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UntoHim · 08-24-2008, 12:19 PM

John & Sonia Smith
jsssmith24@msn.com

August 22, 2008

Beloved Saints, In these troubled times with confusion in government and every strata of society, how privileged we are to be those chosen in Him before the foundation of the world; a new creation in the Messiah Jesus; a chosen race, a royal priest, a holy nation, His own special people that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (Eph. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Peter 2:9).

Last week brother Joseph from India was with us and again this week for a short visit. We have had precious fellowship in the Word and regarding the Lord’s work in India . There is much to rejoice about, there are many needs and also the expected attacks from the enemy to interfere with the testimony of Jesus. I will mention a few things for rejoicing and for prayer.

The orphanage, now over 300 children, is flourishing. It is especially heartening that many of the older ones are growing in Christ, able to testify for the Lord and doing well in their schooling. Presently there are fourteen girls ready to enter nurses training and two boys who want to train to be pharmacists. I personally know two girls who I think have been in training for two years already and their testimony is very good. There is a special need to get a roof on the girls’ dormitory. Even without finishing everything inside that would give a closed space and help greatly with 175 girls and the problem of bath facilities.
From what I have seen the baths would be very small rooms with a toilet, a showerhead and a drain in the floor. It would help greatly if all the children had sponsors. A large number do not.

The mission has been given 15 acres of land. Joseph feels that with a couple of wells and the equipment (Tractor etc) to farm it by growing vegetables and lentils they could greatly reduce the cost of feeding the 300+ children. Pastors who know how to farm would take care of it.

The TV ministry reaches a large area and produces a stream of inquiries and requests for literature. So many phone calls come that the phone numbers of Samrat and Vicky, Joseph’s sons, are given out as Joseph cannot personally handle them all. High caste people who would not come into a meeting hall will listen. Although it is still a big thing in the USA , Joseph says people use radio very little in India .

Samrat leads the prison ministry which is very fruitful with many conversions. The last I heard they had access to 18 prisons. This is remarkable when you consider that persecution of Christians steadily worsens. Attacks between Muslims and Hindus also occur.

Just last week the merciless Massacre of a Missionary and Educator, Fr. Thomas Pandipally took place near Hyderabad , the capital of Andhra Pradesh where the last Bible classes were held. There were 30 stab wounds mostly near his abdomen and his skull was split open.

(CNN) -- The death toll from the synchronized bombs that hit the western Indian city of Ahmedabad has risen to at least 45, city police told CNN on Sunday. The country's Intelligence Bureau received an e-mail, purportedly from the Muslim militant group Indian Mujahedeen, warning about an attack. But afterward, the Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi) -- or the Movement of the Islamic Holy War – claimed responsibility for the bombings, CNN-IBN said.

As we mentioned before, since the Hyderabad Bible classes, pleas have come for Bible classes teaching the same truths to be held in a number of large cities. From the time we first went to India in 1995, I have found that interest has never waned in clear biblical truth that brings people to know the Lord and rest in His sure salvation. This is an urgent matter and the door is open. There are no definite plans for 2009, but some brothers feel a stirring of the Spirit to have the classes. A few days ago in a phone conversation brother Dan Elkins (who has gone to India several times with me) spoke at length regarding next year.

As a personal note regarding the last paragraph, my going to India next year is in the Lord’s hands. If I do not go there are certainly other brothers who are adequate. For those enquiring concerning my health (re the prostate problem), a couple of cancer markers showed up in tests, but they are not conclusive and if one takes a retest soon he is sure to get skewed results. Meanwhile I am following an anticancer diet with certain supplements. I am very grateful to you dear ones who pray for me. And not only for physical healing, but that Sonia and I may count all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and be found in Him, not having any righteousness of our own, but that which is of God by faith and that we may passionately pursue on to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means we may attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead; laying hold on that for which we were laid hold on by Christ; forgetting those things that are behind and stretching forward toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And this we pray for the brothers in India and for all of you. And praise God, if we think otherwise in anything God will reveal this to us!!! Philippians 3.

Regarding the Mission matters mentioned in this letter Joseph assured me of his goal that the children grow in Christ to be strong testimonies for Him and, indeed, with all that the mission touches it should be so. Please pray much concerning the items mentioned. May the Spirit lead us in travailing prayer. That which is of God and of life comes to birth by travail. Our Lord poured out his soul and the promise was that He would see a seed of the travail of His soul and be satisfied (Isa. 53:10-12). There is much to be said about travail. Paul certainly followed his Lord in it (Gal. 4:19). Brother Sparks in his piece, The Israel of God, spends the first chapter on The Principle of Travail. You can find it on the site, www.austinsparks.com. If the Lord speaks to you in prayer and you want further information on any mission need, please let us know.

I dare not be defeated
With Calvary in view,
Where Jesus conquered Satan,
Where all His foes He slew,
Come Lord, and give the vision
To nerve me for the fight,
Make me an overcomer
Clothed with Thy Spirit’s might

A victor, a victor!
Because of Calvary ,
Make me an overcomer,
A conqueror.
A conqueror Lord in Thee.

Sonia and I will be out of town from August 26 to September 6. When we return I hope to write some things to you that are deeply on our hearts.

With much love,

John & Sonia

Gift Address: Christian Home Fellowships, Box 7878 , Riverside , CA 92513-7878 .

08-24-2008, 12:19 PM	#2
UntoHim Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον For God So Loved The World Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3,826	Latest update from John & Sonia Smith regarding ministry to India John & Sonia Smith jsssmith24@msn.com August 22, 2008 Beloved Saints, In these troubled times with confusion in government and every strata of society, how privileged we are to be those chosen in Him before the foundation of the world; a new creation in the Messiah Jesus; a chosen race, a royal priest, a holy nation, His own special people that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (Eph. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Peter 2:9). Last week brother Joseph from India was with us and again this week for a short visit. We have had precious fellowship in the Word and regarding the Lord’s work in India . There is much to rejoice about, there are many needs and also the expected attacks from the enemy to interfere with the testimony of Jesus. I will mention a few things for rejoicing and for prayer. The orphanage, now over 300 children, is flourishing. It is especially heartening that many of the older ones are growing in Christ, able to testify for the Lord and doing well in their schooling. Presently there are fourteen girls ready to enter nurses training and two boys who want to train to be pharmacists. I personally know two girls who I think have been in training for two years already and their testimony is very good. There is a special need to get a roof on the girls’ dormitory. Even without finishing everything inside that would give a closed space and help greatly with 175 girls and the problem of bath facilities. From what I have seen the baths would be very small rooms with a toilet, a showerhead and a drain in the floor. It would help greatly if all the children had sponsors. A large number do not. The mission has been given 15 acres of land. Joseph feels that with a couple of wells and the equipment (Tractor etc) to farm it by growing vegetables and lentils they could greatly reduce the cost of feeding the 300+ children. Pastors who know how to farm would take care of it. The TV ministry reaches a large area and produces a stream of inquiries and requests for literature. So many phone calls come that the phone numbers of Samrat and Vicky, Joseph’s sons, are given out as Joseph cannot personally handle them all. High caste people who would not come into a meeting hall will listen. Although it is still a big thing in the USA , Joseph says people use radio very little in India . Samrat leads the prison ministry which is very fruitful with many conversions. The last I heard they had access to 18 prisons. This is remarkable when you consider that persecution of Christians steadily worsens. Attacks between Muslims and Hindus also occur. Just last week the merciless Massacre of a Missionary and Educator, Fr. Thomas Pandipally took place near Hyderabad , the capital of Andhra Pradesh where the last Bible classes were held. There were 30 stab wounds mostly near his abdomen and his skull was split open. (CNN) -- The death toll from the synchronized bombs that hit the western Indian city of Ahmedabad has risen to at least 45, city police told CNN on Sunday. The country's Intelligence Bureau received an e-mail, purportedly from the Muslim militant group Indian Mujahedeen, warning about an attack. But afterward, the Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi) -- or the Movement of the Islamic Holy War – claimed responsibility for the bombings, CNN-IBN said. As we mentioned before, since the Hyderabad Bible classes, pleas have come for Bible classes teaching the same truths to be held in a number of large cities. From the time we first went to India in 1995, I have found that interest has never waned in clear biblical truth that brings people to know the Lord and rest in His sure salvation. This is an urgent matter and the door is open. There are no definite plans for 2009, but some brothers feel a stirring of the Spirit to have the classes. A few days ago in a phone conversation brother Dan Elkins (who has gone to India several times with me) spoke at length regarding next year. As a personal note regarding the last paragraph, my going to India next year is in the Lord’s hands. If I do not go there are certainly other brothers who are adequate. For those enquiring concerning my health (re the prostate problem), a couple of cancer markers showed up in tests, but they are not conclusive and if one takes a retest soon he is sure to get skewed results. Meanwhile I am following an anticancer diet with certain supplements. I am very grateful to you dear ones who pray for me. And not only for physical healing, but that Sonia and I may count all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and be found in Him, not having any righteousness of our own, but that which is of God by faith and that we may passionately pursue on to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means we may attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead; laying hold on that for which we were laid hold on by Christ; forgetting those things that are behind and stretching forward toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And this we pray for the brothers in India and for all of you. And praise God, if we think otherwise in anything God will reveal this to us!!! Philippians 3. Regarding the Mission matters mentioned in this letter Joseph assured me of his goal that the children grow in Christ to be strong testimonies for Him and, indeed, with all that the mission touches it should be so. Please pray much concerning the items mentioned. May the Spirit lead us in travailing prayer. That which is of God and of life comes to birth by travail. Our Lord poured out his soul and the promise was that He would see a seed of the travail of His soul and be satisfied (Isa. 53:10-12). There is much to be said about travail. Paul certainly followed his Lord in it (Gal. 4:19). Brother Sparks in his piece, The Israel of God, spends the first chapter on The Principle of Travail. You can find it on the site, www.austinsparks.com. If the Lord speaks to you in prayer and you want further information on any mission need, please let us know. I dare not be defeated *With Calvary in view,* Where Jesus conquered Satan, Where all His foes He slew, Come Lord, and give the vision To nerve me for the fight, Make me an overcomer Clothed with Thy Spirit’s might A victor, a victor! Because of Calvary , Make me an overcomer, A conqueror. A conqueror Lord in Thee. Sonia and I will be out of town from August 26 to September 6. When we return I hope to write some things to you that are deeply on our hearts. With much love, *John & Sonia* Gift Address: Christian Home Fellowships, Box 7878 , Riverside , CA 92513-7878 .