Greetings everyone!
Well we have had quite a day. After receiving a first rate tour of the IGL campus, we were able to see a "Life Center". For those of you who are not familiar with a Life Center, or for that matter IGL, let me explain.
IGL (India Gospel League) is being used of the Lord in a mighty way to take the Good News of Jesus Christ to the outer most parts of India. At the center of their ministry is a passion to reach the unreached of India and Sri Lanka. One of the main avenues for reaching a rural village is to build what IGL calls a "Life Center". A Life Center is designed to become the hub of a village, meeting both spiritual and physical needs at the same time. After the Gospel is taken to a village, and new baptized believers begin to increase, that village qualifies for a Life Center. When a Life Center is built, it serves as a church, a literacy training center, a job training center facility, a day care and brings clean water to the village. As a church, Rolling Hills has committed to partnering with IGL to build a Life Center in a rural village in Southern India. We will be traveling to this village on Wednesday.
A big part of what is taking place during our time here is the semi-annual Pastor's training conference that is taking place here at IGL's Mission Base. Over 1500 Barefoot Pastors (Pastor's who literally walk barefoot from village to village spreading the Good News) have come to be trained, encouraged, and uplifted by each other and the work God has called them to. This evening marked the kick-off of this event and each of us was asked to say a few words to this auditorium full of indigenous Pastors. To say the least, standing in front of all these Godly men, speaking in a language totally foreign to them, is not for the tame of heart! But God is so good, and we felt His presence in us and in the room. The conference will continue on over the next three days. Tomorrow Gary will begin the day by leading the first session. Pray for Gary as he is diligently preparing this evening.
We are all amazed at the work that is being done here. Allow me to share a few recent statistics that may help frame the scope of this ministry:
Churches planted to date: Over 60,000
Life Centers currently operating: 65
Barefoot Pastors: Over 40,000
2010 Church planting faith goal: 100,000 new churches!
Not bad given the political and cultural persectution these Pastor's face on a daily basis!
We so appreciate your prayers for us! We would ask specifically that you pray for us that God would give us His eyes to see what He wishes us to be involved in as a church. As well, that He would help us to discern amidst all the bombardments filling our senses (not to mention still trying to recover from major jet lag!). Pray as well for the teaching sessions. To say the least, the schedule is fluid! Pray that God will speak through Gary in the morning, and through the rest of the speakers this coming week and into next weeks conference which is taking place in Sri Lanka.
Above all, thank you all for your love. We really do see God at work here through IGL, and in our lives and we know your prayers are propelling us.
Until we are able to enter cyber space again, God's peace and grace to you all!
Monte & Bob (and Gary who is preparing)
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