First of all thank all you so much for your faithfulness in praying for me and the team. God did some amazing things and multiplied our meager efforts several times over. I am so thankful for each and every one of you.
I think for this letter I will just give bullet points and then over the next several weeks go into greater detail in each event. Every day was filled to overflowing with God’s precious memories. As I reflect on each event I will just say team in order to bring glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ for we were all used mightily as His vessels on this trip. Our main focus was that of encouragement to all the congregations and Christians we met.
We desired to inform them of how Christians from 10,000 miles away knew about them and were praying for them. They were amazed that we would travel that far just to encourage them. Many many times instead of blessing them what a blessing they were to us! For His working in and thru our lives it is FOR GOD’S GLORY ALONE!
After arriving in Delhi, India we flew to Bagdogra. There we drove to a village church. After worship we walked down to the river and witnessed 6 baptisms. All were special but one young lady coming up out of the river, reached up and removed the red dot she wore for Hinduism and threw it into the river showing her rejection of Hinduism and her acceptance of Jesus Christ as her Savior!
Next, we spoke at the Northeast Evangelist Training Center. Spoke from John 13 on serving and loving one another. At the end I had the honor of having one pastor and one student come forward and I washed their feet to show that we are partners in serving our Lord Jesus Christ but we just serve in different parts of the world.
Raipur was the next stop where we encouraged the congregation and we were able to present a motorcycle to the evangelist who travels many many miles preaching in 12 villages around the area.
After Raipur we journeyed about 3 hours by car (we should never complain about our roads here in the US…India roads are TERRIBLE) to the Tribal Children’s Home in Motimpur were we dedicated the new buildings for about 400 children. Here we participated in campfire, played games and had fruit distribution.
We then traveled by train (10 hours) to Damoh where Central India Christian Mission has it main campus. They have started 1400 churches but only have @700 evangelists. So many evangelist travel to multiple villages (some evangelists travel to 30 or more villages preaching). Some of the evangelists walk, some bike and some have access to a motorcycle. Each upgrade enables the evangelist to cover more territory preaching and teaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we were able to give away 45 bicycles and 4 motorcycles. WOW! The joy by the recipients was something to behold. It was here at the main campus we heard the testimony of persecution to the evangelist as 6 told their stories. In the coming days I will share of how terrible the persecution of Christians remains in India.
We then left for a village near Kansai and were able to hand out 60 pound bag of rice and a blanket to 350 widows and families who have nothing ( and I mean nothing). So as I end this brief over view we ask for continued prayers for the ministry and work of Central India Christian Mission. I know that there are thousands of ministries around the world and hundreds in India. I just happen to be a part of this one. So I ask you to pray for the persecuted church around the world.
I ask you to pray for continued proclamation of the gospel around the world. I ask you to pray for our evangelist as they share the gospel of Jesus Christ. All of this so that God will receive all glory and honor.
SOLA DEO GLORIA! For God’s Glory Alone!
Pastor Leonard Navarre
Valley View Christian Church
Edgewood, New Mexico