Page Two, Heralds of Hope Newsletter

Greetings in the matchless Name of the Lord Jesus Christ from Hope Outreach Ministries, India!

There is a growing concern everywhere about the global financial crisis. As the stock market goes up and down, many people's anxiety level goes up and down. It really saddens our hearts when someone commits suicide or people's hearts fail when they hear about this uncertainty and the gloomy future of financial markets. In India, too, it has impacted many people who have become depressed and have given up hope. Some are even saying that this might lead to something like the Economic Depression that rocked the world in the1930s.

Also, all Christians in the US are concerned about the Presidential elections which are among the most crucial in American history. Surely the concerns about the global economic crisis and the presidential elections are valid and need our prayerful consideration. We understand your concern and stand with you at this time. We Christians around the world are truly committed to the task of praying for the right person to head the Government in the US. If there is a committed Christian as the President of the US, Christians around the world feel more secure.

We are encouraged by the truth in Psalm 2 that God is in control of the nations of the world. He is on the Throne. We stand with you at this important time and express our concern. We cry out to the Lord God Almighty that He would intervene in these elections and bring His own chosen person to head the State. While the Global economic crisis could shatter the hopes of anyone, we believe it cannot shatter the hope of someone whose hope is in Jesus Christ, the Risen Savior! The Lord said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 28:18b & 19. A Scripture that has been a great blessing to us is: Hab. 2:4, "The Just shall live by faith"

May I share a ministry report with you? Dayanand was a welder. In India houses need iron grills for windows. Dayanand made a livelihood by welding iron pieces into grills. In 1989 Sukanya and I were invited to speak in a Christmas service, a time when [cultural] Christians join committed Christians and attend services to celebrate Christmas. In his own words, Dayanand said: "I normally would slip out of the service during the time when the Gospel message is preached, but that day, the Lord touched my heart and I was convicted that I was a sinner."

Pastors in training session at Hope Center

I discipled Dayanand in his walk with the Lord. He grew in faith, and six months ago, he obeyed the Lord's call to quit his business and step out in faith to preach the Gospel in L.B. Nagar area. He is attending our Training Institute to learn Bible Doctrines and is blessed by our training program. His wife is illiterate but still she cooperates with him in the Lord's work. He invited me to preach the Word in their first Harvest Festival. They worship in a temporary shed made of cement sheets which cannot stand sun and rain. It is set on the terrace of a building. A dozen people rededicated their hearts to live for and serve Christ in response to the altar call. Please pray that the Lord might use him and his family to bring in many more people to the feet of Christ!

[Here] is a picture of the worship service where Dayanand serves as pastor. They need a Church building so many people can come and listen to the Word of God. We have six more villages where new believers come to worship the Lord. They need Church buildings. Please pray that the Lord would enable us to build church buildings in such needy villages. It breaks our hearts to see that there are so many villages without a Church while there is a Hindu temple on every street corner in every tiny village in India.

"Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Rom. 15:13

Worshippers in temporary structure