word started 900 prayer groups (where people from all religious backgrounds get together once a week to pray, learn and worship Jesus in someone’s’ home. Thousands of people received Jesus as their personal savior and made a public confession. We baptized thousands of people in different states. We trained hundreds of men and women in our 40-day training centers. We ran thirteen sewing centers and through these sewing centers more than 300 poor women and widows were trained to sew clothes, make dresses, and support their families. We distributed 16 motorcycles to our missionaries, and 72 bicycles to our house church leaders. Over 24 church buildings are under construction right now.

Regarding the challenges, twenty-nine of our missionaries and house church leaders were beaten up by Hindu radicals. Nineteen were arrested by the police while sharing the Gospel or conducting a prayer meeting, all under false allegations of forced conversions. Thirteen of our temporary house church buildings were burned down or demolished by Hindu radicals, and 27 new believers and their families were forced out of their village for believing in Jesus.



Help Us Share the Gospel

Will you help us continue sharing the Gospel in the darkest places of India? Psalm 119:105 says ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.’ You can share in the blessings! To find out how to contact us, and to read more inspiring and exciting testimonies of what God is doing among the unreached people groups of India, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, and you will be blessed, along with thousands of others!

Proclaiming the Gospel…

…until He comes,

February-March 2020 Letter

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Dear Partners and Friends,

One thing is certain – we live in uncertain times. All around us we hear reports of wars and rumors of wars, plagues, pestilence, disease, death, financial crises, and more. We have every opportunity to give in to fear and hopelessness. But what does the Bible say? It exhorts us “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) People are losing their hope in government and in the medical community because they don’t know the Lord or His kind intention toward us (Ephesians 1:9). God is for us, not against us.

The news of a powerful new virus has taken the news agencies by storm. There are reports of swarms of locusts across the earth. The stock market has been reacting wildly to all the turmoil around the globe. What should we do, as believers in the One, True, Living God? Should we embrace the fear and anxiety, and join the ranks of preppers, storing supplies and locking our doors, waiting for the apocalypse? Or should we allow God to increase our faith, and step out as a beacon of hope in our communities?

The men and women who partner with us in India face these questions every day. In addition to all these calamities, they also have radical extremists who threaten their lives for sharing the Gospel. Their government is actively trying to weaken their influence and has drastically increased the legal penalties for sharing the Christian faith in India. If they simply say that “God will forgive your sin” they could be charged with “promising divine pleasure” and sentenced to years in prison. But when the laws were changed, they met together and decided they would rather go to prison than for someone lost to go to hell because they didn’t hear the Gospel.

It reminds me of Acts 4, where the early believers were persecuted in a similar way. The disciples responded by calling a prayer meeting, where they concluded with the words “and now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30)

Instead of running from calamity, let’s run toward it with the same zeal and confidence they had!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

                        Thomas

Impact of Christmas Outreach

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We want to thank each one of you for your prayers and financial support of our Christmas Outreach program. By God’s grace, more than 400 of our house church leadership trainees, and hundreds of new believers, all joined together for last month’s Christmas outreach. Our main goal was to give our trainees the opportunity to exercise their newly-learned skills in practical ministry. To accomplish this, we gave them the responsibility of reaching unreached villages and people groups in close proximity to their own neighborhoods.

Worship service

On December 13th, the brothers and sisters started the outreach with a time of prayer. Over the next 10 days, they went “two by two” into the unreached villages, knocking on every door, and passing out “Gospel of John” booklets to every family that would receive them. They shared the Gospel with every household that would listen and invited them to attend a public meeting that was going to be held in their area between Dec. 19th  Dec. 24.

Using this strategy, our outreach teams reached more than 68,000 homes in more than 300 villages.

They distributed more than 75,000 “Gospel of John” booklets and held 62 public meetings for the new people from Dec. 19th to 24th. By God’s grace, over 22,000 people attended the public meetings, and over 3,200 people responded to the altar call!

The Gospel Light Shines in the Darkness

Thanks to your prayers, most of the outreach meetings were peaceful. In some villages, the Hindu radicals told our teams to leave the area and not come back to share the Gospel. Our people were able to leave peacefully, without any harsh treatment.  Even in the midst of opposition, our teams testified that they could feel the power of prayer, and the Favor of the Lord everywhere they went.

In one incident, some sisters were part of the outreach team. They were going house-to-house in one village all day, beginning in the morning, walking and sharing the Gospel. By afternoon, they were tired when a group of Hindu radicals surrounded them and told them to leave the village. As they turned to leave, one of the young women who were part of the outreach team collapsed and fell to the ground, unconscious. Seeing this, the local villagers rushed over to see if they could help our brothers and sisters. The Hindu radical leader who, just a few moments earlier had been very harsh with them, quickly got his car and drove the unconscious woman and the men that were with her, to the nearest hospital, 30 miles away. On the way, the woman regained consciousness and started feeling better and speaking. They told the driver “she’s fine; you can drop us off here,” but the Hindu radical man refused. He insisted on taking her to the hospital and having her checked by a doctor. At the hospital, the doctor announced that she was expecting a child. That was the reason she became weak and fell unconscious.

New Life, Physically and Spiritually

Instantly it became a time of rejoicing for all of them because she had been unable to have a child for 11 years. God showed His favor on her and her husband. Later, the Hindu radical man who had driven her to the hospital told her “I don’t know why I was helping you. I was very upset with you people for coming to our village and trying to convert our people. But the moment I saw you collapse on the ground, I heard a strong voice in my mind, commanding me to help you. I didn’t want to do it, but something forced me to bring you to the hospital.” He and his family attended the local public meeting and responded to the altar call, giving their lives to follow the Lord. He stood in front of all the people and shared this testimony of the love and power of Jesus Christ.

During the 62 public meetings, God moved in a special way, touching people’s lives, healing many from their sicknesses and infirmities, and setting many people free from bondages. The meetings continued for 10 days, sometimes 2-3 meetings per day, with around 300-400 people in each meeting. In every meeting, people came forward in response to the altar call, and many came forward seeking prayer for different needs, and God met them at the altar.

Miracles Announce the Love of Christ

One man came forward who had been lame for 18 years. Since he was 6 years old, he had not been able to stand up straight or walk without help. After Jesus touched him, he was set free! Now he is able to stand up straight and walk without help!

A woman said it was her first time coming to a Christian meeting. Her family was opposed to her attending, and would not bring her. Instead, she walked alone from her house to the main road. There she took an auto-rickshaw (a tiny three-wheel taxi) to the meeting. This would have been a challenge for any woman, but this woman had been blind for 23 years. Our brothers and sisters prayed for her, and God restored her sight! Her family and friends were amazed at God’s power and love. After Christmas, our brothers shared the Gospel with them. Today many people are attending a Christian meeting in her village.

These are just two examples of how the seed of the Gospel is being sown into the hearts of the people of India. As the days go by, we believe that hundreds of people’s lives will be touched and they will come forward and give their lives to the Lord.

As for our house church leadership trainees, it was challenging but with great admiration, we can say they have been faithful with the little they have, they have worked hard, and sacrificed much. As the Bible says “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)

We are so thankful for all the prayers and support. May God reward each of you for your faithfulness in helping to advance the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus.

Help Us Share the Gospel

Will you help us continue sharing the Gospel in the darkest places of India? Psalm 119:105 says ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.’ You can share in the blessings! To find out how to contact us, and to read more inspiring and exciting testimonies of what God is doing among the unreached people groups of India, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, and you will be blessed, along with thousands of others!

Proclaiming the Gospel…

…until He comes,

January 2020 Letter

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Dear Partners and Friends,

We stand at the beginning of a new decade, with great anticipation of what God is going to do, both in us and through us. We believe, according to Jeremiah 29:11 that the Lord has “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (NASB). His plans are wonderful, and He can handle every possibility and every circumstance we may encounter. If we continue to commit our ways to Him, he will direct our steps.

This Christmas our teams experienced great revival and blessing. You and I can experience the same blessing in our lives. Revival can come to America, just as it is coming to India. How can this happen? How can we see revival in our land? Our brothers and sisters in India pray every day for revival but spending hours in the prayer closet did not bring revival. They fast regularly but fasting did not bring revival. What does the Word say? “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But someone must announce the good news of the Gospel.

So, our teams share the Gospel every day, and God confirms the message with signs and wonders. Sowing the seeds of the Gospel every day, week after week, produces results. It’s not glamorous. It’s hard work to keep going. They face possible rejection from the villagers. They walk for miles and give up some physical comfort. But when they see one changed life, one healed body, one person lifted from despair, they realize it’s worth it.

If you are a Christ-follower, you have His Spirit living within you. Everyone you meet has a potential divine encounter. If you want to see revival in your community, look for ways to serve and reach out to the downtrodden, the despairing, the sick, the forgotten. You will be amazed at what God will do through you as you share His love with the unloved in your community. Send us your testimonies of what God does when you take that step of faith. We can’t wait to hear!

If you enjoy these stories, share this blog with your friends. For more inspiring and exciting testimonies, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

                        Thomas

Tribal People Come To Christ

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One of the tribes who live in Rajasthan has a population of 2.8 million, and according to the Joshua Project, there is no known Christian among them…that is, until now. They live primarily in villages and lead simple lives, following all the Hindu religious practices, including child marriage. Each of their villages has a population of between 1,000 and 4000 people.

A public Christian meeting
A public meeting

The Good News Received, With Trouble

Recently, two young men in a neighboring county, members of another tribe, came to Christ. They received a call into ministry and went to Bible College. During their studies, in between semesters at school, they participated in our Summer Outreach program. There they caught the vision of reaching the unreached, so after graduation, they decided to go to the particular tribe mentioned above and began to lead many young people to the Lord. We facilitated their ministry work. As they led many to the Lord and discipled them, the new believers began to grow in Christ and started living in obedience to the Word of God. Specifically, they opposed the practice of idol worship in their community. Severe persecution began to increase, and our brothers Sanjeev and Ravi were beaten up several times. Many of the new believers were forced to flee from their villages because the Hindu radicals threatened them, vandalized their houses and set their crops on fire. They moved to a low-lying area, where they built new houses and started afresh farming the nearby fields.

First Fruits of the Harvest

Last month our leaders were in this community for meetings and a baptism service.  They met Ramesh, the first believer of Sanjeev and Ravi from this community, who had suffered much hardship for his faith. He told them his story: ‘I used to be a village temple priest in our area. I held a very respected position in the village and community. Then my wife became sick. I tried everything I could think of to heal her, but she did not get well. Then one day two young men (Sanjeev and Ravi) came through our village and gave me the Gospel of John. They told me Jesus loves me and can bring peace to my life, if I can believe in the Lord Jesus. I had never heard the name of Jesus before, and I asked them who Jesus was. They said Jesus is God’s son, and that He came into this world to save sinners. That didn’t make sense to me, because all our gods and goddesses come to destroy sinners. But these men kept saying that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I thought it was an interesting concept, so I took the Gospel of John and began to read it for myself, wanting to know more about this son of God who loves sinners. As I read, I was impressed with its message.’

Ramesh continued. ‘The following day I was waiting for these young men to come to our village. When they arrived, I invited them to my home and asked them to share with me more about this Jesus. They shared the Gospel with me again, and I told them about my wife, who was bedridden. I asked them if they would pray for her, so they knelt down around her bed and prayed in Jesus’ name for my wife. Those young men visited us every week and prayed for us every week, and as the weeks passed my wife began to get better. After several weeks, these young men came and shared with me that they were being persecuted and the villagers were forcing them to vacate the house where they were staying. They asked me if they could stay in my village, so I offered them a room in my house. Through them, we continued to hear the Gospel, and soon my wife, my two daughters and I all believed in the Lord and invited Him into our lives.’

Set Apart by God, And a New Start

‘As soon as they discovered we were believers in Jesus, the Hindu radicals targeted me and my family. They turned the villagers against us, and they burned down our house, thinking we were still inside. But the Lord saved us through one of their own men, who informed us of the attack just in time so that we could escape. We lost everything. We migrated from there and came to this village and settled here with Sanjeev and Ravi.’

Seven Years of Ministry, And Much Fruit

‘Now, for the past seven years, I have lived here with my family, not as a temple priest but as a servant of the living God. Our Lord has given us boldness and courage to share about Jesus, and in the last seven years, our Lord has used us to establish 49 house churches in this community. More than 800 people have received believer’s baptism and thousands of people have been touched by the message of the gospel.’ (That day alone our leaders baptized 49 people from the same community)

Baptism candidates receive Bible training
Baptism training class

Today Sanjeev, Ravi, and Ramesh travel to different villages in the community. Just last year, with your help, our partners, we gave Sanjeev and Ravi a motorcycle that has helped them expand their territory and reach far into the interior villages. Today the message of the Gospel is penetrating deep down in this community. Hundreds are turning to the Lord. While our leaders were with these brothers, they attended 7 meetings in different villages, and 259 people came forward to receive Jesus into their lives and were baptized! The church is growing! PRAISE THE LORD!

A public Christian meeting
Another public meeting

Help Us Share the Gospel

Will you help us continue sharing the Gospel in the darkest places of India? Psalm 119:105 says ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.’ You can share in the blessings! To find out how to contact us, and to read more inspiring and exciting testimonies of what God is doing among the unreached people groups of India, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, and you will be blessed, along with thousands of others!

Proclaiming the Gospel…

…until He comes,

December 2019 Letter

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Dear Partners and Friends,

The Indian state of Rajasthan, where this month’s story takes place, is one of the largest states of India, making up over 10% of the land area and home to more than 77 million people. But the Christian population remains at less than a tenth of one percent. There is still much opposition and much persecution against Christians in the state, and pastors and missionaries are especially vulnerable. But when God demonstrates His love for these people through miracles and healing, they respond with great joy, and embrace the Gospel with enthusiasm unmatched in the western world.

You see, they already believe in a supernatural, spiritual world. They don’t have to be persuaded that Jesus is alive in Spirit, and that people communicate with Him in prayer. They have seen people possessed by a spirit, whom they think is one of their gods or goddesses. But they have never experienced the love they feel from the true God of the universe. Other spirit-beings take advantage of them or afflict them in some way. But the true God, and Jesus His Son, bring healing and deliverance into their lives, in such a way that they will never go back to their idols.

Why is it that Christians in the West don’t experience this? We don’t really believe in an active supernatural spirit world. Now I know there are many exceptions to this, but the average American Christian has never seen a miracle, has never seen a demonic spirit (or at least they haven’t recognized it as such) and doesn’t expect God to intervene in their life in a tangible, significant way.

If you are a Christ-follower but have never experienced His miracle-working power in your life, I want to challenge you. Jesus wants to demonstrate His love for you, just as much as He does for the people of India. He tells us to “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7, NASB). Is there something in your life that needs a miracle? Ask Him, in faith, and see what He will do for you. And we would be honored to pray with you for the answer.

We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, the Kingdom of Heaven will be advanced, and you will be blessed! Our teams are actively working to advance God’s kingdom. For more inspiring and exciting testimonies, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

                        Thomas

November 2019 Letter

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Dear Partners and Friends,

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and approach the 2019 Christmas season, we are reminded of how much we have, and how thankful we are (or should be). Our missionaries in India are working tirelessly in less-than-ideal conditions, sometimes dealing with bad weather, sometimes trying to avoid terrorists who are prevalent in many areas, and sometimes just dealing with the inferior infrastructure (roads, bridges, cell phone service) – things that most of us have no experience with. That’s why this month we have posted our annual “Project Catalog”, showing things that you have the opportunity to give and bless our missionaries. Make your selection on the Project Fund Donation page and include your gift, and we will provide them with these blessings.

As you read this month’s story, I want to encourage us to think about our own lives. These missionaries are traveling through dangerous territory, avoiding terrorists, driving on narrow roads through forests, over rocks and potholes, across fields and creek beds, into villages with thousands of tribal people and very few modern conveniences. They risk their lives and set aside their comfort to bring the Gospel to people who have never heard. Thousands hear the message and hundreds respond with open hearts.

What kinds of risks am I willing to take to share the Gospel with those around me? Am I willing to risk being labeled, or worse, laughed at? What inconveniences am I willing to endure? Am I willing to let someone ahead of me in the line at the grocery store? Do I dare take a risk and pray for a sick person, and dare I do it in a public place? What if nothing happens and I look foolish? But, on the other hand, what if the person I am sharing with experiences the love of the Savior through me? Would it be worth the risk?

One more thing – we are offering a 2020 calendar to anyone who asks for it. If you would like this small token of our appreciation, let us know on the “Contact Us” page.

We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, the Kingdom of Heaven will be advanced, and you will be blessed! Our teams are actively working to advance God’s kingdom. For more inspiring and exciting testimonies, click the links on the right, and keep reading!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

                        Thomas

2020 Project Fund Catalog

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Every year we present you, our Partners, with several new projects for your consideration. If you would like to give toward any of these projects, simply make your choice on the Project Fund Donation page when you make your gift. Any funds received above the need will be used for other projects. Thank you for your generosity!

Bibles for our Missionaries

Gift #1. 10 Bibles—$40

We have tribal people literally begging us for a Bible. We give them away in seven different languages for only $4 each. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

Cotton floor rug for a house church

Gift #2. Cotton Floor Rugs—$40

Many of the tribal come to the prayers meeting and sit on the cold dirt floor Thick, 12-lb cotton floor rugs (18’x15’) will be a great blessing and a great Christmas gift for the house churches in the tribal area this winter.

Bicycles for our Missionaries

Gift #3. Bicycles—$45

Our House church leaders are from all walks of life, from 18-70 years of age, both men and women. A bicycle can give them greater mobility to serve the Lord.

Sewing machines and tailoring training

Gift #4. Sewing Machines—$50 each / $300 for a Sewing Center

We are continuing to launch new tailoring centers in partnership with local churches. Each center has 5 sewing machines and an instructor to teach women the skills they need to earn an income. Once they complete the training, some women will keep their sewing machine, enabling them to support their families. We also conduct Bible studies and children’s programs in the tailoring centers.

Petromax lantern for revival meeting

Gift #5. Petromax Lanterns—$35

These lanterns run for hours on gasoline or paraffin. In remote villages they allow our missionaries to conduct public meetings where they preach the Gospel and see hundreds of people respond to the altar call for salvation or healing.

Motorcycle for our Missionary

Gift #6. Motorcycles—$800 (or any amount)

Fourteen of our missionaries in the tribal areas travel long distances to reach the villages in which they minister. A motorcycle will enable them to be 10 times more effective in their work for the Kingdom of Heaven and help the tribal village churches to grow.

New building for a newly planted church

Gift #7. Church Building—$5000—$7000

As more people come to faith, our house churches need more room, and a central location for worship. The church will also serve as a center for community outreach.

New roof for a church

Gift #8. Church Roof—$2000—$3000

Some of our congregations have raised money for their building, but they still lack the funds for a proper roof, so they can continue to meet, even during bad weather.

Revival Among the Tribal People

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Our ministry in the state of Bihar started almost 13 years ago. It was God who guided us to start the ministry there, and by His grace and by the prayers and support of the people of God the ministry has grown tremendously. Through our outreach teams, we have reached thousands of unreached villages with the gospel and started several thousand house churches and prayers groups in these unreached villages. These groups are flourishing, and some have grown into “full-size” churches. We have trained several hundred men and women from the native villages to be house church leaders who are used by God, expanding his Kingdom in the unreached villages.

But traveling to Bihar has often been a risky endeavor, due to the violent tendencies of the local people, the frequent terrorist attacks of the Naxalites (Marxist insurgents), and the poor infrastructure, which makes it difficult to reach some of the villages.

Through Many Dangers, Toils, And Snares

In early November R and S boarded an overnight train from Delhi to visit our missionaries. Because it was the first time S had traveled to Bihar with R she had some apprehension regarding the trip. When morning came, they discovered that many people traveling in their compartment had lost their bags and valuables. By the grace of God, R and S’s bags were safe. When they reached the railway station in Bihar as they were getting out of the train, R fell and twisted his ankle. He saw a doctor for an x-ray, and the doctor said there was no fracture, so he bandaged R’s ankle and sent him on. At Pastor Sonny’s home they rested that night, but his legs were in pain and he could not sleep. The next morning, they were on their way to the tribal area where most of our missionaries are working, in a four-wheel-drive SUV that a local brother rented. As they traveled, the roads became more narrow, and the paved road became a dirt road. Soon they were driving through the forest. Finally, after a four-hour drive they reached a village where a few meetings had been arranged. They saw over 300 men and women, worshiping the Lord in their native language. It was a wonderful time of worship, led by our missionary Kris and his wife. R shared God’s Word with them and invited them to receive Jesus in their lives. More than 70 men, women, and young people responded to the Gospel call. After this meeting, they went to another tribal village where over 103 men and women were baptized. After the baptism, R served them their first communion, and they celebrated their new relationship with Jesus. In the evening they went to a third village where they held a public meeting. Again, there were around 300-400 people in attendance, and over 70 people responded to the Gospel call. They prayed for deliverance from drugs and alcohol. They prayed for a lot of people to be delivered from the burden of debt (the tribal people often borrow money from their landlord, at times when they are in need. He lends them money at high interest, and in order to repay the loan, the tribal person works in the landlord’s field. They intend to repay the loan from their wages, but the landlord pays them below minimum wage, forcing them to work long hours to repay the money they borrowed.)

House church in Bihar
Public meeting in Bihar

Tis Grace Hath Brought Me Safe Thus Far

After a remarkable day, they got back to Pastor Sonny’s home around 11:30 pm. The next morning they woke, only to find that their rented SUV, which had been parked in front of Pastor Sonny’s home, had been stolen. They had all been asleep inside the house, near where the car had been parked, but none of them heard any sound. The theft happened around 6 am, but when they went to the police station to report the theft, the police took a very casual approach, asking R and Sonny to come back at 9 am since the officer in charge was not there. They were really shaken by this. They had planned to go to another tribal area where our brothers had planned more meetings, so they rented another SUV. R and S went to the meeting, but our local leaders and our Bihar coordinator remained in Sonny’s home to report to the police station. Travel in the forest is dangerous, as the Naxalites dominate that area. After they traveled an hour on a damaged road they were blocked by the police and told they couldn’t travel on this road because there was a conflict between the Naxalites and the police. The police made them take a detour down a narrow dirt road leading into the forest. Their driver and a local pastor riding with them were convinced that this road was even more dangerous to travel. They continued, praying all the way. The road wasn’t smooth, but full of rocks and water-filled potholes. By the grace of God, they reached the village, where again 300-400 tribal people from the surrounding area came to attend the meeting, walking several miles through the forest. During worship, several men and women were delivered from evil spirits when they laid hands on them and prayed for them. Again, R shared the gospel with them, and 48 people responded to the altar call. That afternoon they went to another tribal village and fellowshipped with 62 new believers who were baptized that morning and served them communion. In the evening they had another public meeting in a small village where one of our new house church leadership trainees had started a new church. Around 100 people who had been baptized a week earlier came together to take communion. They are not well educated, and they were new-born Christians, but when R explained the meaning of communion there was not one dry eye in the place. They were sobbing when they realized all the suffering Jesus endured was for our sake.

Missionaries in Bihar
Missionaries in Bihar

And Grace Will Lead Me Home

New Church in Bihar
New Church in Bihar

The following day they traveled to another tribal area for still another meeting. On the way back they were stopped by the police, who searched them and made them wait for over an hour until another officer came and verified their IDs and let them go. The trip was very dangerous, life-threatening, and painful, but it was also quite memorable. They experienced God’s presence, His protection, and His provision. Reflecting on the trip as a whole, whether it had been worth it, they gave a resounding “YES!” More than four thousand people heard the Gospel, 249 people received Jesus into their life, and they witnessed over 282 people being baptized. Moreover, they saw thousands of people whose lives were touched by the Gospel, transforming the homes and villages of interior India.

Help Us Share the Gospel

Will you help us continue sharing the Gospel in the darkest places of India? Psalm 119:105 says ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.’ You can share in the blessings! To find out how to contact us, and to read more inspiring and exciting testimonies of what God is doing among the unreached people groups of India.

With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, and you will be blessed, along with thousands of others!

Proclaiming the Gospel…

…until He comes,