Who Will Go?

Throughout the world, God continues to stir the hearts of men and women to share his Good News.  Those who hear His question, “Whom shall I send? And Who will go for us?"  And answer with a resounding, “Here I am. Send me!”  Isaiah 6:8

Joseph and Abumisheu (Abu) are one such couple: passionate to share Jesus with their people group and train them as disciples in the Word. Not just believers - but disciples, followers of Jesus. March found us travelling from India to Northern Thailand to reconnect and spend a week in fellowship and ministry.  It was our first trip back since 2019, due to travel restrictions and extra costs during and post-Covid.

We were the first missionaries of any nationality to visit Joseph's home village.  What a joy to worship with believers from the Akha people group. 

The Akha people live in China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar (formerly Burma). One of the six tribes recognized by the Thai government as a hill tribe or mountain people group, they originated in Yunnan province of Southwest China several centuries ago.

The differences between us are impossible to ignore. Our ethnicity, language, physical appearance, dress, and food are completely different. Yet even when everything is different - the Spirit of God joins our hearts. 

There is one body and one Spirit ... one Lord, one faith ... one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6 ESV

Just across the border in Myanmar is a Children’s Home where up to 20 village children live so they can attend the state school. The pastor and his wife who run this home take care of all the children’s needs, and teach them about Jesus and the Bible. During school breaks they return to their villages to spend time with their families.  

A few of the children came across the border to
 share lunch at KFC – a huge treat for them. 
Never underestimate the thrill of choosing your own soda flavor.

Did I mention the coffee?

The village of  Doi Chang is nestled in the hills of  Chiang Rai district, perfect coffee growing country. Many Akha families have coffee farms, where the parents grow and harvest the beans, while the younger generation open coffee shops onsite or in towns and cities throughout Thailand.  Eco Lodges built on the coffee farms are popular with tourists during high season.  

Abu introduced us to many of her friends and their delicious brews - yes, it was a highly caffeinated week!  

We spent a few days on the gulf of Thailand enjoying the ocean and returned to India ready for the next season of ministry.

May you embrace all that God has for you during this season of life whatever it looks like, lean into Him, commit your ways to him, trust His plan.  

The Journey Continues ~ Gary and Pat

Akha food is fresh and delicious with a lot of
homegrown organic vegetables in richly flavored broths.

The Earth is the Lord's

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

    the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it on the seas

    and established it on the waters.  Psalm 24:1-2 NIV

God is moving throughout the earth.  Gather25 was an unprecedented, and free, 25-hour global broadcast event telling the story and mission of the global Church, by the global Church. This was an opportunity for the 2.5 billion believers across the world to gather in prayer, worship, repentance, and commissioning, There was great rejoicing as we heard incredible stories of what God is doing around the world. 

Session 3 was broadcast from New Delhi, India.  This minute and a half intro video provides a wonderful look into India with a concise explanation how the Christian experience varies greatly throughout this great nation.  As you watch this video, may your heart be stirred, encouraged and motivated to pray. You'll want to watch more - click for the entire broadcast from India. 

It is a great joy for Gary and I to be living in India.  Wow – just typing that makes me tear up.    It’s been our lifelong desire to spend more time overseas than in America. Now that it is our reality, we are continually amazed and grateful. 

Since we are foreigners, which can draw unwanted attention, our main role is to encourage and strengthen the local Body of Christ so that they can share the love of Jesus with their family, friends and neighbors.  

Sharing the Word of God with hungry hearts, seeing them respond and begin to apply God’s truth to their lives is rewarding.

We are so grateful that you are part of our Journey with God, which is only possible because of  your faithful prayers, love and support.   

This Amazing Journey Continues ~ Pat and Gary

Join us in India as you listen to one or more of our recent teachings.  Shared in English and translated into Hindi.

Just Be Available

We left the heavy monsoon rains in India, and are now ready to leave the intense heat of Las Vegas.  August in Montana sounds wonderful - doesn't it?

Here's our schedule -  we are really excited to reconnect with our Montana supporters, friends and family. Please join us when you can.

• Sunday August 11th @ 10:30 a.m. The Place Church, Hamilton, MT
  with Pastors Mike and Denise Echterling
• Sunday August 18th @ 10 a.m. CrossPoint Church, Corvallis, MT
  with Pastors Scot and Shelly Colwell
• Sunday September 1st @ 10:30 a.m.  House of Praise, Victor, MT
  with Pastors Jim and Lorraine Andrusky
• Tuesday August 27th @ 6:00 p.m.  - CrossPoint Women, Corvallis, MT
  
  

"Your mission field is wherever your feet are." Gary & Pat Richards

It's true! Everyone in your circle of influence needs a touch from Jesus.

Available is defined as: 'Present and ready for use, at hand, accessible; or willing to do something.'  

Am I available? Are you available? To say yes to the Lord - wherever and whenever He says 'Go'.

Here are a few thoughts from Gary on what it means to "Just Be Available"

People often ask Pat and I, “What is the key to your success in ministry and life?”  

The answer is very simple; “If you want to be successful and want God to work in your life, then be available for Him.”

As a young Christian, I read Matthew 22:14, ”Many are called but few are chosen.” I knew right then I didn’t want just to be called, I wanted to be chosen. But what did I need to do?  I prayed and asked, ‘Lord, how do I get from being called to being chosen’? 

He simply replied, “Say, yes to me and always make yourself available.”

This is all Pat and I know to do and it has taken us where we could never have imagined, doing what we would never have been able to do in our own wisdom, strength or ability.

But how do we actually make ourselves available? What does that look like?  Do I have to volunteer more, give more to the church, read my Bible more?  No. Being available can include those things but it is much bigger than that.

To be available means to say yes to God, whenever and wherever.  It means allowing God to be God.   Being available means adjusting our agendas, and plans to fit God’s agendas and plans.  It is having an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one.

It is prioritizing that which is a priority to God and includes:

• Submitting your time, talents and resources to God.
• Obeying Him, even when it is difficult and costs you something.
• Thinking more about God and His purpose for your life and less about yourself.
• Aligning yourself with God and His purposes daily.
• It means living with the knowledge that as a follower of Jesus your life is not your own, you have been bought with a price.

God has never asked about our ability or our inability, but about our availability.

Isaiah made himself available to God. Isaiah 6:8 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'  Then said I, 'Here I am! Send me.' ”

The greatest thing that we can do to bless and serve the world is to be available when God calls.

So, I want to ask you one simple question today:   Are you available? I promise you, making yourself available to God will involve risk on your part. I also promise you that by being available you will be blessed beyond measure and you will be a blessing to others in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

Here's the link to one of our current favorite songs: Elevation Worship “Available.”  Click here for the lyrics.

As you listen, let it become a prayer and a tool to dedicate yourself to being available to Him.  It will change your life and the lives of others!

The journey of availability continues ~ Gary & Pat

We said 'Yes' to living in India - and look what God allowed us to experience

Welcome Home - back in America

Upon arrival into the United States, all persons regardless of their citizenship, are required to go through US Immigration, collect their baggage, then go through US Customs.

When we returned to the United States last week – we simply presented our passports, which the Immigration official scanned, stamped and handed back to us with a poignant greeting “Welcome Home”.

Our customs form read ‘Nothing to Declare’. We handed it the officer and walked out to the warm embrace of friends at the arrival gate in Las Vegas. 

God is a lot like that US Immigration Official.   It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away, where you’ve travelled, how tired and dirty you are – when you return, He simply stamps you with His love, puts His arms around you and says, “Welcome Home Child”.

Then we have the opportunity to declare and surrender all those things that we shouldn’t be carrying around – fear, hurt, discouragement, worry, habits, indifference.

Surrender them to Jesus – He’s like the Customs Officer for heart matters. He’ll take them and dispose of them properly. Imagine how much less baggage you’ll have to carry around.  How much lighter your heart will feel. 

We’re officially back in Las Vegas for the next two months.  Although it’s been our home for many years, somehow it no longer feels like ‘home’ – our hearts have been transplanted and taken root in India.

What's ahead for us?  August will find us enjoying Montana's big-skies and cool summer days, reconnecting with friends and families and sharing at our partner churches.  We'll share that schedule soon. 

Plans are to return to India by early October.  Our cozy flat is waiting for us.

We're often asked, 'What does it feel like to be back home in the United States?'    It's good to be back and we definitely feel loved and warmly welcomed by all our friends and supporters.  

Morning walks in our Las Vegas neighborhood feel  'sanitized' without the dust, garbage, cows, cowpies or stray dogs. 

Thank you for sharing our journey as we continue with God.   ~ Pat

Be prepared to be challenged and blessed as you listen to Gary's recent teaching. "How Do I Smell?"

Have you read our book?  Click the image for more info or to order from Amazon.com. 

Happy to be back in Sri Lanka

India makes a great base for us to travel to other parts of Asia. Flying to Colombo, Sri Lanka from Siliguri, West Bengal, India took us 2 short flights - a total of 8 hours with travel and layovers, and we are in the same time zone.  No jet lag! Yeah!!  (For those of you wondering, neither India nor Sri Lanka observes Daylight Savings Time)

Compare this to the last time we flew from Las Vegas to Sri Lanka – 4 flights and almost 40 hours travel time (including airport layovers), plus we crossed the international date line. The lack of sleep and 12+ hour time difference results in jetlag that takes 3-4 days to fully recover.

Outreaches are planned for the next three weekends.  Plans are to leave by 5 a.m. Saturday morning, drive 3 – 4 hours to the town where we will hold an eye clinic starting around 9 a.m.   Sunday morning there will be a revival church service.  Late Sunday we’ll drive back to Moratuwa where we are staying with our ministry partners.  It’s a joy to be  ministering together after almost 5 years.   

During the week we’ll spend time at Adara Sevana (Love Shelter), a school for the differently abled and share at a weekly healing meeting. 

Students who completed the week of training.

Gary's second week in South India was fruitful: imparting the Word of God to hungry hearts. He received several precious notes of gratitude from the students - sharing how their lives were impacted during the training sessions. Pat was blessed with several gifts and lots of love and prayers sent back with Gary.

Sunday Services:  This past Sunday, Gary and I shared at two different places.  I had a 2 hour taxi ride one way (with Sister Hannah my translator) to a small village called Nagrakata. (Taxis here are hired autos, quite reasonably priced)

Gary shared the Word at our home church in India. The people came hungry to meet with God.  He is always faithful to touch hearts and change lives. 

Raising up the Next Generation

What adventure in faith are you on at the moment?   Sharing our adventures reminds us that as followers of Jesus - every day of our life is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus - wherever you find yourself - with whoever you find yourself with.

Your love and prayers are so important - our hearts are encouraged with every email or message we get from you.

The journey continues ~ Pat

 

Back Home in India

What a journey!  It took four flights, across 12 time zones and the international date line to get to our final destination in India.  

Originally our trip was 41 hours including flight time and layovers. That was before our flight from Las Vegas to Phoenix was delayed by 3 hours - resulting in missing our international connection, spending the night in Phoenix, and rebooking our flights 24 hours later. The airline agent who rescheduled our flights was wonderfully patient and calm. (Thank you Harriet.) 

Sixty-five hours after leaving our house (you read that correctly - 65 hours) we arrived safely in India - our second home.  We were warmly greeted, fed delicious Paneer Butter Masala with fresh roti, and put to bed. It's wonderful to be home. 

How can it feel like 'Home' when it's so different from our life in America? 
While listening to a worship song based on Psalm 84, I was reminded that our true, eternal home is not a place, but a person.  His name is Jesus. As we follow the heart of God, wherever He leads us - our home is where His heart is. 

Our prayer for you, wherever you are on your own journey with Jesus, is that you will experience the peace, joy and love that results in finding your home in His heart.

~ The journey continues - Gary & Pat

Listen to Shane & Shane's worship song based on Psalm 84

How lovely are Your dwelling places
Your Holy Spirit here in us
Oh how I love to sing Your praises
One day with You would be enough

Wherever I go is home
Because You're here
In my soul
You're an oasis in the desert
Living water overflow

It's Not Glamorous

Counting down: It’s less than three weeks until we head to India for an extended stay. 

It looks like a bomb went off in the house. 

• Piles of items set aside for the neighborhood yard sale clutter the downstairs and garage. We’ve cleaned out dark corners of our closets, borrowed tables, and slapped bright yellow price tags on everything. 
  
  
• The spare room overflows with piles that need to fit into our four allotted suitcases.
• An entire suitcase will contain eyeglasses for village eye clinics.
• Another one will hold children’s church materials, gifts for our Indian family and friends, a few household items for our apartment (called a flat) plus specific vitamin supplements and personal care items that are a challenge to find in India.
• We’ll fit our clothes around everything else to cushion anything breakable.

Pre-trip planning also involves preparing our hearts.  

• Staying open to what God has for this trip. Although we have been to India many times, every trip is different.  
• Times of prayer and fasting where we invite Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts, expand our vision and capacity to walk out His will and purpose. 

A song called “New Wine” speaks to our hearts.  We need to know what God is doing now, at this time, for this trip and the people we will minister to.  'New wine' speaks of a fresh anointing from Holy Spirit.  We are very aware that we need Holy Spirit to lead, guide and protect us as we go. This is why your prayers are so important to us. We feel ‘bubble-wrapped’, at peace and safe because of your prayers for us.

Make me Your vessel

Make me an offering

Make me whatever You want me to be

I came here with nothing

But all You have given me

Jesus bring new wine out of me

So I yield to You, into Your careful hand

When I trust You I don't need to understand

Listen to the song

Lyrics to the song

Siliguri Sunrise Awaits (Photo by Samuel Kahling)

(Photo by Brenda Williams)

Thank you for following our journey.

Thank you for praying.

The Journey Continues ~ Pat

"Now Lord, .... enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 

Acts 4:29-39 NIV

The World is Calling

In the book of Acts chapter 16 we read the account of Paul's Macedonian call:

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  Acts 16:9-10

Gary and I have heard a similar call from the hearts of our ministry partners in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other nations.  There is a great peace as we answer the call and prepare to travel back to India on October 22, 2023.  Plans are to base in India for seven months, travelling to other countries from there. 

Wow right? There is a deep sense of awe and amazement that we are finally living out what we have longed for our entire lives.  It has always been our desire to spend more time on the mission field than in America.  We thought we were ready for this decades ago.  God had other plans and the perfect timetable.  Now - we believe it's His time.  

Faithful God
You hold my life secure
and all my days are yours

Powerful lyrics from one of our  all-time favorite worship songs 'Faithful God' by Gateway Worship. We serve a  God whose faithfulness endures.  Because He is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can trust that He knows what is ahead and how to lead us through it in victory.

Thank you for your ongoing love, prayers and financial support.  We truly do feel the strength of your prayers.

As we embark on this seven month adventure, please pray for wisdom, guidance, protection and the direction of the Holy Spirit.  

You are part of our journey.  Stay strong in your walk with the Lord. Remember that He is working all things out for your good. Stay in peace as you wait. 

  The journey continues ~ Pat

You will be encouraged by Gary's message "It's Another Touch"
shared at The Place Church in Hamilton, Montana 

That Went Fast

It sounded like a long time - four months in India.  Now it's over and we are back in Las Vegas, our home base.  How quickly the time passed.  Our hearts are full and a little sad as we leave this nation that has captured our hearts.  Our church family at Master's Touch gave us a prayerful and emotional send-off.  It was such a rich time of ministry and fellowship, we can't wait for our next trip.

Our flight home took us through Delhi, where we spent a few days and visited one of the Seven Wonders of the World: The Taj Mahal.

It's an amazing love story; an engineering feat; worth enduring the heat to marvel at the craftsmanship and beauty of its luminescent white marble inlaid with precious stones.  

From Delhi we flew to London where we had a 10-hour layover. The Heathrow Express train whisked us to Paddington Station with its iconic statue of Paddington Bear.  Riding atop a double-decker bus was a great way to view some of the city's historical landmarks, without expending too much energy.   A short boat ride on the Thames completed our sight-seeing. 

Non-stop from London to Las Vegas, almost 11 hours.  It was wonderful to be met at the airport by friendly faces and hugs.  It took about three days to recover from the jetlag caused by crossing the international date line and twelve time zones.  

And now we're ready to go again.

Next Stop - Montana.  The Journey continues ~ Pat

A Land of Bright Colors

India is a land of bright colors: houses, sarees, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Bright colors bring life to an often dull environment and difficult life.

Bright Smiles when eyeglasses are given, 
making daily life easier with clear vision.

Baginbari is a tea garden village that the city of Siliguri has grown to surround.  While not far in distance from the neighborhood we are living in, it is a world away in culture and socioeconomic standing. Workers in tea gardens earn minimal wages, and cobble together homes and villages from whatever materials they can scavenge. Mostly dirt floors, tin walls and roofs. Recently some have been able to put up concrete walls. A common well and latrine serve their basic hygiene needs.

Master's Touch church has been reaching out to this village for several years, sharing the love of Jesus through basic medical care, clothing and food distribution, Christmas programs, fun afternoon 'Sunday School' and tutoring children.

Bright Smiles when haircuts and shaves
demonstrate love and care.

This India. This is our mission. To share light and love.

Find a way today to share the light and love of Jesus in your mission field - wherever your feet take you.

The Journey Continues ~ Pat and Gary

MEANWHILE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
This friendly Istri-wallah (ironing man) indulged my curiosity
when I noticed his iron was heated with red-hot coals.
He handles this 6 kg (13lb) iron (literally made out of iron) with ease,
deftly smoothing heavy cotton fabric in one pass.

There are so many fascinating images we want to share with you.
Follow this link for more photos and glimpses into life in India.

Faithful God

One of my favorite songs is "Goodness of  God".  The words of the chorus resonate with my heart and bring me to tears: 

All my life You have been faithful

All my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

I will sing of the goodness of God.

In October, I celebrated a milestone birthday.  Looking back over 60 years of this amazing life God has blessed me with, I am overwhelmed with His great faithfulness. 

There have been challenges, heartache, disappointments and loss of loved ones. There have been victories, joys, precious relationships, and great adventures with God.  Each of you reading this is part of my great adventure.  However our lives have connected, whenever and wherever our paths crossed, thank you for being part of my life.

INDIA 2023

The journey continues as we prepare for our first overseas mission trip in three years - India 2023!  Gary and I will be travelling to India on January 23, 2023 for four months of ministry.  Airplane tickets have been purchased - which makes it official.

It's a blessing to stay in contact with our ministry partners and see the fruit of their labors for the Lord during our three years in the states.

God's Word is being preached, people are giving their hearts to Jesus and being baptized in water, children are being tutored in school work, and taught about Jesus; the love of Jesus is shown through food distributions, eye clinics, and in towns and villages. 

During this season of Thanksgiving and throughout the year, Gary and I want you to know how grateful we are for you. Your love, prayers, support, every encouraging word - are precious to us. 

May you experience the faithfulness of God in every area of your life. The Journey Continues ~ Pat

Here are just a few photos from our partners in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,  Myanmar and  India. 

Are you shopping online this year? You can support Greater Works at no extra cost to you - by shopping at Smile.Amazon.com and choosing Greater Works Unlimited as your charity.  Amazon donates a portion of their profits!  

The easiest way to get started is: a) log into your Amazon account as usual. b) click this link and follow it through to support Greater Works Unlimited.  This setting will be part of your account until you change it.

Grateful - in all things

Thailand ~ India ~ Cambodia
 Myanmar ~ Sri Lanka

While we aren't able to travel overseas at this time - we are in touch with our partners in various countries.  All are dealing with the 'usual' challenges of floods and poverty and need - which are multiplied because of the COVID restrictions.

All are moving ahead with the work of the Kingdom.

Preaching, teaching, baptizing and helping with practical needs like food and hygiene.  The most pressing need   right now might be to know that someone cares. That in the middle of life's harsh realities - we are not alone.

It's wonderful to hear (and see photos) of God at work in lives around the world.

During this season of Thanksgiving, and throughout the year,  Gary and I want you to know how grateful we are for you.  Your love, your prayers, your support, every encouraging word - it all makes an impact in our lives and the lives of those we minister to.

Our Amazing God has given each of us an Amazing life.   And the Journey Continues ~ Pat

                 

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Are you shopping online this year? You can support Greater Works at no extra cost to you - by shopping at Smile.Amazon.com and choosing Greater Works Unlimited as your charity.  Amazon donates a portion of their profits!  

The easiest way to get started is: a) log into your Amazon account as usual. b) click this link and follow it through to support Greater Works Unlimited.  This setting will be part of your account until you change it.

Our Epic Four Month Adventure - Summarized

It's been just over a month since we returned from our Epic Mission Adventure - it took over a week to adjust to the 15 hour time difference and sleep through the night!  I mean who really wants to eat dinner at 3 a.m.?

So much transpired during our four month adventure in Southeast Asia and India - that we were given two Wednesday evening services to share with our home church, Meadows Fellowship, here in Las Vegas.

The videos of our presentations have been uploaded to our YouTube Channel.  We invite you to experience our adventure through photos and our narrative.

Click here to go directly to Part 1 on YouTube

Click here to go directly to Part 2 on YouTube

Wherever you are on your life adventure, our prayer is that  you follow the heart of God wherever it takes you.

The Journey Continues - Pat

What an Amazing Journey!

Fresh Outlook

During our recent overseas mission trip, we received a request from Josh, who attends the same church as Pat's sister Cyndy, (who has accompanied us on missions trips before), asking if he could come for a week to be a part of our ministry in India.

We said, 'Yes!'  He worked out his schedule to join us for his first overseas mission trip.  Here is Josh's view of what it was like to be in India on a mission trip.  We pray that you will be encouraged to follow the heart of God wherever He leads you.  Enjoy!

==================================================

My time in India was better than I had hoped for.  I arrived at the airport preparing myself for an eye-opening experience.  Gary and Pat along with Pastor Megha, met me and we were off into traffic. In the U.S. everyone stays in their lanes and follows the rules of the road.  In India however, it is what I can only describe as chaotic sympathy.  Driving is in the left lane and that is more of a suggestion then the rule.  Honking is not considered rude, it is a way of communicating and Indian drivers are constantly communicating. I loved how crazy it was and how well it seemed to work!

Gary and Pat spent time with me showing me around the area so I could soak up the culture to better understand life in India.  We took trips to the tea hills of Darjeeling with the view of the Himalaya Mountains, as well as the to markets in the area we lived.

My first outreach experience was to a small and very poor tea plantation village.  There we sang worship songs and I gave a short message on the story of David and Goliath to 40 young children, that was translated into Bengali.  Afterwards, we handed out cookies to all the children that were present.

The next day was a free eye clinic that Gary and Pat have established here as an evangelistic tool to help reach the community with the love of Jesus. This day was very special.  In 6 hours we saw 80 people come to receive free eye exams, free glasses and prayer. 


Gary, after he did the eye exams showed me how to use the instruments to find the correct prescription and let me do quite a few that needed reading glasses.  I was filled with joy to help and watch the smiles grow as the people began to see clearly for the first time. The highlight was no doubt when a gentleman received reading glasses and was asked to open the Bible that he was given to see if he was able to see and read correctly.  He randomly opens God's word and starts reading how Jesus heals the blind!  I tear up with happiness at how beautiful God works.

At the Eye Clinic - all are prayed for

That Sunday, I was told by Pastor Mike that if I wanted to say a few words at the Sunday Church service that he would let me have some time.  I felt fear come in as I thought about getting up in front of the congregation, but God whispered, 'say yes.'  So I told Pastor Mike I would be happy to.  As I thought about what to share and what would be meaningful, I felt to share my testimony.  It went well and I hope my words reached and encouraged whoever God had in mind.

Travelling by Auto Rickshaw (aka Tuk-Tuk)

This trip was unbelievable and I felt God's presence the whole time.  I was blessed to make this trip with Gary and Pat as they show God's love through kindness and care in ways that have an instant and powerful impact.  The family I made on this trip will forever be in my heart and I plan to provide continued support and God willing set dates for my next visit soon.

I learned on this trip that we don't always need to know what is next; we just need to listen for God's calling and walk boldly in faith.  When we do this God blesses us and the people we serve in ways that are far beyond our imagination."

God Bless - Josh

Sweet Hour of Prayer - Myanmar

“… if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

In a nation where the population is overwhelmingly Buddhist; the city of Kalaymyo, Myanmar is almost evenly Christian and Buddhist. 

The concept of a prayer garden transfers easily from one religion to another as they co-existing in this friendly bustling city.

These beautiful individual chapels are available at no charge, providing Christian worshipers with solitude for prayer in a culture where personal space is non-existent. 

A morning spent in prayer and fellowship bonded our hearts in a deeper way, providing a tangible illustration that we are “many parts, yet one body”.

Part of our heart will always remain in Myanmar: "until next time".

Prayerful worship in any language: Sweet Hour of Prayer

            

The Journey Continues ~ Pat

(NOTE: Since we are travelling, with sketchy Internet, blogs are not always posted in real time or in chronological order.)

BUT GOD .....

A Buddhist Monk, a Hindu High Priest and a Witch Doctor walk into a Eye Clinic .... seriously, this is no joke, it actually happened!

While contemplating what happened and what we experienced during our Sri Lanka trip, we cannot help but give God all the glory!

While Conferences, Seminars, Crusades and Church Meetings are an important tool to bring the Word of God to feed the spiritually hungry, we have found that by doing Eye Vision Clinics, we get to interact with people of different religions, ideology and beliefs that we would never get to touch in a church setting.

That is why we are so thankful to the Lord!  Who BUT GOD, would bring a Hindu High Priest, a Buddhist Monk, a Witch Doctor, Muslim women,  numerous Police Officers and a Criminal Investigator to our clinics.

After every examination, we ask the person if we can pray for them.  We begin with a prayer for their eye conditions and any other physical healing they need.  And then we pray that salvation will come to them and their household; that they would experience and know the power and love of the Lord.

Pat and I were given a report of the effectiveness of this type of prayer.  Last time we were in Sri Lanka, we prayed for a female Witch Doctor (at the time we did not know this was how she earned a living).  She received glasses and was prayed for.  Two weeks later she came back to the church where she attended the Eye Vision Clinic.  She told the Pastor that for the past two weeks she had been unable to cast any spells and she no longer feels a power within her.   The Pastor shared with her about Jesus, and was able to lead her and her family to salvation.  For the past year and a half, she and her family have been faithfully coming to church and growing in the Lord.

Witch Doctor -  -  -  - Buddhist Monk

Muslim Women - - - Hindu High Priest

Who BUT GOD would love someone so much that He would reveal Himself to them at a Eye Vision Clinic.

It gives us great satisfaction to help people with glasses for their natural sight; but there is an unexplainable joy that fills us when they receive their spiritual sight!

Who knows what testimonies we will hear the next time we journey to Sri Lanka.   We might not know - BUT GOD does!

Thank you for your faithful love, prayers and support ~ Gary.

A Brief Recap

Most people find statistics dry, uninteresting, even boring.  Movies, pictures, action - that's what we all like.

When the numbers represent people, families, lives that have been impacted by the love of God - it's the most exciting thing in this world.

Here's a quick overview of our recent mission trip that took us across the nation of Sri Lanka:

• During four weeks we held 12 Eye Vision Clinics
• Performed 768 Eye Exams and gave away 657 Pairs of Glasses

More reports to follow as we settle back at home, and contemplate all that was accomplished.

For more visual delights - visit Cyndy's blog Montana1aDay.com

~ Pat