Dear John & Doves,
 
Thanks for your prayers for these Christians.
 
Friday, March 11, 2005

INSURGENTS BACK DOWN ON THREATS TO GOSPEL FOR ASIA MINISTRY IN ASSAM, INDIA, AFTER "MUCH PRAYER"
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05030055.htm
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CARROLLTON, TEXAS (ANS) -- The leaders of the most powerful insurgent force in far-northeastern India had set yesterday, March 10, as the deadline to meet their extortion demand. They threatened to totally destroy the ministry of Gospel For Asia (GFA) in Assam if their demand was not met.

Immediately, hundreds of thousands of believers around the world -- possibly millions -- began to pray for the situation. They joined others in praying for the safety of GFA leaders, Bible colleges, churches, and believers in Assam. They also prayed that God would touch the hearts of those making these terrible demands.

"God has answered your prayers -- our prayers -- for the situation in Assam. But this news comes with the warning that the danger has not passed," said K.P.Yohannan, President of the Carrollton, Texas-based GFA ministry.

In an e-mail to ministry supporters, Yohannan said: "The official Hierarchy of this insurgent group -- one that has never backed down in the past and has enforced its demands in blood -- told our leaders in Assam that they were giving more time so they could 'study' our work and ministry among their people.

"Praise God! Everyone is safe for now. We don't know whether 'more time' is a few more days or perhaps a few weeks, but it is clear that God has intervened and touched their hearts in a favorable way for now."

Yohannan commented: "You and I know that the future is in God's powerful hands -- not in the hands of these men. So please continue to pray that He will protect our brothers and sisters in Assam, and that He will soften the hearts of these men even more -- to the extent that they will come to understand that God's work in Assam is for the good of all the people, including them."

He added: "I pray that God will open the hearts of these men to the message of salvation, and that they will turn from serving the god of this world to serving the God who died to save them. I also ask you to pray that God will keep His angels surrounding our people and our work in Assam.

"Thank you for praying with us."