Online event from Italy for Christ

This letter is to invite you to participate in the 40th year anniversary celebration of the Francavilla Christian Church in Italy where Stephany and I serve as part of our ministries.

This coming Sunday at 12:30 p.m. TN time (lunch time) please join us live online on www.evantv.netand watch the 40th year anniversary of this wonderful congregation. The program will have alittle introduction, a 30 minutes film about the history of the church and then a Christian Concert. many of you often ask videos or pictures of our ministries; we thought this is the best chance you might have to see it live, to participate online with the event and interact with us.

In the hope that you will take advantage to watch some of the faces that are impacted by our ministries we wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very blessed 2009.

As you continually bless us, we hope this event will bless you. Please make sure to pass information to your Missions Committee members and to your congregation.

We look forward to see you online live this coming Sunday.

For Christ in Italy,

Gianni, Stephany, Anyssa and Raffaele Bruno

Team of 10 sent to Orissa to do relief work

Dear friends, supporters, and prayer warriors of Vivert Lall and Mid-India Christian Mission -

Vivert just called me from India at 12:20 PM EST today (12/11/28) to ask for prayer support for their team that is on a train at Damoh to go to the state of Orissa to do relief work among persecuted Christians there. Christians and their evangelists have been arrested on charges that they are causing people to be converted to Christianity. Church buildings and homes of Christians have been burned. Some Christians are living in refugee camps and all of them live in a state of uncertainty, some hiding out in forest areas.

A group of four from Damoh have preceded Vivert and his team of six who are on their way now. Vivert's children, Monica and Lae, are staying with their grandparents in Damoh, and Neelam will go on the train as far as Jabalpur, where her parents live. Vivert's team will divide up and go to different places in Orissa, working mostly at night and in the early morning to avoid confrontations.

Please pray for courage and safety for all the Christians involved, for the alleviation of distress, for enlightenment and moderation for the unruly persecutors and the police who turn blind eyes to the violence against God-fearing people.

Vivert says the team plans to stay approximately seven days. He promises a report on their return.

Thanks for your prayerful response to this news.

More news from Mid-India

Some of you may have heard about the terrorist attack that has taken place in Mumbai. Mumbai is about 14 hours journey by train towards the West of Damoh. I have been getting phone calls from the U.S. where people are wanting to know about us. First of all, I want to tell you that we are safe here in Damoh. Some of the Christian families who are acquainted to us are also safe there in Mumbai.

I do not know how much news you have about this incident, but it is said that this is the biggest terrorist attack ever on India. About a hundred and fifty people have been killed and over 350 injured. This is the recent figure that we have. This figure can go up as more news is coming. The commandos are still fighting at some locations while I am writing this letter.

Hotel Taj in Mumbai which is located just facing the ocean near the Gateway of India has come under severe attack. Other locations are the Trident Oberoi Hotel and the Nariman building. Nariman building is the place where mostly the Jews stay. These hotels are five star deluxe hotels and mostly top rank officials, politicians and business men stay here. The attack started at one of the largest train station in Mumbai and from one of the Café. A couple of years ago when I took my family to Mumbai for the first time, I had taken them to the Gateway of India and the hotel Taj just to visit it, (not to stay there.) as it is more than a hundred years old hotel.

Two of these Islamic terrorists called one of the news channels. According to them they were doing the right thing. It sounded like they had no guilt in taking innocent lives. The news is that these terrorists are from our neighboring country of Pakistan and they are in touch with Karanchi constantly.

Since the military attack has started, it has been said on television that India needs to respond in the similar manner as the U.S. responded after the 9/11 attack. I do not think that this can take place here. We do not have God fearing leader like you had at the time of attack on the U.S. It seems that the people of India, at present are full of appreciation for what the U.S. has done to protect its country from terrorists.

I am thankful to all of you for your prayers and concerns for our family.

Vivert & Neelam Lal

Email from Phil Smith

Supporters of the Prison Ministry in South Africa,

The following is a recent update from the Eastern Cape Director of Hope Prison Ministry in South Africa (Richard Gallant). I thought that I might pass it along to you as he gives several specific prayer requests. This has been a very demanding year as he is now directing the prison ministry without my direct involvement and guidance. It sounds like several individuals and churches have come on board to help in the work. They have also added an additional prison; the first women’s prison that we have been able to work within so far. Thank you for your continual prayer and financial support on behalf of Hope Prison Ministry!

Happy Holidays from our family to you!

Phil Smith

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From: Richard Gallant
Sent: 03 December 2008 04:11 AM
Subject: Prison Ministry Report

Dear Brothers In Christ & Prayer Partners

Greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. We are still well thanks to God our Father. It is a Great honor for me to report to you about the ministry in the Eastern Cape at the close of 2008.

Activities
All the correctional Centres involved in the Christian Faith & Lifeskills Programme have written their final exam. All activities including Religious Programmes are stop from 17 December untill the 8 January 2009. This is for security reasons to safegtuard the inmates and to minimize the risk of inmates escaping.

We will be having our closing exercise on the 16 December or at a date suitable for the communication officer at the East London Centre. I did commit an amout of R 250 for the programme of the day.

The closing exercise of the Stutterheim Centre has been postponed untill the 15 january 2009 when the Chaplain will be able to attend. I also committed an amount of R 150 to help with preparations of the day.

New Work
As from February 2009 we will be involved with Meduim C at the East London Correctional Centre. I hope that the women of the Mdantsane Church Of christ will keep their commitment to get involved as they indicated.

The Zwelitsha & Dimbaza churches has committed themselves to make some leaders available to visit the Kingwilliamstown Centre every Sunday.

Photos
The authorities at Mdantsane & East London have objected that I take photos of inmates but they can take the photos and provide me with copies. I`m still busy discusing with the security personell and their communication officer.

Prayer Request
We need prayers for the Work in the Eastern Cape
We need prayers for the volunteers that work alongside me in the prisons
We need prayers so that more people can commit themselves to the programme
We need prayers so that human & Financial resources be made available
We need prayers for me and my family so that we can stay focus

We are looking forward for the visit from Brother Phil Smith in 2009 in the Eastern Cape. We want to THANK our PRAYER PARTNERS and the different people that supported us during 2008. We are looking forward for that same type of support in 2009. Without your financial support this project is doom to fail.

Yours in the Ministry
Brother Richard