A South Asia tribal mission trip and a three-night gospel campaign
Thank you so much for your precious prayers and constant support. During our recent Redemption Road mission in 2023, we are grateful to report the impact of your prayers on our journey.
On the first day, we visited our branch churches, preaching the glorious gospel, encouraging believers, and healing the sick. Our team divided into two groups, reaching four churches across different locations. Aaro and Wesley, along with other evangelists, visited two churches, while Miika and Janica joined Wesley's brother Joshi and other evangelists at two different locations.
The significance of that Sunday was amplified when followers of a local religion joined our church services upon learning about the arrival of missionaries in their areas. The churches were very blessed as the congregation shared how the powerful gospel messages and healing testimonies led them to recommit to their first love in Jesus.
During our last Sunday service, a non-Christian woman with severe tuberculosis was healed from bacterial bubbles on her body and throat after we laid our hands on her and prayed in the name of Jesus!
Moving on to the second day of our mission, we went into unreached tribal villages to share the gospel. Dividing into two teams once again, we visited four tribal villages, witnessing very powerful outreaches.
In the first team led by Wesley, half of a village came to Christ, including the village leader who accepted Jesus after being healed. The village leader promised to plant the first church in his village. We have since appointed a local pastor there to disciple and plant a church there. In the second tribal village, a man without irises or pupils regained clear vision for the first time since his birth after our prayers.
The second team with Aaro, Miika, and Janica, baptized four individuals in the name of Jesus and saw many members of other tribes accepting Jesus and experiencing healing. We also gave the villagers some clothes. Now the discipleship and the establishment of new churches is ongoing.
From the third day onward, we entered a phase of taking risks, which included organizing a gospel campaign with foreign missionaries. Although it was rather challenging, God made it possible for us to get all the necessary permissions from local leaders and authorities to organize the campaigns.
The subsequent gospel campaign faced the additional challenge of gathering tribes from various distant locations. Local pastors played a major role in overcoming this challenge, resulting in the successful setup of our first Redemption Road gospel campaign. Approximately 500 people from various tribes and religious backgrounds attended, with 221 deciding to follow Jesus. Many experienced healing from their pains or sicknesses. Some powerful documented healings include the healing from: blurry vision persisting for 6 months, a 2-year walking problem, a 1-year leg pain, a 3-month shoulder pain, and a 4-month issue with swallowing food. Our pastors are now providing ongoing support and guidance to these individuals in their journey with the Lord. Their lives will never be the same again.
On the fourth day, we organized our 2nd Redemption Road gospel campaign in a village with the most radical followers of a local religion. Winter is the season in South Asia when idol worship reaches an extreme level, with many religious extremists wearing black and red clothes worshiping two different deities.
On the day of our gospel campaign, these extremists opposed and attempted to halt our campaign setup and equipment. Despite having ordered the equipment well in advance of our crusade, we received calls from local extremists demanding that we stop our gospel campaign to ensure the success of their public idol meeting. However, by God’s grace, we managed to arrange the equipment just two hours before our gospel campaign and set it up, overcoming what seemed highly impossible at that time.
Despite all the difficulties, God remarkably led many non-Christians to the gospel campaign. Eventually, we documented 201 decisions for Jesus. The amazing efforts of numerous pastors, inviting and bringing people from various places, culminated in a gathering with hundreds of decisions for Christ and numerous healings in the name of Jesus. Three youngsters showed up for baptisms that night. Now, our local pastor is disciplining them and providing encouragement in the Lord.
On the fifth day, we organized our 3rd Redemption Road gospel campaign in a newly formed community where all residents were non-Christians. At the beginning of 2023, we established a new church there, and within just one year, 20 people were added to the church. This gospel campaign marked our first campaign in that village since its formation. The gathering left a profound impact on the community. Aaro preached the gospel to the entire community, and we witnessed many powerful miracles. A total of 296 people made a documented decision to follow Jesus.
Some powerful healings also took place: a woman with severe pain from throat cancer surgery was healed, shoulder and hand pain for 5 years were healed, a migraine lasting for 10 years was healed, knee pain for 5 years was healed, headache for 4 years was healed, shoulder pain for 2 years was healed, walking issues due to an accident for 1 year were healed, and blurry vision for 6 months was healed in the name of Jesus. They surrendered their lives in the mighty name of Jesus. Now, we have started to disciple them.
We are very grateful for the collaboration with fellow evangelists, intercessors, and donors as we look forward to expand the kingdom of God in South Asia.
