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Bangladesh School Celebration

I traveled to Bangladesh at the end of 2009 to join the ceremonies celebrating completion of the second year of operation of the Holiness Academy, accompanied by World Missions Executive Director Dr. Doug Beacham, People to People Ministries Director Matt Bennett, missionary Dr. Vijay Balla, and special guest Moses King.

Boarding School

In addition to serving the local community, Holiness Academy includes the Frances Carter Boarding School, housing over fifty children from Christian families in our village churches. These children have no educational opportunities in their villages, but the training they receive here will provide a solid foundation upon which to build a better future.

Adult Education Program

Each group expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided, and outlined their goals. The women are setting up an adult education program for those who have had no schooling, and a training program in sewing where they can learn to make clothes for their families and earn income as well.

Kenyan Fellowship in Australia

AUSTRALIA

We traveled to Perth to meet with pastors and leaders of IPHC Australia, and to handle legal matters for obtaining official registration. A highlight was ministry at a Kenyan fellowship group, whose members came to Perth to study and stayed on after graduation to work, many in professional jobs. The worship, prayer and ministry of the Word were all blessed, and one young woman testified that she had given her life to Christ that week. She is the fifth person to come to the Lord through that home meeting!

Nepal

NEPAL

Pastor Mohan leads our flagship church in Kathmandu, and has started several home meetings in surrounding areas. Even though it was a weekday, most of the church members gathered to listen to our message of encouragement. Rev. Keith Marvel and James Cheung from the Wing Kwong Church in Hong Kong stayed on several days after we left to train prospective church planters. Churches in Nepal struggle to find a place to meet, as Hindu/Buddhist landlords and neighbors are often hostile to Christians. Poverty and political instability present further obstacles to growth.

1. IPHC Asia World Missions

2. Countries & Flags

RUSSELL & SANDRA BOARD

OVERSEAS MINISTRY COORDINATOR FOR ASIA.

They work with the following countries:

Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Muslim families!

It was a joy to watch the students sing songs of praise to Jesus, present colorful ethnic dances, and perform original skits to illustrate Bible themes. The remarkable thing is that nearly all the students from the local community are from Muslim families!

New Community Outreaches

While in Bangladesh, we had opportunity to address the newly formed Women's Association and Youth Association. These community outreach groups are sponsored by the Academy, which provides meeting space and organizes events.

A library was dedicated at the school,

The youth sang songs for us, and shared their hopes and dreams for the future, seeking to pursue their ideals of community and national transformation. A library was dedicated at the school, where the youth will have access to books (including Bibles and Christian materials) to enhance their education. We encouraged them from the Word of God, and they welcomed us to pray for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts and lead them to become nation-changers!

Bangladesh Theological Institute

BANGLADESH

In Dhaka, we addressed the second graduating class of Bangladesh Theological Institute. We were joined by Conference Missions Director Keith Marvel of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, which has provided funding, curriculum and faculty to enable the school to operate. The graduating class of nine is nearly double that of the first year. These graduates will work as church planters, pastors and ministry leaders for the Bangladesh IPHC.

Holiness Primary School

We also participated in ceremonies celebrating the completion of the first year of Holiness Primary School. Over one hundred children from the local area have enrolled in the school, most from Muslim families.

Over 50 children from remote villages are also boarding at the school. The children are from poor families, so it is a struggle to pay the bills every month. Please help us to pray for funding to keep the school open, and even expand in the future.

We deeply appreciate your faithful prayers and generous support, which make it possible for us to serve the Lord here in Asia. We couldn't do it without you!

In His service,

Russell & Sandra Board
IPHC World Missions

PRAYER REQUESTS

¨      In Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of cyclone victims still struggle to obtain food, clothing and shelter. Our churches need resources to help the suffering. Pray for them, and consider making a donation to the People to People disaster relief project #15.
¨      Pray for the students, teachers and staff of the Holiness Primary School. Pray for funding to keep the school in operation to reach the Muslim children. Donations can be made to project # 75500.
¨      Pray that our church in Nepal may have favor with landlord and neighbors, to worship the Lord in freedom.
¨      Sponsors are needed to support the children in our Yangon Children’s Home. Pray for them, and consider sponsoring a child through People to People.
¨      Pray that 2009 will be a year of awakening and evangelism in Japan!

Russell & Sandra Board
Overseas Ministry Coordinator for Asia/Pacific
IPHC World Missions Ministries

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Financial support and special gifts can be sent to:

World Missions Ministries

PO Box 12609

Oklahoma City, OK 73157

Please earmark as support or gift, Russell Board account #71051.

To donate online, click here. Thank you!

Missionaries to Japan

NEW EMAIL: IphcJapan@gmail.com

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The new Asia Pacific Updates weblog is now online at: http://russellboard.typepad.com/

Check it frequently for updated news!