83rd ANNIVERSARY BOOK – July 2018
Thou
Shalt be a Blessing!
Shepherded – 83 Years
Great is Thy
faithfulness. Lam. 3:23
Laymen’s
Evangelical Fellowship International
Let us remember the promises of God
to the Fellowship and claim them.
1. Isaiah
60:22. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I
the LORD will hasten it in his time.
2. Isaiah 44:3.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
3. Isaiah
59:21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that
is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out
of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy
seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
4. Isaiah 45:3.
And I give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places,
that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God
of Israel.
5. Isa 62:6-7. I have set watchmen upon thy
walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that
make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he
establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
6. Acts 18:10.
For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much
people in this city.
7. Isaiah
54:17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue
that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the
heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith
the LORD.
8. Jeremiah
42:10. If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull
you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the
evil that I have done unto you.
preface
New advances in the
ministry
Worldwide Labours
Youth and Children’s Camps
Campaigns in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
meetings in tamil nadu
Labours in far-flung
regions
the Annual Retreat
Television and Radio
Ministry
the literature Ministry
Our schools
our medical work
the internet Ministry
Conclusion
Preface
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee
out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a
land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I
will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. (Gen.
12:1,2)
Thou shalt be a blessing! What a blessing it is to be a blessing to
others! It is one thing to receive the blessings of God, but it is altogether a
different matter to be a blessing to others. We are called to be a blessing to
others.
God
blessed Abraham and made him a blessing to others. A child of God is a conduit
of blessing, not just a recipient of blessing! He is a channel through which
the blessing and power of God flows into the lives of others. Are we like that?
We in the Fellowship have been the recipients of God’s mercy, special
favour and blessings all these 83 years. But are we impacting others by our
godly life? In fact, we must be impacting the nations today.
But that calls for self-denial and victory over the world. Many in the
Fellowship seem to belong to the “third soil” as they are weighed down by their
own cares and worries. There is no faith nor any forward growth in their
lives. Though we have received so much light and truth in the Fellowship,
many people are living self-centred lives. They are like the salt which has
lost its savour. They have only selfish agendas in their lives. The
children who grow up in such families cannot have burden for souls or vision
for the extension of God’s kingdom. A father or mother who does not learn
faith, cannot teach their children faith in the Living God. How sad!
God
called Mr. N. Daniel (senior) to come out of Kakinada, he ventured out with
faith and we see today how through his sacrifice and implicit obedience to God,
he became a channel of blessing to all who came into contact with him.
Following his footsteps, Bro. Joe learnt a close walk with God. With tearful
and agonizing prayers for souls, he spent his life reaching out to needy souls
far and wide, all over the world, building the kingdom of God. After
reading the first volume of Bro. Joe’s autobiography, Leonard Ravenhill, said,
“Here is the faithfulness of God and the obedience of man.” He learnt to obey
God at any cost. He was ready to pay the price. This is how he became a great
inspiration and blessing to thousands of people all over the world.
Unfortunately,
many people are not able to think beyond themselves and their
children. They find sacrificial living and giving to be hard. They
want to be only perpetual recipients of God’s blessings. Their motto is, “What
shall I get? What shall I grab?” But a child of God says, “What shall I give to
help this needy person? How shall I build God’s kingdom?” Their cups
never overflow, because their hearts are so selfish and greedy. It only shows
the beggarly mindset of people. We are not beggars, but the sons and daughters
of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The purpose of our salvation is
that we should become a blessing to others. Instead of living selfish lives, we
must learn to empty ourselves. Then, and only then, God can fill us and make us
a blessing.
As
we have entered into the 84th year
of ministry, let us examine our hearts and seek His face afresh, and surrender
our lives fully to Him. May the Lord help us to be a real blessing to others in
this one short life and bring forth fruit to glorify Him.
New Advances in the Ministry
Meetings
in Myanmar (Burma)
Bro.
Joe had a great burden for Myanmar. This country occupied a special place in
his heart and he went and laboured there twice addressing meetings in a local
church where many heard the Word with rapt attention.
The
dear Lord helped our book fair team to conduct book fairs there. To reach the
needy people of this town with the Good News, we had revival meetings in
Mandalay, in November 2017. The three evening meetings were blessed and owned
of the Lord. Our book fair team brothers laboured amongst these people. There
were about 80 people present at the meetings. Some of the people who visited
our book fair also dropped in at the evening meetings.
Our
local workers, Brothers Paul and Munthang, were able to bring a few college
students and some needy people who live in and around Mandalay. Some people
from the local church and few poor women touched in our ministry also joined
us. One doctor told our brothers that he was greatly challenged by the
testimonies of our young people.
The
Lord in His mercy helped Paul and Munthang to erect a small prayer hall where
they give the Word of God to some needy people and to the children of that area
on Sunday morning and evening.
Let
us pray much for our two brothers and their families that the Lord will help
them to win many souls to the Lord.
Meetings
in Butwal, Nepal
As
we have not had revival meetings in Nepal for a long time, the Lord burdened
the heart of Bro. John Daniel to prayerfully fix special meetings in the needy
town of Butwal, from February 21 to 23. The Lord brought in many needy people
who came in with much hunger and expectation.
The
Lord granted His presence and used Bro. Priyanath and other brothers at these
meetings. The Spirit of God began to work in many hearts and the prayer
sessions were owned of the Lord, as many humbled themselves and prayed with
tears.
There
were screams and outbursts of evil spirits from many who were prayed upon and
from others who were around the place. We must pray that the Spirit of God may
lead souls into deep repentance so that they may be completely delivered from
every work of the evil one and be raised as faithful witnesses for the Lord.
Let
us pray much for our brothers and sisters and the ministry in Nepal, that the
Lord will touch and transform many souls.
Meetings
in Thailand
On
the 8th and 9th December, the Lord helped our brothers
to have open-air meetings in Thailand. Many newcomers were present and they
listened to the Word earnestly. The number touched 60 on the second day which
was beyond one’s expectation! It was a time of great blessing to be sitting
under the searching Word of God. One of our converted sisters came all the way
from over 600 km to help us at these meetings with the interpretation into the
Thai language.
Prior
to these open-air meetings, our team could address two special meetings in a
local church where many were given the Word of God.
We
must continue to pray much for our brother, Eisen, and his wife, who are
labouring for the Lord in Thailand.
Outreach
Ministry in North India
Our
telecasts have been such a great blessing to many people in North India that it
has opened doors to the Gospel in several villages and towns which we could not
have reached otherwise.
People
call us for prayer after watching Bro. Joe’s message on TV and a team of our
brothers in Delhi gather and pray for them. They make the long journey of about
200 to 300 kilometres to the interior and remote villages and towns in Uttar
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana to meet these people. These areas have never
received the Gospel.
Setting
out in the wee hours of Sunday, they make a long journey of about three to four
hours and conduct worship services in seven or eight places till late in the
night, in various villages and towns. It is amazing to see how people wait
eagerly for our team to hear the Gospel.
In
every place, they ask our team to come on all Sundays and conduct meetings.
They are so earnest and hungry that some of them come to the next town to hear
the Word and to introduce their friends and acquaintances to our team. As our
team has to go to different areas on three Sundays of the month, it is not yet
possible to visit these people every Sunday.
Much
prayer needs to go up for a real harvest of souls amongst these needy
people. We need more workers to labour
amongst these hungry people. Please pray that the Lord of the harvest may raise
up and send forth labourers into these ripe harvest fields of North India.
Durgapur,
West Bengal
People
from various states of India live in this cosmopolitan steel city. For more
than 10 years, our brothers from Kolkata have been going to Durgapur to conduct
meetings every Sunday. Recently, one of our trained boys, John Akai and his
wife, have been sent to this place to labour and build the work here.
The
Sunday services are held in a school. Many children attend our Sunday class on
Sunday evenings. A few cottage prayer meetings are held through the week in
various parts of the city. At the Carol service in December, we had about 200
people in attendance. This city has many
renowned colleges and schools. We must pray that the Lord may give us many
souls.
Geyzing,
West Sikkim
Geyzing
in West Sikkim is a Buddhist stronghold. Last year, when we tried to have a
book fair in this town, we were not given permission to hold a Christian book
fair. However, this year, after much prayer and exercise of faith, we were able
to hold two days of meetings.
Although
it was a small group, we had the presence of God and the Word of God went out
with freedom and power. We are praying for a regular ministry in this town.
Silver
Jubilee Meeting in Bansi School, Uttar Pradesh
The
Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving meeting in our school in Bansi on September 24 was
a time of thanksgiving and praise to our God. The dear Lord has been helping
our team here to go forward against all odds. It is the sheer mercy of God that
we have completed 25 years of ministry in this dark and needy town of Bansi in
Uttar Pradesh. The Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving meeting gave us an opportunity
to give the Gospel to so many non-Christians.
The
new building which the Lord provided for the school here was declared open on
this occasion. It was a big battle of faith for us to obtain all the necessary
permits to build this 4-storey building with several class rooms in each level.
Let
us pray that our school in Bansi must be a lighthouse to the whole district and
the state. Most of our students are from non-Christian backgrounds and our school
has earned a good name from all around. We praise God for the faithful labours
of our brothers and sisters and look to the Lord to multiply His word in the
hearts of the many students who pass through our schools.
Worldwide Labours
Summer
Retreat in Sebring, Ohio, US
The
Lord helped us at the Summer Retreat in Sebring, Ohio and gave us His word
which was a great blessing to all who were present. People drove and flew
long distances to be at the camp which took place from August 8 to 13.
Sister Stella from Nigeria was present with us again this year as she
exercised faith to be at the retreat.
Bro.
David Campbell and Bro. Johannes were with us also at the camp. The time
at the retreat was well employed by people to quiet oneself in God’s presence.
The prayer sessions were a great time of blessing as people called on the Lord.
God granted grace to our sisters who took turns to manage the kitchen while our
brothers did the wash up. Let us pray for lasting eternal blessing in a
fleeting world we live in today.
Thanksgiving
Retreat, Novi, US
The
Lord helped us at the Thanksgiving Retreat in November as several young people
travelled long distances to be present, from both the US and Canada. God
granted us His presence and Word as we waited on the Lord. The time of prayer
is always very precious to all who attend. We need to pray much that the
Lord will grant us a breakthrough and grant people the deep spirit of
repentance and that new faith will bud in people’s hearts. The Lord gave
us good weather and held off the snow and ice.
Easter
Retreat, Novi, US
The
Lord blessed the Easter Retreat and brought in earnest people who travelled
long distances. God granted us His word as we remembered what the Lord has done
for each and every one on the Cross, granting the way to live a victorious life
over the world and sin. We pray for the deep touch of God’s Spirit in the
hearts and lives of the people who attended.
The
conference fasting prayer in the US is being a great blessing to many who join
from faraway places. Let us pray much as our brothers reach out to more
universities with the “Christ is Victor” magazine printed to reach people with
the word of the Lord.
Summer
Retreat in UK
The
dear Lord drew many hungry souls, who were earnest and who sought the Lord at
the Summer Retreat in July. After the message, the meeting was thrown open for
prayer, as many called on the Lord. Many were in attendance who represented
many countries of Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. Let us pray for the lasting
touch of God’s spirit in the hearts and lives of all who attended. Everyone
worked together and God’s name was glorified.
Winter
Retreat in London, UK
Renting
out a close by church facility, the Lord enabled us to hold the Winter Retreat
from December 27 to 29. God brought in several sincere people who came for His
Word. Let us pray for the great need in Britain, as our TV programme covers the
whole nation and many people listen and write to us for prayer.
Summer
Retreat in Gottingen, Germany
The
Lord brought needy souls to the youth centre in Gottingen for the four-day
retreat in July. Many had to drive a long way through heavy rains, while many
came in from the neighbouring towns to hear God’s Word. Germany can be
described as those in the “third heart condition” in the parable of the sower,
where one feels self-satisfied with no need for the Saviour. This leaves many
in an impoverished condition where only humbling oneself before God is the way
to victory and blessing. Let us pray that the Word of God will result in the advance
in faith and obedience to God.
Georgetown, Guyana, South America
The
Lord granted His presence at the revival meetings in Georgetown, Guyana. Many
needy souls from various backgrounds were present who were not familiar with
Bro. Joe or Dr. Danny. Sister Lily was sustained by the Lord for the long
journey and was used of the Lord.
The
Lord has been touching many local people as they learn to obey God’s word and
live victorious lives above the temptations around. God is building homes
which are very different from the local scene of broken families. Amerindians
from the interior were present who hear our radio programme reaching into the
Amazon with the Gospel.
The
TV program over the national TV station of Guyana reaches the whole country as
many hear God’s word. A Hindu pandit was present at
the Sunday evening meeting in Diamond, a suburb of Georgetown. He
stated, “Let me know whenever you have meetings like this.”
Let
us pray much for the many students who hear God’s word at the university and
nursing school. Let us also pray for the radio programme covering the country
of neighbouring Surinam and also for the TV programme covering
various Caribbean islands like Trinidad and Tobago. The book fairs held
around the country draw many people and are a great blessing to many. Let us
pray much for our brothers and sisters as they labour for the Lord and as new
towns are being reached with the message of salvation.
Retreat
in Melbourne, Australia
Our
retreat was held in Scots Presbyterian Church Hall, Melbourne,
from October 20 to 22. People travelled from Perth, Melbourne,
Sydney, Wagga, Moama and Deniliquin to be present at the retreat. There were
quite a few newcomers present at this retreat.
Apart
from the main messages, the study on the parable of the sower and the heart
condition was focused on. The Lord touched many people and some opened their
hearts in prayer and wept for their sins during the sessions of prayer.
Please
continue to pray for those who heard the word that there will be deep
repentance and the touch of God’s spirit resulting in obedience to God’s word
and a burden to build the kingdom of God.
Youth & Children’s Camps
The
International Students’ Camp
Around
7500 young people gathered from all over India at Beulah Gardens, for the
students’ camp which took place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2.
Right
from the first session of the camp, the presence of the Lord was so real in our
midst and the messages were delivered in great power, as the Lord used Bro.
John Daniel, Sister Lily, Bro. Doug, Bro. Johannes and Dr. Jesudas mightily.
The prayer sessions were owned of the Lord as the Spirit of prayer was poured
on the young people and they cried out to God with tears.
Our
dear friends from the continent of Africa, who are studying in various
universities and colleges, travelled long distances to be present at the camp.
We enjoyed their two special songs which were meaningful and inspiring.
Two of them who are studying in Ludhiana, Punjab, shared their testimonies as
to how the Lord transformed their lives completely and brought meaning and
purpose into their lives. We must pray that these precious students from Africa
will learn faith and prayer, to then return to their countries as missionaries.
The
memorial service for Bro. Joe on the first evening meeting of the camp was
blessed of the Lord. Sister Lily, Lydia and Bro. John spoke on this
occasion recalling the exemplary life and tireless labours of Bro. Joe to reach
the unreached souls around the world. On this occasion, the long-awaited third volume
of Bro. Joe’s autobiography, “Carried by Everlasting Arms” was released.
The
group discussions were very lively as the students participated eagerly,
sharing their thoughts and expressing their questions. We should continue to
pray for these precious young people that the Spirit of God will continue to
work in their hearts as they confess and get right with God and become living
testimonies of the love and power of God.
Stuartpuram,
Andhra Pradesh
Young
people from many towns and villages of Andhra Pradesh poured into Stuartpuram
for the youth camp from August 12 to 14. Our large hall began to get filled up.
God used our brothers and granted them great freedom to declare His Word. The
prayer sessions were owned of the Lord as the young people began to cry out to
God. Many were found praying late into the night. Let us pray for these
precious young souls that they may rise up as mighty witnesses of the Lord.
Itanagar,
Arunachal Pradesh
About
200 students gathered from the neighbouring universities and colleges at this
camp in August. The Lord used the team of our brothers from Guwahati and
Imphal. The Word was received with much hunger. As the Spirit of God began to
work in their hearts, many students stayed till late in the night seeking
counsel and prayer. Several young people were under strong conviction of sin
and are turning to the Lord. We must pray for these precious young souls.
Aizawl,
Mizoram
At the One-Day youth camp in Aizawl on Sunday,
September 3, the large Synod Conference hall was packed with more than 500
bright young boys and girls who gathered from Mizoram University, Aizawl
Veterinary college, Nursing college and the local Bible college. Some school
students were also present.
The
young people listened to the Word very earnestly. During the prayer session,
they lifted up their voices and prayed. Many were deeply touched of the Lord.
Let us continue to pray that the Lord may raise up many young people to live as
a testimony for the Lord.
Dimapur,
Nagaland
The
youth camp in Dimapur in August was blessed and owned of the Lord as a few
hundred young people came to hear God’s word, in spite of the rainy weather.
Some of them came from distant places. The Lord used our brothers and blessed
the camp. Let us continue to pray for the Spirit’s work in these young people.
Silchar,
Assam
The
Lord enabled us to have a youth retreat for university students in March. There
were about 140 students who sat in God’s presence with hunger and concentrated
on God’s word. Our team from Imphal and Dimapur helped in the retreat. We are
praying for a suitable place of worship in Silchar. Pray that the Lord will
raise up many of these students as mighty soul winners.
Aizawl,
Mizoram
The
youth retreat in Ripans (Regional Institute of Paramedical Science) was greatly
blessed of the Lord. We had around 250 students from eight states of North-East
India. Right from the beginning, the spirit of God began to work in their
hearts and many of them prayed with tears during the prayer sessions.
On
Easter Sunday, we moved the retreat to Synod Conference Centre where we
had a combined service and retreat for people of all ages. We had around 300
people from Assam Rifles and many nursing students and others from various
institutions. A few Mizo families were present at this retreat. Many of them
are TV viewers who watch our programmes regularly and have been touched by the
Lord. This is the first time people are exposed to the truth about repentance
and reconciliation with God and man and getting the assurance of salvation from
God. Please pray for the Lord’s touch on all those who attended.
Headquarters,
Chennai
At
our headquarters, the Lord enabled us to have a one day youth camp for the
young people of the city on March 18. We were so happy to see more than 700
young people who gathered in the overflow hall. The dear Lord blessed these
efforts and used our brothers. Let us pray for the Spirit’s deep and continuing
work in the hearts of these young people.
Children’s
Retreats
Down
these many years, we have seen God’s touch upon tender hearts at our children’s
retreats. Special retreats for children in many of our centres have taken
place, where hundreds of children and teenagers are given the Word of God.
The
Lord in His mercy helped us to have children’s retreats in several of our
centres all over India. We have received reports of God’s blessing at
these retreats. We praise God for our teams of brothers and sisters who serve
at these retreats and let us continue to pray for these precious little
children who heard the Word at these retreats.
The Big Campaigns in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
Bhimavaram
As
our large campus got filled up quickly at the revival meetings, we had to seat
the overflowing crowd of about 2000 people in the neighbouring vacant land,
where the message was relayed on a large digital screen.
People
came in large numbers from nearby Krishna and East Godavari districts.
Many pastors and TV viewers came and listened to the Word of God. The Word of
God went out with power as the Lord anointed and used Bro. John Daniel and
Sister Lily Daniel. After the meeting, they prayed for several people and
counselled them.
Stuartpuram
Thousands
of people poured in from nearby and distant places with great spiritual hunger
and expectation for the meetings which took place from January 16 to 21. It is
really a great miracle that a notorious village noted for its criminal ancestry
and activity should become a place where huge multitudes gather to hear the
Word of God year after year!
The
dear Lord used His servants, Bro. John Daniel, Sister Lily Daniel and other
brothers mightily. The spirit of prayer was very evident in our midst as groups
of people were seen all over the place praying and seeking God. On Saturday
night, at the fasting prayer, the Lord poured out the spirit of prayer upon the
crowds and many cried to God with tears for His touch.
Sister
Lily took special meetings for the wives of the evangelists and Lydia Daniel
addressed the young people. We must pray for the continuing work of God’s
Spirit in hearts that the Seed sown may bring forth fruit thirtyfold, sixtyfold
and a hundredfold.
Vijayawada
The
meetings in Vijayawada in our premises from January 21 to 23 were greatly
blessed and owned of the Lord. That God has given us grounds which is much
larger than a football field and that too, right in the heart of a large and
growing city is nothing but His goodness and grace. Part of this crowd had to
be moved to a neighbouring hall which we hired, in order to create room for the
newcomers in the large arena. At the last evening meeting, we had about 9000 in
attendance. Now there is the huge task of gathering in of souls and leading
them to pursue the fullness which is in Christ.
Hyderabad
Even
though the dates of the revival meetings in January happened to be working
days, people started coming in large numbers from the very first day. Much
prayer went up for these meetings as special prayer meetings were conducted in
our centre from the beginning of January to prepare for the meetings.
The
Lord used His servants mightily at these meetings. We must pray for a real
breakthrough in the ministry here and for a rich harvest of souls.
Meetings in Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore
The
dear Lord blessed the revival meetings in Coimbatore, which was held in our
campus, from August 25 to 27. The presence of the Lord was granted to us and
the prayer sessions were owned of the Lord. The hall got packed and the
overflow crowds spilled into the open space on the right side of the hall,
where we put up a temporary roof. About 100 people stayed inside the campus.
The
Lord used Dr. Jayanth and Bro. Gnanakalanjium at these meetings. Many of our
faithful senior brothers shared in the ministry with their inspiring
testimonies and it was a great blessing and challenge to many. Let us pray that
young people will rise up as godly men and women to build God’s kingdom.
Madurai
The
meetings in the temple-town of Madurai in September, in the parish hall
of a local church, were greatly owned and blessed of the Lord. The
dear Lord brought in many needy souls and the crowd kept increasing during the
three days. Dr. Jayanth and Bro. P.V. Raja were used of the Lord at these
meetings. The prayer sessions were a great blessing as many cried to God for
His mercy. It was a time of refreshing and reviving in God’s presence, as
many heard the Word attentively with hungry hearts.
Royapuram,
North Chennai
The
Lord blessed the revival meetings in Royapuram in August. We began with a crowd
of about 250 people on the first evening and the crowd swelled to about
550 on the last day. The Lord used Dr. Jesu and other brothers. The messages
were very practical and the Lord gave His presence. The Bible classes were also
blessed of the Lord.
Many
new people including several Hindus were present. We need to pray much as we
need revival amongst families, young people and children in this part of the
city.
Bhavani
Bhavani
is a Hindu pilgrim centre where the Lord has given us a centre and a school.
Apart from the local people, many nursing and engineering students are hearing
the Word of God every Sunday.
The
special meetings arranged in this place from 27th to 29th October were blessed
of the Lord. We must pray for these young students and others that
they must rise up as mighty witnesses for the Lord.
Karamadai
After
many years, the Lord gave us meetings in Karamadai, from November 10 to 12. The
dear Lord used our brothers mightily and the prayer sessions were owned of the
Lord. As the messages went out over the loudspeakers, several
non-Christians around our centre heard the Word of God. Let us pray for the
continuing work of God’s Spirit in their hearts.
Aruppukottai
The
Lord in His mercy gave us revival meetings in Aruppukottai from Dec. 1 to 3. It
was a time of great blessing to all who gathered at the feet of the Lord
to hear God’s word with great hunger.
The
Lord used His servants mightily and graciously granted His Word and His
presence and the Spirit of God began to work in their hearts. During
the prayer sessions, people cried to God with tears of repentance. Let us
pray for the continuing work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of all who
heard the Word.
Villupuram
The
dear Lord blessed these meetings with His presence and His Word. Many needy
souls came in with much hunger to hear God’s word. The Lord used our brothers
mightily. There was a good spirit of prayer as people lifted up their voices
and prayed earnestly during the prayer sessions. The meetings proved to be a
great blessing to many.
Erode
The
meetings in Erode brought in so many people to hear God’s word in the rented
parish hall of a local church. The dear Lord blessed the meetings in a special
way and used Dr. Jesu and other brothers, to share the Word with the hungry
people. Many cried to God with tears during the prayer sessions as they were
gripped by God’s presence. We must pray for abiding fruits out of these
labours.
Coonoor
The
two days of revival meetings in Coonoor were blessed of the Lord. The Lord
brought in many hungry people from all over Nilgiris and from the plains. Let
us pray that the Lord might raise up a host of witnesses in this hill station,
where the work of the Lord has been going on for many years.
Ponneri
The
meetings in Ponneri in our hall were blessed of the Lord. Many needy people
came in from nearby areas with much hunger for God’s word. The parents of our
school children were also present and these meetings proved to be a blessing to
all.
Hosur
Many
needy people attended the meetings. The work of the Lord has been going forward
steadily in this town under the good Hand of the Lord. Let us pray for a rich
harvest of souls in this place.
Velliankadu
In
Velliankadu, near Coimbatore, the Lord granted two days of special meetings.
The Spirit of God began to work in the hearts of the people and many came under
the conviction of sin. Let us pray for all those who heard the Word at these
meetings.
Labours in Far-Flung Regions
Gurdaspur,
Punjab
Gurdaspur,
a major city in the Punjab, is just 10 km from the international border between
India and Pakistan. The great missionary and prayer warrior, John Hyde,
preached in this city many years ago.
The
Lord in His mercy granted revival meetings in Gurdaspur from April 13 to 15.
There were around 300 people including a few from Anantnag, Kashmir, Jammu,
Delhi, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Amritsar. Many local non-Christians were also
present. They listened to the Word with rapt attention and the Lord used our
brothers mightily.
As
the meetings progressed, slowly the Word began to sink in and people began to
pour out their hearts in prayer after each message. The testimonies of the
local brothers were also touching and challenging. Please pray that God may
raise up mighty witnesses in this city so that they may go out and reach other
towns and cities of Punjab and also other states of India.
Kolkata,
West Bengal
It
was a joy to have three days of revival meetings in January in our new prayer
hall, (which is still under construction) in the second floor of our centre.
Several needy Bengalis were present at these meetings, from different
parts of West Bengal like Siliguri, Durgapur and Kharagpur.
The
Lord gave His rich presence and granted His servants, Bro. John Daniel, and
Sister Lily Daniel, great liberty to declare His word with power. People drank
in the Word with much hunger and thirst. These meetings were a great blessing
to all and it brought much encouragement to many hearts to seek the Lord.
Kolkata
needs much prayer to see a rich harvest. We must continue to pray for this
needy city.
Lucknow,
Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow
is the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state of India. After much prayer,
two days of meetings were arranged for this city, on Oct. 19 and 20, which were
blessed of the Lord.
Many
of our folks from North India gathered at the feet of the Lord and it was a
time of great blessing. We need to go a long way in reaching souls here and
building a deep work for the Lord. Let us pray much for this capital city that
God may touch many souls here and glorify His holy name.
Chandigarh,
Punjab
The
dear Lord blessed the special meetings in Chandigarh from Nov. 3 to 5. More
than 300 people from different parts of North India gathered here. The Lord
used several of our brothers to bring God’s word. The spirit of God was
working in the hearts of people and many opened their hearts and shared their
problems and received counsel from our converted brothers and sisters.
Jamnagar,
Gujarat
By
the grace of God, the Independence Day special meeting in Jamnagar, Gujarat,
was a time of great blessing to many needy people who gathered at the Feet of
the Lord to hear God’s word. There were about 130 people present at this
meeting. The Lord used our brothers and granted us His presence and His word.
Let us continue to pray for the budding work in Jamnagar that the Lord may
touch and transform many lives and build His work here.
Agartala,
Tripura
Even
though the capital city of Agartala in the North-Eastern state of Tripura was
affected by floods which brought the city to a standstill, our brothers
exercised faith and went ahead with the planned special meetings from August 11
to 13, in the outskirts of the city. The dear Lord controlled the incessant
rain and blessed the meetings in a special way. Let us pray for all those who
heard God’s word that there will be great eternal blessing.
Tezpur,
Assam
The
One-day meeting held in Tezpur on November 17 was a time of real blessing in
the presence of God. The messages, testimonies and the discussion groups were
owned of the Lord. We had several young people from Hindu and Muslim
backgrounds who heard the Word of God for the first time. Some of them gladly
took away English and Assamese Bibles with them. Several booklets and tracts
were distributed among them. We must pray for these young people and
families that they may all turn to Christ and become His faithful witnesses.
Berhampur,
Odisha
Berhampur is
a famous old city of southern Odisha and is known as the silk town of Odisha.
Our team from Bhubaneswar and Vishakapatnam conduct special meetings here every
year in order to reach the unreached.
We
had a one day special meeting here on Oct. 19. Though it rained heavily in
the morning, the dear Lord brought in about 120 people, among whom 80 were
students. The Lord used our brothers mightily and many began to cry to God
during the prayer sessions. Let us pray that God may raise up a host of
witnesses and glorify His name.
Sunderbans,
West Bengal
The
Sunderbans is the region where the mighty river Ganges meets the sea, where the
tides have cut the land into strips of mangrove swamps, infested with
crocodiles and tigers. The people who live in this inhospitable region are
extremely poor. Our small Kolkata team works faithfully and has been rendering
medical help to the people while giving them the Gospel.
The
Lord helped them to have a carol service for these poor and needy people on the
17th of December. Many people enjoyed the Christmas songs and heard the Word of
God. The loudspeakers carried the message to nearby villages. Please pray
for these precious souls who heard the word of the Lord. We are making a
sincere effort and praying for a prayer hall to be constructed here.
Anantanag,
Kashmir
The
local doctors and old staff and medical suppliers were also present at the
carol service on Dec. 16. They all heard the Word earnestly. On Sunday,
the 17th December, we had a special meeting. Our small hall got packed with
people. There were many nursing students and patients present at this meeting.
Some of them came forward to share their burdens and problems and requested
prayer. These two meetings proved to be a great blessing and brought much
encouragement to all who heard God’s word.
Jammu
Around
45 km from Jammu, in Samba, very close to the borders of Pakistan, God gave us
an opening through a family. Though this place is a stronghold of Hindu
organizations, a one day retreat was conducted for these people in May and
around 120 people gathered to hear the Word of God. Some who were demon possessed started
screaming but the Lord brought them under control. We need more prayer for this place.
KGF, Karnataka
The
meetings in Kolar Gold Fields, known as KGF, in Karnataka had revival meetings
from February 9 to 11. These meetings were held in our new hall where so many
people gathered to hear God’s word. Let us pray for abiding fruits out of these
labours.
THE Annual Retreat
It
was a moving sight to see the hungry and needy people, flocking into the prayer
hall to sit at the Feet of the Lord to hear His word. As our large hall could
not contain all the people, the shady mango grove and a pandal outside the hall
accommodated the overflow congregation.
The
Spirit of the Lord was upon us right from the start. The Lord brought His
searching word to our hearts in every session of the Retreat. He used His
servants, Bro. John Daniel, Bro. David Campbell and Sister Lily Daniel at this
retreat mightily and caused His Word to go out with great power. Soon after
each message, the cries of the people filled the hall as they were moved by
God’s spirit to pray loudly with tears. In fact, the Lord caused a mighty
spirit of prayer to rest upon the whole campus and the voice of prayer could be
heard almost all the time all over Beulah Gardens.
The
reports of the missionary outreach are always a great enlightenment and
challenge to many hearts. The special songs sung by the Daniel 5 and the folks
from North-East and North India were a great inspiration.
Our
hearts overflow with praise and thanks for all the mercies of God toward us at
this retreat.
Television and Radio Ministry
It
is amazing how the Lord has been helping us to reach such a vast number of
people through the television ministry in India in their own various languages.
The Word of God has been going out over two popular television channels which
cover the whole country of Nepal. Our telecasts in UK, Germany, Guyana and
Thailand are well received with much hunger and expectation and many lives are
greatly stirred and blessed. Let us cry to the Lord for His touch upon all the
viewers. The Word of God is the only hope for all nations. Let us pray that
God’s word will grip people’s hearts and turn people to the Lord.
In
Australia, 33 radio stations are airing “The Lord’s Challenge.” In addition to
these radio broadcasts in Australia, the message of God’s love and power goes
out over television in the cities of Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We must
also pray for the ten weekly quarter-hour broadcasts reaching various cities in
the US.
Let
us ask the Lord for a true burden and understanding to pray for the radio and
television broadcasts and pray for worldwide blessing as God’s word goes out to
the millions.
The Literature Ministry
Our
books are being greatly valued and there is a steady increase in the
distribution of our books.
After
a long wait, Bro. Joe’s third volume, “Carried by Everlasting Arms” was
released at the students’ camp in October. This book is proving to be a great
blessing to many, as Bro. Joe narrates the many struggles and victories of
faith, behind every advance in the ministry.
We
praise God that we could bring out our first book in Thai language, “Victory
over Demons and Fear.” The Lord helped us to bring out Mother Mrs. Daniel’s
book, “Building Holy Homes” in Mandarin.
The
Lord helped us to publish four books in Nepali language. We are taking efforts
to get more and more of our books translated into Nepali and printed in our
press in Beulah Gardens. Three new books were published in the Odia
language.
In
Hindi, we have published eight new books, including Bro. Joe’s first volume,
“Get Set… Go.” Three new books in
Telugu, two new books in Tamil and one new book in Malayalam have come out of
our press.
Apart
from these new books, we have had to reprint many of our books in various
languages to meet the constant demand for our books.
Book
Fairs in Nepal
It
was a long tiresome and dangerous journey for our book fair team to reach Nepal
from Beulah Gardens, Chennai. The first of these book fairs was held in
Bharatpur for three days. Here we had a good number of people visiting us and
buying many books and Bibles.
In
Kathmandu, we had our book fair in a church campus in the centre of the city.
Many were invited from the churches and the Bible schools and the local town.
In Pokhara, we had our fair for four days on the third floor of a building in
the central part of the town, where a few local people visited us. In Palpa, we
had our fair in a church near the Palpa Mission Hospital. People from nearby
villages came to our fair. In Butwal, people who came for our special meetings
visited the fair. Some bookshops replenished their stock with good Christian
literature and bibles.
In
Hetauda, our book fair was held in the compound of a mission school which is in
the centre of the town. People came with great spiritual hunger and bought
Bibles and edifying books. Some of them travelled about 300 km to come to the
fair. People from a few local churches made use of this opportunity to buy
Bibles and spiritual books for their libraries. Several school children too
visited us and bought many children’s Bibles and books.
In
Dharan, our book fair was held under tents in the compound of a local church,
who gladly allowed us to use their premises for our book fair. People were
greatly thrilled to see such a large collection of books and Bibles in our
fair. Many copies of our new Nepali books, “A Wise Woman Buildeth Her Home” and
“Pray with Purpose”, were sold out.
Book
Fair in Myanmar (Burma)
It
was a big struggle and a test of faith for our book fair team to get all the
books just on time for the Yangon book fair in November. The Lord blessed the
book fair as several people visited every day. Many were first-timers who took
away piles of books and were very impressed by the reasonable prices of the
books. Many books of Mr. Daniel (senior) and Mrs. Daniel’s book, “Building Holy
Homes” were sold out.
Bible
college students from many colleges visited the fair daily, and some people
travelled long distances to come to the fair to buy Bibles. The Bible Society
of Myanmar replenished their stocks of Bibles. Our brothers could personally
witness to some of the visitors who earnestly requested for prayer. Let us pray
that the word of the Lord will spread and touch many souls in Myanmar.
Our Schools
While
many seem to think that running a school is some sort of business enterprise,
our schools are there purely to build the lives of the little ones and young
people in the fear of God.
Our
schools in Bansi, Uttar Pradesh, Salem and Mettupalayam in Tamil Nadu continue
to obtain 100% passes in the matriculation exams, with most of the students
scoring very good marks.
Our
School in Ponneri, Tamil Nadu, sent 32 students to the Plus Two exam, out of
which 29 students passed.
We
are grateful for the loving service and sacrifice of so many of our teachers
and staff of our schools. It is due to their hard work and dedication, some of
our small Nursery Schools have now grown into Matriculation Schools and are
able to see very good academic results as well. There is a great need for
dedicated teachers today for our schools, especially for our schools in Nepal
and in Bansi, Uttar Pradesh. What a blessing dedicated teachers can be!
Our Medical Work
The
Lord has been helping our medical doctors and nurses in our Gospel clinics, as
they serve the poor and sick in body and spirit.
Our
Gospel Clinics in various places like Coonoor, Velliankadu, Gummidipundi and
Royapuram in Tamil Nadu, and Anantnag in Kashmir, continue to serve the poor,
who receive counsel and prayer along with medical help.
In
our medical work amongst the tribal people at Masinagudi in the
Niligiris Mountains, many needy people are given the Gospel along with the
medical treatment. Our medical team from Calcutta goes every month to the
Sunderbans, West Bengal, where the poor are given the Gospel along with medical
treatment.
A
team of doctors, nurses and volunteers conducted medical camps in five places
where hundreds of patients received free medical treatment. A special team was
kept busy counselling the needy giving them the Gospel. People with various
problems and those afflicted with evil spirits are also prayed over. We must
pray much for our medical teams in their efforts to reach the unreached.
The Internet Ministry
Our
website has got a new layout to help people to easily access the vast spiritual
resources available on our website. Apart from English, much of the matter on
our website are given in eleven other languages also, viz., Arabic, Chinese,
French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Burmese, Hindi and
Telugu.
Many
people tuned in to the ‘live’ messages of the Annual Retreat of both morning
and evening sessions on our website, from 37 different countries across the
globe.
More
and more people are watching the live webcast of the Sunday service in our
small church in Detroit, which is called Community Christ Church, at 10.00 AM
EST (7.30 PM IST) and are greatly blessed.
Conclusion
While
God is setting before us another year of service, let us make sure that we
really advance in Christ-like living, thinking and working.
Mother
Daniel’s words come to us with added force – “Learn Christ, Live Christ and
Glorify Christ!” Consolidation must follow conquest. Nowhere should our work
produce ‘half-baked cakes’. Let us therefore cast off all dullness and hardness
of spirit and be truly equipped from above with new strength for the warfare
ahead of us. Let Christ be seen in our homes and let us not slip up in this
vital area.
Remember
we are called to be a blessing to others. We dare not be content until there is
a continuing outflow of deep blessing from our lives individually and as a body
of disciples of Jesus. Let Christ be exalted and glorified through our lives.