Latest News

This page provides you with latest news and prayer requests related to the countries we work in throughout Asia. It is updated often, so please check back regularly.

 

22 April 2008    -    THE MIDDLE EAST  -  A TRUE PICTURE

Christians around the world often hear only stories of death and destruction coming from the Middle East, but the facts suggest that the Lord Jesus Christ has been doing a tremendous work in the hearts of thousands of Muslims in recent years. In a recent report, The Joshua Fund summarized what has been happening to the Church in a number of countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. Some of the highlights include:

 

AFGHANISTAN -- In Afghanistan there were only 17 known evangelical Christians in the country before al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Today, there are well over 10,000 Afghan followers of Christ and the number is growing steadily. Church leaders say Afghan Muslims are open to hearing the gospel message like never before. Dozens of baptisms occur every week. People are snatching up Bibles and other Christian books as fast as they can be printed or brought into the country.
 

UZBEKISTAN -- There were no known Muslim converts to Christ there in 1990. Now there are more than 30,000.
 

IRAQ -- There were only a handful of Muslim converts to Christianity back in 1979 when Saddam Hussein took full control of Iraq. Yet today, there are more than 70,000 Iraqi Muslim background believers in Jesus, approximately 50,000 who came to Christ as refugees in Jordan after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, and another 20,000 who have come to Christ since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

KAZAKHSTAN -- In Kazakhstan, there were only three known evangelical Christian believers before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today there are more than 15,000 Kazakh Christians, and more than 100,000 Christians of all ethnicities.

EGYPT -- More than 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over the past decade or so, report Egyptian church leaders. The Egyptian Bible Society report they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the Jesus film a year in the early 1990s. But in 2005 they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape (in Arabic) and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament.

IRAN -- In 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, there were only about 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity. Today, interviews with two dozen Iranian pastors and church leaders reveals that there are well over 1 million Shia Muslim converts to Christianity.

SUDAN -- Despite a ferocious civil war, genocide and widespread religious persecution, particularly in the Darfur region -- or perhaps because of such tragedies -- church leaders report there are more than 1 million Sudanese who have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ just since 2001. Since the early 1990s, more than 5 million Sudanese have become followers of Jesus. Hundreds of churches have been planted, and thousands of small group Bible studies are being held in secret throughout the country. Source: The Joshua Fund, March 2008

 

 

2 April 2008    -    MYANMAR  -  4,700 BUDDHIST MONKS RECEIVE CHRIST

More than 10 years ago Asia Harvest reported on hundreds of Buddhist monks in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (Burma) who received Jesus Christ after hearing the Gospel and experiencing the transforming power of the Lord Jesus in their own lives. Now, a number of other ministries are reporting a tremendous breakthrough for the Gospel among Buddhist monks in that troubled nation. In the midst of a season of darkness, Buddhist monks and nuns began inviting Christian missionaries to come and share the gospel in the privacy of their monasteries. The majority of these monks are from the dominant Bama people, normally very resistant to the gospel. One of the ministries supported by Christian Aid sent this report: "4,700 Buddhist monks were led to Christ through our ministry. It appears that the Holy Spirit had urged these monks and nuns to call our evangelists to come and share the gospel of hope and love. After several intense discussions, close to 80 percent of the monks present in each of the monasteries raised their hands to accept Christ, and then kneeled down to pray and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Baptisms are being done discreetly - no more than three at a time for the sake of the safety of the converts as well as our workers." Source" Christian Aid Missions.

 

20 March 2008    -    The Latest Asia Harvest newsletter #93 (our Annual Report for 2007-08) is now available for downloading. Click here.

 

8 March 2008    -    CHINA  -  REVIVAL CONTINUED DESPITE SEVERE OPPOSITION

As the Beijing Olympics near, China has been actively presenting itself as a modern, respectful player on the world scene. Visitors to one of China's big cities like Shanghai or Beijing usually go away impressed by how Westernized these massive cities have become. Christian visitors are even able to visit legal, government-sanctioned churches where people are free to worship and Bibles seem to be plentiful. A word of warning: don't be misled! Out in the rural areas of China, where most people struggle to eke out a living and where at least 80% of China's approximately 50 million house church Christians live, things are very different. The church leaders we know continue to report difficult times, with a marked increase in persecution since late last year. The largest of the incidents took place in Shandong Province on 7 December 2007, when 270 house church Christians were arrested and charged with participating in an "illegal gathering." This is the largest single arrest of Christians in China for years, and was conducted by 50 Public Security officers from 12 different towns. After weeks of interrogation, the authorities identified 21 of the detainees as church leaders, and sent all of them to prison labor camps for periods of up to three years (the longest sentence that can be handed down in China without a public trial). Numerous smaller incidents of persecution have taken place in the first two months of 2008.

On the morning of 23 January this year, house church members were severely beaten when police raided a prayer meeting at Xishan in Yunnan Province, southwest China. A 54-year-old female, Liang Guihua, was thrown against a wall and knocked unconscious. Earlier, on 5 December, the authorities raided a Christian meeting in Kunming City. They seized several hundred Bibles and other Christian literature, and burned them outside the residence. While Christians in China love their country and hope the Olympic Games are successful this summer, they also hope the world will not forget to pray for them as they continue their long struggle for the faith of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

1 February 2008    -    CHINA  -  OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT EVANGELISTS REACHING THE ETHNIC MINORITIES

You may know that since the very beginning of Asia Harvest's involvement in China more than 20 years ago, we took a keen interest in the several hundred different ethnic minority groups that inhabit the country. In 2000, the Asia Harvest director Paul Hattaway published his ground-breaking book "Operation China," which profiled almost 500 different ethnic groups (The Operation China book and CD ROM is available from our "Books and CDs" link on the left of this page). OMF International were moved to call it "the China book of the decade." Totaling more than 100 million people, the ethnic minorities are largely untouched by the Gospel. In many cases they are not more resistant to the Gospel than the Han Chinese people, but quite simply most groups have never heard about Jesus Christ before. Over the years Asia Harvest has done all we can to help the Chinese and others reach the minorities of China with the Gospel, and there have been a number of encouraging breakthroughs. Now, by partnering with the Chinese house churches, we are in contact with more than 120 evangelists who have been trained and equipped to reach approximately 25 different ethnic groups, but their progress has been inhibited by a lack of financial support. This is tragic, especially as many of the workers are minority Christians themselves, who have a burden to reach their own group. We have committed to partner with the house churches to meet this need, as God provides. Right now there are 80 evangelists who need support. Please pray about whether you could be involved in helping meet this tremendous opportunity. You can support one or more of these evangelists through our Asian workers' fund. Click here  for information on how to donate to this need. Each regular donor will receive a prayer card of the worker your help has been applied to. God bless you.

 

13 December 2007    -    CHINA  -  ASIA HARVEST PASSES MILESTONE OF ONE MILLION CHINESE BIBLES PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED

This year, by the grace of God, we have passed the milestone of one million Bibles printed and distributed inside China for the Chinese Church since 2001. Our December newsletter highlights this vital project, and the tremendous impact it has on the lives of countless people. Click here to read our latest issue. We thank every person who has prayed, given or otherwise contributed to provide the Word of God to the rural house church believers, who still struggle to get enough Bibles for their members because of the size and pace of the revival in many parts of China.

 

We also have some GOOD NEWS! Thanks to the diligence of our coworkers in China, they have found ways to print Bibles at less cost, without compromising the quality at all! From this month on, therefore, the cost of providing a full Bible to a house church believer in China has been lowered from $2.25 to just $1.80 (including delivery). This tremendous development  will enable us to equip even more believers with God's Word. We do not know of any more strategic or beneficial investment a person can make in God's kingdom than to provide the Word of God to hungry believers who are unable to access it. If you would like to make a donation to our China Bible fund, please Click here. All US donations are tax-deductible.

 

9 December 2007    -    BHUTAN  -  'JESUS' FILM TRANSFORMS REMOTE VILLAGES

The small and little-known Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan is sandwiched between China, India and Nepal in the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. Most of the more-than 40 tribes and ethnic groups of Bhutan are largely unevangelized. There are many religious, cultural and geographic challenges to reaching Bhutan. Although it appears as a small country on the map, some tribes in remote areas of Bhutan require a trek of two weeks or more to reach them from the nearest road. Recently, however, the 'Jesus' film has been used by intrepid Christians to present the Gospel to people in Bhutan, with tremendous results. In one village a man named Baarsat, who was the witchdoctor of the community, was so touched by the message of Christ's love that he and ten of his family members decided to forsake their idols and follow Jesus. Being a highly-respected and influential man, Baarsat's conversion has had wide-ranging effects and many people from surrounding villages have also decided to follow the True and Living God. Small church fellowships have emerged in places where until recently nobody had ever heard the Gospel. Asia Harvest supports a number of Asian missionaries in Bhutan through our Asian Workers' Fund. Click here for more information.

 

 

13 November 2007    -    IRAN  -  MANY DISILLUSIONED IRANIANS ARE TURNING TO JESUS

Christianity in Iran is growing as the country becomes increasingly disillusioned by the "authoritarian and economically incompetent" Islamic government, says a Christian author who urges the international community to allow this hope to develop before considering any attack on the country. “Any attack on Iran over her nuclear program would be a cruel disaster for all Iranians,” states Mark Bradley in his new book, ”Iran: Open Hearts In A Closed Land.”

“As well as causing untold misery for hundreds of thousands of innocent Iranians, it could also end the church growth Iran has been experiencing,” explains Bradley, whose real name is not being used in order to protect his real identity. The author suggests the current presence of a deep dissatisfaction with the Islamic regime in Iran that has paved the way for a growing interest in Jesus Christ and Christianity in the country. “At the moment, there is deep disillusionment among Iranians with their Islamic government, which is seen as offensively authoritarian and economically incompetent. This has created an unprecedented interest in Jesus Christ," he claims. “Today, Iranians will pay what is for them a lot of money on the black market to get a New Testament, thousands are watching Christian programs on satellite TV, and some are joining the growing underground church.”

The author warns against any foreign policy that may hinder this growth, saying, “This could all end if the bombs began to fall. America is seen by Iranians as being a Christian power, so any attack on Iran would inevitably turn people against the Christian faith,” he explains. “It would also strengthen the extreme hard liners who might accuse Christians of following the faith of Iran’s enemies, and they would step up their efforts to eliminate the church. If there is no attack, the Iranian church looks set to grow."

Bradley’s book details the disillusionment that has built up in Iran since 1979, and shows why Iranians, with their strong non-Islamic identity, find Jesus Christ the natural person to turn to. “Christ reminds them of their Shia heroes: Ali who campaigned for the poor; Hussein who died for a righteous cause; and Mehdi who is to return to restore justice,” he says. “Iran is also soaked in Sufism, mysticism, so when told to expect Jesus to touch them in a supernatural way, this is not unfamiliar for Iranians.” According to July 2007 estimates by the CIA World Factbook, less than 2 percent of Iran’s 65 million population follow a faith other than Islam.

Source: Daniel Blake, Christian Post, November 2007

 

15 October 2007    -    The Latest Asia Harvest newsletter #91 (on the great Indian preacher Sadhu Sundar Singh) is now available for downloading. Click here.

 

9 October 2007    -    CHINA IS EXPELLING MANY KEY MISSIONARIES

It has become apparent that during the last several months more than one hundred foreign Christians have been told to leave China by the authorities. Many of these are experienced workers who have served the Chinese Church and the Chinese people for many years. Just last week an American family in one part of the country were called into the local police station. Their passports were stamped "No access for five years" and they were told they have three days to pack up their belongings and depart from China. When they ask for the reason for their expulsion, most receive no answer. Experts say the reason behind this sudden and unexpected action is that the central government is nervous with the image China will project during next year's Olympic Games. Subsequently, many Chinese Christians have found their lives and activities are being scrutinized more closely, and any foreigners suspected of being an "undesirable element" have been forced to leave the country. While Christianity in China has advanced and matured to such an extent that the Church is far from being dependent on the presence of foreign help, many of those being expelled were doing a tremendous service for the kingdom of God where they lived, and had been faithfully serving the Chinese Church in a variety of different ways.

Please pray for the families who have been expelled from China. Pray their next steps will be directed by the Lord and He will give them peace and joy. Pray that the Gospel will continue to spread throughout China, and that many thousands of people will hear and find Jesus during the Olympics.

 

 

 

24 September 2007    -    ALGERIA  -  JESUS STUNS A MUSLIM COURT

Although the North African country of Algeria is outside the normal vision of Asia Harvest, this testimony from The Voice of the Martyrs is so encouraging that we wanted to share it with you anyway. God is doing similarly wonderful things in many Muslim nations, from breakthroughs among the Uygurs, Kazaks and other Muslims of northwest China, and in other parts of Central Asia and the Middle East.
 
Recently, this was told to a gentleman by a Christian woman in Algeria. Here is her story: "When I was 15 years old, I was looking for God. I tried to ask everyone. I even went to a sheikh. I told him, 'I love God; I am looking for him.'  He told me, 'You are a blasphemer! You only need to obey your parents and say the five [Muslim] prayers!'  I was not convinced. Every night before I went to sleep, I said, 'God, I know you are there; if you are there, why don't you talk to me?'

One night, I was crying on my bed and I saw heaven open and rays of light writing the words, 'I am the way, the truth and the life.' I knew this was not a dream. I ran outside on the patio to look up at the sky. I was sure God had talked to me. Later, a woman gave me a New Testament. When I found Jesus' words, 'way, truth, life,' I said, 'That is what you told me! You are God.' I gave my life to Jesus. When I married, I told my husband that I am a Christian. My family reported me to the police. The police in Algiers filed a court case against me for despising Islam – blasphemy." One morning they took me to court. The judge was sitting at his desk between two advisors. He leaned over and asked me, 'Are you a Christian?'  I said, 'Yes.'  He asked, 'What did you find in Islam that you didn't like?' I replied, 'I was looking for God in Islam and I didn't find him.' Then I told him about my night vision and the words I found in the New Testament. I don't know if he was curious or wanted to trap me, but the judge asked, 'How do you Chistians pray? What do they say?' I tried to explain to him what we say. He still didn't understand how we talk to God.
 
He asked, 'Where do you pray? What do you pray?' I replied, 'We can pray anytime, anywhere.' He leaned forward and asked, 'Can you pray now? Here?' I said, 'Yes,' He sat back and said, 'Okay, pray.' I stood before him and raised my hands and started to pray. I knew that in my prayer this would be an opportunity to give a message of salvation. I began, 'Thank you, Jesus, because we are sinners and you died for us…' I took 10 minutes to finish this prayer. I prayed for the president of Algeria that God would bless him. I prayed for those in this court to see the salvation of Christ.

When I said, 'Amen,' the officials in the court turned to look at each other. The room was quiet. They were speechless. The judge said to me, 'This case is dismissed. Go home.'  I turned to walk down the long aisle to the door. I heard someone running behind me. I turned and saw the judge. He caught up with me and said, 'Woman, when you pray to Jesus, please pray for me.' Although it is against the law for Muslims like me to convert, I continue to have Christian meetings in my house. We close the shades."
 
Source: The Voice of the Martyrs, September 2007

 

 

 

21 August 2007    -    NEPAL  -  GOD CONTINUES MIGHTY WORK

The Himalayan country of Nepal, officially the world's only Hindu kingdom, continues to experience a tremendous work of God. In the 1950s there were no more than a handful of Christians in the country. This number gradually rose into the hundreds, and then approximately 25,000 by the early 1990s. Today estimates of Christians in Nepal vary widely, but most researchers agree there is a minimum of 600,000, and possibly as high as one million. This represents a tremendous growth in a relatively short space of time, as the Holy Spirit has opened the hearts of people from dozens of different tribes and ethnic groups to the claims of Jesus Christ. Last Easter, 2007, a mass Christian rally was held in the city of Pokhara, at the foot of the imposing Annapurna mountain range. Thousands of disciples of Christ gathered to worship the King of Kings and dedicate themselves afresh to the Lord. On one day of the rally almost 20,000 people attended, with thousands hearing the Gospel for the first time. Local television, radio and print media covered the event. Many of the older Nepal Christians could scarcely believe that such a time of open worship and preaching would ever come to Nepal, where believers were frequently persecuted against for their faith until recently. Today many Christians still face discrimination from family members and communities, but the love of God is gradually winning over the people of Nepal and Christianity is becoming more respected and accepted by the population. Praise our loving God for His mighty works in Nepal! There remains much work to be done, and many tribes are yet to embrace the Gospel. Please pray this will soon change and Jesus Christ will be exalted among all the peoples of the Himalayas. Asia Harvest supports evangelists who work in some of the most remote areas of Nepal. Click here  for information or to donate to the Asian Workers fund.

 

 

 

 

28 July 2007    -    INTRODUCING THE "FIRE & BLOOD" PROJECT

The July Asia Harvest newsletter introduced a new long-term project which hopes to be a blessing both to the Chinese Church and to Christians around the world who love to hear about what God has done in China. The newsletters also announces the much-awaited release of "China's Book of Martyrs," an exciting and comprehensive book detailing hundreds of Christians who have laid down their lives for the faith in China between the 8th century and now. Click here to read our most recent newsletter, or here to read more about our new book.

 

 

21 June 2007    -    GOD BRINGS REVIVAL TO THE 'GARBAGE DUMP' PEOPLE IN MUSLIM NATION

The following story has been investigated and verified. It comes from a predominantly Muslim country in Asia, the name of which is not wise to share on the internet. A missionary couple had been laboring in a certain Muslim country. They became terribly discouraged in their attempts to share the gospel with the Muslims there, and they were about to quit and go home. However, they first decided to take a few days to fast and pray, asking the Lord for direction and guidance. To their surprise, during this period of seeking, the Lord gave them this simple instruction, "Go to the garbage dump people." The garbage dump people lived on the outskirts of this large Muslim city, and were the last people group anyone would normally ever want to visit. There are thousands of people there who literally live in the garbage dump. They have no other place to live. They actually comprise a city built on top of all the garbage. "Homes" are typically cardboard boxes. People live off of what they find in the garbage. The stench is described as terrible. The missionary couple hesitated, humanly not really wanting to go, but they decided that if the Lord was speaking to them they had better obey. They soon began an outreach to the garbage dump people. God's blessing was evident, and within a short time 30-40 people started gathering around them for a Bible study in the garbage dump. In less than a year, 800-900 people were gathering every time the missionaries went in to peach and teach, which was three times a week. They soon began to see God's wisdom in this unique ministry. The garbage dump was a totally protected place because no one, including the authorities, wanted to go in there to interfere with what they were doing.

One day, their numbers having reached into the hundreds, they were talking with one of the oldest men of the garbage dump city. They told him that somehow they were going to have to find some shelter so that the assembled people would have some cover from the elements. The old man said, "When I was just a child, many years ago, some of the old people at that time said that there was a cave, and far down into the cave there is a meeting place. I remember being taken in there as a young boy. I think I could take you there again." They agreed to come back and go with the old man. The missionaries soon returned with friends and flashlights. The old man led them to a back part of the garbage dump with a lot of rock formations. He then took them to the opening of a very large cave. They all entered the cave and walked and walked, for about 45 minutes. Finally, at the end, there was a turn, and then to their astonishment they saw an enormous, incredibly well-preserved theater! It was like one of those in the Roman times we have seen in pictures. It was in immaculate condition, obviously preserved from ancient times by the unusual climate. They discovered there was seating for about 5,000 people! The missionaries began to use that underground theater as the meeting place and as the church. God began to fill the place with garbage dump people. It was not long before every seat in the whole theater was filled, and it was not unusual for lines of Muslims waiting to give testimonies of salvation to go down both sides of the theater, to the left and the right, all the way to the back. These were all Muslims who had come to faith in Jesus Christ, many of them after a supernatural experience, with Jesus appearing to them in dreams and visions, a phenomenon in Muslim countries we have heard about from other reliable sources. Services sometimes go on for hours.

All this happened because the Father's love through the Holy Spirit stirred in the hearts of two people -- a committed missionary couple -- who said, "yes," and who were willing to lay down their lives, personal ambitions, ego and pride for Jesus, and preach in a filthy, stinking Muslim garbage dump. To Him be all the glory, honor and praise! Source: Choice for Living

 

25 May 2007    -    MIDDLE EAST  -  THOUSANDS OF CHINESE WORKERS FINDING CHRIST

Praise God for the explosive growth of Christians among ethnic Chinese who have come to work in the Arabian Peninsula. There are hundreds of thousands of Chinese spread across the region, with the majority employed in the construction industry. Most come to the Middle East to make as much money as they can in a short space of time. Many send the money back to China to support their families. It is wonderful to hear many stories of these precious men finding Christ. At one meeting (in a Muslim country) during Chinese New Year, approximately 400 people indicated they wanted to follow Christ. Many of the new Chinese believers have gained a burden to share the Gospel with the Muslims surrounding them. This exciting development has the potential to be a major arm of the Back to Jerusalem movement, as the Chinese Church advances in its vision to send thousands of missionaries into the Middle East and other parts of the unreached world.

 

 

 

10 May 2007    -    DOUG SUTPHEN (BROTHER DAVID) HAS GONE TO BE WITH JESUS

 
by Paul Hattaway

At 1:42 am on May 8, Doug Sutphen, who was better-known and loved around the world as "Brother David," passed away in a hospital near his home in North Bend, Washington. He was 70-years-old.

Doug Sutphen is best remembered for leading the audacious "Project Pearl" in 1981 - when one million Chinese Bibles, weighing 232 tons, were delivered by barge to thousands of waiting Christians on a beach in southern China. Time magazine described it as "A remarkable mission…the largest operation of its kind in the history of China.”  Many Chinese church leaders today say that Project Pearl was a pivotal moment in their history. The Church had only started to re-emerge after decades of brutal oppression, and the desperate need of believers everywhere was for Bibles. A quarter of a century later reports are still being received of the tremendous impact those Bibles had on whole communities. Chinese Christians consider Project Pearl a key event which contributed greatly to the mighty revival presently sweeping the world’s most populous nation. 

Sutphen was born in Pennsylvannia in 1936. His father's job in the military resulted in the family moving to California. After a childhood made difficult by his dyslexia, Doug wandered away from the Lord and found his identity in playing football. Blessed with a powerful physique, he was offered a football playing scholarship at the University of Denver and moved to Colorado in 1955. After his college football career came to an end, Sutphen returned to California where he gained employment as a trainee lithographer in a print shop in downtown Los Angeles. This training would prove essential in later years when God called Sutphen to a ministry of printing and publishing the Scriptures in Asia. Before this happened, Sutphen completed a six-year stint in the US Marines.

Doug Sutphen's life experienced a dramatic change when he accepted Jesus Christ during a Billy Graham crusade on 4 September 1963. The change in his life was immediately evident, and he never wavered in his commitment to know and make known the Lord Jesus to as many people as possible. In May 1965 he commenced his missionary career in the Philippines. Sutphen had joined the FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Company), becoming the head of the printing department which produced and distributed millions of Bibles and Gospel tracts throughout Asia. This was the start of 42 years of serving the Body of Christ in Asia, a service which continued up to his death.

In the late 1960s Sutphen received a call from God to provide Bibles to the Church in China. China at the time was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution, and its borders were sealed to all outside influence. Most of the missionaries Sutphen shared his call with thought he was crazy, or naive, but this Gospel warrior soldiered on. Piece by piece the Lord unfolded His plan to Sutphen, and he was finally able to get a visa and enter China in 1976. In 1979 a few Christian ministries began to carry Bibles into China from Hong Kong. By now Sutphen had joined Open Doors, and he adopted the name "Brother David" in order to protect his identity. Despite leading teams of Bible-carrying Christians into China, which resulted in the successful delivery of more than 30,000 Bibles, Sutphen saw that the needs of the Chinese Church were vast, and that carrying Bibles by hand would never be able to meet the demand. After much prayer with several key colleagues, the plan for "Project Pearl" was birthed.

Operating under a cloak of secrecy because of the highly-sensitive nature of the work, Sutphen and his team worked closely with house church leaders inside China and settled on the bold and risky plan to take one million Bibles into China by boat, all at once. Starting with no money or resources, God supernaturally provided everything needed and the delivery was successfully completed in the evening of 18 June, 1981. More than 10,000 Chinese believers gathered along a beach near the city of Shantou in southern China, and took the one million Bibles away in trucks, cars, donkey carts, on bicycles, and strung across bamboo poles. The army arrived at the beach several hours after the delivery, but the vast majority of Bibles (at least 90%) had been successfully moved by the Chinese Christians. Later, the Three-Self church and others tried to denounce Project Pearl by claiming all the Bibles had been confiscated or swept out to sea, but this was not true. Within weeks, Project Pearl Bibles had made their way to hungry believers in 18 different provinces, and letters of overwhelming gratitude poured in from Christians who had received their first copy of God's Word.

The whole of Project Pearl, and indeed Doug Sutphen's life from the time of his conversion, was focused on seeking first the kingdom of God. For decades he received no salary, and mentioned his personal needs only to God, and never to people. God responded to his faith in a marvelous way, and the Sutphens never lacked what they needed. In 1981 the inspirational story of "Brother David" up to that point was told in the best-selling book, "God's Smuggler to China."

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Sutphen continued to serve God in many parts of the world. His passion and love for China never diminished, and he constantly sought new ways to get Bibles to the believers there. When religious restrictions started to ease in the early 1990s, Sutphen traveled to China and asked the government-sanctioned Amity Press to print Bibles for the unregistered house churches. Many were shocked to see this man, who had in some people's eyes been the champion of "Bible smuggling", now engaging the official Church. He was strongly criticized in some quarters, but Doug forgave his critics and forged ahead. What mattered most to him was that God's Word would get into the hands of Chinese believers. How they got there was of secondary importance to him. In the first 3 years Sutphen was able to oversee the distribution of an additional 1.1 million Bibles to Chinese Christians, most of them members of house church fellowships.

Sutphen also had a great burden for North Korea. He visited the country on many occasions, and by God's grace was able to share the Gospel with North Korean government officials and diplomats. In 1995 Doug was struck with four heart-attacks in the space of 72 days. Three different doctors told him he was going to die, but Sutphen felt his work for the Church in Asia was not yet finished and continued on. At a time when many of his colleagues were expecting news of his death, Doug and his wife founded a new ministry, Love China Ministries International, and they continued to serve the Church in Asia.

Doug Sutphen's loving wife Meiling has cared for him like an angel. Together they have made a beautiful team, and walked through many struggles and successes together. Meiling broke the news of Doug's passing, and is heart-broken by the loss of her best friend and life partner. Please pray the peace of the Holy Spirit will comfort her during these difficult days. Meiling plans to continue the work of Love China Ministries from their home in North Bend.

God kept Doug Sutphen alive and allowed him to serve Jesus Christ for 12 more years after the doctors announced he would die. These years have been filled with challenges, as partial blindness and the scourge of diabetes have ravaged Sutphen's body. Still he retained a joyful and positive spirit, and was always full of encouragement to everyone he met. In 2005 I was privileged to spend a week at his bedside in Washington, and felt closely bonded to this dear brother in Christ as we prayed and talked about God's work in China.

Remarkably, in late 2005 Doug made yet another trip to his beloved China to meet with church leaders and plan new strategies for the kingdom of God. Months of planning had to go into finding an airline that could accept his wheelchair and walker, hotels in China with ramps and facilities, and a thousand other things. When the Chinese Christians saw him they hugged him dearly and tears rolled down their cheeks. Here was a warrior of the gospel ­ someone who had been literally willing to die to bring them the Word of God during their darkest hour of suffering; Someone who brought them food when they were hungry, water when they were thirsty, and clothes when they were naked. There are thousands of missionaries working in China today, doing a myriad of different activities, but those who can claim to have been serving the Lord in China as far back as the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s can be counted on one hand. Doug Sutphen is one of them, and the Chinese have long memories.

One of Sutphen's closest friends has been David Aikman, journalist and author of "Jesus in Beijing." Aikman recently said, "I consider it a rare privilege to have been considered a true friend by this saintly brother. To me, he has always been 'closer than a brother.'  Overall, there is no other Christian I can recall in the four decades of my own Christian life who has so consistently exhibited such an absolutely Christ-like attitude towards life and towards other Christians; even his adversaries. Quite simply, he is the most remarkable Christian missionary I have ever met." 

Jackie Pullinger, author of "Chasing the Dragon," was another of Doug's friends. She says, "Doug Sutphen is a warrior who wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. Yet this man I have known for decades was also gentle, kind and used the weapons of faith and prayer and wisdom to bring about a miracle for the sake of his beloved China and his wonderful Saviour.”

The last time I saw Doug Sutphen he wanted to share a message for Christians everywhere. He said, "When I die, I want a revival and not a funeral. How about you? Do you want a revival too? Then begin crying out to God. Stop shrinking from His will and begin working under His direction. Take the time to be alone with Him and His Word, and He will begin blessing and giving guidance to you as He has done for me. There is so much more I want to do for Jesus, and sometimes my condition frustrates me. If you have your sight and two legs, please don’t waste them! Our time on this earth is short, and getting shorter every day. There are so many people whom Jesus wants to reach out to, and He wants to do it through people just like you. God Bless You. I look forward to getting to know you in heaven."

There are many who have been deeply impacted by the life and ministry of this warrior of God, who has now gone to his eternal reward. He is now happy, whole, and safe in the embrace of Jesus Christ.
 
 

4 May 2007    -    The Latest Asia Harvest newsletter #89 (on Bibles for Vietnam) is now available for downloading. Click here.

 

 

 

1 May 2007    -    INDIA  -  FORMER PERSECUTOR NOW AN EVANGELIST FOR JESUS CHRIST

Thankappan, a taxi driver from the Indian state of Kerala, and also a fanatic Hindu. He never liked Christian  missionaries. He used to speak against Christianity and mobilized people to oppose believers. One day, Thankappan was driving his taxi when he was happened to go past a Gospel meeting. There he noticed a former Muslim and a former Hindu were witnessing Jesus Christ. He became very angry and spit at the evangelists. No sooner had he done this, when his car suddenly collided with a truck. Thankappan was seriously injured and entered a coma. His large and small intestines spilled out of the stomach. Doctors tried their best, but they could not place the intestines back in his stomach. They gave up all hope for his life, and simply packed Thankappan's intestines together and stitched his stomach shut. After few days, while he was still in the coma, Thankappan had a vision that Jesus Christ touched him and said, "I am giving you life again. Confess your sins and show yourself as my witness."
 
Thankappan opened his eyes. He saw Pastor Paul Ciniraj praying over him. Nearby his wife stood sobbing in expectation of his death. Though Thankappan was barely able to speak, he slowly opened his mouth and whispered to Ciniraj, "Pastor, I spit at you, and I spit on my Lord Jesus. I persecuted His servants. I persecuted the Lord Jesus. Forgive me. Please forgive me. Ask my Lord to forgive me."  He wept bitter tears of sorrow. At this time the doctor rushed into the room and was amazed to see Thankappan speaking and crying. The doctor said it is a great miracle. After Thankappan was totally healed he was baptized and became an evangelist, distributing tracts and literature and witnessing about Jesus Christ to every person. His wife also helps him. Thankappan testifies to what Jesus did for him by holding his Bible in one hand and showing his horrific stomach scars to onlookers. "I was an enemy of Christians, but Jesus Christ loved me, made me alive and saved me from sin and death. Now I am His servant". Thankappan says. Source: Salem Voice Ministries.

 

 

 

 

2 April 2007    -    LAOS - CHURCH CONTINUES TO GROW DESPITE PERSECUTION

In 1999 we wrote a book called "Faces of the Unreached in Laos: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Nation." [this book is still available at our online bookstore].  Because of its relatively small population amid large surrounding countries such as China, Vietnam and Thailand, Laos continues to be largely forgotten by travelers and missionaries alike. Despite having a population of only around 6 million people, Laos is divided into approximately 130 distinct tribes and ethnic groups. More than 100 of these have little or no access to the Gospel. In the past decade the Church has steadily grown in Laos, despite setbacks and severe persecution from the Communist government there. Recent reports from Laos tell of increasing persecution. In one remote village in central Laos the authorities demanded Christians renounce their faith or face arrest. At Nakoon village in Borikhamxay Province, the believers have been forced to meet in secret. The government subsequently set up a committee of 13 officials to put a stop to the spread of Christianity and to eliminate all Christians from the village. Believers were summoned to the local government office on at least 10 occasions, where threats and pressure were placed on them to abandon their faith in Jesus Christ. On March 13, more than 180 people were mobilized to put more pressure on the  Christians to renounce their faith. When they refused, 46 Christians from 10 families were deported from the village.

 

14 March 2007    -    CHINA  -  THE REVIVAL SPREADS TO THE CITIES

Several years ago many missionaries expressed their doubts that the Chinese house church Christians from rural areas (where the revival has been most active over the past 30 years) would be able to effectively take the Gospel to the major Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Large social and economic differences between the generally impoverished countryside and the affluent cities were sited as factors that would prohibit the Gospel from spreading. Thanks be to God, it is fast becoming clear that these fears are totally wrong! Church leaders in the nation's capital, Beijing, now believe there are more than 500,000 Christians in the municipality. The Holy Spirit has been working across all kinds of socio-economic groups in the city, with thousands of new believers every year from backgrounds as diverse as CEOs of major companies, to street sweepers and factory workers. We have recently received a report about several house church evangelists from Zhejiang Province, who were burdened by God to take the Gospel to China's most populated city, Shanghai, four years ago. In that time they have been instrumental in starting 217 house churches in the city!  Thank God for this great news, and please pray that the pure Gospel would continue to spread throughout every segment of China, including all ethnic minority groups.

 

 

19 February 2007    -    The Latest Asia Harvest newsletter (our 2006/07 Annual Report) is now available for downloading. Click here.

 

12 February 2007    -    CAMBODIA  -  THE GOOD NEWS IS REACHING THE FORMER KILLERS OF CAMBODIA

The remote town of Anlong Veng, near the Cambodian border with Thailand, was the final stronghold of the notorious Khmer Rouge, who under Pol Pot launched a campaign of genocide against the people of this Southeast Asian nation. After the Khmer Rouge lost power, many of its members fled to the remote jungles and set up base at Anlong Veng. Due to the faith and steadfast prayers of native Cambodian missionaries, the area was opened to the gospel in 1999, beginning with the conversion of several key Khmer Rouge military leaders. Eight churches have now been planted in Anlong Veng. Another large church and guesthouse are scheduled to open in February 2007. The indigenous ministry spearheading this gospel movement has also established a children’s home that cares for the orphans of deceased members of the Khmer Rouge. It is estimated that between 300 and 400 orphans now exist in the jungles of Anlong Veng. In addition, a feeding program serves three meals a day to 120 children. Source: Christian Aid Mission

 

 

 

1 February 2007    -    HIMALAYAS  -  JESUS AT WORK IN THE 'ROOF OF THE WORLD'

In November a large meeting in the city of Siliguri, northeast India, saw 5,000 Christian workers come from all across the Himalayan Region. During the evangelistic part of the meetings more than 1,000 people accepted Jesus Christ for the first time, including many Hindus and Sikhs. People came from across northern India, Nepal, and the small Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan to attend the meetings, which were led by a team of Christian leaders from South Korea. Many people who were sick were prayed for and received healing. One little 7-year-old girl from a Hindu family had never walked in her life due to a crippling disease. God healed her, and she was able to walk freely. Her parents announced that they would now follow Jesus Christ as a result. Others experienced the power of God, including one man in the 40s who threw away his crutches after God healed him. Many of the people who attended the Siliguri meetings are extremely poor, and live in remote villages throughout the region. The Korean team then traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal, and held similar meetings where many more people put their trust in Christ. Please pray that they would remain strong and cause the light of the Gospel to spread to their families and neighbors. Pray the Name of Jesus would be glorified and lifted up throughout the whole Himalayan Region.

 

 

 

17 January 2007    -    MYANMAR  -  GOVERNMENT VOWS TO OBLITERATE CHRISTIANITY

Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is a poor country located in Southeast Asia, and bordered by India and Bangaldesh to the west, China to the north, and Laos and Thailand to the east. Myanmar is ruled by a vicious military regime, dominated by ethnic Myen, or Burmese, 99% of whom are Buddhists. After years of horrible atrocities committed against many tribes living in the nation, the government's Ministry of Religious Affairs has produced a document called "Programme to Destroy the Christian Religion in Myanmar." It begins, "There will be home where the Christian religion is practiced." Despite protests from the British and other governments, the Myanmar authorities have spent years ignoring outside influence and now, fuelled by hatred, seemed determined to carry out their sinister plans against the people of God. Recently at the United Nations a resolution was tabled to criticize Myanmar's treatment of tribal groups in the country, but the statement was vetoed by China and Russia. Hundreds of thousands of people - many of them Christians - have been tortured, killed and misplaced at the hands of the regime. Girls and young women have been packed raped by vengeful soldiers. Please pray that God will intervene on behalf of His Church in Myanmar, purifying His people and stopping the work of Satan.

 

 

5 January 2007    -    INDIA  -  A REMARKABLE TESTIMONY FROM THE HIMALAYAS

"Praise the Lord! My name is Dolo Sono. I grew up in an area of the Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh where nobody had ever heard of Jesus Christ, not even once in our lives. My fathers worshipped the spirits for countless centuries, and they encouraged me to follow them and become a priest of the Donyi-Polo (Sun-moon) religion. We didn’t know who the Creator was, so my tribe had no option but to worship His creation. We considered the sun and the moon our father and mother, giving sustenance and light to us.

My son developed a blood disease. He suffered terrible pain as his condition worsened over time. My wife and I could hardly stand to see the pain he was in. I called on the spirits to help, but he only grew worse. I visited other priests and asked them to pray for my son, but the more they prayed, the worse he became. Then, like a dagger through my heart, my precious son died. I was grief-stricken, and wept uncontrollably as I stared at my little boy’s lifeless body. I didn’t realize it at the time, but a Christian lived in a nearby village. When news spread that the Donyi-Polo priest’s son had died, the Christian came to my house and asked if he could pray for my son, who had been dead for four hours already. I didn’t see any harm in letting the follower of Jesus pray for him. He started to pray, and a short time later my boy suddenly came back to life! He sat up and was fine. We later found that he was also completely healed from the blood disease that had caused him so much suffering! As you might imagine, when news of this great miracle circulated, everyone was amazed and rushed to our home to see my son for themselves. I didn’t know anything about Jesus, but from that moment I knew that He alone was the true God, and I decided I would serve Him for the rest of my life.

The first thing I did was search for other Christians. I thought they must be really special and powerful people, because they followed the true and all-powerful God who has the power to bring the dead back to life and change people’s hearts on the inside. After searching far and wide, I was shocked to discover that there was just one church in my entire region, with only eleven people in it. The eleven Christians were weak and persecuted. They met in a small, run-down building. I found this really sad. My own temple where I had served as a priest was beautifully decorated by comparison. I could scarcely believe that the followers of Jesus were so crushed and timid even though they possessed the Truth. My forefathers had followed Satan for centuries without any light from God. Those who followed lies were much larger in number than those who followed the Truth. This was wrong, and I decided to do something about it. From that day onwards I determined to help God’s Church grow. From the day God raised my son from the dead, I started telling people about Jesus. This was the least I could do. I thought everyone would be excited to hear about Jesus, but I soon found that it made people angry. My own parents and family threatened to disown me if I continued to follow Jesus. I told them I must follow Him, because He is real and he raised my son from the dead!

I started preaching everywhere I could, walking from village to village and encouraging people to abandon the false worship of our forefathers and to stop bowing down to the sun and moon. I didn’t know anything about the Bible, but I boldly testified to what had happened, and that Jesus alone was true and powerful. A short time later someone told me there were many Christians in Nagaland, a state south of Arunachal Pradesh. This news excited me, so I caught a bus there and met with many true believers in the Lord. Almost the whole of Nagaland was Christian, and I was greatly encouraged. I returned home with more Bible knowledge, and could better explain the gospel to people.

The tribes of Arunachal Pradesh have worshipped spirits and demons since the beginning of time. The only other religion that people respect is Buddhism, which came from Tibet many centuries ago. As I continued to preach about Jesus, I experienced many attacks and problems. People thought my conversion to Christianity had brought great disgrace on my ancestors, especially because I had been a priest. I was beaten on many occasions, and attacked with swords and spears, but God preserved my life, and there were always a few people interested in listening to my message. Jesus helped me so much in those early years. Once I visited some villages for the first time and found that God had prepared the people by giving them dreams in advance of my arrival. Because of this, the people were kind to me and listened to the Good News I had come to share. I believed everything the Bible said. I read that Jesus told his disciples to only take one coat with them when they went out to preach, so I only wore one shirt until it was filthy and covered with lice.

The years went by and I was so glad that many more people in my tribe and other tribes started to follow Jesus too. In many places I saw people healed by the Lord and delivered from demons. Hundreds of people believed in God. In each place where people decided to follow Jesus, we organized small house groups for them to meet together in. A strange thing happened right at the time when God was moving so powerfully and saving many people. Other Christian leaders started to attack me and tried to stop me preaching. They said I was not qualified to preach, because I had never been to a seminary. I told them it was a shame I didn’t fit into their mould, but that there was no way I could stop preaching because Jesus was in my heart and He must come out! This only seemed to make these religious people angrier and they even travelled around different villages, telling lies about me and warning people not to listen to me. People in many places turned against me and refused to welcome me. God encouraged me from the Bible, as I read how many of His children in other times had experienced similar opposition from those who claim to be His followers. Jesus was always attacked by the Pharisees, and I realized that there were many people like Pharisees operating in Arunachal Pradesh. I wept many times because of the lies being spread and the great opposition. I became depressed. Then one night I had a dream where I heard a voice saying, "Dolo Sono, I have called you to preach. Get up and preach!" I replied, "But no churches want me any more. The religious people have told the unbelievers not to listen to me. What is the point?" I then heard the Lord say, "God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble." After this dream I knew that I could no longer bow to the threats and intimidation. I read in the Bible that if God is with me, who can be against me? I obeyed the Lord and started preaching again, and God helped me and opened many doors and opportunities. In many villages, people who had worshipped the sun and moon were saved and Jesus entered their hearts.

For years now I have been travelling all over Arunachal Pradesh. People know me as the former Donyi-Polo priest who found the true Way. By the power and grace of the Living God we now have more than 60 fellowships, and more people are meeting Jesus all the time. Please pray for our state, and the 60 tribes who live in it. Please pray that everyone in Arunachal Pradesh would soon love Jesus. Thank you and God bless you!"

Dolo Sono and his family continue to preach the Gospel and establish churches throughout Arunachal Pradesh. They receive financial support through our Asian Workers’ Fund. Click here to find out more.

 

18 December 2006    -    BHUTAN  -  A SMALL VILLAGE TURNS TO CHRIST

What is a missionary to do when God says "go," but the government says "no?" Gospel for Asia missionary Benita listened to God, and thanks to her faithfulness there are nine new Christian households in Bhutan. Benita and fellow missionary, Rana, were working with believers in a fellowship group Benita had planted in a southern Bhutan village. Both of these women sensed a strong burden to share the love of Christ with the people in a tiny neighboring village. There are only nine families in this next-door village, but reaching out to them would not be simple. Benita and Rana's activities had already drawn the attention of local government officials, who had the two women arrested. The Gospel is perceived as a threat to the country's majority Buddhist religion, and even to its indigenous identity. Freedom of religion is written into the country's laws, but Buddhism is the official, recognized state religion, and it is illegal for a Buddhist to become a Christian. It is illegal to build a Christian church, and Christians are only allowed to practice their faith at home. Christian missionaries are barred from entering Bhutan. Benita and Rana were released from police custody with strict orders to stay out of the neighboring village where they so desperately wanted to share the Gospel. Government officials continued to harass the women, who reluctantly made the decision that it was time to discontinue their joint ministry. Benita continued to serve the small fellowship in Dagana. Rana headed west, back to her home state of Samtse in southeastern Bhutan. In spite of the trials, God blessed each woman's individual ministry. The two women continued to lift the village up in prayer, seeking a way to share the Gospel with these nine households. In October, Benita decided that she had waited long enough. She boldly sneaked into the village, where she was met by shocked but excited faces. These villagers were ready to hear about Jesus! For two days Benita shared the Gospel with these nine households. Every single person in the village received Jesus as their Savior during those two days! More than 25 are following up with public professions of their new faith. Source: Gospel for Asia / Assist News Service.

 

1 December 2006    -    CHINA  -  THREE HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS EXECUTED IN NORTHEAST CHINA

The San Ban Puren, or "Three Grades of Servants" church, was established by Xu Shuangfu (pictured) and is believed to number between 500,000 and one million adherents nationwide. Having devoted his life to evangelism at the age of 12, Xu was arrested on numerous occasions and spent three years in prison on six different occasions - a combined 18 years behind bars for his faith.

The Chinese government outlawed the Three Grades of Servant organization in the 1990s, labeling it an "evil cult". Publications such as Tianfeng, the official mouthpiece of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, then published articles exposing the supposed heresies and wicked practices of the group. These were translated into English and some well-meaning Western Christian journalists joined the chorus of disapproval, denouncing the group as a cult deserving of punishment because they were dangerous law-breakers. None of these journalists traveled to China to independently verify the information coming from the Three-Self Church. It is a dangerous foundation to base a judgement solely upon information provided by the TSPM who are an organ of the Chinese Communist Party - avowed atheists and the persecutors of millions of Christians since they took power in China. Because of this controversy, many Christian ministries have avoided making mention of the Three Grades of Servants or the brutal persecution they have endured the past three years.

In Chinese-church circles today much confusion exists regarding the classification of cults. Many of the house churches in China have been labeled "evil cults" by the Communist government simply because of their refusal to register with the authorities. These include almost all the large house church networks based in Henan and Anhui provinces. To complicate matters, some of the groups the government has labeled "evil cults" are, in fact, cults and sects that deny the essential doctrines of Biblical Christianity. By classifying a church group as a cult, the government deceitfully opens up the way for Christians to be prosecuted for breaking the law, rather than directly for religious reasons. Western governments and human rights organizations are therefore largely silenced in their outcry against incidents of persecution, as often when they ask about a certain pastor who has been arrested they are told he was arrested because he broke the law, and not because of his faith. This subtle maneuver has resulted in much confusion within the Chinese Church and outside China, as believers disagree on which groups really are cults, and which are genuine followers of Christ who have been targeted by a hostile government bent on their destruction. The San Ban Puren, or Three Grades of Servants church, is one such group.

In 2003 the group's founder, Xu Shuangfu, spoke with some senior house church leaders from other groups who wanted to confront him over the reported heretical beliefs and practices of his group. Xu came to the meeting with booklets and video tapes detailing what the Three Grades of Servants teach and practice. The house church leaders examined the evidence and questioned Xu at great length, concluding that his beliefs to be quite orthodox. Xu said to the house church leaders, "If my church is in error and really a cult, then please come and rebuke us and show us the error of our ways so we can repent! Please be brothers to us in this way. If you do not point out our errors, how can we ever change and walk with Jesus like you?" These words do not sound like those of a typical cult leader!

On April 17, 2004, Xu Shuangfu was kidnapped by armed men as he made his way from the airport to the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. Two days later Xu's goddaughter was contacted by the kidnappers, and was told to pay three million Yuan (approximately US $365,000) for his release. They told her if she didn't pay the money within 24 hours they would "kill the old man." She went to the police station for help, only to be treated like a criminal and interrogated for several hours. It became apparent that the police had no interest in solving the case, and only let her go when she indicated she needed to leave to gather the ransom money. Later information made it clear that the Public Security Bureau had been the kidnappers all along. In the following weeks a widespread crackdown was launched in a bid to demolish the Three Grades of Servants. More than 90 leaders were arrested, most of them enduring horrible torture. Fifty believers were arrested during a meeting in Harbin on April 26. Relatives and family members of those arrested were themselves detained when they went to the authorities asking for information.

After being held for more than two years, the Three Grades of Servants leaders Xu Shuangfu, Li Maoxing, and Wang Jun were found guilty of involvement in the murders of 20 cult members and were sentenced to death in June 2006. Three more, Zhang Min, Zhu Lixin, and Ben Zhongjia were given two-year suspended death sentences. Eleven more Christians received between three to 15-year prison sentences. The police claimed Xu Shuangfu had admitted involvement in the crimes, but Xu's lawyers claimed he had been so brutally tortured while in custody that he had signed a confession under extreme duress in order to save his life. According to a report from the China Aid Association, "Xu described to the court that in order to get false confessions, the interrogators tied his fingers, toes and genitals with wire and then connected the wire with electricity. Mr. Li Maoxing showed his wounded fingers to the court and said that the torture experts used a new way of torture called Pi Long Pao (means put-up-dragon-robe) by making him hang in the air with a very thick blanket and then electrifying him after he got extremely wet". Mr. Xu was described as "calm and peaceful" by his daughter Ms. Xu Baiyin. "My father told the court he was very sad after hearing the murdering activities today and he said murdering is evil and forbidden by God. In his final remark he urged everyone in the court to believe in Jesus otherwise they will one day face eternal judgments in heaven. He also urged his children to continue to follow Christ without fear."

Today, the China Aid Association reported that the three leaders, Xu, Li, and Wang, had been secretly executed last week in Heilongjiang Province. The first anyone knew about it was on November 28 when Li Maoxing's wife was asked to collect her husband's ashes at the court as soon as possible. Neither the families or the attorneys of the three martyrs were informed of the execution in advance.
 
* Please pray for the families of the three martyrs. Ask God to strengthen and comfort them.
* Pray that the fire of the Gospel will continue to burn brightly throughout China, so that even the leaders and corrupt judges and authorities might repent and find faith in Jesus Christ.
* Pray believers inside and outside China will have wisdom to discern which groups are cults, and which are just accused of being cults by the government.

 

28 November 2006    -    INDIA  -  PROMINENT CHRISTIAN MURDERED BY MUSLIM MILITANTS

It is with a heavy heart that we bring news from one of our key coworkers in India of the murder of Bashir Ahmed Tantray, a 50-year-old engineer who worked in Srinagar, the capital of the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. On November 21 Tantray traveled approximately 40 km to visit his ailing father, and while he was waiting at a bus stop on a busy road, two unidentified men rode up on a motorcycle and started asking questions about the timing of buses. All of a sudden one of the men pulled a pistol from his jacket and fired three rounds at Tantray. Shot at point-blank range, the Christian died as the murderers fled. Tantray received Christ in 1995, after being one of the first Kashmiri Muslims to attend a "seekers seminar" in which the truths of the Gospel were presented to those in attendance. Tantray was so convinced of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ that he immediately gave his heart to the Lord and has been an active witness for since. His good character and consistent witness made him one of the most prominent Christians in the troubled Kashmir valley. Although the murderers have not been apprehended, nobody in the area doubts that Tantray was killed because of his strong identity with Jesus Christ. Even the national daily newspaper The Hindustan Times reported that Tantray was "a great evangelist, working for the spread of Christianity across the valley.... He had reportedly influenced a large section of his village population with his new faith."

Bashir Ahmed Tantray is now safe in the arms of Jesus Christ, and has received a martyr's crown. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and two sons. Please pray for them, and also for Kashmir, where more than 3 million Muslims continue to live without a Gospel witness. Pray those responsible for the killing will themselves repent and find faith in Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for those workers in Kashmir who are supported through our Asian Worker's fund.

 

11 November 2006    -    CHINA  -  GREAT NEED FOR BIBLES AMONG HOUSE CHURCH CHRISTIANS

Thanks to the generosity of Christians all around the world, Asia Harvest has been able to successfully print and deliver over 900,000 Chinese Bibles to house church Christians since 2001. The need for more remains great, especially in rural areas where revival has broken out and many people become followers of Christ at the same time. We are frequently sent requests asking for more. Recently, for example, the following requests have come in: "We have planted 20 churches in the Shanghai area, but the police came and took all our Bibles. We urgently need 5,200 Bibles" ...and...  "We held revival meetings in Gansu Province, and each believer shared the Gospel with ten people. Now we need 2,400 Bibles."

We have also received many letters from believers inside China who have received Bibles this year. The following was one that touched us the most: "I am an old sister in the countryside, very weak and unable to work. I can only look after my own house, and my survival is dependent upon my children. I received Jesus Christ over five years ago, and have been asking the Lord for my own Bible so that I could read it every day. I have heard from my pastor that if God's children want to learn more about God, they must have their own personal Bible. I was too poor to buy a Bible, since I have no income at all, so I began to save two eggs each week and prayed that when I had enough eggs I could sell them to the market and make enough money to buy one. One day we heard our pastor announce, "If there is anyone among us who doesn't have a Bible, please come and receive one now, because someone who loves you in the Lord has donated these Bibles to us."  When I heard these words I was so excited that I burst into tears and I believed that our Lord had listened to my prayer. On that day, many of us received Bibles. Everyone knelt down on the floor and gave thanks to the Lord. After I went home, I took out all the eggs I had saved and sold them; then I brought the money to the church as an offering and told our pastor to use the money to buy Bibles for others in need. I prayed that every Christian would have a Bible to read, and then I began to read my own. Now I have read my whole Bible through once. In my heart I have always remembered the brothers and sisters who donated the Bibles to us. I will always remember them in prayer; may God bless them and their churches."

If you would like to help give Bibles to the believers in China, click here, or alternatively, please write to the Asia Harvest address nearest you.
 

 

 

28 October 2006    -    SOUTHEAST ASIA  -  OPPORTUNITY TO HELP GIVE BIBLES TO SOUTHEAST ASIA TRIBES

Recently you might have received our October newsletter, which announces our plans to re-launch an important and strategic project to help tribal Christians throughout the nations of Southeast Asia. For the last several years we have focused our efforts on printing Bibles inside China for the house church Christians. We are thankful to God for the tremendous response, and the total number of Bibles printed and delivered is now approaching 900,000. There are great needs for Bibles in other parts of Asia. The Communist nations of Laos and Vietnam contain more than 250 different tribes, dozens of which had full Bibles or New Testaments translated into their languages prior to the arrival of Communism in 1975. Since then, these believers have been deprived of Scriptures in their languages because their governments oppose the spread of Christianity and Bible printing is illegal. A slightly different situation exists in the country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), which is ruled by a brutal military dictatorship. There the need for the Word of God in a variety of languages also remains critical. In some cases, missionaries labored for years translating the Word of God for a tribe, only to have their work cut short by the change of government.

Through coworkers in Southeast Asia, we are now re-launching this important and needy project, which we have called the Southeast Asia Bible Fund. Our aim is to print the Scriptures in a number of different languages as the need arises. In the past, Asia Harvest has been involved with printing and delivering 31,550 Bibles or New Testaments into 21 different Southeast Asian languages: namely Burmese, Lao, Hmong Daw, Bana, Khun, Mnong, Vietnamese, Khmu, Raglai, Co, Akha, Chinese, Koho, Wa, Tai Dam, Bru, and Sgaw Karen. The average cost is $2.70 per Bible. We plan to provide information about the various people groups and languages that will be assisted through the project in our future newsletters. This will enable you to join in prayer for the successful implementation of each of them. We already have urgent requests to print Bibles in half-a-dozen different languages. Please pray for the Southeast Asia Bible Fund, and for the many people groups who are perishing without God’s Word. If you would like to help print Bibles in Southeast Asia, click here, or alternatively, please write to the Asia Harvest address nearest you.


 

26 October 2006    -    ISRAEL  -  CHINESE EVANGELIST MIRACULOUSLY LEADS ISRAELI MAN TO JESUS

The following recent testimony comes from a Western evangelical Christian who has spent many years living and working in the Middle East:
"While visiting Jerusalem, I attended a small church on a Sunday morning. After the service I chatted with the pastor, who mentioned that I should talk to a new Israeli believer and get the story of how he had come to know Jesus Christ. I went over and introduced myself to this man, and he began by telling me a remarkable story....

This man was a shop owner. He was working one day when a Chinese Christian entered the shop and told the Israeli that he had a message from God for him. The two had never met each other before. The Chinese Christian then proceeded to tell the Israeli man, by word of knowledge, several things in his life that he was struggling with, things even his own wife didn't know. The shop owner was shocked and a little afraid. He realized there was no other way the Chinese visitor could have known these facts unless God had revealed them to him. The Chinese believer also told him that he had a disease, and that God wanted to heal it.  Even as the Chinese man spoke, this Israeli felt the healing power of God flow through him. Before leaving, the Chinese visitor told the shop owner to go to the small church and ask the pastor to explain the salvation and healing that Jesus Christ brings. In utter astonishment, the Israeli man did just that, and the pastor led him to Christ. When I heard this incredible story, I realized that if 100,000 Chinese missionaries able to hear the Lord like this were released in the Middle East, the impact would be beyond what we could imagine."   Source: Back to Jerusalem.


 

12 October 2006    -    NORTH KOREA  -  ON THE BRINK OF LIFE AND DEATH

In the wake of the apparent nuclear weapon test in North Korea's Hamgyong Province four days ago, it is a good time to focus on this hermit nation of 25 million people, and ask for your fervent prayers on behalf of the secret believers there. North Korea has experienced more than half a century of bizarre, demonically-inspired rule, which has plunged the nation into economic and social disaster and isolated them from the rest of the world. A powerful cult based around worship and adoration of Kim-Il-sung, who died in 1994, has transferred to his son, Kim-Jong-Il. Sadly, it has been reported that the Kim-Il-sung's mother was a Christian, and taught the Bible to her son when he was a young boy. The 'Great Leader" traveled to the Soviet Union and became passionate for the ideals of Marxism. He returned to North Korea and started the Korean War in 1950.

Many believers around the world are not aware that North Korea up to that time was a strong place of Christian revival. The capital city, Pyongyang, was even known as the "Jerusalem of the East." There were hundreds of churches, but these were brutally suppressed by the Communists. Tens of thousands of Christians were slaughtered by the mad leader, and hundreds of thousands more fled south into what is now South Korea. North Korea has been labeled the world's worst persecutor of Christians by Open Doors in their annual World Watch list. There are an estimated 300,000 people suffering in North Korean prison camps. The most recent edition of Operation World says, "over 100,000 Christians are interned in labor camps." Large numbers of North Koreans have attempted to flee across the river into northeast China in the past decade. Many have succeeded in the risky venture, only for the Chinese authorities to round them up and send them back to North Korea, where they are executed.

Although the condition of North Korea seems depressing, there is a sign of hope. God is in charge of the nations of the world, and He loves the North Korean people. A certain number of Chinese missionaries have been praying for and focusing on ministry opportunities into North Korea in recent years as part of the Back to Jerusalem vision. Although we obviously can't give any details of their work, we do ask for you to pray that the Lord might greatly help them to bring His Life to this place of Death. In addition, thousands of South Korean Christians have a great burden for their compatriots in the north. Many have been in training to take the Gospel into North Korea as soon as the country opens up. They understand the risks, but are willing to die if necessary for the Name of Jesus to be rightly honored and lifted up in this needy nation.

Nuclear weapons in the hands of Kim-Jong-Il is not something the world can tolerate. The gracious and all-knowing Heavenly Father, will also not tolerate the suffering of His people forever. At this time, events in the material and spiritual realms seem to be coming to a head for North Korea. Realizing that our fight is not against flesh and blood, please pray for North Korea....

Pray that multitudes of North Korea would soon find life and freedom in Jesus Christ.
Ask God to move mightily to bring genuine and sustained revival to North Korea.
Pray all structures in North Korea that keep people from hearing and understanding the Gospel would collapse.
Fervently pray for those Christians from China and elsewhere who are risking their lives to reach out to North Korea.
Cry out to the Lord to protect and sustain the thousands of believers suffering terrible in prison throughout the country.     Source: Back to Jerusalem

 

8 October 2006    -    PAKISTAN  -  MISSIONARY'S CHILDREN BRUTALLY MURDERED AND BURNED

The 15-year old son and 14-year old daughter of an underground missionary couple in northern Pakistan were brutally murdered and their dead bodies were burnt by the terrorists a northern districts of Pakistan in September. The boy, Shalom, and his sister, Sharon, were high school students. Police and military forces are supportive to the militants, who also demolished a church and set some houses on fire. Shalom and Sharon were kidnapped along with their missionary parents and two other younger sisters 10 days before the murder. The militants ordered them to convert to Islam and join them in working against Christians. When they refused, the militants first killed Shalom. Then they raped the girl and cut one of her breasts. She bled to death. The murderers left the dead bodies in a ditch, poured petrol over them, and set them alight. The police issued a false statement saying that it was an accident and the petrol tank of the motorcycle opened while they were fallen into the ditch and a spark caused Shalom and Sharon to catch on fire and burn to death. Believers in this area are greatly distressed and fearful. The militants have forbidden them to pray or not even to speak a single word about Christ or Christianity. Source: At Anycost Jesus Mission.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Pakistan who are undergoing such severe persecution. Pray the militants and those who oppose and kill God's people would repent and serve the Living God, like the Apostle Paul did.

UPDATE: 29 October - The parents of the two children have also been found murdered. The bodies of Jan and Dr. Pauline Mehabooba were found floating in the Neelum River. The believers did not retrieve the bodies because it was feared the militants were using the corpses as bait to attack any Christians that came to recover them.

 

6 October 2006    -    INDIA  -  URGENT PRAYER REQUEST FROM OUR COWORKERS IN KASHMIR

For about ten years Asia Harvest has supported the work of the Gospel in Kashmir, a predominantly-Muslim state in northern India, bordering both China (Tibet) and Pakistan. Encouraging progress has been made, and an increasing number of Muslims have heard about Jesus Christ and given their lives to him, especially in the last several years. It is also now a year since a terrible earthquake which struck Kashmir on October 8, 2005. Due to the generosity and prayers of many Christians around the world, we have been able to help thousands of people with basic necessities and rebuilding. The work continues today. Many Muslims and Hindus have heard and seen the truth of the Gospel because of this help. (Click here for information on how to support the work in Kashmir).

Kashmir is a place with much strife and violence. This has spilled over to persecution against the Christians in the last several weeks. On September 1, a court in Kashmir granted bail to two Christian pastors and five Bible students who had been falsely arrested on charges of "concealing their identity" and conducting "forced conversions." They were ordered to appear in court at a later date. Two days later - on Sunday September 3 - a group of about 40 militant Hindus known as Bajrang Dal launched an attack on a church in Kashmir where about 20 Christians, including the seven believers facing the false charges. The 40 extremists stormed the worship service at 11am, dragging out Pastor PR Anthony, slapping and beating him. The mob then started to beat worshippers and shoved women into an adjacent prayer hall. On Monday September 11, Muslim militants attacked the Good Shepherd Mission School at Pulwama, in Kashmir. They destroyed the wall around the school as well as the building and equipment. They shouted slogans denouncing Christians and pelted the school building, before dispersing.

Our coworkers in Kashmir have written the following: "Warm greetings in His name. The month of September has been full of turmoil for our work in Kashmir and in North India. As the work was progressing smoothly there was a huge uproar about the comments of Pope Benedict this directly affected our work and we all had to be on the defensive mode. Please pray that the peace of God may prevail in our country."

Please pray that the Gospel will continue to go forth in great power among all people in the troubled Kashmir region of India. Pray that the Name of Jesus Christ would be honored and lifted up above all others, and He alone would receive the praise and glory due to His majestic Name.

 

20 September 2006    -    INDIA  -  SATANISTS BATTLE CHRISTIANS IN MIZORAM

For years Asia Harvest has supported dozens of faith-filled evangelists from Nagaland, northeast India, through our Asian worker's fund. One of the neighboring states of Nagaland is Mizoram, which itself experienced a great revival in the 1970s. Now, reports out of Mizoram tell of a new challenge for the church there. Satan-worshipping groups in Mizoram are waging an anti-Christian campaign by burning Bibles, vandalizing churches and defiling cemeteries. One such group entered a church after midnight on July 24 and burned Bibles, urinated on the pulpit and tore up pictures of Jesus. “It appears they sacrificed an animal on the pulpit and splattered its blood on the altar and chair of the worship leader,” said the Rev. B. Sangthanga, the head pastor of the church in the Kolasib district of the northeastern Indian state. “Last year, some young men of our village confessed to worshipping Satan. Our investigation has found that the same group is behind this attack on the church.” Mr. Sangthanga said the acts of vandalism “carry signatures of the Mizo Satan followers. ... Now their attack on our church proves that the number of Satanists is growing across the state with village youths joining them.” The villagers did not report the attack to the police, choosing instead to pray for “God’s intervention to help the misguided youths return to the right path.” But other recent incidents have led to the arrests of young Satan worshippers on charges of vandalism at religious places.Most were briefly detained and released with a scolding. The youths—most in their late teens or early 20s—tend to be high-school dropouts and often are drug users, a police investigation found. One study found there were as many as 95 Satan-worshipping groups in Mizoram. More than 50 cases have been reported in which the groups vandalized churches, burned Bibles or defiled cemeteries. Some of them conduct midnight gatherings at isolated cemeteries, where they are reported to dance naked, slash their wrists in ritual blood offerings and chant invocations to Satan. They sometimes write graffiti in their blood, leaving messages of the most perverse kind. Mizoram church leaders blame high unemployment and “bad Western influences” for the growth of the groups. “When, three years ago, a girl-only [satanic group] was caught by village elders while performing some bizarre rituals, the girls, who were all high-school dropouts, admitted that [they had been] influenced by the Hollywood movie ‘The Craft,’” said a church leader in the Aizawl district. “Lots of graduates and postgraduates are jobless in this state, and so, many younger students are getting disenchanted with their studies. Many such young Christian people are turning away from the church, taking drugs and sometimes following this Satan’s path out of despair.” Source: Intercessors Network.

Please pray the Church in Mizoram and throughout Northeast India would claim the spiritual ground they have lost since revival came in the 1970s. Pray God would visit this region once again, and that the Church would repent from the legalism and dead formality that plagues it.

 

19 September 2006    -    INDIA  -  MUSLIMS ATTACK CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN KASHMIR

On September 11, Muslim militants attacked the Good Shepherd Mission School in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir state, destroying the boundary wall and damaging the school building and equipment. The school is run by a Dutch missionary, Jim Borst, 70, who has lived in Jammu and Kashmir – India’s only Muslim-majority state – since 1963. The mission school was established in 1996. Borst also runs a boarding hostel for children affected by militant activity in the region. In May 2003, a national newspaper named Borst as one of a handful of people encouraging Muslims to convert to Christianity. Following the publication of this article, Muslim extremists filed a complaint with the state government. Officials then attempted to expel Borst from India in 2004, but Christian groups successfully campaigned to prevent it. One of Borst’s colleagues, requesting anonymity, said last week’s attack began at around 11:30 a.m. “A mob of around 250 to 300 people stormed the compound of the school, destroying the boundary wall and pelting stones at the school building,” he said. “They also shouted slogans denouncing all Christian missionaries.” Most in the mob were students at the local Government Degree College, located just 200 meters away from the mission school. Police arrived when the attack was well underway and were able to protect the staff and students from physical harm. The mob then marched towards Pulwama town, but police dispersed them with tear gas and arrested many of the students. Source: Compass Direct News.

Note: Asia Harvest has supported Christian work in Kashmir for many years, including funding Bible correspondence courses and other initiatives aimed at sharing the life and message of Christ with people. To learn more, click here.

 

 

14 September 2006    -    MYANMAR  -  MISSIONARIES PRAISE GOD IN PRISON

Recently, three native Asian missionaries serving in Myanmar (Burma) were arrested and thrown into prison. Despite mounting opposition, the three men had been serving the Lord in a tribal region of western Myanmar—preaching in open-air meetings, visiting door to door and praying for the sick. But one morning, as the three traveled together to attend an annual church meeting, they were arrested and locked behind bars. In prison, water and food rations were cut short for the three prisoners. Although hungry, thirsty and uncomfortable, the believers did not get discouraged. Rather, they took advantage of the time to pray and worship the Lord. “Their hearts were filled with gratitude toward God for counting them worthy to suffer for His name,” reported a correspondent. “They spent their time in prison singing and praising God.” “Though the officials stopped them from attending the meeting,” wrote the correspondent, “they could not stop our missionaries from worshipping the Lord.” The prison guards and administrators were surprised and shocked to see men rejoicing in the confines of their prison cells. The guards were also impressed by the good conduct and exemplary behavior of the three Christian prisoners. Six days following the arrests, after asking the believers for forgiveness for the unjust imprisonments, officials released the missionaries. And as the believers stepped out into freedom, they again praised God—for their stay in the prison and for His timely help in their release. Through this experience, these missionaries are really encouraged spiritually. Their zeal for the Lord’s work has increased. Source: Gospel for Asia/Assist News Service.

 

 

13 September 2006    -    MYANMAR  -  KACHIN CHRISTIANS RAPED, PERSECUTED

Christian Solidarity Worldwide had released a new report highlighting widespread persecution of Kachin Christians in northern Myanmar (Burma).

One Kachin pastor told CSW that Burma's ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), "hates Kachins because we are Christians." In October 2005, the SPDC's Northern Commander, Brigadier-General Ohn Myint, reportedly said in a speech that he did not want to see any crosses or other Christian symbols on roadsides in Kachin State. Rape, forced labour, land confiscation and forced relocation continue to be "widespread and regular". According to one Kachin, "rape happens in every area where there is an SPDC army camp." In January this year, for example, a Kachin woman was raped at gun-point by a soldier of SPDC Light Infantry Battalion 37. The trafficking of Kachin women from Burma into China, often to be sold as "wives" or sex slaves, is also widespread and alarming, with more than 50 cases reported so far this year. Since March, 12 Kachin women have been rescued, four from the China-North Korea border. Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

 

12 September 2006    -    CHINA  -  PRAYER REQUESTS FOR OUR CHINA CHILDREN'S PROJECT

The leader of one of Asia Harvest's main projects in China, the China Children's Project, has written to ask for prayer support. The China Children's  Project is a strategic opportunity to help the spread of the Gospel throughout China. House church leaders desire to train and equip 10,000 children's Bible teachers in the next few years. Each teacher is then expected to train 100 children each on average. Numerous reports have been received of the tremendous impact this project is having, with hundreds of children believing in Jesus Christ for the first time, and thousands of Christian children being strengthened in the faith. Our coworker in China wrote, "One trainer told that during children’s camp, teachers encouraged children to win at least five others to Jesus. One little student answered that he would not win five others, but fifty! Almost all the non-Christian young people who attended the services receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord and dedicated their lives for the Lord service. Many of the young people prayed that the Lord would help them to learn different languages and to be missionaries in China and even preach the gospel back to Jerusalem. Our house church movement have been praying and fasting all the time for the teachers' training, and children’s summer camps, so everything went smoothly. Satan hates especially youth work.”

      Please pray for:

  1. God’s protection for Bible teachers and children

  2. God’s protection for all the material and resources

  3. More advanced training for the teachers

  4. Youth workers’ training (the need is huge)

  5. Good teaching material for the youth workers

So far Asia Harvest has been privileged to fund the training and materials for more than 1,600 teachers in the China Children's Project. To read more, or to support the China Children's Project, click here.

 

7 September 2006    -    SHANDONG, CHINA  -  MASS ARREST OF HOUSE CHURCH BELIEVERS

A Chinese house church pastor from Shandong reported that about 50-60 Public Security officers came to a church meeting where there were about 40 Christians. The PSB beat many of the believers and detained them in the police station, including a 78-year-old brother. The believers were questioned for 12 hours before being released. The authorities have also detained most of the Christians' possessions, including Bibles and Christian books, cameras, household devices, a laptop computer, and RMB 20,000 (about US$2,400) cash. Please join us in praying that God will protect and strengthen the faith of His children in persecution and especially help the house church leaders so that they can continue their ministry for the Lord. Source: Revival Chinese Ministries International.

 

 

6 September 2006    -    BHUTAN  -  PRAYER FELLOWSHIP ESTABLISHED DESPITE OPPOSITION

Despite persecution, a new prayer fellowship has started in a village in southern Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom nestled in the Himalayas. The fellowship began when Badal, a primary school teacher, invited John, a native missionary, to conduct a prayer meeting in his house. Badal had come to Christ after attending a youth outreach meeting John led recently. The meeting was attended by more than 150 young people and some of their family members. After the day-long outreach meeting—which included Bible studies, songs, testimonies and the sharing of the Gospel—many testified of receiving Jesus. “I will live for Jesus,” stated one new believer. “We will follow the Lord,” another man spoke for his whole family. Since the meeting, however, some who attended the conference have faced persecution. One family considering the claims of Christ came under opposition from relatives. A boy who received Jesus as his Lord during the meeting went home with much joy. But when his family learned of his conversion, they vehemently opposed him. Under Bhutanese law, Christians cannot practice their religion publicly or “proselytize.” It is also illegal to transport Gospel literature into the Buddhist nation. Those who become Christians are discriminated against by the government, local authorities and other citizens. Christians risk having their property or bank accounts confiscated, losing their citizenship and their children being denied public education. But despite opposition, many of the new believers are attending the new weekly prayer fellowship John is leading. The "Land of the Thunder Dragon", as the Kingdom of Bhutan is called, is located in the eastern Himalayas, wedged between India and China. It is bordered on the west, south, and east by India, and on the north by the Tibet