Archives for May 2016

Diane Brown, Tammy and I had the privilege to have a long lunch with Flory while she was visiting with her family here in California. We took the opportunity to find out more about how her life has changed now that she is living and working in India.

Diane Brown, Susan Leinen, Margie Varberg (top)
Flory Kumar and Tammy Werth (bottom)

Q: Flory, what was it like for you when you moved your household to India?

A: At the beginning, it was very difficult. Ryder experienced some illness when we first arrived, but God proved himself strong in our weakness. In my ten years of marriage, this was the 5th move.

“God was preparing us so I don’t see ‘home’ as a permanent location, but any place where the Lord sends me.”

Q: How did you find the house that you are living in?

A: This was something that we prayed about before we even left the US. We wanted a place that would be safe and secure, but also a place in a neighborhood where we could have an outreach with the gospel to our neighbors. During our first week at church, we met a man who had a job as a driver. He knew of a house in a safe neighborhood that was available and took us there the next day. The owner was friendly and welcoming and I noticed that the house numbers were the same as my birthday. The rental price was lower than we expected and this was the house that God graciously provided.

Q: What ministry opportunities have you had since you have returned to India?

A: I have had the opportunity to teach several one-day women’s conferences. I have taught on “How to be a Mature Christian in the Church,” to  65 women from five different churches. I also spoke in Kanpur to 52 women from three different churches on “The Cost of Discipleship.” Other ministry opportunities have included a visit to Jedimetla Village where I led a one-day seminar with the ladies and an evening meeting with the children. I taught a Bible study to an orphanage, hosted a Christmas outreach to neighborhood, led Sunday ladies meetings and Sunday school classes.

Q: What church are you attending in Hyderabad?

A: We have been attending Emmanuel House of Worship since January. This was another answer to prayer. This church worships and preaches in English, which is so much easier for me. Ryder is in their preaching team and I, also teach at times with the children’s and lady’s ministry.

Q: What are you looking forward to the rest of this year?

A: After retuning to India, we will be doing some more traveling to have follow-ups with the teachers to whom Ryder has presented “Teacher Training Workshops” in various parts of India; also meeting with key contacts and board members. We will also have lady’s meetings in different regions, where we see the need.

Q: How can we pray for you?

A: Please pray for:

• Salvation for two new friends in our neighborhood, Jacoline and Nisha
• Health and safety during monsoon season
• Good health for both Ryder and I
• Develop new messages and teach wherever there is a need
• New ministry opportunities with children including singing, drama and CEF materials
• For our house maid, Manju and her family for salvation

STN international in God’s provision is moving forward in India for greater productivity. This is to see multiplication in the ministry based on this biblical principle:

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
-2 Timothy 2:2

Randy Leinen preaching in Lucknow in 2012. (Mahavir bottom, right)

Often times, Pastor Randy Leinen referred with great burden to Colossians 1:28-29 28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” We were motivated to work hard and this work by God’s grace resulted in 70 pastors being equipped and trained under the leadership team from the United States. As a follow-up to this, there has been a careful selection from these graduates of 2014 to undergo Teacher Training Workshops to train others in the remotest parts of the earth. The Lord has provided some key leaders from Hyderabad, Lucknow, Nepal and West Bengal who will take on this difficult task of training others in the BTCP program.

A true story of transformation

In 2006, a Napalese couple,  Mahavir and his wife, Sheeta, (from a “H” background) had many idols and photos of gods and goddess in their home. They heard the gospel message through KB. Their spontaneous response to this was to get rid of all idols from the house. Accepting the Jesus as their Savior and Lord became a dramatic experience as Mahavir was delivered not only from bondage of sin but also from evil habits. More people heard the gospel and a church was planted in Nepal. This church that started with five to seven people has now grown to 50 people. The message of the gospel is being spread to many nearby people in Nepal. The church with 50 people is being led by a pastor who is not theologically trained and is in need of the training of the STN BTCP classes. Mahavir is a graduate of STN BTCP classes and is ready to teach, having completed the Teacher Training Workshop.

Mahavir is not only known as an STN graduate and a Sr. Pastor in Nepal, but has another distinction – in 1978 he won an award for climbing 21,000 feet in the Himalayan mountains.

Mahavir during Bible conference in Lucknow, 2005

Mahavir (bottom right) during recent Teacher Training Workshop

Multiplication goes on!

There is a need for 30 key people from Nepal to be trained. These 30 would each train 10 men, bringing a multiplication of 300 pastors to begin training in two years. The cost to begin training 30 men from July 2016 would be $4 per course book (4 x 10 x 10=$400 for ten course books) plus with the poor background of each pastor there is need to provide food and tea during the day costing $500 per seminar x 10 seminars = $5,000. Please pray for the the supply to answer this need.