International Ministries East and South Asia Update

For 2023 Annual Report of Alliance of Asian American Baptist Churches

Benjamin Chan

April 2024

Empower international partners to restore ministry operation

Since 2023, International Ministries has been investing in helping partner conventions and NGOs to restore their ministry operation and rebuild their financial capacity. Here are some of the organizations and projects which received grants administered by IM. Please pray for our partners’ hard work.

* The China Christian Council to promote Employment for Drug Addicts Program in Guizhou Province

* The Nanjing Union Theological Seminary in China to develop its doctoral program

* The Amity Foundation in China to provide an ambulance to the Cenggong County Maternal and Child Health Hospital

* The ABM Swatow Baptist Church Community Service Association to start the Sun Ariseth Project to serve financially struggling families, and pastoral care and food assistance to the under-privileged and seniors in Hong Kong

* The Hong Kong Christian Council’s Ecumenical Summer School to engage seminary and college students in social service and theological reflection,

* The Nepal Baptist Church Council to organize the Teach the Children Program

* The Elijah Counselling and Training Centre (ECTC) in Nepal to organize Psychological and Counseling Training to serve mental health clients and children who suffer loss and grief

* The Namuna Community Hospital received a new Operation Theater and a C-arm X-ray Machine to serve its community in Nepal under the management of Christian NGO the Human Development and Community

* LEADS, Sri Lanka to run the Emergency Food Provision Program

* The Real Hope Church in Mongolia to start a Job Provision and Income-Generating Project, and to run its after-school program for its economically deprived neighborhood

* The Commission on Anti-Human Trafficking in India to strengthen its Prevention, Intervention and Rehabilitation Program

* The Commission on Mission in India to organize consultations and conferences on collaboration to strengthen cooperation and synergy of missional churches

* The Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore, India to start the Jawadhi Hills Model Villages Project

* The Garo Baptist Convention to upgrade the facility of the Tura Christian Hospital to better serve its community in northeast India

* The Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention in India to construct a Students’ Hostel to provide protection and pastoral care for 20 girl students and 20 boy students

* The Eastern Theological College in Jorhat, Assam to construct a graduate students hostel

* The North East Christian University to construct the Centre for Advanced Religious Studies and Capacity Training Centre

* The Council of Baptist Churches in North East India to construct the Jubilee Self Reliance Building.

* The American Baptist Foreign Mission Legacy Trust, India to establish the Economic and Community Transformation Think Tank to network and empower Christian NGOs in South Asia

Manipur Violence May 2023 and Joint Relief Assistance

International Ministries has been working with partners in India

the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India, the Manipur Baptist Convention MBC), and the India Mission Coordination Committee, Baptist World Alliance, the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation and American Baptist churches to respond to the violence broken out in Manipur State of India in May 2023. We have also coordinated relief assistance. Please pray for the churches and communities in Manipur which is far from restoring peace and normal life. Update can be found in my journals:

* https://internationalministries.org/pray-for-and-extend-help-to-kuki-people-in-manipur-ne-india/

* https://internationalministries.org/manipur-violence-may-2023-and-joint-appeal-for-relief-by-cbcnei-mbc-and-imcc/

* https://internationalministries.org/manipur-violence-and-relief-your-help/

* https://internationalministries.org/mobilize-manipur-relief-and-prayer-rally-for-peaceful-solution/

* https://internationalministries.org/pray-for-manipur-ne-india/

Christian Social Enterprise Development

I have shared with Alliance members that International Ministries has successfully completed the Christian Social Enterprise Development Training in partnership with North East Christian University in India. More than 300 seminaries, pastors, lay leaders benefit from the rich theological reflections of wholistic gospel, and learn to include the provision of jobs and the improvement of quality of life as part of the wholistic mission of Shalom and God’s Kingdom. The graduates may apply for a Seed Award Grant. We have awarded 16 businesses. IM volunteer Global Consultants Bruce and Ann Borquist are leading a team to provide coaching to these awardees and those who have started the businesses with their own resources.

Related report can be found in: https://internationalministries.org/mission-express-empower-and-transform/

International Ministries 210^th Anniversary

International Ministries will celebrate our 210^th Anniversary during the Global Encounter on May 21 and 22, 2024 – a live online multilingual and cross-cultural event with presentations from global servants and partners, international music and worship, and interactive elements to engage the participants. Please read further information and register to join the event in https://internationalministries.org/what-is-global-encounter/

To recognize the contributions of IM partner leaders and faithful servants, we have started to post a series of Cloud of Witnesses stories which can be found in https://internationalministries.org/author/ben-chan/. Stories posted from Alliance members so far include:

* Wati Longchar – https://internationalministries.org/cloud-of-witnesses/

* David Hojin Yu – https://internationalministries.org/cloud-of-witnesses-celebrating-210th-anniversary-of-international-ministries/

* Kenny Auyeung – https://internationalministries.org/cloud-of-witnesses-feature-pastor-kenny-auyeung/

* Lauren Ng – https://internationalministries.org/cloud-of-witnesses-feature-lauren-lisa-ng/