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Christmas 2006 PhotosHere are the stories of six ministries we were able to bless this past Christmas (a seventh ministry, New Hope Christian Centre in Kenya, was not able to submit their report and photos in time for this publication). I pray that the following testimonies and photos will bless and encourage you. We serve a great and awesome God who promises to provide all of our needs and loves to bless us exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or imagine! Praise Him!!! Pastor Innocent Yogusa works among the refugee camps in western Tanzania, Africa where he shares the love of Christ with hundreds of refugees who've lost everything to the ravages of war. By the grace of God, Pastor Innocent was blessed and thankful to celebrate Christmas with many poor children, orphans, and widows; and he was also able to give a small offering to the volunteer teacher who helps him in the nursery school.  Left: Pastor Innocent with children from one of the churches after taking a Christmas meal together. Right: Pastor Innocent with a widow and her 4 children whom he blessed with a Christmas meal and new clothes. Living Water Group Centre — Kenya Pastor Peter Mwangi and his wife Phillys minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the destitute and orphans — many with HIV-AIDS — in Kenya, Africa. Since they don't currently have a place to care for the orphans, they and other church members visit the children on the streets, give food and assistance where possible, and trust God to work in the children's lives. This Christmas, in addition to each family receiving some basic provisions, all the children received new dresses and some of the offering was used to pay school fees.  The children waving a grateful and cheerful "Merry Christmas!" Love of Christ Fellowship to Banjara — India Pastor Lazarus and his wife Susheela minister among the Banjara (Gypsy) people in south India. They presently have 34 orphans in their home and have a great burden to rescue more female Banjara children who are at risk of abuse, abandonment, and even death. Pastor Lazarus, his wife, and their three children celebrated Christmas with many Banjara church members and the orphans at his Banjara Children's Home. They enjoyed a great time of praise, teaching, feasting, and fellowship; and all the children received new dresses.  Left: Banjara orphans and church members celebrating Jesus in song. Center: Pastor Linda, Jeevitha, Susheela, and Sabitha cutting Jesus' birthday cake. Right: Banjara orphans wearing their new dresses. In the foreground are Pastor Lazarus & Susheela with an abandoned baby they rescued. Manyando Youth Action Community School — Zambia Brother Zebron Chivunga and three volunteer teachers are providing primary education and one nutritious meal and clean drinking water daily to more than 500 orphaned, under-privileged, and vulnerable children in Zambia, Africa. For most of the children, the meal they receive at Zebron's school is the only food they receive for the day. Zebron, his twin sons, and the volunteer teachers were blessed to share a Christmas meal with all their school children and many of the children's family members.  Some of the 500+ grade school children and teachers celebrating Christmas together. Redemption Ministries & Welfare Society — India Pastor G. Nireekshana Rao and his wife Swarupa pastor a small church in south India and also take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many tribal villages and homeless settlements. In their Sunday School program, they teach approximately 30 Muslim and Hindu children about Jesus. Nireekshana, Swarupa, and their two sons celebrated Christmas, not only with their church members, but with more than 40 poor Hindu and Muslim children and their families. In addition to a Christmas meal, everyone feasted first on the Word of God, and they rejoiced to welcome 7 new members into the family of God! All of the Sunday School children received either a new dress or bookbag, one Christian boy received his own Bible, and other neighborhood children received "compass boxes".  Left: Swarupa giving new pants and shirt to one poor tribal boy. Center: Church member giving new Bible to Christian boy. Right: Church member giving new bookbag to poor Muslim boy. Siloam Evangelical Missions & NMC Home — India In addition to pastoring a church of more than 200 members and a ministry to the beggars by which he distributes rice and other provisions every month, Pastor Silvi Siloam cares for 15 orphans in the NMC Home in Suryapet, south India. Silvi and his wife Phebe were delighted to provide a great Christmas celebration with their orphans, 5 widows, their church members, and many other poor or fatherless children in the community. In addition to the Christmas meal, the orphans received new dresses, each of the widows received new saris, and other children received new bookbags or "compass boxes".  Top Left: The orphans in their new dresses celebrating Jesus in song. Top Right: Other poor and/or fatherless children receiving compass boxes. Bottom: Government official giving new sari to a widow with HIV-AIDS and also giving gifts to her two children. To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. |