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An update from our Local director; I am pleased to inform you that we have started the construction work on widow's House. The recent Youth seminar in Pakistan was a surprise to us. Besides all else that he does, Pastor Shaukat has, for half a year or more, been meeting with a pastor from a different denomination who had questions about our doctrine. As they met week after week, this brother "converted" to our understanding of scripture concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit and other vital doctrines. So, to re-teach and re-train his young people, he asked Pastor Shaukat to come and speak to them. As you can see in the pictures, the room was crowded. But, what you don't see, is that 30 of these young people gave their hearts to Christ and 20 offered their lives to the Lord's service. Remember, for them, "young people" is not just teenagers; it is anyone aged 12-30. Pastor Shaukat will continue to disciple this other pastor and the leaders in his church. In developing countries, pastors often teach what they have heard on the radio or seen on television. Unfortunately, those mediums are usually Pentecostal or Charismatic. They think preachers in America and Europe know the Bible and view our preachers as the "authority" on doctrine. In fact, they think we all embrace those doctrines because they have never heard a preacher say otherwise. Our emphasis is to train them that the Bible is our only authority. Once that simple doctrine is accepted, it is easy to show the way to those who want to walk in it. Anyway, it was a great conference, and I wanted you to see some of the photos Shaukat sent. Notice most of them are older, and there are as many or more men than ladies. Pakistan is primed to explode with the gospel, and we want to do all we can to light the fuse. Thanks for your help. PS They have a youth camp in July that he has asked help for. I will send you the details in about a week. I hope you can help.  Shaukat preaching. The poster shows him and the host pastor. That is typically a Pentecostal means of advertising and promoting the man over the message. All denominations have adopted that method as that is all they have ever seen.  A close-up showing the ages of the "young people" and the ever-present drum.  Girls who won awards  "Boys" who won awards.  Game time  A Bible was given to every young person that attended. Notice their joy n receiving one and the reverence they show by placing a hand on their heart as they receive the gift.  Part of the crowd  Lunch time  There is no such thing as a miserable Christian in this group. On the contrary, they have the joy of the Lord.
Thank you to all who gave to complete the funding necessary for the Vacation Bible Schools in India and the building/repairing of the widow’s house in Pakistan. I hope no one was offended by my reminder, but I often have people say they didn’t get our email and didn’t know about the need, thus the reason for my repeating it.
As photos come in over the next few weeks, I will share them with you. In the meantime, please pray for our people around the world. We may have a few bare grocery store shelves, but they have completely bare cupboards at home and no funds to purchase the little available food. I’ll send you a report in the next few weeks. In case you missed the earlier emails, you can read them here; India Vacation Bible School Pakistan Widow's House Week after week, you put up with us, sharing projects with you. I apologize if we go overboard, but we have learned over the years that some will give for one thing but have no interest in another. (Personally, I am that way. Some things don’t move my spirit, and others move me to do all I can.) Allow me to give an analogy that applies to myself -- food. If I owned a steakhouse, you might come and visit me once a month, but if I owned a Golden Corral, you could come three times a day and not eat the same thing twice for a month. (And if you don’t know what a Golden Corral is, you need to come to Augusta and experience it. I’ll gladly be your guide!) Usually, when we present a need, it is supplied in full within one hour to three days. That’s why I said you amaze me. But every now and then, I must drop the ball in explaining the need because your interest doesn’t seem to be there. By the way, we don’t do projects for the sake of doing projects. We do them because of the significant needs that come to us from our roughly 1,500 directors in nearly 80 countries. They present needs to us they feel are worthy and needy, which they cannot fulfill. Then we try to pick those that we think will interest you, benefit them, and will visibly and physically display the love of God to their unbelieving neighbors. Recently, I presented you with two such projects -- but not yet completed, though both came close. So today, I want to ask you to reconsider helping with these so we can move on to others. (And you don’t have to eat steak again.) Right now, we are preparing some fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn on the cob with some apple pie, and a scoop of … I digress. The first need was supplying funds for the Vacation Bible Schools in Tamil Nadu, India. The plan was to have one triumphant VBS in each of the 38 districts of that State. Our strategy was not only to bless the 150 children in each location but also to use it as training for the other churches in the area. Pastor Thomas wrote me yesterday and told me that some of the VBS classes had finished and that he has sent the local church leaders along with hie Bible College students to serve in the others. He also told me that they would do even more if they got enough funds. The request was for $5,700 to do all that, and you gave $3,562, so we have an outstanding need of $2,138. Click here and select "Special Projects" and then "India VBS" to give online. Otherwise you can mail in a check and designate it to "India VBS" but please let us know it is coming.  The second need was to repair the house of a widow and her children in Pakistan. She works as a maid and is, of course, uneducated with few opportunities. Her believing husband died unexpectedly about five years ago. She has asked for nothing during all that time and remained faithful to her church. Her three oldest are studying God’s Word at our Bible College and serving almost daily on evangelism teams. Several months ago, heavy rains caused her roof to collapse and destroyed their belongings. Her family of five lives in a two-room “house” with their neighbor’s family of five. We want to share God’s with her from God’s abundant provisions to us, demonstrating our great God’s love to her unbelieving neighbors. We want to repair and refurbish her house. The amount we need to do this is only $3,272, of which you already gave $2,638. (Obviously, her house is not like mine or yours.) We need only $634 more to give this family a new house. Please click here to help this widow and her family, select "Special Projects" and then select "Pakistan Widow House". Otherwise you can mail in a check and designate it to "Pakistan Widow House".  Bibles: Before I get started, allow me to update you on our current Bible project. Two weeks ago, I told you that we are attempting to raise $150,000 for 25,000 Bibles. We have already received over $8,000 towards that goal. Thanks so much to all who gave and prayed. Our preachers and their congregations are so effective that it has increased the need for more Bibles, which are illegal in their countries. Because of our numerical growth, all 25,000 Bibles will be targeted -- for not a region but one single country! Please consider helping us with this need by clicking here, or mailing in a check and designating it to "Smugglers". A Widow in Pakistan: In Pakistan, there is a widow in great need. Her situation is so dire that I wanted to share it with you. Our Lord gave us instructions in the Book of James to take care of widows and orphans. This command is emphasized with the admonition that while we seek to take care of others, we should concentrate on helping those of our "household of faith." So, let me share her need with you. This widow's name is Zerina Sarvar. Her husband, also a believer and faithful church member, passed away five years ago from a heart attack at the age of thirty-five, leaving her with no means of caring for their four children. Her kids range in age from ten to fourteen. To feed them, Zerina took a job working as a housekeeper while her three oldest children study in our Bible Institute and work in the ministry. (Like timothy, we train them and put them to work as early as possible.) Unfortunately, her salary is only $80 a month. Arzo, age twelve, is her oldest daughter. She works teaching the children in Sunday School and doing outreach and evangelism with the other students and is particularly effective at door-to-door evangelizing. Her two sons, Sahil and Sajeel, ages fourteen and thirteen, are good students but are also on the church planting teams. When I was there in February, they both went along with us from house to house and village to village, helping in any way they could. All her kids are bright, energetic, happy, and eager to serve in any capacity. The youngest daughter, Eshewa, is ten years old and is learning by the example of her older siblings. She eagerly serves Christ by helping mothers with their babies, helping in the kitchen, etc. Recently, during the heavy rains in March/April, their tiny house was destroyed. It was only a one-room house where they slept and lived while cooking on stones outside. The rains caused large cracks in the wall and roof, which have collapsed and are irreparable. As a result, they moved in with neighbors in their tiny "house" with two rooms, having a "kitchen" corner inside. Ten people are living in this confined space. Pastor Shaukat tells us this widow needs and deserves our help. He is asking us to provide the funds for building materials so he and the men in the church can build them a new house. Here are some incredible details that might lead you to help them. The entire budget to build this family a new house is only $3,272. It will be equal to or a bit better than what they previously had and will be built of better materials to survive future rains. In addition, they will have an indoor "kitchen" like their neighbors (but better) and electricity and running water. We are even giving them their own bathroom. (Usually, these communities have an outdoor bathroom that five to twelve families share.) We can do all this for $3,272. Isn't' that incredible! What a blessing for them and what a testimony to the Muslims living around them to see how Christians take care of their own. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see YOUR good works, and glorify your FATHER who is in Heaven." This is an opportunity for us to do so without straining our resources. You may wonder how we can do this for such a low price. That is the blessing and advantage for us, working in developing countries, where our dollars are multiplied in value. It is incredible that the cost of a dining room set or living room set here -- can build an entire house there. But, like Jesus feeding the 5000 from a single child's serving of bread and fish, we can take a little and do a lot. But consider this, had the lad, when asked by the disciples, not been willing to give Jesus all he had – what then? The willingness of that young boy will prevent us from ever knowing the outcome. As His disciples today, we are always thankful for you, who willingly, sacrificially, and eagerly give us your "bread and fish" for the benefit of others. You must undoubtedly have abundant rewards waiting for you in Glory. Please click here to help this widow and her family, select "Special Projects" and then select "Pakistan Widow House". Otherwise you can mail in a check and designate it to "Pakistan Widow House".
We would first like to wish you a wonderful and blessed Easter today! He is not here, but is risen (Luke 24:6) Did you know that “youth” in the third world generally includes all ages from 12-30? So though you may be married and have kids, you may be a deacon or a pastor, yet you are not considered fully adult until you reach the age of thirty. Until then, you are still classified as a youth. I know you look forward to sending your kids away to camp every summer! (oh, such sweet relief!) And what about the week-long Youth Conferences scattered across our country? They can have a life-changing effect on those who attend. Unfortunately, most Americans aren’t aware, but once you leave the USA, such opportunities for young people are virtually non-existent, until now -- and in Pakistan. Our team that traveled to Pakistan in February was very impressed by the overall ministry of Pastor Shaukat. I was particularly amazed at his success in winning the youth (ages 12-30) to Christ and motivating them to serve Christ as a disciple. Even his teenagers are planting churches that the experienced pastors oversee. In addition, he has dozens of Bible Institute young men and ladies who are eagerly and tirelessly serving in ministry as leaders of other youth – without any compensation. One way he does this is by conducting youth camps and seminars. You have helped fund his camps in the past. He sent back glorious photos that I have shared with you. But visiting him, I was able to see with my own eyes not only the fruit of his labors but the “fruit that remains.” And that is what our Lord prayed for our ministries to produce: fruit, more fruit, much fruit, and fruit that remains. The orchard of disciples he is producing is healthy, strong, and expanding. In the last week of April, he will be conducting a youth seminar in one of the churches I visited. It is in the city of Lahore, which is a vast metropolis where he already has several churches planted. This will be a one-day seminar to which he is inviting 350 young men and ladies. Among them are Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, and his youth and youth workers. The intent is to bring them to Christ and begin their life of discipleship. In this way, he can raise hundreds of more workers to reach Pakistan, a country where missionaries are not allowed. The seminar, discussing the second coming of Christ, will last from 10 AM to 7 PM, after which some will have to travel by bus for as much as twelve hours to get home. The cost of funding the seminar is $3,900. This will include four transport busses bringing the youth from different areas of a city the size of Atlanta and bussing in many from remote villages where he has established churches. The cost also includes water, juice, and the rent of the hall with chairs and food, at barely $10 per person. If you are drawn to youth ministries, this is an excellent opportunity to help reach a country you will never visit – in this lifetime. This is a great teaching time and evangelism opportunity – but it also gives our Christian young people hope. How? It is an opportunity to meet and fall in love with another devoted follower of Christ, thereby building up the churches for generations to come. So, I hope you can help us with this country-changing project. Jon and our Final Frontiers team -- here and in Pakistan. PS He also has a five-day youth camp in July that we want to help. It will be in the northern part of the country where the Taliban has more control. I’ll give you details about that in weeks to follow after we take care of this need. If you want to rush an offering to help, click here and select "Special Projects" and then "Pakistan Seminar". If you prefer to send a check, please email us and let us know the amount so we can expect it and make a note on your check that it is for "Pakistan Youth Camp". Please don't forget to pray for the seminar. In the photo, the screen states this is a Final Frontiers Youth Seminar for Pakistan. The photo was taken in February 2022 by Joshua Martyn. Mr. Roy Harris, who was part of our team, spoke to the youth, some 500 of them.  On February 18, we informed you that our men in Pakistan needed five motorcycles (see the original email here). Then, after our email was sent to you, we were told that their need had grown to seven. Rather than send out a correction, we waited to see what you would give, and by February 23, we had received enough for all seven motorcycles. Our marvelous, all-knowing Lord moved in your hearts even though you did not know the entire need. Serving Him keeps getting better and better. It takes time to process your giving and wire it to the receiver’s bank. Then it takes a few days for them to clear the international wire and release the funds. So, about a week ago, we received a photo of the five motorcycles for the Lahore church planters, and last night Pastor Shaukat sent photos of the two given to desert church planters. Along with the photos, Pastor Shaukat sent this message:
Please keep praying for us because it is a very hard task for us to reach more lost souls and win them for the Lord Jesus Christ.
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