IRC North American Update: Finland-India Report

IRC North America Update

“Bridging the Gap Between Peoples… Healing the Wounds of Society…”

Finland—India Report:

April 2011

A month ago I woke up in Helsinki, Finland to the devastating earthquake, tsunami and unfolding and continuing nuclear crisis in Japan. There was not TV where I was staying so the guys at the men’s home and I were diligently searching the internet for all the news we could find and praying for God’s grace and intervention in this tragic situation. I’ve been deeply struck by the stoic, diligent, practical way the Japanese people have responded, especially those who are knowingly and willingly putting their lives at risk to avert nuclear disaster and save lives. My prayer has consistently been, “Lord have mercy on Japan and reveal your deep love and unique redemptive purpose for them as a Nation.”

That said, I want to express deep gratitude to you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry journey to Finland and India. I experienced a level of anointing, spiritual download, fluency and authority in speaking and ministry greater than I can remember in over 40 years of ministry. I believe this is in large part due to all those who were praying for me daily as well as the devotion and deep hunger for God among those I had the privilege to minister to. Paul says that we have this ministry by the mercy of God but I believe God’s mercy was enhanced because of Christian partnership and collective prayer. Thank you SO much!

I came away from this time with the awareness that God is doing a new thing in the earth. He’s manifesting himself in both judgment & mercy; He’s taking the scales from our eyes to see the reality of our world without God and to see who He really is. He’s stripping us of our smugness, pride, self absorption, material success and dependence on material things and the systems of this world – which are crumbling before the eyes of the whole world. People are beginning to turn away from religion, materialism, intellectualism, to the Holy, Creator, All-Knowing God. I truly believe we are on the brink of the greatest spiritual awakening and harvest in the history of the world. Confession, repentance and intercessory prayer are key to turning the tide and releasing God’s great mercy and power on the earth.

Finland was a beautiful Winter Wonderland—a frozen tundra. The average temp while there was about -5°F, challenging my SoCal genes. Between 6 international flights, 4 domestic flights (including India) and two 4+ hour train trips I ministered on an average 2-3times a day. I spoke to the men in recovery in the home where I was staying; the youth group; women’s prayer group; Discipleship Training School; weekly prayer meeting; training for Friday for Christ outreach team & Rally after outreach; training for those working with the wounded & all day seminar for the wounded & broken; 2 Sunday morning services, and last of all, unexpectedly after a long train ride from YWAM, to a  combined meeting of staff of all their ministries. God’s favor was beyond measure! They’ve invited me back in August to speak at their Annual Conference which hosts in excess of 2000 people.

 ONE WAY VILLAGE, Pottipadu, Vijayawada, Andra Pradesh, India was an absolutely amazing journey and experience. Our Friday night flight out of Helsinki was late so we were continually rushed to the next flight­ - in New Delhi & Hyderabad, finally arriving in Vijayawada, a city of over 1 mil people, late Saturday afternoon, unfortunately without our luggage, which was delivered the next afternoon. After being warmly greeted with beautiful leis by the children and staff, we were shown to our rooms and given a chance to shower and rest. They had set up a very colorful outdoor tent where we could take our meals, hang out and fellowship.

This amazingly well organized ministry led by very godly people was started as a partnership between the Kodali family from Vijayawada, who had been taking in orphan children for years, and One Way Mission, Helsinki almost 10 years ago. In those years, in a 10 acre walled in plot, they’ve built an orphanage for several hundred children, a home for widows, a home for severely mentally and physically handicapped children, a Missions House for visiting teams and a church. They also have a K-10 school with about 600 children in Pottipadu, the village next door as well as administrating another orphanage nearby started by a Dutch businessman and his Indian wife. (They happened to visit while we were there and were surprised to find an American speaking Dutch. Fun!) Oh, they also have a troop of monkeys, several ducks, chickens, goats and one water buffalo. NO Cobras, PTL, my first question!!

After dinner and a team meeting on Saturday evening (I was with 24 Finnish people from OWM Helsinki) we were ready to turn in and get some sleep. With the temperature hovering around 33C (92+F) were fortunate to have AC in the Missions House. On Sunday morning we attended church with the staff, orphans & widows (in the same clothes we had traveled in), then after lunch toured all the facilities and met a lot of the children and staff. I can’t tell you how precious this was. These kids are squeaky clean, well-groomed and very polite. Tapani & I prayed for one of the beautiful little 15 year old girls who was suffering from bone cancer. She died the Sunday after I got back home. Oh for more faith and power of the Holy Spirit.

On Monday morning we were up early to attend the dedication of a new home for street children a few km away. Then Pastor Aki and I were hustled back to OWV to speak at a Conference for 150-250 Pastors - including a group from a neighboring State, Orissa, where there’s been considerable persecution and death of Christians in the past few years. We spoke 3 times a day for 2 days. Most of these Pastors are simple men with the most basic of education who have never read the bible through, and minister in the local villages. They were so hungry, open and lovely. After each session they would line up to receive prayer.

A huge youth day was organized on Wednesday ending up with about 750, mostly young people attended, including may Hindus with the red dot on their forehead. I felt God asked me to challenge them to be a Prophetic Generation from Isaiah. We called for a commitment at the end and called young people forward, not normal for India I discovered later, yet many responded, seeking prayer, again, even Hindu youth. It was a powerfully anointed day. In every place we ministered, after preaching, people would line up to receive prayer and be encouraged in their faith. Obviously, we worked through interpreters for which we were very grateful.

There’s so much more I could share but I’m out of space in this update. This Easter I’m praying that each of us experiences in a greater measure the Resurrection Life & Power of the Risen Christ and wish you and yours a Very Blessed Passover/Easter.

Yours for the Risen Christ,

 

Ron Archer

North American Coordinator

Links to photos:       Click on link or enter the following web address into your browser.

                                https://picasaweb.google.com/ron.archer/OneWayMissionHelsinki02#           

                                http://picasaweb.google.com/ron.archer/OneWayVillagePottipaduIndia#