NEWSLETTER:
JULY 2004
MCGN is a non-profit,
non-denominational Christian organization promoting spiritual renewal and
economic development of the people in Mizoram and the surrounding region by
serving them as Jesus did. (Mt. 20:28)
"The harvest is truly plentiful,
but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into His harvest." (Mt. 9:37-38)
NEWSLETTER:
JULY 2004
Mizo Readers, please visit the new MIZO
SECTION
Delicious
dinner prepared by Patricia.
A special meeting celebrating eight years of MCGN.
Patricia opened the meeting with prayer.
Liana Mualchin reviewed MCGN's accomplishments over the past eight years. During this time Liana and Ngeni remained the full-time voluntary workers for the mission. Other two volunteers are Marian Hanna from the beginning of MCGN and its treasurer for the last six years; and Patricia Macy on the MCGN board for about four years, and also edits the Newsletter and articles as needed.
We
are specially pleased about
four great accomplishments: the production of a Mizo
electronic Bible; a jail ministry; the Juliet Florio Scholarship; and the
monthly Newsletter web publication.
Before closing, each one shared what was happening in his/her spiritual
life.
Marian Hanna closed the meeting with prayer.
Submitted
by Patricia Macy.
(Eight years of the MCGN ministry is presented in last month’s June
Newsletter.)
Dr.
K. Neill Foster and Brother Arron Warner from
Canadian Revival Fellowship are going to Southern India and Mizoram in August
1-15. Neill had been to Mizoram under the auspices of MCGN. Pray for their
visas.
Sharing
about the ministry of the China-Mizo group is
encouraging but must be limited at this time. Some of them are visiting Mizoram
and others remain in China. Pray that the Lord will supply for their needs and
continue to use them for His good purpose.
Mr.
Karma Sonam is originally from Tibet. His parents
left Tibet when China was occupied in 1959. He was a drug addict and alcoholic
for ten years, attempting suicide three times. Then Jesus saved him. When he
became a Christian he was evicted by his family. Now he is trying to save
others from alcohol, doing his best on Kolkata’s streets in West Bengal, India.
He gets no support from the church, trusting that only Jesus will supply for
his needs. Currently, he is working as a Customer Care Executive on the night
shift. In the day time he goes out in the street to help drug addicts and
alcoholics. His dream is to make a rehab center for alcoholics and drug
addicts. He has 12 disciples now. He needs support and prayer.
Sangpari Mualchin (Partei)
reported that in the first week of May, New Testaments and Christian song books
were given to the women’s section of the Center Jail in Aizawl.
Inmates are thankful to the donors.
The MCGN-Mizoram computer is not able to handle work on electronic bible project and J. Vanlalhruaia (Mahruaia) is working on its upgrade. Through Mahruaia’s hard work, we are expecting completion of the OT and NT Mizo electronic bible with a word search. Pray that this will soon be a reality.
Liana
Mualchin spoke with C. Lalrosanga
(Sanga) about the Radio station project. Sanga will be helpful in finding ways to get a license and
how we can proceed according to the rules and
regulations. We are fortunate to be connected with Sanga
who has been in this field, a past Director for All India Radio station. We
believe that Sanga is God’s appointed person to help
us through this project. We recognize that he is a truly committed Christian.
Dr. P. C. Biaksiama (Siama) informed us about the Set Free Ministry seminar next month (August) in Aizawl. We are glad to know that Dr. K. Neil Foster and Brother Arron Warner from Canadian Revival Fellowship are planning to be there. Pray that preparations for the seminar go well.
Mr. Lalsawmliana responded to the June Newsletter’s special
celebration with thanks. He also shared his disappointment with the lifestyle
of many Christians today not living according to the Bible.
Seminary
student, Zova Hnamte wrote
a project report on evangelizing Buddhist people. Zova
comes from a Mizo Christian family, they lived in a
dominantly Buddhist community from childhood. Thus, he had real life experience
living with Buddhist people and can identify problems in communicating the
gospel to them. He proposed the use of knowledge in Buddhists’ beliefs and
their worldviews in sharing the gospel to them. Zova’s
thesis is well accepted by missiologists and it will
be in the best interest of Kingdom ministry to train future workers in basic
cross-cultural communication.
Dr. Laithuama mentioned the need of prayer for their plan to upgrade their Christian high school to a Bible College.
Lallura (Lura) and Sangtei
share the good news that more people came to Christ through their ministry.
Though circumstances are not good in Nepal, the Lord blesses the ministry. Lura and Sangtei also got a
chance to speak on the regional Radio program. They teamed up with some Nepali
people. Pray that this Radio ministry will be a blessing for the people.
Brother
Chacko Thomas, originally from India and now in
London with Operation Mobilization ministry, has interviewed Rev. John Root, a
vicar (pastor) of St. James Alperton in Wembley,
North West London. The church is located in the most ethnically mixed borough
in London, the world’s most cosmopolitan city. We want to share an excerpt from
that interview.
Q. Chacko: You have been successful to raise a large congregation multiracial in membership, leadership and ethos’ in London. Tell us about your congregation?
A. Rev. John: Our congregation
is very mixed. It’s about 35% White, 40% Black which is mainly Afro-Caribbean
though we have a number of Africans; and about 25% Asian. We have an Urdu/Hindi
service on Sunday afternoons and so (there are) quite a few Pakistani members.
We also have a Sri Lankan Fellowship that meets monthly with both Tamil and
Sinhalese members, and I find an increasing number of people starting to come
from different parts of central and south India. If you compare our
congregation with the area, then I guess the big gap is with Gujaratis. Alperton is an important Gujarati shopping and
business center, but we find the Gujarati community very hard to reach with the
Gospel. Our leadership is also mixed, with both Afro-Caribbean and Asian on our
leadership group. However, particularly with Afro-Caribbean people, there are
many more women actively involved than men. That’s a real issue that we need to
address as a Church. On the whole, my experience has been that if under God,
you are convinced that it’s his will to build multiracial churches, and you
have a zest for doing so then in God’s time, the congregation will grow and
become more diverse.
Brother
Chong and Rhoda Singsit continue to support a Bible
College, Bible translation work, VBS ministry, etc. Many non-Christian children
come to know the Lord through the VBS. Praise God for the harvest!
Carol Bratcher and Grace Stephen are Pioneers missionaries in Fiji. Now they are traveling throughout the USA to share about their ministry. Pray for their safety and health.
For
2003, the following seven students were selected to receive the Juliet Florio
Memorial Scholarship.
Name (Father’s name)------------------------High School
1 Laltlanzauva (Zawldawna)----------------Hmunlai, Lawngtlai District
2 Lalhruaitluanga (Vanthansanga)-----------New
Colony, Saiha
3 Lalrampana (K. Lalzawnga)--------------New
Colony, Saiha
4 K. Laldinthara (K. Relliana)--------------Lungzarhtum, Saiha District
5 Lalchhandama (Ronghinglova)------------Chandmary III, Lunglei
6 Lalhruaichhuaka (K. Lalrammawia)-------K.K.Home, Lunglei
7 Lalhriatpuia (Kiauvunga)------------------Vawmbuk, Saiha District
---IDEAS,
ADVICE, AND COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME---
MCGN International HQ: USA: Lalliana Mualchin (Email: mualchin@hotmail.com)
News Compiler: Ngeni Mualchin (Email: mualchin@hotmail.com)
Editor: Patricia Macy (Email: mailto:pamacy@netzero.net)