If you prayed for Mission to Children last year, your prayers may have turned keys that unlocked doors.
Here’s what happened.
A ministry leader from Andhra Pradesh contacted me after the 2019 Easter gospel outreaches. He wrote:
“We have been in touch with people whom we have outreached in Orissa [Odisha] in their terrible times. They have contacted back to us that they have been having constant faith on Jesus Christ and requested us to give them Bible’s and hymn books. We have sent them 100 Bibles in the past two months. May be your article about them gave them the prayers they needed by the readers and supporters of your newsletter and website.”
100 Bibles to believers. New believers, who, prior to the Cyclone Fani Gospel Outreach were hostile toward Christians, are now hungry for God’s word! That is amazing. We hadn’t planned for this result, but God had.
For over four decades, you’ve helped Mission to Children spread the gospel and minister to the needs of impoverished children in countries such as Uganda, Romania, Colombia, the Philippines, and India. In the caring hands of gospel messengers, these children have experienced God’s love through a variety of outreaches, shelter, meals, and educational help that was otherwise unattainable for their families.
This past Christmas you helped bring the gospel of Jesus Christ and a meal to over 6,000 at-risk children in Uganda across 13 locations, and to over 1,800 children, youth, and family members in various communities of Bangalore, India.
These gospel meal outreaches are not easy for our field partners. They require prayer and discernment, planning, willing helpers, and resources. Yet whatever the scope of work, together we’re meeting pressing needs in hard-to-reach places in the name of Jesus!
South India: Gospel messengers spreading God’s love in a crime-ridden slum
After meeting with community leaders in preparation for gospel meal outreaches, our field partner in South India summarized:
“Bangalore city has over 60,000 street children . . . street children often suffer from depression, anxiety, and trauma which then may lead to substance abuse and a risk of suicide. They can’t afford formal education; most of them are school dropouts. Even when they grow up there is no opportunity for skill training, particularly for the girls.”
One woman who came with her children told us, “Sir, we were on the street wandering like street dogs. But today you have invited and fed us with such special meal. We thank God for His Love!”
He continued:
“I am reminded of Lamentations 2:11, ‘My eyes fail because of tears, my spirit is greatly troubled; my heart is poured out on the earth because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, when little ones and infants faint In the streets of the city.’”
The Christmas gospel outreach inspired our field partner to consider what God could do in the Bangalore community. He stated, “Some of the girls asked more questions about Jesus and his teachings. We will find out how we can follow-up this group in future and connect them to the local church or start a house fellowship!”
Uganda: Gospel messengers ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of children at risk
Our Ugandan field partner, James, received this message from a pastor serving in the region:
“On the behalf of the North Eastern Region leadership . . . thank you, our dear missionary partner James, for the love God has put in your heart for this region in all the aspect of spiritual gaps God has showed you. From the Children Ministry Department, we thank you for the love you have showed the children in this region.”
“. . .you have put a smile and hope in their hearts. May the almighty God reward and help you open greater doors for support [of children’s] ministry in this region.”
By the grace of God, your generosity in 2019 helped produce this progress in Uganda and in India. Thank you!
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out
workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
This ministry belongs to the Lord—it’s His field. As we prepare for Easter gospel meal outreaches, prayer is of the utmost importance. Without prayer, the workers remain few. Without prayer, hearts remain cold. Without prayer, necessary follow-up with new believers appears too costly for locals. Without prayer, hostile communities remain closed to the gospel.
In the last couple of years, I’ve written a lot about India for a good reason—it’s less than 2.1% Christian! According to the Joshua Network, India today has more human need than any other country largely because of its massive population, but also due to major challenges of poverty, health concerns, and the suffering of women and children.
God works through your prayers. He uses them to turn keys and unlock doors such as these.
Prayer requests and next steps
- Please pray that God continues to open hearts and doors in the various communities we’ve reached in South India and Uganda. We want these children to hear the Good News. We also want to connect them to local churches and Christians as much as possible, if any exist in their communities!
- Please help us feed and share the gospel with children and their families this coming Easter. The cost of Gospel Outreaches averages $6.00 per child.
- You can learn more about our Christmas and Easter gospel outreaches by taking a virtual walk through a slum in Kolkata. Please go to: www.missiontochildren.org/pray2020.
Because of God’s love,
Byron Garmo, President
