School of Discipleship Students got to hang out with K.P. Yohannan for a while as he shared with them principles of following the Lord as a young person.
Gospel For Asia -supported missionary Samuel stands beside his wife. A jail term on false accusations has kept them apart for more than five years.Jharkhand, India, is home to thousands of insurgent Naxalites fighting for communist control. After a vicious fight that left 19 policemen dead, authorities were on the lookout for the Naxalite rebels behind the attacks. They believed they found one in 2004, and this “rebel” has been serving time in jail since then. But this man wasn’t one of the Naxalites. He was Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Samuel.
When it first happened, Samuel’s leaders tried everything they could to get him released. But the police were convinced Samuel was the man they wanted. With continued appeals and court cases, time dragged into years. But Samuel has remained firm in his faith—and his calling as a missionary—the entire time.
“Many of our missionaries face extremely difficult and unexpected circumstances,” said Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan. “But they know these are normal challenges for servants of God working in such unreached areas where the powers of darkness are so strong. These missionaries are willing to face these unexplainable circumstances and continue on. And God is blessing their sacrifice.”
During his time in jail, Samuel has brought his ministry there. Today he leads prayer meetings for the criminals, also worshiping with them during Sunday and Friday gatherings. The jail authorities have come to trust and appreciate Samuel, whose influence has changed many prisoners’ lives forever. Nearly 20 inmates found new hope in Christ.
“I was totally depressed in this situation, but the Lord helped me to realize He has a special plan for me to be in the prison,” Samuel wrote. “The Lord is helping me to share the love of Jesus with the prisoners. Through my ministry, I see the transformation that is happening in the lives of the prisoners.”
However, Samuel’s wife and daughter are still on the outside, waiting and praying for Samuel to return home to them. Gospel For Asia leaders are making sure his family’s needs are met during this time of separation.
“These missionaries are willing to face these unexplainable
circumstances and continue on. And God is blessing their sacrifice.”
—Dr. K.P. Yohannan
Gospel For Asia correspondent writes that the court situation seems to be turning in Samuel’s favor. They continue to hold out hope and pray for his release.
Gospel For Asia leaders and Samuel’s family request prayer that in God’s timing, his innocence will be proven and he can go home. Samuel desires to reach as many people as possible during his time in jail, and he prays the new Christians’ faith will grow strong. Samuel and his family need prayer for the Lord to be near them during these difficult years.*
I can’t imagine being thrown in jail just because I’m a missionary. Samuel’s story reminds me of Hebrews 13:3 “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, treated, treated, treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.” Wow, I am not sure what it is like in prison or jail but it doesn’t seem very nice. There are hundreds, if not thousands of brothers and sisters around the world who are in prison and are ill-treated on a regular basis. Man I am so blessed to be in America where I can have a Bible and go to church and pray and share my faith in public. Please pray with me for our brothers and sisters around the world. Specifically pray for Brother Samuel. He has a court date at the end of this month. If the courts will hear his case, he has a good chance of being released as a free man and will be united with his wife and daughter. Also, pray for the men he has led to the Lord in the prison that their faith will grow strong.
* You can read more stories of what the Lord is doing on the mission field
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In the Web department, I have been going through a study on 2 Corinthians that Bro KP did in the UK a few years ago so that I can edit them. I’m learning a lot while listening, and it’s rather interesting what they have to say. One of the topics was about money and financial investment in Heaven. And I had the thought:
Storing up our treasures in Heaven. I used to think of actual treasures… like gold, mansions and things that pirates would steal, but I think about it, the most rewarding treasure that I could receive when I get to Heaven is seeing all the lost souls that were impacted by my life in service to God. Worshiping God with them for eternity. That’s the kind of treasure I would like.
Anyway… just food for thought. 🙂
A couple days ago the Lord taught me something really cool. As a part of the GFA home team we are on a rotation to clean bathrooms. (Glamorous right?) So, today as I was cleaning the bathroom and checking things off of the list, I was praying through some struggles. The end my prayer was just “I want to be more and more like Jesus. I want to be more and more like Him.” So I was almost finished with my job and was polishing the wooden door, when Keith, one of the core staff members at GFA stopped to say thank you. He thanked me for doing the job all the way and making sure that everything got done right. I’m thinking, “Everything done right? If only you knew.”
He said that what I was doing indirectly made him look good since he is in charge of building and grounds upkeep. When K.P. looks at things he would say “Wow, Keith’s doing a good job.”
“What? Excuse me, I’m the one doing this work. Why should he get the credit?”
It made me think, what if we all did things just to give our Father the credit? He’s the boss. If we did things just so that he’d get the praise, life would be so much better. It wouldn’t be a competition to do more because no one would know that you did it in the first place. It’d just be something that God did.
So, what if we did things all the way all the time? Not just on the outside where people can see it, like this door; but sweeping next to the garbage can and dusting the corners? What if we made sure Christ got the credit for that too?
What is there in your life that you are doing half way? Is it trying to make money – or is it your Bible study? Which one is it that Christ is getting credit for? What would you change if you knew everything you were doing in life went into His account and not yours? If everything you did showed up on Jesus’ background check, would you want to hire him?
So that’s what Christ taught me as I was cleaning the bathroom – that I need to be doing things for Him because everything I do is going on His account.
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