Dear [Brothers and Sisters],
Through the Lord’s grace, Ruth and Cherry have done the two Christian Women seminars successfully and they are now back home since last March 9. The seminars were a great encouragement for the women. Especially the Lehe Christian Women seminar was the first women seminar ever conducted in Lehe and some Naga women came to attend the seminar from a journey of two days of walking. Some women brought their baby sitters in order to be able to attend the seminar. Those who have no baby sitters (meaning having no older sons or daughters to look after their sisters or brothers), they carried babies by themselves and attended the seminar. You will see everything in the pictures.
Ruth and Cherry said that the Naga people are very poor, uneducated… They were sad to learn that, according to their culture, Naga husbands are not giving much care to their wives in the time of Childbirth. They are not giving nutritious food to them but just the ordinary food. There is also a very strange custom that still today, in some places, when they have twin, they used to throw one of the twin. And also, a child is born with birth defect, they do the same thing. Therefore, Cherry’s subject, the Women Circles of Life was a very helpful subject for the Naga women and so, they were very thankful to Cherry for sharing this subject. And also Ruth and Cherry were asked by the Naga women to let me come in next year to teach their husbands (Men Seminar). Therefore, it seems that if the Lord willing, in turn, I will need to go back to Lehe again to conduct the men retreat. Please pray for me this.
Ruth and Cherry also learned on this trip that in how much difficult situations, our students are struggling for sharing the gospel among their own people. There are totally 7 Naga students who are spreading the gospel there. They are facing many kinds of problem and troubles but one thing which is the worse is that in some villages, some villagers are Christians and some are Buddhists. In this situations, the Buddhist monks and monasteries are financially stronger than our evangelists (our students) and especially on Sundays, the monks show video pictures with a loud noise to attract the village children keeping them from going to attend the church worship service. Another way is the Buddhist monasteries invite the village children and help them with schooling. Since in this situation, our students are struggling to share the gospel and they are very much in need of our encouragement. Kim Wan also shared with Ruth and Cherry that in the church where she is serving the Lord, there is no enough blankets, cooking pots, plates and spoons.
Ruth and Cherry also shared me that in each village, there is a village ritual shrine and at there they keep a wooden hollow trunk. It is hit on a special occasion like having games on their hunting, getting victory over their enemies in the ancient time, someone passes away and etc.. And also they said since they are poor, they couldn’t afford for enough blankets and they put a fire under their bed warming and sleep. You will see the bad in the pictures.
A wonderful news is that Timothy got 15 baptisms of new Naga converts as the fruit of his dedication and the eye glass project. Praise the Lord! I will keep sending the pictures of his giving baptisms after this email. Indeed, I have much to share with you but shall we talk only when you come for the seminar. I sent some pictures of Ruth and Cherry trip and the seminars. I hope Cherry will also write to you and Mary about their trip and the seminars. Thank you very much. May God bless you.
Your Brother in Christ,
