Date: From 6:30 pm on 12th (Thursday)

to

4.30pm on 14th(Saturday) April 2012

Venue: CSI Retreat Centre,

Near CMS College,

Kottayam

Theme: ‘Role of Graduates in Kingdom Building’

(with emphasis on student ministry)

Leaders:

Rev. Dr. Sunny C. John

(Principal, JMBC, Chennai)

Mr. Varghese Chacko

(Relationship Head, Birla Sunlife, Mumbai)

Mr. George Thomas

(Secretary, NEGF)

Highlights:

Challenging Messages

Informal Gatherings

Prayer Time etc

Camp Fee

Rs 600/- for adults and

Rs 300/- for children

How to Reach:

CSI Retreat Centre, (near CMS College) is only 2kms away from Kottayam Railway Station and KSRTC Bus Stand. Approximate Auto charge is Rs 25/-.

“Parallel sessions for children

and teenagers”.

For More Details:

Sam Alexander – 9446183056

(KEGF Secretary)

Jojo.C.Kurien – 9946449072

(KEGF Staff in charge)

UESI Kerala    - 9946449100

The UESI ministry in Delhi began in the early 1960s when Bro. P. T. Chandapilla moved into the city. An EGF Bible study was started and by 1967-68, this was regularly held at the YMCA. In 1970 the first EU camp was held and by August 1970 the Delhi EU was born, with EU cell groups at Lady Hardinge Medical College and St. Stephen’s College hostels. The work was for a long time dependent on the EGF alone, with the first dedicated staff for the city in place only by 1979-80. By the late 1970s cell groups also began functioning in Indian Institute of Technology, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, the Agricultural Research Institute and AIIMS. A few graduates also concentrated on students at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The UESI ministry in the city has grown over the years, with intervening periods of growth and decline.

The city has been divided into 7 regions with around 18 functioning student groups in these regions. Delhi has 4 affiliated EU/ICEUs and 4 functional EU/ICEUs. Each of the seven regions has active EGF Bible studies meeting either weekly or fortnightly apart from the monthly fasting prayer. Also regular meetings of the EU/EGF are held every month on a citywide basis every second Saturday at CNI Bhawan.

Around 50 graduates/ families are actively involved and the active EU membership is around 60. This number is expected to double every 2-3 years. While the focus is on having as many regional programmes as possible – annual graduates-students’ conference, Graduating Students Training Programme (GSTP) and Missions/ Leadership Training are some of the common efforts. A key means of communication between various stakeholders is an attractive monthly newsletter called “Interface”.

A consultative conference was held in September 2009 and formal decentralisation of UESI Delhi was approved at the National AGM in July 2010. One national staff is located in Delhi – Sathish Simon; in addition we have three state staff – Beena Roy, Leroy Sam Varughese and

Jenkins R. Kongkongho and an Inter-serve partner Caleb Kong who supports the ministry in Delhi.

UESI Delhi clearly recognises the leadership position that it needs to play in the region. Some of the initiatives by graduates in their personal/ organisational capacities include the constitution of an informal reflection and writing group, setting up of a micro-finance organisation, a school for mentally challenged children and an art gallery focussing on socially relevant themes.

We need to pray for the growth of the students’ ministry and greater student initiative. Do pray for the present Executive Committee – for wisdom, the growing financial needs and increased and meaningful involvement by the graduates. Pray for the various special initiatives that many graduates are involved in, so that increasingly UESI, Delhi would become an agent for transformation and change in North India and the rest of the country.

DELHI TRENDS & STUDENT TREND

• Delhi, the political and cultural capital of several empires adds another chapter to its glorious history as it marked 100 years of its re-emergence as modern India’s capital. But amidst its glory’s “the fall in the child sex ratio is a matter of concern.” In association with Salt Initiative, UESI-Delhi along with other Campus Ministries is envisioning to spread the awareness of this evil that exists right among us – of female infanticide and foeticide.

• The major cities of the NCR area, namely Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and NOIDA, have in recent years absorbed a lot of growth impulses emanating from Delhi. These cities also need to be studies alongside Delhi to provide a complete picture of the urban growth in this region”

• Education in campuses are gradually shifting from being a theory-oriented, exclusive, closed-classroom system to becoming practical-based, inclusive and open system.

• Students in Universities here have a passion for “justice.” They want to stand up for the rights of HIV/AIDS victims and the victims of human trafficking.

• Meanwhile student also do stand in danger of becoming cocky, over-confident and counter-productive. The rising acts of juvenility and truant behavior, the condescending attitudes, the lack of respect for teachers—all these are the warning signs. Newspapers of New Delhi are replete with examples of the heinous acts that lack of proper guidance and the mindless popularizing of the “high-status” materialistic attitude can go a long way in destroying a human being.

• Cut-offs in Delhi is becoming more insane by the day and the students are under great pressure to score well to get admission in a top college.

• College students still have the same basic needs—for connection, community, wholeness

 They Experienced:

I accepted Jesus as my personal saviour in my first year, when I shifted to north campus. My perspective towards God changed. Now, He is not only my God, my saviour but my Father and my Friend too… and I became more confident and enthusiastic, especially, regarding personal evangelism and towards my responsibility as a treasurer too –S Merina Vaiphei, St.Stephens College Delhi

I have enjoyed the comfort that comes from knowing Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour … but the more I interact with the society in general, and the youth in particular, I realize that God’s will for me also includes the pain that comes from realizing what they do without the Lord….. This is what I guess that triggered my sense of Christian duty that is spurred by one’s longing for Christ’s eternal kingdom. And in the present day scenario, I can say with a confidence that comes from the utter faith I have in God’s wisdom, that he has used even me, who was once ignorant of His greatness and majesty, constantly strengthening me with his Word and with His daily reassuring Presence. -Simi Sara Thomas, Student (B.Ed.),IPU, New Delhi

Having come to know the Lord, the Word of God has become my source of strength, even when I did not get admission though I applied to many colleges abroad to do my doctorate. God promises have carried me through and during the farewell conducted by IITD Bible study students, I was given a book on ‘Where is God when it hurts?’ which was very useful in increasing my faith, trust and hope in him. –S.Renuka, IIT-Delhi.

…so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah 2:15-17

The news about the Jerusalem wall being broken down and its gates being burned with fire caused Nehemiah to weep, fast and pray to the Lord God. After days of mourning, fasting and prayer he approached king Artaxerxes for permission to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah made a thorough investigation of the condition of the wall. Likewise it is necessary for us to understand thoroughly our mission field to be effective. Our forefathers understood and felt the needs of the student community and that is how UESI was born.

We in UESI Kerala need to know and understand the needs of the students. EU students should feel the pulse of fellow students and be involved in their lives. Staff and graduates need to understand the present trends among the younger generation and know the EU students. It means visiting colleges and student centres and interacting with them. A lot of companies and organizations undertake studies and surveys among the youngsters but very little effort is made to study them from a Christian perspective. Secular social scientists or market research companies can evaluate and study the outward trends but it is only the people moved by the Holy Spirit who can see things beyond the externals and offer the right solutions. The world around us is looking for answers on how to resolve the problems that dog them be it drug addiction, alcoholism, suicide, marital discord, injustice and so on. So let us get involved, the world need us.

The UESI Planning department has formed a committee to study the student trends in Kerala. The questionnaire and guidelines will be available soon. The team is expected to finish the study by June.

UESI Kerala Executive Committee has decided to have the Annual General Body meeting at Kottayam from 11-13 February 2012. The South Central Region will host the program. I request all the EUs and EGFs to send their representatives. Kindly pray that the AGM this time will be different and blessed one for the whole constituency.

UESI ministry made its foray into J & K in the late 70s with Mr P.C. Varghese visiting J&K from South India and some input from Ms Jillian Steward, a missionary from Australia. Later, Deva & Parrot Sahayam made a survey trip.

But it was only 2006 that UESI sent Mr. Jim Reeves and me to J&K to pioneer the work among students. Since it was the first time that staffs were specifically appointed for J&K we had to start from a scratch. We made an unlikely pair as Jim is from Nagaland and I am from Andhra Pradesh. It was God’s doing that we both came together to work in a place which was far from home for both of us. Jim had a special vision for Kashmir while studying in Kolkata. I was burdened about J&K when I heard in a Missions retreat while I was a student in AP that there was no student work happening here.

We were helped a lot by Emmanuel Hospital Association team in our initial days, without their help and fellowship we wouldn’t have survived. I found it difficult to travel in the hills as the terrain was unfamiliar to me. During travels encountering the army was a frightening. But God gave us immense joy when we were able to begin our work with a DTC for EHA staff and some local believers. It was something we hadn’t dreamed. When we met a CNI pastor in Jammu, he welcomed us warmly and asked us to start a Bible study for the youth in the church. On the first day itself, four students accepted the Lord. One of them was Poonam who has joined as a UESI staff. The churches in Jammu were very supportive to us and encouraged us to start Bible studies for their youth.

After a year, Jim was sent to Kashmir and I continued in Jammu. His struggles were identity, lack of response and spiritual oppression while I struggle to nurture the students as we lack seniors to mentor them. I was afraid to travel in such a rough terrain, feared losing my life in an accident. I felt lonely, discouraged and cheated by the locals.

Since the usual ways to minister wouldn’t work especially in a tough place like Kashmir, Jim tried to make contacts by teaching guitar and playing football. He taught music in St. Paul’s International Academy. He toiled on for two years and now has moved to Chandigarh.

At present J&K has one affiliated EU(Jammu ICEU), Bible studies and student contacts in Srinagar, Udhampur and Samba. This year we organize two evangelistic camps and one DTC. We have two coordinators, Miss Goyir Nyodu from Arunachal Pradesh is based at Srinagar and Mr. Ramakrishna from Andhra Pradesh is based at Udhampur. Miss Poonam Sotra is undergoing staff training with UESI. I am based at Jammu with my wife

We are working out different ways to make contacts. Mr. Ramakrishna is giving weekly classes in a school and tuitions to some students. I have started a spoken English classes and I am about to finish with the first batch.

The Christian population of J&K is a measly 0.16%. Christians do not have a good reputation and looked down upon. The reasons are varied; many local Christians do not study well, while some are addicted to drugs and alcohol. There is a great need for a revival and unity among Christians. The so called Christian students are more hardened than those from other faiths. At times we feel that they are more receptive than those who are in the churches.

The challenge before us is developing students for effective leadership and sustaining the spiritual growth of students from other faiths. Apart from this we have severe manpower crunch. We need more missionary students, tent makers and staff to nurture students and establish ministry at different places.

There 21 Christian institutions in J&K which require committed Christian teachers and there are other industries which can provide job opportunities. South Indians are generally welcomed and in fact an owner of a school who is a Muslim asked me personally to send some teachers for his school. I think we need to eliminate the fear about Kashmir from the minds of the people. There is no problem for anybody to come and work in Kashmir. Now the situation has improved a lot in terms of militancy. We need to exercise much wisdom and grace when we share the Gospel as the land is still closed to the Gospel especially in the Valley. It may be difficult to share the Gospel openly and verbally but nobody can stop us sharing the Gospel through our lives.

The Gospel can certainly redeem the people of this state and set them free from sin. But it needs a lifelong commitment and the results cannot be seen in a year or two. We need a lot of patience and a long term commitment to bring about change in this part of the country. But I feel it was worth leaving my home and toil in this needy place. Things have not been easy, but have experienced God in a real way and there are no regrets.

Praise and Prayer

Praise God for all the inroads we have made and the growth of ministry in this region.

Pray for the coordinators, staff, contacts and the groups in Srinagar, Udhampur and Jammu.

Pray for this state as a whole, peace to prevail and the Prince of Peace is enshrined in the lives of people.

Paul’s reason for existence was Jesus Christ and Him alone

His letters all point towards it and in Phil 1:21 he says, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” His desire was to see Christ exalted in his life, whether alive or dead.

Paul was known as Saul and he was a man of great standing and influence in the society. But when he met Christ, his life changed forever and he came to realize that all that he had inherited and achieved was a waste compared to knowing Christ. His purpose in life was to fight the good fight, finish the course by keeping the faith and awaiting the crown of righteousness kept for not only him but for everyone who finishes the course, by the righteous Judge (2 Tim 4:8).

This did not happen with Paul alone but also with many who encountered Christ and were captivated by Him. The people who understood the real worth of knowing Him have followed Him passionately. In the forthcoming UESI Kerala Missions Conference we will have the opportunity to study and meditate on the topic of God’s mission and passion.

Last month as a family we were able to visit the North Malabar region. It was an encouragement to see our graduates and students along with Bro. Thomas Mathew, our new staff, working as a team. The first North Malabar Regional Conference was a blessed experience. Kindly keep the North Malabar Region in your prayer as they are working on making a new five year plan for the ministry.

I had the opportunity to visit Wayanad along with Bro. Sam Alexander, the KEGF Secretary and Regional staff, Bro. Jojo C. Kurian. It was a joyful occasion seeing our ministry growing as a result of the hard work put in by our graduates and staff. The South Malabar Regional Conference had a good participation especially from the students. Let us praise God for the positive involvement of the students in Calicut.

As God opens up more and more doors for the ministry we need more man power to cater to the needs of the ministry. We do not know how long we can work freely in this country. Let us make use of the time God has given to us. The kind of response we get after the magnum opus programmes is a sign that UESI ministry is relevant and needed. Going through the response sheets of one programme in South Central Region, I could see that a lot of students are looking for help to deal with their personal problems. So, let us gird ourselves and equip ourselves for this important ministry to the youth in the state and the country. Then we will witness the transformation that will take place in our society as a result of transformed students when they encounter Jesus Christ.

Christians as a whole and especially as a movement involved with students it’s time we think creatively how to make effective use of Christian literature

An Indian political leader once said, “Missionaries taught us how to read and write, and the communists gave us books to read.” Various groups and organisations make use of literature to propagate their philosophies. Unfortunately we Christians have not used it effectively. So Christians as a whole and especially as a movement involved with students it’s time we think creatively how to make effective use of Christian literature. On the other hand, we have many books for believers but very few for others and what we have doesn’t seem to be attractive or relevant for the present young generation. Moreover, many of our literature are imports from the West and we need original Indian writings to share with our people.

As we observe the month of literature in November, you are requested to kindly give a thought to how to use it effectively and also think about producing relevant evangelistic tracts and undated magazines. So we need committed and gifted writers who can contribute their time and gift. Ecclesiastes 12:11 says the words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails–given by one Shepherd. The EUs/ICEUs and EGFs can plan to distribute more literature discreetly but effectively. We need our graduates and students to take up the responsibility to store and distribute books.

Preparations for UESI Kerala Missions Conference are in their final stages. Please remember the Missions Department and conference committee in your personal prayers. Bro Gigi Joseph, our present Missions Secretary has got a transfer to Middle East and he will be leaving soon. Let us thank God for all his contributions to our Missions Department.