a quick report
Taking Up the Cross in Kashmir
Greetings, beloved brethren, in the name of Immanuel, God with us.
I am very sorry that it has been so many moons since I have posted to FPGM's Travel Blog, or since you all have heard from me with regard to the recent and ongoing work in South Asia. Back on November 14th, my family and I safely returned from Delhi, and I immediately went to preach a four-day revival at my original sending church in Creedmoor, North Carolina. It was a good time, but needless to say, we finally arrived home exhausted; and it has taken some time to get back on some semblance of a schedule.
Brother Ricky remained behind in Kathmandu and is finishing up with a team from South Dakota as I type; these will be flying home tomorrow. The time was fruitful as they went back to the village church we had previously visited for follow-up, more training, and a first jaunt into the unreached Arghakhanchi District for outreach. In a couple of weeks, another local church team will be arriving from South Africa to assist him in the Israeli outreach. So, by year’s end, four local church teams will have come and gone to South Asia for front-lines missions work (i.e. not digging wells) alongside FPGM; and I trust some lives were greatly impacted unto greater boldness for the Gospel back here in the United States. Volunteer teams are always a huge help to the work.
During the more than two months my family labored in South Asia with Brother Ricky, much transpired for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. There is so much I could write, and I intend to soon post a newsletter on FPGM’s online travel blog. God’s protection was abundant in many sketchy situations, miles and miles of overland travel in mountainous areas passed by with hardly a hitch, droves of Gospel materials were distributed in previously untouched areas, quality time was spent in partnership with Brother James in Bangladesh and Brother Bishnu in Nepal, local believers were taught in biblical doctrine and theology, a young man was baptized in the Indus River, arduous and precipitous pathways were trod as high as 18,000 ft., and as is our custom, we took the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the ends of roads, some right up to the Tibet and Pakistan borders in hotly disputed areas.
Thank you for your prayers and support: you were a part of all this, and such testimony is your spiritual fruit. Please continue to pray for Brother Ricky and his work. Today, he will be taking the South Dakota team out on the streets of Kathmandu to do some outreach in a Tibetan Refugee Camp and to walk around Thamel looking for the last of this season’s Israeli tourists. Please also pray for FPGM in general: our work, our boldness, and our financial provision.
Thanks to those of you who gave to help with the printing of Bibles in Bangladesh. I rejoice to announce that I will be wiring enough funds today to the House Church of Bangladesh for the printing of 1,500 Bangla Bibles for the planned Christmas outreach in Muslim Dhaka. Like last year, an anonymous ad for a free Bangla Bible will be placed in one of the popular city newspapers. This ad will include an anonymous email address and a cell phone number. For anyone interested in receiving this free Bible, they can email or call the number to set up a inconspicuous meeting place for delivery by one of the local church brethren. Last year, there were a thousand responses to this ad. We are praying for 1,500 this year. It is a privilege for Full Proof Gospel Ministries to help in the work. The money for printing is the easy part. The real work likes with our brethren on the ground in Dhaka. Please remember them in your prayers.
After the first of the year, and in true Luther Rice fashion, I plan to initiate an active search for 4-6 volunteers (preferably 4 males and 2 females) who are willing to spend next summer in Ladakh with Brother Ricky learning about and doing Jewish evangelism to the Israeli backpackers who flock to the area. Ladakh is an exotic area, high-altitude, beautiful, and unreached. It will be a life-changing experience. If you know any young people who might be interested, have them contact me as soon as possible. We only have space for six volunteers.
In April, Lord willing, we are looking to host our first annual SAARC conference in Kathmandu for bold, evangelism-minded believers from South Asian countries. The objective is to create an environment for solid brethren with whom we have labored in Nepal, India, Ladakh, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, etc. to come together and fellowship with and pray for one another, learning from each other and doing outreach together in Kathmandu. We believe the Lord is going to bring this together. FPGM will probably have to cover the travel expenses for some of these brethren, which is fine. And, we are working on venues in Kathmandu to house them free of cost. So, pray that God makes all the necessary provision and that the brethren will come. I am hoping for a group of 10-15 representing four different countries. And, we pray this can become an annual thing in these dark and dismal times where fellowship amongst brethren of like faith and like mind is necessary sustenance.
So, that is where things stand for the present. Soon, I hope to have a recap blog post at fpgm.org. For a small taste, however, I have put together a little video about carrying an “Are You Ready?” cross high up in Kashmir. Back in September, we completed a journey that began back in 2006. Well . . . I’ll just let the video tell the story. Here is the link:
The Lord bless and keep you and your families this holiday season. To those of you who financially support this ministry faithfully and regularly, thank you. I trust you are finding good spiritual return on your investments of faith.
Jesus is the Lord!
Jesse Boyd, President