ACMissioNZ Prayer Supporters’ Update – 4th December 2020

Greetings to our friends, supporters, and prayer partners, and welcome to this seventh and final update for 2020. Once again, 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 although the presence of Covid-19, with its lockdowns and restrictions and effects on day to day living, continues to significantly affect their activities, the Advent Christian ministries in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines are continuing to do what they able to do and are continuing to touch lives for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sadly, many of the activities of the churches in the countries in Asia which we normally report on continue to be affected one way or another by their governments’ regulations, many of which involve lockdowns of the communities, and their ministries have been curtailed to some extent or other for much of the year. In many countries, where many workers are paid on a daily basis and because there is no work available during lockdowns, many families are still suffering badly. Because churches are unable to meet, offerings are not being collected and pastors and other paid leaders are in many cases not receiving any income.

Please thank the Lord for some reductions in restrictions and pressure but continue to pray that God’s people will know the peace of His presence and provision for their needs.

INDIA | Yesuway Jeevan Mission

Covid 19 continues to have serious effects in India - on Wednesday 2 December, there were 36,604 new cases reported throughout the country. That is much reduced from the peak of 76,551 on 11 September but is obviously still very worrying. For the entire country there have been 9.53 million cases registered, with 138,501 deaths reported.

Tamil Nadu State, where most of the Advent Christian churches are situated, continues to be badly affected – the state’s statistics as of Wednesday 2 December were a total number of cases recorded as 776,000 with a total of 11,722 deaths. Towards the end of November, the number of new cases in the State had fallen to the 1,400s per day.

We need to continue to pray especially for India as although the track of the graph of new Covid cases daily continues to move downwards, the numbers are still frightening.

Please pray regularly for Yesuway Jeevan Mission’s ministry partners who serve the Lord so well in their particular areas of ministry. Many of them are involved with caring for, educating, and encouraging children, many of them orphans or disadvantaged. Some of them, realising the extra needs that the Covid pandemic has brought to their communities, have used funds YJM has sent them to distribute food and clothing and encouragement to those in need – all in the Name of Jesus Christ. Pray especially for their leaders and the members of their staff and congregations who assist with these ministries:

• Shelter Trust, Chennai - Rev. Solomon Raj
• Addres Centre, Chennai- Pastor Paul Nilivan
• Silver Fern Hostel, Guindy, Chennai – Warden Nelson and his wife Stella.
• ACCI Outreach Team/St Xavier’s High School, Khagaria, Bihar State - Pastor Paul Sundar Raj
• Christ Special High School for the Handicapped and Deaf, Sangkarapuram – Pastor Paul Nilivan
• Adda Rd. Advent Christian Church, Andhra Pradesh State - Rev Paul Gandham and Pastor Victor Abraham
• Balunayak Banjara Tribal Ministries, Mahabubabad, Telengana State - Pastor Balu Nayak
• Emmanuel’s School and Children’s Home, Chandel, Manipur State – Sister Thirumathi Roselle

From left to right above: Pastor Paul Sundar Raj; Pastor Victor Abraham and Pastor Paul Gantham; Pastor Balu Nayak; Sister Roselle; Pastor Paul Nilivan; Warden Nelson.

New Indian government regulations put in place in late September, effective immediately, froze existing FCRA (Foreign Currency) bank accounts and forbade holders from transferring foreign funds received to any other person or organisation. This is another step in the radical, Hindu nationalist government’s program to make life and ministry difficult for Christians and Christian organisations. This will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for YJM to continue to financially assist the above organisations or even the Fellowship of Blessed Hope Churches as they have done for many years. The Indian Home Affairs Department has subsequently advised that the existing accounts may be used until March 31, 2021 but the restrictions and rules in the latest act apply to funds coming into them. YJM will of course apply for a new account and will be looking carefully at how their activities can cope with the new rules. Please pray for Mission Manager Immanuel, and the officers of the International Missions Department at ACGC’s Charlotte office as they grapple with what will be a very difficult, ongoing situation

Pastor Paul Gantham, who with his son Pastor Victor Abraham leads the Advent Christian Church at Adda Road in Andhra Pradesh State, advises that following the lockdowns and other government restrictions caused by Covid-19 being eased, they have started holding services once again, and their members are slowly starting to attend once again.

Praise the Lord for the faithful ministry of these two brothers and pray that their large congregation may soon be together again.

He also advised that already he has had the joy of baptising one lady, and that another nine people are preparing to be baptised in the near future.

Please pray for these new members of our Christian family, seeking the Lord’s blessing for them as they make their public witness to their faith, and pray that they will grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Saviour.

On Wednesday 2 December, after more than three months of lockdowns and restrictions and the need to stay isolated as much as possible, the pastors of the Fellowship of Blessed Hope Churches and their wives and families, including the families from the churches in the south of Tamil Nadu, gathered together to hold their Annual General Body Meeting (Annual General Meeting) and for fellowship and encouragement. They met in a new Christian Centre near the Chennai port, and enjoyed a meal together, as well as a time of singing and worshipping the Lord. The pastors’ wives and the children and young people also contributed in song.

Because of the new FCRA (Foreign Currency) rules mentioned above it is very difficult to give to others outside the YJM, but programs such as this are permitted.

Unfortunately, the FBHC President, Pastor Jerald, was not able to attend the gathering as he was unwell. He still suffers from heart problems – please pray for him, asking the Lord that he may be completely and quickly healed.

THAILAND | Christian Mission Naratchakwai

Praise the Lord that since our last update, the attendances at Christian Mission's Sunday activities - morning service and Sunday school, a meal together and then English lessons in the afternoon for the children and young people - have continued, with new children and families often coming along. In late October they were able to give their regular, monthly gifts of subsistence food to two new families...