Dec 7-11,2015

This past week we were in Cebu, Philippines with the International School of Missions (Jesus Saves Mission).  Stephen taught each day on the topic Reformation of the 16th century.

 

 

 

pastor's seminar, Nov 2015

On November 12, 13, 14  Stephen was the speaker at a pastor's seminar held in Lome, Togo.  It was organized by our fellow IGM pastor Koffi Wodome

 

 

Some of the IGM pastors in Togo

 

 

School visit, Nov 2

During our first few days in Lome, Togo, Andrew and Mary took us to visit one of the Bible Baptist schools

Togo, Nov 1

On Sunday we were blessed to be invited to Salem Bible Baptist Church here in Lome, Togo.

The pastor is Koffi Wodome.  He is part of our International Gospel Missions family.

Children's Sunday school

 

Pune, Oct 2015

Some pictures of our trip to visit the 

SCHOOL OF MISSIONS, Pune, India

 What is the Gospel and how to preach and teach it

 School of Missions celebrates their 8th anniversary

 

prayerletteroct2015

The Schaefers 

   in India     

K-21 Ved Vihar
Trimulgherry, T.S. 500 015

South India      

phone:  (91) 98-49-70-97-47

email: schfrs@gmail.com

               

                                  October 14, 2015

Dear Praying Friends,

Thanks so much for all your love and support through many years.  May our Lord Jesus bless you with every blessing, by His grace.  By that same mercy of God, this has been a very busy quarter in which we've been able to conduct 42 seminars for pastors.  To one group of Bible students, I was privileged to teach John's Gospel, in the month of August (9-10 hours). 

I also gave Sunday morning sermons and spoke in other seminars and Bible Studies, at least 13 times in eight venues.

Ruth has spoken to ladies and has taught Sunday school teachers' seminars.  She's helped in a local Christian day school by teaching Bible twice weekly. 

Please Pray:

• That Ruth and I would finish up October well, for the sake of the Gospel, here in India.
• For us as we are planning a ministry trip to Togo for much of November, where I've been invited to speak to two different groups of pastors and pastors-in-training, for 20 hours, each.
• For safety in all our travels, and for the Lord to prosper us in our scheduled ministry time in Singapore and Philippines, in the month of December.
• That we'd carry on without getting too tired, and finish out 2015 well, pleasing the Lord Jesus, with the kind help of the Holy Spirit.

Chit-chat:                          The 42 pastors' seminars I've done with one Indian buddy in the past quarter brought this year's total up to 62, and we've now done more than 100 in the last two years.  Still feeling more ambitious all the time!                              Ruth remained in the USA for six weeks beyond my own return to India this time.  Thankfully, she got back here to me by mid-August, and I'm so happy.  She's

my other half, and I love her beyond description.                               Stephanie seems to be doing very well early in her second year in BJU.  Thank the Lord for that.  Her career as a history major sounds very interesting.                                    Due to the sometimes frenzied nature of my travel schedule during the past three months, and the energy required for teaching 2-3 hour seminars for pastors in the bake ovens they use for meeting halls here, I've gotten fatigued, and it's been extremely hard to do regular exercise.  As I'm 56 now, you may easily guess what this means. . . so please do pray for Ruth and me to maintain ourselves well for the Lord's sake.                                    We are eagerly looking forward to a visit to our daughter Mary and her family, who have been serving as missionaries in Togo, West Africa, for the past sixteen months.  We've filled at least two suitcases with “goodies” for them.  Togo is very different from what most of us are used to.  Look up Togo, and you'll see what I mean.  It's a very poor country.  May the Lord mightily use all the missionaries there to “make a huge dent” in the gates of hell in that place, til Satan's kingdom is crumbling everywhere.               

 “Serving with the International Gospel Missions” 

A Baptist Mission Agency | 990 Calkins Road, Rochester, NY 14623 | igm@igmonline.org | 1-844-33-IGMGO  

 

 

prayerletterjuly2015

The Schaefers in India    

 

July 16, 2015

Dear Praying Friends,

After visiting the USA for much of the past three months, I'm back home.  I thank our Lord for His kindness and protection.  While in the USA, it was a privilege to make a report of our Gospel work to twelve congregations.  If we got to see you in particular this time around, thanks so much for your warm welcomes!  We hope that you are refreshed in your holy faith in our Lord Jesus, that you prosper in body and soul, and that not only is your appreciation of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King growing as never before, but also that His anointing you by His Spirit to be a prophet, priest and a king for His glory is being learned and applied!  That's what it means to be “Christian”.

At present, Ruth is still in the USA for an extra few weeks, and I can't wait til she rejoins me here in India.  I'm not that great a cook, so perhaps I'll shed a few extra pounds while waiting for her to come!  I know I'm shedding some extra tears, for missing her.  Thanks for your prayers for us, as always.

I do feel very thankful that the Lord seems to be filling up my schedule with good Gospel opportunities, including a greater frequency of seminars for pastors in the rural parts of our state.  In only about my first two weeks back here in India, we've been able to teach 2-3 hours in seven pastors' meetings.  I've also spoken in three other places around Hyderabad and otherwise tried to encourage the faith of some of the brethren.  As I've shared with many of you, I feel ambitious to do tons more teaching to rural pastors, and hope our Lord would be pleased and glorified.  We are nobody.  And it's only by His grace we can attempt anything for His sake.  Keep on praying, dear friends.

Please Pray:

• For me to enjoy protection and safety, especially on these Indian highways. 
• That the effect of all that we do in Gospel ministry here would be far-reaching, to assemblies touched by the pastors we are privileged to teach, and even to later generations! 
• For Ruth to finish up her additional time in the USA well, and that the Lord would bring her safely back to me here in India.  May He be pleased to continuously use us for His glory. 
• That the extra finances needed to cover the expenses involved in traveling to teach the pastors in the rural areas would come to us from our Master's almighty hand. 
• For our moral condition to always be on the up-swing, for we cannot do anything without our Lord Jesus' grace upon us.

Chit-chat:                    The weather is still on the warm side, though rainy season has officially begun here in India.  At home it is ok for us, though, as we were able to install air-conditioning for the first time since we starting living in the tropics in 1989.               We enjoyed many sweet times with family, especially our beloved and respected parents, while in the USA.                                In between teaching appointments, I have many “preparations” to do.  These include getting telugu translations of the notes for more of the pastors' seminars, and getting teaching materials into the hands of  those dear ones in Togo, West Africa, who have graciously invited me to come teach there later this year.

 “Serving with the International Gospel Missions”