Called to feed and clothe orphans and widows and minister God's love throughout the world.
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NEWSLETTER
Only Believe Ministries
March, 2011
Newsletter
A NEW MEMBER
Kyle Fisher has joined the OBM family as our Public Relations Director. Kyle traveled with us to India and a connection was made with him. He felt God was directing him to get involved with Only Believe Ministries and we were in agreement with him. We are excited to have Kyle on board.
A NEW AND BIGGER VISION
We are on a quest to find the best avenue to purchase land in India. We have Pastor Joseph searching for at least 10 acres in the area where he lives. Our desire and vision for the land is to build another orphanage. We also envision a church or ministry building with living quarters. We want to be able to plant some of it in rice and start a chicken farm. With the production of chickens and rice, an income will be generated to help meet the financial needs of the complex and help further the Gospel. We are also wanting to build a private Christian School for the children of the surrounding villages. We are excited with the direction that God is leading OBM, so if you have a few acres of land in India you would like to donate to OBM, remember that we are a 501c3, not for profit organization and it would be a tax deduction! Ha Ha!
PASTOR JOSEPH AND SONY COMING TO AMERICA
It has been quite a process so far to get Joseph and Sony to America, but the plans are moving forward. We are hoping to get them here the end of June through part of July, but we will not have the dates for certain until they receive their visas. It is happening slowly, but surely!
OBM is making plans to host a sponsorship dinner during their visit. Invitations will be mailed out to all of our supporters and sponsors as soon as Joseph has his visa and their tickets are purchased. We hope to see you all at the dinner. Joseph and Sony are very excited to meet all of you.
It will be a fun night with great food and awesome entertainment. Lisa Beck's husband Jerry is planning the menu and preparing the meal.
We have engaged The Cook Brothers Comedy
(Kyler and Kaleb Cook) to entertain us with some of their original, hilarious comedy routines. We think it is going to based around an India theme. But, with those two, who knows! Whatever they decide to do, be ready to laugh until you cry! OBM looks forward to sharing this evening with all of our sponsors and supporters. Nothing we do in India could be accomplished without you.
INDIA TRIP 2011
In January, OBM and Crossroads Bible Church made its annual trip to India. This year a total of 11 people were on the team. It is always exciting to have new people seeing and experiencing India for the first time. This year we had 4 first time travelers to India, and they brought a fresh perspecitive to the trip. Team members were: Pastor Chad Everett, Peggy Sisco, Linda Klingel, Terry Kielhorn, Angie Hoffman, Mona Schwartz, and Cindy Blackburn. New to the team this year were: Kyle Fisher, Cathy Vaughn, Dennis Harding, and Abbie Short.
As always, the trip to India is tiring and long. It always seems like we spent as many hours in lay overs as we do flying. This year was no different. The longest layover being 11 hours, most of it spent sitting on he concrete floor of the airport. We did have fun during that time with some ladies who work at the airport. They took great pleasure in painting our hands and feet (Mona's feet) with henna. Angie said, by the time they finished with Mona, she looked like and etch-a-sketch!
CHILDREN'S NIGHT SCHOOL
Another dream of Pastor Joseph's became a reality this year because of the generosity of an OBM partner. The children of the fishing villages often have to work, beginning at a very young age. This makes it impossible for them to attend school. Pastor Joseph had the desire to start a literacy evangelism school for them. This January we attended the dedication of the first one to open. It is held at night after the children come in from a long day at work. They are given a meal and they are being taught to read using the Bible as part of their texts. Most are Hindu children and they are now learning about Jesus! WOW! The reason the parents are allowing them to attend is because they are receiving a meal which usually consists of a boiled egg, rice and milk. There are over 40 children registered for classes. OBM wishes to thank the partners for their generous donation that is allowing this school to operate for the first year. The cost for one of these learning centers is approximately $325.00 a month. We are praying for many more to be started in surrounding villages.
PASTOR'S AND WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
Linda Klingel, founder of 'His Heart Ministries" had this to say about the annual Pastor's conference; "This year proved to be another fruitful time of ministry in India. Approximately 120 pastors came from all around the region to attend the conference. Pastor Chad began the meeting, teaching on how to 'Be strong in the Lord' and continued with that theme throughout the conference. The Lord had me share on how we are to live by faith and the Word of God. I also encouraged the pastors to "unwrap your pink gifts!" challenging them to affirm their wives and to release them into their God-given call and ministry by allowing them to preach and to work alongside them.
We also had a fun question and answer session, with the Indian pastors. Dennis shared on how to be free from fear and anxiety and Kyle shared on the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit in his life. Pastor Chad closed out the sessions with a powerful time of prayer by laying hands on and praying for each pastor in attendance."
(Visit Linda Klingel's ' His Heart Heart Ministries' website at: www:hisheartministries.net)
This year's women's conference was attended by approximately 200 women. The ladies really seemed to enjoy being able to spend those two days together and were very receptive to those that shared the Word of God with them. We all shared a powerful time of ministry during a teaching from Terry on servanthood, in which the ladies from India ministered to each other with a foot washing, while Terry washed the feet of the ladies on the tearm.
Mona Schwartz shared a testimony and teaching about trusting God through the most desperate situations we face in life. Abbie impressed upon the ladies their worth to the Father using the example of a diamond. Telling them they are of great value. Angie spoke a message about slavation and forgiveness. We have heard from Sony that several ladies received salvation that day. Cindy spoke to them about receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Once again, God moved mightily to touch the lives of the women of India.
JAHNAVI'S HEART ORPHANAGE
Our orphange continues to grow! While we were there this year, four new children were brought into the home. We now have 92 children living there. We are bursting at the seams once again. We still have children in need of sponsors, so get the word out to your family member, friends, churches, etc. It is still just $24.00 a month or $288.00 a year to give a loving, Christian home to these homeless children in India. Remember that 100% of your sponsorship payment goes to India to support the children.
Even as we are searching for more land, we are planning to replace the original orphanage home with a larger two story building similar to Grandma's House at the cost of approximately $45,000. This amount will build it and furnish it at the current location which is owned by Pastor Joseph.
If you wouldlike to be a part of this building project, contact us. Your support and sponsorship of these children continue to make such a difference in their lives. Every year we can see improvement. They are growing up, being educated, and learning about Jesus. Soon some of them will be old enough to leave the orphanage and they will leave with a much better opportunity to live a productive life. Not many of the would have lived to reach adulthood without you. Many would have grown up into lives of hard labor, slavery, or prostitution. You are making adifference in the lives of these children.
FIRST WEDDING
We are excited about the marriage of one of the older girls from Jahnavi's Heart Orphanage! Sony sent this information to us. She says, "The boy saw her in a meeting and came forward to marry her. He is a mason, (brick layer) and earns well and belongs to a good family. Some 6 months back, he came to us along with his parents to ask for her hand. He is a good Christian."
The marriage is taking place this month. Because of your support, there will soon be a new Christian family living in India!
GRANDMA'S HOUSE
Each year we see an improvement in the lives of the elderly widows living in Grandma's House. They were living in terrible, unimaginable conditions before coming here to live. They had no homes, food, or clothing, and were considered bad luck, or cursed. Those who had family had been turned out and abandoned by them. Some were living under trees. They were living out their lives not knowing Jesus. They were alone and afraid. Thanks to you, they now are surrounded by others who love and care for them. They have come to know Jesus and are living out their days in peace.
If you would like to make a difference in the life of and elderly widow in India, you can sponsor one for $24.00 a month. Each lady needs two sponsors. We still have several that need sponsors and ask that you encourage anyone you think might like to help to contact us. Again, the entire amount goes to Grandma's House to provide the care for these ladies desperately need.
The grandmas were greatly blessed this year by the First Baptis Church of Galatia. Their summer Bible School made fleece blankets and sent them to India. While we were there, we handed them out and the grandmas were so appreciative of them. Thank you GFB for sharing your heart with these elderly widows!!
MID WINTER MISSIONS
We were invited to be a part of the Annual Mid Winter Missions Program of the Eldorado First Baptist Church and it was a blast! We had the children pretend they were from India. They wore Indian clothes, and followed some of the Indian customs. They sure had fun being Indian for a day. They also learned about hearing from God concerning missions. The ladies from the church prepared a great lunch for us and helped us with the craft projects. Thanks ladies!!! The kids made cards with their pictures on them to send to the orphans in India. Approximately 20 children attended and fun was had by all.
CONTACT US
Contact us if you would like to be involved in what God is doing in India. We still have children and Grandmas who are in need of sponsors, so we ask you to help us spread the word. We are also available to speak at your women's conferences or to share about missions at your church or organization.
We thank you for your prayers and your support as we continue to move forward in what God is calling us to do!
email: onlybelieve7@yahoo.com
Only Believe Ministries
P.O. Box 396
Galatia, Illinois, 62935
Phone 618-383-2910
Kyle preaching at the Pastor's Conference this year in India.
Grandmas with their new blankets
Angie handing out new slates to the children signed up for Evening School
