Testimonies of God Spread Rapidly Through Manipur
Greetings from your family and church members here in Imphal.
It is with joy that we write this email to you. Everything is going very well here and the college is running smoothly and our ministry in church planting and rural evangelism is going very well.
This morning, a pastor from Churachandpur came to us and told us that the Festival of Hope and Peace Crusade in Churachandpur and Imphal had a great impact to the whole state of Manipur. Many thousands of people accepted Jesus Christ in Churachandpur alone, and many hundreds of people were healed from different sicknesses. He kept telling us that our Crusade impressed thousands of Hindu people. Now, after the Crusade, it is easier to preach the gospel to the Hindus, because the crusade has become a forerunner and pioneer to many unreached tribes.
Earlier, the Hindu people strongly opposed the preaching of the Gospel. But after watching the Crusade on the television, and coming personally to the Crusade venue, they are now very much impressed with the word of God. Therefore, after our crusade, it has been much easier to witness to the Hindu people.
Last night, we visited a woman from Churachandpur in Imphal Hospital. The woman is the wife of one of our Crusade board members from Churachandpur. She had extreme pain in her head and the doctor said she needed an emergency operation. While we were in the hospital, a couple came to us and asked me whether I am Minthang Suantak? I immediately said, "yes, I am." Then the husband asked me, "where is Papa Joe?" I said, "in Australia." Then I asked him how he knew Papa Joe. The man asked me why did we not know this man of God who loves Manipur and cares for Manipur like his own family? We knew Papa Joe very much and we know his love for Manipur. He kept telling us that they wanted to meet Papa Joe so I told them that Papa will be here in January. Then I asked them where they are from. They were not tribal but Meitei so with great enthusiasm I asked them if they were Christians, they told me honestly that they are not yet Christians, but they were impressed with the love and work Papa Joe is doing in Manipur. They told me that they know many living testimonies about Papa Joe’s ministry from many years, from many people including people nearby his village.
The woman (wife) told me that this year one woman nearby her village, who was seriously sick in the hospital, was healed after Papa Joe’s prayer. The doctor lost hope and could not do anything for this woman, but after the prayer of Papa Joe, the women was healed. The woman said that this testimony has influenced many of her people in her area. Her husband is so positive about the work of God, through this testimony and also the many more testimonies which he has heard about Papa Joe. Now her husband is very close with the Gospel. After listening to his wife I immediately preached to this couple. They were so enthusiastic. We sat down in the corner of the hospital and both of them gave their lives to Christ.
Then I tried to find out who this particular woman was that you prayed for in the hospital. Then we knew, it was the woman that you prayed for in the hospital in September when one young lady came and persistently requested that you pray at the hospital after the Crusade. The couple told me that this testimony of the woman being healed has spread all over our area and many were greatly amazed as they saw the work of God practically.
When I was talking with this couple, many more Meitei people came to us and they listened to my sharing. Many of those Meitei people knew you (Papa Joe) very well. Many of them talked about you with joy. One particular gentlemen told me that though they are not Christians as yet, no one can tell about our future, we cannot say that we will not become Christians. If people keep seeing good things from the work it will be easy to influence people. In a couple of years we will have thousands of people who will follow the Lord. The man told me that many people (in terms of thousands) in his area are very much influenced by Papa Joe's ministry in Manipur. He told me that he fully believed that Papa Joe will draw many people into the Kingdom of God in the future. This particular gentlemen was also very interesting but he only had a few minutes. His friend pulled him out of the group that had gathered.
Today our bible college students and our boys worked in the new campus of our bible college, putting up fencing and cleaning. From today our youth will meet at P. Thianzawl village for a Youth Conference/Seminar till Monday. I will be joining them tomorrow and will be back on Monday. We expect 90 youths at this seminar. Please pray for this youth seminar. Khaiboi may leave this afternoon for the youth conference.
May the good Lord continue to bless you all, this is our earnest prayer for you all. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Bless you Papa. Shalom.
Your missionary brother,
Minthang Suantak.
It is with joy that we write this email to you. Everything is going very well here and the college is running smoothly and our ministry in church planting and rural evangelism is going very well.
This morning, a pastor from Churachandpur came to us and told us that the Festival of Hope and Peace Crusade in Churachandpur and Imphal had a great impact to the whole state of Manipur. Many thousands of people accepted Jesus Christ in Churachandpur alone, and many hundreds of people were healed from different sicknesses. He kept telling us that our Crusade impressed thousands of Hindu people. Now, after the Crusade, it is easier to preach the gospel to the Hindus, because the crusade has become a forerunner and pioneer to many unreached tribes.
Earlier, the Hindu people strongly opposed the preaching of the Gospel. But after watching the Crusade on the television, and coming personally to the Crusade venue, they are now very much impressed with the word of God. Therefore, after our crusade, it has been much easier to witness to the Hindu people.
Last night, we visited a woman from Churachandpur in Imphal Hospital. The woman is the wife of one of our Crusade board members from Churachandpur. She had extreme pain in her head and the doctor said she needed an emergency operation. While we were in the hospital, a couple came to us and asked me whether I am Minthang Suantak? I immediately said, "yes, I am." Then the husband asked me, "where is Papa Joe?" I said, "in Australia." Then I asked him how he knew Papa Joe. The man asked me why did we not know this man of God who loves Manipur and cares for Manipur like his own family? We knew Papa Joe very much and we know his love for Manipur. He kept telling us that they wanted to meet Papa Joe so I told them that Papa will be here in January. Then I asked them where they are from. They were not tribal but Meitei so with great enthusiasm I asked them if they were Christians, they told me honestly that they are not yet Christians, but they were impressed with the love and work Papa Joe is doing in Manipur. They told me that they know many living testimonies about Papa Joe’s ministry from many years, from many people including people nearby his village.
The woman (wife) told me that this year one woman nearby her village, who was seriously sick in the hospital, was healed after Papa Joe’s prayer. The doctor lost hope and could not do anything for this woman, but after the prayer of Papa Joe, the women was healed. The woman said that this testimony has influenced many of her people in her area. Her husband is so positive about the work of God, through this testimony and also the many more testimonies which he has heard about Papa Joe. Now her husband is very close with the Gospel. After listening to his wife I immediately preached to this couple. They were so enthusiastic. We sat down in the corner of the hospital and both of them gave their lives to Christ.
Then I tried to find out who this particular woman was that you prayed for in the hospital. Then we knew, it was the woman that you prayed for in the hospital in September when one young lady came and persistently requested that you pray at the hospital after the Crusade. The couple told me that this testimony of the woman being healed has spread all over our area and many were greatly amazed as they saw the work of God practically.
When I was talking with this couple, many more Meitei people came to us and they listened to my sharing. Many of those Meitei people knew you (Papa Joe) very well. Many of them talked about you with joy. One particular gentlemen told me that though they are not Christians as yet, no one can tell about our future, we cannot say that we will not become Christians. If people keep seeing good things from the work it will be easy to influence people. In a couple of years we will have thousands of people who will follow the Lord. The man told me that many people (in terms of thousands) in his area are very much influenced by Papa Joe's ministry in Manipur. He told me that he fully believed that Papa Joe will draw many people into the Kingdom of God in the future. This particular gentlemen was also very interesting but he only had a few minutes. His friend pulled him out of the group that had gathered.
Today our bible college students and our boys worked in the new campus of our bible college, putting up fencing and cleaning. From today our youth will meet at P. Thianzawl village for a Youth Conference/Seminar till Monday. I will be joining them tomorrow and will be back on Monday. We expect 90 youths at this seminar. Please pray for this youth seminar. Khaiboi may leave this afternoon for the youth conference.
May the good Lord continue to bless you all, this is our earnest prayer for you all. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Bless you Papa. Shalom.
Your missionary brother,
Minthang Suantak.