December 07, 2012
Scriptures: Proverbs 3 verses 5-6
Scripture verse for this year ministry
Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. – (Proverbs 3 verses 5-6)
Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
This is a wonderful time of the year to give thanks and praise to our almighty god. A time to tell of his mighty acts in this year 2012. It is a good time to reflect on what he has done throughout our lives. A time to give testimony of what he has done for us. A time to proclaim his name where ever we go, and to share his living word with others.
I hope this newsletter speaks deeply to you as I share testimony of what god has done through you who have supported the Word of God for Asia, in 2012 and before. Let us enjoy the fruit of god through the testimony of this newsletter. Then I hope you take the time to reflect upon what god has done for you in 2012 and before that. Praise his holy name!
Here we go: this year I was blessed to have the rockafellow family from my home church in Charlevoix, accompany me for three weeks into north-east India. This was a wonderful opportunity for others to witness our ministry of 17 years in Manipur. I thank god for others to see first-hand the work we are doing there with our pastors, churches, and our orphanage (hope home Imphal). Our hope god willing, is that others will be able to accompany us in future years.
Great news! We have a web-site that you can turn to for further information about the ministry of the Word of God for Asia. Our web-site address is: www.thewordofgodforasia.org please log on to our site, through Internet explorer, or Firefox which is much faster. We hope you enjoy the site, it is a
Work in progress. Please post your comments on line, or call us directly with your input.
Persecuted church ministry: I spent nearly 10 days in Orissa, south-east India, working among the most down trodden peoples. This is also another extremely remote place. 2013 will be our third year of ministry in Orissa. There were many times when the oppression in this place became over-whelming. As I spoke and wrote to you before, the Hindu’s of this region are against Christianity and they have no problem killing anyone who does not worship their idols. In 9 days, pastor Raj Phati
Pani, our main pastor, and myself ministered to 34 places deep with-in the mountains and jungles. We went into the Mao’ist rebel country to locate the Christians who fled to the remotest places for their lives. We heard horrible stories and tragedies day- in and day -out. Stories of men and women being tied up to trees and set ablaze after being doused with kerosene. Children being forced to see their parents killed before their eyes. Unbelievable! Unimaginable things! These Christians have been living under the threat of violence, persecution, and death every day. These men, women, and children are like sheep among wolves; because the Christians who live in this place are very few now.
Encouragement: we did all we could to comfort these loving peaceful children of god. We spoke of how to fight against the giants in our lives, and we referred quite often to the story of David and Goliath found in (first Samuel 17 verses 41-58). We spoke of the children of light, and the children of darkness. This is a lengthy sermon in and of itself. I hope one day to share this sermon with each and every one of you.
The point I really want to make, is that these are people who are a great encouragement to me. They live in a terrifying place, amongst evil, wicked people who want to harm them at every moment. They do not succumb to the fear and terror of wicked men, but instead stand firm under the shelter of the almighty. They trust in god!!!! These are people with real faith, who know that he who lives with-in them, is greater then he who lives with-in the world. Our almighty heavenly father delivers his children from the enemy. When I look back over the course of my own life, I can surely testify to you that god has been with me. I just want you to know, that god is with you too. This Christmas season, we should all remember that the name Immanuel means (God is with us).
Our orphans: in 2012 we have been able to support two orphanages. Our orphans at Hope home Imphal, located in Manipur, north-east India, are getting an education and Are being well cared for. Our other orphanage called helping point, located in Orissa the persecuted church region is also being cared for, but these children are suffering like anything, and are living hand to mouth. For the past two years, we have been helping the Christians in this area take care of these children. These orphans’ parents were killed because they were Christian. We are helping to take care of between 20 – 25 kids, but there are more than 125 children who have lost their parents do to the persecution killings. Today, the Word of God for Asia, is caring for 42 orphan children in India. All together, we spent in 2012, a total of $8,708.00 U.S. Dollars taking care of these children. I just want to take this opportunity, to thank each and every one of you for helping us take care of hope home imphal over the past 12 years, and for all of you who have sent more of your finances to help out our orphan children in Orissa. What a blessing! I also want to thank a group of people who formed a committee here in Charlevoix, to help me raise the funds for these kids. Because of these efforts, the kids are being well cared for, and I can spend more time working on the rest of our ministry in India. If you have any questions, please call us
At the number printed at the bottom of the first and last page of our newsletter, or see our web-site for further information regarding our orphan gift catalog. If you would like a further breakdown of where and how these monies are spent, we will be happy to supply that information to you as well.
Our pastors and churches: The Word of God for Asia, currently supports 12 pastors full time. In 2012 we spent more than $ 8,687.00 U.S. Dollars to care for these pastors and their families. These pastors work so hard to proclaim the name of Jesus to their people. Just a week ago one of our evangelists who has worked with us for many years died at the age of 48 from a stroke. We praise god for the gift he was to us and to his family. Much more can be said about these pastors, but I will reserve that for
The next news-letter. Our two churches located in Manipur, north-east India continue to grow day by day. The church of Kangvai in the middle of underground militant territory is really spirit filled. This church has grown despite the threats of violence in past years. The people of this congregation are a beacon of light in what has been a very dark place over the years. I will never forget an outdoor
Ministry program that we had in this place 17 years ago. The program was held in a Hindu temple meeting place. Our senior pastor and myself, much younger then faced huge dangers, opposition, and over the years many threats from the underground. Today none of that matters. A church has been founded, and its body of believers are growing according to god’s word and they fear not. Thank you for your prayers and concerns for these people all these years. In 2012, we spent nearly $2,500.00 U.S.
Dollars on church growth programs. Bibles, songbooks, tracts, and Sunday school materials: in 2012 we encountered difficulties in the shipping and transportation of bibles with in India. More than 450 bibles were lost and unaccounted for. To this day those bibles have not been found. Sometimes these bibles get stuck at state border crossings up in the mountains of north-east India. Some-how we did not receive what was sent to us.
Getting cooperation from trucking companies, and from men in these parts, is beyond difficult. This year 2013 we will spend around $ 3,000.00 U.S. Dollars on bibles, and we will be working with another shipping company in India. In 18 years of ministry, we have distributed more then 51,500 bibles in north-east India. Thank you, lord Jesus!
In 2012 we purchased 250 lbs. Of rice for more than 20 families in the persecution relief camps. Some of these camps have been set up by the Indian government in the mountains, to protect the Christians from hostile Hindu’s of that region. All of these Christians lost their homes, property, and livestock. Again, I want to say thank you in behalf of these Christians for suppling the funding necessary to help these people living hand to mouth. The Christians of Orissa have been filled with the holy spirit. We need to remember always, the hardship these people have endured for the sake of Christ. One day we may also face these same types of persecutions and tribulations.
The last 4 days in India, ended in tragedy. My nephew Toiya Hmar in India was killed, when he was run over by a drunk semi-truck driver. He was only 21 years of age. My wife and family in India, took him under our wing, since he was age – 4, and raised him as though he were our own son. A woman from Petoskey supported Toiya for most of his life. She sent a letter with me to India, to deliver to Toiya. Sadly, Toiya did not receive that letter before his death. Understanding such things, we cannot,
But praise be to God, Toiya had a relationship with Jesus, and so we believe Toiya is in paradise with Jesus today. We thank the lord for the gift that Toiya was to us.
I was able to fly with 3 other members of my family, from Delhi to Manipur north-east India, to bring Toiya’s body to its final resting place. We buried him up in the mountains behind our family’s home in the jungle. Thank you for your prayers, and words of comfort.
This year two of our pastors were injured. One of them was seriously injured when he hit a sleeping water buffalo in the road at night with his motor cycle. He was on his way home from a prayer meeting. His injuries and trauma to his head were life threatening. It didn’t look like he was going to make it. He could not talk, hear, or even walk. His vision was blurred. He was our main pastor in the persecuted church region. I have to say that I was worried sick. In two years, he and I met with, and found thousands of people in the jungle displaced by the persecution there. Lord, what will happen to our ministry in this place now, I cried out! Who will get us into these places. Raj, is one of the very few, who was willing to risk it all to bring encouragement to the Christians in this horrible place. My faith at this point was running on empty. Many people prayed in India for this man, many people prayed for this man here in U.S.A. By prayer and supplication, he has made a full recovery, and we will again be proclaiming the name of Jesus in this place together god willing. Thank you lord Jesus! For healing our brother Raj Phati Pani. A great lesson for me was to learn to stop depending on man, and to depend completely in our father in heaven.
We have made several videos this year, and they are now being processed into DVD’s. We hope to send these out to you by request only. If you are interested, please call us and we will get one out to you in the mail.
My wife Elizabeth, son Mark, and myself, will be leaving “God willing” for India, on January 8, 2013 – thru – February 25, 2013. Please pray for our mission program, and for our safety. We would like to wish you all a merry Christmas, and a happy new year! In behalf of the Word of God for Asia, I want to thank you for your prayers, your financial support, and a thank you to all those who have worked so hard to raise the funding necessary to take care of our orphan kids. May god bless you all in the name of our lord and savior Jesus.
In the service of the king of kings,
Steven l. Rozema
The Word of God for Asia, a non-profit organization 501 (c) – 3
Tax id. # 38-3364751
www.thewordofgodforasia.org
Phone: 231-547-2855