From Mary Ann's Desk...

“And the things thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

2016! If the speed with which this year has started is any indicator of what the rest of this year will be.....I may have to stop now and again to catch my breath. That thought excites me, and I hope that is exactly how it will be. My highest hope for you and me is that the perfect will of God will be accomplished in each of our lives so that multitudes will come to know Jesus our Savior, that He may be gloried and that we may be edified more and more each day. 

In some ways, I am still in Thanksgiving mode. Actually, I am always in thanksgiving mode, but the news I am sharing with you now is a carryover from a $1200 project I presented to you in our October 2015 newsletter to purchase a new desktop computer for the work in India. The desktop they were using is old and cannot support programs like Corel Draw and others for work done in the ministry office. Here is what happened: 1. Just before Thanksgiving, as I recall, the director of the missions board of my home church, Wings of Faith Fellowship Church, Pastor Rocky Shrable, mentioned they were considering picking this project up if possible, or at least $600 toward it. 2. In the first week of December, I received a call from Pastor Wes Courtney, Revival Temple, Walker, Louisiana, telling me his church would like to provide this computer for us if no one else had already done so. Now! What was I to do? I quickly remembered that a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. Besides, Bhalchandra, our Indian leader, had also told me he was going to ask the Lord to help him somehow get a laptop computer when he got home because it would make the use of the projector (that LTI purchased for the Indian work last October) work better than using the wi-fi “hotspot” on his cell phone to power the projector when he was out in ministry. Guess what I did… 3. I asked my home church missions board if they would be willing to give the $600 toward a laptop computer. They readily said yes, and… Our God, whose name is El Shaddai (More Than Enough) met the needs of our Indian work in overflowing capacity. 

AND WE ARE MORE THAN THANKFUL to Revival Temple and Wings of Faith Fellowship Church. May your barns always be full to overflowing because of your generosity towards us, is my prayer.

I asked Pastor Bhalchandra Kamble, to give us a report on all of the various ministries he and his team are doing in their local areas, many other parts of India, as well as their neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He has humbly and graciously provided us with this information only because I insisted. I pray you will be as blessed by reading it as I am.

Pastor Kamble’s Report...

We celebrate the faithfulness and speciality of God in using the foolish people of this world as we share this ministry report.

Church - We have 350 people in the church [This is a LARGE church in India]. Our church is lead by a team of seven couples out of which four are in full time ministry and three couples serve the Lord while they do other jobs for living. 

Potter’s House Bible School - We run a training program for building leaders and that is called Potter’s House Bible School. In this program right now we have 22 young people enrolled and being equipped. Started with 33 people but due to some reason they could not complete it but we are trying to give them some other options. 

Evangelism - We have cell churches in 4 different areas. in all these field churches people from different religions have given their lives to Jesus and are standing firm in their faith in-spite of persecution from the family as well as the society. God is good.

Medical Clinic - A team from the church is also running a medical dispensary twice a week in two different locations. In this way the community is being reached and served. In the same place an addicts counselling centre is also run and if any addicts are interested then further help is provided to rehabilitate the person. The Lord has blessed this ministry and several people have received a fresh start in life as a result of this ministry all glory to the Lord alone.

Social Work Project -We also have a social work project in which we have sewing classes for poor women who can come and learn to stitch so that they can learn some skill and be able to earn a living. Also tutions for poor students at a very small fee thus helping them to do better in their school. In the social work project we also make greeting cards and sell them and try to raise funds to pay the rent for the place hired for the centre and the staff. This project is headed by my younger sister who works voluntarily. 

Leadership Seminars - Apart from church ministry I am also involved in leadership development interdenominationally not only in Pune city but also all over the state of Maharashtra. I conduct a seminar once a month and am closely mentoring different leadership group helping them to systematically do the work of God.

Bhalchandra Kamble

You have sown good seed in the soil of India, and I am more than grateful to God for sending us to this field of labor. To God Be the Glory. Great Things He Has Done. 

Would you like to help strengthen this work in India? You can by simply writing your check payable to Leadership Training International in your desired amount, indicating if it is a one-time donation, or a monthly commitment, and return it in the enclosed envelope. God will surely bless you above all expectation. 

              

Because there are over 4.4 billion people in the world who still need Jesus, I remain

Yours in missions,

Mary Ann Cassidy