December 2009

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANKYOU

Shutterstock: Kurhan

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Eric Leach

THANK YOU

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

THANKS TO GOD

THANKS TO YOU

For being such a faithful servant of the Lord in your prayer and the gifts you have given so freely for the work of God here at Every Home for Christ throughout 2009 and know everything you have given is known to Him.

It is as Jesus said “whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water….he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

Thank you so much for all you have given so lovingly and generously throughout 2009.

Isaiah 9:6

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E very new generation of believers inherits the challenge to continue taking the

Gospel to the ends of the earth until the Lord’s return. Christ’s command is still as clear today as it was when He first gave it 2,000 years ago: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, nasb).

The great missionary sending efforts of the 19th and early 20th century opened vast mission fields, leading millions to Christ and building solid foundations for further advancement. Following the Second World War, Christians regrouped and launched a variety of ministries and missionary endeavours aimed at global evangelism. Every Home for Christ began as a radio ministry in 1946. A young Canadian pastor named Jack McAlister started mobilising Christians to help provide critically needed gospel booklets, Bible-study lessons, Bibles and other materials for a variety of ministry

63 Years of Global Harvest1946 - 2009

outreaches around the world. In 1953, EHC entered a new phase of ministry, guided by a plan to organise, train and equip believers from local churches to systematically distribute gospel booklets to every home in any given nation. The new Every Home Campaign strategy was put to the test in Japan that same year. The campaign in Japan was a success, drawing thousands to Christ. EHC also established a relationship with local churches that has spanned 56 years and helped Japanese believers generate nearly 400,000 responses to the Gospel. Using the gospel outreach in Japan as a model, the scope of the Every Home Campaign was expanded to include a growing list of nations. To date, Every Home Campaigns have been coordinated in 205 countries, leading to the distribution of 2.7 billion gospel booklets that have generated 74,212,727 responses. EHC workers have also established 130,467 home fellowships called Christ Groups, often in remote regions where there had never been an evangelical church before. Over the last 63 years, God has blessed EHC’s efforts with amazing kingdom harvests.

74 million people responding to know Christ or know more

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Close your eyes and picture this…

You are a farmer living in Malawi, Africa, with 5 children of your own and 4 orphans from your brother who recently died of Aids, totalling 9 in your home. You were responsible for 11 children, but one died of malaria, another of malnutrition.

You are struggling to put food on the table, the rains are late, and the ground is too dry for planting. You want to provide food for your family, and others in the village who go to bed hungry each night but you don’t know how to. Your only skill is farming; in fact you can’t even read or write, so there is no chance of finding another job, even if they did exist in your village.

Your children cry for want of food, your wife weak from hunger. You notice a few of the children have enlarged bellies, perhaps from malnutrition, or maybe worms, two common problems in the area.

You go to bed – the floor of your one-room hut with a silent prayer to an unknown God, ‘Please…whoever you are…help me feed my family; they are weak from hunger, sick from malnutrition, vulnerable to disease; I have no-one to turn you except you – a God whose name I don’t know.”

The next morning you awake early feeling hopeless and unable to sleep. You go to the fields discouraged but deep down a little hopeful just in case a miracle has occurred.

It has.

A local Every Home for Christ (EHC) worker comes to you and in your own language tells you they can help your situation; that people that live in a place called Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom have offered to send money so you, and others in your village like you can receive training in modern farming, receive inputs such as watering cans, hoes, ploughs, seeds, fertilizers, and where needed irrigation systems to help you water your fields.

The EHC worker says you will see him a lot as he will be managing the project and has met with the village elders of your village. You have been selected amongst the poorest of the poor that will receive help from this project if you want it. You will be able to continue working on your own land, but with the additional help of equipment and training. The skills you learn will mean you will not be reliant on anyone – you will be self-sufficient, and have the ability to train others also.

You walk away amazed. Looking at the sky, you shake your head and sigh gratefully to this unknown God for hearing your cry of mercy. Again hope has arrived at your door.

Perhaps one day, you will find out who this unknown God is also…what his name is and why he helped you – a poor forgotten subsistence farmer in the middle of Africa. Maybe the Every Home for Christ workers will help you find him also… just maybe…

Katherine FranksOverseas Projects Manager

A Christmas in Africa

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The miracle happened! The Every Home for Christ workers went to Malawi and Zambia in Africa and taught the people how to grow maize - now they have a truly “Happy Christmas”. Thank you for your gifts for the Africa Famine on the gift slip. Photos Kristy-Lee Simmons

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The Amazing

$10 Christmas Gift

That Will Save a Life

Photo: Westmedia 2009

Last month we sent you the brochure…

The Amazing $10 Christmas Gift that will save a life.

With a special emphasis for Christmas.

Now because it was a little late and the DVDs were not ready for the last mailing we have included a DVD with this mail.

While we are emphasising the “Christmas Gift idea”, these DVDs and the brochures don’t necessarily need to be used before Christmas. They can be used next year and when you distribute the brochures to your church, school, university or work place you can tell them it is a late Christmas present.

You can request extra brochures, DVDs or videos for your church home groups, youth fellowship or any other group in your church and you can request the DVD/video and brochures for your school, work place or university. See enclosed reply slip.

It will be great if you can do it before Christmas but if not remember there’s next year 2010 too.

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The Republic of Armenia is a tiny land with some 4 million people with Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran on its front door.

Only at rare points in its 2,500-year history has Armenia been independent. This country has been a victim of its location as a strategic buffer between the Byzantine/Turkish, Russian/USSR and Persian empires.

Religious freedom followed the collapse of communism, but the intimate link between government and the Armenian (Catholic) Apostolic Church during the mid-90s eroded that freedom with discriminatory legislation against minority religious groups and some persecution.

The 1,700 years of Armenia as a Christian nation, the world’s first, was celebrated in 2001.

The impact of 70 years of Marxism and a century of severe persecution of Armenians have left deep moral and social wounds. Pain, anger, bitterness and vengefulness need to be cleansed in the blood of Jesus.

The whole education system requires transformation and the restoration of Christian values.

The Armenian (Catholic) Apostolic Church has

long been a cultural refuge in many times of persecution but the old liturgy is not in modern language so is less appropriate for ordinary people.

Nevertheless there is an evangelical arm of the traditional Apostolic Church known as the Armenian Church Loving Brotherhood which

To Every Home in Armenia

Photos: iStockphoto - Claudiad

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suffered much in past centuries under communism.

Nevertheless, in this land that has its roots in Christianity, there is a great moral dilemma.

Armenia also needs peace and good relations with surrounding nations for survival and economic reconstruction. Centuries of bitter conflict, opposition and massacres have left a legacy of hatred and mistrust of these nations.

In 1915 the Turks massacred 1.5 million Armenians because they were Christians and remember, all these years later the population of Armenia is only 4 million. So 1.5 million massacres in 1915 was gigantic.

Nevertheless Christians in Armenia under Samvel Minasyan, the Every Home for Christ director, are ready to visit every home in Armenia to give a clear explanation of the gospel to many who know nothing and to others who go to church but have never truly known Christ.

Home-to-home evangelism with a personal touch is driving EHC’s summer campaign in Armenia, where 25,000 families are receiving gospel booklets, along with invitations to attend

Please, pray for Armenia. May God help EHC

to reach Every Home for Christ in my county.

Jesus Christ must be the Lord of Armenia!

Christian concerts and join interactive seminars on family, friendship, marriage, and relationships.

“Armenian people like live contact and active fellowship,” said EHC Director Samvel Minasyan. “When we organize these kinds of events, we are not only reaching them with gospel literature, but we are creating opportunities to reach them through personal fellowship and

warm hearts.”

Nationwide, the Every Home Campaign in Armenia has resulted in 31,000 people receiving Christ or wanting to know more and the formation of 22 Christ Group fellowships. Pray that many people will be drawn to the Christ-centered events and accept the invitation to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Samvel MinasyanExecutive DirectorArmenia Every Home for Christ

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T he Czech Republic emerged from the

collapse of the Soviet Union and the peace-ful division of Czechoslovakia. Sadly, the country’s Marxist past created a spiritu-al void that has been a barrier to the spread of the Gospel for the last two decades.

CZECH REPUBLIC“There Are People

Searching for God.”

mail or e-mail,” said National Director Vladimir Ksikal. “ There are people who are searching for God, Jesus and a new life,

take the Gospel to 11,000 families in the capital city of Prague. “We praise God for all the responses coming to the EHC office by

Every Home for Christ has mobilized local churches to share the Gospel home to home in the Czech Republic since 1991, resulting in more than 30,300 people receiving Christ or wanting to know more. Believers recently joined EHC to help

even in our atheistic country. We are glad that we can help them take the first steps through our Bible correspondence course and pastoral correspondence.” EHC also participated in the ProChrist2009 outreach. Across Europe, more than a million people visited local churches to hear the Gospel preached via satellite and participate in local activities. “Many people accepted Christ immediately at the end of the sessions, or showed interest to know more

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government in 1991. Now, all the buildings have been renovated and hundreds of inexpensive apartments are available for people who want to live close to the capital city of Prague. There is no church in this town, so we took the first steps to introduce the Christian faith to the local people.” Nearly half the nation’s 10.2 million people have no religious faith. EHC work will continue until every family in every home receives

“Praise God for the provision and strength for

our EHC Czech team!”

Christ’s offer of salvation. “Praise God for the provision and strength He gives to our EHC Czech team,” Vladimir said. “Praise

about Jesus,” Vladimir said. During the sumer, EHC coordinated an international distribution camp. Young believers from Switzerland and the Czech Republic gathered in the city of Carlsbad to distribute gospel literature to 25,000 homes. Another outreach was also launched in Milovice. “The town of Milovice is a very special place,” Vladimir said. “It was a former Soviet army base, given back to the Czech

God for the freedom in our country and for the vast possibilities to serve the people in the Czech Republic.”

Every Home for Christ Australia: PO Box 168 Penshurst NSW 2222 Telephone: (02) 9570 8211 Facsimile: (02) 9570 4738

New Zealand: PO Box 31-260 Milford North Shore City 0741 Telephone: Free call 0800 900 200 Facsimile: 0061 2 9570 4738www.everyhome.org.au ehc@everyhome.org.au

December, 2009Bible Readings: This month the daily text will be taken from Amos to Zechariah.

For those wanting to do the one-year Bible reading programme these chapters are in brackets.PRAY FOR THE

PEACE OF

JERUSALEM

PSALM 122:6

AND THE

WORLD.

1 AFRICA MOSQUITO NET CHRISTMAS APPEAL. Please pray many lives will be saved. Pray churches who have already planned for

Christmas will have a “late” Christmas appeal in the new year. Amos 7 (Luke 24)

2 UNITED KINGDOM Pop – 61,400,000. The United Kingdom and staff are undergoing changes. Please pray the right people will be

appointed. The UK Every Home for Christ has great potential in God’s plan for the evangelisation of the world. Amos 8 (John 1:1-18)

3 SIERRA LEONE – Pop 5,900,000 Map 43. Pray for divine protection over EHC’s National Director Michael French and his family. As

God has been using Michael in the work of the ministry, the enemy has lashed back as there was an attempt to burn his house and an attempt to poison his 20 year old daughter. Amos 9 (John 1:1o to 4:54)

4 NEPAL – Pop 28,500,000 Map 132. The Mobile Training Centre video project has four pioneer missionaries who are teaching in four different

districts. Pray for God’s protection over the workers and that they would complete their goal of distributing 800,000 gospel booklets partnering with local churches and mission agencies. Obadiah (John 5-6)

5 BRAZIL – Pop 194,100,000 Map 217. Praise God that EHC workers have almost completed construction on a ministry ambulance boat

that will operate in the Amazon Basin. This boat will be equipped with an infirmary for medical and dental care. Pray for other boats in the process of being built. Jonah 1 (John 7:1 to 11:53

6 GHANA – Pop 23,000,000 Map 38. EHC workers in conjunction with a church in Dansoman are doing a home-to-home evangelism

outreach every Saturday. Pray that many would come to know the Lord through this effort. To date, over 4.5 million homes have been reached in Ghana. Jonah 2 (John 11:54 to 17:26

7 ARMENIA – Pop 3,000,000 – Map 103. Pray for hundreds of villages in the rural Lori province that are unreached. Additionally, volunteers

from Syunik province ask for prayer for their safety that they could continue their ministry under the new changes in the Armenian law regarding anti-proselytizing. Jonah 3 (John 18:1 to 20:31

8 GERMANY – Pop 81,900,000 Map 82. This year Germans celebrated the birth of Charles Darwin. EHC has printed and is distributing

80,000 gospel booklets titled “Life Navigation” written by a well-known Christian scientist named Werner Gitt. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would use this

booklet to bring many to Christ. Jonah 4 (John 21)

9 MALAWI – Pop 14,000,000 Map 15. EHC Malawi is receiving powerful testimonies from all over the country describing how they are helped

with gospel literature. Praise God for the transforming power of the written word and pray that many would come to know the Lord. To date, more than three million pieces of literature have been shared. Micah 1 (Acts 1-2)

10 URUGUAY – Pop 3,300,000 Map 223. During September, October and November 120,000 homes have been targeted where

the Gospel will be shared. Pray for Pastor Roberto Carbajal who coordinates teams of young people to carry out home-to-home outreaches in many cities in Uruguay. Micah 2 (Acts 3:1 to 8:3)

11 ANGOLA – Pop 17,500,000 Map 13. In the town of Muxinda a group of 46 leaders received training in the use of The Heart of

Man materials which included outreaches into local neighbourhoods. Praise God for the 176 people who received Jesus. Pray that these leaders and those trained would continue to be bold in their witness. Micah 3 (Acts 8:4 to 11:18)

12 CZECH REPUBLIC – Pop 10,200,000 Map 81. Pray for the new opportunities to introduce the EHC work in the Czech

Republic to individual Christians and to church groups. Praise God for the successful home-to-home campaign in Karlovy Vary. More than 13,000 families were reached with the Gospel through this outreach. Micah 4 (Acts 11:19 to 12:25)

13 FIJI – Pop 900,000 Map 149. Due to the current political and economic conditions affecting the nation, EHC Fiji has mobilised

a prayer network. Micah 5 (Acts 13-14)

14 LIBERIA – Pop 3,900,000 Map 41. Pray for the success of outreaches to be conducted in Nimba County. The objective is to reach

80,000 Mandingoes (people group) with gospel literature. The Heart of Man and the Jesus Film are being presented in the evenings. Pray for spiritual growth for those who accept the Lord. Micah 6 (James 1:1 to 3:13)

15 MYANMAR – Pop 48,800,000 Map 134. Praise the Lord that the team completed the Train & Multiply sessions in Demor-soe

with 150 persons attending. Pray for these newly trained pioneer missionaries that they will boldly proclaim the Gospel in their home regions. To date, more than 7.1 million homes have been reached. Micah 7 (James 3:13 to 5:20)

16 BELGIUM – 10,300,000 Map 86. A plan is underway for an outreach project in Brussels. Pray that God would encourage

and refresh the hearts of workers involved in the Limburg Project. Pray that many will come to know Christ through the March for Jesus event in Antwerp. Nahum 1 (Acts 15)

17 NAMIBIA – Pop 2,100,000 Map 11. More than 60 pastors and leaders representing 15 different churches were trained in

using The Heart of Man materials. They were provided with literature, living gospel balls, joy beads and gospel booklets. Pray for great anointing upon these workers as they visit schools, hospitals, prisons and homes. Nahum 2 (Galatians 1-2)

18 PHILIPPINES – Pop 87,500,000 Map 168. Pray for the pastors and church workers participating in the feeding programs

that are part of EHC’s Operation Jericho special outreach ministry. Along with the food distribution program, the Gospel is presented with boldness using gospel bracelets given to the children. Nahum 3 (Galatians 3-4)

19 MADAGASCAR – Pop 17,800,000 Map 4. Praise the Lord for all the testimonies coming in from different towns as lives

are being changed forever. Pray that the Lord will provide all the funds and gospel tools needed for EHC to go into other areas as He enlarges the territory of EHC’s ministry. Habakkuk 1 (Galatians 5-6)

20 CHILE – Pop 16,700,000 Map 219. Pray for the outreaches taking place in Copiapo where 44,000 homes are being

visited with the Gospel. Pray for the youth in the Santiago area where acts of violence have escalated. Pray that many will come to know the Lord. Habakkuk 2 (Acts 16)

21 ZIMBABWE – Pop 13,300,000 Map 9. Pray for the ongoing Mobile Training Centre program in Kamativi and Beatrice.

Praise God for the progress of EHC’s Literature Blitz project. A recent month saw more than 6,000 pieces of literature shared in people’s homes with many lives being changed. Habakkuk 3 (Philemon 1)

22 ROMANIA – Pop 21,100,000 Map 77. Praise the Lord for the people who continue to respond to the message.

Pray for EHC leaders as they prayerfully consider ways to extend EHC’s outreach into the neighbouring nation of Moldova. Zephaniah 1 (Philemon 2)

23 BURUNDI - Pop 8,900,000 Map 18. Pray for God’s provision for EHC workers in regard to transportation needs.

Motorcycles for the focus leaders would greatly increase the effectiveness of these workers as they give leadership to the outreaches and discipleship ministry in their areas of responsibility. Zephaniah 2 (Philemon 3)

24 MONGOLIA – Pop 2,600,000 Map 174. Praise the Lord for 256 decisions for Christ in a recent month. Pray for the

nomadic people as they are going to be increasingly busy preparing for a long and harsh winter ahead. Pray for local churches’ efforts to help new Christians maintain their new faith. Zephaniah 3 (Philemon 4)

25 CHRISTMAS DAY! Thank God for His love to us in sending His son who came because he loves us. Our eternal tomorrow

depended on His coming. Thank God for the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Haggai (Acts 17:1-10)

26 SOUTH AFRICA – Pop 46,600,000 Map 1. Pray for Fanie smit who extended a loving hand to patients at the local provincial

hospital during a recent month. As he prayed for them, 18 people committed their lives to the Lord. Fanie also went home-to-home and reported 31 people accepted Christ. Zechariah 1 (1 Thessalonians 1-3)

27 THAILAND – Pop 65,000,000 Map 135. EHC’s home-to-home gospel distribution efforts in three main provinces in the

north are being effectively carried out. Pray that the distributions can be finished within a year and that many will come to a personal relationship with the Lord and be connected to a local church. Zechariah 2 (1 Thessalonians 4-5)

28 SWAZILAND – Pop 1,100,000 Map 3. Pray for outreach campaigns in the three universities of Swaziland. EHC is trusting

the Lord to enable the workers to reach 4,000 students with the Gospel this academic year and to provide careful follow up. Praise the Lord for the successful summer outreaches where many came to know the Lord. Zechariah 3 (2 Thessalonians 1-3)

29 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA – Pop 3,900,000 Map 69. Pray for the Spirit of God to open doors in this nation. Pray that Christians

will have a greater desire to share the gospel in their neighbourhoods. The town of Nevesinje has heard the message and workers are waiting for the spiritual fruit to come. Zechariah 4 (Acts 17:11 to 18:11)

30 UGANDA – Pop 30,800,000 Map 26. The work is expanding more and more. Pray as EHC workers build new relationships

with other churches and ministries that the focus would remain on Jesus Christ and not individual ministries. Pray for wisdom and direction for EHC Uganda’s ongoing projects. Zechariah 5 (1 Corinthians 1-4)

31 RWANDA – Pop 9,900,000 Map 17. Transportation needs continue to be a matter for prayer. Bicycles and motor

bikes would greatly improve the effectiveness of pioneer missionares’ ministries. Praise the Lord for the new Christ Groups planted this past summer – an outcome from the special efforts. Zechariah 6 (1 Corinthians 5-7)