NICM July 2024 Newsletter
Greetings to all our friends. We are happy to send you lots of good news about baptisms, testimonies from people
suffering from leprosy, VBS reports, the school bus, bikes from BGNI and general updates and requests. Thank you
to our praying and supportive community of brothers and sisters in Christ for allowing us to serve in northwest India.
VBS Success Report
We are delighted to share the success of our recent Vacation Bible School (VBS) sessions at our mission campus
and churches. At our mission campus alone, over 230 children participated. Across Patiala, Ludhiana, Rajpura,
Ramgarh, Kakrali, and Amritsar, the total attendance surpassed 500. Despite the extreme heat, God’s grace
sustained us. Though a few children fell ill, they are better now.
Many of the children who attended VBS at our mission campus school were able to travel on our school buses, for
which we are very thankful to God. The school serves as an invaluable tool for outreach to young children and their
families.
PRAISES:
• Over 730 children attended Vacation Bible School at NICM churches and the mission school.
• With the help of the newly trained Disciple Makers, 17 new baptisms were reported this month.
• PRAYER REQUESTS:
• Pray for those considering baptism in challenging environments.
• Please keep our latest group of DMT students in your prayers as they progress in their ministry training.
• Pray for protection for the NICM workers and their families in particular.
• Pray that God will move in the hearts of supporters to help provide needed resources and that NICM will
use those resources wisely.
• REQUESTS:
• Funds for our evening school educational programs are always welcome. A monthly cost of $7 covers
light snacks and transportation for one child each month.
• Our Discipleship Maker Training (DMT) program, particularly in Punjab, can be supported for $85 per
student monthly.
• Many children from nearby slums depend on our mission school, and $28 a month provides their
education, meals, and supplies. We have about 30 children who could use the help.
• We need funds to finish the church roof in Patalia. This is a growing church and a roof would allow
gatherings no matter the weather.
• Pastor Chander’s ministry requires a van for commuting and outreach to elderly villagers in hard-toreach areas in Barwala ($5,000).
Baptism Report
Our Disciple Makers Training (DMT) initiative trained a group of ministers over the last two years who expanded our
reach. With their efforts and donor support, our evangelistic work became more manageable and fruitful. Last month
alone, one of our DMs, Mandeep, baptized two individuals.
In the past three months, Pastor Jagmol, assisted by DMs, reported 15 baptisms, thereby strengthening their church
family. Many students from our Church in Haryana are eager to join the DMT program. Please pray for these families
to find courage and strength in their spiritual journey.
We also ask for your continued support for our current ministers in training as well as those serving on the field. They
have done well, and they will face many challenges with the families of the newly baptized believers as well as
authorities who will oppose the work of the DMs and be obstacles in their path.
Sewing Ministry
Our four sewing ministries in Amritsar, Derabassi, Samalkha, and Patiala are running well. In Amritsar, Muskan leads
the center. We thank our supporters for gifting embroidery machines to Amritsar, Derabassi and Patiala, which will
allow us to create higher-quality, fancier designs (such as flowers) or designer scarves (chunni) to sell at better
prices. When Muskan’s trainees were learning to sew, their female friends witnessed NICM promoting women for Christ and empowering them with skills. Excited by this, they brought their children along, hoping NICM had something to offer
for them too, which led to increased enrollment in our separate evening school programs. They, too, partook in VBS.
Thank you for the gift of three embroidery machines for our sewing centers. This will go a long way to help women
earn an income and help support their families.
16th Church and Community Center Project Update
Thanks to the collective efforts of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church and IDES, our 16th church and community
center project is progressing well. We are currently finishing the first-floor roof and will soon begin work on the
subsequent floors. While much remains to be done, we are encouraged by steady progress. We ask for your
continued prayers for the smooth completion of this project, through which we aim to launch a powerful new ministry.
New School Bus. We thank Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, Hill City, and other supporters for helping us acquire our new school bus. Please enjoy the smiling faces of the children and staff alike. We are thrilled. The bus will allow more children to participate in school and ministry activities. The bus was essential to continue our school programs and has
enhanced our enrollment at the mission school.
We thank God for you always,
Simmi, Suraj & Team NICM
“Therefore, my beloved brother, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not
in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58