July 2024
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away;
behold, the new has come.“ II Corinthians 5:17
Dear Ones in Christ,
I arrived home safely from my recent trip to India in June. During the second half of my trip, I traveled to the northern state of Punjab, where there are many believers in the Sikh religion. The Sikh men are known for wearing turbans on their heads, and the culture is known for its great food and music.
In January, IEM began supporting a new pastor in Punjab’s capital city of Chandigarh. He is young and energetic and has started a church in a village area outside of the city. When we visited last month, he arranged a food kit program in a slum area where many construction laborers work and live. Some of these laborers have come to Christ and are attending his church. We were able to distribute food kits to these needy families and share God’s love with them.
The next day we participated in a baptism service at the local church, where four new believers were baptized. After the baptisms, we had a wonderful church service where I was able to share from II Corinthians 5:17 and how the new believers are beginning a new life because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please pray for these new believers as they grow in the Lord. While there, we also met with some pastors from the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh, and God willing, I will visit their churches in the future. It is exciting to see what the Lord is doing in various parts of India. There is much work to do, but the Lord is able!
God willing, our annual Workers’ Conference will be held in January 2025. Thank you for remembering these Christian workers in your prayers and supporting the work of IEM. May God bless you as we partner together to advance His Kingdom.
Yours in His Service,
Dayan Mathai