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To: <ajohnson@missionservices.org>
Subject: Emotions Abound

EMOTIONS ABOUND
What an emotional time our departure from India was!! So many people had become
a part of our lives and the thought of leaving them behind was heartbreaking. There
is truly a special bond that comes with being in the family of God.
Our adjustment to life in the United States has certainly been interesting. It quickly
became evident just how much we had acclimated to the Indian culture....from
weather to schedule requirements to the cost of living.
Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by two back to back cold fronts. Something we
hadn't experienced in a long time. It was very cold... .brrrr.... We were
immediately faced with a very busy schedule. We had forgotten how busy the
American culture was. And certainly the cost ofthings was also quite surprising.
Coming from India, I suppose we would naturally be stunned at the prices but I think

things have gone up even since we were here this past summer. Needless to say, we
experienced culture shock in our own country. We also experienced a lot of change:
The kids started a new school, Tommy started his evangelism work in a local church,
and we began attending a new church (the one Tommy is working at...of course). So
much change at one time was a little difficult to handle but everyone gave it their best
and I think we are finally settled into a routine.
FRUIT IN THE USA- Tommy had the opportunity to share the Gospel several times
in January and baptism four people. PRAISE THE LORD! He is currently working
with a Buddhist, several other unchurched people, and trying to start a Bible study
with local policemen and health care workers. His days are packed.
We have been in weekly
communication with our team in India
and continue to coach them. It has

been such an encouragement to hear

from them. They are continuing to do
the work and God is continuing to
bless it, which in turn, encourages us
even more.

Below are some exciting testimonies

straight from the field. 1 hope each one
will bless you and allow you to see
just some of the differences you are
making in India by enabling our
workers through your financial gifts.
In Jan uary, we were able to send
$2,100.00 over to keep the India
work going. You have no idea of the
impact that is being made in the lives
of our team and those they touch
through the care group ministries
because of the investments you've
made.

CHURCH PLANTING-

"Tommy here is a great story from

one of our old 8 locations, after our

module school one pastor was doing a

care cell in a place call AGARAM,
you know him, (Pastor Sam Paul).
His team was doing evangelism in that
area, almost 300 families are there.

There were eight people coming to the

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up, he started a church there. The

first week ten people came to church,
the second week thirteen people came,
today (the third week), praise God,
thirteen people came to church and
even gave an offering of Rs 175.
"Another great thing is that the village
chairmen's wife came to church and

she accepted Christ. She said. "For

many years I have struggled. I didn't
have peace in my heart. I was
deciding to die, but God brought you
here and now I have peace. I love to
worship JESUS! Ifyoubuilda
church here, we will help you
financially and with materials. They
are getting ready to build a church
there."

"This really encourages us to do more. If all areas do like this, we can achieve our
goals and we can reach the KANCHEEPURAM District! Thank you so much for
your teaching, encouragement and supports. When we get free time, we discuss what
you taught us when you were here. Yesterday I taught the book of Philemon in the
fourth module at the Kelempakkam center. I taught how Paul was willing to pay the
price for Onesemus' sin and thus imitating Jesus who paid the price for our sin. One
pastor came to me and told me "This was a very, very new thing. I have read this
book many times and I have preached many times, but I didn't know this picture of
Jesus and salvation. I liked it very much and I am going to teach this to my
believers."

DAY CARE: The Day Care is set up to allow the slum

parents to drop off their kids in a Christian daycare while
they go to work. Most children in India are not orphans,
their parents just cannot afford to keep them so they take to
a hostile. Our Day Care is set up to allow slum parents to
drop off their children so that both parents can work and
they don't have to send the kids to a hostile. The kids learn
about Jesus, how to write, and sing Christian songs. This
opens the door to present the gospel to their parents. Below
is a report.
"110 children are studying in our two day care centers.
Christmas Day celebrations were conducted in our center.
There were about 400 participants. The children from the
Day Care Center, Sunday School, and the students from the
Tailoring School brought out their talents in the fianction.
All the participants heard the word of God. We found out
that one boy studying in our center had a hole in his heart.
When we visited Pravin's house, his parents told us about
this and asked us to pray for him. We prayed and came
back. Glory be to Jesus, he was completely healed. We
understand that the same doctors, after examining the boy
again, have told them that there is no hole in his heart. His
mother was very happy when she told us about this
miracle."

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EQUIPPING WOMEN: Most women are neglected

so we were able to start the School of Equipping
Women . We started School of Equipping Women at a
place called Poonthamalli. Twenty five ladies are
attending, including fifteen pastor's wives. One lady said
that she was praying to have a school like this for many
years. We started a pastor wives' fellowship at
Kancheepuram . One lady said she has been praying for
two years for someone to come teach and encourage
women in ministry. I am teaching about the women in the
Bible from Genesis and am encouraging them to pray for
their husbands needs in different areas. For this, I am
using the book "The Power of a Praying Women".

Although there have been many changes in our lives recently, one thing hasn't
changed....our grateftilness for all that you have invested in our family and in the
ministry in India. Thank you so much for everything, especially your continued
support of the YWAM ministries in India ! At this time, nothing Is changing for our
finances and you can still send your funds to YWAM Colorado.

Send Financial Gifts to the following:

YWAM (indicate on a note that the check is for the Bitner's)
C/O Donor Services
PO Box 60579

Colorado Springs, Co 80960

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From: <tommy@equipintLnet>

To: <ajohnson@missionservices.org>
Subject: Exciting News From...

EXCITINS NEWS FROM THE

BPNTLINES
Stan Hinman (a long time friend of ours from Concordia , Kansas who also
servedat YWAM Elm Springs) and I have organized Equip International as a
501c3 (not for profit). With the blessings of YWAM, we are now one of
their affiliate ministries. This is tremendous news. This means that we can
receive checks made out to YWAM for the YWAM India ministries that we

were a part of while there and have been financially supporting all along.
Why did M>e n eed to do this? Most importantly, so that the finances you have
been sending to Colorado could stop going through my personal checking
account! It also links Equip Intemational with YWAM in the eyes of the
government and provides us with the means to get the money to India more
efficiently. So the official statement is:
Equip International, an Affiliate of Youth With A Mission , is legally set
up to receive donations and issue tax deductible receipts. You can
continue to make out your checks to YWAM, There is an address
change. Please mail your gifts to PO Box 108 , Elm Springs AR 72728 .
We are thrilled to be able to issue that statement!

On the home front...

It's hard to believe we have been back in the U.S. for four months already.

In some ways it seems like just yesterdaythat we were in India and in other
ways, an eternity. No matter how long it's been though, our dear friends
from India are never far from our hearts.

Ministry,..Tommy has been very busy with helping

the church develop their evangelism program and
multiplyingthe church into small care groups. This
past month, he helped to coordinate an evangelical
event in conjunction with "The Passion of The Christ"
film. For this event, the church, which averages 150 in

attendance, purchased 280 tickets so that the members

could invited their unchurched friends, school mates,
and co-workers to come see this film. The theater was

definitely packed. Since the first of the year, God

has moved major boulders and allowed us to
witness twenty-two baptisms and add twenty-nine
new members to this congregation. We are

rejoicing!

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Family... Tommy's new job at the church keeps him

busy. He's learned a lot and has found his ministry
experiences from India and YWAM invaluable. He's already
seen the many facets of being a pastor. He doesn't have a lot
of down time but when he does, he likes to spend it with the
family and getting together with friends.
Sonya spent the first couple of months getting the
house back in order after being in and out of it for two and a
half years. Since then, her schedule is filled with
orthodontist appts., doctor appts., church activities/meetings,

school meetings, junior/senior banquet, 8^ grade retreat, and

of course.. .the ever important... .social life.
Rikki has had a full four months with school work,

track, a new youth group, getting her driver's license (it's

kind of hard to do that wWle in India ), going on a ski trip

with the youth group, taking her first ACT, getting ready for
and going to her Junior/Senior banquet at school, and of
course, developing her social life....for which she has been
quite successful.
Brandon's time has been filled with his share of school work, joining the
basketball team and finishing off the season, a new youth group, going on a
ski trip with the youth group, startingfootball, going on a three-day eighth
graderetreatdesignedto help them preparefor their new life in high school,

andalsoworking on his social life....canyousay... PalnTbAlL?

INDIA...
As we put this information together to share with you,
we were just amazed at the mighty things God has
done in India. The YWAM Tamil team is doing a

fantastic job at continuingthe ministrythat we started

together. It is just such a blessing to get the reports
they send to us and read about the lives that are being
clmged and the discipleship that is

being donethrough the team's teaching. If our heartsare filledwithjoy, we

can only imagine how God must feel! Below are some of the testimonies sent
to us, not only by our Church Planting team, but also by some ofthe
ministries that you are financially supporting. The testimonies are separated
by ministries so that if you don't have the time to read them all, you can
choose the ministry that most interests you. We wanted you to have the

opportunity to see the mighty things God is doing throu^ your partnership
with those ministries.

Church Planting; "Here is a great story from a pastor

named Arulraj. He and his wife are doing ministry in a
remote village called SRIPERUPUTHURwhere Aey have a
small church. Last year we did our 5 module school at
SRIPERUMPUTHUR in the Kancheepuram district. At that
time both ofthem attended the Module and successfully
finished the school. He started two care cells and a

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cnuaren s nunistiy. iney nave continued to ao evangelism

and his church is growing. On 11-4-2004, they baptized

four people. "PRAISE GOD!" All of these people accepted
Christthroughthe module evangelism. The good news is
the pastoris teaching his believers what we taughthim
throughthe module. This is reallyencouraging us to work
more. Please keep us in yourprayers" Russal
Pastor Luke started three new care groups. One is a place called

ALANTOOR, sevenpeople are coming to that care cell; the secondone is in

a village calledKARANAI, 15people are coming to that care cell and he is
planningto divide it into two; the third one is in a village called SIT, there
are thirtypeople coming. They are doing this in a home and are praying and
planning to build a church there. Thispastor has trained a second level
leader who is overseeingthis care cell."
Little Star Davcare School: Sixty-five
students are studying in our school. We
conducted a Parents Meeting with fifty
parents attending. We explained to them
about children's psychology and we gave
the message to them about the Lord Jesus
Christ. After the meeting, the parents
shared their views with us. We all learned

many new things by this meeting. All the

parents requested us to conduct this
meeting once in three months. The parents
were blessed by this meeting.

Discipleship Training School; During the

Evangelism time in a place called Kasbah, our team
came across one family who had three daughters. The
family didn't have enough income to live and we
making the decision to commit suicide. While
ministering to them, they changed their minds and
gave their life to Christ and make the decision to start
going to church. We really thank God for leading us
to this family to minister to them. If not, these souls
may have been forever lost. We praise God! God has
enabled us to build a church there and sixteen people
were baptized. Glory to God!
In Chennai, an outreach team worked with the Jeevan Suicide Prevention
ministry. Our students were distributing handbills at Marina Beach where
they met a young guy and found out that he was planning to commit suicide

because offamily problems. He told his familythat he was going to another

city but ended up at the seashore contemplating suicide. The students met
him, shared the love of Christ, and connected him with the suicide

prevention center. He changed his mind about suicide and went back home.
Later, he called and thanked us from the depth of his heart for our help.
THANK YOU! Your support has helped us keep share the gospel and touch
many lives with the love of Jesus through YWAM's sucide prevention

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vcutci, rtXL/o iiiiiiiau_y,

iiiiiiidu^, kjiuiii iiuiiiau^ euiu oucct ivius

ministry. We will be sending an update on these ministries veiy soon.

We hope that these stories have been an encouragement to you. You will
never know this side of heaven, how many lives have been touched by your
prayers and by your financial generosity. The fact of the matter is, ministries
can't run without either one of those aspects. Your prayers are approaching
the very throne of God on behalf of India and your finances are being
invested into ministries who are touching people that we could never touch.
You are enabling these ministries to be the hands and feet of Jesus. As a
family, your prayers and gifts are a tremendous blessing to us. Although the
ministry location has changed for us, the needs of people are just as great.
You continue to allow us to remain in ministry. For that, we are forever
grateful.
Tommy and Sonya Bitner
Po Box 108

Elm Springs AR 72728

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4/27/2004