The Light of the world is strong medicine!
Our time in India was RICH!
It was filled with wonderful conversations with Jiwan and Esther, and it strengthened a long and fruitful friendship. We reminisced about people we know, places we’ve been, and the many things we’ve seen the Lord do. Your prayers were felt in all of it, and we are so thankful!
We were able to visit seven churches in the mountains, encouraging believers in small, hard-to-reach villages. Our brothers and sisters there face persecution for following Jesus, yet they continue to serve faithfully and pray fervently. We heard story after story of how God is moving in miraculous ways to draw the lost to Himself.
One moment I (Jeff) will never forget was standing in worship next to an older man with a noticeable limp. Curious, I asked him how he came to Christ, and he shared this incredible testimony:
He had once been the most powerful Hindu witch in the region. Then he suffered a massive stroke. Doctors gave him only two or three days to live, and the entire village began visiting his home to pay their last respects.
At that time, the pastor in this area—a young man I had baptized as a teenager in Nepal 18 years ago—felt led to pray for him in the name of Jesus. When he approached the family, they mocked him: “Our gods could not heal him, so your God certainly cannot either.” But the young pastor was persistent, and they reluctantly allowed him to pray.
Just three hours later, the man who had been at death’s door woke up, got out of bed, walked to the church, and surrendered his life to Jesus! The village was upset because they had lost their witch, but we are praying that very soon they, too, will have a radical encounter with Christ.
We also had the joy of spending time with another pastor and his wife, dear friends we have known for many years. She once taught at Grace Christian School, and when the children’s home was being built, he worked as one of the laborers on the job. At that time, he was lost and without hope. Jiwan shared the gospel with him, and today the Lord is using both of them to minister faithfully in their small village. They are truly humble servants of Christ.
There are story after story of God’s saving power and how He is building His church. By the time we returned to Delhi, Trudy and I felt that we were the ones the Lord had encouraged the most. Our hearts are full, and we are excited about continuing to serve alongside Jiwan and Esther and seeing what the Lord will do next. Thank you for your prayers—God be praised!
We also rejoice over good news from Uganda! The construction of the medical clinic is now complete. Although the organization originally scheduled to supply the beds, medical equipment, and supplies was unable to fulfill their commitment, God provided. He moved on the heart of a brother in the TREC family, and the need was fully met. Soon the clinic will open, providing life-giving care in the name of Jesus.
In upcoming newsletters, we will share more details about a reformation of our board and introduce new board members. We are eager to see how the Lord will continue to guide us into the future and use us to bring the gospel into the hard-to-reach places of the world.
Thank you for TRECing with us! There is still much work to be done, and we look forward with anticipation to what God will do through you, our TREC family.
Jeff & Trudy
