On November 23, we heard from Pastor Shaukat Siddique in Pakistan. He informed us that he wanted to build a multi-floor facility to serve as the main campus for his Bible college. He asked if we could help pay for the facility, and all I could say was, we will try. I informed him that we were currently raising funds for Bibles, so it would have to wait until January. He thanked me and acknowledged that God would provide the funds for construction as He had already done for the land, which his church had paid for over the past five years. Then on December 1, he sent me some pictures of their groundbreaking and the beginning of several levels of the erected walls. (I could hear the admonition, “Oh ye of little faith,” echoing in my mind.) A prayer as the foundation is being prepared. Progress made in less than two weeks.
Last year, Shaukat began his Bible College and, within a few months, had opened half a dozen branches in the remote villages where he and his students were planting churches. In each new church, men and ladies are eager to learn more about their new faith and share it with others by evangelizing and starting more house churches. He wanted to have the main campus where the leaders could come for training for a week or two at a time, then return home to teach others what they had learned. This facility will house an office, classroom, several dormitories with bathrooms, and a kitchen and small dining area. (They eat while sitting on the floor.) Late last week, I talked with one of our donors from Texas. (Praise God for Texas!) God has incredibly blessed his business this year despite covid, and he had some funds he wanted to give. This brother is always looking to see where he can get the most accomplished with his gift. I shared with him several projects we planned to adopt. Among them was a need of $6250 to purchase five more motorcycles for one of our four groups of church planters in Kenya and $45,019 to build the Bible College facility in Pakistan. Today, about five days later, this brother called again to verify the need still existed, and of course, it did -- as I had determined not to load you all down with another project in the last week of the month. Not knowing how much he wanted to give, I had jokingly promised that if he would give the $45,000, I could handle the remaining $19. He took me at my word and today sent us a check for $51,250. So, the Lord chose to meet the need in its entirely through one man, without me even making it known to the rest of you. While I was thrilled to see this happen, I know that some of you will be righteously jealous that you didn’t get a chance to participate in this blessing. Well, hang in there. There are more projects to fulfill and thousands of more church planters to support. The current projects we have lined up for the first few months of the year will range from $1,000 to $43,000 and total nearly $90,000. And if you’re like me and think that’s a lot, keep this in mind --- in the last month, apart from the regular support you give each month, we have received nearly $200,000 extra for Bibles and projects. We stand amazed, by Him and His provision, by you and your generosity, and by these servants of God who don’t walk by faith -- they run by faith. What a joy and pleasure to serve Him by serving them. And by the way, much of that amount was made up of small gifts and large. God has room to bless and use all of us who give according to our means. God willing, in February, I will see the new bible college facility and give you a first-hand report. Until then, Happy New Year. Jon Nelms and the Final Frontiers team
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