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2006 India Mission Report

What a challenge it is to see how the church of Christ is moving forward in countries where there is persecution and yet mighty revival. Praise God for the hospitality and the warmth of these Christians. It is exciting to be a small part of the ministry which our God has all over the world. Although I have been in missionary work for thirty-four years, this was my first time to go to the Orient.

The auditorium and offices of the Revival Christian Church are located on three floors of an apartment building. Dennis Balcombe was the missionary I had flew half way around the world to meet! He had just returned from two months of ministry in Europe and America! He estimates that twenty thousand people are being converted every day in mainland China! He has been arrested, and beaten. When he was denied entry during the Cultural Revolution, he would stand at the border and pray. Now he is welcomed by the Chinese authorities. He invited me to minister in mainland China the next time I returned. One of the church secretaries whose husband is a youth pastor arranged for me to stay in a university hostel.

Hong Kong, with a population of ten million, is now a bustling gate-way to China. The port is stacked with containers three and four high. Hong Kong is built on the rocky coast of the Pacific Ocean. My hosts took me around the city and up to the summit. Looking down from the gardens, there were towering office and apartment buildings all around.

Arriving in Singapore, I was met at the airport by the assistant pastor of the City Harvest Church. This church was started by Kong Hee sixteen years ago. Now the church is so large that the 20,000 members meet in a convention center. The worship service was lively and exciting with spot lights, fog, and a huge LED screen where the service was projected. That Sunday morning, Richard Roberts preached with a worship team from O.R.U.

After the service, my host took me to an Oriental food court, where we sampled several dishes, including prawns, chicken, vegetables and fried rice, more than we could eat. Singapore, with a population of ten million, is situated on a flat peninsula, surrounded by ocean. The city is spread out, so clean, with many trees and parks. Many colonial buildings remain next to sparkling new glass office buildings.

Kenneth Pinto and one of his sons received me at the airport in Bangalore, India. They put me in an air-conditioned room in a beautiful hotel owned by Christians.

India is a country of sympathetic contrasts. There are Hindu temples with their arrays of gods. There are well-fed cows living in the streets off the garbage. There are beautiful manicured houses enclosed by walls next to squatters living in tents. Jainists walk the highways bare-foot, monks butt-naked, their nuns following, covered to the eyes with white burkas

Bangalore is the computer capital of India. It has a population of ten million and is growing so fast that there is construction everywhere. Traffic chokes the streets. Strangely, trucks, cars, three wheel scooter taxis, and motor bikes merge, and cut in front of each other with horns blaring, without causing any accidents! When a movie star passed away, there were two days of riots.

First Assembly of Zion is located on a four lane ring road around the city. The three storey building is quite impressive. The basement is for Sunday School and church hall and kitchen. The first storey will be the main floor of the sanctuary. The second will be a wrap-around balcony. The third floor will be the offices and parsonage. There is access to the flat roof. The tower will house an elevator from basement to third floor making the building completely accessible for wheel chairs. Presently there are about one hundred Christians who are meeting now in the basement. Ken and his church are trusting the Lord to provide so that construction can be completed and the church dedicated by December this year.

My first meeting was in Marikuppam where the mines had closed six years earlier. Eleven pastors have formed a development organization to try to bring economic growth to their area. One hundred and fifty residents came. After greetings from civic leaders and pastors, I spoke on staying in unity, working together, and respecting their leadership, if they wanted to see the blessing of God upon their endeavors. There was an altar call for salvation. Afterwards, we served everyone lunch of curried chicken, curried vegetables, and fried rice.

Friday night, Ken’s son, Stephen, took me ten hours on an air-conditioned over-night bus to Kannur, in Kelala state, located on the Arabian Sea. On the way back, the bus driver slammed on the brakes in the forest because there was a young elephant standing on the road in the dark.

This church is pastured by Leslie and Beverly Pinto, Ken’s brother. About fifty Christians crowded into their living room. People left their shoes at the door in this and most other churches. Saturday morning I spoke on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Saturday afternoon, Leslie took us for a stroll on the beach. He showed us the memorials of Hindus and Moslems who had martyred each other. We also saw many Maoist “hammer and cycle” signs. Leslie showed us the plot of ground he has purchased to build a church and parsonage. On Sunday morning I preached on the Resurrection, and took up a faith offering to begin construction of the church. Praise the Lord, $230 was pledged and $45 was given. On Sunday afternoon, Leslie paid for the whole church to eat fish buffet in a restaurant. We were each given a stainless tray, with all the rice we wanted. Then we were each given condiments of different kinds of curried fish, including something like sweet rice pudding.

The next Tuesday, Ken took me to the Bangalore ministers’ fellowship, where he is the president. The meeting was held at the Shekinah Gospel Fellowship. I spoke on, the Mission of the Church; orthodox doctrine, fellowship, community, and relevance. There were about one hundred brethren who gathered for the Word, fellowship, and a meal which we provided.

On Wednesday morning, Ken took me to a Pentecostal church built by a Presbyterian church from Korea. I spoke on the first part of, Faithful Stewards. In this and many other churches, the people sat on the floor on mats, and stood up to pray and to sing.

On Thursday evening, I preached at the Messiah Full Gospel Church on, We Would See Jesus. Afterwards, they asked me to pray for the sick.

On Good Friday morning, Ken invited me to speak at his church. I spoke on, Christ’s Seven Words from the Cross, and especially, It Is Finished! These words had more to do with our salvation being completed, than with the end of Jesus’ suffering.

Then, Ken’s son, Sammy, took me to the Gospel Prayer Church, where ministers were invited from several churches to speak on Christ’s Seven Last Words from the cross.

Good Friday evening, we went to preach in a church in the slums which was pastured by Pas. Tony. Tony also was our guide to several other churches. Tony and his wife grew up in the slums. When I pointed out that there were not many men there, he replied that if their drunken husbands tried to beat their wives or keep them from coming to church, that their wives were not afraid to hit back!

On Saturday morning, we went to the Glory Gospel Church, where, if I remember correctly, I preached on the Resurrection.

On Easter Sunday morning, we were back at the First Assembly of Zion. The church basement was full with about one hundred people. There was a wonderful worship service and the presence of the Lord was there. Eight young adults who had been baptised early on Good Friday morning gave their testimonies. Then there was Communion. When I was only given half of an hour to preach, I spoke to the young adults, on Wise Choices. Almost fifty came forward to take the vow of celibacy. Several parents came to tell me that message was really needed.

Sunday afternoon, Ken and Barbara took me home for family Sunday dinner. Shawn is married with one son. Stephen is engaged to a converted Brahman girl whom he met in college. Sammy is studying to become an air steward.
On Sunday evening, I was taken to the Holy Bible Church where Bro. Susainathan is pastor. I spoke on the Resurrection when the Lord returns.

On Monday evening, Ken and I went for the inauguration of the Karnataka Worship Rallies. A group of twelve or so young men have a vision of travelling in twenty-seven districts of the state and holding worship rallies to bring revival to their state. About one hundred Christians attended with many ministers.

On Tuesday, we drove for two hours to the border of Tamil Nadu to the Shekinah Pastor’s Fellowship in Hosur. On the way, the Lord prompted me several times to speak on, the Call of God. There was a definite witness among the sixty ministers, and about thirty came forward to rededicate themselves to the Lord. Again we fed these brethren a meal after the service.

Wednesday, we drove about half the distance to Electronic City where I spoke to the National Pastor’s Fellowship. I preached to about sixty ministers on Faithfulness in the ministry. The service was so anointed that my interpreter said he had tears in his eyes. Again we served curried chicken and onion relish.

On Thursday, Ken rented another vehicle to take five young adults from his church, and we drove five hours to the Indian Christian Assembly, in Chengam, in Tamil Nadu state. Ken and I held a seminar for fifty pastors on Friday, and Saturday. I taught on the Temptations In Ministry. We fed them a meal each day and paid some of them transport. On Sunday morning, I preached on the Resurrection.

On Tuesday, Ken arranged my last meeting, a leadership seminar at his church in Bangalore, where I preached two sessions. Afterwards we served them a hearty meal.

I am excited about what God is doing in India! On June 4, Pentecost Sunday, the Christian churches of India will be celebrating the World Day of Prayer with prayer concerts in one hundred and forty seven cities of India. In Bangalore, the pastors are renting a parade ground and are expecting 100,000 Christians to attend. On the other hand, on Easter Sunday morning, four Christian churches were ransacked by Hindu extremists. The former police commissioner who is now a member of parliament, and a Christian, was calling for a police investigation. Please continue to pray for revival in India.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for my first mission trip to the Orient. My ministry in India was well received and appreciated. The ministers of different Pentecostal churches where Kenneth Pinto arranged meetings welcomed me warmly and God anointed his Word. Praise God, for good health and no trouble with the food or the twenty-six hour flight each way on the plane.

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2005 Africa Safari Report

Donna Lewis, Gloria and I left from Toronto, Canada, on Tuesday evening, August 16. Donna is from Springfield, Ontario. She traveled with me last year.

Donna Lewis was met by Joseph Mugo who took her to Meru where she ministered for a week and a half in his church and an orphanage. On Monday, August 29, Gloria and I took Donna to Matumaini Children's Centre where she ministered in the church and helped to care for the children in the hostel for another week and a half. Donna brought a large suitcase of clothes for the children.

Gloria and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary by spending Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, at the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The first night we stayed in a tent hotel nestled in a clump of trees, and saw hundreds of animals. The second night we rested in a hotel on a ridge overlooking an expanse of wild animals. This was courtesy of the travel business operated by my son, Jeffrey, and son-in-law, Andrew.

Gloria and I arrived at Matumaini Children's Centre in Molo on Saturday evening, August 20, where we ministered until the 24th. I joined Bryan Jones and David Lee, who come from England three times a year to hold the Bible school. Thirty five pastors and church leaders attended. I taught on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Gloria spoke to the church women and the handicapped children. She also spoke at a women's seminar in Nakuru. I brought a large box of medicines, and Gloria brought one of used clothes, mostly for toddlers. We enjoyed good fellowship with Ruth Scott Kellie.

As Gloria and I talked about speaking to the youth, the Lord led me to speak on, Making Wise Choices. Almost fifty youth at Matumaini stood for a vow of celibacy until marriage. In almost every meeting, at least half of the audience knew of someone who has died from A.I.D.S. This message of celibacy until marriage became a theme of ministry to the youth in almost every place I went this year.

Two hundred people gathered for the annual convention of the Omega Pentecostal Churches from Friday, August 26 through Sunday, the 28th, in Meru town. We had wonderful services with several youth choirs. Many of the Christians ate and slept in the church. Donna, Gloria, and I had wonderful fellowship with Joseph and Josephine Mugo and their family.

There were good meetings at Pastor Kamau's Omega Pentecostal Church in Kasarani suburb of Nairobi from Tuesday through Thursday, August 30 to September 1.

The church was full at the Pentecostal Free Church convention led by Pastor Samwel Ratanga, from Friday, September 2 through the 4th. People made themselves tents in the church yard. Gloria and I stayed with Pastor Ratanga's family.

Gloria and Donna left for home on Monday, September 5. I flew on to Kigali, Cyangugu, and Bukavu on Tuesday, the 6th.

At Sayoni Pentecostal Church on Thursday, and Friday, September 8 and 9, there was a good anointing as about 300 church leaders came for the seminar on, The Ministry of the Holy Spirit.

On Thursday evening, September 8th, I ministered in the Agape Bible Institute church, pastured by Malanda Ubonga.

In Friday evening, September 9th, I preached at Pastor Muhasanya's Assemblies of God church in the Panzi suburb of Bukavu.

On Saturday afternoon, Pastor Abwe invited me for fellowship and to minister at his Shekinah Church, where I ministered for the first time.

Sunday morning, September 11, I ministered in the first service at 8:00 am at Sayoni Pentecostal Church. Taking about fifteen minutes longer, I spoke to the youth about, Making Wise Choices. About one hundred youth of the five hundred people in that service came forward to consecrate their lives to Christ to remain pure until marriage. This prompted the senior pastor, Samwel Kabanga to call for a youth rally of all of their churches in Bukavu on Sunday afternoon, October 2.

Then, Ghamma, my business man friend took me 50 kms/30 mi out into the country to Kamisimbi where several brethren from Sayoni are starting a new church and primary school.

Once again, the Lord provided for me to fly from Bukavu to Kalemie and back on United Nations flights, arriving on Friday, September 16, and returning on Friday, September 23. This meant the schedule that I had made had to be rearranged.

Sunday morning, October 18, two hundred attended the Assemblies of God in Kituku, Kalemie. I preached, and then spoke to the youth and thirty dedicated themselves to purity.

Sunday afternoon, I preached at a specially called service for me at the International Bible College church led by Ralph and Shirley Hagemeier.

Monday morning, I went to see the improvements made to the Cranford Memorial Clinic. The former mission house has been converted into a clinic, with registration, consultation, laboratory, dispensary, maternity, and two sick ward rooms. Many thanks to Geri Cranford who continues to support this dispensary she helped to build twenty five years ago.

Monday and Tuesday mornings, October 19 and 20, I taught at the chapel of the Bible college. I taught on How the Holy Spirit Is Involved with Our Salvation. In Kiswahili, the word adoption is correctly translated, the Spirit that makes us to become his sons. There were many questions and good discussion.

Monday evening, I preached at the charismatic Grace of God Church where one of my former students has been chosen as the head of their church fellowship. Forty young people came forward to promise they would keep their lives pure until marriage.

Tuesday morning, I went over to the primary and secondary schools supervised by Stephanie Hagemeier. Altogether, there are 1,000 students! I was very impressed by the lively engaged discussion that the teachers carried on with their students. The students have to write everything from the board, including their homework. Stephenie also has a clinic where she treats children for free. She also helps the orphans of war in the African way, by placing them with their relatives and helping to support them.

Tuesday afternoon, October 20, I drove to the Four Points suburb, where the Salem church was full. They remembered the message I preached there two years ago! Out of 200 present, almost fifty youth came forward to dedicate their lives to the Lord in purity until marriage. The pastor was so amazed because he had just been asking the elders what they could do to help their youth fight A.I.D.S.! He went on to encourage the married couples to be faithful to each other.

Wednesday afternoon, October 21, I preached at the Garanganze Brethren In Christ church on Konkomba where we used to live. Although they are not Pentecostal, I still taught on the Holy Spirit. Fifteen youth made a declaration of celibacy, about all of the youth present.

Thursday afternoon, October 22, I preached at the Good Shepherd Church pastured by Masangu Lwenyeke. The church was full to welcome home their pastor after being gone for three months. Once again many youth came forward to dedicate their lives to moral purity.

During the week of October 26 through November 2, Ghamma Mulindwa and I went to Kigali, Rwanda, where he applied for and received a visa to visit the U.S.A. After checking in Bukavu and then in Kigali, I found that I could not change the funds from travelers's cheques to cash, that I had brought to rebuild the Fizi Bible school. So I called my daughter, Ruth. She managed to find $5,000 in U.S. cash and bring it to the airport half of an hour before Tom and Joanne Lanes left for Kigali! They arrived on Sunday, October 2. We flew on to Cyangugu and crossed into Bukavu, Congo.

We arrived at Sayoni Pentecostal Church just as the third service was finishing. I participated in administering the communion service. Then the church filled with 1,264 counted youth from all of the Pentecostal Churches in Central Africa in Bukavu. After preaching, nine hundred your people stood
up to take the vow of celibacy until marriage! Weeks later, as I left for home, Pastor Kabanga said that more youth were continuing to dedicate their lives to purity until marriage.

I ministered several times in a home fellowship led by Ghamma Mulindwa and several other business men in Bukavu, Congo.

The next week was spent showing Tom and Joanne Lanes around Bukavu. We visited the Christian university, and the Christian teaching hospital built by the Swedish government, a meeting of the Special Mothers, mothers who have been raped during the war, and the elementary and secondary schools at Sayoni Pentecostal church. The Lanes also testified at a couple of churches where I ministered.

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