Connected with Manoj...

It is Thursday night @ 10 pm---late for me. We just returned from a site-seeing trip of the Mall in our city. Ravi is a shorter shopper than I am--we were there about 20 minutes...after waiting over an hour for the taxi to arrive and then after a 30 minute taxi ride there in a cracker box--I felt I was tucked in and then another 30 minute ride home--that is what I call express 'Malling'.

Manoj, a fellow B. pastor, who I met last year, came to the CCC compound this afternoon. At first I didn't recognize him--this man got off of motorcycle--praised the Lord, hugged several men near me and then came up and praised the Lord before me. I introduced myself and asked him his name--but like usual, I was not able to catch his name. As he began to tell me how he was going to lead 10,000 peple to Christ and 1,000 families to a saving knowledge of God--all by God's power, I was impressed with this man's vision and passion. After talking for a while, he left, upon which I turned to Mithun and asked, "Don't I know that man?" Mithun chuckled and said "Yes" As soon as he said that, I said, "was that Manoj, the man I met and prayed with last year?" Mithun said yes. I felt terrible that I had not fully recognized Manoj. His appearance had changed quite a bit, but his voice and mannerisms were the same.

Anyway, to make a long story short--Manoj may not be doing well. His wife divorced him because he is a Christian and took his family away from him. He is lonely and is possibly having some mental issues. He is continuing to share Christ and seeking to plant a church in a very hard area. My heart goes out to him--"Lord be Manoj's Rock and steady place of rest and freedom. May Your glory fill his heart!"

Ravi later said that the pressures are great on these men as they seek to lead people to Christ and plant cell groups that will form into churches. The obsticles are many and the encouragement is small, and yet these men seek to plant the presence of Jesus in dark places all to the God's glory.

Our prayers are needed!
Kevin