By James Richards, Crystal Cathedral Commissioned Pastor
When I was at the lowest point in my life, I turned the television set on, and I heard a chap named Dr. Robert H. Schuller saying, “Tough times never last, but tough people do!” I thought, wow, I need to hear that message. And I gave my heart to Jesus Christ. The first thing my wife, Yvonne, and I did was to join the church in 1994, and were immediately encouraged to get involved in leadership, and I was eventually ordained as a pastor.
Someone in the church came to us and asked us if we could help some people in Pakistan who needed Bibles. We found that, not only did these people need Bibles, they needed help to form a church. In this process, we discovered that millions of people in Pakistan are trapped in degrading poverty, and that the number one reason is illiteracy. So, besides starting our first church, we started our first school. And all of it happened through our Crystal Cathedral New Horizons fellowship (www.newhorizonsmissions.com), which has helped to provide in rural Pakistan the following and more:
Seven churches with more than 3,000 Crystal Cathedral members on fire for Jesus Christ. Plus, hundreds of Bibles distributed and a Bible course for non-Christians created.
- Five schools with 600 students and nearly 400 students sponsored ($59 per student) to attend state-run schools, with the first 80 graduated.
- Emergency medical treatment for many and 400 children immunized. Many widows and orphans are fed each month, clean tap water is now brought to villages, and electricity is connected.
- Goat & Sewing Ministries launched through micro-loans, and a Computer Training Center is planned.
So, we continue the message of the Hour of Power that "God loves you and so do I." We're seeing the difference and it's growing…and growing…and growing!
