Sharpening One Another / Ps Lau Tak Siong

Solomon gave us an important principle of strengthening one another in that we can sharpen one another. This was what he said in Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

There are many pastors, leaders and evangelist who serve the Lord very faithfully in His vineyards in Asia, especially in the remote and unreached areas. Their heart is so passionate for God but many are not fully equipped having not had any proper training which is vital for them. They also need encouragement as many face many challenges in their work. Have you ever wondered who will encourage or sharpen these brothers and sisters? Some of them live in outlying villages with no opportunity to attend any seminars. Many have no internet or not much opportunity to learn or refer online. Right from the beginning Asian Outreach Malaysia realised the importance of training and equipping the pastors and leaders in the poor nations of Asia and praise God, we have been able to conduct many training programs. Over the years I have had the privilege to work alongside with AOM to conduct Advance Leadership training to sharpen the leaders of Asia, mainly in India, Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Myanmar.

It has always been such an encouragement for me too to see their response to the training and I come away from these trainings carrying so many testimonies that have made me want to go the extra mile for them. I don’t only sow into their lives but they are also sowing into mine. Every training has encouraged and strengthened me so much and it is not a hardship for me to leave my family and my comfortable home, the long hours of travelling, the difficulty in food and accommodation I have had to endure to these places to equip and train these pastors and leaders. Indeed I count it a privilege for me to work with these men and women of God and to see them so passionate for God. Recently I had the privilege to meet Ps Joseph again who had attended my seminar four years ago.

   

Ps Joseph who is in his late fifties is one of those always beaming with joy and the hunger for the Word of God. He is still faithfully serving the Lord despite the failure of both his kidneys. Through prayer and faith, Joseph is a walking miracle. The doctors had to discharge him as soon as possible because he continued to preach the Gospel while warded in the hospital. Four nurses turned to Jesus during his stay in the hospital. Many unbelievers in the hospital have heard the Gospel because of this man who is not afraid to share his faith to anyone willing to listen. As a result, the hospital authorities reprimanded him saying, “You are a patient not a preacher while warded”. But he continued the sharing of the Good News that they had to discharge him. Today, he is still faithfully serving the Lord despite of his illness. 

Ps Prahbu also attended the Advance Leadership training over the last several years and is currently working among the Dalit community (or frequently called the “untouchables”). He has been facing many obstacles and challenges but he continues to serve God faithfully. He has reached, transformed and saved so many souls among the Dalits through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. They may be poor in material things but certainty filled with the joy of the Lord. 

These are just two of the many examples of leaders that have gone through our Advance Leadership training in partnership with Asian Outreach Malaysia. There are many more I have encountered over the years. I have received so many emails requesting me to come again to undertake training with them.  We that live in the towns and city are blessed to have excess to all the latest online resources but not for these poor foot soldiers and evangelist in the remote and small villages of Asia. When properly equipped and trained they can make such a huge impact on the believers and pre-believers enabling them to win so many more souls for God. Being equipped helps them to step out boldly to share and to overcome objections to the faith.

For those of us who use tools for gardening or knives for preparing food, we do realize that after sometime the axe or knife gets dull and need sharpening. What more, the brothers and sisters who serve faithfully in tough places. Your prayers and sacrificial giving have encouraged and strengthened the pastors in India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. There are still many more that are yearning for training. In challenging times like these, they need to be fully equipped with God’s Word and how to use it when faced with these difficult challenges in their work and ministry. My prayer is that you will join us to sharpen the lives of these pastors/leaders and evangelist through the Word of God so they will be effective in their witnessing and sharing of the Gospel.

Romans 10:14 “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?”

FROM THE HEART OF ERIC FUNG / Executive Director, Asian Outreach Malaysia

 

Heading North of Chiang Mai, about a two and a half hour drive away and just 3 kilometres from the Burmese border is the village of Arunothai, a picturesque village surrounded by mist with majestic mountains as its backdrop. This area once belonged to Burma (now known as Myanmar) before it was annexed by Thailand. While most residents are of Yunnan Chinese origin and Burmese Chinese origin, there are also ethnic tribes like the Shan, Lisu, Karen and the Palaung in the surrounding hills. This far flung border settlement was originally founded by the Kuomintang who fled here after the communist took over China. There are also many illegal Burmese refugees living here too. There has been a progressive transformation of this once refugee village into a small town and the population has doubled over a decade.

Recently when I was in Chiang Mai, I was invited to visit a school and a children’s home in Arunothai, the En Hui Chinese School and the House of Grace. Equipped with only the little knowledge I had of its history and the village, I decided to visit the place. Ps Lee who oversees the School and children’s home offered to take Deborah and myself to visit Arunothai.

On the way to Arunothai, we were in awe of its stunning views and the cool, lovely weather. Just before entering the town there is a beautiful lake and we were told that the lake get fills up with water once every 8 eight years only for about 4 months and we were blessed to witness the water-filled lake. As it was lunch hour and as we neared Arunothai, I was told that the town was famous for its egg noodles and fried dumplings, and without hesitation Ps Lee headed straight to the stall that sells the best for our lunch.

Ps Lee’s ancestors hail from Yunnan and had settled in Burma along the Chinese border. His father quickly prospered in the drug business and became the richest and most powerful person in their village. As a teenager Ps Lee helped his father in the drug business. Although being so rich and having everything he wanted he felt no happiness but felt a feeling of emptiness. A friend introduced him to Christianity and he felt God calling him to enter Bible school. After completing Bible school he was excited to serve God but unfortunately he was lured back into the world of power and money.

He started a business and was doing very well but God had not forgotten him and was calling him back. A few years later Ps Lee had a stroke and he felt he was being punished for forsaking God and being disobedient.  He began to pray earnestly and while praying, God gave him a vision of Arunothai and told him to go there. He obeyed and left for Arunothai to work in the En Hui School.

The school and church was started 50 years ago by Ps Yang and another English pastor. When Ps Yang passed away, Ps Lee took over and continued the work in the school. The school caters to the poor children many of whom are Burmese Chinese refugees. The children would attend the Thai national school where they were taught in Thai (It is compulsory for all children to attend school) and then come to En Hui after school, where they were taught Bible Knowledge, Mandarin, English, Maths and computer. The school has 845 students with 28 classes from Kindergarten to Form 3, with a total of 35 teachers who are church members and 2 Malaysian missionaries.

The centre has given hope to many of these children to have a better future. With the effort and love put in by Ps Lee, the teachers and all the volunteers, the children are thriving. However, many of the parents cannot afford to pay the fees (a fairly small amount) but Ps Lee still takes them in and walks by faith that God will provide the finances needed to support the school.

Ps Lee knew that there were many orphaned and abandoned tribal children who were refugees or had been sold off by their parents to drug dealers just to satisfy their drug habits. Some of these children were abandoned when their parents were jailed for criminal offences or drug smuggling. A few were from a single parent struggling to survive. His heart was filled with compassion to see these children who were innocent and starving for love and a place to call home, with people to care for them and love them.

God called him to take these children and care for them and so the House of Grace was built. The House of Grace currently has 66 children from various ethnic groups. The population of Arunothai is about 40,000 people but only about 5% are Christian. This is the reason Ps Lee continues his work in Arunothai despite the many challenges he faces. He hardly gets any financial support as the people there are poor themselves. He depends on the Lord and walks by faith that God will bring willing financial partners to Reach, Touch and Transform lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The school is blessed to have two Malaysian volunteers, Sister Mavis and Su Han who have left their homes in Malaysia to help Ps Lee with the school and the home. Mavis’s ambition was to be a school teacher as she loved working with children. It seemed her dreams were fulfilled when she went she went to work in Shanghai and Nanjing and then ended up in Singapore. She was happy and loved her job but always felt something was missing. Mavis was a Buddhist and did not know the Lord. One day she fell ill and needed an operation so she returned to Malaysia to be hospitalized.

Mavis grandmother at that time also fell ill and they both were in the same hospital room where her grandmother’s friend who was a Christian came to visit them and shared the Gospel with them. Mavis heart was stirred and four years later she accepted Jesus and so did her grandmother. As she was seeking God to know His plans for her  she received an invitation from Ps Su Han to follow her on a mission trip to Arunothai. Working in the En Hui School and the House of Grace brought new meaning to her life and she felt God’s call to serve Him in Arunothai.

Su Han had completed Bible College and went to work in a church in Cameron Highlands for three years but her heart was in missions and reaching the unsaved. After leading a mission trip to Arunothai, she felt God calling her to help the children there. The two missionaries work in the school helping Ps Lee to teach the children and Mavis helps out with the accounts as well as helping in the home. They have been such a blessing to the school and the Home. Mavis and Su Han are not paid any salary but walk totally by faith. They have a bed to sleep in and food to eat (They eat simple meals with the children) and whatever funds they can raise from their family and friends they use to help with the fees of those children who cannot afford to pay.

I was deeply touched to see Mavis and Su Han’s commitment to God’s calling and plans for the school and the Home. They are two young women with a bright future ahead of them but they gave it all up to come to this little town far away from modern amenities and city life to serve God here and because of the love they have for the children. They also serve in church, teaching in the Sunday school and also find the time to visit the homes of the children, sharing the Gospel with their parents. I am reminded of this bible verse: Isaiah 58:10-11 “and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

After my trip I felt God impressing on my heart to reach out to His children in Arunothai. Being a father and grandfather myself, children have always had a very special place in my heart and I have said this often enough that even if I can make a difference in one child’s life it would be worth everything to me. Children are our future and every child regardless of race, colour or circumstance deserves a chance for a better life and to have their dreams and hopes fulfilled. As Jesus said in Matthew 19:14 "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Every child is a gift from God and we must treasure these little ones.

Join us in prayer to ask God to provide the necessary finances for the two missionaries to apply for their official visa at the cost of RM8,000 for both and to ask God to provide the necessary finance to run the children’s home. Let us trust God to speak to individuals to give generously to a worthy cause. If God moves you to support this ministry please send your contribution designate for ‘Thailand Projects’ and it will go to support the House of Grace, the En Hui School and the two Malaysian missionaries. 

Proverbs 22:9 "He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor."

Thanksgiving

Join me in giving thanks to God for sustaining and providing for me for the last 31 years, as I serve Him through Asian Outreach Ministry.

Prayer Points

1. We pray that all the needs of the school, Home and the visa fees for the two Malaysian missionaries to be met.

2. Pray for God’s favour and anointing upon Ps Lee, Ps Su Han and Mavis as they reach, touch and transform lives through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

3. Pray for more open doors and willing hearts among the people of Arunothai to be receptive to the Gospel.

REACHING AND RAISING A NEW GENERATION OF MISSIONARIES

Sharene Wan / AOM Missionary

As part of Asian Outreach efforts to engage young people, Missions Mega wave was held recently in Kampar. Thanks to the partnership with UTAR (University Tunku Rahman) Christian Fellowship and 11 churches, we had over 240 participants.

It was also a fun learning event as the students were able to experience some cultural activities, taste the food and see the exhibits from various country booths. The booths were manned by missionaries or people with a burden for that country. The students were able to ask questions and interact with them. Through this we hope to broaden their understanding and exposure to other countries and their culture. 

The messages were delivered by speakers from different mission field/countries serving in different platforms and with expertise of their own. Through sharing their experiences and call to missions, the students were able to better understand the mission field. They learned about Unreached People Groups, Tent making and Business As Mission (BAM) and how their profession, skills and gifts can open doors for them especially into Restricted Access Nations.

The students were challenged to catch the wave of what God is doing in the nations today. They were also exposed to the possibilities in missions that could come from the China One Belt One Road policy.

As a follow-up to this Missions Mega wave, we invited the students to join us on a mission trip to the Orang Asli outreached. There were six students that responded and went for the trip in October. The outreach was in partnership with Pastor Eduan, the Orang Asli pastor that was with us during the Missions Mega wave. The Orang Asli village that we visited was in Kampung Choh, in Ulu Kinta about 50 minutes from Ipoh. It has an existing church of five families.

For the first time the students learn to survive without telephones or internet and slept in sleeping bags on hard ground. It was not very sanitary, flies were common but the surroundings were idyllic and quiet, with a river nearby, surrounded by forests and open compound. At night, it is pitch dark and there is no electricity. It was an eye-opener for the students who would otherwise not experience the kind of life the orang Asli live. 

The team led the prayer service, Sunday service, the children’s camp and visited the families. The students did all the planning and running of the children’s camp. All the students learn to pray for the families during the visitations and gave testimonies during the services. On their own initiative, the students helped by giving tuition to three kids of a widow who are preparing for their tests the following  Monday and another youth sitting for the SPM exam soon. They were willing to lead the Sunday praise and worship, all in Malay, even though they had never done this before, except for one. They practised until late Saturday night. They could feel how God anointed them as they led the worship in unity. They saw how many of the Orang Asli children were lacking in resources and how far behind they are in the schooling, and some felt burdened to come back to help them.

 

                            
                                                       
   

This is just a start in engaging young people in missions. We pray that a new generation of Malaysian missionaries will arise from these young ones - to have the passion, potential and many years ahead of them to do greater things for the Kingdom of God!

WE ARE CREATED FOR A PURPOSE

Ps Lazarus / Bhutan Ministry

Bhutan’s remote and beautiful landscape possess a stunning and tranquil beauty that is rare elsewhere. Its remote corners showcase the most charming and dazzling scenery and its villages and towns are serene places untouched by the modern world yet. These unspoiled landscapes with is vast untouched forests shrouded in mist, through its untamed rivers meandering across the mountains and the valleys, pristine and unperturbed, embodies Bhutan to be a picture of serenity.

I was blessed to be born in this beautiful land in a small village bordering India. We were poor but happy in our lives as the whole village was poor so there was nothing to compare to being rich. We lived simple carefree lives never yearning for the things we did not have because we did not know about them. My name is Lazarus Delpaly and I am a Bhutanese from a Hindu background. I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior in 1985 and I took water baptism in 1988.

When I was 9 years old, I fell ill and began having epileptic fits about 5 - 6 times a day and my hands got numb and could not function properly. I could not lift my hands or use them in any way. My parents spent all they could afford to find a doctor who could help me but there was no change and the epileptic fits kept occurring. I would fall on the ground my body shaking violently bruising myself quite badly at times if I happen to fall on the hard floor. My parents tried all kinds of medication and sacrificed many animals for ritual acts hoping for a miracle. Nothing happened and they lost hope and were resigned to the fact that I was going to die. My friends, neighbors and relatives also began to believe that there was no hope for me and I would surely die. In Bhutanese culture, life and death were just something one accepted as part of life, but my parents were distraught. I heard my father and mother crying out with tears and asking if there is any God who could hear their cry to heal and save their child.

One morning a stranger came to our home and he saw my parents distraught and in tears and he asked them why they were crying. My mother broke down and told the man about my condition imploring him to find someone to heal their son. The man said to my parents: “I don’t have any medicine, and I am not a magician but surely there is one way, that is, if you believe in Jesus Christ your child will be saved.”

My parents willingly believed that man and told him to take me to Jesus but if I died it would be his responsibility. So I was taken to a little church situated at the border of Bhutan and India and I was kept in the church and the pastor and his sister prayed for me. I saw how they wept for me and cried out to their God to heal me. I was amazed how these people whom I did not know would possibly care if I lived or died. Ps Jogendra Basumatari and Thresh Rai continued praying for me over the next few days almost continuously and I received healing completely. I was consumed by the power of God and even after I was healed I did not want to return to my village but begged Ps Jogendra to let me stay on and learn about Jesus and how I could serve Him. My parents were still Hindus and I couldn’t go back to my parents because they would not accept that I had become a Christian and that I would forsake the Hindu Gods for Jesus Christ.

I stayed on with Ps Jogendra and his sister and I would follow Ps Jogendra for evangelistic meetings from village to village and share my testimony. When I was old enough I would lead these evangelistic meetings on my own and would share the Gospel and my testimony and many souls were saved.

I gave my life into the service of God and am committed to reaching out to the remotest villages in Bhutan. Being a missionary in the remote Bhutan villages is a difficult and arduous call as it means miles of walking up difficult mountain paths or along dangerous ridges, so many mission workers would prefer to do ministry in the towns and cities. But my vision is to preach the Gospel to the poor people in the remote villages of Bhutan where many have yet to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is discouraging sometimes after that long tiring walk up to reach a village and then spend another hour sharing the Gospel only to be met with hostility and indifference. Occasionally when I start speaking and the minute they know it’s about Christianity some will get up and leave hurriedly or hurl verbal abuse at me as they walk out. Then I have to watch out for the authorities who have spies everywhere and will not hesitate to throw me in prison if I am caught preaching outside my home (It is a crime to evangelize in public). All that, is not in vain, however, even if just one person listens and is saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Bhutan is shrouded in spiritual darkness and we need to let the light of Christ in. Join me to pray for the people of Bhutan, for me, my family and ministry. I thank Asian Outreach for their partnership to help us reach, touch and transform lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Together we will win Bhutan for Christ.

 Prayer Points

1.      Pray for the needs of the seven evangelist working with me that the Lord will provide for the needs of their family and ministry.

2.      Pray for the safety and protection of all Christians in Bhutan especially the Pastors and evangelist.

3.      As a pastor with the monthly support, I find it very difficult to support my children in their education. I have two sons, the younger one in school and the elder one in college, 1st year. Pray for provision for my son’s college fees.

FROM THE HEART OF ERIC FUNG / Executive Director, Asian Outreach Malaysia

GOD USES US DISPITE OUR FLAWS

This year has been a gruelling year for me as I was required to travel the length and breadth of the country to minister in the local churches. Driving outstation during my younger days was something I looked forward to but when age catches up I find it stressful as it saps my energy and for longer distances I have to make several stops . The field trips are demanding due to the harsh environments and the ministry problems and as I reflect over the years I can truly say: ‘Only God’s grace has seen me through.’ The only reason I am able to do what I have been doing for the last 30 years is through God’s strength and love for the unsaved from the injustice they are suffering and the poor. The other motivating factor is that God has given me all of you to give me moral and prayer support. In this 30 years  I have seen thousands upon thousands come to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and many more lives have been reached, touched and transformed in the their spiritual, physical and mental being.

I returned from Cambodia on the 24^th of October and while there I fell ill with high fever, chills and body aches. The programmes for my visit had already been arranged so I could not cancel and had to carry on though all I wanted was to get back to bed. Even after my return I continued to be ill and on the 2^nd November I was hospitalised for three days to treat a lung infection. Praise God I have fully recovered. My spirit is ready to scale new mountains but my body is dragging its feet. In my course of reading I came across this short story that inspired and encouraged me. No matter what our circumstances are, God will always find a way to use us for His kingdoms glory, if we are willing.

Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.”

A water bearer in India carried water daily in two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water while the crack pot always ended up half full only.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After some time, feeling like a failure the crack pot spoke to the water bearer: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The bearer smiled and said to the pot: “Did you notice that there were flowers on your side of the path but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

Never doubt your value to God and how you can be His vessel, no matter how ‘cracked’ you appear to be. You know most of our foot soldiers are lowly educated man and women, simple in their ways and live simple lives. They live by faith, that God will provide their every need for their family and ministry. What sets these men and women apart is their faith in God and their desire to serve Him? They do not focus on what they lack but are fully focused on what God has called them to do.

God has been so faithful to them and the miracles, signs and wonders they have experienced is simply amazing. Now with the rise in persecution it cannot be easy for them but they have never once complaint or grumble that life is too hard or they want to give up. 

Our foot soldier in India, Ps Praveen encountered a lot of trouble with a villager who hated Christians. He would constantly shout at Ps Praveen whenever he saw him, even walking on the street to curse and swear at him. He vowed to drive Ps Praveen and his family out of the village. Ps Praveen never answered back or retaliated in any way, but would pray for this man while he was being shouted at and cursed. The man never saw anger or hate in the Pastor’s eyes and slowly he began to change and became curious to know the God Ps Praveen loved and served, the God that teaches tolerance and love. It spoke volumes to this man who would expect anyone who was being tormented to either retaliate or leave. Today that man has accepted Jesus and Ps Praveen was overjoyed to baptize him. 

Ps John Ramesh whose ministry is reaching out to the special peoples group in India must have often felt how he could, a simple villager, reach out to people so entombed in their own faith. He has seen their stand with regards to their faith and how extreme they were, not only in India but all over the world. He read about the atrocities they were doing all in the name of religion, he wondered how he was going to save them. He knew he had a daunting task ahead of him but he was determined to do it.

 One day he met a man at the bus stop from this special peoples group. He looked extremely upset and worried. Ps John felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to reach out to this man and he did. The man, his name was Khadhar, poured out his heart to Ps John. He married his daughter to a young man a few months ago and had to give a dowry to the young man’s family, as was the custom. He was unable to fulfil that promise of a dowry and his daughter was sent back to him and his family. This was a terrible shame for his family and he still had a younger daughter yet to marry. He was just too poor to provide his daughters with a dowry and this was a heavy burden for him.

Ps John shared with him about Jesus and prayed with him challenging him to pray to Jesus and believe that Jesus would help him. There and then Khadhar began to pray and ask Jesus to come into his life and help his family. Ps John kept meeting him and praying with him. Within a week his son-in-law came to the house to take his wife back home. He assured the father that he loved his daughter and no dowry was necessary. The father could hardly believe it.  A week later a family approached him for the hand of his youngest daughter and they also told him that a dowry was not necessary. That day Khadhar gave his heart to Jesus because he knew that God had worked a miracle for him.

Powerful testimonies like these about the miracles that come from God and how people are witnessing first the reality of the Kingdom of God, more and more are accepting Christ.  These Foot Soldiers greatest desire is to be used by the Lord to bring in a great harvest of souls and to give God all the glory. God can use anyone for fulfilling His purpose, if that person chooses to be useful to Him. God has blessed everyone with one talent or the other. Some have the gift of being a listener, encourager, writer, prayer warrior or financial supporter for the Lord’s work but we must be willing vessels.

As I mentioned before not all of us are called to preach or go to the mission fields. Some are given the task to pray and others the privilege to give and support the work of the Kingdom. Whatever we are called to do, let us do it with a willing heart and out of love for our Saviour.

Rom:10:14 “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”  

FROM THE HEART OF ERIC FUNG / Executive Director, Asian Outreach Malaysia

BEING AN AARON AND HUR

Exodus 17:12

“When Moses’s hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”

In Exodus, we read that when the Israelites were fighting against the Amalekites, Moses stood at the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hands overlooking the battle. As long as Moses held up his hands the Israelites were winning but whenever he grew tired and lowered his hands, the advantage shifted to the enemy. Then Aaron and Hur came along and held up his hands so that it remained steady until sunset and Israel won the battle. Although Aaron and Hur did not play as prominent a role as those at the forefront of the battle, their steadfast support behind the scene has helped win a war. To me, they are the true heroes of this story.

Here in Asian Outreach, we continuously seek to fulfil the great commission by bringing the gospel to every tongue and tribe that have yet to know Jesus Christ. While God has always been faithful, I must admit that it is a daunting task for our battle is not just against physical challenges but also against the principalities and powers of darkness. As I reflect on my 29 years of service in Asian Outreach, I thank God for the many Aarons and Hurs in my life. Every time the task seemed impossible, God would bring along the right people to partner with us and support us in prayer. Without these wonderful partners, it would not have been possible for us to accomplish all that the Lord has called us to do.

In 2006 I went to Nepal and saw children scavenging in the rubbish dumps, fighting with stray dogs and cows for every scrap of food they can find. I was shocked and moved to tears. The Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart to do something about the situation but I had no idea how to begin. There were so many children roaming the streets and I didn’t have the resources to feed, clothe and shelter them at all. Nevertheless, I obeyed God’s calling and together with the wonderful partners he sent, started a food sharing programme and drop-in centre. After some time, we were able to set up a proper home for the children and give them the opportunity to go to school. In this safe environment, many of the children grew to know and love the Lord and many more were saved from the streets day by day.

Romans 12:4-5

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

I would like to share with you the following report by Pastor Maniraj, our foot soldier in Theni, Tamil Nadu who has been tremendously blessed by your partnership. He needed a church to house the growing congregation and God directed him to build one on a land situated between the high caste and low caste community.

The people in the village take the caste system very seriously. Low caste people are not allowed to be in the same vicinity as the high caste people. God told him that the church would be the “bridge” that connects the Christian believers in both castes to come together as one. No one has ever attempted this before. The higher caste Hindus absolutely could not stand being anywhere near the low caste Dalits. Nevertheless, in obedience, Pastor Maniraj started to build the church as the Lord commanded.  The high caste Hindus tried to prevent the authorities from granting the approval to build the church and when they were unsuccessful, watched and waited to find fault with the building.

Due to lack of funds, Pastor Maniraj together with his wife and a few church members started to build the church brick by brick with their own hands. They had to walk one mile each way, in temperatures as hot as 40⁰C, carrying water, and bricks, sand and cement bags on their shoulders to and from the construction site. They never grumbled or complained. Instead their praises and thanksgiving to God can be heard for miles around. One day a Hindu in the village offered them a push cart to ease their burden. This helped to reduce the number of trips. After some time, non-Christian neighbours started to help with carrying water and other minor tasks. Pastor Maniraj was amazed that God could even use non-Christians to help him. It is a testimony for those who serve God that He is a faithful God and when we obey His calling, He will take care of our needs. Slowly, Pastor Maniraj started to share Christ with those who came to help and many in the village came to know the Lord.

God has called all of us to participate in the great harvest. While most of us could not be at the forefront like Pastor Maniraj and the other foot soldiers, we can be the Aarons and Hurs to support those in the field. I urge you to continue to partner with them through prayer and the giving of your time and resources. By doing so, we are investing in millions of lives and giving them a chance of salvation. The Lord sees our faithfulness and will bless us according to His riches in heaven.

All of us in Asian Outreach is grateful to God for meeting our needs and for a fruitful ministry thus far. Your generosity and support throughout the years have indeed been an encouragement to spur us on towards greater works. Many of you gave out of your own needs and I want to assure you that your giving is not in vain. Our track record shows that we are prudent and good stewards of the resources that God has blessed us with and every dollar that comes in goes to the field. In the coming months, pray with us as we continue to trust and obey God.

Romans 10:13-15

“For Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

THE MOVE OF GOD IN BHUTAN

Kikon Lotha/AO partner in Bhutan

We praise God for the foot soldiers in Bhutan who, in obedience to the Great Commission, have gone into the "regions beyond" with the Gospel of Jesus Christ even at the price of persecution. God has raised up faithful foot soldiers as His instruments to carry out His plan. The foot soldiers in Bhutan work tirelessly to take the message of God’s love and salvation to the lost as they desire that every Bhutanese come to know Jesus so their lives can be transformed forever. Although there are no violent attacks on Christians, they do face persecution through discrimination by the government and society. Christians live out their Christian lives underground and church buildings, Christian cemeteries or Christian bookstores are not allowed. As one Pastor said, “Once the government discovers that you are a Christian, nothing will be free for you as all the perks of a Bhutanese are stripped.” Although Christians are allowed to practice their faith in private homes, evangelism and Christian gatherings in public are prohibited.

Life is hard for the foot soldiers in Bhutan because they never know who they can trust as the authorities have spies everywhere. In 2015 Pastor Tandin was arrested during Sunday service for playing a music video of the song “Above All” to usher the people to worship when a neighbour reported him. Police also seized his computer and found a schedule in Tandin’s hard disk revealing his plans to show three Christian movies in the days to follow. They say the attempt to show these films without permission is punishable by the Penal Code of Bhutan. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Despite concentrated efforts to curb the spread of Christianity, the efforts of the foot soldiers have not been in vain. House churches are being established and many remote villages are hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  God continues to raise up men who are willing to risk even their lives for the sake of the Gospel. We hardly receive any news on social media about the miracles taking place in this tiny Himalayan Kingdom but God is moving powerfully through the work of the foot soldiers and lives are being transformed through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Leah Chhettri, a Bhutanese woman had suffered from a heart condition which became quite serious. The doctors in Bhutan recommended that she go immediately to Calcutta for open heart surgery.  Leah was plunged into depression and fear that she would die before she could go for the operation. Finances for the operation was another problem too and she became more discouraged. She heard of a pastor in Likithung who could pray for her healing and his God would listen and help her. So she went and sought him out and she and her husband met Ps Lazarus who was filled with compassion when he heard her problem and he began to share the Gospel and about the love of God, His peace and His healing. Leah asked Ps Lazarus to pray that she would be healed without an operation. She continued to pray with Ps Lazarus and listen to the Word of God and she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour even before she was healed.  After a month had passed Leah went to the hospital and to the amazement of the doctors her Eco test results revealed that her heart was in good condition. The doctors were baffled but Leah knew that Jesus had healed her and she was filled with joy.

A month later, Leah and her husband stood on the banks of a river near their village and under the pretext of having a picnic (to avoid detection that baptism was taking place) Leah was baptised. In the month of January it was very cold and the water in the river was freezing cold. Leah’s husband was concerned for his wife as she was still quite delicate even though she had been healed and Ps Lazarus encouraged them to have faith in Jesus and trust Him. As Leah walked into the river holding tightly to Ps Lazarus’s hand her husband saw Jesus standing between Leah and Ps Lazarus and he immediately fell on his knees in awe. After the pastor submerged Leah in the water and brought her out in just a couple of seconds they found to their horror that Leah was cold and unconscious and there was no pulse. Leah’s husband and everyone present rushed into the water and were crying and pleading for Leah’s life.  But that moment was to give God glory and honour. Leah opened her eyes some 6-8 minutes later to see them all crying around her. Her face glowed and she shared that the minute she went into the water she saw a bright blue beautiful light and her spirit soared up toward the light and she felt the presence of God. She wished she could have stayed longer but she had to return back. She still is a walking testimony for God and her whole family have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.  There are so many more miraculous signs and wonders that are occurring in Bhutan and many are coming to the Lord.

Recently a church member of Ps Lazarus gave birth to a premature baby (the mother was in her 7th month of pregnancy when she went into labour) and the baby was in a very critical condition. Doctors told the parents that the baby had very little chance for survival. The parents immediately called Ps Lazarus to pray with them. Ps Lazarus prayed over the baby for God’s blessings, healing and strength and the Lord healed that baby. The baby who is 3 months old now is strong and healthy. Praise the Lord!                                  

        

The foot soldiers urgently need our prayers and financial support. God has a great task before them and if we don’t support them who will take their place to go? Will you answer that call to be a sender or a supporter?  Will you help our Bhutanese foot soldiers fulfil the Great Commission in their nation? Our Lord’s cry for the world is getting louder and more urgent. His heart is yearning for the lost to be saved.

Romans 10:14

 “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”