The Tabernacle Community

Dear Praying Friends,

First I'd like to ask for your continued prayers for Djiastuti, the Indonesian lady with cancer. Last week, when I read with her, about Jesus' talk with Nicademus, she confessed Jesus as her savior and Lord. She has been listening as Lilik reads Scripture to her, and copying verses that she finds especially meaningful. Saturday she developed a severe pain at the sight of her operation after coughing. Yesterday she had a second surgery to put the spacer back where it belongs in her back-it had slipped, and to see if there was anything else wrong. I don't know all the result; only that the doctor said the operation was successful. He had to do another operation, so did not talk extensively to the family then. He has said that Djiastuti can live several more years as the cancer she has is a slow growing type. He hopes to give her a better quality of life through the surgery and treatment. My friend Pat is helping to supply a high-nutrition supplement to help the process. Please pray that she can keep it down in spite of the chemo and that all the treatments will be successful for her. Pray too, that in whatever ways, the Lord will supply financially for this family who are not at all wealthy.
Also, please pray for the younger sister who is here helping: Sari. She is also Catholic, I learned yesterday and her faith is not as strong as Lilik's. She is worried about her job, with being away so long, and she has suffered some unjust treatment from others that she needs to forgive. Thanks so much for joining us in prayer for this family whom the Lord loves and is reaching out to.

Now I have copied for you a report on the situation in the state of Orissa, India from a friend here who is closer to the situation.
While the media has focused on the Presidential campaign, a major crisis in
Orissa (India) has gone under reported or ignored completely.

On Christmas Eve some 100,000 Christians who are Dalits and Backward Caste
were attacked by higher-caste Hindu militants. Here are some of the figures
that have emerged since Christmas:

-95 churches burned down
-730 Christian homes destroyed
-21 Christian villages destroyed
-Thousands of Christians have fled into the forests and are homeless
-At least 15 Christians are missing and suspected killed and buried
in the nearby forest
-Two Christian pastors were killed and burnt in front of their churches and
another murdered in a market

Over the years one of our partner ministries, Joshua Vision India, has
trained several women and men from this area in holistic ministry (community
development). These Christians are not only victims of the persecution but now are
able to take leadership in the recovery process.

The forests where the Christians have fled are in hilly, high mountains where
it gets down to near freezing at night. We are sending blankets, saris and
food. We hoping to send funds to help build shelters back in the devastated
villages. The government has tried to intervene, but the persecution continues.

Please pray:

1. For the safety of our workers trying to bring relief.
2. That in spite of the human tragedy and suffering, the Christians will
practice restraint in revenge.
3. That the hearts of the militants will be softened and opened to the Lord.
This happened some when they burned to death Graham Staines and his two sons
a few years ago in Orissa.
4. That peace will return to this region of Orissa and the Christians can
live in safety.

May the Lord hear and answer our prayers, for His Name's sake.

Edith and Dick