JOEL NEWS INTERNATIONAL 631  |  28 FEBRUARY 2008 IN THIS EDITION: 1. Mongolia: 82-year old Buddhist woman finds Christ 2. Kirgistan: a whole family receives Christ 3. China: church planting through radio 4. India: raised up by God to transform villages 1. Mongolia: 82-year old Buddhist woman finds Christ Hanneke van Dam is a Dutch missionary to Mongolia who works with the German organisation HELP International. She reports in a recent newsletter: "As I was buying apples in a shop, I noticed a wrinkly old lady with big bright eyes standing next to me. We started talking and I offered to bring her home. As we drove to her home, she started weeping uncontrollably: "Such a love I am feeling, I don't know what this is." This 82 year old Buddhist woman had had a rough life: 10 of her 15 children died during childhood, one son was murdered 3 years ago and her sons that are still alive are sick and alcohol-addicted. As we said goodbye, the lady whispered: "To be honest, I am really disappointed in the gods I have worshipped all my life. If they had been good, my life would have been different. I think I am going to follow that Jesus of yours now". On Sunday she came to church in her best mantle and rubbed with eau de cologne. She was the first for the altar call to receive Jesus. A week later, she told me that she had thrown away all her idols and prayer chains, although nobody told her to do so. "I don't need them anymore! From now on I will only pray to Jesus. Jesus is so good! I used to cry every day but I stopped crying and feel peaceful and happy. I could never sleep at night because of pain in my legs but now I sleep without any pain. I even can walk without my stick! How glad I am that I got to know Jesus!" Source: Hanneke van Dam, HELP International 2. Kirgistan: a whole family receives Christ In Luke 10 Jesus sends out his disciples and tells them to look for the home or the person of peace. They have to stay with that person and disciple them in the context of their own home, so that very naturally they will become the pastor of their own family and friends. In the book of Acts, Luke also testifies to this principle in the house of Cornelius and in the house of the Philippian jailer. One of the characteristics of all church planting movements as identified by author and missionary David Garrison is 'family based conversion patterns'. "It is wonderful to see this strategic understanding and willingness to obey Jesus catalyzed by divine connection!" writes a missionary to Kirgistan, Central Asia. He reports: "Last week Elena was coming out of a prison in Kirgistan after visiting one of our prison churches when she was asked by a couple for a ride. They had just been inside visiting a son. She gave them a ride and began to talk. They were of Kurdish background and spiritually hungry. They invited Elena to their home so they could learn more about Jesus. Yesterday Elena took a co-worker with her and went to their home. They talked and prayed for several hours with the result that almost two dozen people of that family from the elders down to grandchildren began a new life with Jesus!" Source: name known to Joel News, but withheld for security reasons 3. China: church planting through radio The church in China is growing by the thousands, but theological training is lagging behind. That's why Trans World Radio developed 'Seminary On The Air' broadcasts, a three-year radio program that Chinese Christians can attend from the privacy of their very own home. TWR is also handing out China Radio Church Kits, a tool that establishes churches around a radio, and they're in hot demand. Source: Trans World Radio 4. India: raised up by God to transform villages Chetan Mayur spent his childhood suffering daily from a terrible illness. His kidneys barely functioned, and his doctors were unable to find a cure. As Chetan lay sick in bed, his family had no idea whether he would live another year, let alone grow up and greatly impact several villages. Then one day, a Christian missionary knocked on his door. When the missionary shared his personal testimony of how Christ had changed his life, Chetan knew he wanted to follow Jesus. The Lord healed Chetan of his kidney failure, he enrolled in a Bible college, and moved to an area in Chhattisgarh, where after initial drawback he saw many villagers come to Christ and get healed. When this native missionary was a sickly child, no one would have guessed that he would accomplish great things for the Lord. But because of his willing heart, God has used Chetan to bring many more people into His kingdom. Source: Chetan Mayur, GFA C O L O P H O N The book of Acts is still happening today! Joel News International offers a weekly high-quality selection of the most inspiring stories on the advance of God's Kingdom in six continents. Joel News International inspires thousands of active Christians in over 120 nations. More information: http://www.joelnews.org/frontpage.htm.  Joel News International is published on the basis of an annual donation. Did you receive this copy from a friend? Sign up yourself and receive Joel News International for a full year in your mailbox: http://www.joelnews.org/subscribe.htm. Joel News partners with a wide range of international networks and ministries in the area of prayer, saturation church planting, revival, world missions and community transformation. News reports (no regular mailings) can be sent to our editorial team at info@joelnews.org. (c) JOEL NEWS, 2008 | republication only with full creditline www.joelnews.org