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Mood:
not sureTopic: BCM International
Often I am made painfully aware from either the Holy Spirit or my own conscience that I seem to focus a lot on Compassion International and not on my own mission BCM International. It's not that I don't want to promote BCM. It's just that BCM is small compared to Compassion and Compassion seems to have an endless array of videos and other things that are available to post and BCM has a limited budget and, therefore, not as many things are available to put on a blog. I am trying to remember to post more about BCM. It is a mission that Sarah and I truly love - otherwise, we wouldn't still be BCM missionaries after 13 years (boy, it just seems like yesterday ~ but I digress). When I saw this letter from BCM's president, Marty Windle, I knew it was something that I had to mention. Please read it and prayerfully consider what part you can play to help these missionaries in India.
Be a Miracle!
Posted on: 25 Aug 2010 at 9:59 am
Dear praying friends:
We've asked for prayer often for BCM's India field. Not because nothing is happening on other BCM ministry fields. Not even because India is BCM's largest field with a full third of our missionaries along with 1000s of volunteers, 17,000 churches, 400,000 children hearing God's Word weekly. But you've walked with us through crisis and persecution, especially in Orissa, beginning with the 2007 Christmas Day attacks, then 2008's full-out massacre of Christians and razing of churches and homes. You prayed and gave generously to BCM refugee camps that gave sanctuary to Orissa pastors and families. You rejoiced with us when the camps closed, and these precious ministry families gathered up scanty belongings and headed back into Orissa to boldly preach God's Word again. You prayed and grieved with us when Pastor Tuna Digal, the first to return, lost his precious five-year-old daughter this last month to a snake bite as she slept.
Now BCM India has been faced with a new crisis. Due to a sharp downturn in ministry giving, this field is having to discontinue salaries for 106 BCM pastors, of which one-third are such Orissa pastors as Tuna Digal. These are not pastors who can simply pick up a part-time local job. They are missionary-pastors serving mostly in hostile and extremely impoverished areas. While Orissa has been much in the news, many of these pastors in other provinces also face constant persecution and danger.
What grieves us most is that the cost is so small. $65 a month covers an entire BCM India pastor family. Less than $7000 a month is the budget for all 106 pastors. A slow US economy is the official reasoning for a drastic drop in giving, not just to BCM, but all global ministries. Yet in and out of the church we see no lack of funds for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July, and other holiday spending.
We believe better than this of the body of Christ and especially of you who are our ministry team. And so we want to offer this opportunity and challenge. Please be a miracle to a BCM India pastor! Consider as a family, Bible study group, SS class, or church, adopting a BCM India pastor. All we need is 106 pledges of $65 to guarantee these pastors' continued support. You can donate online for quick, secure giving. Please share this opportunity as well with family, friends, and churches.
Celebrating Christ's Body together,
Dr. Martin Windle
Updated: Tuesday, 7 September 2010 10:53 PM CDT
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