Estamos en guerra. El mundo entero está luchando contra un enemigo invisible. No sabemos quienes serán afectados y cuándo se verán afectados. Aún así, estamos luchando. No tenemos suficientes armas para lucha. Aún así, estamos luchando. Luchamos porque no queremos morir; queremos salvar nuestras vidas. Estamos utilizando mascarillas para que el virus no pueda entrar en nuestro cuerpo, manteniéndonos distanciados para no ponernos en contacto con otros. El enemigo nos mantiene tan ocupados que no podemos alcanzar otros. Entonces, no predicación, no evangelismo, no reuniones de oración, no compañerismo ni programas de alcance. Las iglesias están cerradas; nos estamos escondiendo.

Queridos creyentes de Cristo, en la India, la segunda fase del virus es tan poderosa que va en aumento cada día. El número de muertos superó los 10.000 por día. No hay camas en el hospital, no hay medicamentos, no hay oxígeno. La gente está muriendo sin recibir ningún tratamiento médico. Nuevos canales están cubriendo la procesión de los muertos. En todas partes hay lamentación, llanto, y gran duelo.

Aún así, hay buenas noticias en EFM Kolkata. Tuvimos que cerrar nuestro servicio durante ocho meses. No hubo compañerismo en las casas ni reuniones de personal. Incluso no pudimos enviar el dinero al equipo de la gira. Aún así, nuestro personal trabajó duro para ganar almas. La iglesia estaba cerrada pero nuestro personal hizo visitas de casa en caa y predicamos el evangelio en y alrededor de nuestros hogares. Dios es bueno. El nos salvó de todo tipo de enfermedades, especialmente de COVID-19. Él nos recompensó con algo de fruto de este trabajo.

Aquí hay una breve descripción de nuestra recompensa:

• Compañerismo en casa y en la Iglesia – Por su gracia, comenzamos una iglesia en otro distrito llamado South Dinajpur. Además, iniciamos una iglesia en el distrito North 24 Parganas. El nombre del lugar es Ichhapur. Otra nueva iglesia se inició en Nadelli, Nainital, Uttarakhand. Hemos establecido 60 nuevas iglesias en casas en diferentes distritos del oeste de Bengala y Uttarakhand. Alabado sea el Señor. Muchas gracias por sus oraciones.
• Programa de Semana Santa: el año pasado en 2020, no pudimos tener ningún programa de Semana Santa por causa del cierre. Este año, por la gracia de Dios, tuvimos un muy buen programa de Semana Santa. Distribuimos tratados y folletos y organizamos programas en diferentes iglesias.
• Bautismos– el 31 de marzo de 2021, tuvimos testimonios públicos de bautismo. En Calcuta hubo cuatro, en Malda tres, en Murshidabad uno, en Gosaba uno, en Shyanagar cuatro, y en Nazat seis. Esta es la recompensa del Señor. Alabado sea su nombre.
• Centros de entrenamiento: nuestros cinco centros de entrenamiento están funcionando bien. Estos estudiantes son muy pobres. Con el permiso de la Iglesia de los Amigos en Wabash, distribuimos ayuda entre los padres de los chicos de los centros de entrenamiento. La gente local está muy feliz de ver nuestra actitud hacia los pobres. Un total de 130 familias recibieron la ración de nuestra iglesia.
• Distribución de ayuda: con la ayuda de EFM, distribuimos ayuda entre las personas pobres. Tuvimos dos desastres: 1) Ciclón Amphan y 2) COVID-19. Mucha gente de la zona costera perdió sus casas a causa del ciclón. Y también, debido a COVID-19, la gente perdió sus trabajos, los empresarios perdieron sus negocios y la gente común se presentaron ante serios problemas. Los hospitales estaban llenos, sin camas, sin medicinas, sin oxígeno. En esta situación, la gente estaba sobreviviendo. Muchas personas murieron y muchas siguen sufriendo. Nosotros distribuimos arroz, harina, soja y aceite a 600 familias alrededor de nuestras iglesias. El nombre del Señor y sus iglesias son glorificados. Alabado sea el Señor.
• Trabajo administrativo: solo tuvimos una reunión mensual de personal en persona en el los últimos meses. Sin embargo, pudimos reunirnos cuatro veces a través de Zoom. Nosotros compartimos la Palabra de Dios, nuestros puntos de oración y oramos juntos. Tuvimos un rato maravilloso con el Señor. Alabado sea su nombre.

Por favor oren por que, a pesar de todas las oposiciones y obstáculos, podemos predicar Su salvación. Estamos llamados para este trabajo. Que Dios nos dé sabiduría y fuerza.

Lee mas…

The post Carta de Oración de Junio 2021 first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

D. K. and Choity Sarkar | Serving in India

We are at war. The whole world is fighting against an unseen enemy. We do not know who will be affected and when they will be affected. Still, we are fighting. We do not have enough weapons to fight. Still, we are fighting. We are fighting because we do not want to die; we want to save our lives. We are using masks so that the virus cannot enter into our body, keeping distanced so that we should not come in touch with others. The enemy keeps us so busy that we cannot reach others. So, no preaching, no evangelism, no prayer meetings, no fellowship, and no outreach programs. The churches are shutdown; we are hiding ourselves.

Dear believers of Christ, in India, the second phase of the virus is so powerful that it is increasing every day. The death toll crossed 10,000 per day. There are no beds in the hospital, no medicine, no oxygen. People are dying without receiving any medical treatment. New channels are covering the procession of the dead. Everywhere there is lamentation, weeping, and great mourning.

Still, there is some good news at EFM Kolkata. We had to close our service for eight months. There was no house fellowship or staff meetings. Even we could not send the money to the tour staff in time. Still our staff worked hard to win souls. The church was closed but our staff visited house to house and preached the gospel in and around our homes. God is good. He saved us from all kinds of sickness, especially from COVID-19. He gave some reward; some fruits.

Here is brief description of our reward:

• Church and House Fellowships – By his grace, we started a church in another district named South Dinajpur. Also, we started a church in North 24 Parganas district. The name of the place is Ichhapur. Another new church was started in Nadelli, Nainital, Uttarakhand. We have established 60 new house churches in different districts in West Bengal and Uttarakhand. Praise the Lord. Thank you very much for your prayer.
• Holy Week Program – Last year in 2020, we could not have any holy week program due to lockdown. This year, by the grace of God, we had a very good holy week program. We distributed tracts and booklets, and organized programs in different churches.
• Baptisms – On 31^st March 2021, we had public testimonies of baptism. In Kolkata there were four, in Malda three, in Murshidabad one, in Gosaba one, in Shyanagar four, and in Nazatt six. This the reward from the Lord. Praise be to his name.
• Coaching Centers – Our five coaching centers are running well. These students are very poor. With the permission of Wabash Friends Church, we distributed relief among the parents of the coaching classes. The local people are very happy seeing our attitude to the poor. A total of 130 families received the ration from our church.
• Relief Distribution – With the help of EFM, we distributed relief among the poor people. We had two disasters: 1) Cyclone Amphan, and 2) COVID-19. Many people of the coastal area lost their houses due to the cyclone. Then, because of COVID-19, people lost their jobs, businessmen lost their businesses, and common people were in serious trouble. The hospitals were full – no beds, no medicine, no oxygen. In this situation, people were surviving. Many people died and many are still suffering. We distributed rice, dal, soyabean, and oil to 600 families around our churches. The name of the Lord and his churches are glorified. Praise the Lord.
• Administrative Work – We had only a one-time in person monthly staff meeting in the last few months. However, we were able to meet four times through Zoom. We shared the word of God, our prayer points, and we prayed together. We had a wonderful time with the Lord. Praise his name.

Please pray in spite of all the oppositions and obstruction, we can preach his salvation. We are called for that job. May God give us wisdom and strength.

The post June 2021 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Newsletter

Evangelical Friends Mission Kolkata

October-December 2020

Greetings in his matchless name. 2020 has gone and when we look back, the year was not good for us. But we believe that God is in control and that he controls everything. After many losses, by his grace, we came to the end of 2020. Now, we praise the Almighty for his wonderful care for us. Personally, I lost my brother and his wife. My brother was an important leader of EFM Kolkata.

By the grace of God, our work is continuing. For four months (March-June), the church was closed, but we met in house fellowships. The number of attenders at house fellowships was very limited, but the number of house fellowships grew. Each of our staff and pastors worked hard to preach in different house fellowships.

We had regular Skype meetings with our staff. Finally, we opened our churches on the first Sunday of July. Our coaching classes opened in July as well. In October, our staff was able to be together in Kolkata where we planned how to organize our Christmas program.

We had a two-fold goal: 1) To encourage our members and churches to submit themselves to his hand and support the church; and 2) to preach the good news through the house fellowships. By the grace of God, the result was good. Many people came to Jesus and some even accepted him by taking a public testimony of baptism. In Kolkata there were eight people, in Shyamnagar there were nineteen, and in Malda there were six. Praise the Lord!

Though the churches were affected by COVID-19, we had the opportunity to hold Christmas programs in different places. When many churches were closed, the Friends Churches opened for everyone, which made our gatherings wonderful. Special Christmas programs on the open streets were also very good. I am sharing some pictures of the open Christmas programs below for your enjoyment. Please pray for our churches and ministers. God bless you.

Yours in Christ,

D. K. and Choity Sarkar

West Bengal, India

Celebration in Shyamnagar F. C.

Celebration in Bhadreswar F. C.

Celebration on Kolkata Street

Our Kolkata Team

Celebration in Krishnapur, Malda

Celebration in Gopalpur, Malda

Celebration in Gosaba F. C.

Celebration in Gazole, Malda

Celebration in Uttarakhand

The post January 2021 Sarkar Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Greetings from Kolkata, India. I praise God for all his blessings during the time of COVID-19. When the whole world is suffering, we are also suffering. Thank God that he did not allow much suffering towards us.

Choity and I suffered from a viral fever and it was very painful for us. By the grace of God we are okay now. Our Pastor, Profulla Hembram, and his wife also suffered for a little time. Thankfully, none of us had Coronavirus. I have started working in the office and surrounding areas again and our church started back in July. People are attending the service, but those who live a far distance are not able to attend.

Our lockdown started in the month of April and is still going on. There is a little relaxation now, but still some days we are totally locked down. The government decides those days.

During this time, we have had many Zoom meetings and prayer meetings with our staff. It has been a good time for us.

Distribution During COVID-19

There are many people working in the factories that have lost their jobs. Many companies and workshops are closed and workers have become jobless. Many people come to Kolkata to work in different houses or to sell vegetables. Due to the virus, the trains and buses have stopped running and these people have no way to come to Kolkata. They did not have any food for their children and family members. By the grace of God, we could help many families. We extended our distribution to Gosaba, Shyamnagar, Nazatt, and Kolkata. We gave them rice, lintels, oil, salt, etc.

BulBul

There was a cyclone in the month of March. Many people in the coastal area lost their homes. Three of our villages (Gosaba, Bali, and Nazatt) were affected very much. Our churches also got heavy damage. Thanks to God that EFM came forward and helped us rebuild these homes. We distributed asbestos and bamboos to the people in our church area so that they may rebuild their houses. They did it. Thank God and thanks to EFM for the help.

Cyclone Amphan

There was a great cyclone in West Bengal named Amphan. Many houses were destroyed. Especially in the coastal areas and in Kolkata. Even the rooftop prayer hall of my house was blown away. Thank God that Dan Cammack, EFM Director, came forward and agreed to help the poor people. We helped 56 families rebuild their homes. Thanks to Dan Cammack and EFM!

COVID-19

Many people have died; many are still suffering. Many people have lost their jobs and they do not know what they will do in order to collect food for their families. There are many poor people in the area where our churches are. We have given them food and other things during this situation. We helped the people in Gosaba, Hooghly, Shyamnagar, Nazatt, Murshidabad, and Kolkata. Our churches now have a very good reputation and love from the local people and from the authorities. The people, especially Muslim people, who were against us are now favoring us. The road for the gospel has become easy. Below are pictures of rice distribution and the van used to take the materials.

Staff Meeting

After six months, we had our staff meeting on 25th August. The staff was very happy to be in Kolkata and join the meeting. Though we had Zoom meetings frequently, it was wonderful to be face to face.

I presented a short devotion on “lockdown” and used the verses from Genesis chapter 5-7. I described how the lockdown was a blessing for Noah. The staff was very happy and encouraged to get a new insight on this.

Then, the staff started describing how the Lord was working during this time. The outcome was very good. Together, around 200 new people came to attend our services and 22 of them are ready to make a public testimony of water baptism. Five new house churches were also established and one new worker was appointed. Praise the Lord for his blessings!

We spent a long time in praise and thanksgiving for the blessings of the Lord. Pastors Satadal and Subhankar led the prayer time. It was so blessed that all of us felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Then we had the fellowship lunch and after the staff departed for their own places.

Yours in Christ,

D. K. Sarkar

West Bengal, India

The post October 2020 Sarkar Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

As a believer of Christ, I do believe that my Lord is always with me and I am not a helpless person. He is always there to help me in any kind of need. He listens to our prayer and answers our prayer.

In April and May, we could do anything except for a prayer and telephone ministry. The whole country was on lockdown. We could not visit any field or any house. But, our prayer time increased. We prayed personally, with local believers and through the telephone.

In the month of June, the lockdown relaxed a little and we could start our church services, though the attendance was very limited. In the beginning of the month it was only ten and by the end of the month it became twenty-five. Now in the month of July, it fifty are back attending. I praise God for his wonderful blessings.

We give thanks to God that none of us have been affected by the Coronavirus in these three months.

During this time, we also had two Zoom meetings with our staff. The meetings were fruitful and we are blessed by the fellowship with each other.

During this lockdown period we gave some rations to our church people and the poor people of the church areas. We provided rice, puffed rice, lentils, oil, salt packets, soap, etc.

We have a brother in our church named Raju Ekka. He is a driver and he has a license to go to any place with his vehicle during the lockdown period. I was thinking and praying about how to get the money to different places for relief work. I shared this problem with my church members and Raju offered himself for the task. I gave him the money and the list and he did the job quickly and faithfully. I thank God for his willingness to serve the Lord on behalf of our church in this time of emergency.

Phani Bhusan Dutta is a victorious believer of Jesus Christ. He is 86 years old. In 2018, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and took a public testimony of baptism at Kolkata Friends Church. Then, the other household members became believers. I have visited this family and shared the Good News with them. Dan Cammack has also visited the family. Unfortunately, during the lockdown period, I could not visit the family.

At the end of June, the family called me and said that Phani Bhusan Dutta had Coronavirus. The hospital staff came and took him to a hospital. We were spellbound.

Immediately, I informed all my church members to pray for this man. Everybody knew about him and started praying. Everyday they were asking, “How is he?”

We were not getting any information from the hospital, as no one was allowed to visit patients; our prayer was deeper and deeper.

On a Friday, the hospital informed them that Phani Bhusan Dutta was okay, but the senior doctor would still be coming to check on him the next day. If the doctor certified him, then he would be released. We were happy but we did not stop praying.

On Saturday, the senior doctor came, checked him, and released him to go home. There was a flood of joy in the family and also locally. We were all very happy.

Sunday, in our worship service, we offered a very special thanks to our Lord for this wonderful healing. The doctor had said that because of Phani Bhusan Dutta’s age, it was impossible to be healed. But he was healed; it was a miracle!

We know our God is a wonder working God. All glory to him.

I thank you, our friends, for your sincere prayers for our mission. God bless you all.

Yours in Christ,

D K Sarkar

West Bengal, India

The post July 2020 Sarkar Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Hemos estado recibiendo algunas historias de nuestros misioneros y líderes nacionales sobre lo que Dios está haciendo en medio de la pandemia. Estamos compartiendo estas historias con ustedes deseando que sean de animo y también recordarles el seguir levantando a nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Cristo alrededor del mundo en oración.

Esta historia proviene de D.K. Sarkar en Bengala Occidental, India. Él y su esposa, Choity, viven en la gran ciudad de Kolkata.

Nazatt es un pueblo descuidado en 24 Parganas del Norte (un distrito de Bengala Occidental). Ninguna ayuda del gobierno ha llegado a este pueblo. La aprobación para el alivio está ahí pero, desafortunadamente, la ayuda no llega a esta aldea. No hay nadie que los ayude a obtener alivio.

Recibimos noticias de que no se ha proveído ayuda a la gente de este pueblo. La gente de la iglesia ahí está muy necesitada. Ya dimos dinero para ayudar a otros dos lugares. Ahora no contamos con dinero para ayudar a las personas en Nazatt. Estuve pensando y orando por la manera en como podríamos ayudar a los miembros allí.

En ese momento, la Iglesia Amigos Shyamnagar llegó a saber que no se ha dado ayuda a la Iglesia Amigos en Nazatt. Entonces ellos oraron y se adelantaron. Le preguntaron a Debdas, nuestro evangelista allí, cuántas familias con necesidad hay en esa iglesia. Debdas dijo que al menos treinta familias. Los miembros de la Iglesia Amigos Shaymanag ayunaron y oraron, y el Señor los guió para abrir su propia tienda y dar a las personas allí.

Según fueron guiados por del Señor, cada familia asumió la responsabilidad de donar los materiales. El arroz es muy costoso, por lo que tres familias juntas donaron el arroz. Recogieron 300 kg de arroz, 30 kg de harina, 30 paquetes de arroz inflado, 30 paquetes de frotadores de algodón, 30 paquetes de sal y 30 paquetes de jabón.

El sábado 27 de junio, alquilaron un vehículo y llevaron todos los materiales a Nazatt. Entregaron los materiales a Debdas y regresaron.

¡Qué gran trabajo han hecho! Mi corazón está lleno de alegría y agradecimiento. Doy gracias a Dios por sus provisiones. También agradezco a los donantes de la Iglesia Amigos Shyamnagar. También me gustaría agradecer a todos los guerreros de oración de EFM por sus incesantes oraciones.

Además, EFM sigue recibiendo donaciones al fondo de emergencia para los esfuerzos de ayuda relacionados con COVID-19. Las contribuciones continúan llegando. Estos fondos se están compartiendo con varios grupos de iglesias y campos misioneros en todo el mundo. Se utilizan principalmente para proveer artículos de ayuda temporal, así como para apoyo a pastores, cuyas congregaciones no pueden proveer para sus necesidades durante los bloqueos al mismo nivel que antes. También se están utilizando como ayuda básica para familias que no pueden trabajar y pasan hambre debido a la pérdida de ingresos. También hay algunas iglesias que han estado luchando para pagar el alquiler porque no hay forma de que sus miembros puedan ofrendar. Si deseas contribuir a estas y otras necesidades, puedes hacerlo haciendo clic aquí o utilizando el botón a continuación.

P. D. Desafortunadamente, nuestro formulario de donaciones en línea solo está disponible en inglés en este momento. Sin embargo, si usted cambia la configuración de idioma a español en su navegador, debería traducir el formulario. Estamos trabajando para agregar un formulario de donación en español pronto. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión.

The post ¿Qué está haciendo Dios en Bengala Occidental, India, durante la pandemia? first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

This story comes from D.K. Sarkar in West Bengal, India. He and his wife, Choity, are based in the big city of Kolkata.

Nazatt is a neglected village in North 24 Parganas (a district of West Bengal). No government help has reached this village. The sanction for the relief is there but, unfortunately, the relief does not reach this village. There is no one who will help them to get relief.

We got news that no relief has been given to the people of this village. Our church people are in need very badly. I already gave money to help two other places. Now I do not have money to help people in Nazatt. I was thinking and praying how we could help the members there.

By this time, Shyamnagar Friends Church came to know that no relief has been given to Nazatt Friends Church. They prayed and came forward. They asked Debdas, our evangelist there, how many families are in need in that church. Debdas said at least thirty families. The Shyamnagar Friends Church members fasted and prayed and the Lord guided them to open their personal store and give to the people there.

According to the guidance of the Lord, each family took responsibility to donate the materials. The rice is very costly, so three families together donated the rice. They collected 300 kg of rice, 30 kg of dal, 30 packets of puffed rice, 30 packets of swabbing, 30 packets of salt, and 30 packets of soap.

On Saturday, June 27, they hired a vehicle and took all the materials to Nazatt. They handed over the materials to Debdas and came back.

What a great job they have done! My heart is full of joy and gratefulness. I thank God for His provisions. I also thank the donors of Shyamnagar Friends Church. I also would like to thank all the prayer warriors of EFM for their ceaseless prayers.

If you would like to receive on a regular basis prayer requests and praises for how God is working I encourage you to sign up for EFM’s monthly prayer letter. You can do that by clicking on the button below.

Also, EFM is still receiving donations to our emergency fund for COVID-19 related relief efforts. Contributions continue to come in. These funds are being shared with several groups of churches and mission fields around the world. They are used primarily for temporary aid items such as support for pastors whose congregations are unable to meet their needs at the same level during the lockdowns. They are also being used for basic aid to families who are unable to work and are going hungry because of the loss of income. There are also some churches that have been struggling to pay the rent because there is no way for their members to give. If you would like to contribute to these and other needs you can do so by clicking here or using the button below.

• You can give online here. Please make sure to note that you would like your gift designated to the COVID-19 Emergency Aid.
• You can give by credit card over the phone at 303-421-8100
• You can mail a check marked with COVID-19 Emergency Aid designation to EFM, PO Box 771139, Wichita KS 67277.

The post What is God doing in West Bengal, India during the pandemic? first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Evangelical Friends Mission Kolkata

January – March 2020

It is an opportunity for me to thank God for all his mercies and to you for your sincere prayers and support. Without your prayers and support, it would not be possible for us to continue the ministry here in West Bengal and Uttarakhand. By God’s grace our mission is moving towards her vision and Goal.

Celebration – December was a month of celebration for us. We gave some extra gifts to the EFM Staff. We celebrated with a Christmas gathering on 14 December. All the staff (and most of their families), board members, and senior church members attended the celebration program. It was a great joy for us. Besides that all the churches celebrated the Christmas in their respective churches. The purpose was to invite non-Christians in the program. It worked very well.

Tract Distribution – In this month we distributed 1,200 tracks and booklets in the local church area. We also distributed 600 New Testaments to our friends.

Open-Air Preaching – We had an opportunity last year on 27 December to hold an open-air meeting on the street. Around 600 people attended that celebration. We sang Christmas songs, shared testimonies, and shared the Good News to all people. Finally, we prayed for all the people.

Prison Ministry – On 23 December, we got an opportunity to celebrate the Christmas program at Dum Dum Central Jail. Six of us went there. One hundred and fifty prisoners and the staff of the prison attended the program. We sang the Christmas songs; one person shared his life changing testimony and then we preached the birth of our Savior. It was a very good program. They requested us to come again next year.

Evaluation – In the month of January we evaluated what we had done during Christmas and what the outcomes were. Malda churches, Murshidabad church, Hooghly church, Shyamnagar churches, and Gosaba churches have done the open-air meetings. Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad, and Gosaba churches also distributed the blankets or warm clothes to the poor people of their locality.

Outcomes – Around 150 newcomers attended the churches in different districts during the Christmas programs. Praise the Lord. In Kolkata, fourteen adults were ready to take a public testimony of baptism and gave their life to Jesus. The date was fixed on 4 April 2020. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, they could not take place. We are waiting prayerfully for the next date.

EFM India Conference – We had an EFM India Conference from 19-21 February 2020. The conference was excellent and EFM churches attended from eight states of India. From West Bengal, we had sixteen leaders. Our leaders are excited to meet so many EFM church members from eight states. After the conference, out staff went to Goa for sightseeing. Goa is on the sea shore. Our staff enjoyed the trip very much.

Visit Uttarakhand – After the India conference, Dan Cammack, Choity, and I went to visit Uttarakhand ministry. In Uttarakhand we have four EFM churches. Two are in Almora and two are in Pithoragarh. Brother Uday Singh and Brother Sushil Masih are working there as evangelists. We visited a new center named Jim Corbet Park. It is in Nainital district. We had a very good meeting and a church service there. The Sunday service was in a hired hall. We are happy to see the growth of the ministry in Uttakhand. Let God bless the ministry and the ministers there.

Staff Meeting – Then on 28 February, we had our monthly staff meeting. All the staff came and we had very good sharing. All the staff explaining how they enjoyed Goa trip. They are very happy. In the staff meeting we made plans for the next months.

COVID-19 – Suddenly, this pandemic storm came to the world and everything became a mess. Now we are under lock down, doing ministry prayer sharing, etc. over phone and Skype. During this time, our churches are distributing food to the poor people of their own locality. May God control everything and the people of the world would be saved by him.

---

The post Sarkar | June 2020 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

D. K. y Choity Sarkar dirigen un grupo de iglesias en el estado de Bengala Occidental. Así es como ellos han respondido a las cuatro preguntas:

¿Cómo está afectando COVID-19 a quienes viven en el área donde ustedes viven y ministran?

• La gente de Bengala Occidental no se toma en serio el bloqueo. El problema es que las personas piensan que lo saben todo. Es por eso que critican a los líderes y la regla del encierro. Saben mas que los líderes o médicos del país. Tienen actitud rebelde. Si escucharan a los líderes, el efecto del virus  sería menor. En la actualidad, la policía golpea a los que están en las calles. El gobierno declaró un   fuerte castigo para los infractores de la ley.

¿Cómo está afectando esta situación al ministerio que ustedes llevan acabo?

• El efecto es muchísimo. Tuvimos que detener todos los programas. Nuestra oficina está cerrada, las reuniones están suspendidas y el servicio de la iglesia está cancelado. Nuestros programas de evangelismo en Viernes Santo y Pascua se han detenido. Todos los servicios de la iglesia para todas las misiones están cerrados. No estamos nada contentos. Todos los cristianos tienen el deseo de     poderse reunir para los servicios de Viernes Santo y Pascua.
• Debido al bloqueo en todo el país, todos los autobuses, trenes y otros medios de transporte se detienen. Nuestro personal no pudo venir a tomar sus salarios. Les conté la situación y ellos también lo saben. Les dije que se adaptaran a la situación y obtuvieran ayuda de otras fuentes.

¿Cuáles son algunas oportunidades que están viendo para compartir las buenas nuevas de Jesucristo con aquellos que aún no lo          conocen?

• Tenemos oportunidades para compartir las buenas noticias a nivel local. Por la gracia de Dios, algunas personas están listas para escuchar. No sé si tomarán alguna decisión o no, pero estamos orando por ellos.
• Estamos usando nuestros teléfonos para orar por otros y por nuestro personal, para alentar y para predicar las Buenas Noticias a algunos amigos más cercanos.
• Todas las noches, algunos de nosotros nos reunimos y pasamos tiempo en oración. El domingo pasado, doce miembros pudieron venir a nuestro servicio.
• Una pareja llamada Sr. y Sra. Ghose asisten a nuestra reunión de oración nocturna. Por favor oren por ellos. Todos nuestros misioneros, pastores y los maestros de la escuela están visitando sus áreas locales, orando y consolando a sus vecinos.

¿Cuáles son dos o tres peticiones de oración que podemos usar para orar por ustedes y por los que ministran?

• Orar por la India.
• Oren por la protección de los creyentes de la India.
• Oren por la protección de los creyentes, líderes e iglesias que son parte de nuestro ministerio.

Babir y Lalita Gautam lideran un trabajo en crecimiento en otro estado no muy lejos de Bengala Occidental. Así es como han respondido las preguntas:

¿Cómo está afectando COVID-19 a quienes viven en el área donde ustedes vive y ministran?

• El gobierno ha bloqueado todo como medida de seguridad. Incluso el servicio dominical está cerrado junto con centros comerciales, ferrocarriles, aeropuertos, parques, etc.

¿Cómo está afectando esta situación al ministerio que ustedes llevan acabo?

• Tenemos más tiempo para pasar con la familia. Dedicamos nuestro tiempo a leer la Biblia y orar.
• Hicimos una cadena de oración durante 40 horas con todos los pastores mientras estábamos sentados en nuestros hogares.
• Me parece que Dios nos ha dado tiempo para reflexionar sobre nuestras propias vidas espirituales.
• No podemos hacer visitas a domicilio. Nuestro programa de capacitación de pastores para el ministerio musulmán ha sido pospuesto.

¿Cuáles son algunas oportunidades que están viendo para compartir las buenas nuevas de Jesucristo con aquellos que aún no lo          conocen?

• Estoy llamando a mis familiares y amigos con respecto a COVID-19 y les digo que solo sean preventivos. Mientras estoy teniendo estas conversaciones, también estoy compartiendo lo que la Biblia nos dice sobre el tiempo del fin y cómo debemos responder a Jesús. Mateo 3: 2 dice: “Arrepiéntete de tus pecados y vuélvete a Dios, porque el reino de los cielos está cerca”. Después de la conversación, tomo tiempo para orar por ellos. WhatsApp y otros medios de redes sociales son útiles en esta situación para compartir el Evangelio, pero me siento más cómodo tomándome tiempo y haciendo llamadas personales.

¿Cuáles son dos o tres peticiones de oración que podemos usar para orar por ustedes y por los que ministran?

• Orar por todo el mundo para que salga de esta pandemia.
• Orar por las economías de las naciones.
• Orar para que cada persona tenga paz en sus corazones y que el amor de Jesús permanezca en ellos.
• Ore por nuestros líderes en todo el país para que no se vean afectados por la infección de COVID-19 en el nombre del Señor Jesucristo.

The post Actualizaciones de EFM COVID-19 | Orar por India first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

D.K. and Choity Sarkar lead a group of churches in the state of West Bengal. This is how they have answered the four questions:

How is COVID-19 affecting those who live in the area where you live and minister?

• The people of West Bengal are not serious about the lock down. The problem is the people think that they know everything. That is why they criticize the leaders and rule of lock down. They know better than the country’s leaders or doctors. They have rebellious attitude. If they would listen to the leaders the effect of the virus would be less. At present the police are beating those who are in the streets. The government declared heavy punishment for the law breakers.

How is this situation affecting the ministry you lead?

• The effect is too much. We had to stop all the programs. Our office is closed, meetings are closed, and the church service is closed. Our evangelism programs on Good Friday and Easter are stopped. All the church services for all the missions are closed. We are not at all happy. All the Christians have a wish that they would be able to join together for the Good Friday and Easter services.
• Due to lock down of the whole country, all the buses, trains, and other transportation are stopped. Our staff could not come to take their salaries. I told them the situation and they also know. I told them to adjust to the situation and get help from other sources.

What are some opportunities you are seeing for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know him?

• We have opportunities to share the good news locally. By God’s grace some people are ready to listen.  I do not know whether they will take any decision or not, but we are praying for them.
• We are using our phones to pray for others and our staff, to encourage our staff, and to preach good news to some nearer friends.
• Every evening a few of us come together and spend time in prayer. Last Sunday twelve members could come to our service.
• One couple named Mr. & Mrs. Ghose are attending our evening prayer meeting. Please pray for them.
• All our missionaries, pastors, and school teachers are visiting their local areas and praying and comforting their neighbors.

What are two or three prayer requests we can use to pray for you and those you lead?

• Pray for India.
• Pray for the protection of the believers of India.
• Pray for the protection of the believers, leaders, and churches that are part of our ministry.

Babir and Lalita Gautam lead a growing work in another state not too far from West Bengal. Here is how they have answered the questions:

How is COVID-19 affecting those who live in the area where you live and minister?

• The government has locked down everything as a safety measure. Even Sunday service is closed along with shopping malls, railway, airports, parks, etc.

How is this situation affecting the ministry you lead?

• We have more time to spend with family. We devote our time to reading the Bible and praying.
• We did a prayer chain for 40 hours with all the pastors while sitting in our homes.
• I find that God has given us time to reflect on our own spiritual lives.
• We are not able to do house visits. Our pastor training program for Muslim ministry has been postponed.

What are some opportunities you are seeing for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know him?

• I am making calls to my relatives and friends regarding COVID-19 and telling them to just be preventive. While I am having these chats I am also sharing what the Bible tells us about end time and how we should respond to Jesus. Matthew 3:2 says, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” After the conversation I take time to pray for them. WhatsApp and other digital media are useful in this situation to share the Gospel, but I feel more comfortable in taking time and making personal calls.

What are two or three prayer requests we can use to pray for you and those you lead?

• Pray for the whole world that it should come out of this pandemic.
• Pray for the economies of the nations.
• Pray that every single person would have peace in their hearts and the love of Jesus abiding in them.
• Pray for our leaders nationwide that they be untouched by the infection of COVID-19 in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

P.S. While we are providing this special round of updates to EFM’s largest email list (due to the world-wide impact of COVID-19), we will continue, as always, providing brief praise and prayer requests from each contributing field through our monthly EFM Prayer Letter. This is the easiest way to get regular, brief updates from missionaries and national leaders. If you do not currently receive the EFM Prayer Letter, we encourage you to subscribe by clicking the button below.

The post EFM COVID-19 Updates | Pray for India first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.