Busy, Busy, BLESSED!

Wow....it's been an incredibly busy, yet greatly blessed season! I know it's been waaaaay too long since I've updated you all, so bear with me as I go over the wonderful happenings of the past few months.

As you all must know, December is a crazy month in any country! On December 10th, we held an open-air Christmas meeting for about 250 ladies. More than 200 sets of new clothing were given to women and children from the slums and underprivileged homes as well as many cooking and kitchen items. The Shine Women's ministry here at Living God Church has been an immensely effective way to share the Gospel and love of Christ with many unreached ladies throughout the community.

Our Christmas service was amazing - since it was so jammed packed last year, we decided to host our morning service on the 25th in an outdoor location. Nearly 400 people joined us for an inspiring morning! We were planning to use the same outdoor location for our 10 pm New Years Service, but alas a wet and windy cyclone decided to blow by in the few days before the event. So back to the church we went, but gained valuable experience in setting up overflow areas for the huge crowd. Hundreds filled the church campus to encouraged by the 2012 Promise Verse:

I know that You can do everything,
      And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. (Job 42:2)

It was a whirlwind of a season, but truly fruitful and great crescendo to the year. With all our heart we thank each and everyone of you for walking with us in this journey through your prayer and support. We look forward to the amazing things that God has in store for 2012!

Carolling in the slums

'Kidsmas' Christmas outreach for kids

Christmas gifts for river slum children

2011 Kids & Teen Camps

Kids & Youth Camps 2011 from Christo & Sarah Emmanuel on Vimeo.

Kids Camp (May 6^th-12^th):

This year’s Kid’s Camp was an amazing step forward in our endeavor to reach the community.  With as many as 1000 children, the outdoor venue was packed with games, activities, and a stage area to facilitate the program. Kids from all over the community including many from the slums and the majority from unreached homes joined us for seven great days of dance, worship, drama, Gospel teachings and small group activities and crafts. It was a powerful event with many kids connected to the Church and others touched by for the first time with the message of Jesus Christ. 

Youth Camp (May 16^th– 9^th):


With over 130 teens from the slums and underprivileged home, this year's Teens Camp "Stand Strong" was a huge hit and a life-changing experience. A part from sport's activities, games, swimming and great fellowship, these young people had the opportunity to hear the Gospel and be challenged in their faith in Christ.

One such young man named Malar recently shared of how he was standing on the train tracks waiting to end his life.  Malar had attended the Youth Camp, but was facing insurmountable family problems and felt suicide was the only solution to his pain. As he stood on the tracks, he closed his eyes and waited for the oncoming train. However, having heard about Jesus at camp, he decided to pray one last time expressing his heart to Christ. Amazingly with the sound of the train blaring in his ears, Malar felt himself being lifted off the tracks and set aside as it roared by. He opened his eyes and realized that he had been miraculously protected - and there committed his life to Jesus. Malar now attends youth service regularly and is being discipled!

We just wanted to give a HUGE thanks to all of those who prayerfully and financially supported these outreaches! A special thanks to our wonderful friends from Summit Pacific Omega Team 2011 - we couldn't of done it without you!

   

For more photos check out our Facebook album!

  

Chosen Generation

Chosen 2011 from Christo & Sarah Emmanuel on Vimeo.

On January 26^th Living God Church hosted a one day Youth Rally called “Chosen” where 250 young people filled a small school ground to hear the life-changing message of Christ. A stirring message was shared by our brother and friend from Canada, Casey, challenging the crowd that they were chosen by Jesus to do greater things. Many youth gave their hearts to the Lord and committed themselves to turn from addictions and destructive lifestyles.

With great music, dance, on-stage debates, games and food, it was an exciting and inspirational day that brought many young people from the slums and unreached homes, as well as an opportunity to 'raise the bar' for our own young people. Praise God for the first of many amazing Youth Rallies!

Don't forget to check out the video at the top of the page!

Making a Way...

VOC Nagar is a tough place - as one among the largest slums in our community, there are more than 300 families living in abject poverty, violence and addiction. Many of the children and adults we reach live in this very area.

Youth, however, are a different story: they are both hardened by life in the slums as well as the disconcerting path through adolescence. They face addictions to alcohol and tobacco, homelessness,  having to drop out of school in order to work as well as many other hardships no young person should have to face. They have been a perplexing and hardened group to influence for the Gospel.

This year we have attempted a new - yet globally universal - approach to connect with the youth of our community: sports. Through weekly meetings, games and practices, the Living God Church Sport's Ministry is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing facets of the the Church's outreaches. Youth from the slums are pouring in to join in the ongoing opportunity to practice and compete in sports, and are consequently drawn to the youth meetings and outreaches within the Church.

Furthermore, the Church went a step further and sponsored 50 of these young people to attend a 2-day "History Makers" sports camp in November of this year. It was the first time they had ever been to camp - with a schedule coupled with both sports activities and services, the majority of the youth were dramatically impacted by the Gospel and accepted Christ as their Savior. They are now regularly attending the our Youth Service and cells within the slum.

Please continue to pray for these precious young people!