BABITA...
Babita is one and a half years old. She weighs only 5kgs, or about 13 pounds. Her family are Bengali Hindus. About a month ago our team found her, began a feeding program as well as taking her to the hospital where she was suspected of having tuberculosis. With much prayer she began to improve and gain weight. As God's love was shown to this family, during the visit of the Cedar Valley team, Babita's mother received Jesus as her Savior. Her father was also open and listening to the gospel.
Then the attacks began in earnest. Babita's mother began having dreams where Kali (the goddess of death and destruction) appeared saying that if she stops worshipping her she will kill her and her family. Babita's mother stood strong in her new faith and continued to worship Jesus, but when her father went home to his village, pressure from family there has made him very fearful to take a step to follow Christ. And they began to get sick again. Her father was admitted to hospital with severe abdominal pain. Babita started coughing and vomitting.
Yesterday, little Babita was admitted to a hospital near us with severe pneumonia, a secondary bacterial infection and possible TB. Most of her lungs are filled with fluid. She is in a very serious condition, especially in her malnourished state.
Please pray for God to show his love and power to this family in undeniable ways. Pray for the faith of Babita's mother to grow and God's presence to surround her in the hospital! We are yet again asking for a miracle of life and salvation in the face of the oppression of the gods of death and destruction. May their power be broken completely as we pray...
God annoints Cedar Valley Church in India. The Cedar Valley, MN team was a great help to us here! February was a whirlwind month with a wonderful School of Church Planting seminar (over 50 workers gathered for encouragement and ongoing teaching), a Holy Spirit conference, Prayer ministry/counseling, a medical camp and lots more... Thanks so much to the team for coming and ministering alongside us those weeks!
Brain surgery a Success. Your prayer makes a difference! Little Ganesh saw the neurosurgeon yesterday and the surgery was declared a success. He has movement in his legs, his wounds are healing and he is gaining weight. Both mother and father regularly attend the house church and are growing in their understanding of what it means to become a follower of the Lord Jesus. Thanks for being a part of this miracle of life for a little boy who had no chance or hope apart from Jesus!
Land update. We continue the battle to purchase land for the widows here. We have now located a new piece of land and are in the process of negotiations with the owners as well as checking if the land has any legal issues involved. It is still our goal and prayer that this land would be released and purchased prior to our going to the states for furlough. Keep praying!
Challenges in the Bh*tan work. When God brings advance, the opposition also seems to be very active. After many years of prayer our team moved into the nation of Bh*tan instead of operating on the border. There was immediately a severe attack from the enemy which threw several team members into personal chaos. We are unsure if they will be ready or able to continue on the team (probably not for at least several months), and we are in a counseling and restorative process with them. Please pray for wisdom for us and for freedom, deep healing, and God's victory in this situation. Also please pray for strength for us as we invest many hours in listening, praying and coming alongside of these friends we love so dearly. The drain and strain of so many intense issues takes its toll on us and we need daily manna from God to be sustained in this time.
Elders appointed and house church multiplied! Last Sunday we had the tremendous joy of appointing four men to be local elders of the Bihari house churches. They were so excited to be chosen by God for the task of service and to step into this responsibility. From this Sunday, the house church will become two house churches, each with two elders serving and ministering who are from the local community. Please do pray for them as they grow in their leadership and learning to use the gifts of the Spirit God has put within them. It is a new stage in the work when local leaders take responsibility and the potential for growth is dramatically increased. We are so excited about what God is doing!
Preparations for our Return to the USA. We are starting to get excited about coming back to the States and being reunited with friends and family. We still do not have a house to stay in or a car to drive and many things remain unsettled in the details of God's provision for our needs when we are home. We have a few leads but nothing is yet finalized. Please do pray for these things to all come together soon and for rest and peace in our hearts as we wait for God's perfect plan to unfold. We will arrive back in Minnesota around the first of June. We also are excited that Jenna and Steffi will be coming home from Thailand for break on April 8th! Yeah!!!
Once again, thank you for your love, prayers and support in so many ways! As you stand with us...we are strengthened for the task God has called us to here. We love hearing from you, so please keep writing us!
Blessings and an early Happy Easter-
The Anderson family
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
News from Paul & Metchild Clark - Missinaries to Germany
Where has time gone?
Twenty-five years ago we arrived with our two small children to begin church planting in Germany. We are amazed as we look back to see five churches that have been established directly through our efforts. On top of these five churches we have been able to assist and actively partner in six other church plants. Now we stand before the challenge of planting another church in Bad Duerkheim. We covet your prayers, as we sense the enemy is not willing to give up one inch of territory without a spiritual battle. All the experience in the world is not
enough for the task at hand. But our God reigns!
Prayer Needs
From the 29th of March until April 5th the Bad Duerkheim church will be hosting Pro Christ.
This evangelistic outreach takes place via satellite in over 1,000 different communities throughout Europe. Pray for a harvest of souls in Bad Duerkheim. The mayor of our city will be attending the meeting on March 31st.
Pray for a harvest of souls as we start an Alpha Course after Easter.
We are still lacking around $15,000 for the Bad Duerkheim building. Any help you can give
would be greatly appreciated. (AGWM Project Nr. 9347) We are trusting God for His provision as ten churches have recently cut back on monthly support.
Pray for our daughter Stephanie who has been having some stomach problems, along with
continually battling Raynaud’s disease.
Paul’s father, Jerry, remains in nursing care and needs prayer. He has not been able to walk since August 2008.
Twenty-five years ago we arrived with our two small children to begin church planting in Germany. We are amazed as we look back to see five churches that have been established directly through our efforts. On top of these five churches we have been able to assist and actively partner in six other church plants. Now we stand before the challenge of planting another church in Bad Duerkheim. We covet your prayers, as we sense the enemy is not willing to give up one inch of territory without a spiritual battle. All the experience in the world is not
enough for the task at hand. But our God reigns!
Prayer Needs
From the 29th of March until April 5th the Bad Duerkheim church will be hosting Pro Christ.
This evangelistic outreach takes place via satellite in over 1,000 different communities throughout Europe. Pray for a harvest of souls in Bad Duerkheim. The mayor of our city will be attending the meeting on March 31st.
Pray for a harvest of souls as we start an Alpha Course after Easter.
We are still lacking around $15,000 for the Bad Duerkheim building. Any help you can give
would be greatly appreciated. (AGWM Project Nr. 9347) We are trusting God for His provision as ten churches have recently cut back on monthly support.
Pray for our daughter Stephanie who has been having some stomach problems, along with
continually battling Raynaud’s disease.
Paul’s father, Jerry, remains in nursing care and needs prayer. He has not been able to walk since August 2008.
Hoskins' Update
Passion! As we have been presenting our new work to partners, several of you have commented that we are communicating with greater passion than in the past. In these difficult economic times, many are grateful for having any work at all. We are so blessed to be fully engaged in work that we are passionate about.
Ten years ago, Wycliffe adopted Vision 2025—to see a Bible translation program in every language still needing one by 2025. There are over 2200 language communities that still don’t have the lamp of God’s word to light their path, but the light is coming! Through creative and effective partnerships, indigenous peoples are rapidly being equipped to take ownership of their own translation programs, and written Scripture is being made available to oral peoples through non-print media. To learn more, visit our website and view “The Light is Coming”
http://www.theseedcompany.org/media/seed-company-overview.
Dale has the privilege of equipping nationals in Nigeria, the African nation with 510 languages, the 2nd most in the world. He is part of a team serving 12 language communities simultaneously.
Just since October, each of these communities now has an alphabet and a system for writing their language, as well as a small portion of Luke. With this initial training, 41 Nigerian men and women are now able to begin drafting on their own.
The Nigerian church urgently wants scripture translation. I heard some testify how people of influence are using various means to coerce Christians to reject not only their faith, but their own culture and language!
It was quite a thrill to travel into the Ga’anda homeland and witness 60 people hearing Scripture in their own language for the very first time! Dale will return in June to check Ga’anda drafts for accuracy and to help them test it in their community for clarity and naturalness.
We are ever grateful for the love and sacrifice that comes with your partnership!
Dale & Carole
Ten years ago, Wycliffe adopted Vision 2025—to see a Bible translation program in every language still needing one by 2025. There are over 2200 language communities that still don’t have the lamp of God’s word to light their path, but the light is coming! Through creative and effective partnerships, indigenous peoples are rapidly being equipped to take ownership of their own translation programs, and written Scripture is being made available to oral peoples through non-print media. To learn more, visit our website and view “The Light is Coming”
http://www.theseedcompany.org/media/seed-company-overview.
Dale has the privilege of equipping nationals in Nigeria, the African nation with 510 languages, the 2nd most in the world. He is part of a team serving 12 language communities simultaneously.
Just since October, each of these communities now has an alphabet and a system for writing their language, as well as a small portion of Luke. With this initial training, 41 Nigerian men and women are now able to begin drafting on their own.
The Nigerian church urgently wants scripture translation. I heard some testify how people of influence are using various means to coerce Christians to reject not only their faith, but their own culture and language!
It was quite a thrill to travel into the Ga’anda homeland and witness 60 people hearing Scripture in their own language for the very first time! Dale will return in June to check Ga’anda drafts for accuracy and to help them test it in their community for clarity and naturalness.
We are ever grateful for the love and sacrifice that comes with your partnership!
Dale & Carole
Thank You from Vision Ministries
Friends and Family,
Praise the Lord! Friday Feb 27th we were able to close on our Broadway building. In just 4 months God made a way for our church to raise 55k for a down payment. Considering the times we are in and many other obstacles this is a true miracle!
Josh and I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this possible! Our church body is so excited the last two Sundays we had 140 in attendance! God has made it even more clear to us that we need to see Him move in His power and to restore Vision to a dying generation. Thank you for believing with us!
God bless,
Joy Hester
Vision Ministries
Praise the Lord! Friday Feb 27th we were able to close on our Broadway building. In just 4 months God made a way for our church to raise 55k for a down payment. Considering the times we are in and many other obstacles this is a true miracle!
Josh and I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this possible! Our church body is so excited the last two Sundays we had 140 in attendance! God has made it even more clear to us that we need to see Him move in His power and to restore Vision to a dying generation. Thank you for believing with us!
God bless,
Joy Hester
Vision Ministries
Newsletter from Doug & Joan Webber - Convoy of Hope Europe
I wanted to get this video to you immediately! http://vimeo.com/3351172 Click on this link and it will take you to our report on Albania labled I will go. We spent seven days in Fushe Cruje Albania with Masters Commission teams from Holland and Spain. We believe this is the beginning of a transformation for this building of 17 families and 52 children from this area. The children will capture your hearts! It is our goal to have all 52 children in school very soon. Their building has been cleaned and grounds renewed. Twenty five truckloads of garbage were hauled away and a new bathroom for the building was installed. We killed a lot of rats, so it was a challenging, but rewarding time. The children sang songs about Jesus and felt his love in a powerful way. Each family in the building received groceries before we left! Choosing compassion over comfort is allowing Convoy of Hope Europe to make a significant difference in the lives of those living in Grumbullimi.
Doug, Joan, Whitney and Madisen Webber
Doug, Joan, Whitney and Madisen Webber
Jesus in Ethiopia - Bob & Rhonda Thomas
Week after week amazing things are happening across Ethiopia. Here are some highlights of what, we have been blessed by God, to witness.
The Church at the end of the Road
The map of Ethiopia shows that the road stops at Sawla, in the south west corner of Ethiopia. We held a three day revival at the church at the end of the road. This church is four years old. It was started by a church planter in partnership with the Ethiopian Assemblies of God and our Assemblies of God World missionaries. The building that they meet in was built by the people of the church with the financial help of believers in the United States.
The revival meetings were packed. Inside the building was ‘standing room only’ which is much more crowded than it would be in the west. Outside the church were hundreds of others huddled around windows and doors to hear the Word. Pastors and church members from the 14 church plants and preaching points that this church has started in the four years it has existed came to the meetings. One new church was 90 kilometers farther in the 4 wheel drive vehicle and then a 6 hour walk past the end of the road! So the Gospel continues long after the road ends!
God works long after the Revival meetings.
We held a Revival at the church in Hosanna, (great name for city). It was a great time of teaching, preaching and ministry. During the meetings I preached a series of messages about stepping out in faith like Peter when he got out of the boat and walked on water. I challenged the church to share their faith, to pray for the sick and to look for opportunities to “get out of the boat”. One month after the revival we stopped by to visit the pastor on our way to another city. Since the Revival meetings over 100 people had been saved at the church. Many who were in the church had repented from hidden sin and those who opposed the Pastor were now working hard for the Lord.
It is God - not religion that is Changing Ethiopia!
The Church at the end of the Road
The map of Ethiopia shows that the road stops at Sawla, in the south west corner of Ethiopia. We held a three day revival at the church at the end of the road. This church is four years old. It was started by a church planter in partnership with the Ethiopian Assemblies of God and our Assemblies of God World missionaries. The building that they meet in was built by the people of the church with the financial help of believers in the United States.
The revival meetings were packed. Inside the building was ‘standing room only’ which is much more crowded than it would be in the west. Outside the church were hundreds of others huddled around windows and doors to hear the Word. Pastors and church members from the 14 church plants and preaching points that this church has started in the four years it has existed came to the meetings. One new church was 90 kilometers farther in the 4 wheel drive vehicle and then a 6 hour walk past the end of the road! So the Gospel continues long after the road ends!
God works long after the Revival meetings.
We held a Revival at the church in Hosanna, (great name for city). It was a great time of teaching, preaching and ministry. During the meetings I preached a series of messages about stepping out in faith like Peter when he got out of the boat and walked on water. I challenged the church to share their faith, to pray for the sick and to look for opportunities to “get out of the boat”. One month after the revival we stopped by to visit the pastor on our way to another city. Since the Revival meetings over 100 people had been saved at the church. Many who were in the church had repented from hidden sin and those who opposed the Pastor were now working hard for the Lord.
It is God - not religion that is Changing Ethiopia!
Jarvis Journey - Missionaries to Tanzania
“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord” Psalm 18:28-29, 49.
In Africa, you learn what real darkness is; when the lights go out here there is complete darkness. Thankfully, we have a small emergency light that stays plugged in and charged for just such occasions. As soon as the power goes off, this little beacon of light comes on; although it is small it gives forth a great deal of light and we are able to see our way around the front of the house. We can gather candles and lanterns and get all the light we need to continue whatever we were doing until the power comes back on.
Also, in Africa, there is great spiritual darkness; but there are TAG(Tanzania Assemblies of God) churches that provide little beacons of light to show the way for those who are floundering in the darkness. We are privileged to be interim principals and teachers at our Mwanza Bible College; preparing men and women to be salt and light to the dark places in our region. We are helping to charge their spiritual batteries so that they can be light in the dark places the Lord will send them.
We are advancing against the troops of the “Prince of Darkness” and scaling the walls of fear, unbelief, superstition, witchcraft and evil that he has built to keep the “Light of the World-Jesus Christ” out and those inside forever lost in the darkness.
This week Tim has been working with the local TAG leadership in the difficult process of disciplining a pastor who is walking in darkness and is arrogantly and rebelliously determined to take the church with him. They will be relieving him of his duties and installing a pastor who will love and teach the congregation the truth of the Gospel. This is one of those tasks that we sometimes have to be involved in but that we would rather not have to do.
Also this week, we have had the painful job of reviewing with our Business Manager at the Bible College the list of students who have not paid their school fees and deciding what to do with each one. There will be one or two that we must send home since they have not paid any of their school fees at all; it’s not fair to all those who struggle and make sacrifices to be here if we allow those who do not pay to stay. We have given them half a term to make some type of payment on their bill and cannot, in good conscience, allow them to stay. This also is one of those tasks that we would rather not have to do.
However, on the bright side of things, we have visited with some of our pastors who are faithfully and sacrificially teaching and preaching the Gospel and building churches and congregations that will be light in their dark communities. We have visited churches that have been built, established and are growing in spite of great opposition. We are teaching students who spend hours in the chapel praying and seeking God for direction for their lives; it is a normal occurrence to hear students in the chapel every afternoon praying. The sound of their prayers are heard regularly around the campus.
We count it a privilege to be in the nation of Tanzania; God keeps our spiritual lamps burning and lights our way when we encounter the darkness. He gives us strength to advance against the troops of Satan and scale walls. We thank each of you for your faithful prayers and support; you are part of all we do here in Tanzania. You are part of our army; and because of you we continue to do the work that God has called us to do here.
Thanks to those of you who are specifically praying for the needs of the Mwanza Bible College; some of you have also provided funds to help meet some of these needs. The students and faculty faithfully pray for the churches and individuals in America who God has used to meet the needs of their Bible College. They are grateful for and humbled by the generosity and love from people who are willing to help them even though you don’t know them.
Please remember to check our website: www.timandjoycejarvis.com for regular updates and pictures that we post of our pastors, churches, congregations and Bible College.
May God richly bless each of you for your faithful love and support.
Workers Together for the Harvest,
Tim & Joyce Jarvis, Missionaries to Tanzania
In Africa, you learn what real darkness is; when the lights go out here there is complete darkness. Thankfully, we have a small emergency light that stays plugged in and charged for just such occasions. As soon as the power goes off, this little beacon of light comes on; although it is small it gives forth a great deal of light and we are able to see our way around the front of the house. We can gather candles and lanterns and get all the light we need to continue whatever we were doing until the power comes back on.
Also, in Africa, there is great spiritual darkness; but there are TAG(Tanzania Assemblies of God) churches that provide little beacons of light to show the way for those who are floundering in the darkness. We are privileged to be interim principals and teachers at our Mwanza Bible College; preparing men and women to be salt and light to the dark places in our region. We are helping to charge their spiritual batteries so that they can be light in the dark places the Lord will send them.
We are advancing against the troops of the “Prince of Darkness” and scaling the walls of fear, unbelief, superstition, witchcraft and evil that he has built to keep the “Light of the World-Jesus Christ” out and those inside forever lost in the darkness.
This week Tim has been working with the local TAG leadership in the difficult process of disciplining a pastor who is walking in darkness and is arrogantly and rebelliously determined to take the church with him. They will be relieving him of his duties and installing a pastor who will love and teach the congregation the truth of the Gospel. This is one of those tasks that we sometimes have to be involved in but that we would rather not have to do.
Also this week, we have had the painful job of reviewing with our Business Manager at the Bible College the list of students who have not paid their school fees and deciding what to do with each one. There will be one or two that we must send home since they have not paid any of their school fees at all; it’s not fair to all those who struggle and make sacrifices to be here if we allow those who do not pay to stay. We have given them half a term to make some type of payment on their bill and cannot, in good conscience, allow them to stay. This also is one of those tasks that we would rather not have to do.
However, on the bright side of things, we have visited with some of our pastors who are faithfully and sacrificially teaching and preaching the Gospel and building churches and congregations that will be light in their dark communities. We have visited churches that have been built, established and are growing in spite of great opposition. We are teaching students who spend hours in the chapel praying and seeking God for direction for their lives; it is a normal occurrence to hear students in the chapel every afternoon praying. The sound of their prayers are heard regularly around the campus.
We count it a privilege to be in the nation of Tanzania; God keeps our spiritual lamps burning and lights our way when we encounter the darkness. He gives us strength to advance against the troops of Satan and scale walls. We thank each of you for your faithful prayers and support; you are part of all we do here in Tanzania. You are part of our army; and because of you we continue to do the work that God has called us to do here.
Thanks to those of you who are specifically praying for the needs of the Mwanza Bible College; some of you have also provided funds to help meet some of these needs. The students and faculty faithfully pray for the churches and individuals in America who God has used to meet the needs of their Bible College. They are grateful for and humbled by the generosity and love from people who are willing to help them even though you don’t know them.
Please remember to check our website: www.timandjoycejarvis.com for regular updates and pictures that we post of our pastors, churches, congregations and Bible College.
May God richly bless each of you for your faithful love and support.
Workers Together for the Harvest,
Tim & Joyce Jarvis, Missionaries to Tanzania
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