THE HEART OF ASIAN OUTREACH / Peter U, Chairman

AOC 27 (Jan-Mar 2020)

God is always for us

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals and importantly seeking God to know what plans he has for us. As John Macarthur said “Enter the coming year with renewed hope in the power of God to do through you what you can’t.” As Christians we are always assured of that Hope. Every year is a new season, be prayerful of what God has planned for you and be willing to walk by faith in obedience as you follow His leading. Remember that His plans are always for good and not for evil to give you a future and a Hope.

There is still much work to do in the mission fields and the enemy is rising up to stop the work but we will remain steadfast and keep our focus on what the Lord has called us to do. We are greatly encouraged by your prayer and financial support and we praise God for your willingness to be used as a vessel for His glory, for whatever purpose He has in mind.

2 Tim 2:21

“A man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared to every good work.”

In 2015 we shared about Ps Maniraj who faced much opposition when he wanted to build his church on land given by a believer. This land was situated midway between the rich upper caste villagers and the poor Dalit villagers. The rich villagers hired thugs to harass him and beat him up and when that failed they reported him to the authorities. But God was on his side and everything they tried failed. Due to lack of funds he and his wife did the construction of the church themselves. The temperature at that time was 40 degrees Celsius and they had to walk one mile one way to collect water. It was so tough and backbreaking for them but they persevered until one day a Dalit non-believer gave them a cart to transport the water to the construction site and slowly people seeing their strength in their faith, came to help them. The church was finally completed but Ps Maniraj was denied electricity for the church. The more the enemy rose up to defeat them the more they fought back and this did not stop more souls being added to his congregation. All because he never gave up no matter how tough things got.

When the village needed a well for water desperately, Ps Maniraj wrote to AO appealing for a bore well for the Dalit village and praise God we raised funds to build that well, making life easier for the villagers. The villagers were so grateful and they began to respect him as a great man of God and more came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Some even came from the rich side of the village, the upper caste people. The persecution and harassment never really stopped even after 3 years. The Hindu extremist grew angrier to see his congregation growing.

On 28th September 2018, after three long challenging years, the church building was completed and our partner in India, Ps Paul went to the village to conduct the church dedication. During the praise and worship, a jeep full of police officers drove up and demanded Ps Maniraj to stop praying and singing immediately. They had received complaints from some of the Hindu Villagers. Ps Maniraj and Ps Paul were then bundled into the police jeep and taken away for interrogation. Little did they know that a group of men were planning to attack the church and worshippers and if the police had not come at that moment there would have been bloodshed. The police released the pastors and ended up arresting these men instead. He saw the hand of God intervening to stop the attack, Praise God.

Thank God that Ps Maniraj did not lose hope but no matter what he faced he trusted God to see him through. Ps Maniraj knew what his purpose and mandate was. He did not say, “I had better wait for a better time.” No he knew there was never a perfect time for God’s work to be done. When we are willing to let go and let God work in us and through us, He will always stretch us and strengthen us. Ps Maniraj knew just how strategic the place where the church stood is. It stood between the high caste people on one side and the lower caste people on the other. He had a vision that the church would be the bridge to unite the people of both caste to worship God as one. The upper caste people, though Christians, would not sit together with the lower caste people, especially the Dalits. Ps Maniraj’s vision for the church to be that bridge but the enemy did not want that.  

In spite of all that happened Ps Maniraj and his wife went ahead with the dedication and though the police stood by and videoed the whole service, there were no more disturbances. It was a proud and glorious moment for them when Ps Maniraj wife cut the ribbon and ushered in the believers. It took almost four long years of sweat and tears and we can only imagine how much this couple must have endured through these last four years. Yet what amazing love and trust they have for the Lord persevering when many of us would have given up and said “think we better move somewhere else.” Not this couple though. They knew that the place was the exact place where they had to build that church and no matter how long they took, God would see it to completion.

We do not know what this year will bring for us, either personally or globally. We hear of so many problems cropping up everywhere and we wonder what does all this mean for us? Understandably we will worry but we have the blessed assurance that God is with us always and He will never leave us nor forsake us. Yes, trouble will come and yes life may become a challenge but He will stand with us always. He has given every one of us a Great Commission that we need to fulfil. Everyone one of us has a plan and purpose set by God for our lives. Getting stuck in worry will steal your joy and render you ineffective for the work God wants to do through your life. By our presence let us become channels for the love of Christ and the Holy Spirit’s life-giving transformation.

   

Matthew 29:18-20

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very blessed Chinese New Year and may you have a fruitful time of fellowship with family and friends. Let us not forgot to extend a hand of love to those in need of a kind word, someone to talk to and to encourage and pray with, bring to a family who lacks this Chinese New Year. So many ways to show God’s love to His people.