NOTE: These summaries from the leaders of ARM's foreign branch ministries are intended to encourage the reader and stimulate prayer. Note the "Quick Link" menu to the left; it will aid in navigating DIRECTLY to the article(s) you choose. Feel free to be a selective reader; should you have interest in only one or two of these reports, you can easily select those reports from the "Quick Link" menu. If you want a printable "plain text" version, just reply and tell us! Also, you can find archives of ARM's worldwide branch ministries at

www.arm.org/Branch%20Ministries.htm

In His Service,
Rod Farthing, National Development Director

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ARM's Branch Minister in Thailand is Boonlerd Chompukeeree

Joe Garman just returned from Thailand. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Joe spent time with Boonlerd. Here is a part of Joe's report:

• We now have 23 girls at the Daughters of Ruth Home and two more will be coming soon.
  
• God, through His people, is providing the operating expenses required to care daily for the girls.
  
• Many responded to the Christmas Star offering, but we are still far short of funds to build the dorm.
  
• Boonlerd and his family continue to be committed to the prison work and caring for the girls.
  
• God has shown us that serving Him by serving others a day at a time brings eternal rewards.
  
  Gifts of any size may be sent to
  
  ARM-DOR, 3127 Hwy K, Salem, MO 65560.

IMPORTANT NOTE: With the wonderful growth of the work at Rapha and the development of their own web site and email network, we will no longer have a full Rapha Report in the ARM Branch Report. RAPHA CONTINUES TO NEED YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT!

We encourage all of you to write to Stephanie Freed (sfreed@arm.org) -- USA Director of Rapha House, or Kerry Decker (raphahouse@pacbell.net) Dir. of the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, and request to receive email or postal updates. You may also go to www.raphahouse.org

Here's a note from Stephanie:

 

Recently, I received these written words from one of our Rapha girls. I had to pass them along to you because they don’t belong to me. They belong to every Rapha House partner.

“Stephanie, I never realized how special God is and how much He really loves us. God has shown me that I can do this and I will live for Him and I will be just fine. I am going to make it Stephanie! I really am and I just want to thank you for giving me love. I am now a child of God. I love you so much. Thank You!"

Tears came to my eyes as I read the words, “I am going to make it.” So many girls who are rescued from sexual exploitation don’t make it. They end up back in prostitution for many reasons- mainly because they are never able to find self worth. But this young woman, like so many other Rapha girls, is finding her self worth in the Lord! That is the difference dear friends and partners. Together, we are taking the love of God to these girls, and making life changing differences. Thank you so much!

Pray for our girls. The words, “God has shown me that I can do this…” are so telling. It is difficult for these girls. They live in a culture which has thrown them away. Many believe the lies of the enemy and just give up.

Gifts of any size may be sent to

ARM-Rapha, 3127 Hwy K, Salem, MO 65560.

God is faithful, cares and protects us always. This has been our experience in the ministry. I’ve known the cases of three Christian families who one of its members have been kidnapped and tortured. This has happened in 2009 only. These families have paid big amounts of Money to get their relatives back. I praise God for His protecting hand over my family and me. He has maintained us serving Him in this ministry! Now, let me share with you a brief report of our ministry in 2008:

 

* We are teaching the Word of God in 98 jails, where we have 16,822 inmates studying. Due to the real rehabilitation process the Word of God has caused, 326 inmates were put free for their good behavior.

 

* A great result from our Bible Lessons inside jails is that the Director from the Military Prison 1 donated us a piece of property inside this jail to build a chapel. This is the first time this happens. Can you imagine a small church building inside a jail! Praise God for this! Our students in this jail started the building process right away! It is sad that we are not allowed to take pictures to send you. I am so encouraged by this, as I can see God’s wonderful and powerful hand in all happening inside this jail! Our God does work in marvelous ways! During 2008 we:

 

* Registered 32,145 new students in our Bible Correspondence Courses,

 

* Distributed and handed out 78,600 Bible tracts,

 

* Broadcasted 104 hours of God’s Word on radio,

 

* Sent 3,128 Bibles to people who did not have one yet,

 

* Reached 15 universities, both public and private education, with our Bible lessons,

 

* Saw 1,196 of our students graduate from the first series (10) of Bible lessons,

 

* Had 397 students graduate from our advanced (36 lessons) courses,

 

* Counseled 876 people who needed spiritual and psychological help, plus served our fellow pastors and ministers with different problems they were facing.

 

* Planted 7 new Churches,

 

* Sent, through the snail mail, around 3,600 packages with our lessons, which represented a cost of $3,240.00 dollars in postage a month.

 

During the last quarter of 2008, our work load increased a lot. Besides, I had to treat three young people suffering from schizophrenia. All these activities were a great burden on all of us working at the office. I treated many ministers and gave counseling to pastors and church leaders. I preached at the dedication of two new Church buildings. I visited areas with flooded situations and helped distribute goods. Plus all this, we had many activities in the Church due to the end of the year. So, I got very sick during the last week in December. I felt so weak, no matter the medicine and vitamins in my treatment. But, I recovered just fine after all!

 

The good news to start the year was that the two men suffering from schizophrenia were completely healed. True feeding on the Word of God changes people and produces healing. This was the case of these two men. They are in between 20 and 26 years old. I attacked the problem by asking their close relatives and some of our advanced students to pray for them. Reading the Word, fasting and praying did the work. All these people who helped in this regard received, from me, the Bible texts to read in their daily devotionals and fasting and prayers. Please help me pray, fervently, for the following:

 

* That God provides the needed resources to continue ministering to others through this ministry (postage expenses, Xerox machine, printing of our lessons and courses, Bibles, paper, a suitable place for our office, and so on).

 

* A mile from our office, a group of our Bible Students started meeting in a loaned gym. However, they grew up to 300 people and need a bigger place, plus the gym owner is asking them to leave his facilities. Please pray for a place where they can meet. Our idea is to see if we could buy a bigger place for them and for our office. Please help me pray for this need!

 

* Pray for wisdom for me. Due to the 93 churches we have planted in our ministry, I need to take decisions in this regard (appoint church leaders, train church leaders, solve problems among the brethren, and so on). I need God’s guidance in His huge Field!

 

* Pray for some churches in the States of Hidalgo, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero. They are going through persecution. Some of the hardships our brethren are facing are that, when they become Christians, they cannot keep their properties, their children cannot get an education, they are pressure to contribute with money for the town pagan festivities, their meeting places and churches are destroyed, and so on. I am so grateful to you for your contribution and ministering through us in Mexico. The Kingdom of God is indeed growing fast nowadays!

With great gratitude in the name of our Lord Jesus, Alfredo José Aparicio

Report from Ernesto Alocelja

 

I. Baptism: 12

 

II. Confessions awaiting baptism:36

 

III. On January 28; during Ernesto's Challenge at Evangelistic night held in Santiago Gym, Caraga, 35 Church leaders came forward to commit themselves to help the evangelization in Davao Oriental Province and assists Jail Ministries in this area.

 

IV. Rogelio Vasquez (pictured below) a detention prisoner at Sarangani Provincial Jail for almost 5 years charged Heinous Crime was released in Jail. He was baptized by the ARM team inside and start to reform his life and very active in every spiritual activities inside. These things and his total reformation frees him in prison bar. One day after his released he got a job. He tried to search my house and the church and worship with us during evening worship. He is very happy and thankful to ARM Prison Ministries in Mindanao Philippines as instrument that brought him to the Lord.

 

VI. Assistance Delivered; 1. Aluminum Crutches given to Bro. Telesforo Trino of Tacul Church of Christ.

 

VII. Meeting Attended; 1. Meeting held at Tacul to revive the Davao del Sur Provincial Convention.

 

VIII. Services Conducted; 1. Thanksgiving Service for Lowella Palomo 25th Birthday. 2. Thanksgiving Service for Children in Pigcawayan Church.

 

IX. Tracts and Bibles Distributed; 1. 10 boxes of Large Print Bibles given to Santiago Leadership Seminar. 2. 1 box LP Bibles given to PLDT Worker.

 

X. Gifts Given; 1. Ceramics Flower vase given to Lowella 25th Birthday. 2. 3 used t-shirts, 1 Kurdoroy pants, Maong Print given to Alex Limutin at BJMP-Digos City.

 

XI. Gifts Received; 1. Planner 2009 and work calendar from Hirmie T. Cobrado

 

XII. Snacks given to; 1. 199 pcs. Quickchow given to BJMP-Digos City inmates donated by: Dr. Elfred Batalla 2. 180 packs suman malagkit given to BJMP-Digos City inmates donated by Tacul Church of Christ. 3. 30 packs suman, 3 liters Coke for the guards.

 

XIII.- 54 pcs. used clothes given to BJMP-Digos City males inmates donated by: MCFCS Students. - 6 pcs. Lanot Silhig, 1 Tukog Silhig, given to BMP-Digos City female inmates donated by: Mrs. Beth M. Alocelja

 

XIV. Mass Evangelism conducted by: MCFCS students lead by Ulyses Bedia 3rd year in Seminary Former Detainee at Malita District Jail. XV. Mr. and Mrs. Ernesto Alocelja attack by Hypertension blood pressure: Ernesto ------ 200 / 100 Elizabeth ---- 160 / 110 but now back to normal to continue God's will and purpose in Jails and Prisons.

 

"To God be the Glory"

Rod,  Thanks for the message and we will continue to pray for these girls.....I know we should also pray for their persecutors but that is much more difficult isn't it?  Again thanks to ARM/Rapha House/Daughters of Ruth for all you do for these young women.....we who have so much need to share with those who have nothing .....Thanks,   KC/DC

1. IMMERSIONS. This month I immersed one of the members of the ruling board
of the Krasnodar Territory branch of the newly organized party "The Right
Case".

2. PRISONS. The ministers of DOM ARM had in January 14 visits to different
prisons and camps in Krasnodar Territory and Crimea (Ukraine).

The hunger strike took place in the prison camp in Tovarkovo village of
Kaluga area (1 500 km North from Krasnodar) after two convicts had been
killed by the guards.

The supporter of the former orthodox bishop Diomid (this bishop anathemated
the Moscow Patriarchate and the Patriarchate expelled him from his
bishopric), named A. Mozzhegorov, in the Armavir town of Krasnodar Territory
(150 km North-East from Krasnodar) was arrested and on 14.01.2009 was
convicted for 4 months of the prison camp.

3. MOSLEMS. Pastor Dr. G. Leiser (Karlsruhe, Germany) sent to me a parcel
with the new copies of the Christian literature in Kurdish language, even in
the Kurmanc (Curmanj) dialect, including very pretty wall calendars with the
Bible quotations in Kurdish. He also sent the addresses of the Kurdish Bible
society in Germany. All these books, etc., were accepted with thanks by the
Curmanj sheikh Hasan-haji Gurji-ogly.

4. MISSION  TRIPS. The DOM ARM ministers visited in January the city of
Novorossiysk (the biggest Russian port at the Black Sea coast, 150 km
South - South-West from Krasnodar; Max Goins, during his being in Krasnodar
Territory also was in that city, accompanied by me); the town of Tikhoretsk
(100 km North from Krasnodar) and some villages of the mountainous
Apsheronsk district (150 km East - South-East from Krasnodar).

5. MEDITATIONS. I suggested to the public figures of Russia to have the new
slogan: "We must build the Russia with the human face". The realization of
this slogan can be achieved on the basis of the Religious Freedoms, on the
principle of the Freedom of Faith and on the Biblical commandment: "Comfort
ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God" (Is., 40:1). This my suggestion
was published on one of the Federal Russian web-sites.

6. DIVINE  ACTION. One of the main antagonists of mine in the Krasnodar
Territory Governor Administration was V. Menovshchikov. He had the office of
the deputy chief of the Directorate for political parties, human rights and
religious organizations, and for the monitoring of the migration processes.
He actively tried to stop my public, especially international, activity. In
January  2009 this man was dismissed. The God Almighty saith to such
officials, as Menovshchikov: "Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye
shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in
pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word,
and it shall not stand: for God is with us" (Is., 8:9-10). O Immanuel!

7. YOUTH  MINISTRY. In January the "NIKA"-ministry of our daughter Nike
began the straight cooperation with Max Goins "We - Go" mission coalition.

The NIKA-ministry members had this month very active discussions with the
Jehovists, with the pagans, and with the "orthodox" icon-worshippers in
order to bring the young people, which were in the darkness of those
obscurant teachings, to the true faith of Christ.

8. PUBLIC  RELATIONS. I took part in three big public events, including the
conference on the social measures to fight the alcoholism in Russia. I spoke
there about the Biblical basis of this problem solving.

9. SUPPORT. We received the ARM December 2008 support through Max Goins
"We-Go" system OK. We received also the parcel with books and a kind
donation from pastor Dr. G. Leiser from Karlsruhe (Germany). We received the
letters, e-mails, and phone calls of support from Rod Farthing, Max Goins,
N.G. Plutenko (USA), from Tony Blair Foundation (UK), from A. Novosyolov
(France) and E. Filipyeva (Crimea, Ukraine). We spread 150 sets of clothes
among the prisoners, connected with our chaplaincy, as the Christmas and New
Year gifts.

In Jesus our hope! Sincerely,

DOM ARM chaplain  (www.ARM.org),
Nicholas E. Alyoshin