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E V E R Y H O M EP R A Y E R E V A N G E L I S M D I S C I P L E S H I P

I NT H E

H E A R TO F

T H EC I T Y

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Do You Know Who Killed Jesus?Colombia p. 4

Shaping Their Nation’s FutureSouth Africa p. 8

The Two Hands of the GospelFiji p. 10

Every Home for ChristP. O. Box 64000Colorado Springs, CO 80962 1-800-423-5054www.EHC.org | info@EHC.org

Search for us online: everyhomeintl

VISION: Every Home for Christ exists to serve the Church to reach every home on earth with the Gospel.

International President | Dick Eastman Executive Director | Tim MiddlebrookEditor | Michelle MatiaCopy Editor | James HoltDesigners | Drew Emmert & Lauren StewartProduction Supervisor | Danielle Schmidt

Dick Eastman

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

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An EHC worker distributes a week’s supply of food to a family in dire need. (See the full story on page 10.)

hen you think of global missions, perhaps you picture dedicated men and women spending their time and energy declaring the Gospel in

primitive villages. Remote areas of the world are a large focus of Every Home for Christ’s global efforts, but you may not be aware that our indigenous workers are also making an astounding impact in urban areas.

Urban ministry sometimes requires unique creativity to gain the attention of those living a fast-paced lifestyle. For example, when our team in Colombia was having difficulty engaging passersby while doing street evangelism, their impact changed dramatically when they began asking a question that literally stopped folks in their tracks (p. 4).

And in South Africa, EHC teams have been warmly welcomed on university campuses as they engage hungry minds in stimulating conversation as well as in high schools as they meet a critical cultural need (p. 8).

Then, our Fiji office has found that meeting an urgent, tangible need in an impoverished community helps many desperate souls find their hope in Jesus (p. 10).

I believe you’ll be deeply inspired by the innovation of our global staff as they share Christ in the urban areas of their nations!

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On Saturday, February 13, Dick Eastman will introduce his new School of Prayer series, Back to School in the School of Prayer. Please join us in person or by live streaming the event online. For more information, visit www.ehc.org/school

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DO YOU KNOW WHO

KILLED JESUS?

by Rob Stennett

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6

hen it comes to reaching every home for Christ, there is a certain picture that comes to mind about what a “home” is. We envision four walls, a roof,

windows and a clearly marked front door. The materials of the home may differ — brick, straw, wood, mud, stone, siding — but the general picture is the same. In heavily urban areas, however, the picture gets blurred.

Take the city of Villavicencio, Colombia, an urban area with an extreme class division. The rich live in high-rise penthouses, while many poor families live in back alleys under pieces of sheet metal propped against dilapidated buildings. Finding out how to reach these homes with the Gospel takes innovation, hard work, creativity and — most of all — prayer. These are the tools Jaime Castañeda, National Director of EHC Colombia, employs as he reaches out.

“Evangelism in rural areas is easier because people are more receptive,” Jaime said. “The urban situation is different. There is more freedom of worship, but people are very insensitive to the Gospel.”

Jaime wanted to do something to captivate hearts and imaginations. Whether he was leading outreaches to homes or preaching the Gospel on crowded street corners, he knew he had to find a way for people to actually stop, listen and truly consider the gospel message. So he began asking people, “Who killed Jesus?”

This is an especially provocative question considering that nearly 87 percent of the country identifies as Catholic. But that affiliation does not always translate into how people live their lives. For the last 50 years, Colombia has been fighting to free itself from the devastating effects of organized crime and drug trafficking. Jaime explains, “Our country is very religious, but despite that, people have a great need of God. Parents are desperate because their children are involved in drugs, alcohol, prostitution and illegal businesses. People are psychologically affected by these [troubles] . . . and deal with their very severe impact daily.”

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Believers in Haiti worship in one of the local churches, where many gathered for the launch of Every Home for Christ Haiti in 2012.

Jaime wanted people to know about Jesus, but he also wanted them to consider the effects of sin. He started asking his attention-grabbing question during Holy Week, the days leading up to Easter. “At this time people are very sensitive to the voice of God,” he explained. Holy Week is the most important celebration of the year for Colombians. Monday, Thursday and Friday are all national holidays, and there are festivals, parades and celebrations to be heard in every home and on every street. With this as the backdrop, Jaime and the EHC team approached the urban poor.

“People were confronted with this question: ‘Do you know who killed Jesus?’” Jaime said. “They immediately said, ‘No, I do not know. Can you explain?’ And when they heard that they had contributed to the death of Jesus, they were astonished.”

People began to consider the implications of their own sins. As they listened to the story, they were touched. Some with tears rolling from their eyes admitted, “I was one of the ones who killed Jesus. I played a part in the way He was mistreated and beaten.

My sins drove nails into His hands.” At that moment, Holy Week became holy. This wasn’t just a religious festival anymore. Life-change began to happen as — one by one — people realized the transformative nature of the gospel message: “My sins killed Jesus, but His blood sets me free.”

The question began creating noise. Normally, urban areas are a hard place to share anything at all. They are loud, the streets are uncomfortably crowded and people are easily distracted. The EHC team used this energy to build momentum for their message. One pioneer missionary named Carlos Eduardo shared his story in a neighborhood called Ceiba, in the eastern part of the city. At first, it was difficult to get anyone to listen, but as he started to ask, “Who killed Jesus?” everyone wanted to know more.

People dropped what they were doing and walked away from their own private celebrations to hear this message. Questions followed about what it means to be a Christian and follow Christ. People were coming to Christ right in the middle of Ceiba. And these

It is rare to see people in Villavicencio gather to listen to a message about God, but the question about who killed Jesus captured their curiosity.

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conversations weren’t a flash in the pan during Holy Week. Out of what happened on a crowded street in Colombia, six different Christ Groups were formed throughout the district.

A team of EHC pioneer missionaries also worked with a local church to reach out into the “industrial” areas of town. Many of the people there live in extreme poverty, and the Red Cross has dubbed these parts of Colombia “the poorest of the poor.” This means that, even when compared to desolate areas of developing countries, the living conditions in the Colombian industrial districts are horrific. This is in part because many people in these areas are not only the victims of poverty; they are also abused by organized crime. The pioneer missionaries heard stories of people who had been raped, trafficked and induced with heavy narcotics against their will. Their addictions were severe, their pain unfathomable.

To these weary souls, the EHC team asked, “Do you know who killed Jesus?” The people of the industrial districts waited skeptically for the answer. The workers explained that it was not only our sins that killed Jesus, but the sins of those who had violated these victims. “This was not God’s plan,” they said. “You were never meant to be abused and discarded. God loves you, He cares for you, and He wants to see you saved from your pain.” The people hearing this story wept and thanked God for His mercy. They discovered the hope of the Gospel.

For Jaime, that makes everything worth it. “When we see someone accept Jesus as their Savior, we feel that God is with us. It’s worth doing the work because of the tears on the faces of people who receive Jesus, because of the way you see joy and smiles. It makes me thank God for letting me participate in what He is doing in my country.”

Their addictions were severe, their pain unfathomable.

1 Some of the gentlemen in this photo are members of a newly-formed Christ Group. 2 A thin child welcomes gospel literature along with a refreshing drink, taking one for his friend as well. 3 Brother Diego prays for a construction worker who suffered from severe back pain and was unable to work. God healed this man, and he now hosts a Christ Group in his home with his wife and three children. 4 A group of leaders study the Be Fruitful and Multiply discipleship curriculum so they can train new Christ Group leaders to study the Bible as well.

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by Kathy Gowler

S O U T H A F R I C A

SHAPING THEIR NATION S FUTURE’

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The University of Cape Town is the oldest university in South Africa and the highest-ranking university in all of Africa. This prestigious school even ranks among the top 200 universities in the world.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6

gainst his will, his future was already determined: Hopewell would become a witch doctor like his father, the lord over his South African village. But

Hopewell’s boyhood aspirations went beyond fetching drinking water from the same river the cattle used, so he made up his mind to work hard and be the first in his family to break away from their tiny, remote village and traditional, tribal ways.

His chance finally came when Hopewell received a scholarship to the University of Cape Town (UCT). Packing up his few belongings, he bade farewell to his family and set off for a better life. At UCT, Hopewell began that new life and met many new friends. It was also where he met Jesus.

It began with a burden for their beloved nation and a strong passion to evangelize the next generation of young leaders. EHC South Africa National Director Antonie Boshoff knew that in order to reach them, his team would need to take a different approach from their normal home-to-home sharing of the Gospel.

As they prayed for direction, Antonie’s team felt led to begin where more than 26,000 of their nation’s brightest minds could be found, on the campus of the University of Cape Town that Hopewell attended. Their strategy was simple and down-to-earth, proving to be highly effective with seeking college students. They shared Christ through non-threatening conversational encounters.

“Outreach to students is not difficult. We knew it would require our team engaging the students on a personal basis. We also knew that it would often take an apologetic approach. University students may have questions relating to spirituality that can hinder them from accepting Christ,” Antonie shared.

The outreach team members were warmly accepted on the university campus and were able to communicate the Gospel freely. Their interactions with questioning students soon caught the attention of key university facilitators who welcomed the EHC team to participate in debates on issues of faith. The lectures were well attended, not only by seeking students but by many professors as well. As a result, many attendees put their faith in Christ.

South Africa’s student ministry began to grow, and soon, they had a presence on several university campuses around the nation. When spiritually hungry students readily accepted Christ, they were placed in Christ Group

fellowships on their campuses where they meet for weekly fellowship and biblical discipleship training.

Now, several years later, South Africa’s university fellowships have grown into much more than a typical EHC discipleship group. For example, on a Further Education and Training campus, innovative Christ Group members found a creative and practical way of reaching more students for Christ. Working with a local grocery store, they secured a donation of bread and cold drinks and set up a table in the common area where students gather to eat and socialize. They gave free sandwiches and drinks to their peers, students who are pretty stretched financially and often don’t have money for food. It was an effective way to engage in conversation and share the Gospel.

At Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the EHC team focused on student residence halls where they handed out gospel booklets and invited students to attend the Friday evening campus Bible study.

Every Home for Christ’s university ministry includes encouraging Christian students to invest in the lives of high schoolers by coaching them for their college entrance exams. It also teaches character education classes in high school classrooms using the Bible-based Cross Roads Curriculum for Schools. At one high school, 350 students responded to the Gospel as a result of this class.

“South Africa’s young people are not only in need of instruction on character and life skills; we also need to create events and things

for them to do after school,” Antonie says. So he recruits Christian teachers and university students to become mentors to high schoolers and to create extracurricular activities that encourage the teens to remain in school and take their studies seriously. Whether kicking a soccer ball around or playing a game of chess, these one-on-one ministry encounters are opportunities to speak God’s truth and biblical principles into South Africa’s vulnerable youth.

“We need these after-school programs and activities to keep our youth off drugs and stimulate their interest in academics,” Antonie says. “Through these activities, we’ve had a great response to the Gospel and are seeing an impressive harvest of young souls. This makes a direct impact on families and the entire community!”

Please pray for the EHC team in South Africa as they proclaim the Gospel to their nation, home to home, and to the next generation on university and high school campuses.

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...Antonie’s team felt led to begin where more than 26,000 of their nation’s brightest minds could be found...

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he state of human depravity and lostness in Wailea prompted this outreach,” says Manasa Kolivuso, Every Home for Christ’s

Regional Director over East Asia and the Pacific. “God has blessed us to be a blessing, and especially to give the people of Wailea an opportunity to be exposed to the Word of God.”

Wailea is the largest squatter settlement in Suva, the capital city of Fiji. There, 3,000 people live in congested mangrove swamps, unhealthy for human habitation. They construct homes out of tarps and sheets of tin. Some work as day laborers in factories, others on road construction. And families struggle with drugs, alcoholism, crime and teen pregnancy. It is one of the poorest places in Fiji.

And it is exactly where Every Home for Christ Fiji wanted to be.

EHC Fiji worked with Global Compassion

THE TWO HANDS OF THE GOSPEL

by James Holt

F I J I

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A family invites our EHC workers to join them on their porch to pray and share a message about the love of Christ.

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Ministry, a humanitarian arm of the Christian Mission Fellowship. Workers in the outreach split into three groups: One conducted gospel presentations at every home in Wailea. Another distributed food to the families with the greatest need. And the last, made up of medical personnel, conducted free health clinics for those who couldn’t afford to see a doctor.

The first group followed a methodical pattern, systematically taking the Good News home to home. They shared gospel messages called “Are You Happy?” and “He Wants to Be Your Friend,” and they answered people’s questions about the Bible, Jesus and salvation. By the end of the outreach, all 1,444 homes in Wailea had received the Gospel.

The second group delivered 120 food packets to families with the most need, as directed by

those going home to home. Each packet contained a week’s worth of basic food supplies. Manasa describes this approach as fulfilling “the two hands of the Gospel,” both proclamation and demonstration. Taking the Gospel to every home proclaims God’s love, and sharing food with those in need demonstrates it.

God’s love was also demonstrated at the free health clinics, where large numbers of Wailea residents received medical tests and treatment. Many were found to have diabetes or high blood pressure. Others needed family counseling for relationship problems. In addition to this care, every person received prayer and a gospel presentation.

“Our partnership with Global Compassion was a great blessing,” Manasa says. Without this partnership, the outreach couldn’t have provided

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professional medical attention to people unable to visit a hospital or pay medical bills. Many who came to the clinics expressed their appreciation for the practical care they received.

Today, Every Home for Christ Fiji and the Christian Mission Fellowship church continue to work together, nurturing new believers in Wailea and integrating them into Christian communities. As a result of the outreach, Wailea now has three new Christ Groups — communities of believers who meet together for discipleship — and many new believers have been baptized.

“The most rewarding experience was the receptivity of the people of Wailea to the Gospel,” Manasa says. By God’s grace, the outreach met with no opposition from the community. Most of Wailea’s residents have migrated from other places, so they readily welcome strangers and are open to receive what is given in love.

“The Gospel is only good news if it gets there in time,” Manasa says, quoting theologian Carl Henry. “I feel we came to Wailea just in time.”

“The Gospel is only good news if it gets there in time,” Manasa says, quoting theologian Carl Henry. “I feel we came to Wailea just in time.”

Top: Our workers step down from the porch of a humble home in Wailea to greet the family inside. This family collects cans to supplement their income. Above: A woman gladly receives prayer after our EHC workers shared the Gospel with her. Below: A woman listens attentively as one of our workers shares God’s love with her one on one.

The new work in the United Kingdom has already resulted in the formation of a Christ Group of university students in Derby. Please pray for these students as they meet together for fellowship and for discipleship in God’s Word. (Numbers 11-12)

Our workers spent months sharing the Gospel with an alcoholic man, and he finally opened his heart to Jesus! He is now saved and set free from addiction. Please pray that alcohol will not be a hindrance to the Gospel for others with similar struggles. (Numbers 13-15)

Pastor Valazquez has worked for more than a decade to reach a gang-controlled community. By teaching the Word of God using EHC courses, he has taken the Gospel into areas where even law enforcement fears to go. Please pray for Pastor Valazquez’s ministry to transform this community. (Numbers 16-18)

New churches have joined home-to-home outreaches in Belgium. “The training events have been very welcomed and encouraging,” our workers tell us. Please pray for these new evangelists as they share the hope of salvation with their neighbors. (Numbers 25-27)

Our team in this country recently held a gathering, and the police came to check on it. Government scrutiny is nerve-racking, but by the grace of God, the policemen allowed the event to continue. Please pray for God’s protection over gospel workers in closed countries like this one. (Numbers 28-30)

In the midst of dangers and social unrest, our workers in Burundi recently trained 37 church and Christ Group leaders to disciple new believers using the Be Fruitful and Multiply curriculum. Please pray for peace in Burundi, and pray for these trainees as they lead. (Numbers 31-33)

A shipment of gospel literature has safely arrived to our team in Gabon. Please pray that these messages will be a blessing to our workers. And pray for each printed message to reach a heart open to receive the hope of salvation as our workers take them home to home. (Numbers 19-21)

Our workers in this country have been in touch with an isolated believer. She is now beginning to understand the importance of Christian fellowship. Please pray for her to find a church community to nurture her faith.(Numbers 22-24)

During a recent outreach, the former prime minister of Fiji gladly received a gospel message and thanked our worker for visiting him at his home. Please pray that the Word of God will draw him to a commitment to Christ. (Psalms 30-32)

Our team in Germany recently hosted an exhibition about Christian celebrations. Please pray for one of the women who attended to become connected to a church. She is a nonbeliever but is close to making a decision for Christ. (Numbers 34-36)

While visiting a friend in the hospital, EHC evangelists prayed for the other patients as well. People who had been struggling to breathe moments before breathed freely as these believers prayed for them! Praise God for inspiring our workers to share His love wherever they are. (Deuteronomy 1-3)

A mother was worried about her son who had joined a gang. She invited EHC workers to share the Gospel with him. To everyone’s surprise, the boy repented and was immediately baptized! Please pray for him to find a Christian community to help him grow in his faith. (Deuteronomy 4-6)

During an outreach, our workers were told, “You waste your life doing this work.” Our workers replied, “Imagine you are sick and we have the medicine... We come to tell you the Good News of salvation.” Please pray for God to soften the hearts of these nonbelievers to the Good News. (Psalms 33-35)

Mobile Training Coordinators in Togo recently led two successful trainings. Those who attended received instruction in prayer, outreach and discipleship. Please pray for these trainees as they use what they have learned to reach their communities for Jesus. (Deuteronomy 7-9)

God has blessed Every Home for Christ in East Timor with a positive relationship with the government. It has given our workers full freedom to carry out evangelism. Praise God for this favor, and pray that many would receive the Good News in this island nation. (Deuteronomy 10-12)

3UNITED KINGDOM MEXICO

BELGIUM CREATIVE ACCESS # 29 BURUNDI

GABON CREATIVE ACCESS # 33 FIJI

GERMANY MICRONESIA MOZAMBIQUE

BULGARIA

CREATIVE ACCESS # 15

TOGO EAST TIMOR

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

Listed at the top right of each daily request is the nation’s population, the percentage of evangelical believers (Joshua Project), and a number that corresponds with Every Home for Christ’s 2015 edition of the World Prayer Map. At the end of each prayer request is the assigned reading for the day to read through the Bible in a year.

DAILY PRAYER WATCH Every Home for Christ | P.O. Box 64000 | Colorado Springs, CO 80962 | 1-800-423-5054 | www.EHC.org | info@EHC.org

MARCH 2016

Pop. 63,700,0008.1%

WPM # 92

Pop. 10,400,0001.3%

WPM # 87

Pop. 100,00022.5%

WPM # 166

Pop. 7,400,0008.9%

WPM # 38

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Pop. 10,400,00027.3%

WPM # 18

Pop. 1,200,0002.0%

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Pop. 24,700,0009.0%

WPM # 8

Pop. 900,00019.7%

WPM # 151

Pop. 120,300,0008.4%

WPM # 181

Pop. 81,000,0002.1%

WPM # 83

Pop. 1,700,00012.3%

WPM # 21

Pop. 6,900,0001.8%

WPM # 77

MARCH 2016

DAILY PRAYER WATCH

PHILIPPINESEvery Home for Christ partners with the Philippine Bible Society, which recently gave 1,000 copies of the Bible to EHC outreach efforts. These Bibles are in English, Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Ilocano. Please pray that these Bibles will bless the new believers who receive them. (Deuteronomy 16-18)

EHC workers in Rwanda baptized 16 new believers in the Giciye River, a short distance from an active Christ Group. Please pray for this Christ Group to nurture the faith of these new believers and to love them like family. (Deuteronomy 19-21)

When our workers followed up with a woman who responded to the Gospel, she asked to set up regular meetings so that friends and neighbors could also hear about Jesus. Praise the Lord! Please pray for many to come to Jesus through her witness.(Deuteronomy 22-24)

In one month, EHC workers held five evangelism training sessions. They prayed for others, gave thanks to God and donated to their churches. Please pray for these trained evangelists as they faithfully take the Gospel to their communities. (Deuteronomy 31-34)

Please pray for an end to the drought that has affected northern and eastern Ethiopia. Many are struggling to get by under harsh circumstances. Please pray for families to find food and water. And pray for rain to finally come to these afflicted areas. (Joshua 1-3)

Our team in Nepal recently trained 69 new evangelists who then took the Gospel to 3,000 homes in one of the areas affected most by last year’s earthquakes. Please pray that the families they reached will open their hearts to Jesus. (Joshua 4-6)

In the Tuva region of West Siberia, families live the traditional Kochevny lifestyle and have almost no contact with the outside world. EHC pioneer missionaries went 300 miles to take the Gospel to them. Please pray for the families of Tuva to have hearts open to receive the Good News. (Psalms 36-38)

Pioneer missionaries took the Gospel to Nkata Island in Lake Victoria, a place burdened with alcoholism and hopelessness. Many received the Gospel and were baptized. Praise God! Please pray for these new believers to grow in their faith. (Deuteronomy 25-27)

Sixty-four churches are using EHC Bible correspondence courses as a Bible study tool in their Sunday school classes, and these lessons are reaching 960 students. Please pray for these students as they deepen their understanding of God’s Word. (Deuteronomy 28-30)

Please pray for 414 people who recently committed their lives to the Lord in the region of Daloa. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith and grow in their understanding of God’s Word. And pray that they will also share the Gospel with others in their communities. (Joshua 7-9)

EHC workers in Moldova recently held a prayer conference. There almost wasn’t room for everyone! Please pray that those who participated will be inspired to pray for their country and motivated to spread the Gospel throughout their communities. (Psalms 39-41)

Please pray for Brother Elizah Benny. He is leading a team of six pioneer missionaries in an outreach to the Kerowagi District of the Chimbu Province. Pray for God’s protection and provision as they travel and for those they meet to have hearts open to the Good News. (Joshua 10-12)

After being trained in discipleship, EHC workers went into a potentially dangerous part of Tanzania. There, they saw God reveal Himself through miracles and healing — and 30 people were saved! Praise the Lord, and pray for His continued blessing on the work in Tanzania. (Joshua 13-15)

RWANDA ARMENIA

MYANMAR ETHIOPIA NEPAL

RUSSIA UGANDA CREATIVE ACCESS # 24

CÔTE D’IVOIRE MOLDOVA PAPUA NEW GUINEA

TANZANIA

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY

TUESDAY

Pop. 31,000,0000.6%

WPM # 134

Pop. 12,300,00022.1%

WPM # 17

Pop. 96,600,00017.4%

WPM # 29

Pop. 49,600,0009.8%

WPM # 16

Pop. 142,500,0001.2%

WPM # 107

Pop. 55,700,0005.1%

WPM # 136

Pop. 22,800,0007.6%

WPM # 41

Pop. 3,100,0008.6%

WPM # 105

Pop. 6,600,00022.3%

WPM # 147

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY Pop. 5,700,0003.5%

WPM # 44Our team in this nation has recently been expanding its outreach. It has taken gospel literature to a region it hasn’t worked in very much before, and it has also reached out to students. Please pray for those who receive the Gospel to have hearts open to receive salvation. (Joshua 16-18)

Gospel workers visited a girl in the hospital whose doctors had given up hope. When our workers prayed for her, she was revived and was soon discharged. Praise the Lord! Please pray for many to come to know Jesus through this girl’s testimony. (Joshua 19-21)

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Praise God that our workers in the Czech Republic have been so busy. They receive new response cards and requests from churches for literature every day. Please pray that the momentum will continue and that the work will bear great fruit. (Deuteronomy 13-15)

CZECH REPUBLICWEDNESDAY Pop. 10,600,000

WPM # 8216

CREATIVE ACCESS # 7 SIERRA LEONE

0.7%

Pop. 3,600,0003.5%

WPM # 103

Pop. 36,000,00031.0%

WPM # 26

Pop. 107,700,00012.2%

WPM # 170

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WE AREEVERY HOMEFOR CHRIST

P. 8: View of UCT upper campus from the rugby fieldBy Ian Barbourhttp://bit.ly/1Z1zQKOCC BY-SAhttp://bit.ly/1jxQJMa

anasa met God while working out. In 1984, he was a student at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. While running for exercise one

humid fall afternoon, he jogged past some other students who were talking about the Gospel. Manasa couldn’t help but eavesdrop. Their conversation reminded him of a gospel message he once heard at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting.

By the time Manasa got back to his room, he had a warm feeling all over. He assumed it was just sweat from his run, something that could be easily washed off. But even after a cool shower, the warm feeling only grew. “It was a warmth that came with a kind of peaceful atmosphere,” Manasa explains. “I knew that it was the presence of God in my room.” Overwhelmed, Manasa knelt beside his bed and cried out for God’s forgiveness and salvation. His life was forever changed.

That same year, Every Home for Christ began its work in Fiji, and Manasa was one of the first to join in. Manasa became a high school English teacher on one of Fiji’s southern islands, and whenever EHC workers came to his island for outreach, Manasa hosted them in his home throughout their stay. This made him a target for those who opposed the work of Every Home for Christ in Fiji. “We were all persecuted together,” Manasa

remembers. “But it was one of the best and sweetest times of my Christian life . . . It built steel in my faith and spiritual muscle.”

After 12 years of teaching, Manasa considered changing his career to law. But the Lord intervened and called him to full-time ministry with Every Home for Christ instead. In 1997, Manasa resigned from teaching and became the Executive Administrator for Every Home for Christ in the Pacific. He then became the Regional Director over East Asia and the Pacific in 2000, and he now lives in Fiji with his wife, Senimili.

The greatest challenge Manasa faces in his work is the reluctance of some churches to join in the vision of reaching every home with the Gospel. Some view the work with condescension or even suspicion. “I wish they understood that when I go from home to home, I am complementing what they do and not competing with them,” Manasa says.

Thankfully, other churches recognize the value of partnering with Every Home for Christ. These churches help Manasa to share the warmth of God’s presence that he first felt as a student. “Nothing can compare with seeing lives changed, transformed and impacted by the Gospel,” he says. “Reaching one more soul, one more time for His glory, is the most satisfying thing in life.”

M

MANASA KOLIVUSOEast Asia and Pacific Regional Director

“Reaching one more soul, one more time for His glory, is the most satisfying thing in life.”

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