February 2011

Israel. This is the door into the Garden Tomb where the dead body of Jesus was placed after His crucifixion and the people who were on the Every Home for Christ Israel Tour last October were privileged to walk inside the tomb accepting the invitation of the angel who said in Matthew 28:6 "He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" and the EHC tour people saw the place where the Lord lay.

FEBRUARY 2011

The Garden Tomb Israel

From the desk of Katherine Franks

My 8th trip to India… How was it? Fantastic! We decided this year to take both of our children to visit EHC’s work in India. What a privilege to see EHC’s work amongst the poor… There is something I love about landing in India, all at once your senses are hit… the heat, the crowds, the traffic, the temples… I felt so happy to be back! And to show my two kids the place which in many ways had led us to the joy of working with the poor. The city of Chennai was busier, hotter and more crowded than I had remembered it, it had been 18 months since I last went. Everywhere we looked someone was taking a photo on their phone of my kids, talking to them, pinching their cheeks, shouting “look it’s a baby from a calendar!”. We were wondering what we had gotten ourselves into by bringing the kids…. Just as we thought we can’t take the city any longer, my favourite part – a visit to the village.

Photo: Justin and Katherine with their children Jai and Bodhe. And Gopi who you will read about on the next page. Justin and Katherine lived in India while the EHC school was being built.

A drive which normally takes 1hr each way, now takes 2… so we were driving 4hours a day from the city to the village and back, what do you do with 2 small kids for that long in the car? There is plenty to do! We counted the rickshaws (3 wheel-taxis), the cows which wander on the road (seen as sacred to the Hindus), the lorries (trucks), we looked for people, for trains, for bridges… what a sensory overload for a 2 year old! His eyes were wide: “Look mum a cow!”, “Look dad a rickshaw”!! In some ways I think he travelled better than us…??

Finally we would make it to the village, in an instant covered in sweat. Each day we arrived to a warm welcome in the Love Annupampattu Village school, where now 200 kids attend. I made a point to find out where the kids have come from, and was happy to learn they are all from poor homes, the poorest in the village. The teachers before admission do a home visit to make sure they are in need of free education. We went to a few of their homes, and while saddened by the living conditions, were also encouraged that together we have provided an education for the kids, so their lives may be different. I guess we take education for granted, but in this place where opportunities are limited there is such gratitude over the chance to learn in a school which is well-run, well-staffed, and in English. The children are learning, they could understand when we spoke to them, and they were happy to be in school, with a free lunch, transport, medical checks and uniforms each day. They can see a future.

As we continued through the village we stopped to visit Gopi (as pictured on the opposite page); he was a student in Justinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carpentry class in 2005 when we were living in India while the EHC school was being built. Language was a barrier but I watched as they reunited and the joy in their eyes communicated how happy they were to be together again. Gopi had polio as a child and now cannot walk. He is one of the fortunate ones though, having crutches and a wheel-chair to help him get around. Others are forced to walk on their hands and drag their legs along due to the disease. Justin was so proud of Gopi, he had become aware Gopi had done a tailoring course a few years ago, and had given him through your donations a special tailoring machine for those with polio. He had made good use of this and now has his own little business in the village. We drank some coke with him and continued onâ&#x20AC;Ś

Nineyahpen… he is a man very close to my heart. We have no idea of his age, one year he will say 50, the next 80… we know he is getting more frail each time we see him. We met him in 2005 when he walked 2 hours to a medical clinic we were conducting, he was full of life, joking, laughing. He is a character we never forgot. You may remember the story – a cow had stepped on his toe and it was going gangrene. Over the next few months we took him to hospital to see it healed. Despite our language barrier he got the message – we loved and cared for him. We went to his small home at the very end of the village. He was sitting alone in his one room house staring out the door. His eyes lit up as he saw us, but he couldn’t stand. He has lost use of one of his legs, he has lost his teeth and his hearing and his eye sight is poor. He was waiting for his elderly wife to come home to feed him… she works all day in the rice fields to make money to buy rice for them. She earns $2 a day, spends it on food, spoon feeds it to Nineyaphen and does it again the next day… He has become physically helpless. It was so sad to see. Through EHC we will begin to help Nineyahpen, as we left he grabbed my hands, kissed them and stared into my eyes. It did not seem like a plea. To me it seemed like a look of gratefulness. To him we have already helped him, but for me the past is not enough. No, we can’t help everyone. But we can help those that have been placed in our path. And why wouldn’t we? Our 2yr old son Jai has taken what we hoped he would from the trip… he has started a money box with Nineyahpen's photo on, he gets all the spare change he can find, and as he puts the money in the box he says “Nineyahpen has no money and no food…but we can give him food then he will be soooo happy”. A simple view of poverty I know… but isn’t it nice to be reminded that at times, it can be that simple, our generosity, our small change, really can alleviate someone else’s suffering, educate them, train them for employment, give them skills… our small change can leave an impact where we never thought we would. Jai our son at the India EHC school.

Our graduated sewing students are now making the kids' uniforms, many have found work in an export factory which we also visited, others have saved half for a machine, and we have paid the other half, so they can work from home (as pictured below). As we visited their homes it was an encouragement to see the machines being prized, the work being done, and the savings going towards their children’s higher education. What an encouragement to see!

As we came home people asked us how it was, expecting a terrible tale of hardship and sickness, and while we did experience some, I simply reply “It was great to see the work in the village, that people really are being helped out of their poverty through EHC, why would you want to be involved in anything else…what a great joy it is to serve the poor!” A joy that I hope you also experience each time you give.

Katherine

50 People on the Every Home for Christ Israel Tour in October 2010 pictured in Bethlehem.. They said... "I want to say thank you all so much for the trip of a lifetime, I am still living it over and over again, having so much fun and prayer time as I put my hundreds of photos into an album and onto my computer. I got to love every single person on that trip! All the blessings and joy it brought to my life are stored up in my heart forever." Elaine Chivers "This Israel trip was a life changing experience we will never forget. We will never look at the scriptures in the same way. The tour guide taught us in such a way that was inspiring and brought scripture to life. Each day brought suprises and challenges as we were lead through many meaningful places and experiences." Mim & Scott Ford "It was a very moving experience to sail on the Sea of Galilee and recall the many references in the Gospels where Jesus and His disciples spent time on this sea and the times that Jesus had spoken to the crowds on the shores of the lake. It was like travelling back in time and imagining that we were there with Him and His disciples." Fay & John Whimpey

"We would do it again in a heartbeat. We saw so much, did so much and now have a little piece of Israel particularly Jerusalem tucked away in our hearts." Robert & Colleen Taylor

From the President Stay the Course by Dick Eastman the EHC International President

hen a W military campaign

meets its hour of greatest resistance, where victory or defeat hang in the balance, generals urge their forces to “Stay the course!” It’s a call to commanders and frontline troops to fight with every last ounce of strength to win the battle and turn the tide of the war. The apostle Paul doesn’t gloss over the fact that as Christians, we are caught up in a lifeor-death battle against deadly enemies. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, nasb). The battlefield is frightening, but we are following a General who can’t be defeated. Jesus

Dick Eastman in the Old City of Jerusalem

decisively said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, nasb). A quick look at the book of Revelation brings the end of the war into perspective. The day is coming soon when Jesus wins. Sin, Satan and death will be defeated, and an angel will proclaim: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15, nasb). Until we reach that end, faith, courage

and perseverance are critical to helping us stay the course in the Christian life. In Hebrews, the Christian life is compared to a marathon race. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). The apostle John says that the greatest weapon we have in our arsenal is faith. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the

world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5, nasb). As long as we persevere by faith, we will be able to engage the enemy and move forward with confidence. When Christ gave His marching orders for the Church to reach the world with the Gospel, few knew that He was setting a chain of events in motion that would shape the course of human history for nearly 2,000 years, and only God knows how much longer it will be before the global task will finally be completed. Believers in every generation face new and seemingly impossible challenges, but we can take comfort knowing that Jesus is leading the way to victory and find courage in Him to stay the course.

Israel Tour to also include Mt Nebo, Petra, Mt Sinai, Cairo Pyramids and the Sphinx, Cruise on the Nile and Khan El Khalili Markets. October 14th - November 4th (Israel only October 14th - 28th)

The Tour will include -

Please let us know if you are interested to come by ticking the enclosed reply slip or email ehc@everyhome.org.au

• On the first afternoon after arrival in the morning, strolling along the beach in Tel Aviv Israel.

Australia Freephone: 1800 807 172 New Zealand Freephone: 0800 900 200 Cost to be confirmed but hopefully... Israel Tour From Australia Land cost $2,600 plus airfare $2,550 (including hotel stop over 2 nights in Bangkok). - 15 day tour

Israel

• The Herodian city of Caesarea Maritima, the place Paul left the shores of Israel and set sail with the Good News to the Gentile world. • Mt. Carmel - where the prophet Elijah challenged the Priests of Baal. • Megiddo - the Jezreel Valley, a candidate for the location of the battle of Armageddon.

Full Tour Israel, Petra, Pyramids, Cairo plus. Land cost $3,800 plus airfare $2,900 includes • Sepphoris - the most important city in overseas and Cairo to Tel Aviv airfares Galilee during the 4th Century AD. (including hotel stop over 2 nights in Bangkok). - 22 day tour Tour to commence in Sydney.

YOU CAN BE

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” EM L A S

• Nazareth - where Jesus grew up. • Cana of Galilee - where Jesus performed His first miracle at the wedding feast. • The Sea of Galilee with a visit to the "Jesus Boat" a fishing boat of the kind used by the disciples of Jesus.

Israel Tour From New Zealand and the full tour including Israel, Petra, Pyramids, • Capernaum. Cairo Plus. • House of Peter. Prices yet to be confirmed but please let us • Mt. of Beatitudes. know if you are interested and we will send • Mt. of Transfiguration you prices as soon as they are available. • River Jordan where Jesus was baptised.

• Dead Sea - to enjoy a float in the therapeutic waters. •

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•

Jordan

• Mt Nebo will be of special interest to Masada - mountain fortress, ascend by cable visit. The Lord forbade Moses from car to visit the scene of the last Jewish entering the Promised Land, but He resistance against the Romans 73AD. granted him a spectacular view of it Qumran - where the Dead Sea Scrolls before his death. Climbing Mt. Nebo, were written over 2000 years ago. Moses was 120 years old but was able to see the length and breadth of the land Jericho - the oldest and lowest city on of Canaan (Israel) Since then, no prophet earth. ...did all those miraculous signs and Then on to Jerusalem. wonders as Moses did in Egypt. Deut.34. Discovering Jerusalem in the time of Jesus. Join Moses on Mt Nebo. Israel Museum including the Shrine of • Dinner and overnight at Dead Sea the Book and the Model of Jerusalem as Jordan side. it was 2000 years ago. • Drive to Petra. Mount of Olives. Dinner and overnight in Petra. Garden of Gethsemane - where Christ • Petra - Exploring the magnificent "Lost prayed on the night of His betrayal. City" with its Treasury, Ruins, Tombs, Old City of Jerusalem - visiting the Pools Temples, Roman Theatre, Street of of Bethesda where Jesus healed the Facades, Urn Tomb - the "Rose Red City man who had been crippled for 38 half as old as time". During the battle of years. Walk along the Via Dolorosa (Way Armageddon, it is believed that some of of the Cross). Walking through the the Jews will escape to this city which narrow streets of the Old City to the has been carved out of rock and where Jewish quarter and onto the most Holy you will walk down the mouth of a Shrine to the Jewish people... narrow gorge flanked by towering cliffs. The Western Wall (Wailing Wall). • Dinner and overnight in Al'Aqaba.

• The Garden Tomb. • City of David - excavations. • Mt. Zion - to visit the upper room, the place of the last supper and the place where the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in Acts 2.

Egypt • Ferry boat on the Gulf of Aqaba.

• The house of Caiaphas.

• Mt Sinai. The place where "Moses spoke and the voice of God answered Him and the Lord descended to the top of Mt Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain". Exodus 19:19-20. Here God gave Moses the 10 Commandments.

• A walk on top of the walls of Jerusalem.

• Dinner and overnight at Sharm el Sheikh.

• The Tomb of King David.

• Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum • Drive Cairo via Sinai Peninsula and Suez Canal. • Knesset - the Israeli Parliament. • Cairo full day tour of Giza PyramidsandSphinx. • Bethlehem • Evening dinner cruise on the Nile. "We had a really fantastic tour." Alex & Aida Cruz

Israel 2010

• Cairo Museum and sightseeing including Egypt's most famous market Khan el Khalili.

Bible Readings: This month the daily text will be taken from Numbers For those wanting to do the one-year Bible reading programme these chapters are in brackets.

FEBRUARY, 2011

PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM PSALM 122:6 AND THE WORLD.

ISRAEL- Pop 7,653,600 Map 114 . Praise God for the appointment of two new EHC staff in Israel. Already they are taking teams doing door-to-door gospel literature distribution. More news will be available soon. Numbers 5 (1 Timothy 4-6)

NEW ZEALAND- Pop 4,367,700 Map 146. Pray for the New Zealand government to approve tax deduction benefits for donors giving to Every Home for Christ. Numbers 6 (2 Timothy 1:1 to 2:13)

MALAWI - Pop 15,000,000 Map 15. Pray that God will provide Christ Group leaders with follow-up booklets. Pray also that our teams would be able to concentrate on distributing the Gospel message as well as their farm work during this busy season of field preparation. Numbers 13 (2 Peter 3)

ROMANIA- Pop 21,000,000 Map 76. Travel this time of year will become increasingly difficult. Pray for the workers to reach all the villages with the Gospel message, especially in Oltenia. Numbers 14 (1 John 1-2)

LAND FOR SALE - Land has been donated to Every Home for Christ to build the EHC High School in SIERRA LEONE - Pop 5,700,000 Map 43. India. Pray it will be sold. The land is located near Pray for workers as there have been reports Ipswich at Lot 1 RP 152136, Munbilla Road, Milora 4309. Also of food poisoning being used to harm them. some people and groups are considering helping financially Praise God for spectacular conversions witnessed this with the India High School. Pray God will guide them to help year. Numbers 15 (1 John 3-4) Numbers 7 (2 Timothy 2:14 to 4:22) ZAMBIA - Pop. 12,500,000 Map 14. Pray for AUSTRALIA FLOODS- Pop 22,531,896 Map 145. EHC's National Director, Richard Kakuwa, The tragic floods have left many people without a who is recovering from malaria. Pray that house and some in a serious debt and personal God would protect his family from contracting the problems. Pray God will help them to meet their problems disease. Praise the Lord for the 3,559 people who accepted and their financial debt with courage and find in the Lord Jesus during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kapijimpanga for Jesusâ&#x20AC;? project. Jesus Christ a Saviour now and for eternity. Numbers 8 Numbers 16 (1 John 5) (1 Peter 1:1 to 2:10) BELGIUM - Pop 10,500,000 Map 85. NICARAGUA- Pop 5,700,000 Map 181. Praise God Home-to-home evangelism continues in for His healing touch on EHC's National Director, five new communities in the province of Isaac Estrada, who had a very serious bout with a Anvers: Merksplas, Retie, Beerse, Geel and Olen and deadly infection. Please pray for home-to-home efforts in gospel booklets will soon reach the town of Torhout. Villa Sandino, the outreach in Esteli and for the provision of a Please pray that God will bless this effort and raise up new office computer. Numbers 9 (1 Peter 2:11 to 4:11) workers for 160,000 families yet to be visited. Numbers 17 (2 John) BULGARIA- Pop 7,500,000 Map 75. A record number of families were visited by young Christians with the Gospel message in late summer, despite being questioned by the police! Pray for the encouragement of these young people and for His blessing on these contacts. Numbers 10 (1 Peter 4:12 to 5:14)

BANGLADESH - Pop 153,300,000 Map 130. Praise God that He protected EHC's National Director, Daniel Sarker, during a recent earthquake. Please pray for an upcoming revival meeting where over 1,500 participants from all over the country are expected. Numbers 11 (2 Peter 1))

INDONESIA - Pop 225,600,000 Map 141. The current stock of gospel booklets is very low; pray that God would provide the resources for an additional printing. Praise the Lord for a new printer to print Jordon River with Eric Leach baptising some of the EHC training materials. Numbers 12 (2 Peter 2) Israel Tour group in the river where Jesus was baptised.

BENIN- Pop 8,800,000 Map 36. Pray for the arrest of those who murder to collect human blood for religious purposes in villages located in Atlantique and also for new converts to have courage. Ask for the Lord to open doors for the Gospel message among the Pedah people that live in Agatogbo. Numbers 18 (3 John)

MADAGASCAR - Pop 19,200,000 Map 4. Pray for resources needed to print Train & Multiply materials, the Malagasy New Testament and the “He Is Risen” colouring book for children. Praise the Lord for the leaders who have been equipped with Train & Multiply materials. Numbers 19 (Jude)

SINGAPORE- Pop 4,700,000 Map 139. Please pray that God would provide the resources necessary for printing more “Knowing the Truth,” “Science and Faith,” and “Song of the Wanderer” gospel booklets. Numbers 20 (Revelation 1)

SLOVAKIA- Pop. 5,300,000 Map 79. Pray for effective follow-up work to be conducted in the southern region of the country and specifically for the communities of Silica and Cucma, where Hungarians received a clear message of the Gospel in their own language for the first time. Numbers 21 (Revelation 2-3)

NAMIBIA - Pop 2,200,000 Map 11. Pray for a spiritual leader for the village of Ondevete, where many are confused over the “pray and pay” sects (witch doctors with crosses and Bibles) in the area. Pray also for Meipi, who is translating and finalizing “level two” of Train & Multiply in the Herero language. Numbers 26 (Revelation 12-14) SWITZERLAND - Pop 7,500,000 Map 61. Pray for the results of a new basic Bible course and a series of conferences taught by EHC Director Philippe Beeusaert. Ask God to provide renewed motivation for team members distributing the gospel message to the district of Fribourg and the villages of Cottens, Neyrus and the surrounding area. Numbers 27 (Revelation 15-16)

TOGO - Pop 6,600,000 Map 37. Pray for the children in the region of Savanes, where malaria is prevailing. This type of malaria is typically followed by anemia, which often ends in death. Pray for home-to-home evangelism campaigns in the District of Tchamba and the village of Keta. Numbers 28 (Revelation 17-18)

COTE D'IVOIRE - Pop 20,700,000 Map 40. Pray that God will protect EHC pioneer missionaries and particularly protect Brother Dominique in Tiébissou. Pray for the villages of Aitou. CAMERON - Pop. 19,500,000 Map 24. Pray Numbers 29 (Revelation 19) for God to comfort the family of pioneer missionary Michel Alain, as they grieve the MYANMAR - Pop 49,600,000 Map 133. death of their 15-month-old child. Pray also for the completion Praise the Lord for the Gospel message of a road project which will enable team members to visit distribution to 108 villages and 87,200 more communities. Numbers 22 (Revelation 4) households during a recent month. Pray for the health and ETHIOPIA - Pop 81,500,000 Map 29. Praise daily needs of EHC workers in Yangon and Mandalay. the Lord for a successful outreach to Shoa Numbers 30 (Revelation 20) and Ammbo, with over 30,000 hearing the SWAZILAND - Pop 1,200,000 Map 3. Gospel and 12,000 gospel booklets distributed, resulting Please pray for effective communication in 260 people accepting the Lord Jesus. Pray for the between EHC leadership and team results of the outreach in Debre Birhan and Alaba. members in the field. Pray also for pioneer Numers 23 (Revelation 5) missionaries who face challenging conditions in conducting home-to-home evangelism in underCZECH REPUBLIC - Pop 10,300,000 Map developed areas. Ask God to give them a desire to 80. Pray for the results of a new gospel booklet press on. Numbers 31 (Revelation 21) recently prepared for distribution in this country. Thank God for 170,000 families who have been introduced to BURKINA FASO- Pop 15,700,000 Map 39. the Good News last year and ask Him to continue to bless these Ask God to comfort the people of Gourmaactivities. Numbers 24 (Revelation 6:1 to 8:5) Tapoa, where there was a flood in which 14 people were killed. Pray for pioneer missionary, Timothy MONGOLIA - Pop 2,700,000 Map 173. Sawadogo, as he works in the crime-ridden area of Pray for the nomadic population, which is Koulpelgo-Kom-pienga. Numbers 32 (Revelation 22) decreasing due to last year's fierce winter and subsequent urbanization. Many are now living in extreme poverty in the cities. Please pray this winter would request and send it to us in the enclosed be mild. Numbers 25 (Revelation 8:6 to 11:19) envelope and we will pray for you.

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Every Home for Christ

Australia: PO Box 168 Penshurst NSW 2222 New Zealand: PO Box 31-260 Milford North Shore City 0741 www.everyhome.org.au

Telephone: (02) 9570 8211 Facsimile: (02) 9570 4738 Telephone: Free call 0800 900 200 Facsimile: 0061 2 9570 4738 ehc@everyhome.org.au