This past summer, a portion of SEAPC Coins for Kids funds were used to send a local student on a summer retreat through a nearby student ministry. As a volunteer staff member in the ministry, I had the unique honor of attending the retreat, and getting to witness these 95 middle and high schoolers—who are truly on fire for Christ—grow closer to Him. They spent the week learning more about the gravity of God’s love, the pull of sinful nature versus the Spirit, and the draw of the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel with others.

After attending this student ministry as a teenager, I remember firsthand how important these retreats were in the formation of my relationship with God, and it’s incredible to witness how God continues to use them for the same purpose in this next generation. This year, when unexpected storms one evening made the usual outdoor meeting area completely unusable, the students (always flexible and easygoing) crowded into a cramped and sweaty dining hall to worship and earnestly seek after the Holy Spirit. Earlier that day, the last day of the trip, a total of 13 students were baptized in the ocean! One of the kids who received a scholarship to the retreat wrote the following letter before the trip:“Thank you so much! This retreat means a lot to me, especially because it provides me another great chance to learn more of God’s Word, have fun, worship, etc. I am so thankful for this scholarship and being able to go. Again, thank you so much! I am looking forward to being able to attend such an amazing event with an awesome youth group.”Thank you for participating in SEAPC Coins for Kids over the years, and for helping to make this experience a reality for a student!For more information about SEAPC Coins for Kids, please click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

First of all, I would like to praise God. My name is Sui Kyin. I grew up at Charity Children’s Home, and I have been serving the Lord at the home since 2008 by the Grace of God. Rev. James and Pastor Chung’s family have helped and cared for me a lot.

It is not always easy to take care of children who are coming from different tribes and backgrounds. Sometimes we become impatient. Prayer sustains us. Overall, our work is very happy and enjoyable—we play, have discussions with each other, and many other good things. We also guide the children with the Word of God. Many of the children are excellent in character, education, and are obedient. But I would like to mention two children. They are Khin and Si Wau. These children are helpful in everything and in every situation. Khin is good in school and she is obedient. She helps us a lot. Si Wau is helpful and clever. The two of them love God very much, and they are both honest and sincere. All of the staff are very proud of them and happy for them, because we feel and know that they are our fruits that we sow for the Kingdom.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

It is amazing to have the privilege of working with an organization that is so completely dependent on God’s direction. In yielding to His guidance and direction, we at SEAPC embrace many huge challenges, and are blessed to see even bigger victories! Our mission field and coworkers stretch across many continents around the globe. Once a year we all gather together in one location to hear each other’s testimonies of successes and setbacks, and more importantly to pray for and with each other.

This year we gathered together in Santa Clara, California. Although we heard many exciting reports, the true highlight was the times of worship. I know God’s heart is touched when any one of His children worship Him, but I imagine that the sound that is especially sweet to Him is when His sons and daughters from different cultures and regions of the world join their voices together in worship to Him. That is exactly what happened during our meeting times. Amy Sobek captured a shared sentiment as she said, “I'm so different than every other person in the room, and we all are so different from each other. This concept is extra beautiful in worship, because in unity we are each bringing our own individual offerings to the Lord.”It was such a blessing to hear all the reports and testimonies from co-workers from India, China, Hong Kong, Tibet, Guatemala, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Mexico, Singapore, and the United States. Here are just a few highlights.

Madhubala Ernest oversees Dorcas Ministries in India. The ministry’s focus is simply to reach the broken-hearted. The staff goes from house to house to do Bible studies. They share the Bible line by line and scripture by scripture. They are focused on 14 slums right now, and add slums constantly. Prayer walking a big part of Dorcas Ministries. Madhubala reminds us that, “as we prayer walk we will see the power of God manifested. There is a lot of violent persecution. We need to take the beatings and tell about the word of God. Our redeemer lives! Let go and let the living waters flow. We can be crushed but we NEVER are destroyed. The father is searching those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. A ministry soaked in prayer will soar!”Chuck, Wendy, Jared, and Christopher Lenhart minister as a family in China and Myanmar. (Isaac Roscher is also part of their team) Chuck states emphatically, “The Buddhist world is crumbling in Jesus’ name!” Chuck shared a story about a worm infestation in one of the villages where they serve, which bore witness to this. One of the villagers came to Chuck and pointed out that the fields owned by Christians had no worms, yet neighboring fields had worms. The people finally realized that the folks who “went to church” had no worm problems. As realization dawned, people began to give their lives to Jesus!Daniel and Gail foster medically compromised children in their home in China. These children come from poverty stricken families in high altitude mountainous regions in Tibet, and have heart and lung ailments. Daniel and Gail house the children while they receive life-giving medical treatment, and then send the children back to their families once they are cured and strong enough. The ministry started 15 years ago when a child was hospitalized with pneumonia. The doctor said that the only way to save her was to send her to a place with a lower altitude. Gail & Daniel agreed to take the child and foster her until she was strong enough to go back to her home. Word spread and there were many more requests, and thus this ministry was officially started. Daniel and Gail believe there will be many more children coming the future. With the onset of winter, the oxygen level drops very low. The previous prayer walking has opened ways for families to find Gail and Daniel, and has broken chains among Tibetan people. The seeds being sown from all the Tibetan babies who are saved will yield a big harvest. God has a perfect plan for each of the children!24 years ago SEAPC forged a ministry in Cambodia with Pastor Sinai and Somalay. At first Pastor Sinai purposed to church plant, but then realized God called him to start a children’s home. In North Cambodia they are building New Hope For Orphans children’s homes. Now, the team is raising up children to become godly leaders in Cambodia. By God’s grace there will be a SEAPC children’s home in EVERY province in Cambodia! In 2013 the Lord directed Hubert Tutwiler to move to Cambodia and serve where he is needed, and that is what he is doing today. Hubert and his family are now centered in Banteay Meanchey. They are working with the school system. All of the fourth grade teachers in of Banteay Meanchey province were brought together for training, and all 550 teachers gave their lives to Jesus! “My Precious Book” (a bilingual children’s Bible storybook) was given out to those teachers.

Matt Geppert reminded us that If you seek God and say “I want this nation” He will make a way and give it to you for His purposes. But, be prepared to be stretched! There were many other reports and testimonies given – too many to mention in this blog. Although it was a blessing to hear all the reports from across the globe, it was an even bigger blessing to pray for our co-workers. After individuals from each ministry within a region shared, we had a time of prayer and commissioning for all those ministering in that region.What an awesome blessing it was to reconnect with friends and co-workers from all over the globe! It truly seems like the world gets smaller as The Kingdom of God increases. To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

Last week, I sent out an email and a Facebook Group post to our child sponsors, thanking them for their love for their sponsor children and generosity toward their children for Christmas, and reminding them that the time to send in funds for Christmas gifts has come. In true fashion, our sponsors are responding energetically and generously. I have received a number of emails and phone calls since the email and post were sent out.

Raising Kids, SEAPC Global Sponsorships, partners with ministries in five countries to provide loving homes, nutritious food, education, healthcare and, most importantly, the opportunity to know Jesus, to orphaned, abandoned and at-risk children. We work with ministries in Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. At this time, there are close to 700 children living in these homes.One of the things I love about our sponsors is their generosity not only to their sponsor child, but to other children at the homes as well, especially to children who are not yet sponsored. Right now, 106 of the children/young people are not sponsored. This means that they do not have a specific person/family/group praying for them by name or providing for their daily needs. Obviously, they are not starving and receive care just like sponsored children, but funds used to provide for these children would be put into things like building maintenance, upgrades, special activities, etc. if the children are sponsored.

Anyway, my point is that these unsponsored children do not have a sponsor to provide for a Christmas gift for them. One of our generous sponsors has put forward a challenge.This sponsor will match donations given to provide gifts for unsponsored children up to $2,650 ($25 per 106 children). We are calling this the CHRISTMAS GIFT CHALLENGE.Any amount that you send that is specifically designated to the Christmas Gift Challenge will be matched up to $2650! What a wonderful Christmas can be provided for the children this year! Think of the smiles on their faces!This challenge will not only provide for the unsponsored children, but for children whose sponsors do not have the extra to send for gifts. As even more comes in, it will be used to provide better Christmas parties for the children.

I’m excited to see what is going to happen. We have until November 15 to receive these donations.To participate in this challenge, simply click here. On this page, under the Raising Kids Sponsorships section, enter the amount you’d like to give and write “Christmas Gift Challenge” in the designation box next to it. Follow other prompts to complete your donation.Thank you so much for participating. I’ve been blessed to be able to attend a Christmas party at one of the children’s homes. It was so much fun to watch the kids put on a nativity play, play Christmas games, and enjoy themselves. I can only imagine what their celebrations will be like this year.To learn more about becoming a SEAPC Raising Kids child sponsor, please click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Mendies Haven. In celebration of this, we are excited to share with you the remainder of a two-part story about the history of the Haven, and it's ongoing legacy. To read part one, click here.

The haven remained in Dhobighat for over a decade. During this time, Mummy Mendies’ eldest son, Charles, divinely ended up in Mark Geppert’s living room. Charles shared with Mark’s home group about Nepal and also spoke at a church known as Dayspring Christian Center. Everyone in attendance was stirred for missions. At the time, Mark was the missions pastor at Dayspring. Charles’ visit occurred in 1983, and that same year, Mark led a trekking team to Nepal. Bill Richardson, SEAPC’s current Missions Director, was in attendance when Charles Mendies spoke at Dayspring Christian Center. He too was moved for missions. Bill excitedly heard the stories upon the trekking team’s return and was adamant on traveling to Nepal. In 1983, Nepal was known as one of the hardest places for missions. In preparation for the upcoming trip, Bill began walking a 40lb bag to school everyday. His daily walking totaled around eight to ten miles round trip. During this time, Bill clearly remembers receiving a call for missions while he was in Guatemala. In the fall of 1984, the second short-term team headed to Nepal. This time, the team was comprised of the entire Geppert family, Bill, and 20 other people. Upon arrival the team went through a week of bootcamp, under Charles Mendies’ supervision. In the evenings, they spent time with the children at Mendies Haven. Thomas “Daddy” Mendies had passed away, but Mummy Mendies continued to faithfully run the Haven with help from Charles and his wife, Susan.

The team returned home after a week of vigorous training and three weeks distributing literature throughout Nepal. It was an intensive trip spent sowing seeds in villages sometimes at 17,700 feet. Distributing literature was illegal at the time and led to arrest if caught by police. If a Nepali were to convert to Christianity they faced up to a year in jail. If a Nepali shared the gospel, they faced three years in jail. If they were baptized they were jailed for six years. Persecution was incredibly high at this time and continued to escalate throughout the late 1980s through the early 1990s. Even knowing the extreme persecution, Bill Richardson graduated from high school, attended Bible school for two years and quickly moved to Nepal with only two suitcases in hand in 1987. Bill remained in Nepal until 1990. He was forced to return home due to the extent and severity of the persecution. Around the same time, Charles Mendies was imprisoned for 16 months. After his release, he relocated to Delhi with Susan. While the persecution was extremely hard on believers remaining in Nepal, there were over a million believers in Nepal after the royal massacre in 2001. In 1984, there were only 24,000.Amidst all of the trial and oppression, Mummy Mendies remained at the Haven and faithfully continued to care for the children. In 1992, the haven moved to its present location in Dhapakhel, Nepal. This campus took several months to build, during which Mummy slept in a tent outside. The home is comprised of three buildings painted white with a beautiful blue trim. Even though Susan Mendies was in Delhi, she returned to Nepal several times to help Mummy oversee the construction work. When Mummy passed away in 2008, Charles and Susan moved back to Nepal where they have continued to care for the children of Mendies Haven.

Today, the Haven is home to 30 respectful, caring, and extremely loving children. Their home is a peaceful environment, powerfully affixed atop a hill. Much like the mentioned city upon a hill in the fifth chapter of Matthew. Once a year, on the 26th of December, the Haven bustles with activity. This day is set aside to facilitate a large Mendies Haven family reunion. The gathering grows every year, as many of the former Haven children now have kids of their own. They are all doing incredible things with their lives. One of them has even started their own children’s home, loving and providing for children in need. Today, Mendies Haven exists as an image bearer of God’s love to Nepal, and as a shining example of His faithfulness through difficulty.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

This upcoming November 4th, marks the 50th anniversary of Mendies Haven. In celebration of this, we are excited to share with you a two-part story about the history of the Haven, and it's ongoing legacy.India was experiencing great turmoil when 30-year-old Elizabeth Macdonald set sail for Bombay. It was 1947. After traveling several times to this exotic nation, Elizabeth, a captain in The Salvation Army, was ready to call this foreign country her home. Unfortunately, she contracted malaria. At the time, The Salvation Army had a concrete rule that when someone contracted malaria they had to return home. Elizabeth refused. To this day, her choice to stay in India is embodied in the smiling faces that proudly call Mendies Haven home.

After contracting malaria, Elizabeth was no longer allowed to work for The Salvation Army. Instead, she assisted Mother Teresa’s work in Calcutta. This connection transformed into a lifelong friendship that deeply impacted Elizabeth’s missionary work in Nepal. In fact, later on in her life, Elizabeth inherited the title “the Mother Teresa of Nepal.” While Elizabeth was still a captain in The Salvation Army, she met her husband, Thomas Mendies. The moment Thomas saw her the Lord spoke to him clearly and said Elizabeth would be his wife. However, it took Elizabeth a few years to accept his marriage proposal. After Elizabeth’s term with Mother Teresa ended in 1953, she returned to her hometown in Canada for a season to visit her mother and pray about marrying Thomas. During her time away, Thomas moved to Kathmandu, Nepal. Here he started the first tourist hotel, called the Snow View Hotel. To ensure the success of his business, Thomas knew that there needed to be reliable transportation to and from the country. He quickly convinced an American engineer and an Australian pilot to begin operating the first airline to Nepal.

At the very start of his business venture, Thomas decided to make God an equal partner. He offered the Lord 50% of the profits and consulted Him in his business affairs. The Lord’s favor was clearly upon Thomas. With God on his side, he experienced favor with the King of Nepal as well. In the early 1950s, the legendary mountaineer, Edmund Hillary, stayed at the Snow View Hotel. He would become one of the first men to scale Mount Everest. Hillary’s accomplishment in 1953 was a huge success for the British Everest Expedition. As such, Queen Elizabeth II came to Nepal and threw a party at the Snow View Hotel. Thomas Mendies became highly influential in Nepal as the owner of such a thriving and popular hotel. Although he was experiencing great opulence, he mostly desired the company of Elizabeth.Though nearly impossible to arrange in the natural, Elizabeth prayed to be on the same boat as one of her friends should the Lord desire her to marry Thomas, the handsome businessman. On her journey back to Calcutta, she received the confirmation she needed to accept his proposal. They wed in 1956 in India. A day after the wedding, Thomas and Elizabeth boarded a flight to Kathmandu. A year later, the hotel business was at a standstill. For six months the rooms remained empty. Not a single guest checked into the Snow View Hotel. Thomas sought the Lord and decided if only one guest checked into the hotel that night, he would continue to keep the hotel open. If no one came, however, he was prepared to send Elizabeth to Canada for a season while he closed down the hotel. That evening, two American trekkers arrived. This proved a turning point. Snow View Hotel began to prosper once more.After Elizabeth married Thomas she ended her missionary efforts alongside Mother Teresa. Nonetheless, once a missionary always a missionary. With the success of their hotel and extra rooms at her disposal, Elizabeth Mendies picked up a child from a temple one day and began to care for him. Seeing the plight of countless children on the streets, she began caring for many other children. It wasn’t long until Thomas and Elizabeth were housing at least 10 street children in addition to their biological sons, Charles and Thomas. These 10 children were raised as part of the Mendies family. When the Mendieses moved to Dhobighat, the children migrated with them. After the Mendies family had settled into their new home in Dhobighat, a local family left their child in the Mendies’s living room. Elizabeth thought to herself, “well, Lord if this is what you want me to do then this is it...” From that moment onward, she began to take in even more children. In 1967, Mendies Haven was established as a way to provide a loving home for children. The Haven once housed up to 56 children. With so many kids receiving love and care, Elizabeth became known as “Mummy Mendies” or “Mummy” for short and Thomas was referred to as “Daddy.”Read the rest of the story here.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

For many years I have been praying earnestly for the Lord to send a person to me in whom I would be able to recognize the possibility of that person walking with me in the ministry of praying for the capital cities of the nations, especially in Mexico. Operation Capital City has been a prayer ministry affiliated with SEAPC for more than 10 years now. Because of the very nature of SEAPC, this person would have to be one of total commitment to intercession and worship, a person of vision and integrity, and one who above all is solely obedient to the direction of God in their lives.Last spring, Amy Sobek, who is from the Pittsburgh area, attended the annual SEAPC Spring Bible Conference where she met and talked with Matt Geppert. She shared with him her love for Mexico, and a vision she had seen years earlier, in which she saw herself actually praying in the cities of Mexico.

Immediately, Matt excitedly informed her that she needed to meet one Pastor Carol Missik, who had a very similar love for Mexico, and had already launched OCC many years earlier. Just a few days later Amy drove to Hubbard, where I was presenting a worship concert as a fundraiser for OCC, where we met and talked briefly. The next week we spent several hours together over a meal, and discovered so many parallels in our lives, even though there are many years between us.We attended the SEAPC’s “Friends Around the Table” conference together this past month, which allowed us to really begin what I feel God is calling us to: a covenant relationship based on our love for God, as well as a love for His people, and a desire to serve and bless Mexico in whatever way He leads us. Amy also had the opportunity to meet and fellowship with Pastor Alejandro Orella and his wife Pastora Iliana, who are OCC based in Tapachula, Chiapas (Southern Mexico), and with Pastor Isaias Acosta and his wife Pastora Blanca Acosta, our OCC reps in Saltillo, Cuahuila (Northern Mexico).This week, on Friday the 3^rd of November, we will depart (along with my twin sister, who is part of the OCC team) from Pittsburgh to first travel to Tapachula. Please keep us in your prayers as we embark on this journey together.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

As I write this from one of London’s royal parks, it has now been over three months since I was in Cambodia with a team of five amazing ladies from London. A lot has happened since then—including finishing up at my job of 2.5 years and starting a new one—but nonetheless, Cambodia stays forever in my heart.A lot can happen in 12 days and we most definitely saw God at work. I was consistently reminded that it's not about what I have but rather it’s about my obedience to take the little that I do have and entrust it to Him. It wasn't about my ability to teach English nouns and pronouns, or my ability to lead a team, or even how well I know the Bible. But it was and always will be about Jesus.My absolute favourite part of the trip (and there were many) was the praise and worship rocking from Hubert Tutwiler’s truck. We weren't necessarily all in tune all of the time (or at least I definitely wasn't!) but there is something so powerful about worshiping in unity. There were Holy moments of which I could never re-orchestrate. When the Holy Spirit moves you are forever changed and totally ruined. And ruined I was.These beautiful children in the homes we got to visit are a testimony of God's goodness. When I look at them I see God's compassion, love, faithfulness, grace, and wonder. How can your heart not be moved? When you are overwhelmed and you feel like your heart is full, you look at them and they look at you with the biggest smile and eyes full of unconditional love for you that your heart overflows and you find tears rolling down your face. How can one just forget and walk away?I could go on but there are two words that speak to me: “go” and “obedience.” You don't need to have everything, you don't have to be eloquent, and you don’t need to have the experience. God qualifies the unqualified. Go and follow Jesus on the adventure you won't regret it.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

Remember the story in the Old Testament about Abraham and Sarah? The one where they were promised a child in their old age if they remained faithful? There is a couple whose story proves reminiscent of this Biblical tale.

Northern Myanmar is home to one of the most precious couples the world has ever beheld. With four biological children, they now have upwards of 216 children in their extended family. Their son, who lives in a different part of Myanmar, shares his home with over 200 children. These two fiery 80-year-olds hold more love and genuine energy than your average Joe after sipping a good cup of java. This past year they have helped feed, house, and raise sixteen children. Energy proves imperative for raising young children and they are blessed with more than enough to go around. This couple, more than anything, exists as a reminder that one is never too old to say “yes” to Jesus. Sarah had a child well past childbearing age and offers us a lesson today in proving one can never be too late to serve in the calling of God. There remains no lack in time, resources, and love. The requirements to serve Jesus are the same for Sarah as they are today, a willing and open heart.To learn more about becoming a SEAPC Raising Kids child sponsor, please click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.

John Bishop Memorial Hospital in Anantnag, Kashmir is more than 100 years old. It is a Christian institution providing care to over 100 expecting mothers and families a day. It delivers between 25 and 50 babies a day. It exists to serve the poor people of Kashmir, provide help for humanity, and train nurses. Anantnag is in the middle of the fight in Kashmir. It is kind of a war-zone, and it is always in the news. The area used to be called “Islamabad,” which means a place where Islam flourishes, and the name Anantnag is a combination of two Sanskrit words Anant and Nag, which mean “a land of many springs.” Some people also translate it as “a land of snakes.” I prefer the lands of many springs. We are trusting the Lord for this place to be a spring of “Living Water” to a very dry Muslim area of India.

The history of the hospital predates its establishment in its current location, where it was rebuilt in 1902. In 1888 Mrs. Isabella Bird, the widow of Dr. John Bishop, traveled to Srinagar where she found Dr. Fanny Butler, one of England’s pioneer women doctors, working among the women of the valley without a hospital as a base to serve. Through her generosity a small hospital was built in memory of her late husband. Sadly, however, not many years later a disastrous flood in the valley swept this hospital away. Then in 1902, Dr. Gomery began work while the new hospital building was still under construction. After many years of pioneering service, she retired in 1938. In that year Dr. Noel Fletcher took over as the medical superintendent of the hospital and served through the Second World War, dealing with shortages and overcoming the challenges, before retiring in 1964. She was followed by Dr. M. Mitchell who after a few years handed over to Dr. Millicent Xavier who became the first national Medical Superintendent. Dr. Xavier served till 1989. The phase from 1989 until 1996 was marked by short term commitments by different doctors. From 1992 to 1996 there was no doctor at the hospital. This phase coincided with the most violent phase of the armed insurgency and military action in the valley.

After much prayer, our friend Dr. Sarah took over as the medical superintendent in 1997. She arrived at a time when the hospital was struggling with no doctors and was having trouble providing for even the basic medical needs of the community. Though the work remains challenging today, the initial period was significantly hard and a test to her faith and determination. We are partnering with Dr. Sarah, her son, and their staff to expand and provide more learning space for the nursing school at the hospital. This will also maintain the existence of this hospital and light to the community.The estimated cost for this expansion is $185,000 USD, and the construction must start this year so that the nursing school can continue holding classes and accepting new enrollments. We have taken the step of faith to stand with them in this expansion, and we also need you to stand with us in prayer and provision for this work.To learn more about where and how SEAPC serves, click here.SEAPC is dedicated to changing lives through prayer. If your heart is moved and you would like to partner with us, you can donate here.