March 2023

March 2023

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His anointed.”

Psalm 28:7-8

Beloved Ones,

The Psalmist reminds us that when we trust in the Lord our heart exults and is full of thanks. I thought of this verse recently because one of my daughters, Helen, plays old Gospel hymns for me when she comes over. We sing together, and it is such a joy to remember those old songs. I’m encouraged that the Psalmist goes on to say that our strength is in the Lord, and He is our saving defense. With God’s help, the ministry in India is continuing to grow.

The food kit program, which was launched during the Covid lockdowns, continues to be a blessing in many poor communities of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). In addition to providing much-needed food staples, it provides an opportunity to share the love of Christ with families who come from various religious backgrounds. This is especially true in U.P., where there is not a large Christian presence, and many people are asking for prayer and even attending prayer meetings for the first time. 

As you heard, Dayan and our IEM director, Reji Thomas, visited several villages in U.P. in January. In one village there was a pastor who expressed the need to build a small room for local believers to gather. In another village, IEM evangelist Robin and his wife are conducting Sunday School for the village children. However, there was a need for an enclosed shelter to protect the children from the elements. We are happy to report that IEM is able to help with these two needs, and we will update you as these projects are completed. Please pray for the church pastors in U.P., as that state is facing increased persecution from religious extremists.

In April, IEM will conduct another Leadership Training Institute program at our campus in Kerala. We hope to have 80-90 students from various walks of life attend the six-week program for intensive and practical Bible training. We have been encouraged that many LTI graduates have gone on to start Bible studies in their areas and been a blessing because of the training they received. We pray the incoming class will also be inspired by this training to be salt and light to their co-workers, family, and friends. Our Bible College students have completed their one-year training, and most are returning to North India to begin ministering in their own communities. Please pray that we will have a good batch of students for the next school year which starts in June.

Thank you for your continued prayers for me (G.V.). By God’s grace, I am doing well. It is a privilege to continue partnering with you to reach the people of India with the Gospel.

May God Bless You,

G.V. Mathai and Dayan Mathai