To God Be the Glory in 2021 / Kerusomen Gospel Ministries

 

A very healthy and blessed 2021 to all our KGM friends and family.

With love and gratitude, the Kerusomen Board.

Friends Needing Friends l KGM

 

Think you're too insignificant to make a real difference?

Meet Loraine, a widow and member of Friends Needing Friends Ministry for Widows who is a KGM local impact partner. 

Like all widows, Loraine misses her husband most during holidays. But unlike many widows, as a member of FNF, she chooses to channel her grief into serving others. And God blesses that sacrifice abundantly. 

Hats off to these amazing ladies! You ARE the difference. Learn more about FNF

2020 Tax Deduction l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries

 

Looking for another great reason to give right now?

The CARES Act is allowing qualified individuals to deduct $300 in gifts to qualified charities (like Kerusomen Gospel Ministries) from their Adjusted Gross Income in 2020 ($600 for joint returns). Even if you don’t itemize deductions. (Always check with your tax advisor.)

This incredible benefit expires December 31, so don't miss out!

The Only Gift That Matters l KGM New Ministry Focus

 

There’s still time to give the only gift that matters, the gift of the Christmas story. For many in India, the only way they hear the Good News is to HEAR it. Millions in hard-to-reach areas are illiterate or don’t have Bibles in their heart language. 

KGM India has a ministry to teach believers in these areas Bible stories from Creation to Christ. Giving them the Bible Storytelling Scarf empowers them to share the Christmas Story with their neighbors and friends. Each Scarf costs $15 or $12.50 each if you gift two. Learn more about this ministry.

Merry Christmas From KGM USA & KGM India

 YOUR PRICELESS PRAYER

"Thank You!" - Anju Sahayadas

Your prayers changed everything for Anju as she lay isolated in the hospital. Hear her testimony about the entire family's healing. Plus a Christmas song from Jessica, Jedidah and Pastor Saha.

Join Us in a Special Christmas Prayer

Merry Christmas, The Kerusomen Board

The Good News l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries

 

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

II Corinthians 9:15

Change a Child's Life l KGM's India Gifts of Hope Ministry

What is Stunting?

Stunting (when children are too short for their age) is caused by chronic malnutrition. Because they don’t get enough of the right food, stunted children have a lower life expectancy, do less well in school, and are more susceptible to diseases.  Stunting is irreversible.

6.7 Million More Children Will Suffer in 2020 Estimates Predict

Over the past two decades, the world has seen progress in reducing child malnutrition. But the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to undo that progress. Because the pandemic has increased the poverty rates worldwide, its estimated that 6.7 million more children will suffer acute malnutrition in 2020. Simply put, people in poverty have limited access to good, nutritious food. Struggling families simply can’t afford it. 

 How Kerusomen Tackles Child Malnutrition in India

This Christmas Kerusomen Gospel Ministries is launching a ministry to offer struggling widows and families a reliable source of nutrition for themselves and their children. The ministry is called KGM Gifts of Hope and it provides backyard animals such as chickens and goats to poor families in six India states. The program is administered through their native church planting partner, KGM India.

In a recent video ministry update Pastor Sahayadas Simon, Director of KGM India, emphasized the financial downturn in India and its effect on the common families, the poor families in India. He stated: 

“Because of the Covid crisis, the financial downturn has become a big issue to these poor families. There are government restrictions both state and central. Many people have lost their jobs. Because of the infection, it is not safe out there to work; people don’t employ; people don’t have enough work.  Those who are daily earning, or daily working people, literally struggle to find their income to feed their families. So it is the time that we need to move out there to help them.

In India, there are families, people who rear chickens and goats for their partial survival. Yet many of our believers, many of our widows don’t have any way of rearing them because they don’t have initial investment to buy five chickens or a goat. Thank you for initiating this project.”

Ways You Can Help Defeat Child Malnutrition in India

India has 61 million stunted children. That’s 30% of the worlds stunted children in one country. Let’s help change that:

1. Pray for vulnerable widows, families, and their children in India.
2. Share this video and information with everyone you know.
3. Bless a family with some chickens or a goat this Christmas.

Together we can make a real difference in the lives of people in India: one child, one family, one animal at a time.

Sources: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/blogs/2020/hungry-for-change   /   https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/7-hungry-places

What's It Like to Be a Widow in India? l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries Video

Recent studies of India widows underscore the importance of  KGM's Year End initiative to provide 500 chickens and 65 goats to vulnerable families and widows in our India churches. Many of these animals will benefit rescued widows to help them become self-sufficient financially. 

One study's [1] research on 10 Kerala widows was published in the NIH National Library. These were some of its findings (italics and bold added): 

“Debt, Shame, and Survival: 

becoming and living as widows in rural Kerala, India” 

“It is reported that Kerala (home of KGM India’s headquarters) has the worst record among the Indian states for economic dependency among the elderly; 76% of its elderly women reporting no financial asset in their name. While, there is a history of progressive public policies in this state, including public support for vulnerable groups, such as widows, economic opportunities for women are few raising specific concerns for their maintaining a good standard of living—particularly if the husband has passed away prematurely. In this case, a woman may be left with young children and no source of livelihood.” 

Economic Security:

 (10 widow participant results) 

• Just three of the 10 widows qualified for the 110 rupee government pension ($1.49 in U.S. dollars a month). 

• Six of the women work in low paying daily wage earner jobs as kuli (agricultural) workers, domestic workers, and child care providers. One of these widows, Ushi, described her situation: 

“I received an honorarium of Rs.50 per month, which was not sufficient to support my family. I took on additional work. I would work at the angavadi (government childcare facility) from 9:30 to 3:00, and in the evenings I would clean houses. On Saturdays and Sundays I would work as a kuli worker making 10–12 rupees per day.”

Ushi’s income working 7 days a week is $1.40 a day (not including her earnings from cleaning houses.) That’s a little more than $42 a month to support herself and her 3 children. [2]

• One widow entered a convent. 

 

 Finding Help and Self-Sufficiency

In this report, three of the women went on to join self-help groups and obtained loans to purchase backyard animals such as chickens and cows. One widow said she is happy because her growing milk business (she now has two new calves!) has made her “self-sufficient” and she is able to stay home with her children. The other two use their chicken and egg business proceeds to supplement other sources of income. 

Investing in Widows' Dreams 

This Christmas you can help a widow jump-start her path to self-sufficiency. These women are smart, motivated, and tenacious. They are ready and able. They just lack opportunity.  Their dreams are very similar to ours: they just want a chance to create a better future for their children and grandchildren.

It takes most widows over two years (many much, much longer) to save enough to invest in a small business start-up that costs just $25. 

But with your help she can begin a backyard business today. Your gift of five chickens ($25) or one goat ($100) is far more than an animal. To these widows it means dignity, respect, independence and hope restored. It means life transformed -  for them and their children. 

Give your gift in honor of a loved one. 

 [2]     Not a part of the report. Researched online using today’s income averages reported by various research agencies. 

Choosing JOY! l Celebrate the People You Love this Christmas

 

2020 took away many of our choices. We didn’t choose lockdowns, zooming instead of visiting, or hiding smiles behind facemasks. But in the midst of the many things we didn’t choose, we do get to choose how we share Christmas. 

We love how the Kerusomen family is choosing to share this Christmas with joyful hearts full of compassion, and hope. This Christmas, you can celebrate the people you love with a gift that transforms lives. Give a goat, five chickens, or a Bible Storytelling Scarf and print or email a certificate to share your joy.

Pray for India Children's Ministries l How KGM Reaches Kids of All Faiths

In India, 22 million children will turn 15 this year. KGM churches do everything possible to reach these kids long before they reach that age through their Vacation Bible School and Sunday School programs. Why? Because research says four out of five people who believe in Jesus are influenced by someone or something by the age of 14.

Jessica, Pastor Saha’s daughter, is a leader in the children’s ministry and in particular, Kerusomen's VBS program. Similar to Vacation Bible School in the U.S., KGM’s VBS is held during the school summer break in June. Most of these kids come from oral cultures, people who learn best through the oral arts of storytelling, music, and drama. At VBS the kids learn Biblical action songs, games, drama skits and prayers.  

The Vacation Bible School program is an important part of KGM’s church planting ministry. It’s well accepted in India and most parents of all faiths are eager have their children participate in the week long program. The activities are a great way to bring children together and allow leaders, like Jessica..

You Did It! l Giving Tuesday Match Week

 

Because of YOU many people in India will not only have food security but also

 experience the joy of knowing Christ in the coming year.

We can never thank you enough.

Empowering India's Women to Share Their Faith l Pastor Anju Saha Director of KGM India Women's Ministry

 You Can Help a Woman in India Share Her Faith

As poor women in India, they have been taught to believe an education would be wasted on them. They are shy and timid about engaging in discussion or sharing their opinion. Just being asked to think is a new idea to them.

They are amazed that KGM is taking the time and trouble to teach them stories from the Bible. They are even more amazed that we are interested in their thoughts about them. Once they realize that their thoughts are welcomed and valued, they are eager to learn and able to understand, quickly discerning spiritual truths from the Bible stories.

Working their way from Creation to Christ, they memorize 42 Bible stories that are pictured on the Bible Storytelling Scarf. The pictures serve as memory anchors that help them remember each story and answers to the corresponding discussion questions accurately. After three days of training when the last story is done, they are filled with pride and joy to realize they have learned a summary of the entire Bible and are able to share the Gospel in their own heart language with others who are illiterate. 

Many of these sisters in Christ have already been doing ministry but they did so with feelings of fear, shame, and inadequacy. The Bible Storytelling Scarf training, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, gives them a newfound confidence to share the Gospel and a passion to go home and pass on everything they have learned. 

Until now, only teachers of the Bible Storytelling class have had access to the Bible Storytelling Scarf ministry tool. Pastor Anju, Director of KGM's Women's Ministries, desires to give each graduate a scarf to help them grow in their faith and empower them share it with their family, friends and neighbors. 

Anju knows that for many of these believers, this scarf will be the only “Bible” they will ever possess. Many are illiterate, have friends or family who are illiterate, or there are no Bibles translations in their home village's heart language. And in areas where persecution of believers is increasing, storytelling is the safest method of sharing their faith.

The Bible Storytelling Movement is helping to multiply the growth of KGM churches in India. It enables all believers to share the reason for their hope with confidence and accuracy. It opens doors to unreached people groups – both literate and illiterate – that have never been reachable before. And it does so by modeling Jesus, the master storyteller.

Women are especially drawn to the Bible Storytelling Scarf as a tool to share their faith. They can wear the scarf, hang it on a wall in their home, or easily carry it to the market, well, or when visiting family or friends. 

Learn more about the scarf and prayerfully consider equipping a woman with this simple, inexpensive tool as part of your Christmas or  year-end giving. Thank you.

Thank YOU for Praying with Us l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries

We are so grateful for the time you spent with us on Saturday. It was totally thrilling to see so many church families here and in India represented. Thank YOU for praying with us. Have a blessed week.

 “But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” Psalm 66:19

Holiday Hope l KGM Gifts of Compassion & Hope

Feed the Hungry and MORE this Christmas

As a part of the Kerusomen family you are feeding the hungry and more. 

• You're rescuing abandoned widows with food and medicine aid for their bodies and a loving community to restore their dignity and hope. 
• You're empowering women to lift themselves and their children out of poverty through education and savings groups. 
• And above all, you're pointing people, who desperately need real love, peace, hope, and healing in their lives, to the One who is able,  Jesus.

And this Christmas there's an opportunity to do more. Your gift of a goat or five chickens is an answer to  prayer for hungry families in India who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic.  

God loves to take what we have - no matter how small or large it may be - and do so much more with it than we could ever do.  Gifting five chickens amounts to just over $2.00 a month if it was given over the period of a year. The gift of a goat breaks out to just $8 over the same timeframe. 

But in God's hands these are transformative gifts that He uses to create change in entire communities and bless lives for generations. 

This Christmas you can play an active part in feeding the hungry and honor your loved ones with valued-added gifts that make a real difference.

And for this week only you can multiply your gift with matching funds. Every dollar you give can become $2!  Please give as God leads you.