In past Decembers we have had the Conference in Bunia.  This year we were asked to move to a new site in the city of Aru near the Ugandan border.  Like Bunia, it is another area that has known much warfare, tribal genocide, carnage and destruction.  But in spite of all of the pain and suffering, the church is still strong – although discouraged and depleted of trained leadership as you would imagine.  So it was a humble joy to be able to return there and co-minister again with my good friend and partner, Dr. Jim Seymour.  As a result of our first trip to the Congo several years ago, Jim has started a wonderful ministry compassion known as “Operation Bunia” See his website: www.arks.net

I also enjoyed having ND Alumni, Steve Allen, along for his first trip to the Congo.  Since he was one of the “original NDs” going back to 1968, it was a joy to travel with him again.  This was his second December trip with me to Africa.  And prior to this time in the Congo, we ministered together in Kenya with our brother and partner, Stakwell Yurenimo, at the “Samburu Sports Camp.”  I hope you will also see the report that I did on Steve from that time of ministry on the “ND Alumni” section of this blog.

As you have seen, the title for this report is “The Church is calling the people home!”  That phrase really stuck in my heart and mind when it was spoken to me by our primary Congolese partner, James Byensi.  He is the one who has been identifying and rebuilding the churches destroyed by the years of warfare in the Congo that has caused the death of millions and made many more millions refugees.  He said that when the militia attack the towns and villages – burning, looting, raping and killing, the people who are able to escape flee to the bush.  There they hide and exist like hapless animals and destitute refugees – hoping and praying for a chance to start life over again – from nothing! 

But just as soon as a destroyed church is rebuilt in a village, the people begin to come out of hiding.  They start to come back home.  They see the rebuilt church as a sign of hope and new life!  The church gives them the courage to come back and begin to rebuild their lives and homes again.  So indeed, “The church is calling the people back home!”  And you are a part of that calling through your prayers and financial support.  It costs us between $3,500 - $4,000 to rebuild one of these churches – depending upon whether it is in a village or town and the distance to transport building supplies over terrible roads, or lack thereof!  I hope these pictures will inspire many of you to fund the building of one of these churches through your business, church, Sunday School Class, Youth Group or Civic Club.  It will be a beacon of hope and life to people who have been through incredible suffering and hardship!

Just before we arrived in the Congo, renewed fighting broke out between some of the militia, rebel forces and UN troops.  Fortunately it was not taking place where we were scheduled to hold a Conference, although there was scattered fighting and shooting in the area.  But God graciously kept us safe in our travels in and out of some dangerous situations where we went with the Good News of the Gospel and practical programs of compassion that are giving “new direction” to lives ravaged by decades of war.

Thanks for making it all possible.  Be blessed, encouraged and challenged as you see what your spiritual and financial investments are making possible in the Congo…

In His Healing Love,

Bangladesh is a country of about 150 million people living in a land mass the size of the State of Illinois.  It is about 85% Muslim and less than 1% Christian.  And while Bangladesh has made great economic progress in the last couple of decades, it is still one of the poorer countries in Asia. Because of its ocean borders, Bangladesh is annual hit by violent monsoon storms, typhoons and floods.  So there are many spiritual and physical needs there.

In this report you will see pictures of me and my senior cousin, Dr. J.B. Crouse.  He is the President Emeritus of OMS International, a great mission organization.  When J.B. first met brother Philip a number of years ago, he had 39 churches.  Being the great visionary he is, J.B. challenged Philip to plant 1,000 churches within the following decade.  By God’s grace, Bishop Philip has done just that!  So on March 27th of this year, they will dedicate their 1,000th church with great celebration – an incredible miracle for any country!  This great church growth now makes them the largest denomination in Bangladesh.

However, only about 130 of the 1,000 local churches have buildings.  The rest meet under trees, in homes, schools or rented halls.  That’s where you come in.  For between $3,500 - $4,000 you could build a total church building for one of his congregations!  What an incredible opportunity for you as an individual, a church, a Sunday School Class, a youth group, a civic club or local business.

However, if you cannot build a church, you could buy a bicycle for his pastors.  Right now he has a need of 320 bicycles for his evangelists and church planters for $100 each.  That’s within anyone’s budget – if you just cut out a few nights eating out!

As you look at the following pictures of Bishop Philip’s work in micro-enterprise, children’s ministry, pastoral training and church planting, I hope your heart will be blessed and challenged.  When I arrived back in Bangladesh after my first visit there some 20 years ago, Bishop Philip met me with these words: “I have been praying for 11 years for you to come to Bangladesh and help train my pastors.” Talk about a humbling welcome!  I am certainly not worthy of that kind of prayer – but I am so blessed and humbled by it!  It’s that kind of opportunity and open door that has kept me traveling the world for the last 40 years!  And it has all been made possible by the prayers and partnership of dear friends like you!

So be blessed by these pictures from my recent time of ministry in Bangladesh.  By God’s grace I look forward to returning there in the fall of 2009.  At that time I will conduct another Leadership Conference and dedicate some churches that will have been funded by our NDI partners.  So get those “checks in the mail!”

In His Love for Bangladesh,

Dear Faithful Friend & Partner,

It is a great joy for me to introduce you to one of my long time Indian friends and partners, Murli Menon.  Many of our NDI partners know him already through one of his visits to the States when he spoke in their church.  He is one of the most strategic thinkers and dynamic speakers I know of!  I have learned so much from him as a Christian thinker, speaker and writer.

Murli was also the very first person who met me when I first went to India years ago.  When I stepped off the plane in Bombay—now Mumbai, we started a relationship that has deepened to this day.  Through the years Murli and I have had a mutual mentoring relationship that has stretched and grown me as a Christian leader and missiologist.  And together with his wife, Usha, and my wife Patt, we have had more times of co-ministry together in India and America than we can recount!  Through the years we have stayed in each other’s homes so much that we are indeed family!

It has been our joy as a ministry to partner with Murli and Usha in the relocation of their ministry from Ooty to Coimbatore, South India.  We were privileged to make a big step of faith with them and help purchase a former coconut plantation that is absolutely gorgeous!  It borders a large wildlife sanctuary inhabited by many animals indigenous to the area—including elephants!  It is truly one of the most beautiful places in all of South India—and it exists to glorify the Lord by ministering holistically to people in need—especially children.

So come take a quick tour of this beautiful complex that is being developed. It will soon be the new home for his Bible College and Children’s Homes.  Better yet, plan to go to India with Patt and me for the dedication of “Phase 1” of this facility on April 17th!  It would be a mission trip you would never forget.

In His love for India,

PS:  Murli was featured along with me on the latest edition of the NDI newsletter.  If you have not received it, please go on line and download it (www.newdirections.org).

Impact Founder and CEO, Murli Menon, standing on the second floor of the building looking out over the spacious courtyard.

The inside courtyard of the new College where major conferences and events will be held.

The outside of one side of the Complex where classrooms and dormitories will be.

The outside of the opposite side of the Complex.

Constructing the reception and stage area at the front of the courtyard.

A wider view of the reception and stage area for the Dormitory and Class Rooms Complex.

The brick yard for the building with the tractor and trailer provided by an NDI partner.

This tractor and trailer is used both for building and for the coconut forest that surrounds the College.

Murli in front of the bricks for building the various buildings yet to be completed.

Two of the Impact staff in front of the first “Girls Home” for little girls saved from female infanticide.  Several more of these will be built on the spacious property.

As a result of my intense travel and ministry schedule from the end of summer to the end of the year, I have been far behind in my reporting.  Now I am trying to get caught up through this series of reports on my personal blog.  I started with my last trip to Nepal in January and have been working backwards from there.

Here are some pictures from my time of ministry last October in India with my long time friend and partner, Bishop Ezra Sargunam.  From my previous reports you know that I have been in partnership with him and ECI for over 25 years.  It has been an incredible partnership that has taken us all over India together preaching, teaching, dedicating churches, baptizing new believers, initiating self-support projects and doing relief work after storms, floods, earthquakes and the devastating tsunami.  And it has all been made possible the prayers and partnership of people like you.

Today ECI has well over 2,000 churches and NDI has had the joy of building dozens and dozens of them.  Now many of these “mother churches” have planted many “daughter” and “granddaughter churches.”  And ECI continues to play a strategic role in the new “2020 Vision” of NDI being led by my son, Joseph, supported by NDI leaders like Matt Smith and Scott Hahn, each of whom have recently been in India in ministry also.

You will also see pictures of ND Alumni pastor, David Horner, from Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC.  Also his Director of Missions, Pastor George Tissiere.  They have been strategic partners with NDI in missions across the years.  David is one of the “original NDs” going back to our beginning as a ministry in 1968.  So it was great to be out on the “cutting edge” with him again!

So be blessed and encouraged by these pictures from my last Conference there.  The Lord willing, I will be back there in April for some more Conferences.

In His Love for India,

Bishop Ezra Sargunam opens the Conference with his usual joy and enthusiasm

Dr. J.B. Crouse, president Emeritus of OMS International, is the first cousin of JL.  He opens the Conference in prayer as the Chairman of the ECI Partnership

JL teaching at the Pastor’s Conference

More than 200 men and women attended this two day Pastor’s Conference

JL drives a point home on the priority of evangelism – “sweating for Jesus” as he preaches

Pastor David Horner teaches at the Conference on the major problems ministers face – whether in America or India

The Conference was held in the Billy Graham Auditorium.  All around are paintings of the great missionaries of the Church in India

Dr. Richard Howell is not only a strategic leader of ECI, he is the President of EFI, or the “Evangelical Fellowship of India.”  One of the most important and influential Christian ministries in India and Asia.

Noted Indian preacher and statesman, Dr. Sam Kamalason, gave challenging messages to the people attending.  He is a household name known all over India and Asia.

This painting was the backdrop for the Conference and Ordination Service reminding everyone that it is the Lord Jesus who calls and anoints for ministry.

The men and women who were ordained to go out an evangelize and plant churches among the unreached

Dr. J.B. Crouse, President Emeritus of OMS International, challenges the men and women being ordained

Pastor George Tissiere, Mission Pastor from Providence Church, address those about to be ordained

Bishop Ezra leads the men and women to be ordained in their sacred vows

It was a great joy to have some time with my “adopted Indian daughter,” Kathiroli (“Sunlight”), and her husband, Manickam, who is the son-in-law of Bishop Ezra

Kathiroli and Manickam outside his business headquarters.  He is one of the successful young entrepreneurs in the City of Chennai.  It has been my joy to be in a mentoring relationship with this dynamic young couple who are helping impact India spiritually and vocationally.

Bishop Ezra with his two daughters, Kathiroli and Mathiroli, with his 3 granddaughters, swati, Sruti and Rachael.  They have all been such a comfort to Bishop Ezra after the passing of his wife, Mangalam, who served by his side from the very beginning of his ministry.