Video Update from Bhopal

Below is a note from Dave Sweet:

The desired permits for construction of the kids home continue to languish on a regional administrator's desk - the staff at Bhopal are looking for other land. Please continue to pray for God's will and time. Meanwhile, the 14 girls at the Center continue to grow and be a joy to all concerned. Those that are sending regular support are a tremendous blessing to this ministry.
May the Lord richly bless each one doing that.

We had a chance on a recent trip to grab some video footage which we want to share with you here. Please continue to pray for this work - it has so much value now and so much potential to grow as the Lord permits.

Just click the link below for the short video stream from Bhopal

http://youtu.be/yKwNn5e_PXo

Summer Update

Our team member David Sweet reports:

I had a nice long chat with Mathews yesterday by phone. Their internet connection is very tentative and often down, so communication with us has been very difficult. Anyway, here are several news and prayer items:


















1. A new girl named Mahina (which means glory) has joined the Anmol Kids. Her mother was a believer who came to the Lord through the ministries in Bhopal, but has since died. Her father abandoned them both early on, so she is functionally an orphan. According to Mathews she is also very cute - of course he sees them all that way! I hope to have a picture and some details soon. And there are two more girls coming which they expect to happen shortly.

2. Prince Prasad has moved on to a church planting ministry to which he feels specifically called. So they are praying again for leadership. The three girls from the ICD are still working with the girls full-time. But oversight is still on Mathews' and Daisy's shoulders.

3. The land issue continues, but Mathews has more of a sense now that this is an issue of substance, and not simply a ploy for graft or shenanigans by the original owner. Apparently the owner had received that land in some kind of government grant, and even though he held full title, the issue is that he may still have needed to ask permission from the government before selling the land. Mathews has received a court order in their favor demanding that the land be released for them to develop, but the government implementers are still trying to gain a clear picture that their is not still some government 'lien' or involvement with the sale. So we need to keep on praying. Mathews has had a strong sense that this land was from the Lord, and that it will one day be a key part of ministry around Tarasewaniya. Meanwhile they are looking for another small plot in that same area which they could develop in the interim. Even if they ended up with two locations, their needs to keep boys and girls separate, as well as to provide better housing/accommodations for the staff of the Tarasewaniya school would ensure its usefulness. Two more girls from last years ICD class are now living in Tarasewaniya and helping with the school, and Melvin is just back from a degree at NTC and again giving the school leadership.

4. Mathews has recently learned that he has developed significantly high blood pressure. So far the medication has not dropped it much, and the doctors are pressing him for diet and exercise changes. He sees it as a part of aging, but we need to encourage him to also see that it relates to the load he is carrying. Daisy continues to have a locked shoulder which is painful and inhibits restful sleep. So they need prayer and encouragement.

5. Ashlin is under a very stiff training regimen at Bloombergs in New York, and hardly has time to eat and sleep. He's not sure this job is what was represented to him before, and it is not something that relates well to his career interest. So he needs prayer to persevere and to realize whatever the Lord's purpose is in having him go through it.

GNFI Prayer Requests

There was a meeting of Good News for India supporters at Our Savior Lutheran Church,in Topsfield on April 10th. PV Joseph, a faculty member at New Theological College (GNFI’s Bible College and seminary) in Dehradun was the featured speaker. Along with updates on India, GNFI and its many ministries, there were a series of prayer requests. I relate them here as given to us.

1. Lord willing, we plan to start construction of the building to house the School of Linguistics (for training Bible translators) on our Bible College campus within the next few weeks. Please pray that everything will work out well for the glory of God through this new ministry that the Lord is leading us into.

2. We are also praying and preparing to construct the first phase of a building that would house the primary school that we have started on the campus. We need to construct class rooms to house up to the fifth grade. Pray for adequate funding and for the Lord's grace to complete the building in time.

3. We are in most urgent need of a civil engineer to oversee the construction of these buildings. Pray for a Godly person to take up this responsibility.

4. Our orphanage/children's home in Jamunkatha, Uttarakhand, is housed in a rented building. We have had to move several times in the past. Now once again the present land-lord is asking us to move. We need to build a small building to house these precious children, rather than move them time and again and change their schools. God has provided us with a little land next to our church building in Jamunkatha. We need funding to build a building. we can build the first phase for $20,000. Please pray that the Lord will provide funding for this need.

5. We are getting ready for our annual Summer Bible School and Youth Camp in New Theological College. This is to reach university students who do not know the Lord and to strengthen young people who already know the Lord. Please pray for an extraordinary anointing for the leaders. Pray that the Holy Spirit would bring young people who are receptive to the love of Jesus.

6. We have been praying for a long time for land for our primary school in Rudraprayag, a very holy place for Hindus, on the river Ganges. Our school there is doing really well and is in desperate need of land and a building as it is growing rapidly. Land is very scarce and very expensive there. Finally the Lord has helped us to locate a piece of land. Please pray that the evil one will not create any trouble for us. Pray also for funding. One of our supporting families has promised funding for this. the down-turn in the stock market has put them in a bit of difficulty. Please pray that the Lord will strengthen that family and that the transaction be completed as quickly as possible.

7. Pray for the selection process of students in New Theological College for the next academic year that is going on now. Pray that the Lord would send the students He wants to be enrolled and that we will have wisdom
in recognizing them.

8. Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Orissa. We are in the process of rehabilitating a few families. Pray that the Lord would help us in this process.

9. A number of new graduates from our Bible College are joining us this year as pioneer church planters. We are in need of funding to support these new church planters. $100 will support a new church planter in a pioneering field. We urgently need 30 sponsors who would give $100 a month. A real mirascle is needed to meet this need.
PLEASE PRAY

Prayer requests were written out by George Chavanikamannil

MARCH 2010 Anmol Newsletter

The latest Anmol newsletter for March 2010, has been sent out to all the donors, supporters and staff. If you would like a PDF copy e-mailed to you or a friend, please contact the staff at one of the addresses here on the blog.

AN UPDATE FROM MATHEWS

Below is the content of a recent e-mail from Mathews, forwarded by Dave Sweet.

Thank you so much for sending the good wishes on my birth day. I am grateful for upholding us in your prayers.

I just came to Dheradun this morning and started with the CEA board meeting. The conference will start tomorrow and most of our brothers from Bhopal also will join the conference and they are on their way.

The children who were affected with chickenpox are cured and they are all doing well. The Lord heard the prayers and it restricted to four. It was a bit concern.
This year we are facing water shortage much earlier than the previous years. It is a concern and we pray that the Lord does a miracle for us. We already started buying the water.

Please continue to pray for the land situation in Tarsewaniya. We have not yet heard the final word form the commissioner to whom we have appealed. There was a hearing few days back and still waiting to hear from his office. The same time we are also looking few other plots to buy, if the permission gets delayed.

We are very encouraged about the work of the Lord. The SALT course went very well. The participants were very encouraged as they have gone back with new enthusiasm to start and enlarge the work.

Daisy is still struggling with her shoulder issues and her diabetes was not good for few days. After consultation with the doctor she changed the medicines and slowly coming to normal.

With prayers,
Mathews

Chicken Pox!

In recent news from brother Sunil (the director of the Anmol Kids program); the Anmol staff have noticed the first signs of chicken pox on three of the Anmol Kids. They all need prayer for handing this. Please pray for the staff in handling this situation, that they do not become ill themselves, that this outbreak will be limited and mild, and for the children's complete recovery and health.

About Mathews and Daisy Varghese, and the Good News Center ministries in Bhopal, India

Mathews and Daisy are from the southern tip of India in the state of Kerala, but the Lord called them to be pioneering cross-cultural missionaries to North India over 25 years ago. They began by planting a church in the city of Bhopal. Along the way, they joined in with Good News for India, and in that connection Mathews has served as national field coordinator for 12 regional training centers, as a pastor with the Christian Evangelistic Assemblies, and as a member of the faculty at New Theological College. But their personal burden and calling has remained focused on Bhopal, and the Lord has used them to start and shepherd the multiple ministries that operate out of the Good News Center today. The Center itself is a 4-story building in the city which they built and dedicated in 2004. This Center is a beehive of activity, and a hub for:

• Good News Church (about 400 attending)
• Institute for Communication and Discipleship (grass-roots Bible school taught in Hindi - a GNFI regional center)
• Strategic Advanced Leadership Training (in-service training for young pastors in newly planted churches)
• A team of church planters (have planted over 150 churches surrounding Bhopal)
• Jeevan Jyoti Christian School (about 300 students -in Tarasewaniya village 40km outside the city)
  
• Women’s Literacy and Tailoring program (training about 200 women annually in 7 locations around the city)
• Anmol Kids Ministry (including two day programs and the Sahara Kiran home)
• Media ministry (producing videos and music CDs)

Bhopal is a very challenging place for Christian ministry, under the pressure of opposition and persecution. But the Lord is honoring their faith and courage with progress of the Gospel and growth for the Kingdom. And He has placed this work in the faithful and dedicated hands of Mathews and Daisy who have great vision, trust in the Lord, and thankfulness for all who stand behind them in prayer and support. In helping them you are helping a key part of the strategic ministry of Good News for India.