Newsletter #31
News and Praise
The following testimonies are encouraging and uplifting. We believe that God will use them to increase our faith as we serve Him faithfully. Let us continue to believe God for salvations, healings, and miracles. May God be glorified as we join hands together to reach the needy, the downtrodden and the spiritually hungry. Above all, let us praise the Lord for His mighty works.
Olufemi Ayinde Lagos, Nigeria Janedawn Counseling Center Recently Olufemi Ayinde has been a guest speaker at the seminar organized by Dr. Sogun Sogbamu at Divine Connection Bible Institute where he was able to introduce telephone counseling using the Love Lines Counselor Training Manual. Among the topics were the following: How to set up a Telephone Counseling Center, Active Listening, How to Handle Disruptive Calls, and Record Keeping. The audience comprised of ministers and lay people. The training lasted for four weeks.
We were blessed to have 2,094 calls in 2006 and 135 people who prayed to accept Christ. An alcoholic who had no hope of recovery came across the crisis number but did not call. Then he lost his job and had no income to care for his family. He remembered our phone number and called the center for counsel. After calling several times, he gave his heart to Jesus. Then God took away his desire to drink.
The counselors are using leaflets and word of mouth to advertise the ministry. One of the locations was a Nigerian University Campus where students have been renouncing the cults, have been counseled for rape, others have been delivered from drugs and alcohol. Salvations also have been reported.
Petro Aziato Lome, Togo ACM-Love Lines Center Souls are being saved, broken homes restored and the sick are being healed. Some are being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Director Aziato ministers to unreached people in rural villages showing the Jesus Film, and doing house to house ministry. Follow up care has been done with the new converts for six months to a year until they get baptized and join a church family. The ministry is also engaged in social and development activities in the areas of nutrition, health education, and care for the people with HIV/AIDS.
I n the villages, they found opposition and persecution from radical Voodoo, witchcraft, and Muslim people who cursed them with satanic powers, driving them away with weapons and throwing stones. But pastor Petro perseveres and goes back to the same village where he was persecuted, and eventually plants a church.
William Odel John Bangaldore, India Hope Helpline Pastor William started a telephone counseling center in April 2002. Due to difficulties, he could not continue. But he answers the calls from his personal phone. Recently he printed pamphlets where the pastors' numbers were given. The following are some recent testimonies: A mother called and requested prayer for her son who was going through emotional problems. Pastor Odel prayed and visited the family and counseled the son. Praise God, peace came to the family. A brother called requesting prayer for a family conflict. The Lord answered prayer and now there is peace in the family. A call came at night from Numbar requesting prayer for a sick person admitted to ICU. The Lord healed the person.
Pastor Odel has a vision to train 20 counselors, and start 5 centers by the year 2010. Pastor Odel has planted 19 churches in 4 states in India; he has Boys and Girls Home for the underprivileged; Widows Care Center; Day Care Center; Tailoring Classes; and a Bible training school.
The Lord is using the telephone ministry to counsel, console and comfort the needy, depressed and discouraged ones. A man received the tract, "Someone Cares for You." He called and shared family and business problems. The pastor shared the Gospel with him.
A woman called whose niece was admitted to the hospital with food poisoning. She received prayer over the phone and God has healed her. A woman called whose son had a motorcycle accident. Pastor William prayed over the phone and later visited him in ICU and prayed. Praise God, he came out of danger.
Michael Mbwambo Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Christian Love Lines A lady, whose husband was in a coma and was dying, called and received prayer for his recovery. The following day, he came out of the coma. After a few days he was discharged from the hospital, and is doing well.
Another lady called to receive prayer for her daughter who had malaria and was not responding to medicine. After prayer, she recovered completely.
A woman who had lost her job, called and received prayer for a new job. After she was counseled, she took new courage. God answered her prayers and gave her a good job.
Vincent Babu Visakhapatnam, India Bethel Love Lines Crisis Center Through telephone counseling many are receiving salvation and healing. A man called and said that he was about to die and needed salvation. He was ministered to and was saved. The next day he was baptized. Now he is doing well and attending church regularly.
Daniel Panjanathan Chittoor, India Full Gosper Love Lines Crisis Center The ministry has 19 centers. The total number of calls received in 2006 was 29,006, approximately 80 calls per day. Over 4,300 people received salvation.
A very eminent Rowdy in Chittoor who had killed many boys and girls, and was consequently imprisoned several times, repented, accepted Jesus, and got baptized. Now he is a member of the church.
A Hindu girl who was suffering from Cancer, after receiving prayer through the Crisis Center was healed, was saved and baptized. Now she regularly attends church.
Pam Drinnan Hull, England Crossline Crisis Center A lady called to express her gratitude to Crossline Center because she was able to receive face to face counseling. She was most thankful for the prompt action and compassionate handling of her case. A gentleman said that if it was not for the Crossline, he could be dead on the street.
A lady who had called Crossline two years earlier because she was going through a difficult time, called again reporting that she and her family became Christians. She was most grateful to Crossline for her life was totally changed.
A man called to report that he was saved after receiving prayer and counseling. Seeds have been sown and watered with the Word and now are bearing fruit.
Tony Egbule Abuja, Nigeria Success Family Counseling Center A man called and reported that he saw a rope tied to the neck of his one-year old daughter. He woke up in fear only to see his daughter wriggling in pain and foams coming out of her mouth. He sounded fearful and confused on the phone. After receiving prayer and counseling, he called back and reported that she was well. He never used to believe in miracles but now he does.
A man called stating that some men asked him to give them $5,000. Failure to do so would cause him to die and if any one got to know about this, calamities would befall him. After counsel and prayer, he was advised to report to the security department that handles frauds. After he did that, the people were arrested and the money was returned to him. He called the center to thank us and asked prayer for the rest of his family. After this event they accepted Jesus into their lives.
Seydou Badini Kongoussi, Burkina Faso Hope Lines Center A married woman who has three children called and asked prayer for the sexual dysfunction with her husband. Her husband was planning to divorce her. The staff prayed and fasted, and the conflict was resolved. They are now living together in peace with the joy of the Lord.
A mother of a12 year old girl called to ask prayer for her daughter who was possessed with evil spirits. She was completely delivered.
Since the telephone counseling is confidential, the center receives calls from Muslim families who are successfully receiving ministry.
Sixty percent of calls received are from victims of HIV/AIDS. Fifty percent of those infected are young people between 15-30 years of age.
Wilson Waswa
Busia, Uganda
Uganda Telephone Counseling Center
Wilson Waswa is a profesor of Uganda's largest university, and also chairman of Africa Inland Church in Uganda. He has planted 24 churches. He has degrees in Theology, Missio logy and Christian Counseling. He has been able to share with his students about telephone counseling using the Love Lines Counseling Training Material. His students are very enthusiastic about telephone counseling and would like to start centers as soon as they graduate in February 2008.
Until next time, keep our directors and their telephone ministries in prayer. God, the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Damaris
