Global Reach Updates-Sept/Oct 2024

Thank you for partnering with our friends and fields in Global Reach. Our main desire and prayer in Global Reach is that the Gospel will be shared in the fields and countries where God has opened doors to be a witness for Him. Those on the front lines are the feet, voice and hands as we work behind the scenes to support them through prayer and financial partnerships. Together, we serve as the body of Christ in finishing the task of reaching the lost, the Great Commission. The following are a few updates from some of our Global Reach fields. Please continue to pray for our leaders and believers as they serve God and share the Good News with seekers.

Brazil

Global Reach Director, Travis Helm and Pastor Mike Poe (Carlisle First Church of God) spent some time visiting the Brazil Good News Church conference in late June and early July. The pandemic hit many of their communities very hard because of the strict shut downs. Two of our conference churches did not recover from the pandemic and closed. A third church is struggling as its location has deteriorated over the years and has become unsafe. Conference President Pastor Ernesto Nunes hosted us and took us to various churches to fellowship and encourage the congregations and leaders.

Pastor Ernesto spends time visiting and encouraging the conference churches, but he and his family are also building a relationship with an independent church in Palmas where our conference churches have closed. Pray for continued involvement and a closer relationship with this church as they have a healthy group of believers and are reaching the community.

India

The Mission has taken up slum ministry in a place called Durganagar in Dumdum area, Kolkata. We work among the children through education. It is to provide educational help to both school age children and older children. We teach language and developing skills. We ministered from April through June and for ministry space we had to depend on the people’s slum dwellings. At present the space is not available and we are praying for a place to continue ministry. The slums are extremely crowded, and space is cramped and limited. The people who have come to the city to survive end up in these slums. It is highly unhygienic with no proper amenities. Slums in general are not very safe. There are about 25 to 27 children in this group.

The Mission has also taken the opportunity to minister to some leper colonies in West Bengal. Samir, Sanat, and Bubai went to meet with a husband and wife, Sandip and Mitu Banowar. as they serve the lepers by teaching among the children and ladies. Sandip also cleans wounds and applies bandages among the lepers as he prays for them. These lowly people are outcasts and reside in Jamuna Bandh, Purulia. It is a roadside colony area, away from the Purulia city. They are open to listening to the message from the Bible, about Jesus Christ. On Sundays, the school age children give time to listen to Jesus’ stories and learn songs. The mothers have a separate time of listening from the Bible and prayer. We are looking for a room to better serve these people. Bubai shares a message to the effected people. Please pray for wisdom as to how God may want our Mission to be involved in helping.

Thailand

The Crabtrees visited their home turf in the US for approximately six weeks in June through most of July. They were able to spend some time with family, introduce Theo to family and friends here in the US, and spend some time sharing about their ministry in Thailand with supporters. They shared at a couple churches in Ohio (Great Lakes Conference) and in Indiana (Midwest Regional Conference). They also had to spend precious time renewing various official documents and getting some for Theo. They appreciate your prayers and support. It’s very challenging traveling 70 hours round trip on flights with 3 children from 8 months to 4 years old. Thank you for lifting them up in prayer as they face many challenges on the field and at home in the USA.

Bangladesh

The new Phaco machine was delivered in late June. It took three hours to install and set up this machine. A big thank you to all the donors who prayed and gave for this instrument. Our Mission staff express sincere gratitude to you all. We took a group picture (below) after installation and eye operation with the new Phaco machine.

The new Child Development Projects that recently began in the Bangladesh Mission have been providing food and tutoring for the children. We are so thankful for your support as this is an enormous blessing and ministry to the children and their families. Pictured below are the children praying before eating their meal after their time of study.

The Mission has a Pre-Primary school in a poor village called Katadanga. The Mission utilizes the school building for a remote eye camp on occasion. Children as well as adults are seen at the eye camps. Pictured below are the class children with the eye camp patients waiting to be seen in the background. The children held their classes in front of the church building on the veranda of the church. Please pray for the children and the eye patients. These are important and effective ministries of the Mission.

Recently, after a busy morning at the Khanjanpur clinic (seeing more than 100 patients), the head of the district health service (Civil Surgeon) conducted a surprise visit. He had many questions but was very impressed and appreciative of the medical ministry that is administered through the Mission to the underprivileged people of the surrounding communities. Below are pictures of his visit. This type of visit is due to many challenges of resistance the Mission faces as it becomes increasingly difficult to share the Good News in this part of the world.

The Mission has been pressured by anti-Mission groups and certain government officials to renovate some of our school structures as many are very old. Time, humidity and extreme weather conditions have taken their toll on these structures. The Mission is continually strapped for more funds for large projects like this, but they trust God to provide. The before and after pictures below demonstrate the renovation improvements of Pahunonda School.

All of the ministries, prayers and efforts are to share the love of Christ with the lost people in the communities of Bangladesh. It is a joy to see the kingdom grow in this part of the world. Celebrate with Mission staff as they welcomed eight new young souls into the family through baptism. They are pictured below with the local pastor and his wife and the Mission area leaders (husband and wife team).

This is the fruit for which we praise and give glory to God. Each faithful donor and prayer partner has a significant part in our Global Reach field ministries across the globe. You may never have the opportunity to meet our pastors and Mission staff or those that are from various countries but someday in heaven, you will be united with them. Partnerships are vital in reaching the lost in parts of the world like India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Latin America and many other areas. Please contact travis@cggc.org if you want to discuss how your small group, church or family can partner to help make an eternal impact on the Kingdom. Little is much when God is in it. There are many needs and opportunities you can partner to fill. Time may be short so don’t delay. There are also opportunities for short term field visits, interns, and vision tours to help encourage and support the field work.

Blessings,Travis Helm CGGC Global Reach Director