Greetings to our friends, supporters and prayer partners, and welcome to this third update for 2020. Once again, my thanks for your support and encouragement in so many ways. Thank you especially for praying – God continues to answer your prayers in wonderful ways, and we see the Advent Christian ministries in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, India and the Philippines continuing to touch lives for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I suspect that wherever you are as you read this, your life will have recently been or will still be affected by Covid 19! Here in New Zealand we are now at “Level 1 Lockdown” which makes life more or less as it was before the bug came on the scene, with very few restrictions on us personally, but with exhortation to still be careful with social distancing where possible and to get tested for the bug if we have respiratory symptoms of any kind. Our main line of defence is now our border, which is closed to anyone but NZ citizens and those with resident’s visas. After 24 days of having no new cases of Covid 19 and no active cases in the country, we have recently had a number of positive cases amongst those Kiwis who have been returning from various countries of the world where the virus is still causing great concern – all those returning have to undergo a mandatory 14 days period of supervised isolation or quarantine if they test positive, and testing within these areas has brought the recent cases to light.
I think it is still desirable that we pray along the lines of the following suggestions from Harvest Prayer Ministries that I shared with you in April…
“Pray for the Church to stand against the enemy’s attempt to use this virus to damage and paralyze the Church:
Pray that God’s people will overcome anxiety with peace:
Pray for the end of the spread of this deadly virus across the nations of the earth:
Pray for the Church to step into the gap to provide supernatural generosity and help for those who are in need:
Pray for the Gospel to spread faster than the virus and for spiritual awakening to be poured out upon the earth.”
I have been in touch recently with most of those who serve in Advent Christian ministries in the countries we support and pray for, and most of them still have lockdowns or restrictions of some kind and their ministries have been curtailed in similar ways to those which we have experienced. In many cases the healthcare systems in these nations are inadequate even at the best of times.
Pray for the Lord’s mercy for those whose living situations make isolation almost impossible and treatment economically inaccessible.
Pray for those that govern, grant them wisdom in their decisions as they navigate the threats to lives and livelihoods.
Give thanks to God for all those who have dedicated their lives to serving their community, for health workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, testing laboratory technicians and especially those who labour in laboratories seeking a vaccine for the Coronavirus or for better treatments, asking Him to give them wisdom, skill and patience in their work, and by His grace, give them success in their endeavours.
In times like these, we are blessed to have the peace and assurance which the Psalmist’s words bring when he writes in Ps. 46: 1-2…
INDIA | Yesuway Jeevan Mission
Thank you for praying for Fellowship of Blessed Hope Churches’ Pastor Prabu Manuel and his wife Hema Malini who tested positive for Covid- 19 and were hospitalised at the Chenglepet Government Hospital in Chennai on 13 June. The Lord has answered our prayers – please thank Him. Mission Manager Immanuel advised that after some days in hospital they were transferred to an isolation centre in a college compound and they returned to their home at Pallavaram on Monday of this week – 22 June. He expressed his appreciation to those who have prayed for the couple. Please pray that there will be no further health problems for them.
Covid 19 continues to have serious effects in India – on Wednesday 24 June 15,968 new cases were 
reported for the day bringing the total so far to 472,985, with 14,476 deaths, Tamil Nadu State where most of the Advent Christian churches are situated is the worst affected – their number of cases is higher than any other state in the country including Delhi, the capital. Tamil Nadu’s statistics as at Wednesday were a total number of cases recorded as 67,468 with 28,839 active cases on that day, and a total of 866 deaths up till then. Some areas of the state, including Chennai, are under total lockdown until at least 30 June. We need to pray especially for India as the track of the graph of new Covid cases daily is frightening.
Covid 19 continues to have serious effects in India – on Wednesday 24 June 15,968 new cases were reported for the day bringing the total so far to 472,985, with 14,476 deaths, Tamil Nadu State where most of the Advent Christian churches are situated is the worst affected – their number of cases is higher than any other state in the country including Delhi, the capital. Tamil Nadu’s statistics as at Wednesday were a total number of cases recorded as 67,468 with 28,839 active cases on that day, and a total of 866 deaths up till then. Some areas of the state, including Chennai, are under total lockdown until at least 30 June. We need to pray especially for India as the track of the graph of new Covid cases daily is frightening.
On a brighter note, it has been heart-warming and encouraging to see many of Yesuway Jeevan Mission’s ministry partners continuing to reach out to those in their communities, and showing Christian love and compassion to the poor, the needy, orphans and those who are struggling with everyday life because of Covid 19. None of these organisations is financially well-off but they feel called by the Lord to share what they have and what they are given with those less fortunate than themselves. Because of generous gifts from donors in New Zealand we have been able to send funds to them through YJM.
Since our last update in April…
*The Advent Christian Conference of India’s outreach team in Bihar, led by Pastor Paul Sundar Raj, and Christ Special High School for the Handicapped in Sangkarapuram, Tamil Nadu, led by Pastor Paul Nilivan, have reached out to the parents of the children they teach and care for with relief packages of rice and vegetables and other foodstuffs. See pictures below.
*Fellowship of Blessed Hope Churches’ pastor Rev P Lawrence who has an itinerant ministry to tribal peoples in Kanchipuram, Chennai has done the same for needy believers and “roadsiders” (families who live in shelters on the grass areas beside roads and highways) and beggars.
*Pastor Balu Nayak in Telengana State has distributed 1,500 kg of rice and considerable amounts of other foodstuffs to the poor and needy and orphans in Mahababubad, Baluthanda and Kuravi where he ministers.
*Pastor Paul Gandham and his son Pastor Victor Abraham from the Adda Road Advent Christian Church in Andhra Pradesh State distributed food to 150 needy families in two villages in their area on 3 and 4 May. In sending us his appreciation for the funds, Pastor Paul Gandham wrote…
“I wish to express my sincere and heartful thanks to Advent Christian Mission New Zealand for your kind help of 30,000/- rupees towards feeding food for the poor and needy people. During this global pandemic of Covid 19 we have distributed food, groceries, daily material to the poor families.
We strive to reflect God’s unconditional love that embraces all people regardless of race, caste, religion etc. We believe that we can show His love by serving the “least of these” on this earth as CHRIST challenged us to do in Matthew 25. With much love and prayers, In CHRIST for His glory.”
Bihar – the rice and some of the team with relief packs distributed to scholars’ families
Distribution of food to children’s families at Christ Special High School at Sangkarapuram
Please praise the Lord for the progress that is being made with the construction of the new school buildings for the St Xavier’s High School in Khagaria, in Bihar State.
Pastor Denny Moses, their communications officer, recently wrote…
“God has enabled us to complete our school’s construction work up to 45 %. The foundation work has been completely well done by God’s grace. The ground floor work is in progress, out of 22 rooms 10 classrooms are to be roofed at the end of this month.
We request your prayer for the 55% balance work which is to be finished soon. There is a need for *Rs 85,00,000/- (Eighty five lakhs rupees) to complete the work still to be done (approximately).”
*85 lakhs is 8,500,000 rupees or approximately NZ$175,000.
As it is written in Hebrews 13:1 ‘Let brotherly love continue’. I thank God for your love which is continuing this far for the extension of the kingdom of God.”
Please continue to pray that by God’s grace this project may be completed by the end of the year as mandated by the Indian government education system when they approved the project.
Views of the St Xavier’s High School new buildings project
Brother Denny Moses also asked us to pray with them for the following matters…
“PRAYER POINTS
- Kindly pray for our school CBSE Board Exam students. 98 students are waiting for their class X (year 10) results.
- Brother Sunni Chandravansi, the one who forwarded the false report against the school to CM, Education Minister, an DM and the DEO. But God is keeping us safe from everyone till today. We believe that Lord’s grace will continue.
- Please pray for schools NOC (No Objection Certificate) for school affiliation purpose.
- Government ordered us to conduct church only with 13 believers in a gathering with social distancing. God should protect us from all the evil doers.
- 4 church buildings are under construction, please give prayer support to complete them soon. According to Nehemiah 2:18 you have set your hands to do Lord’s work.
Thanking you and praying for all goodness for you for which you have done on sake of God.
ACCI Team (Bihar, Khagaria)”
THAILAND Christian Mission Naratchakwai
Sister Ploy recently wrote…
“The Covid-19 situation is getting better now. The lockdown is already reduced. We can go out of our houses and do some activities, but we still can’t join a group that has more than 10 people. We have to wear masks in public. We can travel across provinces but not out of our country. The Soup of Love can’t be done yet because it’s dangerous in case we become “the super spreaders” of Covid-19 unwittingly.
We are going to have a Leadership Meeting on this Friday at CMN. It’s our first time after the lockdown too. We are going to open the church next month. Please pray for us.
The university is open now but we will start our term with students in the school on the 1st of July.
Maeo is fine now. The shingles have disappeared. Thank you for your prayers.”
She also sent a translation of a further letter they had received from Pastor Siripong Subjarern, pastor of the Kudsakoi church to which we were able, earlier in the year, to send some funds to assist with the rebuilding of their church and associated buildings.
Pastor Siripong Subjarern wrote…
“Thank you God for everything that help and support us and greeting to our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
Thank you God for that we can come back to service again after the lockdown because of Covid-19. We pray together for this situation to become better.
For our church, people are going out to their fields to plant rice, please pray for the rain that is very important for planting rice.
And please pray for the Bible translation project that is proceeding for many years. We translate it from Thai to our local language (So language). The translators moved back to Kudsakoi church to continue their job.
The office is finished but the multi-purpose building is not finished yet. We are praying for the wall and the floor tiles of the building, including electricity and the water supply system. We attach some pictures of the church with this letter.
We ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to keep praying for us and may God bless you all.”
Please continue to pray for Pastor Subjarern and his congregation, and for the other six member churches of the Christ For All People Church Association as they seek to share the message of LIFE in Jesus Christ with their people in Northeast Thailand.
Please continue to pray for the team at Christian Mission – Rear row from left – Ploy, Pastor Boontaa, Dtee (driver),Maeo and Parn. Front row from left – Lita, Kaopun, Job, Guitar and GungGing. Pray especially for for Ploy who leads the team of young ladies.
Thank the Lord for the time and effort they put into planning and supervising every aspect of the ministry, including the English lessons.
Ask the Lord to help the girls balance their service for Him with their studies at High School and University.
MALAYSIA | Kluang Advent Christian Group
Please continue to pray for Sister Ruth, Brother Wilfred, their family and their small group of faithful, Advent Christian believers who have recently been unable to gather together weekly on Sundays for worship in Ruth and Wilfred’s home in Kluang or 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 wrote recently…
PRAISES TO GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYER
“We thank you so much for your faithful partnership in standing with us in prayer.
- During the Stay At Home Order, Wilfred’s brother sent us a surprise gift – Hair-cutting machine. So I was able to give hair-cut for Wilfred, using the technique I learnt from YouTube. We thank the Lord for this timely gift.
- We thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy during this difficult time. We thank Him for His divine protection and safety over our group and our family. After a long time, we were able to see my daughter, Joanna and her husband, Kenneth last weekend. Soon, my younger daughter, Jerusha will be visiting us.
- Our group here is in good health. None of them fell ill because of the virus. During the Stay At Home Order, our group kept in touch with us by telephone, and we encouraged one another.
- God gave us strength to endure and persevere during this difficult time. We cultivated patience and discipline in our daily lives, increasing our trust in God.
- We want to praise God for your love, concern, help and prayer for us. We are grateful to you.
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Pray for our friends whose businesses have been affected and are downcast because of the recent situation. God must give them wisdom during this time to make the right decisions, so that their businesses will recover.
- Pray for our outstation contacts that they will recover from the downturn in their small businesses.
- Pray for our friends who are now looking for new jobs, that God will direct their steps
MYANMAR | Advent Christian Conference of Myanmar
Pastor David, leader of Fellowship Bible Ministries has advised that good progress is being made on the first building on their new campus – the “training room”. He wrote…
“
Greetings and thanks for your email and praying for our ministry here in Myanmar.
Yes our building project is going on and we need to do more working on new campus.
Please continue praying for us to finish our training room before the month of August.
Thanks,
David”
Pastor David wrote just today to ask us to pray for a recent graduate of their Bible College. He wrote…
“One of our young ladies – Emily – graduated from our college and she wants to serve God in our ministry as full time staff, working in the office and helping in the girls dorm. She needs monthly support. Please pray for her. She is a good lady and good singer. Thanks for praying and considering for her need.”
As you pray for Pastor David’s building project and needs, will you please also pray for Pastor Joseph’s similar project, as he seeks to provide much improved facilities for the 75 children that The Word Mission cares for, and for their Bible college. Click here for more information about the new building under construction.
On Saturday 21 June, which is the day that Fathers’ Day is celebrated in most countries of Southeast Asia, I was blessed to receive a “Happy Father’s Day” greeting from Pastor David, and several others in the countries we support and pray for, and a “Thank you” for the funds we had recently sent. I appreciated them all of course but David sent a picture of some of the 98 orphan and underprivileged children his organisation cares for, whose smiles exemplify the joy and happiness that his children, and indeed all of the 282 children who the members of the Advent Christian Conference of Myanmar care for, experience, as they receive Christian love and compassion and are pointed to Jesus by those who care for them.
Pastor Kenneth, leader of Gospel for Myanmar recently wrote, and included a picture of their church campus…
“
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you are doing well. We the Salem Family are also doing well as you pray for us. We the Salem Family do praise the Lord for His blessings and guidance. All our Children passed their exam and their school will re-open in July. Our Bible School also will be open in July. We are now praying to God for our girls’ dormitory to be able to be built before the school re-opens.
Therefore, please remember us and continue praying for our urgent needs.
Thank you so much for your prayers”
Last year Pastor Kenneth advised us that they had set up a small clothing factory on their campus to try to raise funds for the ministries of his organisation and to give some of their members a regular income. They had purchased needed equipment and had trained six of their ladies in the skill of cutting and sewing children’s clothing. From October onwards and until the Covid pandemic struck they received very good orders and they earned good amounts to fund their ministries. He wrote in mid-March to thank us for our prayers for this project …
“Our Clothing Factory also going well as you pray for this project. Since the past October we can have six workers in this work, and since October the workers are very busy. Even on Sunday after worship service they continue working. We also can have some income from the clothing factory for mmk. 200,000/ per-month (about NZ$255). We do very much appreciate and would like to say “Thank you ” to all who pray for this project.”
Then Covid 19 got in the way ☹ – please pray that they will soon be able to recommence production and orders will continue to come in and that the Lord will continue to bless this effort, as they seek to help themselves carry out His work.
Pastor Timothy, who is President of the Advent Christian Conference of Myanmar recently wrote as follows…
“Please pray for Myanmar Conference as below
- Orphanages
- Church planters
- Water wells and water purifying machines
- Solar lights (no electricity in many villages).”
The four organisations of the ACCM presently care for a total of 282 orphan/underprivileged children and have 38 church planters in many different parts of their country.
Once again, my sincere thanks for your partnership in the Lord’s ministries in South East Asia. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement to and financial support for our brothers and sisters in the LORD. Please continue to pray for the leaders and members of the Advent Christian ministries we support in India, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines – pray that they will know the leading, guiding and blessing of the Holy Spirit as they present the message of God’s love for their people and His plan of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord.
