February Update

By Bob Buse
International Director

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matt 9:35

• • Directed by His mission to seek and save the lost and motivated by compassion, Jesus was a man in motion. He didn’t wait for people to come to Him – He went out among them. It blesses me to hear reports that members of our FCF family are reaching beyond the walls of their churches. These people are deliberately and strategically reaching cities and villages where the light of the Gospel is dim.
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    We reported to you last month on a “front line” ministry that we support monthly in Assam State, India. Balie Kirha pastors a church in Guwahati and oversees Harvest Bible Training Center. Just a few weeks ago Balie held a Gospel crusade in the remote area of Sikkim. He reports, “We had the crusade in the hill state of Sikkim where people groups of Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutias make up the population. Their religions are predominantly Hinduism and Buddhism. [The crusade was held in a] a small town with dozens of small villages surrounding it within a radius of 10 miles. It was initiated and organized by one of our graduates (working there as a school teacher) with a small and the only church of about 30 people. After the meetings, a few missionaries serving in the vicinity came and thanked us for "paving the way" for them. The first night we didn't [see] anyone respond to the alter call, [We were told] how we shouldn't expect any [response] since it's just ‘not their culture.’ We heard later from some believers how there were people sitting beside them… in tears but still wouldn't move from their seats, and neighbors telling them how they wanted to go up but were just too timid. But the following nights, it was like someone opened the flood gates. We ended up praying for hundreds of them.”
  • FCF Relational Representative in Cebu City, Philippines, describes a recent mission he took to a remote area.  “I [went] to Lapaz  Agusan del Sur for a 5-day visit to our newly supported FCF mission work. FCF pastors here in Cebu City [have] started to give support to 3 new tribal Pastors last October.  The place is quite hard because the whole Barangay is floating including the church. The people there have no stable income, and it’s really a difficult place to live. Yet, there is a pastor living there to bring the message of salvation, hope.”
  • Doesn’t it bless your heart to hear that our FCF family, laboring in a difficult area themselves, is passionate about reaching unreached areas?  We are privileged to be partners with these dedicated servants of God!

   

  In January I traveled to the Dominican Republic. It was a privilege to minister at a couple of FCF churches in the capital city, Santo Domingo. There were two days of wonderful ministry to men, and we had some great church services. I also visited an elementary school pioneered by FCF ministers in the City of Monte Cristi on the north end of the island.
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• A highlight of this trip was traveling in the back of a pickup to deliver bananas to 26 people infected with HIV in a small village in the north of the island. Of course, we prayed and spoke the Word at each place we went. It is in those instances that I feel most identified with Jesus and His itinerant ministry in “all the cities and villages.”  
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• Because of your financial support, last month we were able to send $4000 to our Regional Office in Europe to purchase sound equipment for a new church plant in Senta, Serbia. A team of people from Agape Faith Church in Prenzlau will travel in March to deliver the goods. In our Mission Campaign this year our goal is to raise $10,000 for this equipment and additional funds for humanitarian relief for the poor people in this region.
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• Please remain in faith with us to complete our Mission Campaign for this year. Our financial goal is $250,000. Thus far we have received $83,600. There are many who have made a Faith Promise towards our Campaign goal. I want you to know that we are trusting God with you for the seed to sow. When you make God’s mission to the world your priority, you can be assured that He is involved in the things that are important to you.
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• We are grateful for your love and support. May all grace abound to you in Jesus’ Name.
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• Bob Buse

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Each month you help us send financial assistance to several key areas in the world where the light of the Gospel is dim, such as China, India, South Pacific, and Europe. We are consistent with our support because of your faithfulness.

Harvest Bible Training Center in Assam, India, one of the ministries that we support, had its seventeenth commencement ceremony in December graduating 20 students. Many of the students from this school go into regions unreached with the Gospel and they plant churches.

FCF International Asia Director Terry Phillips and Pastor Balie Kirha conducted our annual FCF Ministers Summit in Nagaland, India. More than 70 ministers participated.  Balie reported, “They all felt that the conference was a needed refreshment, and we're already looking forward to next year’s.”

We also send monthly support to our FCF Representative in Vanuatu (South Pacific) Raynold Bori. He sent the following information: “We found new unreached tribal group villages in Santo high lands. These villages [were] just discovered in the high land’s middle bush of Santo after two weeks of our mission team moving through the interior of Santo exploring through the jungles, mountains, valleys, across the rivers searching for them.

One village, Lakenakenai, took the total of three days walking to reach this village that has 35 people living in it. The people are open and kind. They accept a new church to be planted in their village. And they are open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This people maintain their customs and tradition and live in their native traditional ways.

There are three other unreached villages that are close to them (Ramelmel, Pilpil, Vunmavis. It took a half day to walk from one of these villages to another.

There are two new leaders from the village of Lakenakenai who are willing to be trained to take up the leadership as elders in the newly planted church. They are willing to attend [Pacific Mission] Bible College to train properly in the Word of God so they can teach their own people.”

Isn’t that exciting!  You are helping us support this work monthly through FCF Int’l.  Good job!

This month we sent the first installment of $5,000 to Kenya to purchase the tent where Father’s House church is meeting.  We need $15,000 more to complete this project.

In February we are sending Pastor Jim McGaffin to Benin City, Nigeria, as the keynote speaker at the Annual FCF Ministers’ gathering there. I ask that you keep Pastor Jim and this meeting in prayer for the glorious success in the will of God.

Many thanks on behalf of many who are being reached and changed for Christ because of your faithful partnership with us.  I pray this would be the most blessed New Year to you and your family.

R Buse