WOMEN PLAY KEY ROLES IN MANY MINISTRIES
INTERCEDE 2019 ANNUAL REPORT–ALL PRAISE TO GOD!
SIERRA LEONE CHILDREN’S HOME MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE MET!
Female missionaries play a key role in the work of indigenous ministries. Some of those working with Intercede’s partner missions are doing pioneer, trailblazing ministry work.
In my 16-plus years with Intercede, I have had the privilege to meet and interview female missionaries who have inspired me and others with their testimonies of God’s work in their lives, and their ministry to others. Some of them are featured in this issue of Intercede magazine.
Women play key roles in the leadership of two India-based ministries that have been partnered with Intercede International for decades.
Himalaya Crusade is based in West Bengal—a region difficult for several reasons: opposition to Christianity from other religions, restrictions on Christianity from local governments, and challenging travel conditions in the rugged Himalayas.
Dr. Roman and Natasha Korniyko are a compassionate Ukrainian couple who have seen the needs of Ukrainian street children and responded by creating Father’s House in 1996. This ministry, partnered with Intercede, is dedicated to rescuing street children, abused, neglected and runaway children, and giving them a safe place to live, in a Christian family environment.
Years ago, the Lord placed a burden on Winnie Owiti’s heart for the destitute people in East Africa—such as orphans, the uneducated, street children, and widows and single mothers. In 1993, she established the Ebenezer Life Centre in Kenya to reach out to and help those vulnerable people.
“Shining the Light and Giving Life” is the motto of ELC—which is an Intercede ministry partner that is connected with the Voice of Salvation Church. The name Ebenezer has its basis in the Bible and means, “up to now has the Lord helped us.”
Through times of suffering and times of joy, God has worked in the lives of two Filipina women—Ruth Palma and Nenita del Mundo—helping them to give compassionate leadership to two Philippines-based ministries.
Ruth and her husband Nemuel Palma have literally put their lives on the line to serve the Lord as leaders of Smoky Mountain Ministries. Despite facing life-threatening circumstances, they continue to serve faithfully with this Intercede partner ministry based in the slums of Manila, in the Philippines.
I am so thankful to our Great God and Saviour to be able to say that our past three years of deficit have ended! Our Fiscal year ended last June with a plus balance. But hold on, there is more GREAT NEWS! Due to many of our partners responding to match a $100,000 matching gift challenge offered by four of Intercede’s donors, and due to several estates and the sale of our aging guest house, we were enabled to not only wipe out our deficit but to have more to be able to address some very expensive but necessary updates to our antiquated software systems. This is just the beginning of the process but we hope to have the entire new software systems completed sometime in the latter half of 2020—for which we ask your prayers for this whole large process.
The Lord has commissioned His people to take the Gospel to the entire world and He has made a way so that all of us can be involved through the responsible stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to us.
Knowing the certainty of eternal life in Christ, many mission-minded friends and family members of departed loved one honour thier lives with gifts to Intercede International in their memory.
Since they started Living Word Ministries in 1989, Barb and Patrick Lataillade have faced numerous obstacles—such as Haiti’s voodoo-tainted culture and the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010. But despite such challenges, the Lataillades have followed the Lord and built LWM into a successful ministry reaching Haitians with the Gospel.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)
It may be because I am 61 now that I joke to my fellow partners on this voyage, I am still 18 with 43 years of experience. I am looking at life differently. One of the thoughts that come to mind is this: “I wish I knew what I know now when I was young.”
FORT ERIE, Ont. (INS)—Matthew House, a Christian agency based in Fort Erie, Ont., that primarily helps newcomers transition to life in Canada, purchased Intercede’s Guest House in late 2019, and is now redeveloping that property.
SIERRA LEONE—Praise the Lord! Intercede has received $20,000 from donors across Canada to match the Matching Gift Challenge for the Ebola Children Centre for a total of $40,000 and has sent it to Sierra Leone to finish the two Boys’ Dormitories. Now all that is needed and remaining is about a further $25,000 to build the Kitchen, Recreation Hall and office with furnishings.
EGYPT—An Egyptian family has seen their lives transformed while taking part in Reaching All Egypt’s vocational training program. Hanaa from Assiut governorate is married and has three children in different stages of education.
