Alliance Stories

Alliance Neighbors Live the Call Together

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:53:39 GMT

When neighbors on Dogwood Court in Winchester, California, decided to come to the opening of Chorus (Alliance) Church, they hardly knew each other. “And they had no idea that God would lead one of them on journey that would involve physical sacrifice,” reflects John Cappelen, Chorus pastor of Connections.

Herb and Susan LaMadrid were a part of that initial group of neighbors that made Chorus their home church. The LaMadrids decided to reach out in love to all the families on Dogwood Court, including Chuck and Peggy Donnelly. The Donnellys responded to an invitation to join a small home group. Chuck suffered from polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder that he was convinced would end his life early. “I just kind of accepted it,” Donnelly said. “This was something God gave me, and I accepted it.” The only thing that would save Donnelly’s life was a kidney transplant.

Although Donnelly had not discussed his medical problems with the group, his wife encouraged him to share a prayer request for a kidney donor with their fellow believers, who unanimously agreed that each would be tested to see if one of them was a match. “When test results showed that Herb was a match,” said Cappelen, “he decided that since he had two good kidneys, he would give Chuck one.”
The Donnellys had been attending Chorus for about two years. The four-year-old church with nearly 300 members is part of a greater Alliance multiplication effort in Temecula Valley. “[The church] just spoke the truth,” Donnelly said. “The love and compassion the congregation has toward each other—I have never felt that.” LaMadrid’s willingness to give Donnelly a kidney took that compassion to a personal level.
“I didn’t look at this as something that would make me a better person or more angelic,” said LaMadrid. “It was something I was called to do. It’s a bond we’ll have for years to come.”

Donnelly returned to Chorus a week after his operation. “I feel like Herb is a part of me,” he said, “When I woke up [from the surgery], I had this need to hear his voice and know that he’s okay.”

“We had people all over the country praying for us,” said Peggy, who also was baptized after her husband’s recovery. “We give all the glory to God, because it is the power of prayer that made this come to pass.”

“Herb’s sacrifice was an inspiration to the entire body at Chorus,” says Cappelen. “It is evidence that if we let God use us in our neighborhoods, we can reach a whole street— and if a street, then the city, the state, the country, and the world. It is the life-giving story of transformation.”

Running the Race in Mongolia

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:45:58 GMT

Since 1997, Alliance workers in Mongolia have ministered Christ’s love to hurting people through practical acts of compassion. Today, seven churches are flourishing in a land that had been untouched by the gospel for 700 years.
In July, 110 young people attended the first-ever CAMA (Compassion and Mercy Associates) Mongolia International Youth Camp. During the event, 10 participants made decisions to follow Jesus, and 90 youth committed to “running the race” for God’s glory. A seven-member Youth Council was selected from among the youth leaders for the purpose of encouraging and equipping youth leaders and planning future events for the CAMA churches in Mongolia.

As of this writing, Alliance missionary Bernie Anderson and his colleagues have been working to renovate a building to be used as a student ministry center in the heart of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital. Dubbed the Grain of Wheat Student Center, its close proximity to several major universities will enable our workers to reach thousands of young people with the gospel.

“I cannot share all of the amazing things God is doing in these far corners of the earth,” said Alliance missionary Jeremy Fields. “There is purposeful excitement [among our team] for what we believe God can do in our communities this coming year.”

Ly Oudone, Alliance Missionary to French Guyana

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:28:35 GMT

By Paul Kiedel, France Field Director

Rev. Ly Oudone, the first missionary of the France Alliance national church (AECM) to the Hmong people of French Guyana, died in a work accident on August 21. Pastor Oudone was cutting a large tree that suddenly broke loose, with the trunk striking him in the neck. His spine was broken and he died instantly. He was 40 years old.

Rev Oudone did not allow “youth” to hinder his influence in a culture that esteems age. After completing Bible School in his late twenties, he was quickly appointed to lead the Hmong movement in France. As the President of the ten Hmong congregations, he formed them into the Hmong Alliance Federation of France, keeping the people strongly connected to their C&MA roots in Southeast Asia. There are young men in pastoral and congregational leadership today whom he mentored and “called” to ministry. He deeply impacted the thought and policy of the France national church (called AECM “l’Alliance des Églises Chrétiennes et Missionnaires de France”). I recall him challenging the national executive committee to sacrifice for Christ, when the older men were murmuring about their hard life of service. Oudone said to them, “I don’t understand your words of complaint. I have sacrificed everything to follow Christ. My parents sacrificed because of their faith in Southeast Asia, and now they are here. What is there to complain about?”

He also challenged the AECM to involve their young people and their congregations in supporting the training of church leaders. When he requested Bible school scholarships for his young protégés, he stated that, in the Hmong churches, they would require the local congregation and the candidate’s family to pay two-thirds of their training costs, and only seek a one-third scholarship from the denomination. This caused the Executive Committee of the denomination to immediately apply the same principle to all candidates.

Rev Oudone and his wife, Marie, were the first overseas missionaries of the AECM national church mission project. They went to French Guyana in the fall of 2001 where they began working with small Hmong groups already in that country. In the six years of his leadership, these churches pulled together and other congregations were established. He declined any financial support from the France Alliance, saying the local people would support him.

Rev Oudone died, leaving behind his wife, Marie, and five children. She will be living with the extended family in Alencon, France.

Funeral services were conducted from Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31 in Alencon, France. It was an encouraging time of celebrating Ly Oudone’s life as well as giving emotional support to Marie in her bereavement. Hmong family members and many Hmong Christians from France and Switzerland came to these services. Rev Norbert Clement, President of the France national church, and Paul Keidel, C&MA France director, represented the Alliance at the memorial celebration.

Winning Isn't Everything!

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:21:59 GMT

It was tournament day—the culmination of an entire year’s work pressed into one eight-hour day for Liza Gmetro and her Bible Quiz teams from Acts 29 Fellowship in Hamtramck, Michigan. The teenaged participants’ emotions ranged from excitement to apprehension as they faced their competition from quiz to quiz. After the second quiz, Shantanique,* who had recently accepted Christ, hit her limit. She had had two not-so-bad performances, but to her, she had failed miserably and was ready to give up.

“I quit!” Shantanique told one of her coaches after the second quiz. “This is stupid anyway. All you guys care about is winning.”

“It’s not just about winning,” said Shantanique’s coach. “Didn’t you make a commitment to Jesus?”

“Yeah,” the quizzer muttered.

“Then you can’t give up on your commitment to honor Him in everything you do,” said the coach. “Quizzing isn’t all about winning. It’s about commitment to character. It’s about your attitude.”

The teen left the room and ran into another coach, with whom she had a similar conversation. That coach challenged her to make her own choice; it was up to Shantanique what kind of character she wanted to portray.

When the third quiz was ready to begin, Shantanique walked in. “I’m going to quiz,” she told her coach. Shantanique had her most successful quiz of the day. Her choice to have a new attitude helped her win that game for her team and enabled her to continue quizzing in the subsequent competitions.

“Shantanique’s team took first place in its division,” said Gmetro. “And God taught her a valuable lesson—winning isn’t everything. It’s how you play the game that counts.”
*Names changed

Snake Curse Ineffective Against National Pastor

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:25:57 GMT

Although complications from surgery have caused Marcel, a national pastor in Sirasso, Burkina Faso, some health problems, the curse that was cast on him by villagers proved ineffective in its mission to harm the dedicated minister. The malevolent appeal by locals, who believe Pastor Marcel and Christianity are a threat to their way of life, manifested as an infestation of poisonous snakes on the pastor’s property. “When the snakes brought no harm to the family and started to diminish, the villagers told Marcel they were surprised that he survived,” says Alliance missionary Bonnie Oberg. Kevin Oberg has worked alongside Pastor Marcel on numerous evangelistic outreaches.

A number of villagers are against Pastor Marcel’s ministry, and it is surmised that other curses may have been placed on him as well. “Even if this [current] illness is not directly caused by the curses and is simply a natural cause of living life in a fallen world,” says Oberg, “the enemy would like to use it for his benefit. Those who have placed the curses on him will see it as a victory. Please pray for healing for Pastor Marcel. Pray that God will be the One who receives the glory and that the spiritual darkness in this village would be broken.”

Alliance Church in Chile Ministers to Unreached Professionals

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:44:45 GMT

Emotions ran high on Sunday, April 27, when 102 people celebrated the first service of Church of the Vineyard in its new building in Peñalolén, an upper-class community of Santiago, Chile. “We held a communion service to dedicate the chapel to the Lord in recognition of our dependence on God,” said Alliance missionaries Bob and Cheryl Fugate. “From the very beginning, this has been a work of the Lord. Many who attended the service have seen the testimony of the power of God in their lives and in the ways in which Church of the Vineyard has grown from five families who began meeting in the living room of missionaries Bill and Patty Hall in 2003.”

More than 400,000 of the country’s top leaders and decision makers live in the immaculately landscaped community of Peñalolén, where no evangelical church exists. A major challenge in sharing Christ has been making contact and forming relationships. “There have been tremendous spiritual struggles that have only increased as we approached the opening of the church,” said Bob and Cheryl. “The Church of the Vineyard is the first to lift the cross high in this suburb of Santiago.”

The congregation expressed special gratitude for a short-term team construction team from the DuBois Alliance Church in Pennsylvania. “The team members tirelessly gave all they had to help us open our doors on April 27,” said the Fugates. “Without their help, our first floor would remain unfinished, with just rough cement.” The team’s commitment to the Lord to come to Chile and help build the church was a major testimony to the congregation. “The team members shared time with families in our congregation and built more than a building—they built bridges of love connecting two churches thousands of miles apart. They built eternity in the hearts of Chileans.”

“Jesus promised to build His Church, and He has done so in Peñalolén, Santiago, and we are deeply grateful to be a part of His work in this place,” said Bob and Cheryl. “Your faithful prayers and support have made it possible for The Christian and Missionary Alliance to open our church where we minister to the least-reached people in Chile.”

Village "Crazy Man" Set Free

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:42:39 GMT

Before he came to Christ, Youssuf had been tormented by evil spirits and had severe insomnia. “He was considered a ‘crazy man,’” said Toby Hull, an Alliance missionary to Burkina Faso. “Youssuf was often incoherent and acted out in strange ways.” After his father, a member of the traditional religion, saw the JESUS film, he brought Youssuf to the Alliance pastor and said, “If Jesus can heal those people, perhaps He can help my son.”
The pastor met with Youssuf and prayed with him for several months. Eventually, Youssuf trusted in Christ and was recently baptized. “Now, he is freed from the spirits that were bothering him and is completely normal!” said Hull. “You would never know that he was the village crazy man. He is certainly a changed person.” Youssuf’s two wives and nine children are now following Christ and are involved in the local church. “What a boost to the church’s Sunday school!” quipped Hull.

The Challenge with New Believers

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:01:20 GMT

It had been six hours since Thiery had been injured in an automobile accident. The young man had been riding with a dozen other passengers in an open pick-up truck 20 kilometers from Bongolo when the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled. A passing car brought Thiery and four other injured passengers to Bongolo Hospital for treatment.

“He had an open wound in his upper arm that seemed innocent enough,” said Alliance missionary Dr. David Thompson. “But a severe infection set in that within three days devoured most of the skin and some of the muscles on the back of his upper arm and elbow.”

During the month that Thiery was hospitalized, hospital personnel prayed for him when they made their rounds, and Jonas, an anesthetist, talked to Thiery several times about giving his life to Christ. During his third week, Thiery prayed a prayer of faith and told the team that he had decided to follow Jesus. “When he was finally discharged,” said Thompson, “we all encouraged him to attend the local Bongolo church. But after he left the hospital, Thiery went back to his old way of life.”

When a renowned plastic surgeon, David Chang from M. D. Anderson Hospital in Texas, came to Bongolo to offer his services, Thiery was one of the patients who showed up. His right elbow was severely scarred, and his arm was useless. With Dr. Chang’s surgical skills, the amount of scar tissue was reduced, and a vascularized transfer flap was moved from Thiery’s wrist to his elbow, restoring Thiery’s arm to normal function.

During his hospitalization, Thiery was again encouraged to follow Christ, and some staff will visit him after his release. “But unlike Thiery who lives close by,” Thompson said, “most who pray to receive Christ at the hospital come from all over Gabon. We have the privilege of introducing thousands of people to Christ each year. The challenge for our team and for the churches of Gabon is to encourage and help these vulnerable new believers to follow in Christ’s footsteps after they leave the hospital.”

Dental Chair Evangelism

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:43:58 GMT

"When I was growing up, my mother had multiple boyfriends," said Patricia,* who lives in Paraguay where Alliance missionaries Bob and Brenda Boston serve. "A constant stream of men stayed in our house." The only child of a single parent, Patricia became pregnant by her first boyfriend. "Our families forced us to marry, but we were never happy together," she said.

Even before their marriage, Patricia's husband was unfaithful to her. "The pain of [his infidelity] led me to seek comfort in the arms of another man." The affair tormented Patricia. "Eventually, I confessed to one of my dental patients. Over the years this patient counseled me, and one day he accepted Christ as his Savior. He told me the story of salvation, and it made a big impact on me. He said that Jesus could help me give up my lover and change my life." At the same time, Patricia learned that her aunt was holding Bible studies in her home.

As Patricia's children entered their teens, she became concerned about their behavior. Her son started drinking, and she worried about the influence his friends were having on him. She also feared that her children would find out about her affair. She realized she needed Jesus. "I accepted Christ as my Savior in my dentist's office with my patient sitting in the dental chair. I knew it was an important decision for me."

Soon afterward, Patricia began attending Bible studies with Bob and Brenda Boston in her aunt's home. Eventually, Patricia participated in a discipleship class with them and was baptized. Her daughter accepted the Lord a year later, followed by her son. "I could see Christ begin the transform my family," said Patricia.

"In spite of the miracles that God in my life, I could not find the power to give up my lover. I prayed and fasted, I pleaded with God, but I could not stop sinning," she said. Finally, Bob Boston agreed to lead Patricia in deliverance-style counseling. For nearly two months, he and another pastor met with Patricia twice a week to pray and talk with her until she was able to give up her sin. "This is one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life," Patricia said. "I cannot explain what a stronghold Satan had in my life."

Since then, Patricia has seen God's faithfulness in many areas. Her children serve the Lord, and her mother also received Jesus. Although her husband has not yet come to Christ, "I can see him softening daily," said Patricia. "I believe that he, too, will one day accept Jesus as his personal Savior."

*name changed to protect identity

Strong in the Lord

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:57:02 GMT

In Alliance churches around the world, many new believers were baptized on Easter Sunday. One of them is Tomiko, who started coming to Yachiyo Church in Japan two years ago seeking to learn about God. Because she is in her 90s, she had struggled to climb the steps of the church, which is on the third floor of an office building.

In answer to prayer, God has strengthened her physical body. During her baptism, "she pledged her love for Jesus before the congregation, promising to obey and worship the one, true God," said Alliance missionaries Harry and Jane Landaw.

The Indispensible Word

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:36:34 GMT

“Their honesty, vulnerability, and fear of God is so refreshing,” says Barb Sorensen (Alliance missionary to Republic of the Congo) about the students in her Bible class. “They are teaching me to be careful to be real and not religious; to talk about a relationship. They don’t know about religion, but they do know about Jesus.”

Sorensen’s classes consist mostly of released prison inmates, all of whom completed the Emmaus Bible Correspondence Course while in prison and desired to further their Christian training. “Currently in the Brazzaville prison, 20 percent of the 300 inmates are going through the Emmaus course,” she says. “It is quite a task for our two Bible bookstore men to keep up with all the correcting and keeping lists of all the grades and courses completed.”

Initially, Sorensen began visiting the prison in early 2004 to share Scripture and pray with the women who speak French. A gifted pastor’s wife, Yoyo, joined Sorensen in the ministry, translating into Lingala. After awhile, male inmates asked why they were not taught God’s Word. “I heard about Emmaus just when the men asked for more training in [the Bible],” Sorensen says. “Today, we have 71 people studying the course.”

Although she doesn’t ask why her students were imprisoned, Sorensen usually finds out when they confess their stories to her. “Aimé (ee-MAY) was a false prophet before he was in prison,” she says. “His thunderous voice and soothing singing drew many, and he used prayer as a way to make money.”

But things went bad for Aimé when someone overhead his conversation with two of his followers who had sought his counsel about an investment. The mens’ home was vandalized and their money taken. Because they believed Aimé to be the only person who knew about their financial interests, the men reported the theft to the police, accusing Aimé.

“While he was in prison doing the Emmaus Bible Correspondence Course, the Lord showed Aimé the error in his life,” says Sorensen. Aimé trusted in Jesus and then became the worship leader in the church group that met each week. When he was released from prison, he pursued additional Christian training through Theological Education by Extension (TEE) with Sorensen. “Presently, Aimé is part of the leadership team of a prayer group that is beginning in the neighborhood where he lives,” Sorensen says. “His singing is now dedicated to lift up the Lord Jesus.”

Recently, Sorensen received a letter from prison officials thanking her for the Emmaus course and its impact on the lives of the inmates. Two national pastors and another missionary now share the preaching privileges to nearly 100 prisoners each Friday. “Regularly, 15 or more respond to the call for salvation,” she says. “Recently, one of the students was baptized, the first baptism in the prison.”

Currently, Sorensen facilitates four TEE classes, impressed with the power of God’s Word in her student’s lives. “It thrills my heart because I know His Word will accomplish what He has sovereignly ordained,” she says. “There is this sense, too, that we are so dispensable; only His Word is indispensable. He uses whoever is available, but He does the work. I am privileged to be a dispensable part of His plan at this moment in these inmates’ lives.”

MK Leads Buddhist to Christ

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:33:27 GMT

By Abby Wolters, MK in Burkina Faso, West Africa

“Abby, I have a question for you,” said my new friend, Khan*. “I want to write a song about heaven, but I need you to figure out the piano part. I already know the melody; I just don’t know how to play it.” Amazed, I asked, “Why do you want to write a song about heaven?” I was curious because Khan was a Buddhist. He was new to our [international] school and had heard his friends talking about youth group, so he started coming every Thursday night.

Khan first encountered God on a middle-school overnight trip, where a student told a story about a half-animal spirit woman. The entire class was spooked, and the chaperones and teachers had to calm everyone down.

My 13-year-old brother, Micah, was rooming with Khan. When my mother, a chaperone, came in to check on them, Khan was so frightened that he pleaded with my mother to stay in their room overnight. Micah reached into his bag, pulled out his Bible, and explained that when he was afraid, he would hold his Bible, his “sword.” Khan clutched the Bible tightly to his chest and said that he felt safe when he held it.

When Khan asked me to help him write his song about heaven, I was overjoyed to see that the seeds that had been planted had finally started to sprout. Khan told me that he wanted to write about heaven because Jesus was there to wrap His arms around him and love him. I agreed to work with Khan on his song.

When Khan began attending the EDGE, an English-speaking worship service, Khan’s father came one night and asked what his son was learning. Khan’s parents did not want their son to hear teachings about the Bible. “Khan is Buddhist and will remain Buddhist until he is old enough to change his religion,” they said, forbidding Khan to attend the services. They did allow Khan to attend youth group as long as he was not forced to convert.

A few weeks later, a member of the group gave Khan a Bible. Furious, Khan’s parents disposed of it and paid a visit to the school office. Because Alliance missionary Leanna Giesege is the youth leader as well as a teacher at the school, Khan’s parents believed she was using her position to pressure Khan into attending youth group. They forbade him from going but eventually allowed him to return on one condition—Khan must remain Buddhist until he was old enough to choose for himself.

One day after school, Khan asked Kari Nehlsen, a girl in our youth group (and Alliance MK), if they could talk, and she agreed to meet with him during youth group. That night, he shared his feelings of loneliness and pain, which opened up an opportunity for Kari to share about Christ. She explained that Jesus was a friend we could always count on who never leaves us. In the midst of Khan’s tears, Kari asked if he wanted to invite Jesus to come into his heart. Khan agreed.

I jumped for joy when I heard the wonderful news! God had answered our prayers. We also knew that we could not give Khan a Bible yet because his parents would not allow him to read it.

Our leadership team joined Leanna and Kari in prayer for discernment in finding a balance between honoring Khan’s parents and helping him to grow in the Lord. In a way, our youth group has become Khan’s Bible, sharing what we have learned to encourage him. Khan’s faith is still young, and he is in a vulnerable position. But I take comfort in knowing that one day, I will see Khan walk through the gates of heaven into the open arms of Jesus and sing forever in His presence.

*Name has been changed

Groundbreaking Coffeehouse Ministry

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:30:35 GMT

“Mariana, a believer from our group, met Katya on a trolleybus,” says Carolina Kochsiek, Alliance missionary in Russia. “Because she spoke some English, Mariana invited her to the Café.” Kochsiek and her husband, Jason, assist their C&MA colleagues with an English Café, a coffeehouse ministry that promotes English conversation. As relationships are formed those who attend the English Café are invited to attend volleyball nights and women’s craft events. Currently, 15 women attend Kochsiek’s Women’s Craft and Book Club. “Most of the topics of discussion are spiritual, but the women continue to come,” she says.

Katya was eager to attend the English Cafe, where she heard about the craft club and began attending that as well. While working on the Christmas craft, Katya heard the story of Jesus coming to earth as a babe and began asking questions. “She began to read the Bible with Mariana,” says Kochsiek. “What she found in the Word answered her questions, and she decided to receive Christ as her Savior.”

Alliance workers are using groundbreaking ways to reach Russians where they are by meeting their felt needs. “The C&MA team in Ekaterinburg dreams of one day opening a community center where the English Café, English classes, scrapbooking, ladies teas, and other events could be held,” Kochsiek says. Innovative Alliance outreaches such as Kochsiek’s women’s club are making inroads into the hearts and lives of Russians as Alliance workers are building relationships with people who can look into their lives and see Jesus. “Katya already is sharing her story with friends,” says Kochsiek. “Pray that we will have more ‘divine encounters’ like Katya and Mariana had on the trolleybus.”

The Weaker Vessel

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:30:51 GMT

By Stephen Boda, pastor of Bridge of Hope (Alliance) Church in St. Louis, Missouri

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the body of Christ is made up of many parts. One part can't say to another, “I don't need you.” Last Sunday was just another such reminder to me of how important each person is in our fellowship. Four of our Urban Ministry Institute (our leadership training program) students led the service, teaching us what they have been learning from their classes: the Old Testament witness of Christ, Theology of the Church, Justice and Mercy, and God, the Holy Spirit.

As I listened, I was amazed at how far our little congregation has come in its knowledge of the Bible. In a community where women typically dominate the visible church, there is at least a ten to one male-dominated attendance in our classes. God is raising up men to be leaders among us.

I was driving home, feeling proud of these young men, when I received a call from Gil, a church member who had given Aretha a ride home. Aretha is a 10-year-old trapped in a 30-year-old body. Her faith is simple, but contagious. Gil and Aretha had stopped at a local ministry thrift store to find some much-needed clothing for Aretha and her daughters. As they looked around, Gil noticed that Aretha had found a book and was reading it aloud. When he looked closer, he realized that it was a beginner's Bible for children. Aretha looked up at Gil and said, “This is a great book!” She went home with it. Aretha's hunger for the Word is no different than the young men that had just spoken at church.

My heart was filled with so much joy; I could hardly contain myself. God had just reminded me again of how the weaker vessels are to be treated with greater honor. Each one demonstrated the power of God working in their lives, and I, the pastor, was the student. They done schooled me good. Each part is important for the Body to survive. Thank you for your great love, Lord, and for giving us all we need to live in life and godliness.

Prisoners Set Free

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:29:13 GMT

By TEAM Isaan, an Alliance church-planting team in Thailand

We have seen God do some amazing things in the lives of the Isaan people in northeast Thailand. We pray that this would be a taste of great things to come.

Prayers were answered with the work that God has done among the women in the Sawang Daen Din (SDD) prison. During a recent meeting, nine of the inmates prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pray for them as they are discipled and formed into a church.

TEAM Isaan also started its first meeting in the Nong Khai women’s prison with more than 20 women attending and many more listening in from outside the classroom. This is the fourth group that is currently meeting. The women were excited to be there and eager to learn more about God. We will be meeting with them on alternate Fridays. Please keep praying for this group.

The men at SDD have started their second group. Those who are part of the new church there invited 12 friends to hear the gospel stories. Pray for us as we figure out all the logistics of these meetings. Also, pray for those who received Christ as they help to teach and witness to those in the new group. We are looking forward to the day when the message will reach outside the prison walls and we would see villages impacted by the love of Jesus.