Category Archives: Annual Bridge Reports

2023 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners:

Happy New Year to You and Your Family from the Bridge Team and our Harvesters around the world!  We thank you for taking an interest in The Bridge, whether you are a newcomer to our ministry or have been part of our support system for many years.

A special thanks to those of you who contributed to The Bridge financially last year.  Your itemized 2023 Donor Statement is included in this letter.  It serves as the official contribution receipt for the IRS.  Please keep it in a safe place with your tax information.  The Bridge International, Inc. is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) religious organization with EIN no. 65-0100609; your contributions are therefore exempt from Federal Taxes.

Also, a special thanks to The Bridge Intercessory Group and to all taking time from daily life and regularly prayed and interceded for the mission fields and our partners abroad.  You have moved God’s heart, resulting in Him answering so many prayers in miraculous ways on behalf of us all!

LEAVING ONE ERA AND ENTERING A NEW ONE

Last month’s Christmas issue of The Bridge Report focused on the 40th Anniversary of this ministry since its inception, which was just before Christmas, 1983.  In summarizing the 2023 Annual Report, I now reflect back on these forty years with tears of overwhelming joy, along with a sense of deep gratitude and humility toward The Lord entrusting me with the stewardship of the vision and the direction for The Bridge.

Also, grateful for the privilege of serving in His Kingdom with hundreds of dedicated partners on the home front and faithful Harvesters abroad having enthusiastically and sacrificially committed themselves and their resources to do their part fulfilling the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:  Steve and I, and also our donor base, have aged with the decades. We have for some time given thought to the fact that the time would come when we would need to downsize, and maybe transfer The Bridge Stateside into the hands of a younger generation. This has no bearing on our mission partners in the nations, whom we also call HARVESTERS.  This became more urgent when, in May, 2021 I contracting Covid and in January 2022  began to experience rather severe after effects of the illness, very similar to the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.  This has impaired me quite a bit, so we sold our home last year and moved to a lovely Assisted Living Facility in Fort Lauderdale.  We prayed that if our Lord wanted The Bridge to continue its ministry to the nations, He would send us His choice of the right person at the right time. That did indeed happened quite miraculously a few months ago!

NEW ADMINISTRATION: I am delighted to introduce you to the new Executive Director of the Bridge International, Timothy Jurjevich.  He is a Dutch-American, born to missionary parents in Sarajevo, Bosnia who grew up partially in Holland and partially in the States. Tim is an entrepreneurial businessman with a heart for missions. He is 33 years old and lives in South Carolina with his wife, Julianne and two children, with a third on the way.  The transition will happen in February. I have full confidence that, by the grace of God, Timothy will fulfill HIS continued call and mission of The Bridge with a new administrative crew and new technological tools, bringing the message of the Great Commission to a new generation of givers assisting him to take good care of our Harvesters in the field!  I want to encourage all of you who have faithfully been with us, many for decades,  to continue partnering with the new leadership on their new adventure! I will not be part of the administrative staff, but will function in a more advisory capacity as a Board member. …”One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts… “ Psalm 145:4

2023 IN REVIEW — THE HARVESTERS

BOSNIA AND THE BALKAN REGION – Robert and Sandrina Jurjevich live in Sarajevo, Bosnia where Robert pastors a local church in the Muslim part of the city.  They are involved in the entire Balkan region through The Balkan Call, where Robert is one of the leaders, and the Church of God Croatia Networks. Through these networks, they have seen forgiveness take place between pastors from different Balkan countries, and a growing unity and answer to prayer for the Balkans. They oversea a fellowship which is one of  the few evangelical churches in a Balkan country where there are only 450 Christians. Sandrina, with her assistant Astrid, oversee their pro-life center, The Lighthouse.  Through their online  presence, they share the gift of life with abortion-minded women who contact them. In a nation  where women do not receive much information on healthy pregnancies, they conduct informative class sessions for pregnant women, provide baby clothes and needed items, and continue to visit many of whom they have served.

INDIA/BHUTAN/NEPAL:  DAWA SINGYE BHUTIA lives with his family in Bhutan, from where he and his team at Himalayan Good News Networking Ministry continue raising up pioneer evangelists, training leaders and sending church planters, also to towns and villages in the more remote Himalayan mountains between Bhutan, India, Nepal and Tibet. Last year they focused on conducting leadership training sessions and Bible teaching to pastors and Christian leaders in Nepal.  In September, through their Love Your Neighbor Initiative they established The Child Learning and Social Centre for children in the heart of the Red Light District in their city. In the midst of challenging circumstances, where the children are trapped in an environment of prostitution and child trafficking, the center is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for the children in their community

HAITI AND INDIA – Jeanette Felix and Sharon Cushing formed a new organization, Nexus for Good with the motto: Connecting Generosity to Need. They continue to sponsor their original school in Lespinasse and link with other grassroots missions that work in communities, like the school in Plateau-Anse-Rouge. They are also helping a school in a leper colony in northern India, where children are deprived of education. They are shunned by society for living in a leper community, although they do not have leprosy themselves.  A rent-free building is being renovated and a few children are receiving a modest education, thanks to one lone Christian teacher who, through great personal sacrifice, has chosen to enter the colony and are teaching them. Two more courageous teachers are desperately needed. In Haiti, violent gangs attacked the village Lespinasse and the nearby areas.  The school families abandoned everything, fled and settled temporarily in an outskirt of Port-au-Prince. The  school is functioning in a leased building until it is safe to return to Lespinasse.

IRAN AND TURKEY – Sargon and Nadezhda Daniali Chamaki  live in Ankara, Turkey, but have also a home in Almaty, Kazakhstan  where their four adult children live.  Their oldest son got married  a few months ago. Sargon is fluent in several languages and has been involved in translating the Bible and many teaching/training books for his and other organizations into Farsi.  He is also a gifted teacher, both in person and online.  Added to this, he oversees many home churches in the country where he lives, as well as his home country and other nations in the region.  Having the heart of an evangelist, Sargon is ever keen to hear where Holy Spirit may be leading him to  bring the Gospel, expanding it to even more nations.

KAZAKHSTAN – Yermek and Kamazhai Balykbekov and their three children live in Karaganda, Kazakhstan.  Yermek’s pastoral oversight over new Kazakh home fellowships are growing throughout the nation.  He finds using prophetic evangelism and words of knowledge (and operating in all gifts of Holy Spirit) to be very  effective. He has two kinds of ministry: local fellowship pastoral care and on-line ministries via Instagram, Zoom, and Telegram.  His online ministry is providing a number of testimonies.  As the  overall ministry is growing, God is supplying their needs, not only from abroad, but by local believers.  They had a three day conference in Karaganda which was attended by about 100 upcoming leaders from various fellowship locations.

KENYA AND TANZANIA – Paul and Marcia Cowley and their three children live in Florida, but Paul regularly travels to Kenya as he  oversees The Disciple Support Ministries Bible Institute, having transferred the leadership of the Bible training to the local graduates. DSM trains “pastors of the least” at three locations in Nairobi, Kenya and one in Tanzania where there are 199 slums and 450 pastors. Disciples are transformed into disciple-makers. In spite of their desperate circumstances, the pastors and ministry leaders keep coming. For many years, they averaged 225 on a continual enrollment but in 2023, enrollment just passed 400! “Surely this has been a tremendous year in the Lord’s ministry in Africa. By every  measure, it has caused us to pause and wonder at His marvelous ways as we enter our 23rd year  of DSM.” writes Paul.

REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA Steve and Sophia Schmalz  live in the capital city of Tbilisi, the Republic of Georgia.  They continue to faithfully visit the international airport in Tbilisi to provide parts of the New Testament (“Ingels”), videos and Christian pamphlets  to those arriving on flights from Iranian and Arab speaking countries in the Middle East.  The  “Ingels” are in both Farsi and Arabic.  They are also looking for an accurate translation of the Gospel of Matthew into Hebrew to distribute to people on planes arriving from Israel.  In April and again in September, they  traveled to the Netherlands and northern Germany and spent six weeks each time in the area from Hamburg to Denmark’s borders where there are many Muslim communities. There, they met  many Kurds from Syria who are very open to the Gospel.  They focused on distributing Gospel materials in Muslim residential areas surrounding mosques in Hamburg, Lubeck, Kiel and other cities. They were encouraged to meet a number of people who have come to faith in Jesus Christ through their prior ministry to their communities

 KYRGYZSTAN – Rustam and Zamira Kazakbaev and their two children, live in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan They have continued their seminary studies to be eligible for government approved ministry credentials.  During  seminary breaks, they minister to the poor in various villages, distributing food and clothing, while sharing the Gospel with them. Rustam and his family traveled to Uzbekistan where he was invited to teach on the Father’s Heart. During the summer months,  Rustam worked and taught at Christian summer camps on behalf of Child Evangelism.  This June and July, 800 poor and homeless children participated. In August, they did their own ministry camps for families in different villages.  In Kyrgyzstan, the government has placed restrictions on the use of electricity. The Bridge provided a gas heater for them for this winter. Zamira ministers to an online ladies group where they have experienced supernatural healings through prayer. They face some persecution from their Muslim neighbors and KGB style Russians, but always have wonderful testimonies about the Lord blessing them and others.   

SOUTH SUDAN – Matthew and Regina Deng Dut live in Juba, South Sudan.  Matthew oversees three churches he has planted in Juba and maintains a Christian bookstore with a computer learning center. He conducts evangelistic outreaches throughout the nation.  Due to the war in Sudan, many Sudanese Muslims are now refugees in South Sudan. Some have  become Christians and Matthew wants to form small home groups especially for them.  His family’s Dinka tribal lands in the northern part of South Sudan have become self-sufficient in agriculture, due to his leadership and initial funding from The Bridge.  The tribe avoid poverty by harvesting crops for their families with extra surplus to sell, keeping back enough seeds for replanting.  He and his team are busy with a radio ministry and the evangelistic efforts of taking the Gospel to the streets, distributing free Bibles, both in Arabic & English, and preaching on social media – whatever door the Holy Spirit opens.

2022 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners:

Happy New Year to you and your family from The Bridge team and our partners around the world!  We appreciate all of you who take an interest in the Bridge’s ministry and encourage others with the testimonies of the wonderful things God is doing in the nations through His people! An especial warm THANKS to those of you who sacrificially keep giving of your finances and faithfully praying for the missionaries we serve!  Your 2022 official Tax Receipt and Annual Bridge Report have been sent to you via postal mail or by email.  May you all experience the abundance of the promise in Proverbs 11:23-25: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

2022 IN REVIEW— A SUMMARY

BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA – Robert and Sandrina Jurjevich:

During the year The Lighthouse continued its pro-life ministry by advertising pregnancy classes for local women.  Sandrina and her assistant received many opportunities to be in touch with pregnant women.  Each woman who contacted the Lighthouse, received personal follow-up and for some, it resulted in a decision to keep their babies. The church distributes Bibles and during the month of March (for example), around 80 Bibles/New Testaments were requested from their Facebook ad. Many more Bibles were sent out during the year.  Robert and Sandrina were involved with a number of special meetings throughout Europe, including setting up worship meetings in Sarajevo with Michael Turner.  Robert, a requested speaker at a number of events, was instrumental in planning the Balkan Call Conference in Istanbul in October.  After the church Summer Camp in August, Robert and Sandrina flew to the US to see their children and apply for Sandrina’s Social Security.  During the Christmas season, the church arranged the distribution of 400 Operation Christmas Child packages as well as continuing the distribution of Bibles & New Testaments. The big project for 2023 is translating Andrew Brunson’s book, into Serbian and Croatian.

REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA – Steve and Sophia Schmalz:

Steve and Sophia continue to faithfully visit the local airport to provide Ingels (New Testaments) in their own Farsi language and other literature primarily to Iranians arriving into Tbilisi. They carry Ingels in several languages in order to distribute appropriately. During the year they came across several people who had become believers in Christ as a result of their ministry over the years. In the spring, they took a furlough in the US to sign up for Social Security and visit many of their supporters and prayer partners.  They were able to visit the Ulrichs, as well as prayer team members, the Rays and the Negveskys. At the end of June, they returned to their home in Tbilisi. They report: “Last year, by God’s grace we were able to distribute over 9300 Ingels among travelers on 614 flights.” At the end of the year, Steve re-organized some rooms in their home to store 40,000 Ingels in Farsi in 2023. This year they are tentatively planning a European outreach, as well.

IRAN/TURKEY – Sargon and Nadezhda Daniali Chamaki:

The year began with the arrest of Sargon’s assistant in Iran, Masud, charged for Christian activities. Sargon spent much time assisting the appeal for Masud’s release.  Masud was imprisoned for several months before being deported to Armenia.  Now Sargon and Masud have begun a new ministry in the capital city of Armenia.  During this time, Sargon began a new video series (interview style) giving answers to frequently asked questions by Middle

Eastern Muslims about the Christian faith.  It was posted on YouTube in several languages. In addition, he filmed videos for new converts in Iraq and these videos were copied to USB drives and were sent into Afghanistan. He has also been leading conferences for Life International. These include leading times of prayer in Farsi, which is very encouraging to Farsi speakers. He has 437 followers from Iran on his YouTube channel and 1,300 followers on Instagram.  Near the end of 2022, Sargon and Nadia moved from Istanbul to Ankara for a more strategic ministry location.  Living in Ankara is closer to Armenia & Iran.

KAZAKHSTAN – Yermek and Kamazhai Balykbekov: 

Yermek and his family live in Karaganda, but serve in leadership to home groups all over Kazakhstan.  They are prayerfully intending to move to Almaty.  However, the year began with protests and riots in that city.  All the home churches in Almaty were safe from the protests.  Yermek subsequently made several trips to Almaty and several Kazakhs accepted the Lord.  In Karaganda, Yermek began to delegate leadership responsibility to Olzhas, his assistant, who will eventually take over leading the team in Karaganda. Yermek is recording video lessons on growing in Christ and Christian marriage. The courses will not be free, but he just needs to charge enough to cover costs. In October, all the home churches were invited to Karaganda for the third anniversary celebration of the ministry. During 2022 Yermek was able to build relationships with three additional home groups.  He provided many reports of new believers, water baptisms and healing miracles.

KENYA – Paul and Marcia Cowley:

The Disciple Support Ministries now have two training locations in Kenya and two in Tanzania. Although Paul and his family live in Florida, he travels to Kenya three to four times a year to oversee the ministry, which is fully run by graduates who have been trained and discipled by Paul. Over the many years of the Bible School, about 6000 people have attended and many have graduated.

KYRGYZSTAN – Rustam and Zamira Kazakbaev:

During the year, Rustam and Zamira continued their seminary studies.  In 2022 they completed the second full year of training, the half way mark to getting appropriate ministry credentials.  When not studying, they visit gypsies  and other villages of the poor, distributing food and clothing, while sharing the Gospel.  When permitted, they conduct Bible studies for the children and pray for the sick. During the summer months Rustam works and teaches at Christian children’s Summer Camps.  Working with the Child Evangelism Ministry and other churches, he taught over 500 children.  Rustam and Zamira shared many amazing testimonies from both his teaching and her on-line min

istry. They even conducted an “on-line water baptism” for a new Christian wanting to be baptized. During the Christmas season the family traveled to Uzbekistan and ministered to three churches.

SOUTH SUDAN – Matthew and Regina Deng Dut:

Matthew has a group of three churches he oversees in Juba. He conducted a number of evangelistic outreaches in other cities and regions, as well.  In the beginning months of last year there was an increase of Covid in South Sudan, during which two of his leaders died.  Some time later, Matthew was invited to visit S. Korea, but during his travels Matthew and his team contracted Malaria and had to abort the journey. All recovered. He continues to reach out to the city of Juba with evangelistic meetings.  In addition, he works with his home tribal land, evangelizing, training new believers and planting crops that feed several thousand people from his large Dinka tribe with a surplus to sell. They are now planting their own seed rather than buying them from abroad.  The harvest on his tribal land is so plentiful that they now employ over twenty people to plant and harvest. Matthew’s mother started a restaurant. The Bridge helped in this business venture.

BHUTAN, INDIA, NEPAL and TIBET—Dawa S. Bhutia:

Dawa keeps on training, discipling and raising up church planters and Christian leaders via his ministry, Himalayan Good News Networking Ministry, in spite of much pushback from the Indian government.  The authorities are oppressing ethnic minority groups who adhere to belief systems other than Hinduism, which is being promoted as the only legitimate religion in India. That also includes the Christian faith. This has affected Dawa and his ministry, as well.  In spite of the persecution, he and his team continue through their Himalayan Bible Institute to raise up and disciple pioneer evangelists, train leaders, and then send them out as church planters into some of the cities, as well as villages in the more remote Himalayan mountains within Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Tibet.

KALMYKIA—Sarang Badyev:

Sarang spent most of 2022 in Mongolia, visiting and sharing the Gospel with the many Kalmykian nomadic communities there.  Back home in Russia Kalmykia is experiencing an economic crisis due to the Ukrainian/Russian war. To avoid being drafted into the war by the Russian military and to seek for work, many of the young men and families in Sarang’s church have fled to neighboring countries.

UKRAINE—Relief Aid:

In addition to several other projects financed by The Bridge, we assisted with Relief Aid to the suffering people in war-torn Ukraine with $15,000.00 which was sent via three partnering ministries in Poland, Australia and Moldova, and administered by Christian leaders in the warzones of Poland.

 

 

 

 

2021 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners:

Steve and R.K. Ulrich

Steve and I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!  We trust that 2022 finds you in good health and prospering in all things, even as your soul prospers! (3. John 1:2).

We specifically thank all those of you who so generously contributed to our mission partners and their projects last year, whether in prayer or via donations.  Your 2021 itemized Donor Statement is sent to your postal address and  includes the official contribution receipt for your Federal Tax Return, so please keep it in a safe place with your financial records.

2021 IN REVIEW—REFLECTIONS

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.                                                                                  Psalms2:1-3

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic emerged from China onto the world stage, quickly expanding across the globe with death and destruction. 2021 proved to be another equally tumultuous year:  The lockdowns, originally instituted by the authorities as short term safety measures, “for the Greater Good” to get on top of the pandemic, gradually shifted in many places into authoritative mandates, with dire consequences if not followed.  The abnormal gradually became normal!  Whether intended or unintended, the massive transformation caused by required masking, social distancing, the closing of businesses, schools, social and spiritual activities, along with the isolation of people from all other meaningful human interactions, brought lasting negative effects in communities worldwide.  Beyond the obvious tragedy and grief of losing loved ones to the pandemic, it has caused equal, if not worse, misery:  family breakups, financial ruin, increased poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, depression and suicide.

Governments, public health officials and major drug companies came together in search for remedies to eradicate and stop the pandemic.  Vaccines were quickly launched for emergency use, regretfully bypassing the traditional safety net of scientific research.  But time was short.  On Dec. 14, 2020 the first human being took the vaccine.  In 2021, a number of vaccines and boosters followed from various drug companies .

With the availability of the jab more prevalent, increasingly more governments and health authorities slowly began instituting mandatory vaccination for their entire population.  We watched as politicians, public health agencies, big pharma, as well as the mainstream and social media joined in a powerful union.  They launched a massive worldwide media campaign with the promise that the virus would be quickly eradicated and life as it used to be would return to normal for the world at large, if everybody would take this safe and effective vaccine.

Initially, the majority of the world’s population trusted their leaders and willingly complied. Those, who for a number of legitimate reasons chose not to readily obey, but questioned and debated the official narrative, or decided to promote prophylactic alternative treatments, began to feel the pressure of the ever tightening draconian measures.  Many were vilified, accused of spreading dangerous “conspiracy theories”, canceled by social media and branded as pariahs.  They lost their jobs and were locked out from society at large as government-issued vaccination passports started to be introduced.  The only entrance back into society: Take the Jab!

However, as the year progressed, the official public narrative gradually began fading in the fog of disinformation and outright lies told by the powers that be.  The people discovered that many leaders did not submit to the mandates they had instituted for the public.  They became aware that some of the top  leaders who called out the “anti-vaxxers”, were the very ones enriching themselves through the jab.  The “vaccinated” discovered that multiple jabs and boosters do not protect them against being infected, re-infected or infect others, and concerns kept growing over the increasing number of serious medical side effects reported from the jab. The “unvaccinated” realized that, after recovering from Covid-19, their own natural immune system produced antibodies which provide a better and more lasting protection than the vaccines.

By the end of the year, people everywhere began asking, “What is happening?”  The world was awakening to the reality that an agenda besides health was emerging!

The pandemic has been the perfect opportunity for the globalist elites to take charge and centralize their grip on power with their Marxist-based Fascist ideology of totalitarianism.  They believe, in order to bring equity to the world’s resources, and managing the agenda of global warming, a shift must happen from the individual nations’ right to govern their citizens by democratically elected representatives, to a global governance by a self appointed group among the rich and powerful.  At the core of that elite leadership are members of the World Economic Forum (WEF) with its founder, Klaus Schwab, who thinks the time is near for The Great Reset to a New World Order—the shifting to a global governance will be successfully instituted “for the Good of Mankind.” The draconian mandates by the authorities to “protect” the world population against Covid-19 give them a perfect opportunity to test the introduction of this paradigm shift.

A massive reorganization in the centralization and consolidation of global power is taking place, and the pressure to comply in absolute obedience to the agenda keeps increasing. Individuality, dissent, faith and loyalty to a Higher Power, i.e. to the Biblical Jesus Christ, and the authority of the Word of God must not, and cannot be tolerated.  Those who protest against this public narrative must quickly be brought back in line, silenced by fear tactics and canceled from the public domain by social media and big corporations as a threat to peace and security. The longstanding war against the Judeo-Christian world view and persecution of believers in Jesus keep increasing in most totalitarian countries.  However, the fact that there are forces embracing these tactics in Western Democracies – especially the United States – indicates they are moving towards tyranny and away from the individual freedom guaranteed by their Constitutions.  The beacon of freedom with its shining light is dimming in the world, making the darkness a lot darker!

As the year came to an end, people the world over rose up in protest against the serious overreach by their governments.  Daily, there now are large protests against the draconian mandates and the vaccine passports in many major cities throughout the world.  These protests involve people from all walks of life, including highly educated and qualified doctors, scientists, professors, and specialists in the fields of virology, many of whom have been banned from the public sphere for sharing their expertise which do not line up with the public narrative.

You may wonder why so much attention in this Annual Report is given to the issues above, rather than focusing only on individual testimonies from the missionaries we sponsor. Our aim is to point out to you the fundamental change from individual freedom and liberty to the demand for absolute global obedience with its devastating consequences on everybody everywhere.  This also includes those serving the Gospel in the nations, although these effects are more acutely noticed in the free world!

2021—A BRIEF SUMMARY FROM THE FIELD

 Although there continued to be lockdowns and restrictions placed on churches and fellowships in every nation where our Harvesters serve—in some places more severe than others—everyone, without exception, positively rose to the challenge.  They did not shrink back, but found new, creative ways of serving and bringing the Gospel to the people.  Due to the generosity of some of our donors, we were able to help, above and beyond our long term financial commitments, with food distribution in several communities among  destitute people who had become impoverished by the effects of the pandemic. 

The Internet also continued to be a source of blessing for the missionaries in virtually presented the Gospel to the unsaved and reaching their flocks with preaching, teaching and encouragement during the lockdowns. Fellowship replaced isolation and fear with Faith, Love and Hope!

There have also been devastatingly dark moments and discouraging times for some of our partners.  Topping the list is my good, longstanding friend, P.V. with his dedicated team.  For decades they served the Afghan people with God’s unconditional love, first among the refugees in Europe.  When the time was right, they then did the extraordinary thing—building from scratch the Village of Peace within Afghanistan! It was a Lighthouse of hope where the locals were trained to manage and administrate the many cottage industries and businesses within the Village, with the result that thousands were lifted out of poverty and despair!  The Afghan people gained a hope and a future!

Suddenly, in one swoop, it was all in ruin!  In the wake of the disastrous pullout of American troops followed the coup Taliban which brought them to power, darkness, terror and indescribable suffering are again the portion for the people of Afghanistan. However, there is a ray of hope. The locals who received and still carry the Light within, also maintain the hope that they will rebuild what has been destroyed. See https://www.bridgeinternational.org/2020/06/

Disaster also struck Haiti with a devastation earthquake in the area where one of our partners, Beraca Baptist Church in NY has for a decade had a thriving ministry and relief aid program through 1700 local church fellowships.  They did not flee from the disaster area, but rather pulled in with the locals and continued providing relief and bringing  His marvelous Light to the victims! Again, we assisted financially. See https://www.bridgeinternational.org/2021/10/

Cuba is another country which experienced major unrest and protests, due to the fact that there was no food in the country—people were starving.  Our longstanding partner, Jorge, found creative ways to help the Christians most in need, even through closed doors. Our donors participated! See https://www.bridgeinternational.org/2021/08/

To find information and updates on the Missionary/Harvester you have sponsored – or if you have an interest in the work of our Bridge partners in a specific region or country – please go to the website header above, click on COUNTRIES, then on REGIONS and you will find what you are looking for.  Click on ANNUAL REPORTS to get an overview on the last five years of Bridge activities. If you click on the DONATE button, it opens to a convenient way to give!
Blessings, Steve and R.K. Ulrich


2020 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners:

Happy New Year to you and your family from The Bridge team and our partners around the world!  Our warm THANKS to those of you who sacrificially gave of your finances and prayed for the missionaries we serve in the nations!  Your Tax Receipt has been sent to you via postal mail or email.  May you all experience the abundance of the promise in Proverbs 11:23-25: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

2020 IN REVIEW—REFLECTIONS

2020 was a tumultuous year which brought massive changes with lasting effect to the lives of people world wide.  At the beginning of the year, the breakout of Covid-19 pandemic originating in China, expanded quickly with death and devastation across the world. This tiny, invisible ball brought life as we knew it to a screeching halt, as businesses, schools, social and spiritual activities and any other meaningful human interactions were shut down while people were commanded to withdraw from society and live behind closed doors in isolation, only with their nearest family members. Beyond the obvious tragedy and grief of losing loved ones to the pandemic, the unintended consequences by the lockdowns have caused equally, if not worse, misery in people’s lives: financial ruins, increased poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, depression and suicide.

In the name of safety and health, governments globally have centralized their grip on power.  An international group of elite leaders, part of The World Economic Forum (WEF), have planned a shift from the individual nations’ sovereign right to govern their citizens, to a world wide power elite of the rich and powerful, who think the time is near when The Great Reset, outlining their global agenda, will successfully be instituted “for the Good of Mankind.”

Centralization and consolidation of power will be necessary, as will conformity and absolute obedience to the agenda of the Powers to Be.  Faith and loyalty to a Higher Power, individuality and dissent must not and cannot be tolerated, and those who protest must quickly be brought back in line, deemed as dangerous elements, a threat to peace and security in civil society.  The Cancel Culture is right now coming into full bloom!  The draconian measures mandated by political leaders to protect the world population against the deadly virus are a perfect opportunity to test the timing for the introduction to the New World Order.

Last year, this nation also experienced another trauma which will have far reaching international consequences— a bruising, volatile and outright hateful American Presidential election.  It has divided the nation right down the line. The 45th President, running on a Republican ticket, had during his tenure openly rejected the globalist agenda through his slogan “Make America Great Again”, and reintroduced ordinary American citizens to their Constitutional rights. The President gave a voice to the voiceless, “WE THE PEOPLE”, by tirelessly laboring for the people by introducing legislation and regulations benefitting the lives of men and women all across the socio-economic and racial spectrum. In turn, those people loved him… to them he was the People’s President!  To the Globalists, he was a clear and present danger, hindering their view of progress.  In a  bitterly contested election with serious allegations of major fraud, it was determined that the globalist-friendly Democrat candidate won, and he has been sworn in as President.

The deeper world issue is not politics, nor economics, it is the clashing of ideologies.  In the United States we have openly entered into a fierce spiritual/cultural war—a fire which has been raging on other continents for decades, with severe persecution against Christian believers and destruction of their churches and symbols.  Now, it has erupted with vengeance against the last bastion, the Judeo-Christian world view in America.

The Bible was always the bedrock for Western civilization—the glue which held our society together with a common understanding of basic Biblical moral values, adherence to the rule of law, equality under the law, and respect for the individual’s rights. The American Constitution, built on these Biblical principles, has been a shiny model of a good governing document; the example to be applied against tyranny by freedom fighters the world over.  Today, these Biblical moral and spiritual principles must be crushed by the fascist/globalist elite, the Christian faith subdued and its followers canceled and cast aside. With that, the American Constitution with its fundamental phrase, “endowed by our Creator, ” must also be nullified, as it declares that all men are given Equality with certain inalienable Rights, among these Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, not by man, governments or the political correct elite in society, but given by God!  This the core of the conflict!

In the midst of a hostile society facing the Christian believers, we are called according to Matthew 5:13-16 and Phil. 2:15-16a, to be salt and light before men—children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom we shine as lights in the world, holding fast the Word of Life!

THE BRIDGE AND OUR FIELD PARTNERS

In spite of the lockdowns, and concern that the hardship of the virus would diminish our Bridge contributors’ ability to give, we were blessed in every way.  Our income grew beyond expectation, so we were able to help equip a number of our partners with funds to reach out with compassion and love with life sustaining provision to victims of Covid-19 in their communities.

One of our Stateside prayer warriors and leader of The Bridge Intercessory Team, Paul Booher, went to be with the Lord.  It was a loss for us, but the Lord provided us with three new members called to intercede for the nations and our partners who labor in His harvest.  We are humbled and thankful for the labor of love of the group!

Covid-19 affected every community we serve overseas, some countries harder hit than others, with heartbreaking  devastation and suffering.  We are deeply grateful that none of our partners, except one family, contracted the virus.  Rustam and Zamira and their two children in Bishkek, KYRGYZSTAN  were lightly infected, and were quickly restored to full health with no negative health effects.  This was an answer to prayer by our intercessors, demonstrating that the Lord’s protection as promised in Psalm 91 were true and real.

As most countries were already in lockdown in the late spring, all church services and fellowship gatherings were shut down everywhere, and with that, many of the outreaches and mercy ministries of our partners.  This became a challenge for the leaders to find ways to continue their labor of love in obedience to the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20, …Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Their clarity of vision, personal sacrifices, courage, endurance and hope; having been trained to stand firmly in faith in the face of serious setbacks and apparent insurmountable problems, have helped them find new, creative ways to circumvent their governments’ restrictions, and continue to keep in contact and fellowship with their church family.  Worship services and Bible teachings were in many cases conducted virtually online.  To comply with the restrictions on social distancing, smaller home fellowship groups flourished with just a few believers in each, which has brought forth new leadership and closer knit relationships between the believers.  We have reports from every field that there was growth and expansion in the number of people responding to the Gospel and desiring to grow in faith.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of last year’s activities among our partners, was their willingness to risk their own health and safety, and together with their church family reach out to the most needy suffering from the pandemic with a feeding program, which provided amazing opportunities to share the Good News to people in communities closed to their presence in prior years.   The Village of Peace in AFGHANISTAN  and Himalayan Good News Network Ministry in INDIA each did impressive outreaches into their surrounding communities with life giving sustenance.  You will find their stories on our website, published under last year’s Bridge Report for respectively June and August.

Sargon, serving Iranian believers in TURKEY and IRAN proper, reached out to a number of refugees and provided shelter and food for them.  We also helped provide finances for the distributing of food packages for needy Iranian believers and unbelievers in Iran and Turkey.

This year, we are not providing specific updates from all the fields we serve, but you will find a comprehensive list and description of each of the major partners we resource on a regular basis in the 2019 Annual Report which you find under ANNUAL REPORTS above.  Scroll down the page, or click on the following direct link and scroll:                  https://www.bridgeinternational.org/category/annual-bridge-reports/

BLESSINGS  to those of our partners not mentioned here, and those of you who invested resources into their lives and ministries.  THANK YOU, again!     R.K. Ulrich

2019 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners,

God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  2. Cor 9:7b-8, 10-11

We thank God for those of you who continue to actively participate in the work and ministry of our field partners through your financial giving. The 2019 Annual Bridge Report and official contribution receipts have been mailed to all last year’s donors. Also, thanks to you who prayed for the mission field and the workers whose labor of love brings light and hope to so many living in darkness and despair.  Your love and interest encourages us to continue moving forward in Linking God’s People to Reach the Unreached.

1989 AND 2019 — THEN AND NOW

As we have just entered a new decade, it is befitting we pause and look back at the turn of an earlier decade thirty years ago.  Since 1961 the infamous Iron Curtain had divided Eastern Europe from Western Europe.  On November 6, 1989, to the whole world’s shock and surprise, the part of the wall dividing the city of Berlin fell, dismantled by the masses in the streets who demanded freedom from tyranny.  Then, like carefully stacked dominoes, in a short two years, the entire wall came down in country after country until the once powerful empire of the USSR was dissolved (Dec. 1991).  The Soviet Union, having controlled the lives of 300 million people in 29 countries by their ruthless dictatorships, suddenly ceased to exist.

In the early eighties I traveled for two years within the Iron Curtain countries to bring Bibles and Christian literature to the underground churches on the other side. I learned first hand the dangers of passing through that wall. After The Bridge was founded in 1983, its Intercessory Prayer Group began to pray, imploring God to smash the wall which represented the evil regimes and to liberate the people both physically and spiritually!

When the Berlin wall actually fell, Steve and I were driving through West Germany on a mission trip in Europe.   Although we had prayed diligently for so long, we were taken by total surprise!  Throughout that decade there had been much geopolitical maneuvering by politicians and governments, but not one individual, group or government could rightfully take full credit for this historic event!  As the crumbling of the wall progressed, we recognized were living in the midst of a modern day Psalm 2 miracle—God had heard the prayers of His people! His hand had swept over the nations, cut their bondage and freed them to seek and find Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  The closed countries opened up and we were bought knee-high into the harvest fields of scores of hungry souls. As coworkers with the Lord, we watched the transforming power of the risen Jesus Christ bring untold thousands of individuals and whole communities from darkness into light, satisfying their hunger and quenching their thirst!

Today, there is a different Iron Curtain in the world, a very real one; one that cannot be seen with human eyes, but is just as an oppressive and powerful deterrent to freedom as barbwire, killer dogs, and Kalashnikov guns.  The Judeo-Christian world view is founded on Biblical precepts which is the bedrock on which Western civilization is built.  It recognizes that man is endowed with liberty and certain rights given by their Maker which no ruler or government has the right to deny the people under their care.  Dictators and their cadre seek absolute power and total control over people’s minds, souls, and lives. They are engaged in a spiritual/cultural/physical war via political ideologies, world religions and personality cults directed at those following Jesus. Their Christian faith must be eradicated from society, and their quest for freedom must be suppressed!

Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors, a renowned ministry, pioneered the smuggling of Bibles through the Iron Curtain to the underground church 65 years ago.  Today, Open Doors is on the forefront of representing religious and human rights violations against Christians communities worldwide, and encourages believers everywhere to pray for and advocate on behalf of the suffering believers.

Their World Watch List is a comprehensive annual publication of the top 50 countries that are the worst offenders, number one being the worst.  No surprise that North Korea tops the list!  I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the content with special emphasis on the 10 countries in which our Bridge Harvesters live and serve (their numbers are listed below beside their respective countries).  This will guide you as you pray and intercede for them, and get actively involved.  To print the List, please copy this address and download the file: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020_World_Watch_List.pdf

To read the List online, go to: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/  

2019 IN REVIEW — THE HARVESTERS

All our Harvesters are in charge of their own vision and ministries.  The Bridge comes alongside them as friends and resource partner.

No. 2 — AFGHANISTAN: The community centers in cooperation with local Afghans are progressing well, in the midst of grave dangers and several setbacks.  The four centers, built on Kingdom principles, encompass water drilling; agricultural projects whereby Afghans are learning to grow food effectively; a chicken farm business; training in leadership & entrepreneurial skills with emphasis on character building integrity, and responsibility.

BOSNIA: ROBERT and SANDRINA After securing the facilities  a year ago for their ministry in the Muslim section of Sarajevo: Raphael Church, the Lighthouse with their apartment,  the Pro-Life Woman’s Center, and the meeting hall for fellowship and ministry to children and teenagers, they have been busy sharing their faith and pursue registration for the church and permanent residency visa for their long term stay in Bosnia.  They have been blessed with three grandchildren – two in the States and one in Holland.

No. 10, 32, 45 — INDIA/BHUTAN/NEPAL:  DAWA and his team at Himalayan Good News Networking Ministry continue to raise up pioneer evangelists, train leaders and send church planters  into some of the cities and villages in the more remote Himalayan mountains between Bhutan, India, Nepal and Tibet.  The persecution against Christians is intensifying , but the ministry keeps growing in depth and outreach.

No. 23 — CHINA:  SARANG continues to forge ahead deep into the remote mountains of China’s Northwest district, Xinjiang, to bring the Gospel to his Kalmyk people.  They are Buddhist nomads who roam the region with their herds.  He has found inroads for the Gospel with a doctor, a well known singer whose father is tribal leader, and a number of young people who are reading the Bible with interest. The China regime is persecuting people of faith.

CUBA: JORGE and MAGDALENA have now lived in Florida for a number of years, but they have not lost their passion for meeting the needs of their brothers and sisters in Cuba, so they visit there often. Jorge continues to travel to other Caribbean and Central American countries, to also equip them with both spiritual and physical food, besides pastoring his church in Miami.   He has Bibles printed and distributed inside Cuba, partially financed by The Bridge who also assisted in the completion of the storage facility.

REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA: S & S have been called into a unique ministry, having been led to places where people arrive from closed countries, then hand deliver the visitors Scripture portions in their respective languages, which are received with great caution and curiosity. They also blanket immigrant neighborhoods in West European cities with tracts and Scriptures. Last year, they hand delivered 17,870 New Testaments and brochures, and 16,000 DVDs and Gospels of John in several languages.

No. 9, 36 — IRAN/TURKEY: SARGON has been able to more effectively focus on the various aspects of ministry to his countrymen since his wife and two youngest children (the two oldest are already attending college abroad) a year ago permanently joined him in Turkey.  His ministry is expanding as the revival is growing exponentially in Iran, and there are many exciting testimonies of supernatural encounters with the Lord.  But with revival comes persecution whereby many homes and churches have been ransacked and believers arrested.  Much more could be said – however, due to security concerns, this will have to suffice.  We implore you to pray for safety and wisdom for the believers in Iran and Turkey, and for Sargon and his family!

No. 35 — KAZAKHSTAN:  YERMEK’s  Kazakh fellowship parted from the Russian church under whose umbrella they had operated since its inception.  They are now joining other Kazakh groups of believers as he is being led into a broader sphere of leadership locally, as well as other Kazakh church fellowships throughout the country and beyond.  Yermek continues to be true to his vision: to be a tool in God’s hand, guided by the Holy Spirit to help bring forth committed people of faith who find their identity in Christ via their own Kazakh language and culture.  God answered  a promise from years ago: his wife gave birth to their son!

No. 44 — KENYA: PAUL continued to teach, train, mentor, and disciple the Pastors of the Least, who live and minister hope among the poorest of the poor in the Kiberia slum near the capital city of Nairobi.  It was a transition year in that Paul moved his family back to the States, as the time had come to leave the leadership of the two ministry schools in the capable hands of the local leaders who had been trained and discipled under his leadership. Paul will divide his time between the States and Kenya and operates in an overseeing and guidance capacity while bringing awareness of the ministry to people back home.

 KYRGYZSTAN — RUSTAM and ZAMIRA with their two children, have moved back from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to their family home in the capital of  Bishkek.   They are happy to rejoin their family of believers and former church fellowship.  Rustam who feels called to the fatherless and helping fathers build good, healthy relationships with their children, works among teenage boys discarded by state orphanages. Zamira ministers among and prays for trafficked women. Together they reach out to poor Gypsy families, always with the message of God’s love through Jesus Christ.

 No. 7 — SOUTH SUDAN: MATTHEW continued evangelizing among his people and pastoring the two churches he has planted in the capital city of Juba.  It has become an annual event for him and his team to travel to Kampala, Uganda to minister among the many South Sudanese refugees in diaspora there. They also conducted a crusade in Abyei, Matthew’s home state, a disputed land area between Sudan and South Sudan, where he visited his tribal land and shared the Gospel with his family after 26 years absence as refugee abroad.  He plans to plant a church in his home town.

Please pray for them and their people, and consider helping them financially!

If you want a hard copy of the report for download and printing, please click on the below link:

2019 Annual Bridge Report 01-20 web

The 2018 Annual Bridge Report

Dear Friends and Partners:

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1. Thessalonians 1:2-3

We thank God for all of you who continue to take an interest in the work and ministry of The Bridge. We have mailed  the 2018 Annual Bridge Report and official contribution receipts last year’s donors.  A special thanks to those of you who shared with people in your church or fellowship the testimonies and stories published in The Bridge Reports, with the purpose of praying and interceding for those who labor in the mission field.  Your love and interest enable us to continue serving the Harvesters whose labor of love brings light and hope to so many living in darkness and despair.

2018 IN REVIEW—REFLECTIONS

In society at large in the United States, last year saw an improvement in the standard of living for many people who were struggling financially.  Due to a growing economy, the number of new jobs within many sectors soared, bringing new life to many needy communities.

Yet, it was a tumultuous year with a marked increase in expressions of dissatisfaction, anger, divisiveness, and hate between groups of people who reject the notion of “the American Way”—freedom to live in peace with one another while “agreeing to disagree” in a civil manner.

We are in the midst of a spiritual/cultural war between ideologies. The Judeo-Christian world view was always the bedrock; the glue which held our society together with a common understanding of basic Biblical moral values, adherence to the rule of law, equality under the law, and respect for the individual’s rights. It is increasingly challenged from all sides by those who want any expression of the Christian faith eradicated from society.  The fundamental phrase in the Constitution, which guarantees the individual’s rights is, “…endowed by our Creator…” — not given by man, or governments, or the politically correct in society at large, but given by God.  The adherence to the Christian faith made America exceptional!  This must be removed, they say.  Herein lies the core of the  battle!

The impact on the church at large is a diminished focus on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.  But Jesus’ words are still relevant, “… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The teaching on the Great Commission has largely dissipated from the pulpit. Many of the traditional missionaries have had to return home, banned by denial of renewed visas by foreign governments which are increasingly hostile to the Christian faith.  Being questioned at home by well meaning fellow Christians about the validity of “proselytizing” peoples of other religions and cultures, the missionary, once respected for his/her faith and courage, has become irrelevant in the church.   The above describes an overall trend. It does not include the many Western missionaries still being effective ambassadors for the Lord around the globe.

God used the church in Western civilization to pioneer and establish the Christian faith in large parts of the world.   In the last half-century, however, there has been a distinct shift, whereby the indigenous believers, having internalized through their own languages and cultures the Bible message of God’s love and redemption by faith in Jesus Christ, are now ready and willing to bring that message to the rest of the world.  They are carrying the banner of Christ to complete the Great Commission to all nations!

We are privileged to partner with our many indigenous Gospel workers on several continents, and also with a few  outstanding Americans and Europeans called to the mission field abroad. We call all of them HARVESTERS. They are not commissioned or sent by Bridge, rather, every one of them individually heard and responded to the call of God, and in obedience followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance; they carry the vision, wherewithal, responsibility, and authority for their own unique, individual ministries. They exemplify the Apostle Paul’s words in  1. Corinthians 3:6-7,  I planted, Apollos (Paul’s co-worker) watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”  The Bridge come alongside them to serve, guide, and help add to their resources as needed, with the goal that they will continue to gradually become fully self financed.   Your donations helped lighten some of their burdens.

2018 IN REVIEW—THE HARVESTERS

The hostility and persecution against Christian believers keep increasing in the world.  Some of our partners choose to live and minister openly, and have given us permission to share their testimonies and field reports in our publications.  Others, for obvious security reasons, work more effectively clandestinely; therefore they are not mentioned in our official reports. If you sponsor one of them, please free to contact us, and we will provide you updates.  Characteristic of all the Harvesters are their clarity of vision, personal sacrifices, courage, endurance, and hope; standing firmly in faith in the face of serious setbacks and apparent insurmountable problems.  

ANDAMAN ISLANDS –  VARUGHESE and his wife need prayer as they continue to care for the children in the two orphanages they manage, and various unreached indigenous peoples on the island, in spite of his struggle with severe diabetes, and her physical limitations after being in a serious car accident.

BOSNIAROBERT and SANDRINA had a fruitful year.   A generous gift from one of our donors helped them finally complete the process of taking ownership of  the Lighthouse facility, located in the Muslim section of Sarajevo.  It provides living quarters for them, offices and space for Sandrina’s growing Pro-Life Woman Center, and a meeting hall for fellowship and ministry to children and teenagers. Another building was secured for their Rafael Church where they conduct Sunday services.

INDIA – Last year was tough for DAWA, an ethnic Tibetan and former Buddhist from Bhutan, his family and ministry, Himalayan Good News Networking Ministry.  The Indian government is oppressing ethnic minority groups with other belief systems than Hinduism, which is being promoted as the only legitimate religion in India.  This has also affected Dawa and his Christian ministry.  However, he and his team continue to raise up pioneer evangelists, train leaders, and send church planters  into some of the cities, as well as villages in the more remote Himalayan mountains between Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Tibet.

KALMYKIA –  SARANG is a native from the Russian Federal Republic of Kalmykia, located between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.  They are the only Buddhist people in the West. Sarang, who came to faith during the Soviet era through a brave American missionary, has been pioneering the Gospel in his homeland and among his countrymen who live in diaspora.  Last year he visited Kalmyk communities in Mongolia and several villages in the remote mountainous regions of Xinjiang, located in the north western part of China, which is the home of the Muslim Uighur people.  China is oppressing them in an effort to  curb ethnic uprisings against their regime.  It is believed that the Chinese have detained one million Uighurs in detention camps to control the province.  Kalmyks living in the region are also among the minority ethnic groups oppressed by the Chinese. Sarang’s message of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus is a new, powerful message to his people.  Sarang fell very ill while in Xinjiang, but is now restored to health.

KAZAKHSTAN –  YERMEK’s ministry continues to expand among his people in Karaganda and beyond.  It is apparent that the Lord is bringing him into a broader sphere of leadership throughout the many Kazakh fellowships in the country.  Last year he was asked to preach at regional and national conferences in his area and in Almaty.  He also had an opportunity to participate in a Central Asian church conference in Cyprus.  His vision is to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands to help bring forth committed people of faith who find their identity in Christ through their own Kazakh language and culture.

KENYA  – PAUL continued to teach, train, mentor, and disciple the Pastors of the Least , who live and minister hope among the poorest of the poor in the Kiberia slum on the outskirts of the capital city Nairobi. The pastors graduate each year from the Disciple Support Ministry’s school with the Word of God imbedded deep into their hearts and minds, as the program ensures that the Bible is studied line upon line.   They are proof that the power of the Word of God transforms lives!

TAJIKISTAN – RUSTAM and ZAMIRA whose ministry are among children of Muslim and Gypsy families, moved from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to Dushanbe, Tajikistan with their two children to continue their evangelism, in spite of learning that the government had just made it unlawful to “proselytize” (meaning sharing the Gospel with) children, and also banned children from participating in religious activities. They cautiously continue to meet with families and children and share the love of Jesus with them.  Rustam carries a burden of helping fathers build good, healthy relationships with their children.

TURKEY –  SARGON who had for several years traveled from his home in Kazakhstan to minister to Turkish and Iranian believers in Turkey, finally moved permanently with his wife and two youngest children to Turkey.  There, his ministry is flourishing and expanding.   Sargon’s online Bible teaching course in Farsi kept progressing very well for the Iranians in Turkey.  It also reaches believers inside Iran, also providing them access to learning the Word of God.  Every quarter, he conducted Biblical leadership conferences for Iranians, and, in cooperation with a Korean church, established a part- time seminary of Biblical  studies for future Iranian pastors.  He also networked well with the Turkish communities of believers,  and was often invited to come and minister in their churches.

 SOUTH SUDAN MATTHEW continued evangelizing among his people in the capital city of Juba, and adding to the flock of believers.  He lead two congregations in the city, and was able to finish building  a new church facility on his property, due to generous donors through The Bridge.  It is necessary to be sheltered during the rainy season.  He and a team of ten of his leaders traveled to Uganda to minister among the thousands of South Sudanese refugees congregating in the capital city of Kampala.  Matthew is an evangelist at heart, and, as such, preached at a number of rallies in various contexts.

SOUTH SUDAN—WILLIAM and his team made an extraordinary effort  to rebuild the mission center, the farm, and the radio and outreach compound near Nimule, after warring factions had destroyed so much.  A donor helped toward the completion of the media center building, from which daily radio Gospel programs are beamed in many tribal languages across the region, reaching several hundred thousand people.

BLESSINGS  to those of our HARVESTERS not mentioned here, and those of you who invested resources into their lives and ministries.  Again—THANK YOU!   R.K. Ulrich