MCGN is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization to promote spiritual and economic development of the people in Mizoram and the surrounding region by serving them as Jesus did (Mt. 20:28)].

Special Thanks:

Jeff & Kim Mead - website master

Jeff and Kim are a military family. Jeff was in the Marine Corps and Kim was in all three branches of the military-Army, Navy and Air Force. Jeff's sister, brother-in-law, and brother are all in the Navy. And Jeff and Kim have a daughter, Annie, who in the Air Force in Germany with her Air Force husband. Annie and her husband have blessed Jeff and Kim with two precious grandchildren Mariah and Nicholas.

Both Mead's worked for the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) until recently when Jeff started his own computer business. Kim remains with EID. While at EID, Jeff helped to create their county-wide database.

Jeff is a man of prayer. He leads the prayer and praise portion of the service at Park Community Church inCameron Park, California, where he and Kim have attended for ten years and where Kim serves as one of the joy-filled song leaders.

Thanksgiving

Traditionally the fourth Thursday of November is called Thanksgiving Day in America. It was with gratitude to God the first pilgrims celebrated their first year's survival in this new land. The once hostile Indians were invited to share the pilgrims bounty of wild turkey and venision.

Thanksgiving Day is for most Americans their favorite family holiday of the year because special effort is made to be with loved ones and enjoy a special feast together. God has blessed America, and on this Day time is taken to recognize His hand of blessing.

Thanks:

Mildred Gordon, Marian Hanna (Treasurer), Stuart Spani (Canadian Co-Ordinator), Don & Kay Fox, Harold & Polly Kurtz, Patricia Macy (MCGN Newsletter English Editor). In future Newsletters we will write a story about each of these individuals along with other friends of MCGN.

Brief Reports and Comments from MCGN Global Points

AUSTRALIA:

Vanlaltlana (Tlana) is willing to help Zami Crowley (MCGN-Australia Co-Ordinator). Congratulations to Tlana's brother, Vanlalzawma, who is an elected Member of Parliament from Mizoram, India.

CANADA:

Stuart Spani (MCGN Co-Ordinator for Canada) and his wife, Marjorie safely returned from the Holy Land (Israel). Stuart continues organizing the Mizoram tour set for February 2000. He has contacted Trinity Western University about having English as a second language in the Bible college studies.

JAPAN:

Lalhruaia (MCGN-Japan Co-Ordinator) has informed us that a site has been selected for the boy's hostel in Myanmar and that the brick work has been completed.

MIZORAM (INDIA):

MCGN (Mizoram) HQ meeting was held October 23, 1999. The board member discussed the possibility of acquiring a license for radio station and a hydro-power plant. This involves securing permission to receive foreign aid for these projects. They also discussed the foreign visit of the Fielding Institute and a Canadian team.

Presbyterian Review, a quarterly magazine of the life and witness of the church in Mizoram, can be subscribed to for only $3 per year. We highly recommend it for reliable information. Details about subscribing are available from the MCGN International HQ.

MYANMAR (BURMA):

Rev. Laithuama (MCGN-Myanmar President) has formed a Christian Peace and Reconciliation group.

• Approval for the community boarding is being requested of the government.
• Rev. Laithuama wishes Lalliana Mualchin could visit Myanmar so that a closer working relationship could be established.
• Rev. Rualchhina reports that in 1997 there were 297 students at Rualchhina Bible Seminary, Khampat, Myanmar.
• Benedict Shing Mang (MCGN Life Member) returned safely to his home in Myanmar from outside. Praise God!

NEPAL:

Vani Tochhong (MCGN-Nepal Co-Ordinator) operates an orphanage and also runs a girl's school. She now has eight pupils.

Laltlankima (Tlana) (EngineerMissionary) is now a surveyor on an engineering project.

TAIWAN:

Ronald Adhikari (Missionary) received a number of visitors from Mizoram including missionaries. Praise God, Ronald and his family came safety through the recent earthquake in Taiwan. Please pray for the reflief work still going on.

THAILAND:

Zothansiami (Siami)(Missionary) was visited by Don & Kay Fox and their team of University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, students in October and accomplished much. They built a system for delivering pure drinking water in Chiangmai, wired a dorm and prepared a clinic where the USC nursing students checked and gave treatment to over 120. (See end of Newsletter for a short story of Siami's ministry).

UK:

Vishal Mangalwadi (Project Director and Researcher), one of India's foremost intellectuals, is working on a major Christian project, a seven-hour video entitiled, "How the Bible Changed Civilization". The proposal for this project has been submitted to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Public Broadcasting Corporation (PBS).

USA:

MCGN-International HQ Annual Meeting was held October 30, 1999. A special project to be launched in Myanmar next year was discussed. It was decided that amendments to the by-laws will be discussed and approved by phone and/or mail. It was also decided to have quarterly meetings by phone next year.

Lalliana & Zangeni Mualchins' Testimony on MCGN (see article below Prayer Requests).

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Myanmar (Burma) for opening of communication for ministry.
• Benedict Shing Mang for approval of visa to study in USA.
• Kim Mead's step-father for peace as he is not expected to live long. Praise God, he is saved!
• Marla Hanna, Treasurer Marian's daughter-in-law (missionary in Taiwan) for speedy healing of a broken wrist.
• Radio Station and Hydro-power possibilities for Mizoram.
• Valerie Bentz and Liana Mualchin for arranging Fielding Institute participatory action research team visit to Mizoram.
• Stuart Spani and Liana Mualchin for co-ordinating Canadian team tour to Mizoram and India.

"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).

---Ideas, advice, and comments are always welcome.---

Editor: Patricia Macy (Email: pamacy@webtv.net)

MCGN International HQ.: USA.: Lalliana Mualchin (Email: mualchin@hotmail.com)

Lalliana (Liana) and Zangeni (Ngeni) Mualchin were involved in Christian ministry even before they were married. From early childhood, each had a deep desire to serve the Lord, but were too shy to share this with anyone. Liana's desire was to go to Bible college, and Ngeni's desire was to be a missionary.

Liana's God-given talent to learn earned him high school and college scholarships. He received the highest award given in N.E. India after completing his B. Sc. (Hons.) degree. That paved the way for him to come to the United States where he earned his Ph. D. in Geophysics. Out of Liana's small assistantship compensation he supported his brothers who were in high school in India. At the same time, he also supported a pastor in a Bible college in India.

Ngeni received her B.Th. diploma from Eastern Theological College (ETC) in Assam, India. She served almost two years in the Baptist Church of Mizoram, India.

Liana and Ngeni were married in March of 1977. They are now living in Placerville, California with their two wonderful childen, Lisa and Tim. They have continued their support of the churches and Bible students in Mizoram by sending money, books, magazines and Sunday School materials. Recently, the Mualchins widened their support for Mizoram through their newly-formed Mizo Christian Global Network (MCGN).

In 1984 when a church organization in Mizoram had need need of a printing press, Liana and Ngeni took all their life savings to buy a mechanical printing press for them. Coincidently, Liana had an opportunity to study at Simpson College but he had no funds with which to pay his tuition, Rev. John Block, coordinator of Simpson College extension at Sacramento, graciously provided a loan that allowed Liana to go forward with his studies. Since that time, Liana and Ngeni have been unable to build up their savings again, but the Lord always provides for their needs, sometimes in unexpected ways.

At Simpson, Liana shared his burden for Mizoram with his classmates and professors. They were interested to learn that Mizoram is the only Christian state in India with a high literacy rate (now the highest) but with extremely high unemployment because economic conditions are so bad. The chief reason being that there are no industries in Mizoram. Liana and Ngeni wrote articles in Mizo to local papers expressing their frustrations and blaming some political leaders for being corrupt. Liana's Simpson friends prayed for him and suggested that he ask Mizo people in various areas of the world to organize a Christian group to address the problems and find solutions for Mizoram because unemployment was leading to spiritual degradation.

Liana and Ngeni hesitated to do this at first because they had never asked anyone to help them. Then the inspiring story of the prophet Nehemiah came to mind. They recalled how Nehemiah cared for his people and was sad to hear the story of the broken walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah invited his people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Some accepted his call and did what they could; others refused and even laughed at him. Nehemiah had a wonderful networking team and finished rebuilding the walls in just 52 days. Liana and Ngeni knew they could not finish the job of creating employment for Mizoram in 52 days, but they began networking by calling their Mizo friends. Thus, Mizo Christian Global Network was born in 1996.

Their first objective was to formalize the network with a charter and by-laws. Liana accomplished this task with advice from his good Christian friends Rev. Joe Kong, Dr. Laithuama, Dr. Lalsangkima, Mr. Don Fox, and Prof. Dr. Jack Davidson (Liana's mentor).

Liana and Ngeni began to spread word of the network among friends. Even though there were frustrations and disappoinments in the beginning because of lack of commitment among some leaders, the Bible always supplied encouragement to Liana and Ngeni. And the story of Elijah was just the encouragement they needed. When Elijah felt alone and abandoned by God's people, the Lord said to him, "I have reserved 7,000 in Israel whose knees have not bowed to Baal" (2 Kings 19:18). Liana and Ngeni also knew they had a few good people in their network leadership and a remnant among their people to do something for Mizoram. God has always worked through a remnant of his people in building the nation of Israel. There was no place for discouragement in Liana and Ngeni's hearts. So they pressed on.

Liana and Ngeni acknowledged the way the Lord leads them is truly amazing. They know they can do very little by themselves. At the same time, they are encouraged by the Bible story of Jesus feeding five thousand with only two fish and five loaves of bread offered by a little boy. The boy willingly gave them to the Lord, and the Lord blessed this offering which fed five thousand! Now Liana and Ngeni know that God can use anyone to accomplish great things if one is willing. God never asks more than one can do. He only tells us to trust in Him. The task may be large but He is an enabler. Nothing is impossible with God. As the hymn says, "Trust and obey, for there is no other way..."

In 1987, Zothsansiami Ralte, a missionary teacher from Mizoram, arrived in Musseekee, North Thailand. She was quick to discover "slave" trade in that area and desired to help the teen girls being sold into prostitution. She took 5 girls into her home but realized the problem was much bigger.

In 1988 Don & Kay Fox visited Thailand with a Youth with a Mission team. The Fox's caught Siami's vision and gave $1000 to start the project with no firm promise of any further gifts. By 1992, the Hill Tribes Development & Resource Center was born and 40 girls were in residence.

Today, Siami is married with 2 children of her own. She is currently caring for over 200 girls and boys. Some of the original girls have been to college and returned to help at the Center. Others have worked in the Sewing & Weaving classes to make money to attend Payap Bible College. The Center owns 5 locations, consisting of 3 farms, a Bible Training Center and Headquarters which has 5 dormitories, class rooms, a meeting hall and 2 dining areas. They have developed training in sewing, weaving, agriculture, rice milling, concrete block manufacture as well as solid Christian education. In 1996, Don & Kay Fox founded Handclasp, a non-profit corporation in California, USA. All donations to Handclasp are transferred to the Center. Siami controls the use of the gifts with direction from Handclasp Directors. Don & Kay have just returned from their 6th visit to the Center. In recent years they have taken groups from USC Nursing program which has accredited the trip as an overseas public health class.

Handclasp sponsors 85 students at the Center. The need today is for funding so these students can fulfil their dream of attending higher education. Any donations sent to Handclasp will be sent in full to Siami for that purpose.

Don Fox, President & Co-founder of Handclasp.