Greetings from the land of high mountain passes in the name of the Maker of the mountains:  “For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name” (Amos 4:13).

Presently, it is very early in the morning, and I sit in my bed (a mattress on the floor) in our domicile here in Leh.  Bethany is watching a DVD while Jamie boils some water for bathing.  I gaze out our huge bay windows and again take notice that we are surrounded by aspen-like pencil trees, rocky crags, and mud-brick houses.  To the immediate south lies the immense Indus Valley with Ladakhi villages scattered about.  Beyond that, the mighty Stok Range boasts 19-20,000 ft. peaks crowned with snow and ice.  Smaller “hills” (12-19,000 ft.) ring the city, and some of these feature chortens, religious shrines, and/or Buddhist prayer flags.  Though vastly beautiful, there is an air of spiritual darkness that infests this place.  Many are perishing without hope as they cling blindly to the tenets of Tibetan Buddhism and/or Islam and their respective webs of bondage.  Like all the world’s false religions, Tibetan Buddhist, in particular, is a pathway of works which can, at best, only offer a hope-so salvation (as opposed to the know-so salvation of Jesus Christ by grace through faith).  There are those here who have never even heard the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Notwithstanding, we labor to pierce the darkness with the light of the glorious Gospel:  “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (I Timothy 4:10).

As for our subsistence in this place, we are forced to deal with the absence of some common amenities typically taken for granted in America.  If we want a hot shower, we have to boil water.  Soon, however, when the first freeze comes, the water will be cut off all over town.  We will fill a huge basin with water, and this will be for bathing, cooking, and drinking during the cold winter months.  There is no refrigerator in this place; the electricity is hit-and-miss; and the availability of common staples is definitely limited.  Many of the restaurants and shops in town will soon close for the winter, and the seasonal entrepreneurs will head south to warmer climates.  Nevertheless, we are happy, and the Lord has met every need.  These are but small prices to pay when one considers the eternal consequences involved.  For now, the weather is perfect (t-shirt weather during the day and cool at night).  Please pray that this lasts for a good while, maximizing our opportunities to proclaim.  There was an abnormal amount of rain this summer, so we pray this portends and extended autumn.  Join us in these prayers.  My friend and co-laborer here in Leh (for security reasons, I will refer to him as “Nomad”) recalls winter mornings where is was 15° inside the house, and only a small gas heater provided any opposition to the cold.  I thank God for our 0° down sleeping bags, big thick blankets, and warm clothes.  We will soon need them.  This is why it was so necessary for us to get that luggage.  All in all, we are greatly blessed.  Nomad’s home provides perfect accommodation, and he is very kind to let us live here.  The slimness of amenities has actually been responsible for sweet times of Christian fellowship (there is no distraction by television), memories that will last forever.

Please pray for us.  One of the first areas in which Satan attempted to attack us was through electronics.  I have had computer problems and difficulty getting online.  The Evil One knows that this is our only connection with the outside world, and he does not want us to communicate with you all.  He knows that the specific prayers of God’s people are a powerful weapon against the spiritual darkness in this land.  Pray that the Lord will bind him and that this pipeline of communication will remain open.  If you do not hear from us for extended periods of time, just keep praying.

As for Leh, it is a decent-sized town with busy bizarres, Tibetan markets, and religious shrines.  According to the Nomad, there are only about 15-16 true believers here.  We have connected with a few of these, and even now, we discuss a strategy for boldness.  Again, forgive me for being vague.  I cannot mention names or details.  The local Buddhist Association (a political entity) holds a lot of power around here—a “Big Brother” of sorts that rules the people with fear.  Local believers risk complete ostracism, the loss of their homes, and perhaps even physical harm.  These are real threats.  The Buddhist Association probably even knows we are here and they definitely are aware of the Nomad’s presence.  May these circumstances not cause us to flee from opportunity or shy away from boldness.  Our prayer is that of the early believers in Acts 4:29-31.  Join with us in this prayer.  May all transpire for the furtherance of the Gospel.

It has taken several days to get acclimatized to the altitude.  Leh sits at about 11,350 ft. above sea level.  The first day, when I tried to lug our luggage up the stairs, I thought I would be overcome by vertigo and a pounding chest.  Needless to say, things have gotten better.  Just going to the market is a good workout.  It involves a 20-minute walk straight up a hill.  We live at the “bottom” of town.  The air is very dry, the skies are typically blue, and I am reminded greatly of the Eastern Sierra in California.  I guess Leh’s American counterpart would be Bishop, California.  Since we used to live in nearby Mammoth Lakes (frequenting Bishop often), we sense an air of home.  All praise to the Lord.

The past few days have been extremely eventful and physically exhausting.  The Word has gone forth in the form of tract/Bible distribution and fruitful conversation about the things of the Lord.  Pray that none of this will return void.  We took the Gospel to the Ladakh Festival which ended on September 15.  We left tracts on Buddhist prayer wheels and were able to distribute them in a seated crowd of Ladakhi women.  BB even gave tracts to some Indian Army Personnel.  Speaking of Bethany, she is a real evangelistic tool in this place.  The locals fawn over her like mad, and when she hands them a tract, very few refuse.  Her very presence and bright blonde hair break the ice with strangers and allow us to boldly proclaim the truth.

I also think of the fruitful conversations that we have had with several Muslim shop owners from Kashmir.  Because the Koran admonishes Muslims to heed the words of  the prophet Isa (Jesus Christ), we appeal to this fact and urge such to investigate the words of Jesus in the Ingil (i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).  We proclaim Jesus, the Son of God and the Saviour of the World as written in the Ingil.  Several have gladly accepted Gospels of John, promising to read them.  All praise to the Lord!  Pray for us as we follow up on these encounters.  There have also been a few conversations with Westerners.  I think of a young girl from Wisconsin.  As it turned out, she and Jamie had a mutual friend from California.  It is a small world.  Jamie was bold to share Jesus with her.  There was also a young man from Australia and a couple from France.  The French were very rude and said that they would read the tract for a good laugh.  The girl then said that France was a country with no religion.  I told her that I was not bringing religion but a relationship with the one true God.  She mocked.  I was then reminded of our missionary friends who labor in France.  Undoubtedly, their task is a difficult one.

Yesterday, the Nomad and I went down into the Indus Valley on the motorbike.  We drove for several miles out to an isolated Buddhist monastery.  We ventured inside, praying for opportunities to share with the monks.  ‘Twas a dark place.  The Lord was faithful:  We were able to share with several teenage boys (monks in training, I guess).  After showing them some karate moves, they listened intently as the Nomad proclaimed truth.  These took some Ladakhi tracts, the Gospel of John in Ladakhi on audio tape, and a Hindi Bible.  I was amazed when we initially asked them about Jesus.  They were very confused and had no knowledge whatsoever of this name.  The Gospel was proclaimed where it had never been heard.  Soon, an elderly monk approached (undoubtedly sent to see what the Westerners were up to).  As we drove away, we prayed in earnest that Satan would not steal the seeds that were planted and that the elderly monk would not confiscate the Bible and tracts.

Enroute back to Leh, we sped through several villages and handed out some Ladakhi tracts along the road.  One particular village, spread out over several miles along a single byway boasted many mud-brick homes.  Next week, we plan to walk this byway and knock on the door of every single home.  May the Word be heard and received in every domicile.  Pray for us as several local believers will be joining us in this endeavor.  As important as it is to get the Word out, emboldening existing believers unto the work of evangelism is a big part of such efforts.  For these, much more is at stake than for the typical American Christian who is afraid to share his faith.

Soon, we will also be going out to visit a tribe of nomads who are currently settling in a 16,000 ft. valley.  We will all travel out there and spend a couple of nights in the camp.  May the Lord allow us to boldly proclaim, and may Bibles and tracts go out in force.  Stay tuned for more details.

Pray for Jamie as she seeks a role with local women believers, and pray that the Lord keeps our health strong.  I am a little nervous about how Bethany will do at 16,000 ft.  We must take her to the nomads, however, for she will be a wonderful tool for evangelism.  The nomads will go crazy over her.

Pray also for the Nomad.  His efforts have taken root here, and there is always real danger that he could be evicted from the area.  It is so good to be here with my long-time friend.  The Nomad was the first person to go with me to the streets in the San Francisco Bay Area when I initially sensed a calling from the Holy Spirit to be bold in the faith.  Because I was too timid to preach open-air, the Nomad took the reins first.  His boldness then gave me boldness.  We shared many wonderful experiences together on the streets of SFO.  It has been a real joy to reminisce these past several days.  Now, we labor together for the same cause on the other side of the world.  The ways of the Lord are truly past finding out.  May FPGM’s efforts in this place ultimately benefit what he has been seeking to accomplish these past several years.

Well, I better go.  We are going to fellowship with some local believers.  Oh, by the way, there are also two young ladies from Singapore who will be staying in this house for a few days.  They are here to partner in the ministry as well.  Pray for these.

Before closing, let me reiterate, as I have before, my belief that Gospel tract/Bible distribution is the simplest and most effective way to be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ:  SIMPLE, because anyone can hand another person a Gospel tract or leave it in a place where it is sure to be found;  EFFECTIVE, because God said that his Word would never return void (Isaiah 55:11).  A tract is a great conversation-starter, and it leaves someone with a tangible reminder of a conversation about the things of the Lord.  Pray for us as we attempt to saturate these valleys with the Word of God.  As for you, my friends, time is short.  Get some Gospel tracts and Bibles, and sow seeds in your own communities.  The Great Commission is not a good suggestion; it is a grave command. 

Peace be with you all in the Lord Jesus Christ,

Jesse, Jamie, and Bethany Boyd

Hebrew 4:16