Vision Nationals, our partner ministry in India, recently published their first newsletter of the year, featuring highlights from 2008:

• Last June, Vision Nationals’ college (Master’s College of Theology) became an accredited seminary and now offers a five-year Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Divinity.
• Along with starting new churches in rural areas, Vision Nationals started a fourth church last March in Vizag City.



• Eleven out of 12 children from the Master’s Home for Children (orphanage) successfully completed their high school exams with the highest ranking of “first class.” One student, Ramu, scored in the top five students in the entire city. He is now preparing to become a doctor.
• More children than ever are now living at the orphanage. Vision Nationals now fully supports a total of 137 kids.
• Vision Nationals’ primary school opened to the public this year for a minimal tuition fee. The program admitted 264 children living outside the orphanage! There are now a total of 20 teachers and 400 children at the school.



• Vision Nationals’ New Life Medical Clinic opened in September. This new medical clinic will be able to take care of all the students and children on campus and those outside who cannot afford a doctor or medicine.
• In 2008, Vision Nationals trained over 1,100 pastors in India and Thailand.



• Vision Nationals hosted a common service for all churches in Vizag and shared the message of Resurrection to many non-Christians in the city’s industrial area on Easter Sunday. About 2,000 people attended the service.

God is doing a variety of amazing things through the ministry of Vision Nationals, and we share in celebrating this wonderful news. Unfortunately, the economic crunch forced the ministry to spend all of its reserve funds in 2008. Founder Arjuna Chiguluri writes, “We will continue to pray and ask God to bless and stretch our fish and bread so we will have enough and not have to cut back on all the wonderful things God is doing.”

Please pray for Vision Nationals, and for God’s provision in 2009. And for everyone who helped the orphans last year, the newsletter includes this special message: “Thank you to Mars Hill Church in Seattle and all those who made this Christmas gift to the children possible this year.”