“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Rom. 12:15)

Dear Friends & Partners,

Right now those words of admonition from Paul to the saints at Rome are especially relevant for me.  As I write this final quick “field report,” I have just returned from the opening night of the Franklin Graham “Chennai Hope Festival.” There were between 20,000 - 25,000 people present with hundreds making decisions for Christ at the invitation.  With this strong of a beginning on the first night—which is a work day and night in CheNnai, the crowds will no doubt swell to over 50,000 by the weekend with thousands more making decisions for Christ.

FATHER & SON MINISTRY

Chennai is often referred to as the “Jerusalem of India.”  That’s because Christianity was first planted here by Thomas, the “doubting disciple,” before the end of the first century.  And Christian tradition says that he was martyred and buried here.  So Chennai has thousands of Christians and churches.  But it also has even more Hindu Temples, Buddhist shrines and Moslem mosques.  So there is still great need for evangelism here.  Also for greater unity by the churches—several thousand of which have come together for this Festival.

This has been a very historic meeting for Franklin since his father, Dr. Billy Graham, first held a Crusade here in 1956.  Then he held another one here in 1977.  While Franklin has been to India a number of times to do Relief work through Samaritan’s Purse, this is his first Festival here (He calls his events “Festivals” rather than “Crusades” since that is an odious term in many parts of the world—especially the Islamic world because of the “Christian Crusades” against the Moslems).  So we have retrned from the Festival with great rejoicing over all that God did and will continue to do to extend His Kingdom here in Chennai, one of the most important cities of India with over 6 million people (formerly called Madras).

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

Our long-time friend and partner, Bishop Ezra Sargunam, has been the catalyst and Chairman for the Festival.  He was one of Franklin’s very first national partners in India.  And it was through Franklin that I first met Bishop Ezra over 25 years ago.  Franklin had asked me to teach in a Pastor’s Conference in Bangladesh.  Afterwards we were to take some supplies in to one of his key partners in Burma (now Mynamar).  After that he asked me to come to India and dedicate several “Jesus Wells” he had made possible through his young partnership with Ezra and ECI, or the Evangelical Church of India.  It was then that I first met Ezra.  We were quickly fused in heart because of our mutual passion to “reach the unreached!”  We have worked closely ever since.  Our friendship has been so close that I preached at his oldest daughter’s wedding here in Chennai and he prayed at my oldest daughter’s wedding in Burlington!  So the success of this Festival is another great testimony of the “Power of Partnership!”

STAYING POWER

It has also been so encouraging while I have been here to meet several groups of Christians who are still working on Tsunami Relief and Development.  Very quickly after the devastating Asian tsunami in 2004, hundreds of millions of dollars were raised and sent to India.  Unfortunately, much of those funds never got through the corruption and bureacy of government officials and self-serving NGO (Non Governmental Organizations).  And long after the interest in the tsunami had subsided like the tital wave that struck the shores, everyone has packed up and gone.  That is, everyone has left except the Christians.  It is only the love and compassion of Christ that keeps people in the dirty trenches long after the spot light has shifted to other areas of crisis and need.  But it has been such a blessing to not only visit and talk to some of our on-going tsunami work through ECI, but to see other Christian groups faithfully sticking it out…continuing to care for orphans…continuing to support the widows….continuing to feed the hungry…continuing to rebuild houses…continuing to “weep with those who are still weeping!”

And the same thing will happen in Haiti.  Right now Haiti has the attention of the world.  Hundreds of millions of dollars are being donated by people around the world as they have seen the horrific pictures.  Thousands of workers are pouring in to rescue people…give medical attention to the wounded…bury the dead…give out food and water… provide temporary shelter…comfort and console the traumatized…“weep with those who weep.”

So while we have been rejoicing together here in Chennai over all the good things going on spiritually, we continue to weep over the on-going horrific crisis in Haiti—already being called the BIGGEST natural disaster in the world to date!  At the morning staff devotions with the Samaritan’s Purse team, Franklin has shared updates from his SP team on the ground in Haiti being led by Dr. Dick Furman and Senator Bill Frisk.  As we have heard some of the stories, all of us have wept together before the Lord in behalf of our beloved friends in Haiti!  Franklin and I have also had some strategic discussions about our on-going relief works there and how we can partner together.  We have both rejoiced greatly over the great work being done by the VanWingerden family through “Double Harvest” agricultural ministry that I first became involved with over 35 years ago in Haiti.  Since then, I networked them with Franklin and Samaritan’s Purse which led to other partnerships and projects in Ethiopia during the famines in the early 1980s.  Also in Sudan where Franklin has been one of the pioneer Christian relief and development works there all during the worst war years.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT - PLEASE HELP!

As I shared in my previous email, I plan to do as quick a turn-around for Haiti as possible when i get home from India.  And I will need immediate financial resources to continue to meet needs in Haiti.  So PLEASE send in as generous a gift as you can to me through “Impact of Hope” (IOH), a 501(c)(3) ministry based in Raleigh that will honor 100% of what you give for my on-going Relief work in Haiti.  And to help out more quickly, you can give on line by following the brief instructions found on the Donate page of my website.  So by God’s grace and with your help, I will soon be reporting to you from Haiti!  Until then, may God richly bless and reward you for your faithful prayers and generous financial partnership.

Because of His love & compassion,