occupy till I come
Preaching Christ Jesus the Lord at Buddha's Birthplace in Nepal
Greetings, beloved brethren, in the name of "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23). I trust each of you experienced a blessed Christmas season and were able to set aside quality time, not only to enjoy the sweet winter fellowship of family and friends, but to fear the Lord, think upon His name, and speak often one to another concerning Him . . . just as the faithful post-excilic remnant of Israel did during the days of the Prophet Malachi, 400 years before the birth of Christ (Malachi 3:16). They looked forward; we look back; and salvation is still of the Lord (Jonah 2:9).
The world can tolerate Baby Jesus in a manger but not the King of Kings.
Undoubtedly, many of you heard or sang an old familiar carol by Isaac Watts at some point during this Christmastime: Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King . . . Do you realize that this song was not actually written about Jesus' birth but about His second coming? Just read the words of the verses. The world can get pretty sentimental about a little baby Jesus in a manger, but it despises any thought of His return, His reign, and His judgment. And, concerning these things, the churches can be so apathetic. Yet, praise be unto God: The Lord Jesus Christ WILL reign over this earth, both physically and bodily, a stone cut without hands that becomes a mighty mountain, grinding even the greatest of manmade kingdoms to wind-driven chaff (Daniel 2:34-35). He is not in a manger; He is no longer on a cross; He is coming again, bringing a Kingdom in which the saints will rule and reign with Him, Israel will be restored, and the earth will be full of the knowledge and glory of the Lord. No more let sin and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found. Hallelujah! Are you too busy looking back, thinking upon livelier times and the good 'ole days, or are you looking FORWARD like the remnant in Malachi's day? As Simeon "who was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 3:25), do you earnestly await for the consolation of all things, walking circumspectly and redeeming the time (Ephesians 5:15-16), or are you too busy with the cares and vanities of the hear-and-now, apathetic about our Lord's coming? With regard to the return of our Savior, the believer is exhorted by the Word of God to wait, to look, and to love. To WAIT for His Son from heaven (I Thessalonians 1:10) is to LOOK for that blessed hope (Titus 1:13) and to LOVE His appearing (II Timothy 4:8). But, waiting, looking, and loving, my dear brethren, aren't mere sentiments to which we give lip service, no, no, no, no, NO! They are active attitudes that inevitably translate into obedience. And the command is quite simple, that given by the nobleman in the parable of the ten pounds: "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). Let us occupy faithfully until He comes. Maranatha!
Faithful partners in ministry are a blessing not to be taken for granted.
As you might already know, my family and I returned from South Asia just before Thanksgiving after more than two months of fruitful ministry over many miles and in many remote corners. Upon landing in Washington, DC we immediately skirted down to Creedmoor, NC where I preached a four-day revival at my original sending church. It was a blessing; and I hope to soon have those messages up and available on FPGM's podcast. Needless to say, we were exhausted both physically and spiritually when we finally returned to our quaint home in rural Catawba County. My ministry Trustees ordered me to rest; and I have tried to find real repose these past weeks. Thus, I am slow in finally posting formal testimony concerning all that the Lord did in South Asia, from the beginning of September up through the middle of November, and what He continues to do in Nepal, where Brother Ricky is presently living and laboring in full-time service. Sadly, FPGM's full-time missions team, which the Lord seemed to be growing as far back as February, suddenly and without warning shrank back to its former state; and Satan tried to use this to foster distraction and discord after we left Ladakh and endeavored to labor in Nepal and Bangladesh and even after we returned home. Countless times in my travels, I have found comfort, encouragement, and a model in the missions ministry of the Apostle Paul. So, too, have I in this. Demas's (II Timothy 4:10) and John Mark's (Acts 13:13) are a fact of ministry as old as the New Testament. Some well-meaning folks just can't handle the mission field or the trials, temptations, and struggles associated with it. You pray for discernment, you stay the course, and you hope for future restoration after the manner of II Timothy 4:11. Until then, qué será, será. Our orders from above still remain: Occupy till I come. And part of this is to be grateful for what you have, not regretting what you don't. Brother Ricky is a true asset to this ministry and a blessing from God. Brother Bishnu, our national partner in Nepal, and Brother James, our national partner in Bangladesh, are true assets to this ministry and blessings from the Lord. What a team! This Fall, it was a blast laboring alongside each of these across South Asia; and I look forward to doing such again this Spring.
From the time my family and I, along with Brother Ricky, arrived in Delhi on September 5th until the time we transited back through Delhi on November 14th, we logged many miles of overland circuitry across three countries and up to a stone's throw from the remote mountain borders of two more. From the high deserts of Ladakh to the forested hills of Far Western Nepal; from the jungle canopies of southwest Bangladesh to the urban sprawls of Delhi, Kathmandu, and Dhaka; from the azure glory of Pangong Lake straddling the border with Tibet to the ancient hamlet of Turtuk in the shadow of K2 on the Pakistan frontier; from walking path, to dirt road, to traffic-jammed highway . . . the Word of God went forth in answer to abundant prayers of the saints. Thank you. On the map below, the red dots indicate places of our ministry concentration while the blue lines show the routes of our overland travel. It makes me tired just looking at it :)
South Asia 2014
Making Ladakhi Friends
I can't possible recap all that the Lord did along these pathways, but I can promulgate a few highlights. As for the month we spent in Ladakh, Brother Ricky covered some ground in his blog post Fearful Buddhism dated October 9th. He and I departed from Leh-Town on October 3rd and traveled by car to Srinagar over the infamous Zoji La pass and then flew on to Delhi to rendezvous with Brother James for a few days. Jamie and the children remained behind in Ladakh for two more weeks before meeting up with us again in Kathmandu on October 19th. During this time, they were faithful to nourish relationships, scatter additional seeds, and finish strong despite some real trial and tribulation. I am so thankful for my family and their partnership in ministry. But, let's rewind for a moment. There were two true highlights of ministry that featured our whole team, my entire family and Brother Ricky. Man, it was fun.
delhi to leh in a minivan
After arriving in India, we spent a few days trying to hire a vehicle, battling Delhi-belly, and making preparation for a long road trip. Hiring a vehicle to travel overland is often much cheaper than flights when multiple travelers are involved; and the road always provides abundant opportunity to sow seeds of the Gospel and take in the scenery. Besides, we wanted to pass through Manali, a hub for Israeli travelers in Northern India, and better acclimatize for a month at 12,000 ft. in Leh. It was actually a step of faith to climb into that Toyota Innova the morning of September 9th in Delhi. Ricky and I had both been up all night with terrible vomiting and diarrhea. And to make matters worse, the guesthouse ran out of water sometime around 1:00am. Notwithstanding, we sought the Lord and chose to depart on schedule. By that afternoon, we were both feeling better and actually eating solid food. Frankly, it was just good to be out of Delhi's yellow haze, traffic chaos, and urban sprawl. Ricky would battle Acute Mountain Sickness for another week or so, but in the end he was strengthened of the Lord.
The two ladies in the upper-right of this photo were from Israel and clearlt heard the Gospel right after this picture was taken on the streets of Old Manali.
Passing through Chandigarh and up into the hills, we finally arrived in Manali late that first night. The whole next day was then spent sowing seeds with both Jew and Gentile, including a few Nepali-speakers. There were Israeli tourists everywhere; and having already witnessed to a few in Delhi's Paharganj District, including an orthodox young man, we were stoked for more opportunity. By the end of my time in South Asia, we had shared the Gospel with many Israelis in both India and Nepal. Every single one of them received a Gospel tract, Hebrew New Testament, or some form of Hebrew Gospel literature. We batted 1.000; none refused. I still rejoice thinking about the openness of these lost sheep of the House of Israel. Such openness, I believe, is a sign that the Lord's coming is nigh.
From Manali, it was two days of driving bad gravel roads with sheer cliffs and five high mountain passes, including one over 17,500 ft. We overnighted in Keylong and gave out a few Nepali Gospels of John in that forlorn settlement. In small outposts like Pang, we started running into Ladakhis and were able to distribute John 3 in the Ladakhi language, a one-page tract I had designed that included a web address for the entire Ladakhi Bible online. There are virtually no sources for printed Gospel literature in the Ladakhi language, so we had to be creative and stick with straight Scripture. You can't go wrong, my friends, with the Holy Ghost-inspired Words of the Living God in any language. Right now, I am working on some card-sized Ladakhi tracts that we hope to distribute en masse next summer up in these same areas.
Sharing Christ with 3 Polish Ladies High Above Leh Town
Finally, after a long, long haul, we dropped down off that Taglang La pass into the Indus River Valley and eventually rolled up into Leh Town. What greeted us were filthy and shabby lodgings, but we were just happy and grateful to be out of that minivan. I love a good road trip, but when it's over, it's always a good thing. Shortly thereafter, the Lord provided more comfortable lodging, and our team had a fruitful month of ministry high up in the rain shadow of the Himalaya. Buddhists, Muslims, Ladakhis, Nepalis, Israelis, etc . . . many heard the Gospel. One particular day, when Ricky and I went street fishing in Leh and climbed to the top of a Buddhist gompa above town, we were able to share Christ with 4 Israelis, a couple from Japan, 3 ladies from Poland, an American from Los Angeles, some Indian tourists, an old Ladakhi, and a few local schoolchildren, all in a matter of about 3 hours.
The video posted below is only about 7 minutes long and features a few highlights from the long road trip described above. I pray it is an encouragement to those who pray for and support this ministry.
walking the cross
Sharing Christ in Turtuk with a solar-powered digital recorder containing Balti language songs and Scripture
Completing a cross-walking journey that started 8 years ago in Ladakh's Nubra Valley is one of my fondest memories from this entire missionary journey. The little video posted below pretty much captures the entire story, and there is not really much more that I can say. The side-trip out to Turtuk in old Baltistan was an added blessing seeing as it involved a route only recently opened to foreigners. At the end of the road, we were only a few kilometers from Pakistan, and after climbing to an old gompa high above the 400-year-old hamlet, we caught a glimpse of K2 barely peeking its head over the lower Karakoram ridges. It was an awesome time in this little Muslim community: sowing seeds of the Gospel via Balti-language Scriptures and hymns recorded on a solar-powered digital device; distributing Gospel tracts, even Project Jagerna Johns to a few Nepali speakers (something we never expected); and finding a true person of peace after the manner of Luke 10. The Lord directed us to this man and his family because, as we later discovered, he had shown kindness and hospitality to lost sheep from the House of Israel. The promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 is true and effectual even today. And, what greater blessing from the Father of Lights is there than to have Him send someone to bring you the Gospel message. Please pray for Ibrahim; that the Urdu Bible he received will lead him unto life eternal and that the Hebrew materials we left with him will end up in the hands of Israelis.
I never thought Israeli tourists would flock to a remote Muslim outpost only a few miles from the line of demarcation between India and Pakistan. Interesting. From Turtuk, we turned around and headed back toward the Buddhist settlements up the Shyok River Valley, navigating a dangerous rock slide along the way. Outside of Hunder, the cross walking began:
This map likewise tells the story. Going in and out of the Nubra Valley from Leh, we had to drive over the world's highest motorable pass at 18,380 ft. The Khardung La is really, really high. I recall getting stuck up there years ago in a snowstorm with Jamie and Bethany, who was only two years old at the time. Two of the Christian ladies with our team were suffering from terrible mountain sickness and had to be put on oxygen at a military post on the summit. The roads were so dangerous that we had to walk out at night. It was quite an experience. None of that this time, though. The view when we returned to Leh with was amazing with stunning sunset hues, especially looking back onto Pakistan's Karakoram Range.
Walking the Cross in the Nubra Valley
While up in Ladakh, it was fun to also quietly visit Buddhist gompas (i.e. monasteries) and leave breadcrumbs throughout (i.e. Bread of Life crumbs). You have to be careful in these environments and a bit clandestine about your purpose. Sometimes, the monks will engage in conversation. Otherwise, you carefully stash materials where they will be found at a later time, perhaps by a young monk who stumbles upon a tract or Scripture portion and then is pressured by curiosity to read it and keep it safe. I am always amazed at the location and architecture of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, many of which literally cling to the side of cliffs above a settlement; it's the whole Eye of Sauron thing. Anywhere, here is a little gallery you might enjoy. It was a real hike to get up to most of these.
far west nepal
Brother Ricky and the 2 Nepali Pastors from the Terai Belt
After Ricky and I left Ladakh and spent a few days in Delhi, we hired a taxi to drive us all the way over to the Western Nepal border where we rendezvoused with Brother Bishnu and an outreach team including three other Nepali brothers, two of them pastors from the Terai Belt who had never traveled outside that 30-mile wide plain area into Nepal's hills. After the long and harrowing drive up from Dhangadi in the jeep that FPGM purchased for Brother Bishnu back in May of 2013 (It was great to finally be able to ride in this thing), we hiked hillsides in the Baitadi and Bhajang Districts for several days, saturating hitherto unreached villages with Project Jagerna Gospels of John and other Gospel materials. We had been in this area back in 2011, and Bishnu had taken another team out there since. On each of these trips, the teams took different routes. This time, in effect, we connected those two routes and completed one big circle. The trek involved lots of walking, much of it at night, some steep descent, and some steep ascent. In fact, the last day, we left the riverside hamlet of Haat and had to climb out to the road. All along the way, you can see the route ahead of you, and this view can be quite discouraging. There are three sections of more than a thousand feet of steep uphill with undulating breaks in between. It was a true slogfest, but worth every step to declare Christ where He had not been named. It was also a huge blessing to supply the small group of believers in Haat, many of them baptized as a result of Bishnu's labor, with Gospel materials for outreach and Bibles.
Preparing to Drive Out
The day after we returned to the road, we battled terrible weather and torrential downpour as we drove dangerous roads in the ministry jeep out of the mountains. That night in Dhangadi, I had never before heard such battering rain like that before in Nepal. Little did we know, that same storm was pounding the Annapurna Circuit, and at least 29 trekkers lost their lives trying to cross the Thorong La pass as we drove out of Baitadi. More than sixty people also had to be rescued at high altitude. It was terrible. I crossed the Thorong La (17,769 ft.) once in a dangerous snowstorm back in 2006 (see photo below). When I heard this news, I could only pause and ponder how merciful the Lord had been, not only in the timing of our getting out of the mountains, but throughout many years of ministry in difficult places. We could never have walked to the places we had walked in the rain; the trails were steep and dangerous enough while dry. It's amazing, the weather was perfect until our work was done; then the heavens opened up. I simply marvel at the Divine Hand of Providence, and, like Job, I "lay mine hand upon my mouth" (Job 40:4).
Crossing the Thorong La in a Snowstorm (2006)
The video below highlights some of our outreach in Far Western Nepal. I pray it is a blessing to you. The 3-fold platform of Full Proof Gospel Ministries' work has always been public proclamation of the Gospel, free mass distribution of the Holy Scriptures, and the discipleship of believers. What is really fun is when all of that comes together in one labor. While in Western Nepal, we had the great privilege of proclaiming the Word of God in remote villages WHILE distributing Project Jagerna Scripture portions and Gospel tracts en masse WHILE discipling and teaching the Nepali brethren who came with us in basic doctrines of the faith as we walked long pathways. God is good.
training believers
Training Pastors and Church Leaders in Bangladesh
If you can train and strengthen believers and local churches in sound doctrine, the work of the ministry, and the Great Commission, the potential for taking the Gospel to the lost in unreached areas increases exponentially. "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13) was not a suggestion of our Lord; it was a command that involves "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19). This is discipleship, a necessary component of any New Testament ministry. It is always a privilege and an honor to train believers, particularly those who are persecuted, on any foreign field. And, as is our custom, there were numerous opportunities unto this end in South Asia. For security purposes, I cannot go into a whole lot of detail, but from exhorting young men unto holiness in Ladakh to evangelism training in a Nepali village to teaching basic biblical doctrine to a group of pastors and Christian leaders in Bangladesh, know that it was all fruitful and just as much of a blessing to us, if not more so, than it was to the believers with whom we fellowshipped around the Word. Oftentimes, in these situations, I think that it should be them (i.e. brethren with amazing testimonies coming out of Islam, Tibetan Buddhism, or Hinduism and stories of real persecution) teaching me, teaching us . . . not us teaching them. Looking back over the years, I am humbled that the Lord has allowed FPGM to be a part of strengthening the local church in places like Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Russia, Moldova, Romania, all over Southern Africa, Northern Europe, South America, Bhutan, Mongolia, and Turkey. Who am I? Nobody. SOLI DEO GLORIA.
Baptism by Immersion in the Indus River
A special moment of discipleship occurred in Ladakh when we were able to biblically baptize a new believer in the Indus River at a secret spot where some Buddhist monks had been baptized into the faith years earlier. We had to crawl through more than a hundred meters of thick seabuckthorn, sometimes crawling on our hands and knees, just to get to the place. But, in the shadow of the mountains and with the late afternoon sun, it was a glorious spot. With my family, Brother Ricky, and another local believer bearing witness, we baptized our brother in the frigid waters, a good ole' Baptist dunking, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God" (II Peter 3:21). Special memories.
Supplying Materials to Local Believers
In terms of assisting and helping the local churches, perhaps one of the greatest joys comes from supplying them with Scripture portions and Gospel tracts FREE OF CHARGE for the work of evangelism. Many of these believers, if they have access to materials, will distribute them in places that we cannot go. And, the materials go out quickly and effectively. This time around, I recall Project Jagerna Gospels of John supplied to a Nepali-speaking church in Ladakh, the only source of any real growth and/or life as far as professing believers in that area. They were so excited to receive these. In Bangladesh, we were able to print 10,000 Gospel tracts, our Blunt Truth and Haven't You Heard?tracts translated into Bangla, thanks to Brother James. Many of these were supplied to village pastors for outreach purposes and are being used on the streets of Dhaka even now. Just the other day, FPGM received an email from a young Muslim who received one of these tracts and was interested to know more about Jesus. I immediately passed the information along to the proper contacts over there on the ground. Praise God! In Nepal, Gospel tracts, Project Jagerna Scripture portions, and Bibles were dropped in Far West Nepal and the Kapilbustu District for use by local believers, materials for which these had been anxiously awaiting. Those of you who pray for Full Proof Gospel Ministries and/or support the work through financial underpinning, well, this is your fruit. And, the praise is reserved for the Lord alone.
Teaching Nepali Believers in the Village
Suffice it to say, our time in South Asia was immensely valuable, not only in terms of public proclamation of the Gospel and mass FREE distribution of the Word of God, but also in training believers and local churches. These three legs motivate and hold up our platform of ministry; and wow, it is fun when they all came together as mentioned above with regard to Far West Nepal.
Sometime in May, we are hoping to bring persecuted brethren from several different countries in South Asia together in Kathmandu for a time of teaching, fellowship, and joint open-air outreach. We hope this will be the first of what becomes an annual SAARC gathering so that believers we work with in these different countries can begin to work with one another, encourage one another, help one another, and pray for one another. More details on this will be forthcoming. But for now, please join us in praying that the Lord brings it all together. Brethren from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Ladakh, and maybe even Bhutan all under one roof and all doing outreach together on the streets of Kathmandu . . . O how glorious the thought! We'll see.
mission teams
Not Digging Wells, Giving out the Gospel
One of my favorite things to do on the foreign mission field is to bring in local church mission teams to help with the work, not to dig wells, or "raise awareness," or take a bunch of photos in an orphanage, or to throw money at a problem, but to be sharing the Gospel or helping to distribute the Word of God on the front lines and to partake fellowship with and learn from local believers, particularly those who know real persecution. Such experiences can be life-shaking and life-changing for those accustomed to living their Christian faith in relative comfort and American isolation, seemingly sheltered from a lost and dying world. Such an experience was just that for me in the early years of my walk; and by God's grace and the Hand of Divine Providence, I am where I am today. What a joy to impart such opportunity to others and to have some real help.
While my family and I were in South Asia this time around, we were able to host two local church teams from North Carolina, one for a week in Bangladesh in partnership with Brother James and his church, and another for ten days in Nepal in partnership with Brother Bishnu and his work.
The Bangladesh Team with Brother James outside his Dhaka Church
The Nepal Team in the Village
Tasty, Spicy Mutton (Note the Sweaty Brows)
During a week's time in Bangladesh and with the team's help, we were able to distribute thousands of Gospel tracts and Scripture portions on the streets of Dhaka; we did some open-air preaching at Dhaka University; we conducted discipleship trainings both in Dhaka and in the village; we did a boat distribution on the crowded Buriganga River; and we ministered in a couple of slum schools, distributing Gospel materials and pointing others to faith in Jesus Christ. On top of all this, we ate good food (including lots of curried fish, river crabs cooked over a fire, and some spicy and tasty mutton in one of my favorite dives in all of the world, a little Muslim restaurant with white-tiled walls, a sink beside the table, and chaotic streets just outside the door in one of the most fundamental Islamic areas of the country . . . you never think you will get to go back to places like this, but you do), we slept under mosquito nets, we crossed the massive Ganges River on a rickety boat ferry, and we savored hours and hours of precious fellowship with believers who taught us much. I couldn't have asked for a better team. Much was accomplished. Remember, Brother James came to help us here in America in 2013; what a joy it was to return the favor in his neck of the woods in 2014.
People clamor for Gospel materials outside Buddha's birthplace.
When Ricky and I returned to Kathmandu after a whirlwind of activity in Bangladesh, we immediately welcomed another local church team in Kathmandu. There, we took them out for some preaching and distribution at Boudhnath Stupa, the most sacred site in Tibetan Buddhism outside of Tibet. We went fishing for Israeli tourists in Thamel and did a little open-air preaching on the streets. And, at Patan Durbar Square, an orthodox Hindu sacred site, more tracts and Scripture portions went out. We also spent a few days in the Kapilbustu District where Bishnu has been discipling and helping to build up a small church there. One of the pastors, Brother Prem, had joined us weeks earlier in Far West Nepal. It was great to work with him again. Lamjung John, another longtime friend who likewise had worked with us in Far West Nepal, was also there. Anyway, Bishnu and I did some teaching as we all packed into a single room in a mud hut with a thatched roof. Really, there were a lot of us stuffed in there. After the teaching, we packed a van full of people, including our team and a bunch of young people from the church, and we drove down near the Indian border where a large Hindu festival was underway. We rolled down a street packed with people, set up shop per se, and began to distribute Project Jagerna Scripture portions and Gospel tracts en masse. From the roof of the van I preached to the crowds a clear Gospel message in their language (see the photo at the top of this post); and many gathered to hear. In a little over an hour's time, 3,500 Gospels of John and more than 1,500 Gospel tracts went into the hands of people from all over the region who had come down from their villages to attend this festival. That's at least 5,000 pieces of Gospel literature in little more than an hour! How long would it take to distribute such a quantity on the streets in America? Days, months, years? In the midst of the preaching, I learned an interesting fact. We were literally parked right outside the gate of Buddha's birthplace, the real place and not the tourist trap at Lumbini promoted by the Nepal government. There were signs noting this in Nepali, Thai, Japanese, and other languages that boast a sizable Buddhist population. Christ Jesus, the Living Savior, was preached boldly at Buddha's birthplace; and many heard. Buddha is dead. Jesus Christ is the Lord. Hallelujah!
I must say, this was one of the highlights of our entire time in South Asia; and what an experience it was for the team from North Carolina. The short video below was taken at this event. Watch and be encouraged:
aftermaths
Shortly after the Nepal Team returned home, my family and I departed Kathmandu; we spent a couple of days back in Delhi; and then we returned to the States ourselves. It was hard to leave Brother Bishnu and his family behind. Even harder was leaving Brother Ricky to carry on the work of FPGM in our absence, to "Occupy till I come."
IMG_4717
When the Apostle Paul went on his missionary journeys, he always had a specific purpose and a destination. Notwithstanding, he preached and did the work of the ministry all along the route he followed. Pay attention to Acts 14:24-28 as Paul made his way back to Antioch from Pisidia: he "passed throughout Pisidia" and stopped to preach the Word in Perga. These weren't places he set out intending to target but stops along the way. This is an interesting model to follow. When all of us left for South Asia back in September, our flight itinerary gave us an extended layover in Frankfurt, Germany. What did we do? We went out and preached on the streets of Mainz and distributed German tracts all around town. The return trip also involved a long stopover, this time in Munich, Germany. It was early morning, a cold and blustery day, and there weren't many people out and about. Nevertheless, it was an opportunity. So, we gave out some Gospel tracts and did what we could do in a place where we had to stop. 'Twas a pleasant aftermath.
That's Brother Krishna and his truck helping to take the Nepal Team back to the airport.
As far as Nepal and Bangladesh, there have also been encouraging aftermaths. Since we parted ways, Ricky and Bishnu have hosted two more local church teams, one from South Dakota and another from South Africa. Not only was there follow-up work with the believers in Kapilbustu, but the Gospel was preached and Project Jagerna materials were taken into the Arghakhanchi District, a place we had never been in the rugged hills north of Kapilbustu. A jaunt was also made with Lamjung John up into the north parts of the Lamjung District where the Gospel went forth into hitherto unvisited Gurung tribal villages. These teams moreover helped with Israeli outreach in Kathmandu as the last of this season's tourists passed through. What most excites me, however, is that FPGM was finally able to honor a brother's request made long ago. We have hired Brother Krishna and his truck many times over the years to help us haul supplies, pick up materials from the printing press, and/or to do large distributions around Kathmandu. Many times, he has asked us to please come out to his village area in Sindhupalchowk District to encourage his small church and to preach the Gospel in those hills. It has just never worked out. Krishna helped us haul the Nepal Team and their luggage back to the Kathmandu Airport, and while doing so, he reminded me of this request. I spoke to Ricky and said, "Make it happen." He did. Thanks to the South Africa team for their help with this. Out in Sindhupalchowk, Bishnu and Ricky gave some training to the believers, encouraged them, supplied them with evangelism materials, and they went out together for outreach in them there hills. Now, those are some sweet aftermaths.
The Gospel is printed in a Dhaka newspaper.
Back in early December, we were able to supply Pastor James and his church with enough money to print 1,500 Bangla Bibles for a Christmas outreach. Thanks to those of you who helped with this. After many trials and hassles that seemed to prevent the money from arriving and some obstacles with the local newspaper, the funds finally got into the right hands, and an ad offering a FREE Bangla Bible to anyone who was interested, accompanied by a cell phone number and a email address, of course, was printed in a large influential Dhaka newspaper. What really amazes me about this ad is that it included a clear and succinct Gospel message entitled "Who Is Jesus?" The newspaper in a Muslim country actually printed this. I was told that this was the first time in the history of Bangladesh that a Gospel message was printed in a public newspaper. Wow! Shortly thereafter, I spoke with James, and he said that they had received more than 400 requests for a free Bible. Street distributions were also made around Christmas (i.e. Bibles nicely wrapped up as gifts), and I suspect that most of those 1,500 Bibles have been distributed. Sweet, sweet aftermaths.
I really could write, and write, and write, but wow, look how long this post has become. Does your scroll button still work? As 2014 to a close and I attempt to post this testimony before the clock strikes midnight, January 1st, 2015, I do rejoice. However, I am also forced to somberly ponder the state of our world today and the sad state of the churches in America. We all just celebrated Christmas; we are ringing in the new year; but are we faithfully occupying until He comes. Take a moment to listen watch the short video posted below. This song was written by Scott Wesley Brown and released in 1981. Later, Brown would go serve as a missionary to Africa. I am amazed how prophetic the words of the second verse have become:
The Lord has blessed us and this ministry immensely in 2014. Many of you have been a real part of that, and we don't deserve these blessings. Notwithstanding, NOW, more than ever, we must occupy until He comes. Will He come for His Church in 2015? OCCUPY TIL HE COMES.
Happy New Year!
The Boyd Family