* ARM Prison Outreach International *
Branch Ministry Reports
from Around the Globe
June 2007

NOTE: These monthly summaries from some of the leaders of ARM's foreign branch ministries are intended to encourage the reader and stimulate prayer.  Some reports may be less than perfect grammatically -- remember, English is not their native tongue.  Feel free to be a selective reader; should you have interest in only one or two of these reports, you can easily select those by scrolling to the reports that interest you most. 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
 
ARM's Rapha House in Cambodia
 
ARM is ministering to needy girls in Battambang, Cambodia, through the Rapha House. These girls have been victimized in the human slave trade.  Some are as young as 5 years of age. As the number of girls continues to grow -- we're doubling the size of our building! -- we will need more monthly support. 
 
Dear Sourm, Cambodian Director of Rapha House, filed a report recently; here are key excerpts.

As stated above, ARM recently began building a SECOND house on the Rapha House compound to increase our capacity up to 100.  We have had as many as 60 girls in the home built for 48.  The staff has been preparing in every way possible to be able to care for the additional girls.  CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDERWAY.  About $55,000 will be needed for this expansion -- plus additional operational expenses as the number of girls increases. 

Gifts of any size may be sent to ARM Rapha House, Rt. 5 Box 159, Salem, MO 65560.

ARM's "Daughters of Ruth Home" in Thailand 
ARM's Branch Minister in Thailand is Boonlerd Chomphukeeree

Here is a recent report from Boonlerd:

This month we have four more girls. So now there are 26 girls staying with us! The names of the new girls are:

1.    Miss Monreudee  Sae Lor      age 12 years old.
2.    Miss Vipa       Sae Lor      age 11 years old.
3.    Miss Lee        Sae Lor      age  9 years old.
4.    Miss Patcharee  Sae Wang     age  7 years old.

Gifts of any size may be sent to ARM Thailand, RR 5 Box 159, Salem, MO 65560.

ARM's Branch Reports receives encouraging responses
 
Rod,  Thanks for the update and will share with the high school class @ FCC....God Bless.  -- KC
 
Rod,  The Lord be magnified for a great report. Hope to see you shortly - at least at the NACC -- DW
 
ARM's Branch Ministry in Russia
Report From Dr. Nicholas E. Alyoshin
 
1.  IMMERSIONS. DOM ARM has immersed some Ivan Grigorievich FEDORENKO, and I may witness, that it was the true immersion into the death of Christ (as it is written: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" - Rom., 6:3). Fedorenko was about 80 years old. He was a writer and journalist, one of the founders of the Krasnodar Territory branch of "Memorial" (the association of the victims of the political and religious repressions). In the end of the 60-s he was put by communists (as a dissident) into the prison psychiatric asylum. During Gorbachyov era he was legally rehabilitated and even visited the USA. He was working with the repressed cossacks. Fedorenko was categorically against the unification of the Moscow Patriarchate (he considered it to be the department of the police, and not the church at all) and of the Russian Orthodox church abroad. When it was declared about their "canonic unification", Fedorenko decided to be immersed in the American Rehabilitation Ministry (through our DOM ARM chaplaincy). On the 17.05.2007 the act about the unification of the orthodox churches was signed. And during the night of 17.05.07 the unknown persons attacked Fedorenko and smashed his skull with a heavy stick. He died in a hospital on 25.05.2007, not having come into the consciousness. Now he is with the God Almighty with all the martyrs of Jesus Christ!

2.  PRISONS. On 03.05.07 I met Mr.A.G. Kozitskiy - the ombudsman of the Krasnodar Territory - to discuss the situation in prisons. In May one of our brethren visited the prison psychiatric hospital in Oryol city (1000 km North from Krasnodar) to meet our bro Krasnobryzhev, whom the authorities continue to keep there, as the "dangerous religious maniac".
In May the only one prisoner managed to influence the life of millions of citizens of Russia and Ukrain. "Prophet" G.P. Grabovoy (he is in Moscow prison and the court process over him is very slowly going on), about whose religious views I wrote an expert conclusion for the court in April, has about 50 000 supporters in Russia. They declared, that Grabovoy had prophesied the new explosion of the Russian atomic electricity station. This prophecy was so influential, that a terrible panic spread over Rostov area, Krasnodar Territory, some North Caucasian Republics, the Ukrain areas of Crimea and Donetsk, and even some parts of Turkey. No explosion was confirmed instrumentally, but during 18.05.2007 - 23.05.2007 millions of people were in panic: they drank iodine or "special red wine", closed the windows, refused to leave their flats; they were telephoning here and there, trying to learn the truth, and not believing the authorities. Imagine: in Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the Emergecom of Russia received 300 000 of the telephone calls during only one day of 20.05.2007! All Emergecom communication systems were paralysed. This is the example of the importance of the prison ministry and of the work with the people, arrested on the religious basis. Rick Deighton informed me, that he and his wife Della had found a pastor in Mariupol (Donetsk area of Ukrain), who tried also to have a prison ministry for the convicts, kept in prison in 100 km from that pastor congregation. Joe Garman also informed me about that brother. I am ready to cooperate with him (as well, as I am cooperating with dozens of ministers to work with prisons in the huge triangular of our activity: from Abkhazia to Crimea and Moscow, including Krasnodar Territory and Adig Republic).
3.  MOSLEMS. On 15.05.07 - 23.05.07 in Crimea (Ukrain) I had the meetings with the well-known Crimean Tatar activists. On 21.05.07 I was accepted by the Crimean Tatar People Mejlis (Parliament) Chairman - Mustafa Jemilev. I told him about the ARM activity and gave him our "Declaration" (watch paragraph 6). I was accepted also by the professor Kerimov I.A. (the director of the Research Center of the Crimea State Industrial - Pedagogical University and the chief of the same university chair for Crimean - Tatar language and literature). I met also my dearly beloved bro Ibraim Abdullaev (the reviewer of the newspaper "The Voice of Crimea" and the researcher in history in Kerimov's Center). Abdullaev has discovered a fantastically interesting historical fact: in 736 A.D. our dearly beloved iconoclastic brother Leon the Isaurian had established the so called "Gothic ecclesiastical province" or the "Gothenland metropoly". If the ancient Goths of Ulfilas time were the arians, the "middle Goths" of Leon the Isaurian were the true iconoclastic Christians. The Gothenland metropoly included 8 bishoprics: 3.1 the Doros one (mountain Crimea - in the Gothic princedom of Theodoro), which was the see of the metropolitan, ruling all the province; 3.2 the Khazar one (includes the steppe Crimea, the steppe to the North of the Black Sea, including today Ukrain and Kiev-city); 3.3 the I-tyl bishopric (or the Volga-one - all territoties around Volga and it's branches, including the today Moscow area); 3.4 the Onogur one (North-West Caucasus, including today Krasnodar Territory); 3.5 the Tamatarkha bishopric - the today Taman peninsula; 3.6 the Terek one (includes today Kabarda, Ingushetia and Chechnya); 3.7 the Hun bishopric (the today Daghestan); 3.8 the Khorezm bishopric (the today Central Asia to the South of the Caspian and Aral Seas; along Amy-Daria and Syr-Daria rivers - that time Caspian and Aral Seas were the one Sea, and Gothic ships could float from Scandinavia through Volga to Central Asia). Thus, nearly all Eastern Europe was that time the Iconoclastic Christian ecclesiastical province. It means, that namely iconoclastic Christianity is traditional here. And no icon - worshipping "church" (including the Moscow Patriarchate) has any "canonical right" on this territory. It is fantastic, that namely Crimean Tatars feel themselves to be the descendants of those iconoclastic Christians (especially - the Tatars of the mountains, naming themselves "the Goth - alans" or "Goth - frieds"). Thus, in Crimea I have found 300 000 supporters for the Spiritual fight against the icon-worshipping idolatry. I must add here, that in 757 the son of Leon the Isaurian - the emperor Constantine Kavallinos - established one more iconoclastic bishopric, the so called "Zikh" or "Zih" -one (it included the Black Sea coast of the today Krasnodar Territory and the today Abkhazia). Note; in Greek "Jesus" begins from "I" ("Iesus"), and "Christ" from "H" ("Hristos"). Thus "ZIH" means the "Zealots of Iesus Hristos" - the "Zealots of Jesus Christ" (because the apostle Simon the Zealotes - by local legend - preached there).  For me the American Rehabilitation Ministry is the today Restorated Christian Church, and I - as the ARM chaplain - am ready to serve to restore the true Christianity over all the former Gothenland metropoly and Zih bishopric. We must rehabilitate all those territories for Christ!
4.  MISSION  TRIPS. In May our chaplaincy brethren spread 300 exemplars of the Holy Bible (in Russian, Turkish, Tatarian and Adyg languages). I visited Moscow on 03.05.07 - 07.05.07, and Crimea on 15.05.07 - 23.05.07. In Moscow we visited the grave-yard and the grave of Rostropovich. We had a special mourning praying meeting with some people to work in Rostropovich Foundation. We received also the information about some sad events in the family of Rod Farthing. Thus, we had prayed for Rod and for all his family, and for those of his relatives, who slept in the Lord. God bless them all!
5.  MEDITATIONS. In May I met some American (Georges Carrillet, Bruce Little, etc.) and other (Sergei Golovin, Ukrain, etc.) missionaries and theologists. Our discussions brought me to the better understanding of the nature of the "Rehabilitation", as a ministry. So, what is the field of rehabilitation? It is clear, that we must rehabilitate - through preaching Christ - seven big groups of souls: 5.1 those, who are in prisons, being convicted and repressed, especially on political and religious basis; their relatives (and even descendants - as in the case of those, who were deportated or killed by Stalin, etc.); 5.2 the refugees of the natural and ecological catastrophies; the victims of such catastrophies (including the radioactive contamination); 5.3 the refugees and victims of the military conflicts; 5.4 the refugees and the victims of the religious persecutions; 5.5 the victims of the punitive psychiatry (on the political and religious basis); 5.6 the victims, possessed by the devil (even on the Christian conferences in Crimea, led by Golovin and Carrillet, some reporters eagerly believed, that "the devil was the creator of the world", or that "the USA were the country of the devil"; the only way to rehabilitate such persons is the exorcism); 5.7 the victims of the gender problems. Rehabilitating of these souls is our service to the Saviour.
6.  DIVINE  ACTION. The Crimean Tatars were deportated and brutally persecuted by Stalin and following USSR communist authorities in 1944 - 1990. Thus, they are the victims, as mentioned in (5.1).
The people of the former Crimean Khanate (the Tatars in Crimea and the iconoclastic christians in Kuban area of the Crimaen Khanate, i.e. in today Krasnodar Territory) have been for 200 years the victims of the religious persecution by the icon-worshipping idolatrists. Thus, they are the victims, as mentioned in (5.4). Both Crimeans and Kuban area population are the victims of the ecological catastrophy in the Azov Sea (victims 5.2), where the fish has nearly disappeared and the indigenous fisheries are nearly demolished.
The God Almighty has given me the true revelation: to unite all three problems in one solution - to ask the international organizations to prohibit totally the industrial fisheries in the Azov Sea and to give the fishering quotes (including those for the sturgeons and the black caviar) only to the indigenous peoples, i.e. to the Crimean Tatars and to the descendants of the ancient Kuban iconoclasts (i.e. to the today non-iconworshipping Christians of the Krasnodar Territory). In such way it is possible to rehabilitate the ecology of the Azov Sea and the rights of the politically and religious groups of the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory. This is the true Revelation!  I have expressed it in the special "Declaration" from 20.05.2007, which was accepted by Jemilev, Kerimov, Abdullaev, and even was sent by e-mail to New York to Nadir Bekirov (the member of Crimean Tatarian mejlis), who was working on those days in the UNO commissions for indigenous issues.
7.  STUDENT  WING. My daughter Nike and her group of Christian girls were working to prepare their participance in the big international youth Christian congress in Korea (in June). They received the kind support for this project from my dearly beloved bro pastor Gerhard Leiser (Karlsruhe, Germany).
8. PUBLIC  RELATIONS. I spoke about ARM and preached Christ during three Territorial conferences and seminars in Krasnodar, during one conference in Moscow, and one - in Crimea. I must note, that during public events in today Russia one can note very sad and, sometimes, even disgusting facts. E.g., during the public conference in Krasnodar some Michael Veligodskiy (who was the chief of the election campaign staff of Oleg Kalugin in 1990 in Krasnodar; who was mentioned in Kalugin's book - "The Spymaster", etc.), renounced of Kalugin! Veligodskiy declared: "Kalugin has deceived all of us! He had a mask on his face. But now we know his true image - and we renounced him; we do not want to have any connection with him".
On 24.05.07 our Moscow representative (my sister Nathaly Koff) was present at the party in the residence of the United Kingdom Ambassador in Moscow.
9.  REPRESSIONS. Professor of nuclear physics Olkhovskiy (Kiev, Ukrain Academy of Sciences Nuclear Physics Institute) informed me, that the President and vice-Presidents of the Ukrain Academy of Sciences were persecuting him because of his Christian faith and creationism worldview. So, we can see, that even formally independent from Russia Ukrain is not free in Spiritual sphere. On 02.05.07 and on 09.05.07 the unknown persons theatened me personally. In May 2007 the newspaper "Arguments and Facts - South" (with the circulation about 100 000 exemplars) published the article, glorifying the Stalin deportation of Germans. On 19.05.07 the Krasnodar police press-secretary Ilya Shakalov organized a huge provocation: through the internet he invited the people, who were against the today political system in Russia, to come to the meeting in front of the city-hall. All the people, who came, were detained, photoed and interrogated by the sitting in the ambush police platoon with the help of the youth wing of the ruling party boys ("Young Guard of the United Russia"). Shakalov wrote his invitation under the nick-name "Louis - Alberto Sexy". The personality of this nick-name was discovered by the supporters of those, who were detained, with the penetration into the computer data base.
10.  SUPPORT. We received the April support through Max Goins "We-Go" system OK. We received some e-mails, some telephone calls, a number of books (including the Bible in German in authentic Luther translation) and booklets, and the support to the Student Wing from pastor G. Leiser (Karlsruhe, Germany). We received also the e-mails from Joe Garman, Rod Farthing and N. Plutenko (USA); from Nadir Bekirov (Crimea - USA); from Elvedin Chubarov (Crimea, Ukrain) and from Hasan Gurji-ogly (Russia).

In Jesus our hope! Sincerely,
DOM ARM chaplain, Nicholas E. Alyoshin, prof., etc.  
ARM's Branch Ministry in the Philippines
Ernesto Alocelja and his team are ARM Chaplains in the Philippines
 
1. 1 young adult Baptized at Aplaya beach and emmersed during 2nd Anniversary Celebration of the Church of Christ at Aplaya.
 
2. Accepted Christ: 11 at Digos City District Jail.
 
3. 2 female inmates committed their lives to Christ at Gensan City Female Dormitory on May 16, 2007.
 
4. Conduct Funeral Service for Mercy Mae Alia bereaved Family at Sinaragan, Matan-ao.
 
5. Cottage Prayer conducted at Aguio Residence, Digos City.
 
6. 1 Cebuano Bible given to Junnel  Aguio.
 
7. Floormat given to Ptr. Jaime Villa Abrille, Maa Jail Religious Cooordinator.
 
8. 6 pcs. ARM Promotion t-shirts given to Maa Jail Singing Group.
 
9. 100 pcs. Juice and 100 pcs. Sandwiches given to Maa City Jail.
 
10. 2 dozens used clothings, 6 pcs. Maong Pants, 2 pcs. PackBag, 200 pcs. Banana cake given to BJMP-Digos City.
 
11. 100 pcs. Puto Cake given to General Santos City Female Dorm.
 
12. 5 kls. Rice, 3 kls. fresh fish, 3 kls. Chicken Adobo served for Lunch at Gensan City Jail.
 
By: John M. Alocelja
Information Secretary
ARM's Branch Ministry in Mexico
Recent Report From Alfredo José Aparicio

Dear brethren in Christ Jesus,

With great love for you in the Lord, I send you warm greetings and hugs, wishing God's wonderful and powerful blessings on your lives.

In our ministry, we are so grateful to the Lord, as we had 34 of our students get baptized in May.  Also, we had 3746 new registered students.  311 of our students graduated from our first series of lessons, and 51 graduated from our advanced courses.

We started two new missions fields in Yara and Jiguaní Counties in Cuba.  People ride bicycles to enter these two places, as there is no public transportation to get there.  Our students, Antonio Céspedes and Juan Milanés are the people in charge of these two new places.  Please help us pray for them, as they are going through much hardship and trouble caused by the government in Cuba.  For example, they cannot buy groceries at the stores, which belong to the government.  Bicycles are much needed there too, and these two students request we provide them with bicycles so that they may not have to walk the 17 to get from their homes to the mission fields.

Also, we have two new mission fields in the places known as Matlapa and Nexcuayo, state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico.  The students in charge of these two missions are Margarito Félix, Reynaldo García and Santos Tito.  Since they are the only new born Christians in their families, they are suffering lots of troubles.  They were dishonored from their families and will not receive an inheritance.  Nevertheless, these two missions are growing rapidly.  Youth are the people who show more interest in God's Word in this part of Mexico.

Another great news is that we are teaching the Bible and the Plan of Salvation in public schools, such as Colegio Anglomexicano, Instituto Simón Bolívar, Colegio Salesiano, and Instituto Miguel Ángel.  These are private schools.  It is encouraging to see youth get the knowledge of the Word of God.  These are Catholic schools, but the students hardly know the Bible even exists.  Our Bible Correspondence Lessons are so powerful and great, as students can take them home and continue their Christian Education at home.

Even more, during this month, we started different Bible Study groups, with children, youth, and adults.  The fields are so ready, and we are happy to see people surrender to the Lord.  The Word of God is so amazing indeed.  The way we give the Bible studies is having all the people together the first time, and then we separate them by age.  Something marvelous I want to share with you is the amazing fact that children capture the plan of salvation better and faster than adults.  In a home Bible Study, recently, I asked them about it.  Fernanda Estudillo, a five years old girl, explained it perfectly.  Adults marvelled at her understanding of this.  Then, Rafael Hernández, a seven years-old boy, explained very clearly.  This made adults get more interested in God's Wonderful Word.

In another Bible Study group, where all ages are together still, a lady, who used to receive Bible studies from the Jehovah Witnesses asked, "Where will you go when you die?"  Adriana Téllez, a four years old girl, replied, "To our Heavenly Place".  It is so wonderful to see how new students learn the Word of our Lord!

Four years ago, in a suburb located in Cuernavaca, we had a two weeks VBS.  To our surprise, 14 youth came to our Christian Church located in Satélite Suburb in Cuernavaca.  Learning from them, we were told that they went to this VBS, and wish to learn more about God since they are facing terrible problems in their families.  They want to learn a better way of living, different from what their parents live.  How wonderful it is to see these youth interested in God and with the hope to live better in the future.  Let's pray for a good guidance we may be in these tender lives.

Mexico is facing many political and economic problems.  One day, coming from Cuernavaca to Mexico City, schoolteachers from the states of Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Morelos blocked the highway.  We had to get down from the bus, and I started walking among the schoolteachers.  They were so aggressive and nasty.  Suddenly, the people living in that part of the highway, from a higher place, started throwing rocks to the protesters.  The Federal Police started using tear gas and the Mexican Army also started shooting everywhere.  I prayed to God and continued walking among the people.  I am so grateful to the Lord, as I suffered no injury.  I walked for about four miles, and I was able to catch another bus to work.  I am thankful to God, as He takes care of us in the middle of so much social and political disturbance and unrest.  I am thankful to you for your many prayers on our behalf.  We experience the wonderful works of our Lord everywhere we turn.  Please continue praying for this ministry, your ministry!

In the excellent name of Christ, I remain so thankful to you,

Your fellow servant in the Lord Jesus Christ,  Alfredo José Aparicio

Contact Info

Rod Farthing, ARM National Development Director  rodfar@arm.org 
Rt. 5 Box 159, Salem, MO 65560
www.arm.org    www.abarc.org    www.raphahouse.org    www.daughtersofruth.org