I want to thank all of you for your efforts in supporting us. This first outreach program went better than I even expected! As I began to plan the outreach program, I wanted to use the funds wisely and completely for nonbelievers—mostly to reach villages where there are no churches or pastors for the people in the local communities. As a result, I decided to go to a village that is an hour and a half from my city. We tried to reach the beautiful children there. None of them are believers. Their families are in severe idolatry. However, I was able to reach them through a sister who is gifted in teaching Sunday School. She has been trying to teach the children there about Jesus for the last few months. Almost every child wears a thread or small idol on their neck or wrist, which was tied on by a Hindu priest or parent to try to protect the children from evil sight and black magic.
Our 1st Day Of Outreach
As I went to this new village, I was welcomed into their community with flowers, which surprised me. Then we introduced ourselves to each other. Then, the children in the Sunday School started to tell memory verses they had learned from the Bible, like Psalm 23:1 and other great verses. After that, we helped the children to participate in a skit of Jesus’ birth. Each child had a role in the skit, and as they
participated, they were hearing about Jesus’ birth for the first time. Even though we didn’t have any costumes with us, it went very well.
I had also brought my laptop to show them a video of the Nativity. They enjoyed watching the video, and then we sang some Christian children’s songs with motions. Then, I led a couple of games with balloons for fun. In the first game, the children have to blow up the balloon until it bursts, and in the second balloon game, they have to sit on a blown up balloon until it bursts. Finally, we cut the cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and distributed the cake to all of the children and their families! We used a local government school building as a platform to do the whole program. Afterward, we gave the teacher supplies to distribute to the children, so that each child will receive the following: an English alphabet set, 1 pencil eraser and sharpener, a blue and black pen, and a slate and slate pencil or two note books, and a sketching pen set.
This is the program we followed in every village and with every child—Enter the village, tell about Jesus’ birth and the reason He was born, play games with balloons, distribute school supplies, do a skit of Jesus’ birth, show the Jesus’ birth video on the laptop, and finally celebrate Jesus’ birthday with cake. Then, we would say goodbye to the children and move to another village.
While doing the programs with the children, some of their parents also came to see and hear what we were teaching the children, so I believe they also heard the Gospel in a very simple and clear way.
Thank you all once again!
Day 1 Outreach Program (Part 2)
After reaching out to 20 to 30 children in a village, I went to a neighboring village where I expected about 20 more kids. Surprisingly there were more than 40 to 50 children who participated in the celebration for Jesus’ birthday.
I used the same pattern once again with these children, but my laptop was not big enough this time to show the movie of Jesus’ birth because there were so many kids. In this village, I really felt like I wished I had a projector with a big screen and a microphone with a sound box because some people were standing to see what was happening. If I would have had a big screen, I would have showed the movie to all of them, and at the end I would have been able to explain the Gospel to them. Anyhow, so many children were blessed who participated in this program. At one point, I wasn’t able to control them while I was distributing stationary items and cakes.
What I came to understand through this children outreach ministry is that all of the older generations (the children’s uncles and aunts etc.) somehow knew about Christianity, but they are so opposed to it. So if some of these kids grow up continuing to listen about Jesus Christ and stories from the Bible, within a few years there will be a good church in these communities.
This is A* who is studying 7th grade. She is in the second village that I visited. She is a Hindu girl, but she came to me and asked
“Brother, how should I pray to Jesus? Should I stand or bow or kneel?”
So I said, “It doesn’t matter how your posture looks when you pray, but tell me this–Why do you want to pray to Jesus?”
So she said “It has been a couple years that my parents are not living together. I live with my mother in a different village. My brother lives with my father in this village and whenever I have holidays I come to visit my father. But my father never comes to see my mother. So I wanted to pray to Jesus to bring my mother and father together.”
After hearing her story, I felt tears in my eyes because I knew how it scars a child to have a single parent when all of their friends and others children have both parents. Since I studied in a residential school, most of my childhood was without my parents. So I felt so close to her issue so I encouraged her and told her that I will be praying about her family.
I was very satisfied to meet these types of children and to introduce Jesus to them in their lowest circumstances. This child is super smart, very humble and believing in Jesus, that someday Jesus will bring her family together in unity. I wish I could meet her once again and strengthen in her belief upon Jesus Christ.
Day 2 Outreach Program:
One of the believers from a church invited all of their relatives for Christmas some of whom are non believers and some are believers. So I attended that house fellowship church and preached the Word of God. I followed the outreach pattern with the kids and encouraged them to come to church every Sunday. I was able to meet kids here who are living with a single parent once again and strengthened them in spiritual things and prayed for their financial problems.
All of the kids and their parents were so happy to see the balloon games, cake cutting, and the distribution of stationary items. More than that, the children got introduced to Jesus and they experienced His love towards them.
Day 3 Outreach Program
In this village we went to, most of the people live in huts. After reaching there, we sent out a call to all the children. They appeared slowly. I used the same pattern with these children also.
Some of the children probably held a slate for the first time. The first thing I had them practice on the slate is what I had written on the slate (Love you Jesus) after I gave them the stationary items.
I was so blessed to plant seeds of hope in these little hearts and to give them a few items they need for their education like note books, slate, sketch pens etc., and show them the movie of Jesus’ birth and celebrate Jesus’ birthday.
Day 4 Outreach Program
We have a gas station that is run by the government in our hometown. Prisoners work there under authority and security. My father knows a prisoner who has been working there for the last few years. I told my father that I would like to meet that prisoner and celebrate Christmas with him. So my father helped me meet him. When I met him, I explained my heart for the prisoners. He said “Since it is a festival, nobody will say anything. You can bring a few cool drinks, disposal cups and cakes. I am going to invite my officer who is a deputy jailer to cut the cake.”
So I did as he said. The officer who got invited by the jailer introduced himself to me. I asked his name and added his name in a prayer before the cake cutting. Then 2o to 25 prisoners who work there gathered and participated in the celebration. Since they do not have much time to leave their jobs, I wasn’t able to take their picture altogether.
The prisoner who my father knows told me before I left that he wants to give me an ID card after he is released from jail. This way, I can go into the jail with government permission and spread the Good News. So I am praying for his release.
It was a happy thing to meet the prisoners and their officers and show them the love of Christ. The officer fed the cake to the jailers and jailers fed the cake to officers and I saw equality.
There are no ups and downs at the foot of the cross we all are one I was so happy to see the love of Christ made them equal on that day.
Day 4 Outreach Program (Part 2)
When my mother was hospitalized for more than 4 months in a government hospital, these pharmacists became good friends of mine. They would ask how my mother was doing when I went to the pharmacy. They have seen hundreds and thousands of Covid patients dying in that hospital.
So I went to that pharmacy on Christmas with a cake and soft drinks. I told them that my mother is alive and doing well because of her God and that today is the day that He came to the earth for all of us. Then they welcomed me inside the pharmacy and allowed me to have fellowship with them. All of them are serious idolaters, but I used my mother’s testimony to talk about our Lord. Now, I have more access to them to talk about God and what they have to do in response to the Gospel.
This Christmas season and the funds you guys sent helped me reach them with a great testimony. They know it is a miracle for someone who was admitted in an unconscious condition and to come alive and go home from the Covid ward after four months. So they believe it is only God who can do that.
God bless,
Pastor 7*
*Names and faces have been changed or omitted for security reasons.