Ian and Judith Payne are based in Bangalore India where Ian is Principal of SAIACS;
South Asian institute of Advanced Christian Studies.

You can view the Colleges website on
www.saiacs.org

Hello from a cooler Bangalore!

Here at SAIACS, students have just left for the December holiday and thesis students are relieved their dissertations have been finished. Everyone has been working hard. Several students have done significant projects. One student, Nair, who for 20 years was a member of the RSS, a militant fundamentalist Hindu group, has explored how Christians can reach out to such people. That’s very interesting at this time of RSS sponsored persecution in India. He is a wonderful tribute to God’s grace.

Thank you to the many of you who have contributed to our Orissa relief fund. To date we have been able to forward Rs 4,50,000 (NZ16,666) to the Evangelical Fellowship of India for rehabilitation of suffering Christians in Orissa. A further Rs 50,000 raised locally has been used to help the three of our students whose families have been directly affected. In one case, we know, this has made possible their resettlement out of the refugee camp to a rented house in a nearby town. It is still impossible for many to return to their own village.

Continue to pray for Orissa especially through December, a particularly tense time. The Hindu radicals have given the State government Monday 15 December as a deadline to arrest someone for the killing of the swami on 26 August. If not, then they promise a massed rally and general strike. They have threatened more violence and will seek to prevent the celebration of Christmas; saying they want to make Christmas Day into Good Friday. Such language is calculated to raise fears in the Christian community.

At SAIACS, we are rejoicing that God has helped us revive an old bore-well so that SAIACS no longer needs to buy water daily. It is a concern that ground water levels have dropped 200m in 20 years all across the city; this means Bangalore is now using ‘fossil water’. We’re thankful for God’s provision. We are reminded too that we trust him for all our needs – especially at this time of global recession.

We have plans for growing SAIACS ‘from good to great’. It’s exciting to be receiving applications for students in two new MTh disciplines Theology and Religions. We welcomed a new faculty in October, Dr Jessy Jaison, who will be teaching Practical Theology. She has just graduated with a PhD from the University of Belfast. Other faculty are involved in several writing projects. Do pray for the team here, and for continuing transformation in the lives of our students.

We are thrilled to be able to report that Karina, Michael and Shelley have all passed their exams! For Shelley this means the successful completion of her B.Pharm. She started her first job today!! Roseann is working hard out in a café, plus baking to order, plus housecleaning! This is all so she can pay for her return airfare to Germany in January with the EXCEL tour team. She is looking forward to that experience. We thank God for his goodness and care of them all.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas. In all our celebrations let us remember those who may well be prevented from doing so openly.

As we give gifts to family and friends, let us remember the greatest gift given that first Christmas – the Lord Jesus Christ.

May your times of holiday and relaxation refresh you for renewed energy for Christ and his kingdom in the coming year.

Every blessing

Ian and Judith

Additional New Flash

Loving greetings in the mighty name of Lord Jesus Christ,

Hi fellow labourers – just received this from alumni here and was just overwhelmed with a sense of inadequacy, except to pray, pray, pray. Another family relative of a faculty member here had a really bad day yesterday being harassed in a police station not far from here for running a Christmas programme for children in a village.

I am reading through Psalms this morning and the Psalm was 56 – rather incredible Psalm for this situation! Take a look. I keep wondering how, as westerners, we would handle this treatment.

Please pray for suffering cians during the Christmas season.

Thanks
Judith

This is the letter...

Mr. Kunal Paricha and his wife Anupama are IEM missionaries in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh. On 14th May 2007 he was accused of converting people and a case was lodged against him, he was in jail from 15th evening till 19th evening for 5 days, since then the court case goes on.

He has gone 16 times for the hearing but there is no progress in the case or in bringing it to a conclusion.

On the 18th of this month, he has to appear in the court for the 17th time. Please pray that God may give favour and he may be delivered from this case. He and his family needs your prayer.

Appreciating your prayer backing,