Dear Partner and Friend,

Since the doctors and Patt gave me back my wings this past August, I have hardly landed since then – except in foreign countries!  By God’s grace, I have been “making up for lost time” when I was sick last summer with pneumonia, shingles and some minor heart problems.  But through the prayers of friends like you, God has renewed my strength so I have not only been able to “...soar on wings of the eagles” (Isa. 40:31), I have also been soaring on the wings of 737s, 747s, jumbo jets and missionary bush planes!

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.