Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line

Hope · 08-22-2010, 06:17 PM

Hello Friends and fellow believers,

We have a gospel friends meeting every other Lord's Day evening in our home. Tonight we had 26 guests including a new couple from Sri Lanka. They are Buddists.

After our meal, then singing and sharing, an entire family of four Hindu's asked to receive Christ. They declared they wanted to believe in Jesus. A cousin who had recieved the Lord asked them to kneel in the middle of the living room. They did so in front of all the others. I prayed, the cousin prayed and then a brother I have mentioned before who came from Nepal 20 years ago led them all to pray. They all prayed and were joyful to have received the Lord and to have made it public in front of the others. It may just have been me, but it seemed this demonstration of receiving Christ touched several others. Being able to go against the Hindu community has been a big barrier. Perhaps this will be the break through needed. Counting these four there are now ten among us from the Hindu community who have believed in Jesus Christ as the son of God and received Him as their Savior. Two others, who were saved last year, have moved to other places in the USA.

We are also gradually gaining more believers from various churches and denominations to join in various ways to labor in this gospel endeavor. It is trully wonderful to fellowship with believers regarding the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ without any motives of recruiting members for a religious organization or movement.

Several months ago we in Durham felt to have our Lord's Day morning gathering and breaking of bread in Durham. We began to meet in my home about six months ago.

I am amazed at what the Lord is doing. One couple, who is from China, has a Friday night Bible study in his home for Chinese speaking students etc. Several have received the Lord and been baptized. Two have become regular on the Lord's Day morning. Another Chinese sister comes fairly regularly. Five of the Butanese attend regularly. Two weeks ago there were 23 altogether in my great room. We have had up to 25 in the last few weeks.

This morning some were out of town or working and we had 16 total. Only Sheryl and I, my son and daughter-in-law and one brother were in the old LC that many of you were familar with.

There is a leading of the Lord for us to join with Raleigh for a week-end gathering on the week-end of Oct. 23rd. There has been some fellowship regarding "the Headship of Christ."

May the Lord bless you all.

Your brother in Christ,

Hope

UntoHim · 08-22-2010, 08:51 PM

Good news from Way down South!

When we read the New Testament and look back at history we should know that the Church should the true "melting pot". At the beginning in Acts 2 - "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." Then at the end we shall see the same - "and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9) So what is supposed to happen in the eons in between these two passages? I think this is exactly what brother Hope and those with him are experiencing. Praise God for this.

countmeworthy · 08-27-2010, 08:46 AM

EXCELLENT PRAISE REPORT brother Hope!

More jewels on your crown to God be the Glory !!

Thanks for sharing !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hope

Hello Friends and fellow believers,

We have a gospel friends meeting every other Lord's Day evening in our home. Tonight we had 26 guests including a new couple from Sri Lanka. They are Buddists.

After our meal, then singing and sharing, an entire family of four Hindu's asked to receive Christ.

Cal · 08-27-2010, 11:16 AM

Wonderful news, Hope! Praise God!

Hope · 10-03-2010, 05:48 PM

Dear Fellow Believers,

I felt to give a little update to my post on 8/22/2010.

Jesus is Lord. His ways are truly wonderful. The Lord continues to bring people into a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus.

On the Lord’s Day following my last post, the family I mentioned which knelt in the living room and prayed came to the Lord’s Table meeting. These dear one have zero Christian background. As they beheld the bread and wine their eyes were like saucers. Under my breath, I cried out to the Lord, “What do we do?” “How do we help them?” The Lord gave a very simple explanation that ministered to us all including me.

We have been forced to seek the Lord day by day for how we should care for those with us. We have ages from children to over 80. Some are from China. Some are from Nepal. Some are just Americans. We have PhDs and illiterate refugees. Some canned message or outline just will not suffice.

There are four different meetings that have become a focus for the gospel, discipleship, and fellowship to meet the current needs. There are some very faithful saints among us who labor daily to meet the needs of one another and especially the new believers and dear ones we desire to see saved in Christ.

A month ago, it became so clear that many among us were very pressed with many worries and cares. The Lord led one of the brothers to minister much help regarding casting our cares on the Lord and trusting Him in faith.
One of the new sisters, a post PHD scholar at one of the Universities here, shared the following: “Before I became a believer in Jesus Christ, I worried about everything. But now I worry if I am doing God’s will.” We all felt the Lord was leading us to spend some time together in the Bible seeking Him regarding “Knowing the Will of the Lord.” So far the Lord has met us and rendered us all help and new light regarding knowing the Lord’s will in all we do.

This morning 30 crowded in my great room. At least half a dozen who are coming were out due to work or travel. I would suppose that the saints are caring for another 50 or so who live in this area.

One of the very first of the refugees to receive Christ, Raj, recently moved to Fargo ND. He has relatives there who need assistance. He felt that God was leading him there. He is burdened to bring them and other refugees to Christ. He called one of the older sisters this week. He told her that in Fargo they have “The World Relief Organization” and a lady to give food stamps but they do not have (and he began to name the saints). He told her that he is very homesick and has no Christian fellowship. The sister immediately got on the internet. She found a Christian fellowship in Fargo which declared that they would receive and care for all. She emailed them and told them about Raj etc and what we had been doing here. She asked if they would reach out to them. Within a day she got a reply that they would care for Raj. Praise the Lord. May the Lord lead you to pray for Raj. There are 500 refugees from Nepal in Fargo. Raj may be the only believer in Jesus Christ. May the gospel spread through the entire community.

This morning we had a very sweet experience of the members of the Body of Christ caring for one another. Another of the new sisters who is also a post doc scholar sent word that she was preparing a very important research paper and was under much stress. She asked if we would pray for her. The refugees, some who are illiterate, prayed earnestly for her. I was very touched that such a highly educated person would desire the prayers of her brothers and sisters, folks that the world would not give the time of day.

The Lord has been good beyond my dreams. He is real and is still working among men today. Pray for us.

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Hope

Hope · 10-19-2010, 05:06 PM

Today one of the sisters with whom we meet called to give a wonderful gospel report. This sister D.C. is truly a Christ filled person who has poured out her heart and possessions and the good news of Jesus Christ to the Bhutanese refugees among us.

Here in Durham there are about 60 refugees. Twelve have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ but we believe others are very close or have in their heart received Christ but have been intimidated by some of the older ones who cling to the Hindu religion.

One young lady, Chandra, came often on Sunday evening to hear the gospel. Sister D.C. also cared much for her in many ways and often shared about the savior Christ who lived in her and was the factor behind the love Chandra had come to see in D.C. and the other believers.

Chandra married a young Bhutanese man from Baltimore about three months ago. There are about 1,000 of the Bhutanese refugees in Baltimore. Sister D.C. gave Chandra a Nepali language Bible and urged her to read it.

Today Chandra and her new husband rode a bus nine hours to see D. C. The husband was so excited to see D.C. At first he declared to our sister that you are a God. D. C. told him no but she did have Jesus Christ living in her. The husband replied that was what he meant. His wife had been telling him about Jesus and how she, Chandra, had also believed in Jesus and how Jesus lived in her. She has been reading the Bible and sharing about Jesus with him. He told our sister that he too wants to believe in Jesus and have Jesus live in him just as Jesus lives in his wife.

He urged D.C. to come to Baltimore and spend time with him and his wife and the other refugees.

I wrote previously about the new brother Raj who had moved to Fargo N.D. He believed that the Lord was sending him there and he has also invited D.C. and her husband to come and share the gospel.

It is so marvelous to see these brand new believers going out and sharing their new found faith and joy which they have in Christ Jesus.

Pray for Chandra, her husband and for the Lord’s leading for D.C. and her husband.

A Believer in Christ Jesus,
Hope

Hope · 11-08-2010, 03:18 PM

Greeting Dear Ones in Christ,

Some have expressed an interest in the Lord’s doings here among us. I trust it is acceptable if I give a little update.

As we are laboring in the field the Lord has placed us in, more believers are coming forward to take up a common desire for the gospel to reach the new comers, (refugees), in our community. One new family, the mother and her four children, but no husband, arrived about two months ago. They were in great need and several believers have risen up to help. They have come to several gospel friends meetings and this week the mother told the brother who has labored faithfully with them and does the translating at the gospel meeting that she wanted to believe in Jesus. He felt she should make a public profession before the others. Pray that this Lord’s Day evening she will be able to make a public commitment to receive Christ and forsake the Hindu idols.

A family of four that recently declared their faith in Christ before their fellow Bhutanese may need to move to Atlanta where they have relatives in the midst of a community of refugees that numbers around 5,000. We have been spending three to four times a week with them in the word and prayer. They are very new but it could be that they are seeds being sown into the community in Atlanta.

Four weeks ago another new family appeared. They are already believers in Christ. They are a great addition to the fellowship. This Lord’s Day morning, as the bread and wine was being passed, the father knelt to pray. He prayed in Napalie and none of us had any idea of the meaning of his phrases but his spirit lifted us all into the presence of the Lord. After his prayer we sang, Lord prepare us to be your sanctuary. I had a new realization of what the Lord was building. There were around 30-35 of us. Some were very new in their faith. Some had been believers for 40 years. Some were very much unlearned and two were not yet professing believers. It is virtually impossible to have a well ordered one, two, three meeting or service. We cannot cater to the older stronger ones but must seek to meet the need of every one of the Lord’s dear ones. Praise Him, He is faithful to His own. I hardly know how to take the next step but He is leading.

A believer in Christ Jesus,

Hope

manna-man · 11-08-2010, 07:43 PM

Amen Brother Hope!

Those Bhutanese people are precious and I haven't forgotten them. I pray for them daily as I do for the saints in Raleigh and Durham who are laboring at great sacrifice for these dear ones.

Until I can come up with words to describe my experience in Raliegh. I will offer up two words. AMEN! and WOW!

Much love to the saints in Raleigh and Durham!

Don Jr.

08-22-2010, 06:17 PM	#1
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Re: Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line Hello Friends and fellow believers, We have a gospel friends meeting every other Lord's Day evening in our home. Tonight we had 26 guests including a new couple from Sri Lanka. They are Buddists. After our meal, then singing and sharing, an entire family of four Hindu's asked to receive Christ. They declared they wanted to believe in Jesus. A cousin who had recieved the Lord asked them to kneel in the middle of the living room. They did so in front of all the others. I prayed, the cousin prayed and then a brother I have mentioned before who came from Nepal 20 years ago led them all to pray. They all prayed and were joyful to have received the Lord and to have made it public in front of the others. It may just have been me, but it seemed this demonstration of receiving Christ touched several others. Being able to go against the Hindu community has been a big barrier. Perhaps this will be the break through needed. Counting these four there are now ten among us from the Hindu community who have believed in Jesus Christ as the son of God and received Him as their Savior. Two others, who were saved last year, have moved to other places in the USA. We are also gradually gaining more believers from various churches and denominations to join in various ways to labor in this gospel endeavor. It is trully wonderful to fellowship with believers regarding the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ without any motives of recruiting members for a religious organization or movement. Several months ago we in Durham felt to have our Lord's Day morning gathering and breaking of bread in Durham. We began to meet in my home about six months ago. I am amazed at what the Lord is doing. One couple, who is from China, has a Friday night Bible study in his home for Chinese speaking students etc. Several have received the Lord and been baptized. Two have become regular on the Lord's Day morning. Another Chinese sister comes fairly regularly. Five of the Butanese attend regularly. Two weeks ago there were 23 altogether in my great room. We have had up to 25 in the last few weeks. This morning some were out of town or working and we had 16 total. Only Sheryl and I, my son and daughter-in-law and one brother were in the old LC that many of you were familar with. There is a leading of the Lord for us to join with Raleigh for a week-end gathering on the week-end of Oct. 23rd. There has been some fellowship regarding "the Headship of Christ." May the Lord bless you all. Your brother in Christ, Hope

08-22-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
UntoHim Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον For God So Loved The World Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3,827	Re: Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line Good news from Way down South! When we read the New Testament and look back at history we should know that the Church should the true "melting pot". At the beginning in Acts 2 - "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." Then at the end we shall see the same - "*and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9) So what is supposed to happen in the eons in between these two passages? I think this is exactly what brother Hope and those with him are experiencing. Praise God for this. __________________ αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν - 1 Peter 5:11*

08-27-2010, 11:16 AM	#4
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	Re: Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line Wonderful news, Hope! Praise God!

10-03-2010, 05:48 PM	#5
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Re: An update Dear Fellow Believers, I felt to give a little update to my post on 8/22/2010. Jesus is Lord. His ways are truly wonderful. The Lord continues to bring people into a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus. On the Lord’s Day following my last post, the family I mentioned which knelt in the living room and prayed came to the Lord’s Table meeting. These dear one have zero Christian background. As they beheld the bread and wine their eyes were like saucers. Under my breath, I cried out to the Lord, “What do we do?” “How do we help them?” The Lord gave a very simple explanation that ministered to us all including me. We have been forced to seek the Lord day by day for how we should care for those with us. We have ages from children to over 80. Some are from China. Some are from Nepal. Some are just Americans. We have PhDs and illiterate refugees. Some canned message or outline just will not suffice. There are four different meetings that have become a focus for the gospel, discipleship, and fellowship to meet the current needs. There are some very faithful saints among us who labor daily to meet the needs of one another and especially the new believers and dear ones we desire to see saved in Christ. A month ago, it became so clear that many among us were very pressed with many worries and cares. The Lord led one of the brothers to minister much help regarding casting our cares on the Lord and trusting Him in faith. One of the new sisters, a post PHD scholar at one of the Universities here, shared the following: “Before I became a believer in Jesus Christ, I worried about everything. But now I worry if I am doing God’s will.” We all felt the Lord was leading us to spend some time together in the Bible seeking Him regarding “Knowing the Will of the Lord.” So far the Lord has met us and rendered us all help and new light regarding knowing the Lord’s will in all we do. This morning 30 crowded in my great room. At least half a dozen who are coming were out due to work or travel. I would suppose that the saints are caring for another 50 or so who live in this area. One of the very first of the refugees to receive Christ, Raj, recently moved to Fargo ND. He has relatives there who need assistance. He felt that God was leading him there. He is burdened to bring them and other refugees to Christ. He called one of the older sisters this week. He told her that in Fargo they have “The World Relief Organization” and a lady to give food stamps but they do not have (and he began to name the saints). He told her that he is very homesick and has no Christian fellowship. The sister immediately got on the internet. She found a Christian fellowship in Fargo which declared that they would receive and care for all. She emailed them and told them about Raj etc and what we had been doing here. She asked if they would reach out to them. Within a day she got a reply that they would care for Raj. Praise the Lord. May the Lord lead you to pray for Raj. There are 500 refugees from Nepal in Fargo. Raj may be the only believer in Jesus Christ. May the gospel spread through the entire community. This morning we had a very sweet experience of the members of the Body of Christ caring for one another. Another of the new sisters who is also a post doc scholar sent word that she was preparing a very important research paper and was under much stress. She asked if we would pray for her. The refugees, some who are illiterate, prayed earnestly for her. I was very touched that such a highly educated person would desire the prayers of her brothers and sisters, folks that the world would not give the time of day. The Lord has been good beyond my dreams. He is real and is still working among men today. Pray for us. Your brother in Christ Jesus, Hope

10-19-2010, 05:06 PM	#6
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Re: The Gospel is spreading Today one of the sisters with whom we meet called to give a wonderful gospel report. This sister D.C. is truly a Christ filled person who has poured out her heart and possessions and the good news of Jesus Christ to the Bhutanese refugees among us. Here in Durham there are about 60 refugees. Twelve have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ but we believe others are very close or have in their heart received Christ but have been intimidated by some of the older ones who cling to the Hindu religion. One young lady, Chandra, came often on Sunday evening to hear the gospel. Sister D.C. also cared much for her in many ways and often shared about the savior Christ who lived in her and was the factor behind the love Chandra had come to see in D.C. and the other believers. Chandra married a young Bhutanese man from Baltimore about three months ago. There are about 1,000 of the Bhutanese refugees in Baltimore. Sister D.C. gave Chandra a Nepali language Bible and urged her to read it. Today Chandra and her new husband rode a bus nine hours to see D. C. The husband was so excited to see D.C. At first he declared to our sister that you are a God. D. C. told him no but she did have Jesus Christ living in her. The husband replied that was what he meant. His wife had been telling him about Jesus and how she, Chandra, had also believed in Jesus and how Jesus lived in her. She has been reading the Bible and sharing about Jesus with him. He told our sister that he too wants to believe in Jesus and have Jesus live in him just as Jesus lives in his wife. He urged D.C. to come to Baltimore and spend time with him and his wife and the other refugees. I wrote previously about the new brother Raj who had moved to Fargo N.D. He believed that the Lord was sending him there and he has also invited D.C. and her husband to come and share the gospel. It is so marvelous to see these brand new believers going out and sharing their new found faith and joy which they have in Christ Jesus. Pray for Chandra, her husband and for the Lord’s leading for D.C. and her husband. A Believer in Christ Jesus, Hope

11-08-2010, 03:18 PM	#7
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Re: Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line Greeting Dear Ones in Christ, Some have expressed an interest in the Lord’s doings here among us. I trust it is acceptable if I give a little update. As we are laboring in the field the Lord has placed us in, more believers are coming forward to take up a common desire for the gospel to reach the new comers, (refugees), in our community. One new family, the mother and her four children, but no husband, arrived about two months ago. They were in great need and several believers have risen up to help. They have come to several gospel friends meetings and this week the mother told the brother who has labored faithfully with them and does the translating at the gospel meeting that she wanted to believe in Jesus. He felt she should make a public profession before the others. Pray that this Lord’s Day evening she will be able to make a public commitment to receive Christ and forsake the Hindu idols. A family of four that recently declared their faith in Christ before their fellow Bhutanese may need to move to Atlanta where they have relatives in the midst of a community of refugees that numbers around 5,000. We have been spending three to four times a week with them in the word and prayer. They are very new but it could be that they are seeds being sown into the community in Atlanta. Four weeks ago another new family appeared. They are already believers in Christ. They are a great addition to the fellowship. This Lord’s Day morning, as the bread and wine was being passed, the father knelt to pray. He prayed in Napalie and none of us had any idea of the meaning of his phrases but his spirit lifted us all into the presence of the Lord. After his prayer we sang, Lord prepare us to be your sanctuary. I had a new realization of what the Lord was building. There were around 30-35 of us. Some were very new in their faith. Some had been believers for 40 years. Some were very much unlearned and two were not yet professing believers. It is virtually impossible to have a well ordered one, two, three meeting or service. We cannot cater to the older stronger ones but must seek to meet the need of every one of the Lord’s dear ones. Praise Him, He is faithful to His own. I hardly know how to take the next step but He is leading. A believer in Christ Jesus, Hope

11-08-2010, 07:43 PM	#8
manna-man Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fort Lauderdale Florida Posts: 405	Re: Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line Amen Brother Hope! Those Bhutanese people are precious and I haven't forgotten them. I pray for them daily as I do for the saints in Raleigh and Durham who are laboring at great sacrifice for these dear ones. Until I can come up with words to describe my experience in Raliegh. I will offer up two words. AMEN! and WOW! Much love to the saints in Raleigh and Durham! Don Jr.