First India - now Uganda

For over 18 years and in 38 countries, Cheam-based Valley Ministries has been spreading the Gospel and ministering to the sick. They have regularly been witness to the kind of miracles that we thought were only in the Bible. Founder and Director of Valley Ministries, Jonathan Conrathe, talks about his recent experiences in India and his plans to visit Uganda in May. (click images for larger photos)

In December '05, it was our great privilege to take another Valley Ministries Team out to India , drawn from church members from a variety of churches in this locality, as well as some guys from partnership ministries in Denmark and Canada . The purpose of our visit was to conduct two major evangelistic missions and two Pastors conferences to encourage and equip leaders on the ground in Andre Pradesh.

The first mission was held in Bhimavarham and the second in Rajamundri (considered the 2nd most "holy" site in Hinduism). The awesome scenes of tens of thousands turning to Christ, and the miracles of healing that accompanied the preaching of God's Word are indelibly etched on my mind. There were evenings where we felt like spectators just watching God at work where some nights up to 40 deaf, 30 blind (or semi-blind through catarracts etc) , and 20 crippled people and 20 growths/tumors were instantly healed.

The Pastors conferences, attended by 300 leaders from a variety of denominations were also wonderful times, producing an increased unity and co-operation amongst the leaders, and a powerful equipping of the Holy Spirit as many of them were baptised in the Holy Spirit and released into the prophetic and healing ministry by the end of the seminars.

The results of the missions are hard to quantify when you have such large numbers of reponses, but the "official" numbers of decision cards that we have been informed have been recieved back to the pastors amounts to 92,000 having surrendered their lives to Christ in one week. Further to that, in the folllowing few months, the local pastors adopted the vision we were sharing with them of planting new house churches for the new converts, to help disciple them, and record that they have planted 607 new churches from the missions.

It has been an awesome privilege to see God moving so powerfully in India, and it is exciting to see the Lord using people from our own churches in this locality to make a difference in so many lives. It has always been on our hearts to see this locality become a springboard to the nations, and as we prepare again to go, this time to Uganda, in May, to hold a large week long mission, where crowds of up to 100,000 people are expected to hear the Gospel, and 1,000 Pastors are gathering for the leadership conference we would ask for your support in any way you feel able to give it, whether prayerful or financial...together we can make a great difference in many lives through Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, if you want to get involved in short term missions (some large like these, others smaller, but no less significant !), why not come and join us for the week, or even for a few days at the Valley Ministries Impact-Week to be held at the King's Church, Epsom, April 10th-15th....day or even session visitors are welcome ! Details available on the website: www.valleyministries.org

Jonathan Conrathe.