———————————————————————- Missions Insider Report by Christian Aid March 26, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 412 Visit our website at http://www.christianaid.org ———————————————————————– John Lindner, Editor ———————————————————————–

1. God Touches Many in Andaman Island Outreach 2. Nepal: Five More Believers Jailed 3. Pakistan: Two Christians Acquitted of Blasphemy 4. Quote of the Week: “I Cried Thrice” 5. Photo of the Week: Meghalaya Convention

Note: Missions Insider refrains from mentioning names that could make the subjects targets of anti-Christian activity. Names are sometimes mentioned of ministries conducting work commended by authorities or located in areas of greater religious freedom.

———————————————————————- 1. God Touches Many in Andaman Island Outreach

Hundreds entered the kingdom of God and many found healing and deliverance in a move of God on the Andaman Islands of India, according to reports received by Christian Aid.

A missionary of India that pioneered missionary outreach on the Andaman Islands years ago revisited the islands to encourage its missionaries and churches there. The team leaders first met with 125 missionaries on the islands, followed by three days of public meetings in the main auditorium.

“God did mighty miracles,” the leader said. “Many who were partially blind received their sight. The deaf and dumb were healed, the paralytic walked, and the demon possessed were delivered.”

In all more than 700 people made commitments to the Lord. Half of these were for salvation, and at least 300 attended the follow-up meeting.

After these meetings the team leaders went to the neighboring Nicobar Islands where they were warmly greeted by the Christians there. Thousands attended a meeting in one of the villages.

“I preached on salvation and hundreds gave their hearts to the Lord,” the leader said. “It was amazing to see the miracles. Hundreds and hundreds were delivered from demonic possession. Many received their sight; deaf dumb and lame were healed.”

The leader said a Buddhist was healed and gave his testimony at the closing meeting.

Returning to Port Blair, the capital of the Andamans, the team then traveled by car 12 hours through the Jarawa jungle. The Jarawas, a primitive and one-time savage, dark-skinned tribal people living in the jungle, stopped the car many in places, but let it pass after they were given cookies and bananas.

After continuing through the jungle, the team held more meetings at several additional villages. Again, the Lord honored the preached word with healings and deliverances. “After seeing the visible miracles, the president of the Hindu Council (VHP) came for prayer, accompanied by many RSS people [right-wing Hindu nationalists],” the leader told Christian Aid.

The Andaman Islands lie about 900 miles east of Madras (now called Chennai), less than 300 miles from the Myanmar (Burmese) coast. For more information, or to learn how you can support this strategic missionary work, write and put MI-412 699-SEM on the subject line.

———————————————————————- 2. Nepal: Five More Believers Jailed and Released

Five more believers in Nepal were jailed briefly and released.

As reported in the March 12 issue of Missions Insider three Christian workers were arrested in western Nepal in late February on suspicion of engaging in illegal religious activity simply because Bibles and Christian literature were found in their bags. Now Christian Aid has learned that five more Christians who went to visit the jailed brothers were similarly arrested.

After they had visited the three brothers in jail, they were returning to their homes when police stopped them and checked their bags. There they found Bibles and Christian literature and put them in jail, also. One of them is a church planter; another is the wife of one of the brothers who was jailed in February, and three are believers in a local assembly. Groups had already visited the jailed brothers five different times, but this time the police detained the visitors.

Nepali mission leaders credit the prayers of the saints that the five were released the next day. Meanwhile, hearing for the first three jailed is reportedly scheduled for March 27 or 28. Though the men were doing nothing illegal, authorities have produced one (false) witness who claims they were preaching Christianity and passing out tracts.

Please pray for the jailed brethren that their needs will be supplied, that they will remain faithful, and that in God’s time they will be released unharmed with strengthened resolve. To learn how you can support this ministry, write and put MI-412 702-GOC on the subject line.

———————————————————————- 3. Pakistan: Two Christians Acquitted of Blasphemy

Compass Direct said last Wednesday a Pakistani appeals court confirmed the acquittal of two Christian brothers jailed nearly four years ago on charges of blasphemy. Saleem and Rasheed Masih have been under arrest and denied bail since June 1999, when they were accused of slandering the prophet Mohammed during an argument with an ice cream vendor. It was expected to take at least a week for the brothers to be discharged and reunited with their families. Even then their lives will be in danger, since Islamist radicals in Pakistan have vowed to kill all accused blasphemers regardless of court decisions. Pray for Christians in Pakistan who face terror threats from radical Muslim groups.

———————————————————————- 4. Quote of the Week: “I Cried Thrice”

A missionary leader visiting his work on the Andaman Islands said: “I cried thrice. First, just to see so many people receiving the miracles, how much the Lord loves them. Then I cried to see so many leaving disappointed without receiving a miracle. It is the Lord who heals, not we. Finally, in many places we do not have land or a church building and do not have funds. I saw our missionaries working hard, but no place to worship. I cried a third time.” For more information, see the lead story, “God Touches Many in Andaman Island Outreach.”

———————————————————————- 5. Photo of the Week: Meghalaya Convention

http://www.christianaid.org/pow/pow-4-12.asp

The state of Meghalaya in Northeast India was evangelized over a century ago. A majority of the population are professing Christians, though many individuals don’t know Christ personally. Ruth Sodemba, widow of the late Subhang Sodemba, pioneer mission leader of Himalaya Crusade, spoke at this convention attended by about 2000 people in a Meghalaya village recently. At the conclusion 15 people came forward to accept Christ as their personal Savior. Himalaya Crusade’s 246 missionaries are active in the states of West Bengal and Sikkim as well as in the neighboring countries of Nepal and Bhutan. The ministry also runs a children’s home for over 100 children. For more information about Himalaya Crusade, write and put MI-412 675-HIC on the subject line.

———————————————————————– Mission Statement:

Missions Insider is a free weekly email report from Christian Aid Mission, your link to the world of indigenous missions. We seek to establish a witness for our Lord in every tribe and nation (Matthew 24:14) by supporting highly effective native missionary ministries based in poorer countries overseas, or where believers are persecuted. Christian Aid has contact with more than 6000 indigenous ministries that have a total of 300,000 missionaries on the field or ready to go when support is available.

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