The Friday Fax - Asia

India: "If you kill me, I will be with Jesus"

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:20:00 +0100

"If you kill me, I'll be with Jesus," Fakar told his torturers. In Spring of 2004, Fakar had been given a green booklet explaining the Gospel using statements in the Koran about Jesus (Isa). Convinced, he was baptised, along with his wife and three daughters, and could not stop speaking of his new faith. After a few months, the local Islamic leaders warned and threatened him. One day, a dozen men attacked and beat him. He died of his injuries. Our partners have started almost 50 house churches among Muslims in Kashmir, India, and the new believers helped others following the recent earthquake in the region. They provide people with a roof over their heads and warm clothing, and make sure they also feel the warmth of God's love.

India: dreams in Kashmir

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:17:00 +0100

Raju, a devout Muslim, had a dream in which two corpses were lying in the street. According to Islamic tradition, the dead must be buried immediately. Raju buried the first, but the second one spoke to him, saying "I am not dead. I have eternal life, and you can have it too. Go to your friend. He has a black book. Page x tells you how to find eternal life."
The following day, Raju visited his friend, who was a secret follower of Isa. His friend opened his "black book" (the Bible), and Raju found eternal life, just as he had seen in his dream. He has now started 30 house churches!

Caucasus: Marina's repentance

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:16:00 +0100

Marina was married to a Wahabi warrior who aimed to exterminate all Christians. Every day, Marina prayed that Allah would exterminate them. Marina's husband was killed in battle, and her life worsened. Her parents-in-law took her son away from her and chased her away. Then she heard the Gospel, and Isa appeared to her several times. She was baptised about one year ago, and attended the first church planting school in Sochi in May of 2005. Encouraged, she returned to Chechnya to get her son. During our visit a few weeks ago, she told us that he also likes to worship Isa Masiach, the saviour of the world. Marina's mother suffered from Tuberculosis, and would not listen to the Gospel, so Marina prayed and fasted for her. Isa appeared to her mother, saying "You are healed." She was completely healed, opened her heart to Jesus, and was baptised a few weeks ago.

Caucasus: God in Dagestan

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:13:00 +0100

Some years ago, H.P. Nüesch, leader of Campus für Christus (Campus Crusade for Christ) in Switzerland, gave an evangelistic sermon in northern Russia. Victor, an oil worker, was touched. He visited his sister Sina, who was married to an Muslim businessman in Dagestan; she was saved, and told her husband Arthur about the Gospel. Arthur was also saved, and planted the first national church in an Islamic people group in the Caucasus. That church grew to around 300 members, and has since planted churches in ten other places in Dagestan. Arthur told the Gospel to Juri, another businessman who was going to commit suicide. Juri's family was heavily involved in the Occult. When Juri opened his heart to Jesus, demons attacked and killed him, but after prayer in Isa's name, "he returned to life." He was sent out to North Ossetia-Alania, and has so far planted churches in two villages. I'm amazed by this 'genealogy': Hanspeter Nüesch - Victor - Sina - Arthur - Juri - churches in North Ossetia-Alania. That's almost a biblical list!

Bangladesh: "Hey brother, want a ride?"

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:09:00 +0100

On a hot day in 1983, Tom, a missionary on his way home in a rickshaw, saw a young man on the side of the road, and asked him if he wanted a ride. The young man, Abdul, had been through a tough time, including being locked in his room, solitary confinement, beatings, death threats and suicide attempts, because he had questioned the Koran. He went home with Tom, who gave him a Bible. When he returned home, Abdul read the entire New Testament in one night. John 3:17 astonished him, because it told him that God does not damn people but save them. That very night, he opened his heart to this God! One week later, he had read the entire Bible. His salvation was the start of the most dynamic present-day evangelistic movement in an Islamic nation, currently numbering hundreds of thousands of Muslims now following Isa, and around 10,000 who are baptised each month. That's a millennium event!
Source: Kingdom Ministries, Switzerland. KM is a team which aims to help start church-planting movements.

China: what God can do with farmers' daughters

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 12:00:00 +0100

"Sister Ling is a simple, plain-looking farmer's daughter, but Christ's beauty and grace shines in her eyes," in the words of a report from Revival Chinese Ministries International (RCMI). "In 1991, the house churches in the central Chinese province Henan suffered heavy persecution. Sister Ling's family was torn apart. She and her husband had to leave their 7-year-old daughter in the care of another Christian. In the midst of this terrible time, Sister Ling's church decided to send her and another believer to far north-eastern China as spiritual pioneers. At 2 a.m. the night before she left, she and her husband sneaked into the village where their daughter now lived. The little girl woke, and cried when she saw her parents. After the traumatic goodbye, Sister Ling set off on her 2,500 km (1,600 mile) journey. It looked like it was going to be a difficult job; two years previously, several young believers had been sent to the region, but they had not been strong in their faith. Their work had resulted in eight new groups. The two women's job was now to choose a few key people from each group and train them in Biblical truths. Four months later, the Christians were filled with God's love for the lost, so they went out to evangelise. Many came to faith, because the Holy Spirit was with them. Sister Ling's home church decided that the two women should stay longer, so they discipled ten Christians who subsequently each went to different places to pass that which they had learned on to others. More and more people came to faith in Jesus. Ling declared January 1994 to be "Gospel Month". The churches fasted and prayed, and covered the streets with tracts, going from house to house evangelising. Over 4,000 new churches were planted in the surrounding towns and villages. Countless signs and wonders happened, and the believers were filled with joy; their experiences reminded them of the book of Acts. Sister Ling and her team prayed for more leaders and workers for the growing flock; God answered by speaking to thirty people who then worked full time for the Gospel. They travelled in pairs, training new leaders and giving the rapidly-growing church a Biblical foundation. Sister Ling's leadership team has no pastors or elders, and nobody has any theological training. Everything they teach they have heard from God themselves. The team now consists of 120 full-time staff, working in three provinces in north-eastern China, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Shandong. 300,000 people have come to faith in Christ, and gather in 5,000 churches."
Source: RCMI, Dennis Balcombe

China: church grows from 70 to 5,000 members in 3 years

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 14:04:00 +0100

If a Western church grew from 70 to 5,000 members in only three years, the Christian media would be all over it. In China, though, churches are experiencing growth considered almost unprecedented in the West. Here's one report:

"Guangxi is a province in south-western China, on the Vietnamese border. The city of Guilin, with its unusual cliffs, has become a symbol of China's beauty," reports Dennis Balcombe, leader of Hong Kong's Revival Christian Church. Spiritually, though, Guangxi was until recently a desert. Idol worship was the normal religion, and the few Christians could not imagine revival. Now, though, the light of the Gospel is burning brightly, and the churches are growing rapidly. Only 3 years ago, a house church in one region had 70 members; today, it has 5,000! The movement is led by a middle-aged couple; he is a simple and uncomplicated man, she a strong character and conscientious. They were both expelled from the state church in 1998, so started a house church, where they met, sitting on the floor in simple surroundings. Signs and wonders started to happen: the lame walked, the deaf heard, and people were healed of cancer. Everyone in the area recognised the believers' love for one another.

Three days after funeral: raised from the dead
An elderly Christian woman in Sichuan Province became sick and died. Three days after her funeral, the Holy Spirit revealed to another Christian that the dead woman had just returned from Eternity. The woman hurried to the cemetery with her relatives and the church leader. They opened the coffin and saw the dead woman return to life. The woman continually told of how God had raised her from the dead from that time on until she again went to be with Jesus some years later. Through her testimony, many came to faith and remained staunch under persecution. That church grew the fastest of any in the region.

Source: Revival Chinese Ministries International

Mongolia: Christian television for the entire capital

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 13:56:00 +0100

"For almost a decade, Eagle TV was the only independent journalistic voice in Mongolia," according to Michael Ireland of the ASSIST News Service. The Christian programmes broadcast via cable have led to over 10,000 people expressing interest in the Christian message. At the end of October 2005, the Eagle Broadcasting Company started broadcasting on terrestrial Channel 8 in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia's capital. Far more people can now receive the programmes. The Christian station sees itself as the nation's only independent news source, and naturally as a medium for many Christian programmes. "It's an exciting moment for us all," says Tom Terry, Managing Director of the Eagle Broadcasting Company, "now that 1 million people in the capital have access to our programmes." "Eagle Television is the only local TV station in Asia which can openly broadcast the Gospel," according to the report.

Source: Assist News; Tom Terry, Eagle Broadcasting Company, tel. (+976) 99118722, e-mail tom[at]eagle-tv.mn; web www.thomasterry.com

Pakistan: 10,000 attend outreach in Karachi

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 13:53:00 +0100

Missions agency Reach The Unreached (RTU) repeated last year's outreach in Karachi with evangelist Bernd Goldbach. The following is an excerpt from their report:

Pakistan, a nation double the size of Germany, is, with 160 million inhabitants, the second-largest Islamic nation in the world. An evangelistic outreach was held in Karachi in September 2005. On the last evening, over 10,000 people attended the event. During the five evenings, around 8,000 people responded to the call to invite Jesus Christ into their life as saviour. God confirmed his Word through many signs and wonders: hundreds were healed or delivered from demonic bondage. After receiving prayer for healing, one Muslim told us that he had been healed of a heart problem which had been causing him unbearable pain, and publicly displayed his doctor's certificate confirming his condition.

Carried in, walked out
Two men reported that one of them had been lame. His friends had carried him to the evening meeting. During prayer for healing, God touched the man, who could immediately stand up and walk for the first time in many years. One man came up to the stage with his crutches on his shoulders, and told how he had been healed of his paralysis in a moment.

Source: Bernd Goldbach, RTU Mission, Norderstr. 34, D-26826 Weener, Germany.

China: how 12-year-old Li rescued 3,000 miners

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 14:23:00 +0100

China is one of the nations in which God most often gives his followers the privilege of experiencing suffering and persecution - but also absolutely breathtaking miracles and demonstrations of His presence. Although Western Christianity has spent a lot of energy to prove that you can have the one without the other, it is generally the combination of cross and resurrection, suffering and God's triumph which have the longest-lasting effect on a nation. Asia Harvest's Paul and Joy Hattaway report about another of these experiences:

As another wave of persecution swept through China in the 1950's, pastor Li was arrested in the southern province Guangdong. He was convicted of "counter-revolutionary activities" and sentenced to work in an iron ore mine in farthest north-eastern China. Li's wife and five children, including a new-born baby, had no other means of support; they decided to join pastor Li on his 2,000-mile journey to Heilongjiang, where they would perhaps be able to visit him occasionally, and would be close by should he be miraculously released. They sold everything they owned and bought tickets for the week-long rail journey. When they arrived, they used old boards and a tarpaulin to build a rickety hut on the road to the labour camp. Pastor Li worked as a slave for 14 hours every day, with miserable food, in temperatures well below freezing. He died after three months. When the family heard the news, they were desperate and deeply depressed. His wife saw no future, and wanted to die. She neglected the children terribly. Finally, she told the children that she would have to look for a job. The eldest daughter said "No, mother, you cannot go to work. The baby needs you. He cries for you the whole day long. I will go to work." The 12-year-old girl went to the Director of the labour camp, and told him "My father was sent to this God-forsaken place because of his love for Jesus Christ. That was his only crime. He was a good man, who loved people and helped them. Now he is dead, and we have no food, no money and no place to live. We can't even return to the south. I would like to know whether there is some work I could do in the camp." The Director remembered pastor Li, and recognised the girl as his daughter. He gave in to the tiny glimmer of compassion in his heart, and said "I have a job for you, but it is boring, and pays badly." She took the job immediately.

The Director took her to the place where 3,000 prisoners worked in the iron ore mine. He asked her "Do you see that red button? Your job is to stand next to the button all day, and if someone tells you to press it, you must do so immediately. That is the alarm button, which sets off a siren deep underground. When they hear the siren, the miners get out as fast as they can. You must never press the button by accident, but only when one of us tell you to." So little Sister Li stood next to the button day for day, week for week. She and her family were overjoyed when she was paid for the first time, although it was only a few dollars. One afternoon, she suddenly heard a voice saying "Press the button!" She turned around, trying to find out who had spoken, but there was nobody there. She heard the same voice again a few moments later, saying "Quickly! Press the button, now!" There was still nobody to be seen, and she started to think she was losing her mind. She should only press the button in an emergency, and everything looked normal. Seconds later, she heard the voice again, saying "Sister Li, press the button, now!" with great urgency. Only then did she realise that it was her Lord speaking to her. She did not understand why she should press the button, but she knew she had to obey. The siren sounded, and 3,000 men came up to the surface as fast as they could, confused and curious to find out what had happened. The Director came running out of his office, demanding to know why she had pressed the button. Only a few moments after the last prisoner had left the mine, the area was shaken by a large earthquake. The whole mine collapsed, and nobody has been able to return to it to this day. An eerie silence spread when the earthquake was over, everyone looking at the fragile figure who had pressed the red button. Finally, the Director managed to ask "Comrade Li, how... how did you know that you had to press the red button?" Li answered as loud as she could, saying "The Lord Jesus Christ told me to press the red button. He told me three times before I did it. Jesus Christ is the only way you can come to know the true and living God. He loves you, and has just demonstrated his love by saving your lives. You must turn from your sins and give your lives to him!" All 3,000 prisoners and the director knelt and prayed that Jesus would forgive them and come to live in their hearts.

Source: Asia Harvest Newsletter #80

Thailand: new churches in Khao Lak after the tsunami

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 15:26:00 +0200

The 30-mile coast between Thaimuang and Takuapa was devastated by the tsunami at the end of December 2004. Khao Lak, which everyone heard of in the weeks following the catastrophe, is in this region. Hundreds of volunteers assisted the locals and the Thai army with reconstruction. Many of these volunteers who invested their time and money were Christians, and their living witness caused many to think about Jesus; over 20 new churches have started in this area since the flood, mostly small house churches led by nationals who take good care of the people's needs. "Christians have never been so involved in any region in Thailand," commented one pastor. Of course, many people come to the churches because of their physical needs, but they are also brooding about the basic questions of life. There is hardly anyone who did not lose family, friends and neighbours to the tsunami. In one of the churches, a 27-year-old woman who lost her husband and both children how the book of Romans comforted her, enabling her to sleep again. In that church, 19 people have been baptised in the past month.

Source: DMG, Germany

India: thousands of churches started in the Himalayas

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 15:05:00 +0200

In the space of only a few years, thousands of house churches have been planted in seven districts of the Indian State Himachal Pradesh, a core Hindu area in northern India on the slopes of the Himalayas. Hundreds of Christians work as full-time missionaries in Randeep Mathews' church planting movement. Only a few years ago, news like this would have been unthinkable.

One death leads many to life
Saritha was the only one who followed Jesus in one remote village in Himachal Pradesh. She had to fight a lot of resistance and had many opponents, but remained true to her faith, believing and regularly praying that other villagers would find Jesus. She suddenly fell ill and was taken to hospital, but none of the drugs had any effect. Discharged from hospital, she returned home and testified with her last breath that she would go to heaven. Moved, her parents became Christians. Over the following weeks, many others in the village also decided to follow Jesus; the village is now home to around 80 believers. One disciple's death led many to life, and God answered Saritha's prayer, even in her death.

A medium follows Jesus
Pummy is a 30-year-old single Sikh who worked as a medium, prophesying to others in the names of idols. Then she started to hear about miracles happening in Christian meetings in the area. Interested, she wanted to find out whether the rumours were true. After witnessing what was happening, she decided to follow Jesus herself. Her story has led over thirty others to Christ. As a child, she was adopted by a rich non-Christian family. Because she has become a Christian, her family has excluded her from their will, but Pummy will not deny Christ for any price.

Source: Agape Voice

India: Jithu - from terrorist to missionary

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 09:57:00 +0200

Jithu took a knife, ready to stab himself. "Even death," he thought, "would be better than being arrested and thrown in jail." Suddenly, words his uncle had said years ago flashed through his mind: "If you're in trouble, Jesus is the only person who can help!" Jithu's uncle was the only Christian in a strict Hindu upper-caste family. At 7 years old, Jithu was encouraged to join a Hindutva group. (Hindutva is a right-wing fundamentalist Hindu philosophy, which teaches that India is for the Hindus, and should only be ruled by them.) For ten years, Jithu was an enthusiastic Hindutva disciple and, like his fellow disciples, he was not afraid to use violence. He once set off a bomb, injuring many people, and had to hide. In his fear, he remembered his uncle's words, and shouted "Jesus, if you are the true God, then help me!" Nothing happened, so he lifted the knife again, ready to stab himself. But he could not. Something held his hand back; he could not move. Then he let the knife fall.
The following morning, he woke up feeling happy, and knew that Jesus had helped him, and would continue to help. He met a Christian policeman, who advised him to confess everything to the police. Jithu did so, and appeared in court, but God kept him from being sent to jail. That day, he decided to follow Jesus. His family was horrified; he was allowed to continue living at home, but they refused to feed him. He started teaching children, and prayed for an opportunity to give his life to God completely. His uncle told him about Operation Mobilisation, which Jithu has since joined. He is now telling people all over the world about Jesus.
Source: Jithu and Debbie Meroff in OM Nachrichten (OM News)

India: openness for the gospel after miracles

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 12:35:00 +0200

Surgeon Dr. Victor Choudhrie of Madhya Pradesh, India, reports that at the moment, it is mainly miracles which cause people to open their hearts for Jesus and, when they have heard more about him, commit their lives to him. "God is working predominantly through women and uneducated people," says Choudhrie. In July 2005 alone, Choudhrie knows of 352 people who have been baptised, 77 new churches planted and 1,506 people who have been trained as church planters. The following is a selection of his recent reports:

Healed of epilepsy
Nirmala Bai had been fighting mental illness and epilepsy for three years. Her marriage had become traumatic, and none of the medical treatments had any effect. Finally, someone suggested that an evangelist pray for her. She was completely healed, and is now part of a growing church, along with her husband.

Jesus can do what snake-charmers cannot
The heavy rain in the monsoon period drives many snakes out of their territories and into the villages. That leads to many snake bites, and only lucky people can be treated in time. Mohit was in the forest with his herd when he was bitten by a snake. He managed to make it back to his village and tell people what had happened, then lost consciousness. Neither the snake-charmers nor the village healer could do anything to help him. One of his neighbours asked a follower of Christ to pray for Mohit; 25 minutes later, he regained consciousness. Many people became open for the gospel through this miracle.

The deadly Bible
In Chattisgargh State, a deadly snake wrapped itself around a 15-year-old's hand during a church planting seminar. He managed to brush it off, but it fell on someone else. That person also managed to shake it off, and it finally landed on an open Bible. It died on the spot. The witnesses who did not yet know Jesus were astonished, and many have started following Jesus.

Source: Dr. Victor Choudhrie

Laos: the gospel from the river

nospam@example.com (Friday Fax) — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 14:34:00 +0200

"It started under a banana tree," says a Christian from the southern Asian nation Laos. "I was hunting birds for my meal when a man from the neighbouring village sat down beside me and started talking. We spoke about our families, and I told him about my sick wife and mother, who were both tormented by evil spirits. I had already sacrificed twelve water buffalo, but without success. The visitor told me about Sipak, a man from his village, who had seen healings performed in the name of a God called Jesus. A few days later, my wife and my mother both died. In my desperation, I went to the other village to find this Sipak. He told me all about Jesus, how he had come to Earth to free us from the bondage of evil spirits. He also told me about God, the Creator, who loved me so much that he sent his son to die for me. I sensed a supernatural love and power in Sipak, and decided to follow this Jesus. I was immediately filled with peace and joy, and started telling others about my experience. Within a few days, four other families from my village accepted Jesus into their lives.

A book instead of fish
Soon, though, our faith was put to the test. I was arrested by the police, along with two of the other new Christians. They wanted to force us to sign a declaration recanting our faith. We refused, and were sent to a labour camp. We had to work hard during the day, and at night, our feet were locked into painful stocks, preventing us from sleeping. After several weeks, twelve Christians were called forward at the morning roll-call. To our astonishment, the camp chief said "You're good people and can go home. But I warn you: don't talk with others about your faith, or you'll be back here soon." Back in our village, the oppression continued; the police came almost every day to force us into a confession. After a while, one of our younger Christians could no longer stand the pressure, and signed the declaration. To remove all traces of his Christianity, he tied his New Testament to a stone and threw it into the river. Three days later, a group of men from our village went fishing. When they drew in their nets, they were surprised to find a book instead of fish. To their even greater astonishment, the book was dry and undamaged! They immediately started reading, and were excited by the message. It was the supposedly disposed-of New Testament. Through this miracle, 24 families from our village started a personal relationship with Jesus."

Source: AvC