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INDIA: LAND OF REJECTION AND REVIVAL
Although India’s economy is improving, about one third of India's rural population (more than 200 million people) still live on less than Rs 12 (14p) per day. (http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp)

Reforms have benefited the educated Indians, while the majority of the population were unaffected. Education, health care and water remain distant dreams for them. India is ranked 126th in Human Development Index behind countries like China (81), Malaysia (61), Thailand (74), Indonesia (108), and Vietnam (109) (Business Today, 14 January 2007, pp. 171-176). There are 70 doctors and 89 hospital beds for 100,000 persons in 2006. (Business Today, 14 January 2007, p.190). There are 13 judges for every 1 million persons in India, while (the USA has 107) (The Week 21 January 2007, p. 6). Millions believe that the river Ganges washes their sins away. There are also millions of people who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross. They reject historical facts of Jesus' death and resurrection.

But let’s remember that India is also a land of great revival! Millions more are crying out for Jesus the Saviour, Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the Provider, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Judge. Wherever Jesus is exalted, whether in family homes or in great crowds, people are eagerly accepting the fullness of salvation. If Jesus is exalted, he will draw people to Himself.

SUPPORT FOR PASTORS
Support for pastors is one of Heavenfire’s highest priorities. The number of Pastors and Bible Women (women who function as assistant pastors or home group/ prayer group leaders) fluctuates, and has been in the mid-twenties during the last year. Long gone (thankfully) are the days when missionaries did everything on behalf of receiving countries. Now we equip, encourage, and resource equal partners in Jesus. Praise God some of the pastors we gave financial support to in previous years are now financially self-sufficient because of the strength of their churches. Consequently, we have been able to slowly continue to expand our network of pastors in new and needy areas. One newly-sponsored Indian pastor wrote:

Here the people live in a most backward environment. The people worship the Goddesses of ancient tradition and they sacrifice the blood of goats, cock, and hens as well as buffalos before their beloved idol in order to win the favor of their Goddesses. Their ignorance is there joy. It’s too hard to change their traditional attitude from this superstition worship but almighty God is so great. He can move the mountains.
Right now, where the people so ignorant are changed towards lord’s path when they moved by Holy words of brother Chris to this blessed village. Many a souls were turned in to Christ and forgot their bad worship to idols. Brother, Chris support to me has raised a new hope in my life and I could able to do His service with utmost dedication. I will be grateful to him ever and forever.

Another, whose family perished in the tsunami of December 2004, told us:
When my family drowned in the water of trouble, the God saved us from these terrible situations by only one hearty family prayer with crying. When our family turned to Christianity. Right now [Heavenfire Ministries] guiding me in the gospel field … The yearly [support] of brother Chris gave me a great strength and gave me a new life too.

These Pastors ask for our help – they need bicycles to let them travel about on the Lord’s work. We would like to supply at least 12 bicycles, each at a cost of £30-35 (approx $55-60). Click the Donate button on the left now to meet a gospel need.

HELPING OTHERS DO GOD'S WORK
When we can, we like to assist other mission-minded friends to donate direct to local brothers and sisters working in the Harvest Field. Having assurance that someone can vouch for your money being put to good and genuine use is a big factor when we are stewards of God's resources. This note of thanks came from a pastor in India who had received a gift from a friend who we'd liaised with when we'd been told about a pressing need for bicycles:

Brother, I am a extremely thanks so much for your kind heart in transferring my humble requests to Brother J [name witheld] about bicycles for co-workers. I felt so happy and jumped with joyfulness in Christ and informed this holy news to all of my co-workers. They too prayed about bicycles by providing a lot of strength to brother J as well as you in this holy plan of salvation in India. [2 bicycles were donated by this Brother]

BUILDING THE CHURCH BY EMAIL
The other day I came across another web site promoting ‘internet evangelism’. Despite the internet and email having been around for so long now that its no longer new, internet evangelism still seems to be a ‘new thing’ to some us. Well, Praise the Lord that we have ways and means to share the gospel! Since the beginning of Heavenfire Ministries’s work (whilst I was still leading local churches), it has been a routine part of ministry to share encouragement, empowerment, and evangelism via the internet. Our web site generates a steady stream of enquiries from UK and worldwide, by email and by phone, that I always respond to by the direction of the Holy Spirit, according to the wisdom he gives me to share. Sometimes, if time is tight or if it just seems right, I pass on these enquiries to my fellow Heavenfire directors to answer. Questions range from administrative (e.g. ‘Where can I find resources/ bibles in my native language’) to discipleship and counselling issues. Often, people contact me to have me pray for them, to give words of guidance or encouragement from the Lord, or to minister healing or deliverance.

• One female pastor in Africa told me how she had, in a time of desperation, fallen into a lesbian relationship, and wondered how she could be forgiven and resist further sin.
• A male church leader in India has regular discussion with me concerning the tension between his desire to be faithful to the Lord’s call and the manipulations of some of his secular family members.

Recent questions from elsewhere include these:

• Do you believe in this thing that Jesus Christ Himself is God? Please explain me in detail
• the 666 number - what [does this] mean in the last book of the new testament?
• tell me about the heavenly language [CJW tongues]
• we want to hear more from you about the women ministry and kingdom of God. Please tell us about your views and thoughts.

Please encourage and equip us by praying for this aspect of our ministry, or by donating something to enable us to give time to this work.

MINISTRY TO AFRICA
During the violence which followed the Kenyan elections, we continued - so far as possible - to encourage the believers who look to Heavenfire for oversight. Here is a summary of the situation as at April 2008, written by our co-worker, Pastor Augustine:

Brother Chris, may Itake this opportunity to thank the Almighty God who has enabled us to see this new day. Thanks very much for your concern and your prayers to us in Kenya. Just right now life in Kenya is very hard and very expensive following the political violence. As we lost our beloved brothers and sisters and properties burn it has made many people to think that there is no meaning in life.The main problem that we have now is feeding and clothing plus shelter. Many have lost their job and I don't think they will [be able to] go back and work.
What I have seen here is that despite the worst situation, people rushed into churches to pray and fast. We had nothing [we could] do than telling God our Father our problems, and He really answered our prayers! At the time of difficulties people mean to pray, no joke! Again what I have seen is that during this last days people now want the truth and nothing else...
During this crisis the West have tried to support the country ... but not in remote areas like ours.We are still [sheltering] in churches ... Keep praying for us and if there can be any humanitarian assistance you can offer we shall appreciate.Thanks and may God give you life and peace.

Photos of tsunami relief work ares still avalable for viewing: click here for thumbnail page

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MORE FROM INDIA

• Land of revival and miracles

• Pastors Conferences

• Acts of compassion and mercy

• How you can be involved and help in this work

• All this in the earlier newsletters

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April 2008: Signs & Guideposts

Newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader for this. Click to download the free software .

Read about how this deaf and dumb boy and two other children were all healed during one church meeting!

or this woman, whose blindness was healed