December 2007

What a year this has been! As of October, the Lord had blessed us by sending me out nine times, and then I had to take one more trip before the end of the year. November has always been the month that I head to India, and so I went again, but this time in a couple of different locations I had not been to before.

I started out in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. There I worked with a good friend of many years, Sam Dominic. He is an unusual fellow with a really unusual gifting. He is a minister in worship, and he sings worship in a traditional Indian cultural way, singing the traditional tunes with Christian words! He captivates people wherever he ministers. He has a heart for the village, as I do, so we work together very well. He and his family and I ministered for a week in some really remote villages and tribal areas. We have worked together four years now, so we keep pushing back further and further into the jungle and remote areas. The villages keep allowing us a further and further access and we’ve only had a few little problems in the process. Many villages are now being completely converted for Christ. It is absolutely amazing, and miracles and wonders are always seen, as the people in these villages are so full of faith! So many, one after another, walking away with their miracle! I am reminded of a word I had shared on this trip: Psalm 22:26 - “They shall praise the Lord that seek Him.” Seeking Him – diligently seeking for, and inquiring of and for Him, and requiring Him as their greatest need – is the reason the Lord moves so mightily among them.

The host pastor I was with in Coimbatore, a dear friend, always kept me busy. Over and over again I preached in large churches and small, always very busy, which is the way I like it, as I do so enjoy preaching several times a day. There are so many people seeking God in India, and it is a joy to point them to the One and True Way to God, and Oh! what joy they find when they surrender to Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

After finishing the work in Coimbatore, I moved on to Chennai where I preached in the largest of churches in India. It was a church of over 40,000 people! It was amazing just how large it was! There were people on two floors full to capacity, with closed circuit screens on the second floor. This church has no walls, so people out in the halls, in the yard, and across the street can listen and hear all about the Lord. This church truly has done away with the four walls and have gone to the people! It was so interesting as you would see people across the street stopping to listen, giving their hearts to the Lord! What a great out-reaching church!

After all this I did some resting. Wow, was I tired, and then we took a second wind and off to Malaysia we went. Our original plans were to visit with the gypsies in India, and although we did see a few of them very briefly, the rest of them had moved on as the rainy weather began. Because of that, we decided to head to Sri Lanka, but because of recent bombings there, we were unable to go, but then the Lord opened the door for us to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I was amazed at how modern a city Kuala Lumpur is – much more modern than my imagination had allowed. We worked in a church that had several services each weekend that were offered in different languages: Chinese, English and Tamil.

Although Malaysia is a progressive economical nation, their largest people group there are the Malase who are all Muslim. If a Muslim there is converted to Christianity there are grave consequences. Because of this the converts from Muslim to Christianity (approximately 100,000), are forced to meet in secret. There are other religions there too, such as Buddists, Toaists and Tamil-Hindus, but these aren’t as violent as the Muslims when someone surrenders to Jesus.

I had not been to the Orient before and I was so impressed with the strong commitment of the saints who labor in prayer for their countrymen. I was privileged to work with Pastor Allen, ministering in businesses, homes and churches, and God moved amazingly with His gracious hand of blessing and healing, everywhere we went. What a great door the Lord has opened for future ministry! We are planning now to return in March and go into various areas of Asia, to scope out the possibility of ministry to remote countrymen. Please pray for me concerning these new opportunities we’d like to walk in, as we know an effectual fervent door has been opened for us.

And, as this year comes to an end, we’d like to thank you all so much for your involvement in this ministry. Whether it be through prayer, donations of suits, ties, electronic equipment, monies, or items to sell, this ministry would not have been able to be used by God to reach the unreached, touch the untouched, and love the unloved in 2007 without you. We are so grateful for all of your sacrifices and pray God will bless you abundantly for your heart for people in other nations. We pray you have a wonderful celebration of our Savior’s birth, and His mighty had would be upon you in the coming year.

November 2007

After being home a couple of weeks, looking back at all the Lord did while we were in Malawi was amazing. As I said in the last newsletter, the Lord was really using Wally and Doug, and it was such a joy for me to step back and watch them being used by the Holy Spirit in ministering to those in Lilongwe and Mzuzu. Our last stop was Chitipa, a very large village in the northern mountains of Malawi. Getting there was an adventure in itself. We started out on a very over crowded bus that took us seven hours to get to the base of the mountain area. We then transferred to a car that we traveled in up the hard, rough, mountain road for over five hours before we finally reached Chitipa. It was a long and exhausting day, and late by the time we arrived, so we got settled in and rested until the start of the next day.

This was my fifth time in Chitipa, and we have established great connections there. The first time I was there, I preached at a small church that held about 100 at the first meetings, with subsequent meetings needing to be held outside as the building couldn’t hold all the people. Now, in it’s place, stands a church that will hold 1,500 people when it is completed (still not big enough for the usual crowd of 3,000). And once again, as we started our meetings in a smaller church, all of our following meetings had to be held outside because of the large crowds that gathered.

Oh, God moved amazingly in Chitipa! One of the highlights was the Graduation Class of 2007 of the Central Africa Bible School which we support. It was such a grand celebration to be in the midst of at the beginning, throughout the graduation and even afterwards, with several dignitaries participating too. Each graduating student received a preacher’s Bible, and a new tie, which may sound funny, but they were thrilled! The whole day was a moving experience for everyone involved, as one by one they were commissioned to go out and preach the Word.

While there the Lord continued to use Wally (now known as Pastor Kawallie) and Doug (now know as Pastor Dug) mightily. The messages they spoke touched the crowds of people and so many were healed of various diseases, and were set free from things that bound them, including idols. It was a glorious thing to see so many free in the Lord!

On our trip down the mountain one of the members of the Parliament of Malawi, who had come for the graduation, offered his driver to drive us down the mountain in his SUV. What a blessing, and how thankful we were as the ride down was much smoother than the ride up!

Since we’ve been home so many of you have blessed us with tales of how God woke you up in the middle of the night to pray for us. Let me tell you, it was felt as this was a trip where everything went right with no distractions or hindrances from what God had sent us to accomplish in Him while we were there. Thank you!

Thank you also for all of you who so generously support this ministry financially and with material things. We pray God will bless you all abundantly for your willingness to make a difference in lives of people you have never met. We are so grateful for you all!

October 2007

Please forgive the delay in getting this newsletter out to you. Our computer decided to give up, and then the new one did the same! After returns and readjustments we are finally set up to get started again.

First of all I need to thank all of you who prayed for Gary and I while we were in Congo, Rwanda & Uganda last month. God worked in mighty ways as we ministered together, and some times separately. We had quite an adventure the whole time reaching the lost, delivering the oppressed, seeing the Lord heal the sick, and blessing the poor. In Uganda we were able to hike, boat and drive to some of the most remote areas around, and through, the swamps near Torroro. When we boated, we fought off mosquitoes in the day and bats at night; when we drove, we got stuck in mud knee deep; and when we walked it was long and hard. These villages were so removed from the city and civilization, and because of that it was so amazing to see the people’s reaction to our caring and ministry, as all were very receptive and grateful for our being there. They understood the sacrifice it took just to get to their location, and they were amazed that mazongas (white men) would even bother.

While in that area, most of the places we met in were churches constructed of bamboo and banana leafs. The need is so great for them to have sturdy structures, and we are hoping, in the near future, to help them with the cost of building five mud and brick churches, to replace what they are using now. One church would cost approximately $200.00 to build, and would make a great project for a Life Group/Sunday School class to get involved in. These new buildings will make a great difference for ministry in these very poor areas of Uganda.

As you read this I am in Chitipa, Malawi with my dear brothers Doug Pope and Wally Fluhr. For those of you who don’t know them, Doug and Wally were in my Youth Group at Valley View in the 1970’s and are now successful business men who each have a great heart for the things of God. We began this trip on September 30 with the Lord giving us favor with NorthWest Airlines where – between the three of us – we arrived with nine very overweight bags of luggage that, after being weighed, were still sent through at no extra charge! Praise the Lord! In those bags were 25 Choir Robes, 55 suits, shirts and ties, a Fender sound system, several cameras, 60 Bibles, a 64-key keyboard, and so many other things too. After more than 21 hours of flight time, and 18 hours of layover time, with 3 plane changes, we landed in Lilongwe, Malawi and were pleased to see that all of our luggage arrived with us too. As we moved through customs, people in front of us were being charged for their overweight luggage, even when they were only a few pounds over. When it was our turn, and after weighing our bags, (they were all over 65 pounds), they asked us what was in them. We told them clothes and books, and they said, “OK,” and let us in without paying a penny for the extra weight! These were two amazing miracles for the start of this trip!

Later that evening we held a tent crusade in the slums of Lilongwe under a very old and worn tent made of plastic sown together. The Lord laid on my heart the need to purchase a large canvas tent for this church in the slums, with the cost being approximately $2,500.00. A new canvas tent would be a great blessing to the people in this area, as it would be in constant use, and would allow greater opportunities for ministry in the slums. This too could be a Sunday School/Life Group or even family project to get involved in.

Our first meetings in Lilongwe were amazing as the Lord worked on the hearts of so many who surrender their lives to Jesus, and then moving powerfully over even more to instantly heal them of so many diseases and infirmities. At one point a blind woman was brought to us, and the Lord told me to let Doug pray over her for healing, and when he had finished praying, her eyes were wide open and seeing clearly! Oh the joy of seeing lives changed so dramatically! Our God is so mighty and awesome!

Our next stop was in the City of Mzuzu, in the middle of Malawi. While there we taught the Bible School students in the day, and in the evening preached night crusades. Over just a few nights, hundreds were marvelously saved, and so many were amazingly healed and delivered for the Glory of God! We were also blessed to be able to hold a pastor’s conference where the Holy Spirit ministered mightily to the Pastors who attended. It has so blessed me to watch the Lord use Doug and Wally to minister to the people at all these meetings with power and authority in the Name of Jesus. Doug’s preaching and Wally’s teachings have touched the hearts of the people of Malawi!

We will be back in Louisville on Wednesday, October 17, when we can tell you all the more that God did in Chitipa. In the meantime, please continue to pray for us – for safety and traveling mercies, wisdom and protection, and that God would continue to use us for His purposes on this trip. Words cannot express how so very thankful we are for you being a part of this ministry, whether it be in prayer, material things, or financial support, all are so very important. We pray the Lord will bless you abundantly for your willing hearts to help us reach the outermost parts of the world!

September 2007

After arriving home on August 14 from South Africa, I had twelve packed-full days before I left on the 26th for Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo where I am right now. In those twelve days we had the blessing of being a part of the beautiful wedding of Bob & Betty Madden in Atlanta, GA; we meet up with Gloria Chambers and her son Nelson in Cave City, KY to pick up some more Bibles, children’s books, suits, and ties, and to get some important praying in; we were able to attend the Breeding Care Group, that so generously donated a sound system for us to take on this trip; and, I got to spend some much needed time with Judy and Bobbie Bro.

My trip to South Africa was a bit different than my usual trips as I spent most of the time in the city preaching in some really large churches in the Durban area, as I mentioned in the August Newsletter. I am grateful to my friend, Pastor Stanley Moodly, for arranging such a busy schedule for me over the five weeks I was there. There was daily preaching and teaching, and visiting the lost and sick, and believing God for miracles everywhere we went. Highlights were preaching in Swaziland at the Prime Minister’s house, preaching several times at Pastor Matthew Henry’s church, teaching the future pastors at the William Carey School, and ministering to the Zulu people in the Malvern area. But the biggest highlights are always witnessing the Lord move on the people with repentance and salvation, deliverance, and miraculous healings. Oh the joy and jubilation of those who have been changed by the mighty hand of God! Lives changed, relationships restored, bodies healed and health restored, when there was no hope until they cried out to Jesus, and He redeemed their lives! Oh, the Lord is mighty and powerful indeed!

As you read this Gary Burkett and I are in the Congo. We first arrived in Rwanda on Tuesday the 28th, where we were sent out to work right away. We had two meetings that evening, and the Lord moved so mightily, healing the blind, repairing back problems, showing Himself strong and mighty! The joy and jubilation was contagious! What an amazing way to start this trip!

On Thursday, the 30th, we went to the Congo, and will be there until Monday the 3rd. While there we will be returning to the pygmy villages to preach and see the progress of the churches there. We will also speak at one of our Bible Colleges at their graduation ceremony, and again go to the local broadcasting station to preach live to the people in the area through both the radio and TV, reaching many who are in areas we could never get to. We will return to Rwanda for a couple more days to do more village preaching and visit another Bible School we support.

Near the end of the week we will be heading to Tororo, Uganda - the village that was totally transformed by the Lord, with even the Mayor being saved. Just beyond this village is a swamp area that we will be venturing into to search out small groups of people to preach Jesus to. This will be one of the most challenging things we have done in a while, so please be praying for us daily from September 5 through the 10th.  We have been praying and planning this adventure for many months and are confident the Lord has prepared the way before us, and are trusting for a great harvest with the help of your prayers and intercession! Gary shares with me a great burden for the lost who have never heard the Gospel before and, as far as we are told, no one has presented the Gospel to those who live in the swamps. Again, please pray for us as we venture into this new area. When we return from the swamp area and Tororo, we will go to the city of Kilgali to begin our trip back home on the evening of September 11, arriving in Louisville the afternoon of September 12.

Again, thanks so much to all of you who support us financially, materially, and with your prayers. Without your support we would not be able to reach so many. We are so grateful. Thanks also to those who took the time to pray at 4:30 pm on the Sunday evening we began this trip. The Lord gave us favor at the ticket counter and we were not charged anything for the 2 extra bags, or for all six of them being overweight! Although it looked “iffy” for a few minutes, the Lord used your prayers to turn the hearts of those at the counter who made the decisions! Praise the Lord!

August 2007

As you read this I am in Durban, South Africa with Pastor Stanley Moodley, a wonderful friend whom I have worked with 6 times now. Much is accomplished when I am with Pastor Stanley. Since arriving here, I have been extremely busy preaching in some of the largest churches in Durban and South Africa itself. It is a little strange, being in such nice facilities, compared to the places where I usually preach. The size of some of these facilities has brought in huge crowds, so hungry to know the Lord. What an added blessing it has been to be with several well known preachers in this area including Pastor Mathew Henry, pastor of Revival Ministries. He is called “the Billy Graham of South Africa”, and is such a powerful preacher and evangelist. What an honor it was to preach with him at his church.

I also had the privilege of going to Swaziland, a small country that is ruled by a King and a Prime Minister. There are about one and a half million people in Swaziland where the streets of the city are clean and it is rather safe because of the strong government and their seriousness against crime. The worst thing about this country however, is polygamous marriages that are approved by their culture. Because of this, Swaziland has the highest population of HIV/AIDS victims - sixty-two percent.

While there, I had the great honor of being asked to visit the Prime Minister and his family at their home where I ate with them and then was given the opportunity to preach in his home, to his family and friends. At first I was a bit nervous, considering this man’s position, but I remembered I was given a word from the Lord, by one of my friends in Louisville recently, about being bold, and just that morning the Lord had told me that I would stand before prime ministers, princes and priests - not even realizing what He was telling me that morning, would occur that same evening! It was a great experience, and they have requested I come back next year.

We also held a Pastor’s Conference there, that about 120 pastors attended, with preaching in both Swatsi and English. What a great blessing it was to see such hunger in the lives of these precious leaders. The Lord has opened this new door for us to minister, and we will return in 2008.

This past Sunday, July 29th, after preaching in several churches, we preached and worshipped in an open-air meeting in one of the slums in the Malvern area. They have not had a church interested enough to come and share the Good New of Jesus to them. After preaching on “What Will You Do With This Jesus?” we saw several saved and wonderfully transformed, and several more were prayed over for healing. It was a blessing afterwards, to feed them food and watch the children enjoy candy and our friendship. I really enjoy getting outside of the four walls of church facilities, and taking the Gospel to where the people are. If they won’t come to our churches, then we must go to them. Then, in the evening, we had a Tent Crusade where the Holy Spirit moved so wonderfully. At the end of the meeting, one man I prayed for, came with broken bones in his back. I could feel with my hands the bones that were out of place and I knew he was in great pain. It was so glorious, as we prayed over him he fell under the power of the Holy Spirit and got up, completely healed and relieved of all pain! It is always exciting to see the Lord move miraculously on those whose hope is only in Him!

Thank you all for your prayers and concern while I am away. I will be headed back to Louisville on the 14th, but in the mean time the Lord has still much for me to do. This week I am visiting the William Carey Bible School where I am ministering to the students that we help support. We are having great meetings, as the Lord is moving mightily among these future preachers. Thanks to so many of you, who have helped us supply books and Bibles for the students and their library. We have also given them robes for the student’s graduation. And, speaking of Bibles, this week I received an e-mail from Pastor William, who is from the village in Uganda, that I preached at earlier in the year, that was totally transformed by the Lord, where all of the bars had been boarded up and even the mayor was saved. Because of that, they had a great need for Bibles, and so many of you answered that need, that we ended up sending them over 1,000 Bibles! In his e-mail, Pastor William sent word that the Bibles have all arrived, and they are distributing them to the people with great joy!

Thank you to all of you who have made this ministry so effective by your encouragement, prayers, financial support and material support. We are so grateful for your desire to be a part of this ministry, and could not do it without you. Your sacrificial giving is so very, very appreciated.

July 2007

What a busy year we’ve had already. Last week I returned home from my 6th trip this year. It was a quick trip to Zimbabwe and then to the Johannesburg, South Africa area. One of the highlights of this trip, while in Zimbabwe, was being able to teach at the SEBI School. The school has a great heritage and history and was founded many many years ago by F.F. Bosworth of South Africa, a great and godly man. While there, I had the privilege of teaching several days - all day - no short lectures, as these students want all you can share. What a blessing it was to teach and share my heart with such hungry students. These students will have a great impact on the Nation of Zimbabwe! A couple of years ago, we had sent books to the school for their library. The library is small, and they are still in need of many more Bibles, reference books, concordances, etc., and I know, by just mentioning this, many of you will begin collecting these items to be sent over. Thank you! I would like to send them out by the middle of August, so the quicker we can get them all together the better. Shipping rates have gone up, but it is still so necessary to get the right tools (books) to these students.

I also preached in a local Shauna-languaged church where the spirit moved freely. What a joy it was to challenge them to rise in faith in these day of great depression and oppression in Zimbabwe. While I was in Zimbabwe the inflation there increase 100% daily… that’s right 100% daily. It has been the fastest growing inflation in history. At the end of last week, the government decided to cut cost by 50% of all goods. But still food is so scarce and other items needed are sometimes impossible to find. People there literally have nothing, and now those who bought items to sell at the former prices are being made to sell them at half the price, causing them to loss out completely too. The missionaries I visit there, David and Rhetta Curle, have been through a lot in this Dictator run country. It was my privilege to take in two suitcases and a handbag of food to them, along with some Bibles and materials for their church. You should have seen their eyes light up when they opened the suitcases!

Last year, at this same time, I was in Zimbabwe where I met two different families who had both been crying out for a touch of God in their lives. Both wives in these families had been barren, and they so desired a child, so we layed hands on them and prayed, believing God for a child within the next year. What a joy it was to visit with these families this time who now each have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl. What a blessing to hold them in my arms, and what spirit shaking gratitude for the miracles of God! It is always so exciting to see confirmation and the good report of faith when God has answered prayers for healing people in all sorts of ways, and delivering those who are held by the grips of the devil. Jesus is victorious every time, in everyway!

After that exciting week in Zimbabwe, I headed to Johannesburg, South Africa to work with my dear friend, Joey Chetty. I was privileged to preach in a variety of places including a very large Zulu Tribal Church in the City of Johannesburg. The worship and songs in this area are so moving, and preaching is easy when the atmosphere has been stirred up by the Holy Spirit!

I’m home now, but will be heading out on Tuesday, July 10th to Durban, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zululand for a little over 5 weeks. I will be working with Pastor Stanley Moodley, a very good friend who I have known for 5 years.  I am looking forward to all that will be accomplished on this upcoming trip.

Many of you have been asking what do we need to take or send overseas. As mentioned above, Christian books, Bibles, concordances, etc., are always needed. Money to ship these is important too. We also need large suitcases and duffle bags to carry things in like PA systems, musical instruments, choir robes, suits, shirts and ties, cameras, etc., which can all be donated too. Always, your generous donations, whether material, financial or your so needed prayers, have been so appreciated. Without you we could not accomplish much. With you we are able to further the Kingdom of God to people who are hungry to personally know Jesus. There is a great move of God taking place in many parts of Africa, and we are blessed that you are a part of it.

June 2007

I found a precious word about the people of God in Psalm 112: 9 - “He has dispersed freely to the poor and needy, His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted in honor.”

What a great joy it has been to take so much to those who have so little, and to see the joy and excitement of provision that they never dreamed they could see or have. This last trip to Malawi I was able to carry in three BIG duffle bags and two stuffed handbags again. Although I had to pay for one of those bags, God still gave me wonderful favor with NorthWest Airlines. In those bags I took thirty choir robes for graduation at Central Africa Bible College in Chitipa Malawi, also, books & Bibles, twenty-eight suits, shirts and ties, some cloth to make ladies’ dresses, a Fender PA System, microphones, and candy for the children. It was such a blessing to see the rejoicing over these things as they were received. It truly is “more blessed to give than receive.” Because of so many of you giving so generously, we have had the great privilege to ‘disperse abroad.’ Thank you!

Chitipa Village is so far away from civilization that it takes 10 hours riding in an old bus with holes in the floor where dirt and fumes are able to come in, and then when the roads weren’t large enough for the bus anymore, nine hours riding in the back of an old Toyota pickup (while sitting on my baggage along with 20 other men) to get there. What a long and dusty road, but what glory awaited at the end of the road! We had three meetings every day that lasted hours and hours, and crowds of over 3,000 were daily in the open-air meetings. There was such joy and jubilation, celebration and praise, from darling and precious hearts who long for the presence of God!

I was in Chitipa for 6 days, and during the meetings this year we saw hundreds saved - wonderfully saved! There were also signs and wonders of His great power, including healings of all kinds. Sometimes, in several meetings, there were, what seemed to be, waves of the Holy Ghost where the whole of the crowd could experience healing and deliverance. It was quit amazing!

Lately, Malawi has experienced a phenomena of witchcraft arising again, which is mostly directed in trying to steal the younger generation. This is not much different than the infiltration of the enemy into America through televisions shows of wizards and witches and creatures with powers that are aimed at our children. While the evil spirit behind these situations are the same, in America it has happened more subtly, while in Malawi it is very blatant, and evident. And because of that, a lot of the deliverance was with children who had gotten themselves involved with demonic things.

While returning back to the city of Lilongwe from Chitipa, where I was to conduct more meetings, on the long ride in the same Toyota truck and bus, I became very sick, so much so that I cried out to the Lord for you, my intercessors, to pray for me. Wonderfully, the Lord healed me, and I didn’t miss any meetings. Thank you for hearing the Lord and praying for me, it is so very vital while ministering overseas!

On returning to the city, we had a great Crusade in the slums of Lilongwe where so many gave their hearts to the Lord. We had pitched a tent on the road side in a busy marketplace section of town and hundreds came to know the Lord there. The people in Africa have been in so many desperate situations, and are so hungry for hope. Jesus is their hope, and he’s moving amongst the people, and calling them out wherever they are!

The meetings in Malawi were some of the greatest I have ever experiences, with such great demonstration of the Holy Spirit, especially in Chitipa, and under the tent along the road side in the slums of Lilongwe. It is difficult to get there, but oh so worth it to see God move so mightily among the people!

My future plans include a trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa from June 10 to June 26. In South Africa I will be doing a lot of visiting to new churches in the Johannesburg area. In Zimbabwe I will be working in some difficult situations, and ministering with the Curle family. Please remember to pray for me, and thank you so much for all you have done to send me!

May 2007

It was so nice, this past month, to be able to visit with so many of you, whether it was at Church, in a Sunday School class, at a small group meeting, at home, or while visiting in Phoenix. I need to thank all of the teachers of the Adult Sunday School classes I spoke in, for allowing me to take up their class time with their precious people, and also to Pastor Paul Farmer, and Pastor Joe Grochocki, for allowing me to speak at their churches while we were in the Phoenix area. We had a wonderful time in Phoenix, getting reacquainted with old friends, visiting with our two sons who live there, and meeting and ministering to new acquaintances.

After returning from Arizona, we had just twelve days before I was off again to Africa. On Tuesday, April 24, I left to spent two weeks in Malawi. My first stop is in the remote northern area of Chitipa. While there, I will again have the honor of teaching and preaching to the wonderful people of the Langian language group. Although they do not have the Bible interpreted in their language yet, they are a precious group of people, and their churches are rapidly growing. This is the place where, last year, over 1,000 people came each night, crowding the church that was built for 300. I can’t imagine what will happen this time, but I know God will be glorified, and many many souls will be saved! On this trip, I have carried with me 23 suits, ties and shirts, a Fender Sound System, and eight beautiful choir robes for the students graduating from the Bible College we helped start there a few years ago. Also, Bibles, candy for the children, and a laptop computer. It’s always so exciting to see the reaction of those who receive these gifts that so many of you have made possible for me to take. Thank you so much for wanting to help further the Kingdom of God in the remote places God sends me to. I will leave Chitipa on Wednesday, May 2nd and go back to the Capital city of Lilongwe, to hold a Pastor Conferences from the 3rd to the 5th, then return home to Louisville on the 8th.

In our March Newsletter we told you of the great need for Bibles for Uganda villages, preachers in the Congo, and for prisoners in Siage, Kenya. The response to this need has been overwhelming, so many Bibles have been donated, and money to cover some of the expense of shipping them too. Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in getting the Bibles to us. As you read this there are over 1,000 Bibles on the way to Uganda, Congo & Kenya! Oh, how God is going to use them to grow people strong in the Lord in these areas of Africa!

We received the Bibles from people from all over town, and then on Thursday, April 19, Judy and I drove down to Cave City to meet up with three precious ladies from Tennessee - Gloria Chambliss, Melvine Hodson and Robin Allen - who had been gathering Bibles for us from churches and individuals throughout many areas of Tennessee, and also from Virginia when Miss Gloria’s niece came down to visit and brought along even more Bibles. Altogether they had collected over 600 of them! What a blessing it was to unload the Bibles from their car to ours in the parking lot of the BP station at Exit 53! These precious ladies are now in the process of collecting books and Sunday School Materials for school age children in Africa, and the last we heard they have as many as 600 already!

One of the other things I have been wanting to get to the people in the villages of Africa is church choir robes. Several times I have taken bunches of donated t-shirts into remote places, and because they match, many choirs have been thrilled to use them as robes, but I still hoped to find real robes. Several months ago I talked to my good friend Tog Goodson about it and, since he has access to many churches throughout Kentucky, I asked him to let me know if there was a church that had old robes they didn’t need anymore. A couple of weeks ago he called and said he had heard that some were available, but when that fell through we were both a bit disappointed, so he decided to put out an e-mail to see if that would help, and in a couple of days he had 400 beautiful choir robes! What a tremendous blessing it was when he and Ryan and Kaitlin came over to drop them off! God had miraculously turned the situation around, and now so many village churches will be blessed with real choir robes! Thank you Tog for letting God use you in such a powerful way!

And thanks to all of you letting God use you in so many unique ways too. Your financial gifts have caused us to reach into the far-off areas of Africa and India, to pastors, orphans, Bible schools, prisoners and so many who had never heard of Jesus! Your material donations have brought joy and blessed so many in so many ways. Your donation of Bibles has brought the Living Word to those hungry for the ways of God, and your prayers have allowed me to be protected and to move freely wherever God has sent me. You are so greatly appreciated and I’m looking forward to coming back and reporting all the good things that God has done.

April 2007

Last month I had the good pleasure of going back to Rwanda, and bringing along my brother Gary Burkett. Rwanda is a small “Rhode Island” sized nation still recovering from the 1994 one-hundred day genocide in which approximately 1.5 million people were murdered. A terrible crime against a precious people, but now it is amazing to see the great changes and growth taking place in this “land of a thousand hills”. These days Rwanda is considered a Christian Nation as their President is a born-again man, and they have turned to the Lord for direction and help, and are emerging out of their past failures in amazing ways, being blessed with great wisdom, mercy and love.

DWMI has been supporting Bishop Kamanza and his many churches, called Victory Churches of Rwanda, for some time now. We have been blessed to minister to - and with - the faithful leadership of so many of these churches, helping them set up Bible Schools, and holding Pastors Conferences. They are so open and receptive to all that God is wanting to do with them in their country.

Also, on this trip, we had the privilege of going to the Congo with Pastor Okello of Rwanda, and being with Bishop Gillliane, who has several churches, and a Bible School, he is overseeing. Congo is not considered a Christian Nation, and is still apt to be dangerous, and unsettled. While we were there we were greatly protected by the Lord, through your prayers and the wisdom given to those leading us into different areas.

It was truly a great joy and blessing to take Gary with me on this trip. He did a wonderful job, loving and sharing with the poor in the villages and in the cities. We were in so many different places it would be hard to share all the stories: from the television and radio broadcasts, to the Pastors Conference of 400; to the Bible School; to city churches and village preaching; to the very remote pygmy villages who had never seen white people before, it was a very diverse and blessed trip. One of the strangest events was when we were coming out of a remote village in a valley. This village was not accessible by any type of vehicles, as it was deep in the valley, and there were just paths to follow to get in and out. As we were leaving, we were climbing up the side of a rather steep hillside when a violent storm came, and it began to hail. We were running up hill as fast as we could, trying to dodge the hail stones, when we came upon a mud hut on the hillside that we tucked into to wait out the storm. When it had finally slowed down, the ground was so covered with hail it looked like snow, something so very rare in this tropical part of the world! Following the path the rest of the way out was a bit slippery, but the Lord helped us get out safely.

Having Gary with me, we were able to carry in more equipment than I can usually do myself. We were blessed to take a Fender Sound System donated by Larry Breeding’s Care Group, several laptop computers donated by Craig and Danette Carnahan, and so many suits, ties, shirts, candy, jewelry and Bibles donated by so very many of you. The joy on the faces of those receiving these items is priceless. Now they can read the Word, proclaim the Gospel loud and clear, and preachers can have a change of clothing too!

Thank you for your prayers while we were there. And thanks to so very many of you who have picked up the burden to get Bibles to those in the villages in Uganda and Kenyan Prisons who have been converted to Christ. There are so many Muslims and others who have given their hearts to the Lord who need the Word of God to grow now. Whether they are older Bibles or new, whether they come from a shelf in your home, the Christian Book Store, or the Dollar Store, they are so greatly appreciated and needed. As we receive them we are sending them out as quickly as possible.

Thank you for increasing your commitment to get the Word out and the Gospel of Jesus to places that others do not go to. What a privilege to join hands with you to give these people their one, and probably only, chance to turn to Jesus. Many, by the hundreds, are coming to Christ in remote areas. Many, so many, need our help and care. Isaiah 52: 7 says: “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good news, who announces peace, and brings good news of happiness, who announces Salvation and says to Zion your God reigns!” Thank you for helping make a way for our feet to stand on ground that few get the privilege to stand on. We love you and appreciate you so very much.

February / March 2007

Amazingly enough, as February is ending, we are already in to the second overseas trip for 2007.

In January we reached out again to the country of Uganda, ministering with Bishop Okello of Liberty Ministries. He has started over 120 churches in the rural areas of Uganda. Each day we preached in several of those churches, and then at night, in the village of Ligingi, we held Crusade meetings. The Joy of the Lord was everywhere, and the Lord moved mightily in those meetings, even convicting several Muslims to surrender to Jesus, and with tears in their eyes requesting to have their own Bible!

We have been working in this village for three years now. Last August many of the town drunks were miraculously saved and delivered from alcoholism, so when we arrived this year, the bars were all boarded up and closed! The former drunks were now active members of the Church, and the Mayor of the town, who testifies that he had quite a sullied reputation, is now the Assistant Pastor of the village Church. What a thrill to see how God is transforming this village! They now have hope as so many have been soundly saved, healed, delivered and set free! God has shown Himself mightily to these hungry people.

After Uganda, I joined up with Dr. Roy Brunson of World Light Ministries, and a team of 3 others from Nashville, TN, to conduct an amazing Crusade in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. We were hosted by Glory Redeemed Church, where Prophet Lewis and I preached on Sunday to a crowd of 15,000 in attendance. I was intending on continuing to Kissumu with the others when I was called back home for the funeral of a most precious saint, Mrs. Lil Williams. What a privilege it was to rehearse the impact she was on so very many lives for the Lord Jesus. What a celebration they must have had at her arrival in Glory! Oh, that someone will pick up her lead in being bold for Jesus in America.

As most of you know, we usually have specific needs to help in ministering to the people God sends me to. One present need we have right now is to continue to get Bibles to the people in Africa. We usually send books and Bibles by M-Mail through the U.S. Post Office because it costs much less than regular mail or shipping by UPS, FED-EX or DHL, but it also can take up to 5 months for the packages to get there. One precious couple, Bill and Tammy Stayton, have taken it upon themselves to ship a box of Bibles to Pastor Okello for the village of Ligingi so they would get there quicker, and the Overcomer’s Sunday School classes have sent 100 Bibles that were purchased in memory of Lil Williams in this same way also. Several of you have specifically donated funds for Bibles, and others have been so generous to give us your extra Bibles too, but we still need more. If you would like to help us get Bibles to send to Lingigi and other villages in Africa, along with a prison in Kenya, and you have extra that you don’t use anymore, or if you would like to purchase some paper back Bibles like they sell at many Dollar Stores, we would be so grateful. We can never have enough Bibles as everywhere I go very few have their own. If you are looking for a Sunday School Class Project, or even a family project, collecting Bibles for the people in Africa, where there is such a need, is a great one.

In most of my travels one of the most expensive things is the cost of transportation, getting back and forth to meetings, as most Pastors don’t own vehicles. Hiring a taxi, meeting after meeting, becomes very expensive. So, after much thought and prayer, the Lord is directing me to put together monies for the purchase of a vehicle for Pastor Okello in Uganda. We have come up with the figure of $3,000.00 to purchase a decent vehicle that will be able to handle the bumpy rural roads to the villages. If God lays it on your heart to help with this, would you please join me in this? On my next trip to Uganda, later in the year, I will personally take the money to Pastor Okello, and go with him to purchase the vehicle. This will truly make a tremendous difference in his ministry, as well as ours, when I’m in Uganda. Our prayer is that, in the future, Lord willing, we will be able to do this for other Pastors whom I have had the privilege to work with in Africa and India also.

As you read this letter, I am in the Congo with my good friend and brother Gary Burkett. God has moved on his heart to join me on this trip for crusades, pastor’s conferences, and working on the streets of Kigali in Rwanda, and Bukavu, Congo. This is not an easy or comfortable trip, but it will be surely packed with great reward and ministry opportunities. We left on Sunday, February 18th, and will return on March 6th. Please pray for us. Pray that the Lord will get the glory in everything that’s accomplished. Pray for protection and safety as we travel, and pray the hearts of the people are prepared to hear the Gospel.

Thank you for making this trip possible. Thank you for sending me.

January 2007

It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone, but oh so much was accomplished in 2006. Just so you know what your financial, material, and prayer support has meant to this ministry during the past year, I’ve put together a list of accomplishments.

Because of your financial & material donations we were able to:

• Have two water wells dug in Kenya Prisons - one for the men’s one for the women
• Send regular financial support to 20 preachers, missionaries and pastor’s children
• Send over seven tons of books, Bibles, and teaching materials to seven Bible Schools and one Christian Elementary School, in five countries
• Purchase toys and blankets for children who reside in a Kenya prison because their moms are there
• Purchase cloth for women inmates on Death Row to have new uniforms
• Help start a school in Burundi, and supplied desks, school books and materials for 200 children
• Feed 300 orphans in Uganda. and 300 more in the Zulu area of South Africa
• Supply wedding rings to a young lady in Malawi, Celeste Richards, who is a missionary there, for her marriage to a man from the area.  (they are expecting a baby in the Spring!)
• Hold Pastor Conferences in Malawi, Congo & Kenya reaching over 3,000 men

The Lord sent me overseas five times to nine countries: Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo & India; and allowed me to carry into those countries: Suits, suits and more suits (shirts and ties too) given to Preachers, & Bible School students everywhere I went.  Five PA systems, four keyboards, microphones & related electronic equipment, a large cassette duplicator, digital cameras, a brand new camcorder, four Laptop Computers, three VCR’s, and one 5 disc CD player, jewelry for Prison Guards, and candy for children. I also traveled to seven cities in five States - Tennessee, Arizona, Illinois, New York, and Michigan - throughout the year when I wasn’t overseas. The travels overseas and domestically altogether took up 29 weeks of the year.

And in all those travels we ministered to the beggar on the streets and to the High Hindus in Palaces; in places where no white man had been seen to the busiest and biggest cities in these nations. In remote village mud hut churches, to the cathedral in the city; in Pigmy villages in the Congo, and to the tribal groups of India; preaching hundreds of times in market places, tribal areas, extremely remote villages, prisons, schools, home cell groups and churches; seeing so many many miracles of healings, deliverance and salvations everywhere God sent me.

Without your help, very little of this would have happened and we are so thankful for all of you who have invested in this ministry in 2006, and pray God will bless you abundantly for your sacrifices.

The last trip I took in 2006 was to India. It was the 15th time I’ve been blessed to minister there. It was a very busy trip, visiting eight cities across India, and ministering with five different friends who are very dear to our ministry, as we are supporting pastors, and missionaries in each place.

Nagpur was my first stop, where I visited Sudnyan Bansod, who I first met when Ken Sheilley and I went there in 1977. Being there this time was a great blessing, as I mentioned in the November newsletter, as I met with the sons of the young men I discipled in the 70’s, who are now going into ministry themselves.

From there I went up to the Northern part of India by train into Durhu Duhn, to the Theological College, where they kept me busy speaking six to seven times a day to the students and then praying, talking, and praying and talking some more! While there I also spoke at Nalipani Church - the leprosy church - pastured by a dear brother, Soraj. He is one we support, and he is to be admired for his commitment and sacrificial labor among the lepers. It is always so exciting to worship with these daily suffering saints.

I traveled next to Kolkuta (Calcutta) where we ministered with others in a Pastor’s Conference of over 300 Pastors, and then in Agratala, a rural area, remote, and more jungle-like and very backward. Most of the people have a Mongolian decent, and are reserved in responding, BUT the Holy Spirit broke through and we had a wonderful meeting of people being repentant and getting saved and many being healed too!

Oressa was my next stop, working with Pastor I.D. Suna, who I have been with 3 times now. Here, up in the high mountains of Eastern India there are a lot of risks and challenges. It was great to visit areas where, again, no one had ever seen a white man, and where folks are so hungry and turning to Christ with all their heart. Pastor Suna has planted over 40 churches peppered all through the valleys and on the mountain tops in this area.  Some were very hard to get to. Several times we had to get out and walk through streams and rivers and climb up the mountain paths to get to the villages. In one place we saw so many give their lives to Jesus, many following in baptism - a very dangerous thing to do in India. But because of Pastor Suna’s work, some of the village populations are now half Christian and just half Hindu. This is an amazing growth of Christianity in this area of India. While there we also saw so many miracles - people with such big faith who actually believe that their God can and will heal them, and then to see it happen, because of their faith. It was just amazing the way God moved on these people! We also were able to return to some of the churches I was privileged to help dedicate last year. It was so good to see how they’ve grown and how more and more are committing to Jesus. Just amazing!

I finished my trip with a week in Coambitore in the very tropical area of Tamil Nadu. While there we did a lot of market place preaching, and met in some very remote village churches, and again, lives were changed in amazing ways by our wonderful mighty God!

As this new year gets under way, I am headed to Uganda and Kenya on January 7th, returning on the 25th. While there I will be visiting with Pastor Okello, and then meeting up with Dr. Roy Brunson of World Light Ministries in Kenya. I look forward to bringing you a good report when I return. Thank you so very much for sending me.