Forign Mission Reports
From the Philippines...
November 9, 1998-Dear Bro. and Sis. Murphey: Greetings to you in the lovely name of Jesus. May this find you happy and healthy, working for the Lord. May the saints in the Print Shop be happy helping one another working for the most precious thing-the eternal salvation of men.
With God's loving grace and mercy, we are also doing what we can to preach the gospel in this area of the world. I am sending you a photo of our baptism of five precious souls on Wednesday, November 4, 1998, in Gandos, Rijal, N.E. I am also sending a photo of the little group with some pastors in front of the little house where they meet for worship. They are so happy that they have found true salvation. We hope for more to be baptized later this month.
When I was preparing to go to attend the baptismal service in Gandos on Wednesday morning, my son-in-law arrived from the farm. He told me that my cow was lost. When I arrived home in the afternoon, I immediately went to the farm and they said that my cow was already butchered by thieves. Only the head and skin was found along the riverside. The cow has a little calf-two months old. We are feeding her with milk, thinking that she may survive.
The economic condition is very bad with our new leaders, and wickedness is now very rampant. There is economic sabotage, drug addiction, kidnapping for ransom, and the Muslim and Communist rebels are becoming strong. It seems the government soldiers cannot do anything to stop the crime.
There is hardship of living conditions because the plants and crops have been destroyed by strong typhoons and floods. Surely these are the signs of the end of time.
There is danger everywhere, but these will not hinder us to go to preach the gospel and help precious souls to be saved. We are very much encouraged and our joy is beyond measure to see sinners repenting of their sins and living a new life with the Lord. It is more than all the wealth in the world to bring precious souls to the Lord.
Greetings to all the saints in the U.S.A. Please give them our heartfelt thanks for their kind cooperation to support the mission work in the Philippines. May the loving Lord reward them so richly.
Your brother in Christ,
-Matias S. Tangunan
From Nigeria...
August 31, 1998-Dear Bro. Wayne Murphey and saints everywhere: Greetings in the all-prevailing power of the Lord Jesus-our Captain who has never lost a battle. We hold His authority to put foes to flight in His might. "Behold, I give unto you power...." Luke 10:19. He is unchanging to the end. "For I am the Lord, I change not." Malachi 3:6. Praise Him forever.
We are going higher, yes higher, steadily on the way to the glory world, with hope as sure as death of seeing Him face to face in a short while. His love for us is bringing us nearer to glory. He is not far away in the sky.
We have cause to be thankful in our heart for our achievement in the field of evangelism. Through the labors of the young people in the Kwale congregation, another congregation has been added to the existing ones. This new congregation at Okolori was officially declared open by this writer on June 21, 1998. Saints at Kwale and Umuachi-Afor came in a large number to Okolori to hail the birth of the new congregation with an exceedingly great joy. Okolori is predominantly a village of idol worshippers. The Church of God is the first Christian movement to establish a church in this village of over three thousand inhabitants. The community is educationally enlightened, but yet in the gross darkness of heathenism. Ministers are sent in turns from Kwale to Okolori at a high cost of transportation every Sunday to share spiritual food to the new converts. Their number is most encouraging and steadily on the increase. Worship here is held in the classroom of a Primary School allowed us by the community and the headmaster. The headmaster is recognizing the Lordship of Jesus and has turned his face thitherward to Zion....
Faithfully yours in Him, -Titus U. E. Enu
From India...
October 20, 1998-Dear Bro. Wayne Murphey and saints in America: Greetings to you again in the glorious name of Jesus Christ.
Heavy rain in our state for the last two weeks has resulted in flooding and many calamities. By the grace of God we are all safe. Floods, storms, landslidings, earthquakes and other calamities are taking place all around the world, which shows the quick appearing of our Lord to this world for the relief of His children.
We had a wonderful ministers' meeting here during the first week of October. It was a good time for our ministers to share the Bible doctrines and teachings of the Church of God.
Please pray for the needs of our twenty ministers. Our van is about ten years old and it is not running good now. We need to buy another one if God opens the way. Your prayers are requested. Our prayers are for the saints everywhere.
Yours in Him, -John Varghese