News Archive

In everything give thanks; for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thes. 5:18)
 
We are approaching the end of 2011 and another Thanksgivi
ng Day. We are thankful to God for another wonderful year for us personally and for the ministry of ACA. The Lord has given good health to Leela and me during this year. We entertained more guests in our home and at ACA this year than during all the past 25 years of ministry. The Lord also provided miraculously for all our needs in spite of several obstacles and challenges along the way. We were able to support more missionaries and ministries this year than in previous years. The seminary was able to get full accreditation from Asia Theological Association, which we hope will enable us to attract more quality students in the coming years. We also welcomed two full-time resident faculty and their families on campus. Dr. Andrew and Lori Spurgeon are wonderful additions to our campus family. Andrew teaches in the New Testament Department and Lori helps Leela in taking care of our many guests from the U.S. Mr. Saji Thomas also joined us and will be teaching in the Practical Theology Department.
 
The campus looks beautiful after plenty of rain this October. The auditorium is beginning to take shape and will be a wonderful addition to the facilities on campus. In October, Benjamin took charge as the Director of Missions at the Seminary. Our grandchildren on campus are energizing both Leela and me.
 
The children's school is growing and it is a challenge to provide classrooms and facilities for all the new admissions. Last year we added twelve classrooms in the basement of the auditorium. This year we need an additional eight classrooms. We presently have 42 classrooms; in order to level the admission, we will need an additional twenty classrooms until 2018. We hope to level the admission at 2,500 for grades 1-10. If we add the 11th and 12th grades, we need two more classrooms and three labs. We will be adding one more floor to all the existing school buildings.
 
This year we added five more missionaries--two in Orissa, two in Manipur and one in Andhra Pradesh. Tomorrow, we are going to Tiruppathur to break ground for the construction of a church building there. The land was donated to us by one of our graduates and former missionary of ACA. We are planning to build a church hall and a parsonage. Mr. Sam Raj is the pastor of this church near the town of Tiruppathur.
 
From December 7-21, all the faculty and students of ACA will be going in groups of six to different mission stations and ministries associated with ACA. During this same time, Leela and I will be coming to the U.S. to spend some time with our children in Dallas and Waco. We will also be visiting a few churches that invited us for some meetings. We hope to see some of you during this visit. Please pray that the ministry teams will be coming back with wonderful reports.
 
The Need: Funds are needed for all these infrastructural projects. The school has some funds to invest in the buildings; however, it will not be able to pay for all the construction costs. This year we need at least $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars) for the construction and another $20,000 (twenty thousand dollars) for furniture and equipment.
 
We are facing a shortage of construction workers as the economy in India is growing and the workers are in great demand with all the real estate development works. The cost of construction is also increasing because of the increase in minimum wages. The food inflation is currently at about twelve percent.
 
Please pray for us that we may remain faithful and complete the task that is laid up before us. Thank you again for your love and prayers for us. We appreciated your visits and ministry with us as well.
 
In His Love,
 
Joy and Leela George

Through the many years of ministering in India, we have been blessed to see the hand of God work and transform many lives.
 
Below are stories of three people whose lives have been eternally changed through the ministries of Asian Christian Academy. 
 
We wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. We will be in the U.S. for three weeks in December, spending Christmas with our children and grandchildren in Texas. 
 
 
Joy and Leela George  
 

ACA Seminary Student -- Miss Satabdi Banergeefont

Satabdi Banergee is from Calcutta, India. She is currently completing her final year in the Masters of Theology program at the ACA seminary. Below she shares her story of how the power of the Word of God transformed her life.
 
 
I was born in a Brahmin, orthodox Hindu family. We were followers of the Ramakrishna Movement, a reformed Hindu group. We believed that all religions led to the same path ... there being one God who is worshiped and known by different names, symbolized in different forms. As Hindus, we celebrated Christmas; one Christmas my mom gave me a Children's Bible. I never read it until I was in the eleventh grade; I met a Catholic and wanted to know what Christianity said. I read the Children's Bible and told my Catholic friend that I had read the Bible and liked the stories. But having said that, my conscience started pricking me that I had told a lie--it was not the real Bible that I had read.
 
Every year we used to receive a Gideon's Bible; we received another one two days after I began to feel guilty. I decided to read the New Testament and make my words become true. I started reading the New Testament and, having read the Gospels, I got a favorable picture of the Lord. In Romans, the Lord caught me. Reading chapter 1, I realized that my idolatrous practice was wrong and that I was the worst sinner of the world. I was amazed that a book written 2000 years back could exactly depict modern day society. Reading Romans 2, I realized that all my efforts to please God were in vain. The world came crashing down on me when I read Romans 5:8. I slowly started to realize the depths of God's love for me; reading His Word, I believed in the Lord Jesus. Though the road has not always been smooth, the Lord has always been there in a very special way. He showed His will for me--to share about Him to the millions of perishing people who have no knowledge about Him, especially in North India.
 
Since the Lord saved me by the reading of His Word, He gave me a great interest in reading His Word in the original languages. During the time I had in ministering back home in Calcutta, I realized the errors in the Bengali Bible, which, if the Lord permits, I would like to revise. Moreover, as I learned more of the Bible systematically, I realized the need, and felt God's leading, to join ACA. During my stay at ACA, the Lord broke me and showed me my weakness and His immense grace towards me. He taught me the science of interpreting the Bible and many other things for which I'm eternally grateful to the Lord. I'm also grateful for the grace He showed me through my professors and peers, through their lives and friendships. I consider myself truly blessed and thank God for everything. Please pray for the salvation of my family members.

Satabdi's desire is to go to North India and share the gospel. Please pray for her family's salvation and that God would provide a Christian husband for her.
  

ACA House of Joy Child -- Harish
 

Harish's father abandoned his family; Harish was sent at a young age to live with his elderly grandmother. At the age of five, while his grandmother worked in the fields, he was left unattended to scrounge for food in the trash. It was there that Harish was found by one of ACA's missionaries working in that village and brought to live in the House of Joy. Below is his testimony of how God changed his life.
 
Harish
My name is Harish and I am 16 years old. I am studying in the ninth grade at the Asian Christian High School. 
 
I joined the House of Joy when I was five years old. I am from a Hindu background and I didn't know about the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My life was so difficult and miserable and there was no peace in my life. After I came to ACA, I heard and saw the movies of Jesus Christ and started liking Christianity. At ACA, they told me about salvation through Jesus Christ. Thus, I came to know the Lord at the age of ten. 
 
They gave me training in God's Word and I learned more about the Lord. The House of Joy is the place that taught me to play musical instruments, sing songs to God, and how to do children's ministry. The Lord has given me a talent of singing and playing music for His glory. The ACA campus is where I learned six languages that I can use to communicate with others. I have experienced the work of the Lord in my life. I was baptized on July 24, 2011. My name has been changed from Harish to John. Now in my family, four of us have received Christ and been baptized.
 
My aim in the future is to do children's ministry and teach adult Bible classes. I would like to sing for the Lord.  Please pray for my family, my studies, and my future, that the Lord will answer and help me in doing all this. 
 
 
Through Harish and contact with a local pastor, his grandmother and mother have now come to know the Lord, been baptized, are regularly attending church and growing in the Lord. 
 

ACA High School Student -- Aravind Kumar

Aravind Kumar
My name is Aravind Kumar and I was brought up in a Hindu family. I was sent to board at the Asian Christian Academy when I was in the fourth grade. At first, I was not satisfied with staying at ACA. I used to cry every day to go home to my parents and brother. I was so unhappy that I could not even study properly. 
 
By the next academic year, hearing the gospel satisfied me. Many people shared the truth with me but I could not become a Christian because I was a Hindu. One man, Jobin Chacko, clearly explained the Bible and gospel to me. I was so influenced by what he told me that I decided to accept Jesus as my personal Savior. 
 
After I became a Christian, my life changed for the good. I recognize that God has given me a great opportunity for new life. Now I want my family to also become Christians. I pray that God would give me the confidence and strength to share the gospel with my family and others. I am so happy to now be a Christian; I wish that everyone in this world would accept Jesus as their personal Savior. I thank God for His mercy upon me.
 
Aravind is now in the ninth grade and only has one year left at the Asian Christian High School. He has requested to continue living at ACA and commute for his eleventh and twelfth grades so that he can continue growing in the Lord. Also, he wants to bring his younger brother to live and study at the Asian Christian High School so that he, too, can learn about Jesus. Pray for Aravind's spiritual growth and that he would stand firm in his walk with the Lord. 

Greetings from India! We enjoyed our time in the U.S. and now we are busy as we continue the Lord's work here in India.
 
We were recently blessed by two visiting ministry teams, one from Pantego Bible Church and the other from Metro Bible Church in the Dallas area. By the grace of God we were able to accommodate housing for fifteen people from the combined teams. The teams served in various facets of our ministry: helping in the children's school, leading chapel for the campus children in the evening,

teaching in the seminary, conducting photography and computer classes, and serving in our village ministries. Above all, they were a reflection of Christ's love to those around them. We praise God for their willingness to give of their time and use the gifts that God has bestowed upon them to serve others. We are expecting another team from Dallas in August, along with smaller groups throughout the summer.

We also give praise to our Lord Jesus Christ for healing Leela from the hives she was suffering from.  We thank you for your prayers and encouragement to us.

Four more precious children have been admitted into the House of Joy--two boys and two girls. It is our prayer that they might grow and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, so that they might then go into the world to be ambassadors for Christ.

There are several areas that we ask you to join with us in prayer:
• We are facing issues with the government with r
• egards to school operations and finances which makes the smooth functioning of the school difficult. Pray for wisdom as we address this issue (see article below).  
• The school is in need of more teachers; two teachers are leaving this month for personal reasons.
• Mercy, the wife of Mr. Nagaraju, one of our ACA missionaries, is undergoing surgery next week.
• There are still children in the House of Joy who are in need of sponsorship. One of the girls, Nandhini, is pictured.
Thank you for partnering with us to bring the light and love of Jesus Christ to India.

In His Love,

Joy and Leela George

Video of ACA by Fellowship Bible Church

Fellowship Bible Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, recently visited ACA and filmed a number of wonderful videos, showing ACA ministry and sharing stories.  Below is one of the videos; others are available when you follow its link.   
 
Thank you, FBC, for sharing your video ministry with us so we can all have a taste of ACA in India!

The Cause of Corruption in India

 by Dr. Joy M. George
 
Below is an article written by Dr. George for an Indian publication concerning the government's desire to legislate their tuition fees.  This article will give you an idea of what ACA must deal with as they fight the corruption in India. 
 
In the present context of Anna Hazare going on a hunger strike to force a Lokpal bill to fight corruption-and the god-man Ramdev joining the bandwagon-this subject is very much in the mind of every Indian. What is the cause of corruption in India? My father-in-law was in the Kerala police force. He told me a story of a police strike for a pay hike in the days of Sir C.P. Ramaswamy, the Divan of erstwhile Travencore. The Divan made an executive order that all restaurants in the territory close by 9:00 pm. The police strike was immediately called off. What is the connection between the police strike and the order relating to the restaurants? No restaurant owner would close down the shop at 9:00 pm if business is brisk. Therefore, the enforcing policeman would get a free dinner and some pocket money. This made the police happy. Many of the laws are made to breed corruption. There is a law banning a dowry at the time of a wedding. But the law cannot be enforced because the girl's parents are willing to pay. Instead it will be called a gift or the girl's share will be deposited into a joint account of the bride and groom.
 
Recently in Tamil Nadu, the court and a government-appointed commission issued an order setting a fee scale for all private schools. The government is spending22,500 for every child educated in the government schools. But the commission is asking the private, unaided schools to charge a meager 4000 rupees per child for tuition. First of all, if the school is a private institution, the government should not interfere in the fee structure. They have the right to protect the children, by way of assuring safety or quality issues. But by issuing an order to fix the fee for the private schools, the government and the court are going back to socialistic controls. Russia and China gave up this ideology as it failed there.
 
An interesting paradox of this decision by the commission to fix fees is that the fee structure varies from school to school. The criterion is not based on the infrastructure, quality of education provided, value of the property or the economic standard of the parents. The fee is based purely on the accounts provided by the school. If the accounts are balanced or show little deficit, those schools are given a lower fee structure. Those who borrowed money from banks for land and infrastructure and showed a huge deficit are allowed to charge fees four times higher than other schools. Their assumption is that the schools who did not show a deficit have paid for their land and infrastructure from student fees and, therefore, need only a low income to operate. This assumption is not based on fact. In the case of our school, the funds for land and infrastructure are provided by the management and society, with a view that the school will gradually be able to compensate the society for their investment.
 
If a masala dosa (Indian-style crepe) is sold at a wayside kiosk for five rupees and a five-star hotel charges fifty rupees, it is understandable that the customer is getting the comforts of the five-star hotel for the higher price. But schools that are offering similar facilities and the same curriculum in the same neighborhood cannot have two different fee structures. Also, if two car dealers are allowed to charge two different prices for the same model car, the customer will opt for the dealer who gives the product at the cheaper rate. If the government is insisting that one dealer charge 2 lakhs rupees for a Honda while another is allowed to charge 8 lakhs for the same model car, the one with the cheaper price will be inundated with customers. The dealer will not be able to continue business and will need to close shop as he faces heavy losses. The higher priced dealer will also have to close his shop since the customers will not shop with him when the product is supposed to be available elsewhere at a cheaper rate. This is, therefore, an impractical and unjust decision.
 
If there is proper competition, the schools will improve quality and balance the fees to attract more students. With this control, all incentives for quality and investments are killed. In a free market economy, everyone needs a level playing ground.
 
Also, as long as parents are willing to pay for a quality education, the amount will be collected by the school management in different forms. This will lead to corruption, bribes and a host of other evils. Unjust laws are the cause of corruption in this country.
 
For land registration, the government has fixed a high 9-12% in some states. Because this fee is high-and the government valuation of the land abysmally low-the buyer is forced to register the land at the government valuation and save taxes. This also generates black money. The excess money given for the land is taken in cash and it becomes black money. The ordinary citizens know, and therefore the government, consisting of citizens (officials), knows for certain that the market value of the land is always ten times or even more than the fixed value by the revenue department. This is why private citizens are not willing to sell the land for public purposes to the government.
 
In America, the government knows the value of property and it is always the same as what people are buying and selling. The tax rate is low and the citizens are willing to pay. Unless the Indian government is willing to assess the actual market value of a property and keep the tax rate low, the corruption will continue.
 
The laws in this country are made to help the bureaucracy collect bribes. It is known that the political bosses would collect large sums as bribes for some lucrative appointments where a lot of bribes can be collected. The R.T.O.'s at the border check posts, registrars at high value property areas are given huge bribes for getting the placement at these locations. Now these officials consider these bribes as investments. They are collecting the bribes to compensate for these payments. This vicious cycle is also in politics. The candidate spends huge amounts for election, and, when they are elected, they compensate the investment by way of corrupt practices. Control of black money can only be done if the land values are brought to the market rate. Once this is done, anyone who buys or sells property should be investigated to find the source of their income. If this is done, just as in the case of those buying new cars, the black money will be difficult to dispense. Also, the stock market investments should be monitored as well.
 
The solution of the problem
 
The government of India should give up half-hearted capitalism. The failed ideology of socialism is to be changed. A free market economy with laws preventing cartels and allowing genuine competition is to be established. The government must be the protector of both investors and customers. The quality of products, accreditation of institutions and permits are to be in the control of the government. They should not interfere in the actual running of private companies and institutions.
 
If the market value of the property is fixed and adjusted according to market fluctuations, the farmer will be willing to sell his property to companies and for government developmental work. Currently the value fixed by the government is so low that the farmers are not willing to part with their property. They will not be able to buy an equivalent property elsewhere with the money that they get for the sold property. This is the main cause for the farmers' protests.
 
Only a genuine market-driven capitalistic economy will encourage competition. A genuine competition will keep the quality of the product and the price. Formation of cartel by those who give similar services and products is to be curtailed through proper legislation.
 
India is a country with the highest per capita gold in the world. This gold is mostly bought at the highest price in the world with black money. Is the government willing to monitor the gold investments? Will the gold dealer be made accountable to report the transaction to the government? Even though gold is a good commodity to invest, the money becomes dead when it is converted into ornaments and kept in bank vaults. If one Padmanabha Swamy temple in Kerala has more than twelve billion dollars worth of bullion so far unearthed, how much wealth is there in this country? Considering India as a poor nation with plenty of starving people, will the religious authorities be willing to feed the poor with their wealth? Entrusting the wealth with the government will lead to more corruption, but the religious authorities should utilize the wealth for social development and alleviation of poverty.
I studied the story of a beggar who converted all his earnings into gold coins that could easily be stored in his bundle of belongings. One day he was sick and feared that he would die. He did not want his coins to fall into the hands of others so he swallowed the pouch that contained the gold coins. The next day the police found the beggar dead by choking as the pouch stuck in his throat. We should use the wealth when we are alive and useful. Once we are gone, what is the use for it? Our children will not appreciate the sacrifice we made for them. We only will make our children lazy and useless by leaving our hard earned wealth for them. They will fight among themselves for the wealth left behind. What we inherited must be passed along.
 
The second way of hoarding the black money in this country is through high denomination currency stashed in secret vaults and underneath mattresses. In the village near our college, one old man kept high denomination currency in a pot buried in the house. After many years, when he unearthed the pot, the currency notes had been eaten by termites-only mud was in the pot. If the government would call back all the 1,000 and 500 denomination notes and give a suitable time period to deposit them in the bank, all the black money saved up as high denomination currency would be recovered and could be taxed. Compared to the tax it would generate, the cost of printing new notes would be meager. Also, the counterfeit currency that is coming into this country from the outside would be curtailed. The government, consisting of corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, will not allow such a decision to be taken by the government because they would be losers. Sukh Rams and U.P. IAS are some of the examples of recent times.
 
If there is one strong leader who is not corrupt, this country could easily be turned around. But who is that leader? We may have to wait for Him!

Greetings to you in our Lord's Blessed Name.
 
We had a wonderful week of celebration during the 25th anniversary of our leadership of ACA. Dr. Lanier Burns and his wife, Kathy, were the chief guests. Our son, Stephen, also joined with two friends from Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Abraham and Laura Joseph visited us for the week and he spoke at the Alumni Conference, as well as at the Graduation Chapel. The Alumni Conference was one of the highlights of the week. Around 100 alumni from various parts of India joined the week of celebration which concluded with the graduation of 42 students. All the guests returned to the U.S. this past weekend.
 
It was a happy occasion to witness the graduation of Benjamin, our second son, with the Master of Theology degree. He is planning to visit the U.S. with his family for a few months to renew his wife's residence permit. After that, he will be working with us in India as the Director of Missions at the Seminary.
 
Leela and I will be arriving in Dallas, Texas on April 21 and will be in the U.S. until June 23. We have been invited to visit:  Moss Bluff Bible Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana; Plymouth Congregational Church in California; Community Bible Church in Brighton, Michigan; Fellowship Evangelical Bible Church of North Carolina; Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia;  and Grace Covenant Church in Dallas, Georgia. We also would like to visit Grace Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, Skillman Bible Church in Dallas, Texas, and Faith Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are looking forward to meeting with all our friends in the Dallas, Texas area during the annual meeting on Wednesday, May 4.
 
Thank you for praying for us.  We truly had a wonderful year. Please pray that the contractor for the roof of our new auditorium will complete his work so that we can finish the project in a few month's time.
 
In His Love,
 
Joy George

The Missions Department of Asian Christian Academy had the honor and privilege of dedicating three of their Evangelical Theological Seminary graduates to be ACA missionaries on January 31, 2011. Dr. Joy George, President of ACA, along with faculty members, prayed for the three missionaries and dedicated them to God's service at a chapel service.  
A brief profile of these new missionaries is presented below.

Mr. Sudhakar Khosla, Missionary to Toyapet, India

Mr. Sudhakar Khosla hails from the state of Orissa. After his salvation experience and completing his bachelor's degree at a secular unive
rsity, he obtained theological training and a bachelor of theology degree from Brethren Bible Institute, Kerala. Later he joined the ThM program at ACA/ETS.    
After graduation in April 2007, he worked for a year and a half as an evangelist in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. After his marriage, he moved to Orissa and joined his home church in Koraput. He expressed his desire to join ACA to work as a missionary at a place called Toyapet; the Missions Committee prayerfully consented to appoint him for ministry there. Sudhakar with his wife are planning to obtain a house in Toyapet and work in the surrounding villages of the city.

Mr. Stephen John Nanda, Missionary to Bhubaneswar, India 

Mr. Sephen John Nanda hails from the state of Orissa. He did his theological training at Faith Baptist Bible College in Kerala. He joined ACA/ETS in 2005 for his ThM studies.  
 
After graduating in April 2008, he worked with HATS in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh for two years. Having a burden for his own people in Orissa, Stephen decided to start a pioneer ministry in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. He is now staying in Bhubaneswar and working among the refugees from Kandamal. He is a bachelor and praying for his future wife.

 
Mr. John Prabhakar, Missionary to Andhra Pradesh, India

Mr. John Prabhakar hails from the state of Andhra Pradesh. He comes from a pastor's home so has had a taste and interest in ministry. After his secular studies, knowing the call of God, he decided to pursue theological training and completed his bachelors degree at Faith Baptist Bible College, Kerala. He joined ACA/ETS in 2006 for his ThM studies and graduated in 2010.  
 
Since graduation, he has been involved in ministry in his homeland of Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. He was glad to join in the work of ACA when the Missions Committee decided to select him as a missionary. He is concentrating his work in a place called Gangadevipadu. He is a bachelor and seeking marriage within the year.

Prayer Requests for Indian Missionaries

Greetings to you in the blessed name of our Lord.  
 
Another year just passed and it is time to reflect on the goodness of our God and His faithfulness in our life and our ministry at ACA. The year 2010 had been a blessed year for us personally and in ministry. We received two more grandchildren this past year; from Benjamin and Miriam in May and Christine and Nathan in October. The Lord provided for all our needs, both for ourselves and for the ministry. Leela recovered from a serious illness in September and is now back to good health.
 
We are also blessed with many friends who visited us and ministered with us during the past year. We appointed five more missionaries--two in Orissa, two in Andhra Pradesh and one in Tamilnadu. The auditorium project is progressing and we hope it to be completed during this year. I will be completing 25 years as the President of ACA in October. This year the 25th batch of graduates will go into the ministry field. Our son Benjamin will also graduate with a ThM degree from ACA. An alumni conference is planned for April 2011, in connection with this year's graduation of the seminary students. Below also find the report from Dr. David Fletcher regarding the progress of the Doctor of Ministry program of ACA.
 
The ACHS grade school has an enrollment of 1,526 this year and already 500 applications are sold out for the new admissions for 2011-12. We are adding new classrooms on the first floor of the auditorium and we hope to reach a student body strength of 2,000 by this coming academic year, beginning in June. The House of Joy and the residential section of the school are functioning well. Please continue to pray that the school will be able to impact these children through the study of God's Word. The curriculum we use for moral instruction is the Creation to Christ series. This is clearly impacting a number of students. This morning we heard that one of our top grade school students, who graduated in 2004 and was studying engineering in another city (Coimbatore), committed suicide. These young girls are very vulnerable and need spiritual guidance. Those children who commit their life to Christ can only withstand the pressures of the outside world. They need the hope which is in Christ.
 
Leela and I are planning to be in the U.S. from April 22 until June 22.  We are available to visit with you and share about the ministry of ACA.  If you want us to visit you this summer, please contact me.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you.
 
In His Love,
 
Joy and Leela George

It is a great joy and privilege to partner with you in the ministry of ACA. We thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement.

This is the thanksgiving season and we have many reasons to give thanks to our great God for His mercy and love toward us. Leela was seriously ill in September, but the Lord provided us with the best medical care and healing at the right time. Now she is back to normal. Also, the Lord gave us two more grandchildren this year. In June, Benjamin, our second son, and his wife Miriam, had Asher, a baby boy. In September, our daughter, Christine, and her husband, Nathan, had Noah, a baby boy. Now we have a total of six grandchildren--three boys and three girls.

Benjamin will be graduating from ACA with a Master of Theology degree in April 2011. He is planning to join the Church Planting Department of ACA as its Director. This will help us have proper supervision of our missionaries. We have nineteen missionaries who are fully supported through ACA and partially support another six missionaries. During the first two weeks of October, our student body and faculty traveled to twenty mission fields in India and Nepal. These mission trips were sponsored by the Missions Department of ACA. They provided training to the students, as well as encouraged and supported our missionaries on the field. The students came back with reports of fruitful ministry at almost all locations. This has provided a meaningful impact to our students, encouraging them to get involved in missions. Our Missions Director, Mr. Joji Abraham, visited three mission fields last week to see our new recruits in their settings. He gave us a good report of the choice of locations and the potential for great ministries in these areas. We appointed one missionary to Bhuvaneshwar in Orissa and one more is ready to be appointed in the nearby city of Cuttack. These locations saw a large influx of refugees from Kanthamal where there was severe persecution of Christians two years ago. We hope to have healthy churches built in these cities in the coming years. Please pray for the missionaries who work in these difficult places.

Our Fall semester is coming to a close. We had a number of visiting faculty as well as friends from the U.S. visit us this year to help with the ministry. The Lord is continuing to bless this work. The grade school is growing at a fast pace. We have 1,560 children in the school and expect the enrollment to grow twenty percent this year. Our Auditorium construction is progressing well; by the end of December, the structure, including roof, will be completed. We are planning to add the 11th and 12th grades to our grade school. The Lord provided the funds for the construction of new classroom buildings to help with the increase of students. We shall initiate the construction work as soon as the Auditorium is completed. When praying for the school, please ask that we will get good Christian teachers who would not only give knowledge, but also spiritual impact.

I will be completing 25 years as the President of ACA next year. We are planning an Alumni Conference, the inauguration of the Auditorium (if completed in time), and our 25th seminary graduation in April 2011. Please pray that it will be a success and glorifying to His name.

The children of the House of Joy are doing well, by His grace. Ten children have finished their time at our school and enrolled in other institutions. Judah is working on his Engineering degree in Computer Science. Shobha is doing her bachelors in Business and Accounting. Babu and Mohan are in a polytechnic school obtaining a diploma in Engineering. Others are doing 11th and 12th grades in other schools. Once we start the high school section for our school, it will be a great help for our students. We need a warden for our House of Joy boys; please pray that God will bring to us a mature Christian couple who could impart the love and discipline the boys need as they grow. The House of Joy girls are doing well; Vimi, the wife of our Missions Director, takes a personal interest to help tutor and mentor these girls.

We are thankful to God for another wonderful year of ministry. Thank you for standing with us to impact this generation with the gospel of Christ in this part of the world. May God richly bless as we seek to serve our Great God. We wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and meaningful Christmas season, even in these difficult financial times.

In His Love,

Joy George

Greetings to you in our blessed
Savior's name. I am writing this letter with a heart full of thanksgiving to our great God for the many blessings we received in the past few months. As the Psalmist wrote, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for thou art with me and thy staff and thy rod they comfort me" (Ps.23:4). Leela's health is improving quite well. We were able to travel to Waco, Texas to be with our daughter during the birth of our sixth grandchild, Noah James Smith, born on September 29. The Lord has blessed us with six grandchildren within the last four years. We will be returning to India on Monday, October 18.

We were able to take these two weeks of vacation to come to the U.S. because the seminary decided to send the students on a two-week mission trip to our mission stations in various parts of India. Twenty teams, led by faculty and staff, are now working with the missionaries in reaching out with the gospel of Christ. This annual mission trip is sponsored by ACA to give practical experience to our students and to assist our missionaries in their ministries. Please pray that the students will return to ACA with renewed enthusiasm and vigor for the ministry. Classes will resume on October 18.

The children's ministry of ACA is doing well. Two of our House of Joy children are now enrolled in colleges sponsored through ACA. Judah is studying computer science in a government college in Salem and Shobha is in a liberal arts college in Hosur, studying commerce and accounting. Babu and Mohan are both pursuing diploma degrees in engineering at a government polytechnic school in Hosur. They opted for that course so they would be able to find a job in two years to help their families.

We added two twin girls to our House of Joy.  They are from a neighborhood village and their mother died two years ago. At the children's school, we are planning to use the basement of the Auditorium for the kindergarten section of the school. This will provide more classroom space as well as a play area for the little ones. We have applied for a permit which would make it possible for us to offer the 11th and 12th grades at our school, beginning in 2011. We hope to build the needed infrastructure by next year. Please pray that we will be able to get this work done speedily and efficiently.

This year I will be completing 25 years as the president of ACA. We hope to complete the Auditorium by April 2011 and plan to organize an Alumni Conference coinciding with the inauguration. Please pray that we will be able to complete the work as planned and that the meetings will bring glory and honor to our great God for His faithfulness in providing for our needs.

Thank you for your prayers and support of this ministry. We need kindergarten teachers and a caretaker for the House of Joy boys. We also seek your prayers for the protection of our missionaries who work
in difficult areas.

In His Love,

Joy George

So many of you have called and written us after our last letter regarding Leela's health. We have good news. She has been discharged from the hospital after an eleven day stay and her health is returning to normalcy. The doctors were able to identify the cause of her anemia. Last month, doctors prescribed a medicine (Daphsone) for her hives and it caused the destruction of red blood cells. Because of the loss of blood, she contracted some viral infection in her lungs which caused the pneumonia.

Currently she does not have any breathing difficulty and her blood level is returning to normal. We hope that within the next ten days she will be able to travel to Waco, Texas for a three week trip. Leela very much desires to be there to be of help to Christine at the birth of their second baby. However, if there is any question regarding her health, we will stay put here. Please continue to pray for her.

The ministry here is progressing and the Lord is blessing the work.

Thank you, once again, for praying for us.

In His Love,

Joy George

Leela has had some health issues lately. Last month she had hives and we treated her for that condition. Two weeks ago she developed a high fever and on Tuesday she was admitted to one of the hospitals in Bangalore.

She has breathing difficulties and the oxygen concentration in her blood is not improving, even with the oxygen. They are suspecting viral pneumonia. They are conducting all sorts of tests and they have not been able to find the cause of her breathing difficulties.

Please pray for her recovery.

In His Love,

Joy George

Greetings to you in the matchless name of our Savior. I am writing this letter to express our heartfelt thanks to all of you who made the matching grant for missionary outreach a grand success. You enabled us to reach our goal--and beyond--through your generous giving. The most exciting thing related to this project was to find our graduates who are willing to go and start churches in the interior parts of the country.

We commissioned two missionary families in the third week of July. Mr. Ken Fifer, the Minister of Outreach at Northwest Bible Church in Dallas, was visiting with us and participated in the commissioning of the missionaries during our chapel. Pictured here are two of these families. Mr. Subba Rao and family will be working to establish a Bible Church in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.  Mr. Sam Raj and family will be working in Tiruppathur town. One of our graduates donated a piece of property in the town to build a church building.  As soon as a sizable congregation is in place, we will start the construction of the church building and parsonage.

It is a great challenge to establish churches in these trying times. Please pray that we will be able to recruit more committed graduates this year to go into the India mission field. The graduates normally prefer a less challenging job. Therefore, it is always a task to select the right candidates for the mission field. Please pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of our graduates for the great task of church planting.

We just completed the summer session of the seminary and already had 25 guests from the U.S. and one guest from Germany visit us. They ministered with the seminary, school, hospital and various church plants of ACA. It was a meaningful time for us and the visitors as we served the Lord together.

The grade school has 1,546 students and so far the school year has run smoothly, by His grace. Please continue to pray for the safety of our children as we provide bus transportation daily. Please also pray for committed teachers. We added 26 new teachers this year since the student body has increased. The school is continuing to impact the community in a powerful way.

In the past two weeks, we had some problems at the Kolachal Tsunami Relief Center of ACA. Alcoholism is a constant problem with the fishermen community who occupy the houses at the center. Our missionary was counseling one of the residents with regard to his problem with alcoholism and his disturbing the peace of the community. The resident did not like the counsel of the missionary; he contacted some Hindu fanatical groups and accused our missionary of forcefully converting the people at the center. The local police intervened and the problem is settled for now but the incident destroyed the unity at the center. I am sending our mission director and traveling evangelist to visit the center this week on a fact-finding tour; they hope to bring the spiritual atmosphere of the community back. Please pray that Satan will be restrained and the truth of the gospel will be victorious.

In the month of October, we will be sending all the students of our seminary, under the leadership of the faculty, to all our mission stations for a missionary internship. Pastor Neil Tomba from Northwest
Bible Church of Dallas will lead our Kerala team.  Please pray that they will be protected from the evil one.  Pray also that they will be effective in the outreach and able to strengthen the churches.

Our daughter Christine is expecting her second child at the end of September. Leela and I are planning to be with her and her family in Waco, Texas, for three weeks in October. This will be during the time when the seminary will be participating in the mission trips. Leela is suffering from allergic reactions and is not feeling well, in spite of several tests and medical help. Please pray for her health and that we will be able to make the trip without any difficulty.  Pray that our visit will be useful to Christine and Nathan.

Stephen and family were with us here in India for two months.  He taught the Gospel of John and Ecclesiastes to our seminary students and it was a blessing. They are returning to the U.S. tomorrow to continue his studies at the University of North Texas at Denton.

Thank you again for your love and prayers for us and for ACA. May God continue to bless you and keep you well in His grace.

In His Blessed Service,
Joy and Leela George

Thanks for your continued interest and prayer for the work in India.  I am making my plans to return for the fifth year, teaching pastors in the Doctor of Ministry program.  I made a ten year commitment to get the program up and running.  Now we are looking for the next D.Min. Director because ministry in India belongs to Indians!

Many of the doctoral students are grads of ACA.  Our grads are amazing!  Many are pastoring churches while others are teaching or leading significant schools around India.  I wish that all of you could come with me each January and see what God is doing through our graduates.  They are fresh, dynamic and alive in great ministry.

There are new graduates that are ready to go out as church planting missionaries.  All they need is support.  As Dr. George wrote recently:

We have seen a strong ministry of church planting through ACA graduates.  These families are well trained and well equipped for the task of beginning new churches. New families are dedicated and ready to go!  All they need is the support.

Our July matching grant has received $27,000 of the $60,000 needed.  If we meet our goal, then the donor will give an extra $30,000.  This means that every ten dollars that you give will raise an extra five!

Will you consider a gift to ACA today?  The matching grant is valid through the end of July.  You can give online or send in a check.

Thanks for your partnership in this great ministry,

David

Dr. David R. Fletcher
Treasurer of the American Council of ACA
Executive Pastor at The Chapel of Akron

A few weeks ago, Dr. George announced a matching grant.  A donor is going to give $30,000 if ACA will raise $60,000 before the end of July.  As Dr. George said, "This is a golden opportunity to expand our evangelism and church planting effort substantially in the coming years. We will be able to send all the graduates who are gifted in evangelism and church planting work."

The good news is that ACA has already received almost $20,000 from our donors toward this $60,000 matching grant.  Deep thanks go to those who have responded already.  We hope that many more can join us in this matching grant.  You can participate by going online or by mail.

Dr. George also noted that, "Because of the growing opposition to evangelism by militant Hindus and Muslims, the window of opportunity is very limited. Let us send as many as possible because the field is white for harvest and the laborers are few."  We have seen a strong ministry of church planting through ACA graduates.  These families are well trained and well equipped for the task of beginning new churches. New families are dedicated and ready to go!  All they need is the support.

Thanks for your part in this vital ministry in India.

David

Dr. David R. Fletcher
Treasurer of the American Council of ACA
Executive Pastor at The Chapel of Akron

Greetings to you in the blessed name of our all sufficient Savior. Leela and I had a fruitful trip to the United States over the past two months as we traveled and visited with many of our friends and supporters of the ACA ministry. Though the economic situation is still a cause of great concern in most parts of the U.S., we are encouraged by the generosity in the midst of financial difficulties. We thank you for your love and hospitality.

One of our donors came forward with the proposal to give up to $30,000 if ACA will be able to raise $60,000 during the month of July, 2010. We are encouraged by this offer. This is a golden opportunity to expand our evangelism and church planting effort substantially in the coming years. We will be able to send all the graduates who are gifted in evangelism and church planting work.  Because of the growing opposition to evangelism and church planting work by the militant Hindus and Muslims, the window of opportunity is very limited. Let us send as many as possible because the field is white for harvest and the laborers are few.

If you can participate in this matching grant, please send in your special offering before July 31, either online or by mail.  We are hoping to raise enough funds to send out many new church planting missionaries.  

A few years ago, ACA started a church planting effort through our graduates. We felt that some of the graduates cherish a desire to be pioneering evangelists and church planters. We shared this vision with some of our friends in the U.S. and several churches came forward to sponsor our graduates. We sent out twenty missionaries with full financial assistance; they established churches in many parts of India and Nepal. Some of the churches established by these missionaries grew to become training centers for local pastors. The success of these missionaries encouraged us to expand this vision of recruiting and sending more missionaries each year. For this expansion, we need a substantial amount of funds each year.

We graduate about 45 students with Master of Theology and Master of Biblical Studies degrees each year. Our experience has shown that at least a third of these graduates want to become missionaries and establish churches in India and Nepal--if support is available. Since our local churches are not financially capable of sponsoring these church planters, ACA had to step forward and help.

May God bless this effort and make it possible for us to see hundreds of our graduates in the mission fields of India and Nepal.

In His Blessed Service,

Dr. Joy George
President
Asian Christian Academy

We received this e-mail yesterday about the persecution of some of our ACA alumni pastors in India.

Persecution in Kerala
A local YMEF team consisting of 22 brethren in Perumbavoor were doing house visitations and tract distribution at Rayamangalam on Saturday, 17 April. The team divided into two-by-two and did house visitation and tract distribution. Twinkle Paul (Evangelist, ACA Graduate) and Johnson Daniel were invited into a house. The house owner was the friend of Twinkle's father. Suddenly, 7-8 anti-Gospel elements swooped into the house and carried out pre-determined attacks on the two brethren. The attacks were presumably carried out on the instance of the friend's neighbor who is an RSS worker. The elements beat them severely inside the house, in spite of the opposition of the house owner to the beatings. They chased the two brothers out of the house. They have suffered severe injuries from the beatings and they could barely walk. The Anti-Gospel people also burned the Bibles and the literature the brethren had carried with them.

Twinkle Paul clarifies that they were never handed over to the police and were never in police custody. He further adds that the anti-Gospel elements might turn the case against them, accusing them of entering the house without permission and with wrong motives.  He therefore, solicits prayers for them, their health and safety.

Twinkle Paul was dismissed from the hospital this morning.

Persecution in Bhilai
On April 15, a group of young brethren from the Bhilai Brethren Assembly were assaulted by the Bajrang Dal and Dharam Sena activists. Summer outreach was going on in different places of Bhilai, since April 1. This incident happened as 8 brethren were distributing tracts, house to house. The anti christian group had already planned the attack and called together a large crowd and reporters to witness the attack. The brethren were attacked with verbal insults and lathis. All of them were badly beaten up. Bro. Shalu T Ninan, on being informed of this matter reached the place immediately. He too was beaten. The police have interfered in this matter.

Alexander MS (ACA Graduate) is among the four arrested under the Anti-Conversion Law. It is a non-bailable offense. The believers in Bhilai tried with all their means to obtain a bail. Alexander has a wife and 3-year-old baby. Please pray for the arrested missionaries and their families.

Update on attack in Bhiiai:
The situation is not good in Bhilai. A group of anti-Christian elements attacked another believer on 17 April. Ranvir Kurre was doing his work when a group attacked him. While thrashing, they shouted on him about his conversion. He got bruises and cuts below his eye.

The bail application for Alexander MS, Amit Kapse, K. Ravi, G. Samuel is coming for hearing on 19th April. The anti-Christian gospel elements are planning to oppose the bail on the grounds that their release would create law and order problems (riots). Few other youths from the church who were beaten up, but not charged with a case are Shefferson Shalu and Poldev.

Please pray for the arrested and beaten missionaries and their families.  Also pray for:
• Peace in this area
• Anti-christian people will come to know the Lord
• All the brethren will experience peace and healing from the Lord
• The gospel will prosper in this area.
Thanks for standing with us in praying for those that are being persecuted for their faith.

Greetings to you in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior. We are approaching graduation week--April 12-15. Pastor Wayne Lowe from Cincinnati is our graduation speaker. A lot of work is yet to be completed before we leave for the U.S. on April 22. 

The construction of the auditorium is in progress and the concreting work of the first floor will be next week. Please pray that we will have some rain. The water level in the wells is going down.

The grade school will be closed for vacation starting April 9. The tenth grade students completed their CBSE board exams and we are expecting good results for this year. Please pray for these graduating students. Many of them expressed their faith in Christ and Leela is following up with them.

The following is the schedule of our visit to the U.S.:

April 22 -- Arrive in Dallas, Texas
April 24 & 25 -- Northwest Bible Church - Dallas, Texas

May 1 -- Grace Bible Church - College Station, Texas
May 2 -- Redeemer Bible Church - Dallas, Texas
May 4 -- American Council of ACA Board Meeting in Dallas (see note below for more information)
May 9 -- Grace Church - Wichita Falls, Texas
May 16 -- Royce City Bible Church - near Rockwall, Texas
May 17 -- Trip to Atlanta, Georgia
May 19 -- Grace Covenant Church - Dallas, Georgia
May 22-25 -- Trip to Bermuda
May 23 -- Calvary Gospel Church, Bermuda
May 25 -- Return to Atlanta, Georgia
May 30 -- Jacksonville Bible Church - Jacksonville and Faith Evangelical Church - Newport, NC
May 31 -- Faith Bible Church - Cincinnati, Ohio

June 6 -- Castleview Baptist Church - Indianapolis, Indiana
June13 -- Sunday - Open
June 20 -- Tomball Bible Church - Tomball, Texas
June 26 -- Return to India

Weekdays are currently available to meet with people in the cities that we will be ministering.
Please pray for the success of our visit to the U.S. this year. Stephen and his family will be traveling to India on June 9 where he will be teaching for six weeks at ACA.

In His Blessed Service,
Joy and Leela George

Daniel--fond memories of Asian Christian High School

• Published 08/19/2009

Hi! My name is Daniel Santos Jose. I left ACHS in 2008 and have many fond memories of which are too many to share in this short space. Scripture class and devotions are the two things which come to my mind first because I miss them at my present school. Some of those lessons were very practical and motivating and gave me a lot of confidence! 

Even the farewell day was organized in a grand way and even now I remember the inspiring message Prof. Stephen George gave on that day. It was a proud moment when I received the memento from the school and I literally cried on that day. It was one of the most cherished days in my memory. 

Above all the teachers of ACHS were very inspiring, motivating, loving and caring to us.  They helped us in all of our studies. They constantly motivated us. They were very patient to listen to us when we came to them with the silliest of doubts.  Thank you very much, ACHS School Management, Principal and Teachers for imparting in us that precious knowledge which gives us confidence today to face the multifaceted challenges of tomorrow.

Daniel Santos Jose

The drought in India

• Published 08/09/2009

The drought situation in India is very real. We did not get any significant rain this monsoon. We received few showers last month and the same is this month. The monsoon season will end by the middle of August. Some of our deep wells are having less water and we transport water for use. Last week we dug a well and God provided good water. This is a miracle of God. We thank God for his provision. We need to build a central water tank and a recycling plant to reuse the water. This is the only way we can sustain our three hundred residents on campus and keep the place green. We also need to grow vegetables as the price will shoot up if the rain fails elsewhere.

A link to more information regarding the drought

Another link to information about India's water shortage

A young girl impacted by ACA

• Published 07/30/2009

As we enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere that summer usually brings--vacations, porch swings and outdoor concerts--remember that halfway across the world, school is in session. At ACA in India, school starts in June for elementary-age, high school, and seminary students. 

Here is a moving story about Jeeva, a girl that attended  Asian Christian High School--the children's school at ACA. 

Thank you for your prayer and financial support that brings the gospel to Jeeva and her community.
 

Jeeva
A young girl impacted by the teaching
of Asian Christian High School

Enjoy this article from the September issue of ACA's quarterly magazine ...

A slender teenage girl sits on the dirt floor of a one-room house, reading to her younger brother from her Bible. The young lady barely notices her dingy surroundings, the poverty around her. It is not that she's grown accustomed to it; in her mind, she is already elsewhere.

Her face shows a quiet intensity. More than just reading, she is studying, learning, and re-affirming her decision to live through the Scripture. Her parents enter the room, requesting the children's help in the fields.

Reluctantly, the girl closes the tattered, marked-up volume and sighs; she knows she must obey, at least for now. But she also knows the day is near when her parents--and others in her small village--will understand the importance of the book, and experience the same peace she has found by surrendering to Christ the Savior.

Jeeva graduated Asian Christian High School in 2007 and is now the first ACHS graduate to affirm her faith in Christ through baptism. Her baptism took place on June 21 at Hosur Bible Church, where Jeeva participates in youth ministry programs.

To those who know her, including Scriptures instructor Mrs. Leela George, it's not surprising that Jeeva is the first ACHS graduate to be baptized. The beautiful young woman has made a career out of being outstanding in a school filled with
top students. "People recognize ACHS students the second they begin to speak," says George. "The students are well-spoken, obedient, respectful and smart."

Out of the 197 students in ACHS, more than sixty percent are entering the field of engineering. "People say if you want your child to be an engineer or a doctor, send them to church ... We are the only Christian school amidst the Hindus," George explained.

This fall, Jeeva takes the first step toward joining that sixty percent, entering the biochemistry degree program at a college in Hosur. Meanwhile, she takes evening classes through the BTCP program at Hosur Bible Church.

When Jeeva entered ACHS nearly thirteen years ago, the teachers--including Mrs. George--knew she was bright, but they feared too many obstacles would hold her back from fulfilling her potential.

Jeeva's History
God's grace brought Jeeva to ACHS in 1996, the year the school was founded. As it still does, the Asian Christian Academy welcomes children from nearby villages to study kindergarten through 10th grade at the school as part of its ministry program.

Jeeva's parents, poor farmers, enrolled her in the school without knowing much about it, simply because tuition was low. A Hindu family, they had no idea their eldest child would receive a Christian education. ACHS was all the family could afford. "Jeeva's parents own two acres of land," George says. "To own two acres is good. All the families cultivate together, but most of the time there's either too much rain or not enough rain and the harvest is lost." Through farming, the family earns the equivalent of $1,000USD per year; they often use high interest loans and credit cards just to pay for basic needs for Jeeva and her younger brother.

When Jeeva was in fourth grade, her parents showed up at the school's registrar office explaining they couldn't pay tuition until they sold the potato harvest--if there was a harvest to sell that season. Knowing Jeeva's grades and recognizing her potential, the school waived the fee for the semester.

ACA also offers scholarships for students starting in fifth grade based on their grades in Scriptures class tests. Jeeva has been able to receive these merit-based scholarships every year. She has studied Scripture with George every semester since fifth grade. By eighth grade, the ACHS teacher became much more than an authority figure to Jeeva; she became a mentor to lead her on a Christian path. "She would stay after school and we would talk about the Scripture," George recalls. "She responded so positively. Everybody loves her; she's just very friendly."

Jeeva understands how blessed she's been to receive a good education in an area where most children never rise above the poverty. "God does the right thing at the right time," she says. He has called me as His child at the right time. Being born into a typical Hindu family, I never had an opportunity to hear God's Word. But He made a wonderful place for me to learn His Word - and that's ACA."
 
Jeeva goes on to explain her positive relationship under the tutelage of Mrs. George. "God let different people impact my life and one of them was Mrs. George." In her soft-spoken manner, she continues, "[Mrs. George] was my guide and counselor who led me to the knowledge of Christ with her Scripture classes and personal advice. There were times when it was very hard for me to complete my schooling, coming from the poor situation my family was in. But God was so gracious and provided me with all the resources to successfully finish my schooling."

Overcoming challenges
Jeeva faced one of her greatest challenges in 10th grade, when family chores and constant activity in her family's one-room house made it difficult for her to study. Jeeva went to Mrs. George with her problem and requested to stay in the girls' dormitory at the House of Joy for the year, where she could study as much as she wanted.

It paid off, as Jeeva received high scores on her board exams and also became even stronger in her faith. "I was so grateful for that opportunity," Jeeva says. "Those were the most fruitful days where I learned so much about God."

As a born-again Christian in a Hindu village, Jeeva faces opposition for her faith everyday. For instance, her mother forces her to hide the fact that she eats beef. On this point, Jeeva obliges, but she finds it impossible to hide her faith. Jeeva often brings her Hindu friends to Hosur Bible Church, showing them the fun and peace fellowship brings.

"She has born witness for Jesus in her village," Mrs. George says. "She has told the whole village, everyone around her, that she is Christian when the whole village is Hindu."

As the bright young lady continues on her chosen path, she prays for more opportunities to share the Word. "I have a great desire to serve my Lord and I'm patiently waiting and praying for His will to be done in my life. I pray that wherever I go, I may stand as a light for Christ and be a blessing for everyone around me," she says.

Jeeva stands as one outstanding example of what ACA has accomplished through its ministry programs. Children like Jeeva in hundreds of villages surrounding ACA benefit from the school's mission. "We are giving the students an education and the gospel so they can be lifted up from the poverty and be a blessing to their family and the community," George says. "That's our goal at ACHS."

News from the Asian Christian Academy

• Published 03/26/2009

Greetings to you in the matchless name of our all sufficient Savior. I am writing this letter to update you on ACA ministries and family news, as well as our upcoming visit to the U.S.

Leela and I have booked tickets for April 23 to reach Dallas and will return to India on June 22. We have an invitation to speak and present the ACA ministries at Tomball Bible Church on April 25-26 and Gadsden Bible Church on June 7. We will also be attending the wedding of our niece, Christine Philip, on June 20. The annual ACA Board Meeting is usually scheduled in the first week of May in Dallas. If any of you would like for us to visit you or your church during our time in the states, please write to us so that it can be properly scheduled. We usually will be driving from Dallas, since ACA has a car there. Therefore, it is important to coordinate our trip to make the maximum usage of our road trips to see friends along the way.

The Lord is blessing the ministry of ACA and has provided for all our needs thus far. We should be able to complete all the projects we planned for this year. We hope to break the ground for the auditorium at our graduation on April 16 by Dr. and Mrs. Lanier Burns. We will be graduating 43 students on that date. We are completing our new administrative block, as well as our school building for the satellite school attached to Hosur Bible Church. These will also be inaugurated by Dr. Burns, who is the president of our American Council.

Please pray for the election in India this April which will decide who will rule India for the next five years. Pray that we will have a government that is tolerant to religious diversity and give us freedom to do the work of the Lord. Pray also for the completion of our auditorium project and the purchase of two new buses for our school at Hosur and at our campus.This year we have more than 1,200 students in the grade school. Also, 45 students are newly admitted this year to the Th.M. program. Also, pray for our mission outreach into Nepal and Northeast India this year. We need to find sponsorship for ten new missionaries who applied for support since last year.

Thank you for standing with us in this difficult time of economic slowdown worldwide, including India, which is heavily dependent on exports to the U.S.

In His Blessed Service,

Joy George

A message from Dr. Joy George

• Published 11/17/2008

What do Christians Believe?

• Published 11/3/2008

Help ACA Help Myanmar

• Published 05/30/2008

The recent cyclone in Myanmar has killed or hurt upwards of 100,000 people.  Some of our ACA grads are national pastors working in the devastated areas.

As Dr. George notes: "Yesterday we sent one of our final year students to Myanmar with some funds for emergency relief work. His family is affected by the cyclone and he will work with his church in Yangoon in the relief work. He is expected to be back in July with a report."

You can help by sending in a special gift or donating electronically. 

David

Dr. David Fletcher
ACA Treasurer

News from Dr. Joy George

• Published 05/30/2008