Sharing the Gospel in India

Issue 18 – April 2016
changing
LIVES
through
prayer
Sharing the Gospel in India
First Things First • p12
A God of Love • p13
COVER FEATURE
India / First Things First / 12
India / A God of Love / 13
Choosing a Good Name
The most challenging expense to pay each year is
to Wessel & Company. I like the people at Wessel.
They are cordial, efficient followers of Jesus Christ,
they are really great to get along with, and they do
a fine job. Each year they come to our U.S. office
in Oakmont, Pa., and independently audit our
accounts. I observe as they sort through the records
they need and formulate the necessary questions
an audit demands. They praise our U.S. staff for its
preparation and willingness to serve and are very
complimentary of the SEAPC financial team, led by
our CFO, Don Quinn, and directed by Tony Wimer.
order. The return was Proverbs 22:1, “A good name
is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor
rather than silver and gold,” (NKJV).
Okay, I feel a little better but certainly not satisfied.
My only true consoling counsel comes from the
pictures and pages that follow as you read this
magazine. This audit is an act of excellence and it is a
worthy example for the nations. The same auditors at
Wessel & Company did raise one question this year
that I thought to be provoking, which was “How is it
that you have grown by 25 percent in a year where
non-profits have struggled?” The answer is simple,
“Jesus loves the people we serve and trusts us to be
a witness of Him to them.” That combined with your
incredible and prayer-filled generosity is performing
great works around the world today. Thank you for
your faithfulness to the Lord and for giving through
SEAPC! We will be praying for you and your wonderful
tax time decisions. Please enjoy these portrayals of
righteousness exalting the nations.
The next step is to take a big gulp and sign the check
to cover the costs. $10,000 USD! Can you believe
it? Of course, my mind begins to alert me of all
the better uses for those funds. $10,000 rebuilds a
ten-year-old children’s home. $10,000 covers three
heart procedures. $10,000 prints 20,000 bibles
in Cambodia. $10,000 puts a missionary in a
new car that will carry God’s word to the village.
$10,000 purchases land and houses for three new
church plants.
REGIONS OF FOCUS
Laos / A Short-Termer’s Sojourn:
An Eyewitness Account / 10
Cambodia / BC Arise /
“Faith Without Cement is Dead.” / 18
Tibet / What Does Love Look Like? / 20
Tibet / Two Babies / 22
INTERCESSION
Build a Base / 14
Intercede at Home / 15
KIDS IN MISSION
Ferd the Bird / 16
COINS FOR KIDS
From Coins to Blessings / 23
Cover photo of prayer team overlooking Palampur in
Himachal Pradesh, India, by Dan Taylor. Back cover photo
of woman in Nepal by Caryn Werner.
POWER PRAYER
Up All Night with the Bible Answer Guy / 4
EVENTS
Spring Bible Conference / 5
KNOW THE NUMBERS
Giving Thanks / 6
RAISING KIDS
Spread the Word / 8
SEAPC Magazine is a publication of
South East Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC)
seapc.org | facebook.com/seapc | 412-826-9063
[email protected] | PO Box 127, Oakmont, PA 15139
FREE COPIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH
OUR OFFICE AND ONLINE
After this come the justifications. First and foremost,
I am required by state law to perform this audit if I
am intending to receive funds from certain U.S.
states. Second, if we are to qualify for specific grants
or be deemed credible by well-intended Christian
watchdog groups, we must perform an annual
external audit. None of these justifications make me
feel any better.
I asked my mother for a scripture reference that
would make me feel better. After all, she was the one
who first put our financial policies and procedures in
Matthew Geppert, President, SEAPC
Is faith without cement dead?
Find out what’s happening with BC Arise on page 18.
2
POWER PRAYER
EVENTS
Up All Night with the
Bible Answer Guy
Pastor Chris invited me to travel with
him and six others to Cuba last month.
It was a great and glorious trip. I’m
grateful for our hosts, the leaders who
coordinated the effort, and for my
teammates who never lost focus on the
opportunity at hand. The bottom line
is that God performed that which He
promised he would, and because of it,
lives have been changed in Cuba. We ended our trip with a long drive
home from Toronto. Pastor Chris
drove the team back to Pittsburgh,
PA, through the night in the New Life
church van. I decided that this would
be a great opportunity to stay up all
night and talk with the “Bible Answer
Guy.” From the believers gathered first to
church in devotion, circled tightly
together and holding fast to the
apostles’ every word, to many of
today’s assembled masses identifying
themselves in Christ, the face values
of the gratification of the body or soul
seem cheap compared to the appraisal
of freedom felt in the congregation of
the spirit. Church is where the spirit of
the Lord is leading people to live like
Him.
those who were being saved,” (Acts
2:42-47). He stated it from memory.
We continued on discussing this
topic to exhaustion, sharing different
experiences and ideas. From that
night’s revelatory road trip, I drew
some conclusions:
1.
2.
The topic: “What is a church?” I should not have been surprised that
his answer came from the Bible. Pastor
Chris quickly stated, “They devoted
themselves to the apostles’ teaching
and to fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and to prayer. Everyone was
filled with awe at the many wonders
and signs performed by the apostles.
All the believers were together and
had everything in common. They sold
property and possessions to give to
anyone who had need. Every day they
continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in
their homes and ate together with glad
and sincere hearts, praising God and
enjoying the favor of all the people. And
the Lord added to their number daily
APRIL 21-23, 2016
body’s senses, nor can I define whether
a church is a church by my soul’s
impression. It is only my spirit that tells
me when I have entered “church.” 3.
4.
Your church looks very different
from my church, unless you are in
my church.
I can assure you that our church
feels very different from the church
I love and serve in Tibet, Laos, or
India.
Every sense in your body will
interpret the atmosphere of any
other church but yours as different
or strange. For example, barley
cakes and yak butter tea have
served many fine communions
over the years in our Tibetan
churches. The process of information,
inspiration, and invitation that
feeds your soul on a Sunday is
not the same process in any other
church. And though it may be
excellent it doesn’t mean you are
actually at church. I assure you!
The truth is, I cannot define whether
a church is a church based on my
4
The big question is: are you attending
church on Sundays? If you’re now
wondering, or possibly thinking not,
then hopefully you are also asking
what it is you can do to start. The
answer seems simple. When you gather
together this Sunday to church, invite
the Holy Spirit to join you there and
ask your friends to do the same. My
prayer is that as you do, the Holy Spirit
begins to live in you, and many of those
hardened hearts that you love and
pray for in your community start to be
added unto you daily, just as it was in
that first church.
Your prayer in that process might go
something like this:
Holy Spirit, I invite you into my life and
church today. Come and have your way
among us. Build us according to your
purpose and plan for our lives and this
community. Amen!
Many thanks and praise to the countless
churches we love and serve around the
globe, who are multiplying the freedom
of Christ into those in need! Thank you!
Written by
Matthew Geppert
Photo by Caryn Werner.
Pastor Chris Marshall is a good friend.
He is the father of two wonderful
daughters whom he loves greatly.
He is the lead pastor of New Life
Christian Ministries in Saxonburg, Pa.
He is currently SEAPC’s longest active
board member. And to his growing
community of followers in the greater
Pittsburgh area, he is known as “The
Bible Answer Guy,” because of his
monthly live talk radio program called
“Ask the Pastor” hosted on Pittsburgh’s
Word FM. We are very happy to announce the first ever
SEAPC Spring Bible Conference, with guest
speaker Dr. Nasir Siddiki. An opportunity
to sharpen our swords, this conference will
be held April 21-23 at Riverside Community
Church at the Pittsburgh Mills.
By age 34, Nasir Siddiki, a successful
businessman, had made his first million,
but the money meant nothing to him on his
death bed. Diagnosed with the worst case of
shingles ever admitted to Toronto General
Hospital, his immune system shut down and
doctors left him to die. Born into a Muslim
family, Nasir had pinned all his hopes on
modern medicine. When doctors could not
help him, Nasir whispered, “God, if you’re
real, don’t let me die!”
Dr. Siddiki will teach the “Voice Activated System,” a teaching that has deeply
touched our lives and increased our faith at SEAPC.
We will host a lunch for pastors and leaders. Dr. Siddiki will share “Releasing
Revival.” The theme of the lunch is “unity in the community.”
Dr. Siddiki will teach more on the “Voice Activated System.”
In the darkest hour of the night, Jesus
appeared beside Nasir’s bed and said, “I Am
the God of the Christians. I am the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Dr. Siddiki will teach on “Favor in Famine,” a special faith teaching for the business
community and personal finances.
Those brief moments in Jesus’ presence left
Nasir Siddiki miraculously healed. From
that day to this one, Dr. Siddiki’s passion
has been to know and serve the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Dr. Siddiki will teach “Receiving your Healing.” Please come expecting the Lord to
touch you and bring those who need to be healed.
The founder of Wisdom Ministries, Dr.
Siddiki teaches biblical wisdom principles
for success at the Wisdom Center in Tulsa
Oklahoma. He has taught at the American
Bible College and Seminary where he
developed the curriculum for Biblical
Economics and received an honorary
doctorate.
There is no charge for the conference. Offerings for Dr. Siddiki and his ministry to
the Middle East will be received in every meeting. The Pittsburgh Mills is a mall
complex 15 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, Pa., along Route 28 North. If you are
coming from out of town, there are many fine motels and restaurants in the area.
If you are going to come, please take the opportunity to visit the SEAPC offices at
432 Allegheny River Boulevard, Oakmont, PA 15139.
5
KNOW THE NUMBERS
Giving Thanks
This month marks my fifth year at
the South East Asia Prayer Center
serving in the financial department.
Sitting back and reflecting on the past
five years causes me to examine the
miracles God has done, and count my
blessings that I’ve had the honor and
privilege to serve alongside so many
incredible men and women of God. I was hired in 2011 to do financial
data entry. This job entailed getting
to the office at 8 a.m. and to start the
day by praying, beginning with the
blessings that God gave us yesterday
and the expectation for what God
would provide today. At 8:30 I walked
to our local post office to collect our
mail contributions from our P.O.
Box. After arriving back at the office,
I opened the contributions, prayed
over each of them, sorted them
according to designation, copied
the checks, filled out a deposit slip,
entered the contributions into our
database, posted the contributions to
QuickBooks (accounting software),
generated a thank you letter to each
donor, stuffed and stamped the letters
while praying over each one, gathered
the letters and bank deposit, and took
the thank you letters to the post office
and the deposit to the bank.
At the heart of the SEAPC financial
operation procedures is the core
6
THE QUALITY
OF BEING
THANKFUL;
READINESS TO
SHOW
APPRECIATION
FOR AND
TO RETURN
KINDNESS.
My favorite scriptural reference to
gratitude is Colossians 2:6-7, which
says “So then, just as you received
Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live
your lives in him, rooted and built
up in him, strengthened in the faith
as you were taught, and overflowing
with thankfulness” (NIV). It is through
being rooted in Christ, strengthened in
faith, and overflowing with gratitude
that I can best give glory to God and
thank others for what the Lord is doing
in the nations.
Gratitude is not just a term we use,
but an integral part of the fabric of
who SEAPC is in the Oakmont office
and around the world. It is incredibly
humbling stuffing more than 1,100
thank you letters so far in 2016 and
praying for the contributor that the
financial seed they have sown into
the ministry would be multiplied into
the nations, and also back into their
households, businesses, churches, or
ministries. Thank you for your gift,
may the Lord bless and prosper you. Written by
Tony Wimer
Photo by Caryn Werner.
I did this entire process for the first three
years I served at SEAPC. After those
three years, we hired Carli Wyckoff to
serve in the finance department, who
has taken on some of these roles so
that I can be free to serve our friends in
the establishment of their ministries’
financial operations and procedures
(training). The part of this process that
I still do daily is the pre-post office
prayer, mail pickup, opening/praying
over the contributions, and the thank
you letter. gratitude
principle to “thank it before you bank
it.” This means that before the check
has been cleared, a thank you letter
has been mailed. This basic principle
reflects the gratitude, respect, and
honor we have for the contributor who
financially sowed into SEAPC. This
“thank it before you bank it” principle
rolls into another SEAPC core
principle which is to have an attitude of
gratitude. The definition of gratitude
according to Merriam-Webster is the
quality of being thankful; readiness to
show appreciation for and to return
kindness.
RAISING KIDS
Spread the Word
This month has been amazing. In
Cambodia, children are being brought
into a rental home while the permanent
facility is being built in Pailin. 26 children
have been brought in, data gathered
and entered, and matched and sent
to sponsors. How has this happened?
Bread of Life Christian Church in Chino,
Calif., is not only building the home, but
they have also stirred the hearts of their
members to sponsor children at that
home. This is how we have sponsors for
these 26 children so quickly.
It is a great joy to me to see so many
children sponsored. I anxiously await
the day when I can say that we have
sponsors for the 163 children/youth in
Cambodia, India, Myanmar, and Nepal
who are waiting for that person, family,
or group that will specifically pray for
them, help provide for their physical
needs, and walk with them spiritually.
Some only need financial sponsorship
for a few months, while others will be at
the children’s home for years to come.
All of them need prayer support.
I am so grateful and praise God for the
279 worldwide sponsors who come
through our office for sponsorship.
These 279 individuals, families,
companies, churches, or groups are
currently supporting 413 children at the
homes in Cambodia, India, Myanmar,
and Nepal. That is 413 lives permanently
changed.
We are in the beginning of a huge growth
within Raising Kids. Between building
new homes in Cambodia, the
expansion to a second location
last year in Myanmar, the addition
of Mendies Haven in Nepal this
year, and future addition of other
homes and other countries,
we will see many new children
coming in for years to come.
We will need just as many
sponsors. Please pray with us
for the administrative, financial,
and personnel needs to be met
as this growth happens. My
goal is to continually improve
the quality of the Raising Kids
program, even as it grows in
numbers.
I have been a child sponsor through
Raising Kids since 2003, before I
became part of SEAPC staff. I have
some who have grown up and are now
adults living on their own. I have others
who have been at the children’s home
for quite a while and will still be there
for a while. I try to encourage other
people to sponsor whenever I can. I
speak with family, friends, and YOU
about sponsoring, because I have been
able to personally see how the children
are affected by it.
Are you one of our 279 sponsors? Do
you share about sponsorship with your
family, friends, coworkers, clients,
customers, church, and others? Do
you need some tools to help? We have
sponsorship brochures and other items
that can help you. Just contact our
office and let us know what you need.
Sophea
We
recently
redesigned the
sponsorship
brochure.
The
young man in
brochure,
the
Matthew,
has
been with us
for 11 years.
His story before
coming to the
children’s home
is
heartwrenching,
but
God brought him
to the children’s
home and his
life
completely
changed. Yes, he has struggled, but now
he is 20 years old and going to graphic
design school to prepare for his future.
Very soon, he will be out on his own;
an example to his country of what can
happen to someone’s life when they are
given love and hope.
Do you want to become a child sponsor
through Raising Kids? It’s easy to do.
Just email me at raisingkids@seapc.
org or call me at 412-826-9063 or send
me a letter with the completed form on
these pages. We have children who are
waiting for you to pray for them and so
they can pray for you, too.
Sponsorship Request
I want to help needy children find hope for
today and for their futures.
Yawe
David
I would like to sponsor a child
through Raising Kids.
___ $50.00/month or
___ $600.00/annually
I prefer to sponsor a
___ boy ___ girl
___ no preference
Hlawng
Auan
Bae
I prefer to sponsor a child in
___ Cambodia
___ Myanmar
___ Nepal
___ India (education costs separate)
I will also provide $25/month
for education
___ no preference
I am unable to sponsor a child at
this time, but would like to make a
contribution to SEAPC/Raising Kids in the
amount of $_____ to help cover expenses.
Written by
Tina Tomes
________________________________
Name
________________________________
Za Nwe
Duong
________________________________
________________________________
Address
________________________________
Telephone Number
Solomon
Phuy
________________________________
Email Address
8
Complete and mail Sponsorship Request or
donation to SEAPC/Raising Kids,
PO Box 127, Oakmont, PA 15139.
Make checks payable to: SEAPC
Memo: Raising Kids
LAOS
A Short-Termer’s Sojourn:
An Eyewitness Account
As I am writing the introduction for this
short article written by a friend of mine,
Palm Sunday is just around the corner.
Palm Sunday would be the prelude in
which Jesus would ride into Jerusalem
on a donkey. The Hebrews would
welcome him as the King but these same
people who declared Him as King would
also be the ones that ultimately crucify
Him. From shouts of ‘Hosanna to the
Son of David’ to shouts of ‘crucify Him’.
But then the grave could not hold Him,
death has ran away and the Son of God
has emerge victorious. That very same
power that rose Jesus from the dead is
now freely given to men who believe.
The very same power that shook the
world 2000 years ago is still very much
alive this day. I know that because I am
a witness, and so is my friend Scott. The
following is his eyewitness account of
this power in Laos. Though it was only a
couple of days and the names have been
changed, the stories remain true. Enjoy
the testimonies.
— Hubert Chan
As He looked out on the field our Lord
saw a great harvest of souls waiting
to be gathered. He then stated to His
disciples to pray that the Lord of the
Harvest will send forth more laborers
(Matthew 9:38). To fulfill the task, He
has called His people to take the Gospel
of His Kingdom throughout the world
from nation to nation. That task today
is surely being accomplished.
There are some areas of the world
that appear to be having the flame of
God’s Spirit set upon them in a more
magnificent way than others. One of
those areas happens to be Southeast
Asia. For years there has been a great
revival going on in China. In recent years
there have been other nations in the same
territory that have followed. Most recent
to acknowledge is the outpouring of His
Spirit upon Myanmar. The Kingdom of
God has manifested there in a mighty
way with miracles, signs, and wonders
following as many come to Christ and
get filled with His Spirit.
There is another nation next to Myanmar
(Burma) I would like to mention as well.
It is where a wonderful manifestation of
the Kingdom of God is coming about as
His Gospel is expanding throughout the
territories of the nation.
That place is the nation of Laos. I know
over the past years with various events
taking place there, there has been a
shift in the spiritual atmosphere for the
better. I was blessed to be able to join
with others there to go into various
villages recently. It appeared that the
healing presence of God was flowing at
every location we went to. We first went
to stop by to visit our Hmong brothers
and sisters and see how they were doing.
We shared time together as well with the
Word of God and prayer. Following that
there was a sister healed from a stomach
condition that was giving her pain.
The next day we went out to visit some
other wonderful brothers and sisters
in another village. The Lord is doing a
wonderful work there as well as they
took us to see it. After taking a look at
that, we then went in and had a time of
praying the blessing of God upon each
of them from different aspects of life.
We then began to head out when a few
precious sisters came to us requesting
prayer. The first one had pain in her
stomach causing her to not be able to
fully bend down, as well as pressure
in the head and pain in the shoulders.
After prayer, every bit of pain was gone.
Then another sister had pain in her liver,
which disappeared as well.
By the time we got back to the city it was
beginning to get dark. We still needed
to make a stop at the hospital to visit
an elderly pastor. While we were at a
hospital a dear elderly lady was sitting
on the curb waving a cloth before her,
back and forth wiping her tears, so we
decided to go over and pray for her. She
then told us her husband was in the
hospital dying and they were expecting
him to die soon. We told her we are
Christians and asked to go pray for him.
It was only until the following day that
we were notified by the man’s son (he
was so excited that he had to call us to
let us know) that they sent him home
and that he was sitting up as well as
standing and walking again. What a
blessing to know we could be there to
pray for that person and he is alive today
because of the power of Jesus.
On the same day that we heard the news
from the man’s son, we also saw Jesus
continue to work in another village.
One lady had gout in her ankles and
pain in her knees which was affecting
her walking but the Lord healed her.
Another brother needed healing in
the stomach, which Jesus took care of.
Following that there were various ones
who needed healing in which God
touched them. There was one lady
who had a bad lung and had difficulties
breathing. She felt her lung get touched
and was able to breathe normally. There
was a lady who could not lift her arm
fully and after prayer she was able to.
There was another lady who had pain all
over, causing her to not be able to stand
or walk properly. It was an inflammatory
problem she was dealing with. After the
time of prayer with her it all went away
and she stated she felt strength coming
back to her body. There were ladies
with bad ears that were healed as well
as kidneys and various other medical
conditions.
The last place we visited was among
the Bru people. They are a very humble
people with whom God is doing great
things. In the couple of days I was able
to travel down south with my brothers
in Christ, I was a witness in seeing how
God is manifesting resurrection power
throughout this beautiful nation of Laos.
I’m blessed to be one of many who has
witness the marvelous works of God in
Laos and has decided to dedicate my life
to a place that, I must say has captured
my heart.
Written by
Scott Herrick
Photo by Caryn Werner.
10
INDIA
A God of Love
“Vast” is defined in the plains of India,
“crowded” in her city streets. Home
to 1.3 billion people and birthplace of
four major religions, what happens in
India affects the entire world. As it has
developed in the 5,000 years since its
birth on the banks if the Indus, India
has become a burgeoning center for
development in education, science,
and medicine. The sons and daughters
of India have traveled throughout the
earth bringing the Indian penchant for
quality education into many nations.
India became the world’s eighth
fastest growing economy in 2015,
while developing industry in medical
technology and transportation.
First Things First
In North India I hear it all the time: ”I
am the first Christian in my family,” “I
am the first Christian in my village,”
“This is the first prayer hall built in
this region,” “This is the first time we
have ever had a healing and revival
conference in a CNI church,” “This is
the first time all of the pastors in this
region have gathered for prayer,” “You
are the first foreigner to ever visit our
village,” “You are the first Christians I
have ever met.”
It’s a great honor to be a part of firsts,
helping to establish things that have
not been done before. As God unfolds
His strategy, He leads us through doors
that have never been opened before, and
uses us to bring spiritual breakthrough
to regions filled with unreached
people groups. He uses us to establish
starting points from which the Kingdom
of God can take root and grow.
But first we pray. This is always God’s
strategy — to pray.
We prayer walk through temples and
spiritual power points. We walk and
pray, drive and pray, ride motorcycles
and pray, climb mountains and pray,
stand on rooftops and pray. We pray
and God moves. At times God has
taken me into a city or region where I
knew no one — I was just sent to pray.
And now within a year or less of being
there, knowing no one, meeting no
one, I am being invited back to those
places to conduct healing and revival
conferences. Is this just a coincidence?
I think not. Prayer moves God and
opens up unreached territories. Prayer
is always first.
Many times as we have prayed we have
sensed there are ancient doors, created
by God to bring forth His blessings and
12
The birthplace of four of the world’s
religions, these devout souls have
remained aloof to the humble claims of
Christ. Their calendar and daily life are
regulated by their faith to a religious
system so intrinsic as to direct diet and
deportment. They live and breathe
their faith. Literature and art, societal
norms and marital customs weave a
web of wonder as somber statues stare
into staggering souls. Fear is the ruler
of night and day.
to reveal His Kingdom. Due to the sins
of the people and false worship to false
gods these doors have been closed for
many years. But now, for the first time
in generations, the old waste places
are being built up and foundations
that were destroyed long ago are being
rebuilt (Isaiah 58:12). The ancient doors
are opening and the King of Glory is
coming through.
“You need to tell them about love.
They have never heard of the love
of Jesus,” Rajiv said. Rajiv is a retired
accountant, and though he had spent
his career as an accountant in Hong
Kong, he was and is a true son of India
who was now making his first mission
trip back to his native land. His
instruction was wonderful as he had
just translated for me while we shared
the Lord with a group of young people.
“Tell them there is a true God who is
love, and that He loves them. Cause
them to understand the simplest
expression of that love in Jesus, and
they will want Him.”
We continued sharing Jesus every
day and he was right. People had
never heard of a God of love. Religion
is common to them: sacrifice and
retribution are their daily bread.
But when they understand that God
loved them so much He gave His only
begotten Son for them, they come
alive with thanks and appreciation.
I first went to India in 1983. Now,
33 years later, I find myself with a
Mexican co-leader serving a group
of Malaysian Chinese to teach Indian
pastors about the love of the Father. If
God is love, and His words and actions
are one, then the essence of every
word God speaks is love. This is what
we need to know, and in this we need
to grow and to be assured. You can
come with us if you would like, May 9
through May 26, and the cost is airfare
plus $100 per day. Because the visa
application process takes some time,
please let us know immediately if you
are interested.
When we are assured, then they shall
be. Please keep us in prayer as we
again travel to India. We want them to
know and to be touched by the love of
the Father.
Written by
Mark Geppert
“They are taught to be fearful of all
times and things,” he reminded me.
Yes, it is a great joy to be a part of “firsts.”
How about you? Would you like to be
a part of building up the waste places
through prayer, giving, or even going to
North India? If so, please contact us at
www.5riversinternational.org.
Written by
Dan Taylor
13
INTERCESSION
BY OBEYING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO DO, WE
RELEASE HIS ANOINTING, AND WE BELIEVE THAT HIS
ANOINTING BREAKS EVERY YOLK OF BONDAGE.
Build a Base
A suggestion has been made to those of us who are laboring in
Mexico to write this month’s article on intercession, workers,
open doors, fruit, and finances. It would be so nice to receive
a vision for the new year at the beginning of January each year,
and then I could not only share that vision with everyone —
and maybe even sound like I knew what I was doing — but
then I could also plan the teachings, travel destinations, and
schedule. But, that is not how the Lord usually works with me.
For example, today He has given me the strategic idea, “Build a
Base.” I know in my spirit that this means it is time to consciously
establish and designate specific OCC prayer bases in Mexico
and perhaps other Latin American nations. Somehow I must
now know, without a doubt, that every region has a committed
pastoral leader who will be responsible for and committed to,
saturating that particular zone with intercession.
Intercede at Home
To intercede is to intervene between
two with a view of reconciling their
differences. This does not seem too
difficult until we consider Jesus’
experience in grasping man in one hand
and heaven in the other. He left His
throne to intervene. He left the earth to
grasp the cross. He descended into hell
to crush the devil and ascended into
heaven where He sits at the right hand
of the Father daily making intercession
for us. This is the Christ walk, to leave
ourselves for the cause of others.
Therefore, knowing that the assignment — intercession —
remains ever the same, let us look at the other aforementioned
words, as I arrange them in their proper order. I think that the
first thing to pray for would definitely be open doors. Please
pray especially at this time, for open doors for SEAPC/OCC
in Latin America, as there are several new doors that we
need God to open for us. Then we must have workers. Will
you join with us for additional workers who are available, and
particularly those who are Spanish speakers? As we prepare
to walk through these open doors, we ask you to pray also for
sufficient financial support to fund the necessary trips.
Then we can expect to see the marvelous fruit which God will
bring forth, which of course has been His perfect plan from the
very beginning.
Photo by Caryn Werner.
I thank God for the SEAPC Magazine, a wonderful tool to use
for the purpose of recruiting intercessors. Please, help me to
“Build a Base.’
Written by
Carol Missik
Operation Capital City
14
And so we change the oil and filters,
check the tire pressures, set a schedule,
and head out for university campuses
to meet with campus ministries and
prayer walk the campus. I get to go to
SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and a few other
schools; Matt is headed to the West
coast; Bill Richardson heads for the
ACC and Ivy League; and Bob Roth, Bob
Rosswog, and Tony will take on a few
others. From June 13 through July 18
we are interceding for the future of this
generation. We are asking the Lord for
unity in the community as we attempt
to focus many prayer streams on these
places vital to the future of our nation.
15
Why do we fire up the 12-year-old
Mitsubishi with its 200,000 miles and
drive all over America praying for
people we do not know? Why not just
stay home? Why do we do this Pray
Americas every year?
We believe that prayer changes people.
It is our message: we preach it, we live
it, and we teach it. And above all we
believe that by obeying what God has
given us to do, we release His anointing,
and we believe that His anointing
breaks every yolk of bondage. So what
choice do we have?
For information on when we will be
in your state or at your school, please
visit www.seapc.org and click on “How
We Serve” and then the Pray Americas
link. Please join us at 10 a.m. on the
appointed day to pray for the students,
families, faculty, and administration of
the university nearest you.
Written by
Mark Geppert
KIDS IN MISSION
WORD SEARCH
“Knock, knock” said the bird as he landed on my shoulder.
“Knock, knock” he said more loudly, feeling a little bolder.
“Knock, knock!” He took a tizzy for I was very busy.
“Who’s there?” I asked, finally glad to see him.
“Fla,” he flapped his wings like I should understand.
“Fla,” he said again and waited, tied to stand upon one tiny
foot.
And again, “Fla,” like I should know what this was all about.
“Fla who?” I asked, really quite confused.
“Fla who?” I asked for I was really quite bemused.
“Flamingo!” shrieked the bird, totally amused.
“Knock, knock,” said I as Ferd began to think.
“I really thought you’d know it,” he laughed with all his might.
“Knock, knock,” said I as he took a drink.
“You really should have known it,” he scolded with delight.
“Who’s there?” he asked in earnest as the answer I withheld.
You just went to Florida where flamingos live and you really had to
see some because they are in plain sight.
“Al,” said I watching him try to guess.
“Al who?” said my friend as again he came to rest.
You really should have known it, when I stood upon one foot.
“Alligator!” said I with a great big smile.
And you really should have guessed it when I shouted in your ear.
And yes I went to Florida, and yes I saw your friends,
and yes I know this game never never ends.
You surely could have guessed it when it gave a great big flap.
For these are things Flamingos do before they take their nap.
JOHN 20:18
Jesus comes to Mary who asks him
where is Jesus. “It is I.” He had died
but now he is alive! It was a surprise
to Mary, but it was true. Jesus is real
and we can know it. Read John 20 this
month and ask the Lord to breathe on
you so you can receive the Holy Spirit.
Mary Magdalene went to �e
disciples wi� �e news: “I
have s�n �e L�d!” And she
told �em �at he had said
�ese �ings to her.
16
Word search by akidsheart.com. Flamingo coloring page by www.supercoloring.com. Alligator coloring page by coloringbest.com. Pencils by freevector, vecteezy.com.
Ferd �e Bird
Color me!
Ascension
Body
Cross
Crown
Crucifix
Denial
Empty Tomb
Gethsemane
Herod
Judas Iscariot
Lamb
Last Supper
Linen
Mary
Magdalene
Peter
Resurrection
Robe
Rock
Salvation
Simon of
Cyrene
Sins
Stone
Temple
Thieves
Veil
BC ARISE
“Faith Without
Cement is Dead.”
I love this quote. I wish that I had come up with it. That
person took many difficult, challenging, and dividing
concepts and simplified them into five words. I envision
him making weekend trips to rebuild New Orleans after
Hurricane Katrina, or building homes for squatters in the
ghettos of Guatemala, or perhaps he was the one driving nails
into studs in the basement of your church so that you could
have a children’s ministry. Or maybe he just really likes to read
the children’s book The Three Little Pigs. However he came
to the statement, it’s a statement on the reality of how faith
works.
We serve a faithful God, who continues to shower us with
blessings and opportunities so long as we live our lives for
him. In the middle of these blessings and opportunities are
temptations to take our focus off of him and to live on our
own strengths and resources and abilities.
I can tell you from first-hand experience that I get tired, I feel
broken, and I end up pretty confused when I rely on myself.
I can say that for my personal life, my time spent with my
family, and also in ministry. Many times, even in ministry,
I’ve lost focus of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords,
and I’ve replaced his power, his blessings, and his abundance
with my limitations. When I’ve done that, I’ve found myself
with neither faith nor cement and a lot of frustration and
challenge. Thank God for his faithfulness, grace, and strength
to overcome through faith.
Today in Cambodia, cement is mixing the foundation of faith
with the hope of a new generation, and the first buildings
exposing truths to the possibilities in Christ.
Right now I need your help. Please help me. If you are an
educator I would like to invite you to please come for a two
week or one month educational investment trip into the
children who BC Arise serves, who are currently enrolled in
the 488 public schools that have been opened to us. If you
are a generous person, please stand with us financially by
committing $100 for the next year and becoming a member of
the Team 217 program. If you are a genuine person of prayer,
please put this project on your prayer wall and begin to pray
for us by name and by location on a daily basis.
I have faith in God to accomplish the BC Arise program. I
believe that many of you have the same faith, and together we
become the cement of God who places concrete truths into
desperate people. Thank you for your love and support.
Written by
Matthew Geppert
18
TIBET
What Does Love Look Like?
Many people of faith go on trips with
high hopes to touch a nation, but
sometimes that looks more like touching
one single heart. In Nepal, instead of
playing the guitar or preaching, love was
displayed by taking a family portrait with
30 plus Indian women who had made the
pilgrimage to the Pashupatinath Temple.
It was also expressed while taking a photo
with their guru, and then sneaking in
some blessings for him while the camera
clicked away. Love was exchanged while
shaking countless hands and speaking
the universal language of a smile or
laughter.
All that this love required was time and
a flexible schedule. In China, love led
us on an adventure to remote Tibetan
villages getting as close to Tibet as we
possibly could. Even if it was hard to
swallow, love tasted like yak cheese
cookies and warm yak milk butter tea.
And on bumpy roads through countless
hours love was experienced by time
spent with some of the most incredible
people on this planet.
Each night, without a consistent place to
rest our heads, love produced flexibility
and a fresh excitement about the
journey. For a portion of that journey,
while descending 16,000 feet, we all
experienced a close call with death. In
return, that particular night’s pillow
was met with immense gratitude. Love
was found amidst danger, and it was
expressed with hearts of worship and
tangible peace. Love looks different than
what we expect sometimes.
This trip was a good reminder that
every interaction counts. After eating
breakfast one morning, a Tibetan
woman came to our table to explore
the lighter coloring of one of our
teammates. She curiously moved up
this lady’s sleeve and touched her arm
without an ounce of hesitation. Without
thinking twice, our sweet teammate
pulled out her lotion and began to
rub it on the Tibetan woman’s hands.
It was reminiscent of Mary Magdalene
pouring the oil over Jesus. This was an
act of worship, and it deeply touched the
woman’s heart. Before we left, this woman
was crying as she visibly experienced
love firsthand. The Father encountered
her through a bottle of lotion, a quick
blessing translated by her son, a monk,
20
and the power of both touch and smiles.
In the end, hugs were exchanged along
with powerful gifts. Someone on our
team handed her The Jesus Film in her
language and in response she gave us
some homemade bread. How fitting that
the bread of life was exchanged for a few
rolls of handmade bread, and then we
parted ways.
It is valuable to extend a hand or smile,
and it is equally valuable to exchange
monetary provision for a good cup of
chai shared with new friends.
Love isn’t compact and, much like the
beautiful Tibetan woman’s tears, will
seep out in many different ways when
it is allowed to flow freely. This trip was
truly a testament to the power of loving
people free from agenda, planting seeds
and believing for the Father to show up
in unconventional ways.
Written by
Courtney Werner
TIBET
COINS FOR KIDS
Two
Babies
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever
sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he
has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
Two Tibetan babies were brought to us
over the last three months. The first baby,
Weise, was four month old. She suffered
from oxygen deficiency and malnutrition,
and her weight was only 3.8 kg. The second
baby, Gesang, was 15 months old and had
the same condition. Both mothers had not
had milk since the baby was born. Gesang
had milk powder and fresh yak milk for the
first few months of her life, and then she
was on a diet of highland barley powder
with butter and sugar. Her weight was
6.2kg, like a four-month-old baby. Her
two legs didn’t have any strength, and she
couldn’t stand even with support.
Gesang (and above)
Those families are hungry for love and
help. They are desperate, and then they get
to know the supernatural love. One of their
relatives received the love with gratitude.
She went into the water and received the
heavenly language. Others are still thinking
and trying to experience more love. No
matter what their decision is, their babies
are cared for with God’s love and His love
has no condition. We can love because God
loves us first.
Written by
Daniel and Gail,
SEAPC China
Weise (and below)
22
From Coins to Blessings
I don’t even know how to express my
appreciation and thanks to all the
faithful and cheerful givers in the
SEAPC Coins for Kids program. I want
to thank and congratulate everyone
who participated, because our children’s
home has benefited so much from this
effort. I have also witnessed and learned
how powerful it is when we unite
ourselves in anything and everything
to get things done for His kingdom and
glory. I really love even the name “coins
for kids” because a coin by itself may not
be too valuable or be used to purchase
many things, but when unified, coins
become very powerful and can be used
for whatever needs to be done. Another
reason why I love the name is because
I sensed the faithfulness of God; people
deeply desired and were determined to
help kids around the world. According
to my personal experience, many times
it is easier to give at once with greater
number or value than give numerous
times with smaller number. For instance,
it is easier to give $10 one time than it
is to give $1 ten times. It required great
faithfulness, effort, and determination
to give so many times over.
You have not only proved to us the power
of unity, determination, and faithfulness
along with prayer, you’ve also helped
us in many ways through that power.
Your coins have been turned into food,
purified water, a beautiful playground,
and have created a neat and clean
environment by helping us to complete
renovation jobs. Your coins have also
been turned into shelter and security
for our children because we were able
to build a strong concrete security wall.
Your coins have also given cool air to
our kids in hot seasons, because your
contributions have repaired fans. Your
coins have also turned into new bunk
beds and new cabinets to secure our
kids’ personal belongings. 23
I don’t know how many people are
involved in this program, but I do know
that what you are doing is just great.
The outcomes of your faithful giving
have really been fruitful and helpful to
our children’s home. I am so thrilled to
know that our Kalaymyo home, which
we planted last year in 2015, is going
to be blessed through SEAPC Coins
for Kids this year. This time your coins
will be turned into a new electric power
line, bunk beds, and also toilets for the
home. This is my prayer that our faithful
God may bless each one of you who
have been faithfully involved in giving
to this SEAPC Coins for Kids program.
Thank you so much for your faithful
contributions through faithful giving.
Written by
Thang Chung Nung
Standard Mail
Non Profit
U.S. Postage Paid
Oakmont, PA
Permit No. 114
PO Box 127, Oakmont, PA 15139
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Isaiah 58:12