INDIA - GOD HAD A PLAN

The Telugu Language Recording Project, which took place in Visakhapatnam, AP, during March and April was a complete success.  Perhaps you’ve come to expect such Reports, following these overseas trips, but this particular trip was uniquely different. 

Jill Anderson’s, Aunt Helen Strandberg, went to be with the Lord on March 2, the same day Ken Anderson, founder of Ken Anderson Films and a founding director of InterComm, had a severe fall from which he never recovered.  10 days later he, too, went to be with the Lord.  A trip to California for the Strandberg Memorial Service, cut severely into pre-project plans, and arrangements for Ken’s March 18 Memorial Service here in Indiana further challenged our ability to prepare for a March 22 departure.  We neither felt properly prepared

Shalem Israel

for our arrival in Visakhapatnam for the Recording Sessions nor for our time in the Philippines, where a future Project would be presented and organized. 

What a wonderful reminder of God’s compassion and His ability to go before us and prepare the way.  In

Visak, for example, Shalem Israel was significantly better prepared to head our Recording Sessions than any other Project Leader with whom we have previously worked. 

The first few days of recording in any new language can often times be traumatic and very tense.  This just didn’t happen in the Telugu work either in the first days or at any time in our 4 week schedule.  Not only did we complete all 5 of the films promised for the Telugu Language, a 6^th film was able to be completed as well.  But God had further plans, because God had touched Shalem and his team with a missionary vision to see one additional film produced in the Oriya Language for the neighboring Orissa State.  You see the Orissa State in India has laws against conversion.  Into whichever religion you are born you are classified that religion for life.  They go so far as to, upon the threat of death, force re-conversion of Christians back to their Hinduism.  Even though only 1 film was completed in the Oriya Language, the leaders from Orissa humbled and greatly encouraged us by being willing to have this 1 new tool to use in the propagation of the Gospel.  How their

Shalem Directing the Telugu Language Voice Choir for PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

encouragement spoke to our own hearts, reminding us God’s plan was perfect in this from the beginning. 

Home less than a month, the first of the Telugu films, JOURNEY TO THE SKY,  has been edited and sent off for approval from Shalem and his team in India. PILGRIM’S PROGRESS , #2, is on the editing table already. 

We truly praise God for providing the financial resources and the prayer support that make such Projects a reality for InterComm.  May God richly bless each of you who knowingly prayed for this work.  The real prayer need, however, is for the future - for each person to whom an opportunity is given to view the completed works, who might not yet have had a chance to consider the claims of Jesus Christ.  Won’t you please join with us here at InterComm and begin praying for those souls who will be seeing Christian films soon in the Telugu Language and deciding for themselves whether a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the answer to their life’s needs and their heart’s yearning.

(Next Month - Philippines Project Set-Up)

KEN ANDERSON - 1917- 2006

A Life.  A Ministry. A Legacy

A Tribute by Lane Anderson

Part I

Living 9/10's of a century is quite an accomplishment.  Living those years with a vision focused on eternity can positively impact an entire life’s events. 

Ken’s mother died just after giving birth.  His Iowa farming father never re-married.  Raised by a Godly grandmother, also a woman of vision, he was challenged from his earliest years to pursue his highest potential.  Although 1 year at Wheaton College quickly exhausted his financial reserves, his denominational college, Trinity, offered free schooling, but for the cost of books, to all young people raised in their churches.  It was at Trinity that Ken and Doris met.  Ultimately went to a symphony concert and, as they say, the rest is history.  When Ken invited Doris to attend the Chicago symphony orchestra, “How could you turn down such an opportunity to hear live music you never dreamed you could ever experience?”  Doris recalled.  So let me share more of that history.

The young couple felt called of the Lord to missions in Venezuela.  The mission board requested they pursue some pastoral experience first.  The Evangelical Free Church in Isle, Minnesota , called Ken to the pulpit.  However, it was on the condition he was married.  A wedding already being discussed was moved up nearly 1 year, and on November 16, 1938, Rev. & Mrs. Anderson began their pastoral career.  3 months later acute appendicitis ended that call, and the couple moved back to Doris’ family farm in Funk Nebraska.  Recovery came slowly but surely.  Eventually, Ken was asked to fill the pulpit at the church in which Doris was raised, the Emmaus Evangelical Free Church. 

With lots of extra time on his hands, Doris also encouraged Ken to funnel his storytelling talents into writing.  To their delight, Ken’s very first work, THE DOCTOR’S RETURN, was soon published by the Zondervan Company. When the Rose Hill Evangelical Free Church in Newman Grove, Nebraska called Ken to the pulpit, a 2-year adventure began, creating lifetime friendships.  Yet, the call to further  education drew them back to Wheaton, Illinois where Ken’s prodigious pen not only helped launch Zondervan’s new book company, but kept food on the table as well.  He also penned numerous inspirational articles and stories, which were quickly picked up by many new Christian publications hungry for quality material.

A wedding on the west side of Chicago became the forum through which Torrey Johnson, founder of Youth for Christ, invited Ken, known to Torrey as a writer, to interview as a potential editor for the new Youth for Christ Magazine.  This relationship alone spanned over 12 years.  The Youth for Christ connections would impact much of Ken’s future life experiences.  Morry Carlson, for example, YFC Director in Muskegon, Michigan, offered the Andersons property to build a home on the Youth Haven Christian Campgrounds near Wolf Lake, Michigan.  A quiet wooded country location seemed ideal for this burgeoning writing career.  Then, as the home was being built, Youth for Christ Evangelist, Bob Pierce, invited Ken to accompany him on a preaching trip to China.  A trip that forever changed 2 lives.  Bob Pierce came home and initiated the ministry, World Vision.  Ken came home with a renewed zeal for reaching the world for Christ.

In the summer of 1949, as Ken shared events of this trip at the annual Youth for Christ Summer Conference at Winona Lake, Indiana, his second connection with Christian films occurred.  The first took place in China, as he and Bob Pierce shot a documentary film eventually called CHINA CHALLENGE.  This film was used to launch the ministry today known as World Vision.  Ken went along to preach, and this he did all over China’s major cities.  But he also researched and wrote a book on their experiences calling it - THIS WAY TO THE HARVEST.  In that Winona Lake audience, as Ken shared, were men from the CO Baptista Christian Film Ministry, and they were looking for a screenwriter.  From Ken’s typewriter came his very first drama film script, titled THAT KID BUCK.

Were these events to date just coincidence?  Or like us, do you also believe in God’s Divine Appointments? 

Continued Next Month

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BETTER LATE

Pastor Samuel Jectey from Ghana wrote:

“I’m very sorry to wait for 2 years before writing and sending your first Report.  I first took the Torch Kit to a village in Afram Plains where I am currently working with the machine.  On the first day at that village I had 200 souls come to my showing and 20 accepted Christ.  On the 2^nd day I was stoned by a group of Muslims, and they also collected the machine from me.  In fact, I had to stay in the hospital for 6 months until finally I was able to return home and pay my hospital bills.  I started to show love to this village, and eventually they gave back my Torch Kit and allowed me to work by the grace of God almighty.  Now we have won 60 souls for Christ in that village and 40 of them are Muslims.  I’m sharing this with you so that you might know what God has done through the troubles I have passed through.  Now I am very well by the grace of God, and I promise to continue the ministry of AVangelism and remain faithful.  I may need prayer help any time.  So please remember me.  The machine is still working and helping my ministry very much.  It has helped our church establish many other churches by the power of God.  In fact, we are recommending that your machine is one of the best ways of evangelism in Ghana.”

PATIENTLY WAITING

Dr. Carlos Wiens from Paraguay shares:

“We have been showing the videos (in Spanish) you provided to our patients in the waiting room.  Also 4 times a week, we have evening consultations in preparation for the next day’s visits.  Those people, coming for consultations with their families, watch the videos during the time they wait their turn.  At least 2-5 decisions for Christ have been made publicly every month through this process.  Many other patients were encouraged in their faith, and our prayer is that the seed we spread sprouts and grows.  These videos help start conversations.  People open up, share their needs, and then the pastor can show them the way to Christ.”

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1our prayer is that the seed we spread sprouts and grows.  These videos help start conversations.  People open up, share their needs, and then the pastor can show them the way to Christ.”

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