Bicycles needed to effectively
reach people
Intercede Int’l. News
Service – INDIA – Indigenous missionaries in India are grateful
for bicycles, motorcycles and other means of transportation that
supporters in Canada have provided. With more vehicles,
missionaries will be able to accomplish even greater things for
God’s Kingdom.
Dedicated missionaries with
Siloam Evangelical Fellowship (SEF), partnered with Intercede
International, reach out to lepers and their families with the
love of Jesus, as they plant churches in Hindu-dominated areas.
Pastor-missionaries live a
sacrificial life. In addition to their own churches, they are
doing outreaches in several mission stations in a number of
villages. Eventually these mission stations will develop into
full-fledged churches.
"The project which intrigued me
most was: motorcycles for senior pastors aged 50 and up," said
Intercede President James Eagles, "SEF could immediately use 12
of these at a budget of $1,000 each. Having motorcycles would
mean that these missionaries could do their missionary work in a
much more effective way, especially in tribal or interior areas,
where bicycles cannot easily go."
SEF leader Jesuratnam Buraga, and
fellow missionaries "are doing so much with so little to reach
the multitudes for Christ," reported Eagles. "Let’s give them
wheels for their ministry and help for their workers."
Some pastors and Gospel workers
in villages also need bicycles ($125 each) for their outreach
work.
Pastors resort to walking up mountains to preach the Gospel. —
photo courtesy Intercede International
Each December, Intercede partner
Bharat Bible College (BBC) has an Annual Gospel Campaign, an
evangelism program conducted by its staff and students. "It is
our prayer to send out 12 student teams, each accompanied by a
faculty member, to towns and villages in our state of Andhra
Pradesh," declared BBC leaders late last year.
"The population of Andhra Pradesh
is about 60 million, with about six percent Christians. The onus
of evangelism is on us, and while the opportunity lasts we need
to take the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the lost
millions."
The college needs a van for
evangelism outreach work including the Gospel Campaigns, and for
medical mission trips to rural areas organized by the college
several times a year – to transport medical equipment and
personnel.
People of all castes, creeds and
colours will be reached with the Gospel of Christ in several
Indian languages. New believers will be added to our local
churches, which are pastored by our graduates.
Intercede’s Himalaya Crusade
(HIC) partner has established 50 congregations in the northern
Indian province of Sikkim, and other churches in Bhutan – which
is officially closed to non-Buddhist missionaries. "A motorcycle
in these mountains would indeed be a great blessing, and would
triple the effectiveness of their evangelistic efforts,"
reported Intercede President James Eagles, after visiting HIC
missionaries last spring. "These missionaries would be able to
more quickly and ably go to pray for the sick, hold outreaches,
counsel and teach new believers.
"We heard testimony from Pastor
Dawa Lepcha, who used to live in Bhutan. He supervises Bhutan
workers from Sikkim. He badly needs a car. We also heard from
elderly evangelist H.B. Khatri, who does outstanding missionary
work, and from Bhutan pastors. All these workers need
motorcycles. Let’s give them wheels!"
In January 2009, Intercede’s
India Christian Ministries (ICM) partner shared its need for
bicycles for its pastors. Supporters provided 15 bicycles, and
ICM reported that "twelve bicycles were distributed in South
India and three in North India."
After severe persecution of
Christians in Orissa state just over a year ago, Intercede’s
Orissa Follow-Up partner reported, "Most of our pastors and
missionaries lost their motorbikes and bicycles. Now it has
become necessary to help these pastors. We need at least three
motorbikes for Kandhamal [in Orissa state] and 20 bicycles
exclusively for Kandhamal’s victimized pastors and missionaries.
I hope your help will restore their spirits and motivation to
continue reaching the people in Kandhamal."
For info on how you can help
contact Intercede International, 201 Stanton St, Fort Erie, ON
L2A 3N8
Website:
www.Intercedenow.ca
Email:
adoerksen@Intercedenow.ca
Ph: 905-871-1773 or 1-800-871-0882.
"Get a bicycle. You will not
regret it if you live." — from Mark Twain’s Taming the Bicycle
