Megan and Victoria with Friends in Hyderabad

Last month, our daughter Victoria and her teacher Megan went to Hyderabad to serve in a youth conference being conducted by Hyderabad Baptist Church.  They helped out in setting up for the conference, in registration and in various other ways.  They both had a great experience.  Victoria said, “The experience was breathtaking.  Seeing all the people there from different backgrounds coming together to praise God was amazing.” 

One of the highlights of the trip was hearing the youth band and choir.  Through this trip, God gave Megan a vision to bring them to Siliguri for an outdoor evangelistic concert.  After much prayer and some coordination, the vision is coming to reality and fast!  The date is set for December 3rd. 

The main emphasis is to proclaim the gospel through songs, skits and testimonies to plant seeds so that many might come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The focus will be on youth and the local Campus Crusade for Christ has come on board to help make the event a reality.

With the short-time frame to get everything together, it's going to take a work of God for it all to happen.  The chain of events that have to fall into place include raising about $7500 (needed for permits, erecting a stage, food, lodging, transportation, promotion and renting a venue, sound equipment, lighting, a generator and instruments).  In addition to that, permission from the local administration, police department and fire department are required as well as the manager of the tea garden who owns the land where the venue will be held. On top of all of that, we want to ensure proper follow-up, so are trying to coordinate with local churches to involve them to make sure everyone who would like to hear more gets a personal visit from a local church near where they live.

In order to pull this off, we know that God must bring it about.  Most of the time up to now has been spent in prayer seeking Him as to whether He'd really have us go forward.  We believe this is His plan.  One positive sign is that we have already received an informal "yes" from the tea garden manager, pending a formal written request from us.  On top of this an event organizer has assured us that he can arrange all of the permits in time.  These alone are answers to prayer and we know we need many more.

In fact, tomorrow, November 6, we're asking people to set aside as a day of prayer and fasting for this event.  If God leads you to join us, please pray:

·         That God would provide the needed funds (about $7500) (Mal 3:10)

·         That God would raise up believers in India and America to be part of giving financially and praying faithfully

·         Pray for favor with local government officials, police department and fire department

·         That God would continue to bring church’s on board who will help with the follow-up

·         For unity among the ministries and churches cooperating to bring this event about

·         Pray for the band/choir coming from Hyderabad, that God would fill them with the Holy Spirit and prepare their hearts for proclaiming the good news

·         That God would draw many people to the concert and ultimately to himself, even beginning to soften hearts and break down walls of non-believers who will come

·         That local believers will have opportunities and the boldness to invite their non-Christian friends

·         That the local churches would grow in faith and in numbers as a result of this event

As you pray, if God would lead you to contribute towards this event, please send funds to Emmanuel Ministries International and mark the funds “for EMI-CBLT India project.”  You can see ways to remit funds to EMI by visiting their contribution site.