MISSIONARIES TO RURAL VILLAGES

Isaac and Gifty Lamptey of Accra, Ghana began to bless you, your prayers, and your gifts as a direct result of a missions referral.  New ministry friends, such as the Lampteys, who come pre-screened in this manner allow InterComm not only to equip them quicker but to see results more quickly as well.  Using Luke 19:30a as their Biblical mandate where Jesus instructed His disciples saying, “Go into the village ahead of you.”  The Lampteys have committed themselves to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible in the rural communities and villages of Ghana. “As the coming of Jesus draws ever near, an awesome responsibility rests upon the church to preach the Gospel at all cost,” they proclaim.

Ministry began in July, 1998 in Oshiyie, a highly illiterate fishing village, deeply steeped in witchcraft and idolatry.  Isaac was 1 of

28 new missionary graduates to first bring the Gospel to Oshiyie Village.  Land was secured for a church, but in 2002 a violent attack on the church occurred closing activities for 4 months.  Most church members were brutalized in one way or another by this Muslim uprising.  Their houses were looted and damaged and many members were killed or wounded.  The Lampteys apartment was destroyed, and they lost all their ministry tools.  It was at this point that InterComm entered their lives.  With your help, InterComm began by providing requested media tools such as African video dramas, a Torch Kit, and other training media to help them develop effective outreach presentations. 

They relocated in Gbawe, a nearby village, and a new work began there.  First, 5 people.  Then 12.  Then 32, as slowly God began to bring a harvest to their efforts.  Sincere prayer was lifted to Heaven that Gbawe should be taken for Christ.  From their Thank You Note, when InterComm’s media package arrived, they wrote, “Your labor and effort to send us these ministry tools will never be in vain.  It is our prayer that these seeds sown will multiply a hundredfold.”

From the first 2 Reports received from the Lampteys, God did just that.  The Gospel was presented to over 1,600 people with 122 souls, seeking salvation.  Praise God!  As a faithful Evangelist, Isaac often redeems his daytime hours standing around at the nearby public mini-bus station, sharing the Gospel to those in queues.  Many lives have been touched this way and blessed by such unselfish acts of witness. 

Like many full time committed missionaries around the world, the Lampteys have paid a huge price for the honor of serving Christ.  For the last 2 years, they have lived in a home with no running water or toilet.  Health issues became a great barrier the evil one used to discourage these servants.  Early in their marriage, Gifty suffered a goiter during her first pregnancy.  The Lampteys unborn daughter became a victim to this ailment.  Later God blessed with Joshua, now an active healthy boy of 3 years, even though he was very sick as a baby.  Gifty has also suffered through typhoid, and then her mother died last year.  Even now, goiter has returned to her neck, threatening the life of her yet unborn current baby.

Through all of these realities, they constantly seek our prayer support.  The financial stress they face has been almost constant.  It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it, living under such difficult circumstances.  Do please pray for God’s healing touch on Gifty. Please pray for the ability to continue ministry and for victory over the evil one. 

Around the world, heavenly fruit often comes at a high cost for front line missionaries like the Lampteys.  May God bless you, as you remember them.

MIRACLE OF THE TORCH KIT

Mr. Rathna Kumar of India writes:

“God is literally turning many young people’s hearts to the Lord.  The miracle of this simple message from the Filmstrips amazes us.  This Torch Kit has worked miraculously for us in the more remote locations, and through it many young people are coming to learn about Jesus.  We are following them up and helping them better understand their salvation.”

15 showings, 389 presented the Gospel, 52 salvation decisions.

THE 35 YEAR BATH

Evangelist PB Oluyide of Nigeria writes:

“I thank God for the life of Mr. Adegurloye, who the Lord delivered from oppression of an evil spirit.  The man had lost all of his hair and had not bathed for 35 years.  Upon accepting Christ, he immediately took his bath and has been serving the Lord ever since.  I praise the name of the Lord for the help of media evangelism, which is bringing people out in mass to hear the Gospel and bringing them to repentance.”

14 showings, 2,696 presented the Gospel, 553 salvation decisions.

HI TECH.  LO TECH.

LTC Roland Celis Rivera of the Philippines writes:

“I was pleased to receive a letter from InterComm, indicating your willingness to help my ministry here in the Philippines.  During my audiovisual training, I discovered AVangelism to be one of the most effective tools to win people for Christ.  I immediately began buying DVD’s for this purpose, and I’m using a TV until I can get a bigger projector.  I cannot, however, use this Hi Tech Media in the far flung areas of my country where there are tribal groups that need to be evangelized.  Nothing like your Torch Kit is available in my country, but if it can be provided, many varieties of people can be reached for our Lord Jesus Christ.”

3 LOCAL GROUPS

Evangelist Thomas Abugah of Ghana writes:

“We praise God for the Torch Kit showings and their benefits.  Each drama story has proven its worth, and the results show this.  The good news is that 3 new local groups have been started in the rural areas through the use of these media tools.  Each of these groups are new Bible study fellowships, which soon will become churches.  Please pray for them. 

15 showings, 1,110 presented the Gospel, 491 salvation decisions.

HEARTBEAT

 by Ken Anderson

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.”  Proverbs 27:21

Have you ever wondered if this verse might be paraphrased to read  - “Man is tested by the praise he receives - or doesn’t receive.”

Commendation surely is a primary need of the human psyche.  Who of us does not long to one day hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  A better word than praise or commendation for the Christian it seems to me would be encouragement.  Surely we all want encouragement, but are we each really sensitive to the need to give encouragement.  It becomes increasingly clear to me, as I ponder the verse from Proverbs, that in both the receiving and the giving we are uniquely tested.  And surely underscoring it all should be the counsel of I Corinthians 1:31 - “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”