February 2015 EHC newsletter

India EHC celebrates 50 years

Suresh Mathews Samuel Lal -President India EHC Executive Director India EHC

7,000 PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL ACROSS INDIA TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF INDIA EVERY HOME FOR CHRIST

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Dr Dick Eastman (left), International EHC President, preaching with an interpreter

Eric Leach, Executive Director of Australia & New Zealand and UK Board member, preaching

A gigantic marquee was erected for the India Every Home for Christ 50th Anniversary Celebration meetings as pictured above. 7,000 people were eating, sleeping, praying and attending day-long and into the evening Bible teaching sessions on the one property. A conference not to be forgotten!

On the front cover page is the Rev Samuel Lal and Rev Suresh Mathews. Both of these men have spent their lives serving the Lord in India Every Home for Christ and now serve as the executive leadership with 436 national staff. Pray God will continue to use them mightily.

Roger & Christine Mackay from New Zealand eat with some of the American EHC staff at the India EHC 50th Celebration.

Lorraine Leach talks with volunteer staff at the India EHC 50th Celebration.

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ehind her sombre eyes and exotic beauty lies a story

whose ending is yet to be written. Her name is India, one of the oldest nations on earth. Her children, young and old are born to destinies determined by man-made castes. The fortunate inherit immense wealth, privilege and the highest social standing. The lesser, through no fault of their own, are doomed with the curse of “social lepers,” sentenced in most cases to a life of severe poverty.

Second only to China in size, India’s population of 1.2 billion is a mixed conglomeration. Polarizing social and economic ranking, diverse languages and religions—feed varying degrees of hostility.

These challenges, coupled with the sheer size of this giant nation, make India one of the most difficult areas of the world to evangelise. This year, EHC celebrates 50 years of ministry in India. The work has been rewarding and sometimes difficult for our more than 436 missionaries and staff, intent on bringing the light of Christ to their nation.

Much prayer and fasting cover their efforts as they boldly take the Gospel door to door.

It’s not unusual for them to travel many miles by foot or bicycle in the extreme tripledigit heat to reach rural villages where no roads exist.Often, they’re met with hostility from angry mobs who chase them out of their villages, tearing up the Gospel literature they came to share, sometimes beating them before running off. One EHC team recently had such an experience. Though they’d been told that several years ago a gospel team was brutally beaten by anti-Christians in a remote village, they felt strongly about reaching this area for Christ. After leaving gospel literature at a couple of homes, they observed a group of angry men watching them.“Who gave you permission to distribute Christian material in this village?” they shouted.“Don’t you know this is a Hindu village?” Snatching all the literature from the hands of the missionaries, they tore it up and threw it on the roadside. With threats to their

lives, the volunteers were run out of the village, quickly realizing they were being followed by men on motorbikes. As one of them took off his shoe to beat the group, the missionaries cried out to God for protection.

Fortunately, they were able to escape— manhandled, but not seriously injured. Such incidences only fuel the fire that burns in the hearts of EHC workers as they trust God for their protection and ask the Holy Spirit to penetrate the darkness of their nation.

Undeterred, EHC workers are continually striving toward reaching every person in this vast nation.More than 275 million homes have been visited, one at a time, by EHC workers and volunteers whose hearts beat to transform their nation with the Gospel of Christ. They know full well that the bondage of centuries of idol worship is not easily broken in a nation where 80 percent of the people practice Hinduism. Of those home visits, 9,439,221 people have responded to Christ. What drives these workers? A passion to reach a new generation in India for Christ—it will be the youth of their nation who courageously break away from the religion of their ancestors, that will transform their nation. Though India is an open nation according to the law, persecution often accompanies the work of the Gospel. More and more Christian families are being targeted with beatings and destruction of their property. Recently, in one such attack several Christian families lost all their possessions, including one EHC worker.

Another such attack sent hundreds of Indian Christians fleeing into the jungles as their homes were being destroyed by angry extremists. In the face of persecution, EHC India continues to go home to home with the Gospel seeing as many as 158,967 responses each year. The Regional Director of EHC India says, “It is because of God’s grace and guidance, with the prayers and support of God’s people, that we can share the Gospel of salvation to those who are seeking the truth. The ministry faces challenges and hardships, but God

t' urns them into opportunities for us to pray more and to serve even more passionately in hard times! We praise God that in spite of challenges, opposition, and persecution, EHC workers in all Indian states continue to serve.” Amid these enormous challenges,the winds of' change are blowing. A glimpse of a “new India” is emerging from the rubble.

Partly due to advanced opportunities for education and technology, and partly due to a growing hunger for truth, more and more young people are rejecting the gods of their ancestors and embracing the love of Christ. Among a population where more

than half are under the age of 35, a bold new generation of believers is emerging.

Now with more than 71 million Indians claiming Christianity, the number of those claiming the Christian faith in recent years increased to 2.2 percent.These new believers and the EHC workers who minister to them need your prayers. Pray for the courageous young people who have defected from their ancestral faith and have been ostracised from their families. Pray for churches and most of all, pray for God to continue to pour out His Spirit on India, a nation deeply in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

At the India Every Home for Christ 50th Anniversary Eric & Lorraine Leach meet with a family they have personally supported financially and prayerfully for14 years. The father, Ramanjaneya, is on the India Every Home Crusade staff. It was a great joy to meet with Ramanjeya and his family. In the last year Ramanjaneya visited 1,052 houses and shared the Gospel with 2,465 people. He also organised the distribution of 10,000 tracts and 148 people came to the Lord with 25 ready for baptism and 3 Christ Groups were formed. At Christmas 600 people were expected at his church.

Another family Eric & Lorraine enjoyed meeting and who they have known for some 30 years is Brother Meshach Emmanuel and his wife Esther, and now their children, Sam and Sweety. Meshach is the EHC Director for Tamil Nadu and God has used him mightily to lead a large team of EHC workers and build many churches.

It was a great joy to celebrate 50 years of India EHC with so many people who did so much!

The Long Arms of God

Reaching the Depths of Mexico

By Kathy Gowler

The Long Arms of God

Reaching the Depths of Mexico

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n the pitch darkness of night, 12-yearold Luis ran. His life-long companions— hunger and fear—went with him as always. It would be a two-hour journey on treacherous mountain paths, but with younger children at home, his mother couldn’t leave. As the oldest, there was no choice. Luis would have to go.

A man on a motorcycle asked where he was going in such a hurry so late at night. Without stopping, Luis breathlessly told his story. His alcoholic father was vomiting blood and needed a doctor. If Luis didn’t get medical help, his father would die—if it wasn’t too late. The man told Luis that the first thing they needed to do was ask God to help; then said he would take him to the doctor’s office to see what could be done. That man was an EHC worker in Chiapas, Mexico, Brother Armando Rosas.

The doctor had a car and agreed to come, inviting Luis to ride with him while Armando followed behind. After a brief look, the doctor shook his head. Luis’ father needed hospital treatment, something his family simply couldn’t afford. Without it, there was nothing they could do. Then Brother Armando told Luis and his mother that he knew of another resource that wouldn’t cost them money.

Assuming he meant the local wizard or an Indian healer, they had little hope, but Armando was referring to something they knew nothing of—the power of prayer.

Immediately, Armando began to pray that Luis’ father would be healed, and he continued to do so when he’d visit the home every day for over a month. But Luis’ father didn’t want the praying man in his house, so Armando would remain outside during his daily visits, continuing to pray—on his knees.

Desperate, Luis and his mother started praying too, and as they did Luis’ father’s

condition began to improve. Not only did his condition improve, his life did too. He began to detest the alcohol that had once consumed him and wanted it out of his home. Together, the family helped him get rid of every single bottle he had.

Brother Armando and another EHC worker continued making regular visits to the home, leading the entire family to faith in Christ. Now, delivered from the grip of alcohol, Luis’ father is once again providing for his household, and the family is serving God in a local church.

Luis and his father also completed EHC’s discipleship course, and together, they’re part of a ministry team that is actively sharing Christ with others in their community.

The work in Mexico is challenging; however,God is faithfully blessing our ministry efforts there. In spite of escalating crime rates, life-threatening illnesses, and even a recent kidnapping of a family member of one of our EHC workers, we have astounding victories to declare. A partner church in Zacatecas has been responsible for the establishment of 64 new Christ Groups just this year. And this same church began preaching at area parks so overtaken by vicious gangs that families would stay away. Now, entire families go and enjoy the evening listening to the Word of God and thanking Him for peace in their neighbourhood.

All over Mexico, dedicated workers continue to make an impact on their nation— particularly among the young. Sometimes it’s by home-to-home visits, but sometimes God sends His messengers on divine appointments to places no one else will go - places familiar to people like Ignacio and Alfonso. They’re brothers with a mission—to rescue young people controlled by Mexican drug lords, the kind who kill anyone who tries to escape their iron grip.

Both former drug addicts, Ignacio and Alfonso, had been “owned” by a mafia gang that hated Christians and anything associated with the Gospel. That is, until several years ago. Then, everything changed.

In the midst of one of their wild parties, a man approached the two, handing them literature about the message of Christ. Not in any mood for religion, one of the brothers muttered something profane, shoved the paper into his pocket, and forgot about it. Sometime later, they were both being treated in a hospital after overdosing on drugs. Agitated and restless, the one shoved his hand in his pocket where he found the long-forgotten paper. He knew he’d reached the bottom of the bottom. He was tired of being controlled by ruthless cartels.

Hopelessness engulfed him; there was no way out.

He barely recognized himself. Years of drug abuse had clearly ravaged him. Figuring it couldn’t get any worse, with trembling hands, he pulled out the crumpled paper and began to read.

Something about the words penetrated his hardened heart—words like hope, forgiveness, and a new beginning. Oh, how he longed for a new beginning. Was it even possible to have a fresh start? Wanting his brother to hear the words too, he read the card aloud. They were both tired of the life they’d been living. What if there was a second chance?

Desperate, Ignacio and Alfonso prayed the prayer on the back of the paper, and right then and there, they gave their lives to

Christ. They knew they’d be killed for leaving the gang, so they snuck away and moved north—to Baja. There, for the last seven years, they’ve been devoting their evenings to reaching younger gang members with the same Gospel that rescued them.

With no money for Bibles or evangelism materials, the brothers would make small drawings of Bible stories and share them with gangs who roam the streets. Every night, they’d take great risks, boldly proclaiming the power of the cross in a place where others won’t even go.

Then last year, they received the miracle they’d been praying for. It was a chance encounter with EHC workers distributing gospel messages in their area. After hearing the brothers’ story, the EHC team provided them materials they desperately needed to help evangelise and disciple new believers.

Today, they continue to spend their evenings on the streets, witnessing to hardened gang members, just like they once were.

EHC exists to equip the local church, empowering them to reach people in their communities and impact entire nations. In many places though, the Church takes on a different look. Sometimes, it looks like a biker out for a ride or gang members who’ve found their freedom in Christ. All over the globe, people are spending their lives rescuing others, and they’re changing the world, one home, one alley, one nation at a time. Please pray for our workers in Mexico, that God will sustain and protect them as they deliver the Good News to their nation.

Zambia

ROYAL KNEES ARE BOWING ...TO JESUS

In African tribal culture, the chief is the consummate authority who controls everything within his or her domain. The Goba tribe, located in southern Zambia, has an additional component that makes them unique. Herders by trade, this tribe’s grazing land is owned by the women—traditionally passed down from mother to daughter.

It’s also the women who hold positions of power over the tribe—their chief is the tribal “queen.”

Several years ago, EHC workers in Zambia began asking God for a miracle—access to this tribe whose hearts had been hardened by centuries of ancestral worship. Then, just a few months ago, God answered those prayers. What happened next was unprecedented.

No one got past her advisors, ever. But this time, Her Royal Highness ignored their counsel and granted the EHC workers an audience. It was an enormous risk, but the result of the bold request was a God-sized harvest of souls. When the queen inquired why they had come, the EHC workers presented her the message of Jesus Christ.

Deeply moved, the revered and daunting leader not only permitted them access to her people, she let them stay for five straight days. Then, she stunned the team of pioneer missionaries by granting a decree requiring

everyone who lived under her rule to attend the afternoon teachings, as well as the Jesus film presentation every evening.

By her mandate, a door of opportunity that had been closed for centuries was instantly opened. Four thousand people attended the meetings; some travelling many miles by vehicle, bicycle, even on foot.

What happened during those 5 days of ministry was nothing short of miraculous.

There were 850 Goba men, women, and children who turned from their ancestral religion and gave their lives to Christ. Entire families returned to their homes to gather their idols, and in the presence of their peers they destroyed the shrines they had worshipped for generations. Three new Christ Groups were started, and today, hundreds of tribal believers are devouring gospel teaching as fast as they can get it.

But the miracles didn’t stop there. News of what had happened spread like wildfire to surrounding communities, prompting another royal family to request a gospel presentation. When the EHC pastor arrived, he found village heads had gathered from all around to hear his message. It was an intense time of ministry; the powers of darkness put up a fight. But after several hours of fervent prayer, deliverance came, and many of those village leaders gave their lives to Christ too.

Bible Readings: This month the daily text will be taken from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and Job For those wanting to do the one-year Bible reading program these chapters are in brackets.

FEBRUARY 2015 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM (PSALM 122:6) AND THE WORLD.

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SIKKIM (india) - Pop. 1,236,300,000 Map 129 During one recent month, despite bad roads and landslides, six pioneer missionaries shared 11,545 gospel booklets home to home in 27 villages. Praise God, they were received well and the outreach was successful.

Pray for lasting fruit! Ezra 9 (1 Timothy 4-6)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - "The ears of the people in our nation have been dulled by preaching that does not call for any commitment," the National Director of this restricted nation says. "Pray that the Holy Spirit will convict many people of their sin as they hear the Gospel." Ezra 10 (2 Timothy 1:1 to 2:13)

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ROMANIA - Pop. 21,700,000 Map 78 Praise God for outreaches that took place over the last 3 months in Oltenia. This was a difficult region. Pray that those who received Gospel literature will be open to the Good News and receive Christ as Lord. Pray also for follow-up efforts to be fruitful. Nehemiah 1 (2 Timothy 2:14 to 4:22)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - Join us in prayer today for protection for this EHC team as they travel around the nation for ministry and leadership training. Pray for safe travel and good health for EHC workers. Praise God for 15 new Christ Groups started in cancer hospitals in recent months. Nehemiah 2 (1 Peter 1:1 to 2:10)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - This EHC team reently shared gospel literature home-tohome in the nation's second largest city, as well as in a city close to the border in a region marked by conflict. Pray for many open hearts in these two cities, that the people would come to know Christ. Nehemiah 6 (2 Peter 2) CREATIVE ACCESS - "Praise God for the new hope, strength and opportunities He is giving us in this work of reaching every home for Christ!" the EHC leader in this nation says. Pray for this to continue and for many to give their hearts to Christ as a result. 2 Nehemiah 7 (2 Peter 3) INDIA - Pop. 1,263,300,000 Map 129.

Praise the Lord for the opportunity to reach this vast nation time and time again! Pray for the office and field staff that the Lord would use them effectively in the ministry. Pray that Jesus would take hold of the hearts of those who hear the gospel message.

Nehemiah 8 (1 John 1-2) SAMOA - Pop. 200,000 Map 158. During an outreach on one Saturday, 40 people prayed to receive Christ. Pray for these men and women, that the seed of the Word of God would grow in their hearts. Pray that others who heard the Good News will also receive Jesus and join churches. Nehemiah 9 (1 John 3-4)

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SYRIA - Pop. 17,951,639 Map 115 Syrian children have lost their homes, their families and their childhood in a crisis approaching its fifth year. 68 attacks on Syrian schools in 2014 alone have killed and injured students and disrupted education for 670,000 children. Pray for an end to this terrible war in Syria.

Nehemiah 3 (1 Peter 2:11 to 4:11)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - Praise God for brave EHC volunteers in this difficult nation who risk their lives by storing gospel literature in their homes. Pray today that the Lord would protect these volunteers and anoint the Gospel literature to open hearts and minds to Jesus. Nehemiah 10 (1 John 5)

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SENEGAL - Pop. 13,600,000 Map 47. We rejoice over the 30 new believers who were recently baptised! Pray that these, along with many others who have found Christ through the EHC ministry here in recent months, would mature in Christ, grow strong in their faith, and share the Good News with others. Nehemiah 11 (2 John)

IRAQ - Pop. 34 979 561 Map 118. Continued fighting in Iraq has forced 1.9 million Iraqis from their homes in 2014. Winter is fast approaching and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi families have fled with few posessions and no provision for the harsh winter ahead. Pray God would protect His people and bring about an end to this terrible suffering in Iraq.

Nehemiah 4 (1 Peter 4:12 to 5:14)

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BOTSWANA - Pop. 2,200,000 Map 10. Today, pray the Lord would raise up more workers in the EHC Botswana ministry for home-to-home evangelism and to serve as Christ Group leaders. Pray for more open doors to share the vision of reaching every home with believers in this nation. Nehemiah 5 (2 Peter 1)

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VENEZUALA - Pop. 28,900,000 Map 214. Join this team in praising God for His timely provision, which allows the minstry of reaching every home to advance across this nation. Pray that the Lord would continue bringing new churches, leaders and believers to partner with the EHC ministry. Nehemiah 12 (3 John)

Australia: PO Box 168 Penshurst NSW 2222 Telephone: (02) 9570 8211 Facsimile: (02) 9570 4738 New Zealand: PO Box 31-260 Milford North Shore City 0741 Telephone: Free call 0800 900 200 Facsimile: 0061 2 9570 4738 www.everyhome.org.au ehc@everyhome.org.au

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CREATIVE ACCESS - EHC leaders in this nation report, "We see no obstacles as we look to expand our ministry into new territories. "Pray for continued open doors. Pray also for those who have heard the Good News, that the gospel seed would produce lasting fruit.

Nehemiah 13 (Jude)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - The National Director writes, "Our God is so wonderful! We are thankful that we can partner in this ministy happening across the globe.

We thank you for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for our workers and for the Gospel to spread in our land." Esther 1 (Revelation 1)

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GAMBIA - Pop. 1,900,000 Map 48.

"Please join us in praying for the people of Gambia who have responded positively to the "Gospel and expressed a desire to follow Jesus Christ," the team writes. "Pray that they will grow in the Lord and in their relationship with Him. Esther 8 (Revelation 15 - 16) CREATIVE ACCESS - This team is rejoicing over an incident in which seven pioneer missionaries were arrested and then released within days. Praise God for His protection! Pray for the release of other pioneer missionaries who are still in prison in this diffficult nation.

Esther 9 (Revelation 17 - 18)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - One man received gospel literature from EHC workers over one year ago and he is still in contact with the EHC office. The team is helping him work through questions about Jesus. Pray that he would be moved by the Holy Spirit to accept Christ.

Esther 10 (Revelation 19)

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MALI - Pop. 16,500,000 Map 49. Praise God for the opportunity this EHC team had to mobilise a local church in a restricted area of a closed region, training 16 people from the church to go home to home with the Gospel, reaching hearts desperate for Good News. Pray for salvation.

Job 1 (Revelation 20)

BURKINO FASO - Pop. 18,400,000 Map 40. This team requests prayer for unity amongst churches, for pioneer missionaries to serve God with all their hearts, and that more workers will be mobilised to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ from door to door. Pray also for a village that is refusing to hear the Gospel. Esther 2 (Revelation 2 - 3) CREATIVE ACCESS - In recent months the National Director of this nation was taken by authorities and miraculously released shortly after. "There is a powerful enemy," he wrote, "but we know the one who is with us is more powerful." Pray for this team's safety and for open hearts to the Gospel. Esther 3 (Revelation 4)

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NEPAL - Pop. 31,000,000 Map 133.

During a one-day mass outreach, 196 pioneer missionaries were mobilised and they reached 8,888 homes with the Gospel. Pray for all the families that received a presentation of the Good News during this outreach to open their hearts to Christ. Esther 4 (Revelation 5)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - Join us today in thanksgiving and praise that the Lord allowed EHC to open an office in this closed nation! Please pray as the new team begins the process of registration and launching ministry.

Pray for many open doors and workers. Esther 5 (Revelation 6:1 to 8:5)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - EHC workers recently held an outreach in which they went "shopto-shop" to give gospel literature to sales people and shop owners. Many seemed interested. Pray for their salvation and for follow-up efforts with those who express interest. Esther 6 (Revelation 8:6 to 11:19)

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SLOVAKIA - Pop. 5,400,000 Map 81.

Praise God for many young workers who have taken up the task of taking personal presentations of the Gospel from home to home. Pray for many more such sacrificial people to join the work. Pray also for a new outreach tool - an evangelistic newspaper - to be effective. Esther 7 (Revelation 12 - 14)

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LEBANON - Pop. 5,900,000 Map 114.

The National Director here says, "Please pray for the many people we minister to who wish to accept Jesus but fear the reactions of their families. Prayers are also needed for believers in our nation who are considering fleeing the country because of tensions in the region." Job 2 (Revelation 21)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - Praise God for a young student who recently accepted Jesus in this restricted nation! Pray for his spiritual growth, that he would mature in Christ and share his faith with others. Prsay also for another person who has been in contact with the EHC office and is interested in Jesus.

Job 3 (Revelation 22)

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