Bringing Hope to Orphans

It has been amazing to watch God pour His blessings upon the ministry in Russia throughout this year!

It began with God’s provision for Sergey and Anya, which allowed them to rescue five orphan siblings that were living in different orphanages throughout eastern Russia. The kids are all now living together, are well adjusted, and learning about God’s love!

Throughout the summer, we also worked with two more couples who are now caring for five orphans, collectively. One of them is a pastor and his wife who have grown to love and care for an orphan boy, Zhenya, who accepted Jesus in the summer camp a few years ago. He is now a part of their family and growing in the Lord.

Camp Transformation is a summer camp where we send orphans each year to hear the Gospel and grow in their faith. God allowed us to send 85 orphans to camp this year! Outside of purchasing vouchers for orphans to attend camp, we have helped with several small building projects to keep the camp functioning throughout the years. In early 2017, we decided that it was time to help in a greater way than ever before. There were two reasons why we committed to this project:

• For years, we have watched the commitment of the local churches, to the camp, grow. Our burden has always been to get behind those in Russia who are making a difference with what God has given them!

• The impact the camp has had on countless orphans over the years is absolutely priceless! For over eight years, the camp staff has watched God completely transform the children that attend. Hundreds of children have come to Christ, and many of them are now rooted in their faith.

The renovations are planned in four phases and include insulation, siding and heating in the main building and dining hall, overhaul of the boiler room and heating systems, and renovation of student rooms. In the early spring, we were able to meet our goal of $24,200 for phases 1 and 2.
As soon as the summer camps ended, we began to put a heating system into one of the main buildings. In late October, the system was up and running, and the building was ready for winter use.

On November 1st, Camp Transformation held their very first camp just for orphans! Held during their fall break, 38 orphans came from three different orphanages. Many of these children have already come to Christ at a prior camp, but for many others, this was the first time to hear the Gospel.

There is still a need of approximately $18,000 to complete phases 3 and 4 of the renovations. The renovations at the camp have been such a blessing in many ways. It has given the camp staff and local churches a breath of life and encouragement to see God provide. It has given the camp director favor with government inspectors. And, it has already allowed us to hold more camps to reach more orphans with the Gospel. Lord willing, next spring we will finish the last phase of renovations.

What a blessing to see God’s people pray and give so generously, and to see our partners in Russia work so hard, giving of their time and talents, all for the ultimate goal of seeing orphans come to the Lord and grow in their faith.

To God be the glory!! Thank you so much for praying and giving to help us reach others in Russia.

Partnering With Church Planters

“Go and make disciples of all nations” is the familiar commission of Christ to His followers. It’s also the core focus of our ministry partners throughout Africa and Asia. On the front lines of this effort are the evangelists, church planters, and pastors that God has called to the daily task of making disciples. 

In Romans 10, Paul identifies sending as the first spet in the sharing of the Gospel and making disciples. 

…”14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?…” 

God chooses, equips, and sends the workers. And, God uses His people to send them by means of their prayers and giving. 

Supporting indigenous ministry workers – evangelists, church planters, and pastors – who are from the areas they are serving is an effective and efficient means of outreach and ministry. They are already equipped with the language and cultural knowledge needed to do their work. 

Our goal is for all those working in these evangelistic roles to become, whenever possible, self-supporting through the giving of those they serve. Often, as they begin new works, evangelize various groups, or find themselves in other challenging circumstances, financial assistance is needed to provide for themselves and their families. Your giving allows them to more fully dedicate themselves to the ministry work to which they’ve been called and progress toward being taken care of financially by the local congregation. 

Harvesters now offers you the opportunity to participate in the “sending” of evangelists, church planters, and pastors. The cost to fully support a pastor is $100 a month. You may also choose a partial support level that fits your budget. As a regular monthly donor, you will receive quarterly updates about how God is working through the ministry and pastors you support. 

Below, you will read the stories of two pastors that are representative of those that need support. To partner with pastors like these, click here.

Pastor O.T. – Fellowship Bible Church, Myanmar 

The Lord has allowed me to be involved in His ministry since 1994. I was born into a Buddhist home and accepted Christ as a young man. I was fortunate to attend Pastor Training College and Evangelism Training College to prepare me for ministry. 

I currently serve in a remote village and have started a church there. We also began an orphan care ministry in 2014. Our church regularly goes door-to-door sharing our personal testimonies and distributing Gospel tracts. We have discipleship training for new believers so that they have a firm foundation in Christ. 

In order to support my children’s education and their health care, I run a family business. Sponsorship would permit me to focus on spreading the Gospel. 

Pastor A.I. – Closed Country 

I was dying from cancer when a pastor from the ministry I now serve came to visit and pray over me. The Lord miraculously healed my body and changed my heart. 

I have been a pastor for 22 years and currently travel between 10 preaching points. None have a permanent church structure. It is my desire to have meeting places that provide protection from the weather. I hold bi-monthly discipleship sessions that are open to all believers and also go door-to-door in the community sharing the Gospel. 

My wife and I have three daughters and one son. They do chores in other’s homes to help provide for our family. I long to be able to provide them with an education. 

 

From the Field

Grace and peace be with all of you. We thank God for your prayers and the support you faithfully offer to us all the time. God has been faithful for the gift of open doors to our message and ministry, especially to newer communities. 

Ministry Update: 

Our grand plan of ministry is to establish mission hubs in strategic centers of influence within our focus area. A mission hub is led by a local leader, whose main purpose is to raise up other missional leaders focusing on a particular area with regard to church planting and other holistic ministries. 

What motivates us is the sense of urgency that the Gospel message is needed to get out to the unreached. With the uncertainty in our country, we never know how long the windows of opportunities will exist before any twist to the political instability here. We, therefore, surrender our will and timing to God’s timing. Sometimes it may appear to us to be too early, but we praise God for showing us how to go about and are convinced that it is His will for us to extend our ministry. 

To heed God’s call, we are extending our ministry to the Diding’a tribe, the second largest tribe in the Kapoeta area. Our long-term plan has always been to reach the immediate tribes bordering our focus tribe – the Toposa. I thought that it was going to take many years before we started to reach any of the other tribes. God has challenged us to think of our church planting movement as a multiplication process rather than addition. Our focus now is to start self-reproducing ministries among the other tribes, thus helping us to reach out to the lost on multiple fronts. 

Nachilagur Ministry: 

Nachilagur is the village that merited our extra attention this year. The vision we had for this village was to plant a church and help revive a closed down school. We are glad that these two goals have been achieved! The impact has been tremendous despite the challenges that we have had to contend with. Being a nomadic community, there are a number of factors that influence the population and school attendance. Migration during dry and wet seasons affects the proximity of homes to the school. During the dry season, which results in times of hunger, more kids may come to school in order to get lunch. Other economic activities such as farming and gold mining have also influenced this as children go out to help. All in all, our goal is to continue raising the awareness of the importance of education. 

Due to the crisis in the country, most government schools are affected and struggling, and some are closing down. So when kids hear of a functioning school, they grab the opportunity. Most of our school support has been directed for school feeding. Lunch for pupils has been the single most important motivating factor for kids to go to school. Our next plan is to make uniforms for the pupils while engaging the community to pay at least half of the cost. The main goal is to help the community own the school and strive to play their part. We are hoping that the community will, after a few years, support their own kids by paying for their education. This will give us a chance to also focus on another school. 

One exciting result of this school program is that every Sunday, the community gathers to pray together and listen from the word of God. Some of the young men who know how to read and write, help run the services. Our evangelists, led by Nichodemus, also help run the Sunday services at times. I was privileged recently to attend a Sunday service, which was so meaningful to my life. 

Church Planting Training: 

Late last year, we sent one of our lead evangelists and a youth leader to encourage the church at Chukudum and to assess the area for church planting. In June, a team of six led a 6-day mission that included open air preaching, hospital visits, home-to-home and water well evangelism. Over 100 people received Jesus and about 600 heard the Gospel. The team shared testimonies with their colleagues on their current training with the Timothy Initiative and how God was moving in Kapoeta. The result was the formation of an evangelism team for the Chukudum church. This team is boiling to the brim for the lost! It will be led by Joseph Lopeyo (pictured here). He is a young man whose spirit of determination, courage, and faithful pursuit of God’s purposes resonates with mine. 

Prayer Needs: 

  • Pray for continued peace and stability in the country 
  • Pray for funds to complete the building of the main church 
  • Pray for our vision to the Diding’a tribe, especially the upcoming evangelist training 
  • Pray for the provision of two new motorbikes for Chukudum and Mogos mission

Thank you again for your continued prayers and support.

Pastor Reuben

 

Threads of a New Life

Every person has a purpose and is valued by God. In many cultures, women are not as highly valued as they should be. Our partners are committed to empowering women to reach their full potential and to be confident in their value to God and in society. 

To this end, several of our ministry partners offer education and training programs for women. In many of the countries where they operate, circumstances such as the HIV/AIDs epidemic, civil war, or abandonment have left a number of women alone and, thus, the sole providers for their families. In Uganda, Kerith Ministry offers agricultural training, computer classes, and sewing classes. Sewing classes are offered by Sion Assembly in India. And in DR Congo, women may receive training in English, sewing, and basket weaving. 

Below, you will read two testimonies of how this training has transformed the lives of women. As these women begin to learn new skills, provide for their families, and train others, the impact of your support is exponential! 

Sion Assembly Church, India 

Sailaja Nandeti 

My name is Sailaja Nandeti. My husband, Prem Kumar, and I have two children, Joe and Joice, I studied up to high school and then had to leave my studies to marry my husband. I was just a teenager when I got married. I was a housewife and was working in my house, preparing meals for my family, cleaning dishes, and washing clothes – the basic work as a housewife. My husband was the only earning member of the family. With two children and my mother-in-law, it was very difficult to run and provide for the family. 

When I heard about the sewing training center at SAC Ministries, I applied for training classes. Once I began my studies, I learned how to stitch uniforms for the school children, learned making frocks, tops, and long skirts, as well as ghagras, punjabi, and sari dress making (traditional Indian women’s outfits). 

Now, I am able to stand on my own feet and earn some money for my family. I am looking for more opportunities to get my own work shop. I want to train more women like me who are housewives and completely dependent on their husband’s income. 

I thank SAC Ministries and Pastor Rajendra for giving me the opportunity to learn tailoring skills through this training program. It gives me strength and courage to stand on my own feet, be self sustaining, and help others who are in financial need by teaching them tailoring.

Union of Baptist Churches, DR Congo 

Kavira Kasumba Nathaly 

My name is Kavira Kasumba Nathaly, and I am from Goma. I was born into in a pagan family, but at the age of 17, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I currently live with my family of seven people. 

In February 2016, I joined the sewing center at UBC and earned my certificate after six months of training. Just two months later, I was able to open my own shop and begin working on my own and earning money to help provide for my family. I operate my business from a small tent sheet house (pictured right). I have purchased two sewing machines, and now, I am training other ladies to sew! 

I am so grateful to the staff of the sewing center for the free training that I received. I am trusting that God will continue to grow my business so that I can help other young women.

Women of Pokot

The Women of Pokot ministry is focused on encouraging and discipling women in the harsh world of western Kenya. Partnering with People on Mission, its goal is to train up women who are committed to reaching other women in the community and sharing God’s love with them. The ministry also supports the National Zero Tolerance Day, which speaks out against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). 

Pokot culture places little value on women. They are treated more as possessions, and are not allowed to own or inherit anything. Young girls will bring a dowry of up to 45 cows to struggling families, contributing to early marriages, often to men much older than them. Because of FGM, many endure monthly physical pain and complications in childbirth. Each day, they carry the burden of finding water, food, and shelter in a land stricken by constant drought. They work hard to pay school fees, knowing education will provide a better life for their children. While their society treats them as having little value, we know that God values each precious Pokot woman and her children. 

For the last few years, I have had the privilege to be a part of the Women of Pokot team from Kensington Church in Michigan. Each February, our team spends about two weeks traveling to encourage, educate, and empower the Pokot women. In Kapenguria, we hold a training day with leaders from the local women’s groups. Transitioning away from a focus on basic training in job skills, as the women have excelled in that area, training is now focused on discipleship. We share our stories and listen to theirs, pray together, lead Bible training, and encourage the women to be Godly leaders in their communities. After experiencing the power of “listening prayer” during our team training, we were excited to share this spiritual tool with the leaders and women’s groups. Just as we had experienced, the

women let go of the lies they had believed about their worth and value, and heard God speak clearly His true names for them, hearing words like “Ambassador,” “Rock,” “Strong Tower”, and “Child of God.” God truly has great plans for each one of them as they continue to grow as Christ’s ambassadors in their families, villages, and communities. 

We also support efforts to end FGM among the Pokot. Partnering with Becky Chebet, a local Kenyan and United Nations-trained anti-FGM presenter, the team attends and speaks at the local National Zero Tolerance Day rally, typically attended by more than a thousand Pokot men and women. The team also travels with Becky as she speaks at local high schools, standing with her to share with young girls that they “are fearfully and wonderfully made” by God and offering hope to those who have already undergone this horrific practice. We also use every opportunity to encourage the young women to finish their education and be leaders among their peers. 

Each year, the Pokot women say how amazed they are to have women come from the other side of the world to meet with them. As one Pokot woman shared, “It is a miracle that I would share a meal with a you!” And while they tell us that meeting together refreshes and encourages them, our team members leave forever changed and challenged by the strength and courage of the Pokot women, who truly become our sisters in Christ.

By:  Stacy Mallard, Guest Contributor

From the Field

By God’s grace and sovereignty, we have experienced some wonderful highlights in 2016. We completed the transition from a broad-based ministry model to one where we concentrate on serving a single church in a single location. This has been a difficult transition, but we are deeply committed to the church as God’s vehicle in the world in this dispensation. While we thought this might make our ministry life more manageable, the complete opposite has been true! The church can be a messy place, but the church is God’s means of displaying His glory. So we consider it all joy as we encountered various trials. It has tested our faith, and it has produced endurance! 

Church Governance: We completed a year-long process of examination and preparation to install a plurality of male Elders to replace the church’s 10-year “steering committee” structure. In March of 2016, five men were nominated to become Elders, and Lord willing, will be formally installed in the first quarter of 2017. 

Ministry Philosophy and Structure: One of the chief tasks for the Elder candidates was to develop a clear and biblical philosophy for ministry, along with a structure to support their ministry programs. The results of this nine month effort was presented at the end of the year at the church’s annual general meeting. 

Expository Preaching: Completing a process that began in 2015, the church fulfilled their goal to staff all of their preaching internally. Seven men committed to an intensive training process to learn the expository preaching method. We began with a series on Jesus’ sermon on the mount and then on to our first book – James. In November, they began what will be a year long series on the book of Ephesians. In addition to preparing their weekly messages, the speakers prepare a Small Group Discussion Guide (SGDG) as a companion to their sermon. In 2016, a number of small groups experimented with the SGDG, using it to go deeper with an emphasis on applying the messages to their daily lives. What a blessing to see the Holy Spirit fill lay-leaders for this important ministry of the church. Remember, none of these men have had the privilege of formal theological training and ALL of them serve bi-vocationally! A testimony to being submitted to, and walking in, the Holy Spirit. 

Biblical Counseling: Like many churches, there is a great need to counsel people on handling life biblically. Significant steps were taken to train an initial group of Biblical counselors and then deploy them throughout the small group network. 

Bible Studies: Two women’s Bible studies (singles and Mom’s group) and one mixed Bible study commenced in 2016 studying the book of Romans. It is a very new thing for this church to participate in detailed, verse-by-verse exposition of the Bible. It was pure joy to watch them experience slowing down and discovering the richness of God’s word. 

Personal Discipleship: Both of us worked closely with a small number of key church leaders, meeting on a regular basis to focus on growing in spiritual maturity and as leaders. Our home was filled with people most nights of the week – something new, and challenging, for both of us as the gift of hospitality is not a natural one. This started slowly, but by year end has started to yield some fruit. 

Celebration: 2016 marked the 10-year anniversary of this church, which they celebrated with a church wide gathering… a first in their history. What a joyful time it was! What began as a small group Bible study has grown into a 350 person church that conducts three weekend services, children’s and adult Sunday school classes, and 30 weekly small group gatherings. What a testimony to the power of God – and the faithfulness of these local saints. Again, let me remind you… not one paid staff member. Completely lay led. Quite remarkable really! 

Looking Ahead: Over the past ten years, the church in China has experienced a period of peaceful coexistence and relative freedom to meet openly. This appears to be changing – both quickly and severely. The Chinese central government issued new religious regulations for comment over the summer. If enacted into law (very likely), they will lead to serious persecution and drive significant changes to the way the church, to be God’s church, has to operate in China. At the extreme, our group might be faced with breaking into their 30 small groups to avoid detection. In short, the modest gains in semi-open Christian gatherings over the past ten years will be rolled back in a draconian fashion when these new regulations become enacted in March of 2017. Please pray for discernment and protection for our church. For us personally, it may result in changes to our ability to be here on a full-time basis. We have been told by credible sources that we need to treat every month as if it could be our last month. 

It is our distinct privilege to be supported by you, enabling us to fulfill our call. We are most thankful! 

Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Kathy Paschall – a faithful servant who is making a difference in the lives of the Pokot children in western Kenya. For the past six years, Kathy has traveled to Kenya with nochild.org which administers the child sponsorship program for Pokot Outreach Ministries, our partner there.

Kathy and her husband, Dr. Mark Paschall, along with children Ethan and Emmy, served as missionaries for a number of years in Ivory Coast before returning home to Michigan. They began faithfully serving in their church and held on to their passion for missions. In 2011, Mark traveled to Kenya as part of a medical team. Kathy was approached by a friend at church asking if she would participate in a mission trip to help with a child sponsorship project. While she had been excited for her husband to go, she was reluctant. She couldn’t take on something like that with a group of strangers! The Lord softened her heart, and she made her first trip to Kenya in 2012. In 2014, she began leading the team and hasn’t looked back!

This summer, Kathy will make her sixth trip to the Pokot. When asked why she keeps going back, she immediately replied that it is the people – building relationships with the staff of the children’s homes as well as the children. Each year she (and they!) look forward to the visits.

The Paschall family sponsors two boys, and Kathy has developed a strong bond with her “Kenyan children” through these trips. She is pictured below with Emry (left) and Elijah (right). These boys know that they are loved and prayed for!

We are thankful for Kathy’s commitment to the Pokot children. Please join us in praying for Kathy and her team as they travel to Kenya again this summer.

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Will You Help?

As always, we covet your prayers while we continue to share the light of the Gospel in India. This primarily Hindu nation is a dark place, but we continue to be encouraged as we see the church continue to grow. 

One of the ways that we reach the lost in India is through education. The schools we operate serve the lower caste of remote villages. We provide a Christ-center education to children that would otherwise not be able to attend school. Our hope is to reach these children before the forces of evil creep in. 

Currently, we have 500 students in two schools. In 2015, we took on an additional 200 students from neighboring villages. Almost 90% of these new students are girls. In India, girls are considered a burden, are often mistreated, and are married off in childhood. We hope to empower these girls with tools that lead to a successful future, to stand up for themselves, and fight injustice with the Lord’s help. 

When we took on these students, we received additional funding from another ministry that helped to offset the cost. Due to government intervention, that funding is no longer available. We now have an immediate need of 200 sponsors for these children. Only $19 per month provides all necessary school supplies, a uniform, a daily meal, and a life-changing education. 

Our Creator is faithful and mindful of our needs. We are trusting the Lord to provide so that these children experience the love and redemption of Christ, as well as have an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty through the power of education. 

Please click donate to help us continue educating these precious children.

Kamlesh and Ranu Bairwa, Good Samaritan Sewa Kendra

Transforming Camp Transformation

Summer Camp has been a vital part of our ministry to bring orphans to Christ and help them prepare for life. For over five years, we have watched local Russian churches become more involved and dedicated to the camp ministry known as “Camp Transformation”. The camp has grown to include a children’s camp, youth camp, family camp, and father and son camp, as well as special retreats. Camp counselors have built relationships with many of the orphans and stay in touch with them throughout the year. 

Outside of purchasing vouchers for orphans to attend summer camp, we have helped with several small building projects to keep the camp functioning throughout the years. We believe that now is the time for us to help in a greater way than ever before. There are two reasons why we are committed to this project. 

1. For years, we have watched the commitment of these local churches to the camp grow. Our burden has always been to get behind those in Russia who are making a difference with what God has given them! 

2. The impact the camp has had on countless orphans over the years is absolutely priceless. Hundreds of orphans have come to Christ, and many of them are now rooted in their faith. For over eight years, the camp staff has watched God completely transform these children. Last year, without our help or involvement, they prepared the camp for ten handicapped orphans. It was humbling to see the other children and mentors take these ten children under their wings for the entire week! 

We have laid out a two-year plan to upgrade two of the four buildings that comprise the camp. These major upgrades include room renovations, door and window replacement, and adding heat to two of the four buildings. We are confident that this investment will help keep the camp open, encourage others in Russia to become more involved in the camp ministry, and allow more kids to hear the Gospel and grow in their walk with the Lord. 

Please click the donate button below to help!  If you have any questions or would like further information about the capital improvement plan, please contact Jeff via email at jeff@harvesters.net or via phone at 843-368-9580.

Changes at Harvesters

It is with sadness and fondness that we announce the retirement of our Director, Ed Hirshman. Ed has been working with Harvesters International Ministries since 1993. In July 2004, he assumed the role of Director from Reverend Harold Stevens and has since worked with Harvesters on a full-time basis. During his time at Harvesters, the Lord abundantly met his needs for prayer and financial support. We are so appreciative of his tireless and faithful work on behalf of our ministry partners around the world. Ed is blessed with a quick wit and warm spirit, which God has used to encourage many people and draw them into new roles in international missions. He will continue to serve on the Harvesters Board of Directors and have an ongoing role in the work God has granted us.

We are pleased to announce that Doug Radford will serve as our new Director. Doug joined Harvesters in 2014 as our Director of Development. He lives in Wilson, North Carolina, with his wife, Pam, and their daughters, Nicole and Lauren. He has served in pastoral roles for the last 19 years, ministering in churches and communities in Eastern North Carolina. His passion has long been evangelism and outreach with an emphasis on reaching children in difficult circumstances.

His desire is for Jesus to be made known and worshiped among all people on earth and to be used by God to encourage believers to engage in sharing and spreading the Gospel.

Doug would love the opportunity to meet with churches and individuals to share the story of what God is doing through the ministries He’s given to our partners throughout the world. Please contact him via email at doug@harvesters.net or via phone at 252-230-9742 to learn more.

Please pray with us for God’s wisdom and discernment for Doug as he assumes his new responsibilities and raises additional financial support for his family.   We further desire your prayers for all of Harvesters’ leadership, as well as our international partners.

As always, we are so grateful that you have come alongside us to support our partners as they share throughout Asia and Africa the message of love and hope found in Jesus Christ!

Board of Directors

Harvesters International Ministries