India
Jabez International Mission partners with Sharon Seva based in Hyderabad, Telengana State.
2022 - Our work in India has grown to be a network of networks. Our network leader Apostle Prasad Rao has implemented a strategy for the effective growth of more than 40,000 churches. It began last year with a prayer strategy which was followed by the challenge for each church to bring one sole in to the Kingdom each month. A discipleship program is also in place. The goal is to see 500,000 new believers built in to the life of the churches this year.
Recently our Hyderabad based Kingdom Bible School had its graduation. Phil was involved in training these young church planters via Zoom in addition to training on the ground provided Prasad and Kala Rao. These young graduates will be sent in to church planting areas. Please pray for them!
As part of this strategy, Prasad is doing strategic conferences for pastors and leaders. His latest conference was attended by 1,000 pastors and wives and has been a catalyst for greater unity in that city and region. In October the annual Youth Leaders Conference will be convened. 500 key young leaders are brought together for a powerful time of equipping and impartation. The conference this year is called Chosen. Please see the prayer points in the graphic.
Conference: October 2021
ICAL India Face to Face Conference 2021 with apostolic leaders from across the country. This is how we roll when we can't be there in person.
Update: February 2021
Prasad and his team began the new year with a three month intensive for thirty church planters. Despite travel restrictions we thank God for the technologies that are available. Phil was able to input into this group of young church planters via Zoom.
Partner Report: 18 April 2020
Greetings!
I hope you all are doing well.
I would like to share a quick testimony about how God has turned the hostile situation into a great opportunity.
On Thursday, our team was at the church to pack the food kits to be distributed to the needy people affected by the lockdown. We also planned to record our church service to be streamed on online this Sunday.
But some neighbor from the building called the police complaining that we were running church. The police arrived and took me to the Miyapur police station. The police initially said that they will file an FIR against us for gathering at the church during the quarantine. But thankfully they let us go within a few anxious minutes without even filing a case or an undertaking letter. By God's grace, the same police who were against us, came forward to help us yesterday in our COVID-19 relief program by assisting us in distributing the food kits to the poor.
Through this incident, God has opened a way for us to meet very senior police officials of the Cyberabad Police commissionerate as we met them to seek their assistance in the relief program. They were interested in our work and assured us their assistance. They have even provided us vehicle passes for free movement during the relief program. They also requested us to provide aid to around 400 families in the tribal places of our region and offered us with a truck for transportation to that place.
All things worked together for good for the glory of God. We thank you all for your prayers and support.
People lining up for food relief
Another food relief location
The operation grew bigger and bigger thanks to generous donations
People lining up for food relief
Partner Report: 2 May 2020
Greetings!
As part of our ongoing COVID-19 relief program, today we've been able to distribute groceries kits to the most needy people in slum areas. Our team has been overwhelmed when scores of people queued up requesting for the kits. As we started the distribution, more people living in that poor neighborhood soon gathered.
Among them was an elderly person sitting a little further from the crowd looking expectedly at us. When my wife Kala approached him, the elderly man said that he has six children in his home and that they have been suffering with hunger over the past few weeks(They have lost their livelihood due to the lockdown). He knew that our distribution kits were running out as many people gathered there. But he requested to give him one kit if there's still anything left. While he was sharing about his condition to my wife Kala she found tears at his eyes. She was deeply moved by the helplessness and plight of this elderly man in trying to gather some food to his family. But as the crowds grew, we ran out of the kits. Fortunately she was able to note his address and later we went back to him and provided with enough groceries for his family for the next few days. We also asked him to contact us when he needs help in the future.
The story is the same of many such poor people living in the tough times as this. The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown has been the hardest on the poor people of our country. For the third time lockdown has been extended today. It may go on till June or July. Many are on the verge of falling into extreme poverty, lacking basic needs for their survival. Although we've been able to help hundreds of such families over the past few weeks, this incident remind us that more needs to be done to help many such people struggling with hunger and poverty.
We sincerely appreciate the support provided to us in continuing this relief program. We request your prayers and support as we plan to reach many such poor households in the days to come.