Dear Friends and Partners:
“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1. Thessalonians 1:2-3
We thank God for all of you who continue to take an interest in the work and ministry of The Bridge. We have mailed the 2018 Annual Bridge Report and official contribution receipts last year’s donors. A special thanks to those of you who shared with people in your church or fellowship the testimonies and stories published in The Bridge Reports, with the purpose of praying and interceding for those who labor in the mission field. Your love and interest enable us to continue serving the Harvesters whose labor of love brings light and hope to so many living in darkness and despair.
2018 IN REVIEW—REFLECTIONS
In society at large in the United States, last year saw an improvement in the standard of living for many people who were struggling financially. Due to a growing economy, the number of new jobs within many sectors soared, bringing new life to many needy communities.
Yet, it was a tumultuous year with a marked increase in expressions of dissatisfaction, anger, divisiveness, and hate between groups of people who reject the notion of “the American Way”—freedom to live in peace with one another while “agreeing to disagree” in a civil manner.
We are in the midst of a spiritual/cultural war between ideologies. The Judeo-Christian world view was always the bedrock; the glue which held our society together with a common understanding of basic Biblical moral values, adherence to the rule of law, equality under the law, and respect for the individual’s rights. It is increasingly challenged from all sides by those who want any expression of the Christian faith eradicated from society. The fundamental phrase in the Constitution, which guarantees the individual’s rights is, “…endowed by our Creator…” — not given by man, or governments, or the politically correct in society at large, but given by God. The adherence to the Christian faith made America exceptional! This must be removed, they say. Herein lies the core of the battle!
The impact on the church at large is a diminished focus on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. But Jesus’ words are still relevant, “… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The teaching on the Great Commission has largely dissipated from the pulpit. Many of the traditional missionaries have had to return home, banned by denial of renewed visas by foreign governments which are increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. Being questioned at home by well meaning fellow Christians about the validity of “proselytizing” peoples of other religions and cultures, the missionary, once respected for his/her faith and courage, has become irrelevant in the church. The above describes an overall trend. It does not include the many Western missionaries still being effective ambassadors for the Lord around the globe.
God used the church in Western civilization to pioneer and establish the Christian faith in large parts of the world. In the last half-century, however, there has been a distinct shift, whereby the indigenous believers, having internalized through their own languages and cultures the Bible message of God’s love and redemption by faith in Jesus Christ, are now ready and willing to bring that message to the rest of the world. They are carrying the banner of Christ to complete the Great Commission to all nations!
We are privileged to partner with our many indigenous Gospel workers on several continents, and also with a few outstanding Americans and Europeans called to the mission field abroad. We call all of them HARVESTERS. They are not commissioned or sent by Bridge, rather, every one of them individually heard and responded to the call of God, and in obedience followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance; they carry the vision, wherewithal, responsibility, and authority for their own unique, individual ministries. They exemplify the Apostle Paul’s words in 1. Corinthians 3:6-7, “ I planted, Apollos (Paul’s co-worker) watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” The Bridge come alongside them to serve, guide, and help add to their resources as needed, with the goal that they will continue to gradually become fully self financed. Your donations helped lighten some of their burdens.
2018 IN REVIEW—THE HARVESTERS
The hostility and persecution against Christian believers keep increasing in the world. Some of our partners choose to live and minister openly, and have given us permission to share their testimonies and field reports in our publications. Others, for obvious security reasons, work more effectively clandestinely; therefore they are not mentioned in our official reports. If you sponsor one of them, please free to contact us, and we will provide you updates. Characteristic of all the Harvesters are their clarity of vision, personal sacrifices, courage, endurance, and hope; standing firmly in faith in the face of serious setbacks and apparent insurmountable problems.
ANDAMAN ISLANDS – VARUGHESE and his wife need prayer as they continue to care for the children in the two orphanages they manage, and various unreached indigenous peoples on the island, in spite of his struggle with severe diabetes, and her physical limitations after being in a serious car accident.
BOSNIA – ROBERT and SANDRINA had a fruitful year. A generous gift from one of our donors helped them finally complete the process of taking ownership of the Lighthouse facility, located in the Muslim section of Sarajevo. It provides living quarters for them, offices and space for Sandrina’s growing Pro-Life Woman Center, and a meeting hall for fellowship and ministry to children and teenagers. Another building was secured for their Rafael Church where they conduct Sunday services.
INDIA – Last year was tough for DAWA, an ethnic Tibetan and former Buddhist from Bhutan, his family and ministry, Himalayan Good News Networking Ministry. The Indian government is oppressing ethnic minority groups with other belief systems than Hinduism, which is being promoted as the only legitimate religion in India. This has also affected Dawa and his Christian ministry. However, he and his team continue to raise up pioneer evangelists, train leaders, and send church planters into some of the cities, as well as villages in the more remote Himalayan mountains between Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Tibet.
KALMYKIA – SARANG is a native from the Russian Federal Republic of Kalmykia, located between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. They are the only Buddhist people in the West. Sarang, who came to faith during the Soviet era through a brave American missionary, has been pioneering the Gospel in his homeland and among his countrymen who live in diaspora. Last year he visited Kalmyk communities in Mongolia and several villages in the remote mountainous regions of Xinjiang, located in the north western part of China, which is the home of the Muslim Uighur people. China is oppressing them in an effort to curb ethnic uprisings against their regime. It is believed that the Chinese have detained one million Uighurs in detention camps to control the province. Kalmyks living in the region are also among the minority ethnic groups oppressed by the Chinese. Sarang’s message of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus is a new, powerful message to his people. Sarang fell very ill while in Xinjiang, but is now restored to health.
KAZAKHSTAN – YERMEK’s ministry continues to expand among his people in Karaganda and beyond. It is apparent that the Lord is bringing him into a broader sphere of leadership throughout the many Kazakh fellowships in the country. Last year he was asked to preach at regional and national conferences in his area and in Almaty. He also had an opportunity to participate in a Central Asian church conference in Cyprus. His vision is to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands to help bring forth committed people of faith who find their identity in Christ through their own Kazakh language and culture.
KENYA – PAUL continued to teach, train, mentor, and disciple the Pastors of the Least , who live and minister hope among the poorest of the poor in the Kiberia slum on the outskirts of the capital city Nairobi. The pastors graduate each year from the Disciple Support Ministry’s school with the Word of God imbedded deep into their hearts and minds, as the program ensures that the Bible is studied line upon line. They are proof that the power of the Word of God transforms lives!
TAJIKISTAN – RUSTAM and ZAMIRA whose ministry are among children of Muslim and Gypsy families, moved from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to Dushanbe, Tajikistan with their two children to continue their evangelism, in spite of learning that the government had just made it unlawful to “proselytize” (meaning sharing the Gospel with) children, and also banned children from participating in religious activities. They cautiously continue to meet with families and children and share the love of Jesus with them. Rustam carries a burden of helping fathers build good, healthy relationships with their children.
TURKEY – SARGON who had for several years traveled from his home in Kazakhstan to minister to Turkish and Iranian believers in Turkey, finally moved permanently with his wife and two youngest children to Turkey. There, his ministry is flourishing and expanding. Sargon’s online Bible teaching course in Farsi kept progressing very well for the Iranians in Turkey. It also reaches believers inside Iran, also providing them access to learning the Word of God. Every quarter, he conducted Biblical leadership conferences for Iranians, and, in cooperation with a Korean church, established a part- time seminary of Biblical studies for future Iranian pastors. He also networked well with the Turkish communities of believers, and was often invited to come and minister in their churches.
SOUTH SUDAN – MATTHEW continued evangelizing among his people in the capital city of Juba, and adding to the flock of believers. He lead two congregations in the city, and was able to finish building a new church facility on his property, due to generous donors through The Bridge. It is necessary to be sheltered during the rainy season. He and a team of ten of his leaders traveled to Uganda to minister among the thousands of South Sudanese refugees congregating in the capital city of Kampala. Matthew is an evangelist at heart, and, as such, preached at a number of rallies in various contexts.
SOUTH SUDAN—WILLIAM and his team made an extraordinary effort to rebuild the mission center, the farm, and the radio and outreach compound near Nimule, after warring factions had destroyed so much. A donor helped toward the completion of the media center building, from which daily radio Gospel programs are beamed in many tribal languages across the region, reaching several hundred thousand people.
BLESSINGS to those of our HARVESTERS not mentioned here, and those of you who invested resources into their lives and ministries. Again—THANK YOU! R.K. Ulrich