Greetings to our friends, supporters and prayer partners, and welcome to this update. As usual there is plenty to share with you about the activities of those in South East Asia who serve the Lord under the Advent Christian banner.
It is the rainy/monsoon season in Asia at the moment and many of our brothers and sisters are suffering, in one way or another, from flooding and other problems caused by the rain. In many cases these same problems occur year after year and it must be heart -breaking to suffer as they 
do. Apart from relocation, which is most often not a financially viable option there is really nothing that can be done to avoid the heartbreak and misery that flooding brings. But we can pray for these folks, and I invite you to do that both as you read the reports from the Advent Christian ministries below, and then on a regular, ongoing basis, praying that they will have patience and fortitude that only our Heavenly Father can bring in the face of their difficulties.
INDIA
Hundreds of people have been killed in flooding in northern India in the last two months, but parts of southern India and Tamil Nadu in particular have a different monsoon season and weather pattern than the north, and they expect monsoon rains – which have sometimes been known to be so torrential in Chennai that they dislodge tar-seal in large pieces from the roads – to occur in October and November. Because there is so little rain at other times of the year, it is the monsoon rains which fill the reservoirs and the water catchment areas. Without the monsoon rains there would be a serious shortage of water during the next summer – May to July/August!
YJM ministry partner Pastor Balu Nayak, at Mahabubabad in Telengana State, recently received further funds from ACGC’s Bread of Life program, and reported as follows…
“Yesterday [30 July] I have done Food for Poor program in Mahatma Gandhi Park near Mahabubabad railway station. The program was very good & successfully done, many of print and electronic media came and covered this Food for Poor program on television and in newspapers. Beggars, orphans, widows and poor people were so happy for this Food for Poor activity. I am sending few pictures.”
ACMissioNZ was recently able to send some funds to assist Brother Balu Nayak with the construction of his new church/accommodation building at Mahabubabad. He responded to Mission Manager Immanuel as follows. “Ayya” is a term of respect, much like our English “Sir”.
“Respected Ayya I am sending a picture of our Mahabubabad Church building’s current progress. Ayya the ground floor is orphans/missionaries/visitors and first floor is for church services. The first-floor capacity is
200 members, sitting. Ayya by God’s grace your kind and continued financial support gives good progress.
Ayya, thank you very much Ayya, I am praying for you and your health, and for ACGC
From your beloved son in Christ, Pastor Balu Nayak from Telangana State”
As you can see, they have long way to go before their building is complete, but the congregation is now able to meet in the partly finished bottom section, whereas in the past they have met under a big tree.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to provide for Brother Balu Nayak and his congregation, who regularly assist the many underprivileged folk in their city, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Ahaj Kumar Pani continues his very busy ministry in Odisha State. He recently wrote “This is a helping ministry. We are giving new dresses to the homeless children. Please pray for this good work program.”
Pastor Denny Moses, writing on behalf of the Advent Christian Conference of India’s outreach team in Bihar, Northern India, wrote as follows as his June and July report…
“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, praising the Almighty Lord for He made this chance to convey wishes to you through His precious name. We thank all the prayer warriors, those who are praying and supporting the ministry in Bihar.
As you know that our field worker Br. Ramesh with his wife is serving the Lord in the Amni field. Both of them are physically handicapped but serving the Lord earnestly. Through God’s grace Br. Ramesh’s wife is now conceived. The doctor declared the delivery date on 28th July. Please pray that they will have a normal child without any defect (because they both are handicapped) through a normal delivery. Kindly pray for this Lord’s servant’s family.”
Br. Ramesh and Sis. Rani are pictured at right with Pastor Paul Sundar Raj and his wife Sudar Mathi.
“Br. Bhushan, our believer in Bala Bazar Church. In his family he and his mother alone accepted Jesus Christ. Last month his mother passed away. Br. Bhushan’s wife and the village people wanted to do some of the rituals service according to the Hindu customs, but he buried his mother’s body according to the Christian funeral service procedure. Due to this reason his wife and the whole villagers became against him, his wife is now carrying a baby and she threatened him to leave Christ otherwise she will abort the baby in womb. Please pray for our brother, there should be peace and salvation in his family particularly in his wife’s life.
Sis. Saguni is following Jesus Christ among strong opposition from the persecutors. Last month her son fell down from a roof, his one leg totally fractured from hip to heel, and he is in hospital after surgery. For her, she does not have any source to face all these medical expenses. It is too high for her. Please kindly pray God may heal her son soon.
In our school (St Xavier’s), 51 students in class 10th had written CBSE board exams last month. We got 100% results. We praise God for this year’s miraculous results. Praise God for all His wonders.”
Thank you for continuing to pray for the sale of the Guindy land. Mission Manager Immanuel and our Advocate (lawyer) Ravi Paul and the senior leaders of the Advent Christian Conference of India are quietly continuing discussions and negotiations with a potential buyer, and we are very close to finalising a sale – much closer than we have been in the more than ten years since we decided to sell the property. The potential buyer is now discussing, with Immanuel’s assistance, the purchase of four, privately owned properties which are on the road frontage of our property. These properties are essential for the buyer if they are to develop the property as planned. We are convinced that the sale of this property is in accordance with the Lord’s will and that His will includes the future, financial stability for the Advent Christian Conference of India, and the significant extension of the ministries of Yesuway Jeevan Mission and its ministry partners throughout India, for which funds from the sale will provide. But India is the land of the unexpected, even sometimes of the unbelievable, so please continue to pray that the Lord will continue to clear the pathway and that the sale will be completed as soon as possible.
STOP PRESS:
Since preparing this Update for our ACMissioNZ prayer meeting, Pastor Denny Moses in Khagaria, Bihar has advised that Sister Rani has been delivered of a perfectly normal and healthy little boy, by caesarean section. Both Mother and baby are well But Brother Denny asks that as we praise the Lord for His blessing, we also pray for quick and complete return to health for Sister Rani.
THAILAND
Ploy and Parn returned to Thailand on 1 August after spending eight weeks and three days here in New Zealand with us. They greatly appreciated meeting up again with members of the last two NZ Work/Ministry Teams that had visited Christian Mission Naratchakwai – the Gen.12:1 team in 2011/12 and the Barnabas Team in 2016/17 and they enjoyed a number of social activities with the younger members of those teams while they were here. They met with members of the ACMissioNZ Prayer Group, who have prayed for them and the CMN ministries for many years and enjoyed meeting many other brothers and sisters in the Lord also.
They spent two weeks in Hamilton and enjoyed meeting the members of the Mardon Road Church and “hanging out” (as young people do!) with the members of their youth group. They especially enjoyed accompanying the youth and some older church members to Mt Ruapehu for their first ever experience of snow – there is apparently no snow at all, anywhere in Thailand! As well as the snow, there were many other “firsts” for them during their visit – seeing the ocean and “paddling” in the water; going to a zoo and seeing so many different animals; going to an aquarium and seeing live penguins, sharks, rays etc; seeing dolphins in the ocean; “sand boarding” down a dune; seeing a kiwi – the feathered kind; watching a rugby match at a large stadium (or anywhere); travelling on a train or a harbour ferry; walking on black sand, or white sand for that matter and picking up shells; seeing 
Maori culture and being as high up in a structure such as the Sky Tower!! They took hundreds of pictures and will have great enjoyment showing their families and friends details of their exploits! And perhaps best of all, they said as they left “Our English is much better” and I certainly felt that that was the case, as a result of them being “immersed” in English for so long! On Ploy‘s and Parn’s behalf and on behalf of ACMissioNZ, I want to acknowledge and thank all those who showed them such warm hospitality and fellowship and assisted in many ways to make their stay with us so comfortable and enjoyable and interesting. I also want to acknowledge and thank the Takanini Community Church Property Trust Board which sponsored their travel and other costs.
Ministry continues at Christian Mission Naratchakwai with Maeo, Pastor Boontaa and the young ladies of the leadership team working very hard to represent and present their Lord to those around them. We appreciate the fact that there were many extra duties for them during the eight weeks of Ploy’s and Parn’s absence here in New Zealand.
On 1 August, when Ploy and Parn were on their way home to Thailand, their Facebook post concerning the service on Sunday 29 July read as follows (my emphasis!) …
“29/07/18
What a special day!
Thank you God for Everything and good news. We have 4 new believers who trust in God. Hallelujah!
Thank God today something special was born in our church
We have together worshiped God as ever and together, signed a blessing, but! There is also a special thing. Moreover, we have a new believer, open minded to welcome 4 God. Hallelujah!….
Thank God for the good things that happened.
Thank God for opening the ears. The children will be slow or fast. He sees good 
AMEN”
Hallelujah indeed and praise the Lord!! Please pray regularly for these four new believers. It is very likely that their family will be Buddhist believers and they and the local Buddhist monks will likely make their lives difficult because of their declarations of faith in Jesus Christ.
On Saturday 28 July, the folk from Christian Mission joined the Naratchakwai villagers to honour their King and took the opportunity to share their Soup of Love with them and give food parcels to two elderly men.
They wrote on their Facebook page…
“Thank you, God, for the Soup of Love to the people at Ban Naratchakwai Village, and we gave senior food to the older people.
We have a chance to join the candle parade. Sign the blessing with the villagers of the 11th Buffalo. Ready to give food to the elderly. To serve and give away the Love Soup for people after the ceremony.
Thank God for the good things that come from Him.”
MALAYSIA – Kluang Advent Christian Group
Please continue to pray for Sister Ruth, Brother Wilfred and their small group of faithful, Advent Christian believers who gather weekly on Sundays for worship in Ruth and Wilfred’s home in Kluang and in members’ homes for Bible study and communion during the week. Christian ministry is not easy or without danger in Malaysia, but Ruth and Wilfred faithfully continue their one-on-one ministries of friendship, practical assistance and counsel to friends, neighbours and other contacts.
Sister Ruth recently wrote…
“Thank you so much for your partnership in prayer and intercession with us. We want you to praise God, along with us for the following:
• My father’s, the late Rev. T. Devairakkam, friends’ children and grandchildren visit us regularly for prayer and encouragement from the Word of God for them and their grandchildren, for their situations and needs. They are non-Christians from the out-station. They are seeing God at work in an amazing way.
• We visited our contacts (non-Christians) living at the out-station. They are so thrilled to see God at work for their situations. God restored their family that was going through some conflicts. They shared how God gave them wisdom and guidance to handle it and brought peace and harmony to their hearts. To them it is unbelievable, beyond their reasoning.
• We had been sharing of Jesus to another family. When visiting, we were surprised that they have removed some items from their home on their own. These items were objects that they had been worshiping. To us, it shows that they are turning their faith to Jesus, and God has been working inwardly in their hearts. They are tasting the goodness of God. They invited us to a family meal and we had a good time of fellowship with them.”
MYANMAR
Our brothers and sisters in and around Yangon have been hit quite badly by flooding.
Pastor David, who cares for 50 orphan and under privileged children in his home, wrote…
“Please remember in your prayers for our ministry. Heavy rain and water flooding our house. Thanks, DHL” and sent these pictures:
Pastor Timothy, who cares for about 35 children in a special building he built for them, wrote…
“Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. These days Myanmar is facing water flood in many places.
We (0rphan place and farm, three families Church members) are also facing water flood yesterday and today. Water entered in house.
Please pray for Myanmar.
Yesterday I visited to Pastor Keisum’s new renting house (thanksgiving and prayer for new house).
I sent you some pictures.
Pastor Joshua Vang is visiting here, and his ministry also is going well.
Thank you for your support.
Yours
Tim”
PHILIPPINES
Sister Nely Gamayon, the Director of Oro Bible College, told us for our last update in June that there had just been flooding in Cagayan de Oro in the south of the country, but thankfully the rain stopped before the flooding reached the classrooms and offices, and this time damage was relatively light.
Sadly, that was not the case in Manila in the north, where Pastor Roy Rocha and his family minister as Advent Christian Movement in Manila. Roy wrote that he and his family had again been subjected to the flooding of their home.
As Roy’s wife, Llerma, is unable to walk without crutches and cannot climb stairs, their home is at road level. As the typhoon struck, Llerma had to be piggy-backed upstairs to safety as the waters rose, entered their home and covered their beds. Now the bedding has to be dried out and as the sun has not been shining over the last few days or so, this is almost impossible, so they are sleeping on wet mattresses and bedding. Other belongings have to be dried out as well. This flooding occurs on a regular basis during the rainy season. Roy’s family is taking medication to help prevent catching any disease (leptospirosis) as advised by the local health authorities.
Please pray for Roy and his family at this trying time, which they face for several months during the typhoon season – June until December each year. They are looking to find a new home but of course finance is the major hurdle for them.
Since these pictures were taken, the water subsided but another typhoon has brought similar flooding!!
Once again, my sincere thanks for your partnership in the Lord’s ministries in South East Asia. Thank you for your prayers for and encouragement to and financial support for our brothers and sisters in the LORD who are so committed to sharing the message of LIFE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST with their people. Your support is very meaningful to them.
Please pray that they will all know the leading, guiding and blessing of the Holy Spirit on all their ministries and that they will have great joy in their service for the LORD.
