From Mary Ann's Desk...

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“…the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name. I am rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord and I hope you are as well.

As promised, this month I am reporting on recent events in the ministry of Bhalchandra Kamble, in India. There are many wonderful things happening in his ministry. I want to focus on only two that show the before and after of him working with the new laptop computer and projector my home church, Wings of Faith Fellowship and LTI were able to provide him for his work in conducting pastors and other church leaders seminars for the growing church in India. Yes, I did say, “the growing church in India.” God is moving by His Spirit all over the earth these days. Even in India. Hallelujah.

RAISED TO THE NEXT LEVEL
We met Bhalchandra in 1987 when we began ministering in India. He was about 21 years old, and became very active in attending our Annual Pastors and Ministers Conferences and translating our teaching materials into the Marathi dialect. He has continued on with us in all our ministry efforts in India, and has become one of our right-hand young men.


In the mid-nineties, Bhalchandra began his own ministry by planting a small church in a flat in a high-rise. Slowly, the church began to grow, and now there are seven additional such churches under his care in the city of Pune with a total membership of 300 people. He has mentored and equipped God-called young men in his home church to place as pastors over these small congregations that meet a very special need in the lives of their members. A church of 300, no matter the configuration, is a big deal in India.

In the year 2000, Bhalchandra felt led of the Lord to begin a prayer ministry among all the Christian churches in his state for the purpose of praying for the nation, its leaders, and the unity of the church. Again, this began as a small endeavor, but God blessed his
efforts, and now it is a strong ministry that reaches into many areas outside his home state. He has become a well-respected leader in the Christian community in any place where he has ministered in India.

The respect he has gained in the larger Christian community in India has now opened a new door of ministry – that of training and equipping pastors and church leaders for the growing church in India. This is exciting to him and us as well, and is the purpose for which the laptop computer and projector were purchased. He can take it anywhere – cities, and more especially, villages and rural areas where electricity is not always available. And he is equipped with the best equipment for doing the best job possible.

Bhalchandra writes thanking LTI and asking me to thank Wings of Faith Fellowship for making this equipment a reality for him and the ministry and saying, “Whatever ministry we are doing here you are very much part of it. You are a blessing.”

There are no words to describe how this warms my heart. Watching, as what
many would call a life time of labor and love, teaching, mentoring and pouring everything we have learned into young men and women so that they can likewise go and teach others. Whew! For me, there is no “job” more gratifying. And nothing makes me smile any wider than reports like these.


TO ALL OUR PARTNERS...
For all of these many years, we have been your feet on the field. This is but one of many stories I have shared and will continue to share with you. Why? Because without you, none of this would have ever been possible. It is only because of your faithful partnership with us, both in prayer and financial support, that we can continue to fulfill our small portion of The Great Commission. You achieve that with us. Thank You!

I leave you with a few more photos of Bhalcnadra’s Teaching Conference. How wonderful when men and women alike have the freedom to address their groups, sharing what they have learned without fear of persecution (at least not in their own company).

Please continue to pray for the work in India. It has been a long row to hoe, but we are seeing marvelous breakthroughs.

As Bhalchandra would say: Pray. Prayer Works.

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

Yours in missions,

Mary Ann Cassidy





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