God at Work in 2022

REPORT BY PASTOR RATAN

Mission Blogs

Pastor Ratan Babu Baipa

December 9, 2022

Dear friends and partners,

Merry Christmas and Advanced New Year’s wishes!

I am very glad and excited as we have come to the end of a wonderful and fruitful year. After two years of COVID-19, the ministry has advanced to the next level.

God spoke to me at the beginning of this year that He would extend the ministry to the east, west, north, and south of India and beyond. As many of you know, God brought me to Singapore in March 2022 to work with Indian expats and migrant workers from India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, and other parts of the world. It’s been a great experience so far.

Ministry in Singapore!

I serve migrant workers and Indian expats through the South Asian International Fellowship in Singapore. We have four language services (English, Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil). I am the assistant pastor of this church. Check out our website (www.saifchurch.com). I minister on Sundays, preaching in three different languages and giving at least two sermons each Sunday. Aside from my Sunday ministry, I visit migrant workers in their dormitories and hold Bible studies and cell groups. I reach home by 12 a.m. and sometimes 1 a.m. after ministering to the foreign workers.

Ministry in India—ministering through Zoom and financially supporting the leaders.

We have more than 30 leaders in the four corners of India reaching out to unreached people and villages, later discipling them in small groups through home fellowships. These leaders now have over 250 home fellowships in various regions. These leaders have many other leaders working under them who hold small groups and home-based fellowships.

Many of our leaders don’t have a physical building. Most of these fellowships are conducted under trees, in tents, in mud houses, or in homes that don’t have enough space. While there are many challenges, such as lack of electricity and a proper place to sit down, no musical instruments, etc., yet they come and gather together to worship the living God. Some of the home fellowships I personally visited had 10 people, which have now grown to more than 50 people. God is at work, and He is saving the lost.

Our house church is a movement, and our leaders want to see 1,000 home-based fellowships by 2023. I certainly believe it's possible, as I see God moving powerfully!

I want to thank you for your fervent prayers and your generous gifts this year. Your support is helping the kingdom of God advance, with many lost souls added to the kingdom of God! I hope you’ll continue to extend your support! As Many of these laborers walk many miles, go on bicycles, or travel by auto to reach the unreached locations. Since they work among the poorest of the poor, the offerings and gifts they receive from new believers are not much of a help. They need finances to support their families, their children’s education, and their travel expenses. Many people ignore their medical conditions because they cannot afford to pay for them. But they are passionately serving the King of Kings.

While there are many challenges, one of the biggest has been the law of the land. Many of the regions have introduced strict conversion laws. Church buildings are demolished, and pastors are beaten and jailed. Many believers are being forced to return to their previous religious practices. We will appreciate your prayers for all leaders and brothers serving in some of the toughest places.

Acts 9:31
So the church throughout all of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

Building people and empowering communities through our non-profit organization

We are also reaching out to the poor and deprived in society through our non-profit organization (check www.ashraydreamfoundation.org). We are helping the unprivileged children in their education, teaching life skills to women, and helping the widows and leprosy community. Through our various projects, we are making the lives of people better. We are coming up with many new initiatives and projects to build people and communities, but we need your prayers and valuable support to reach more people and build more lives.

Thank you for your support and partnership in the extension of the kingdom!

In His Mission

Pastor. Ratan