Far Corners Ministry (NE India) – Kalchini Project (Updated, May 25, 2022)

UPDATE:  All gifts will be matched by a generous donor until June 30, 2022! 
To invest in this project, you can e-transfer to the ministry email at info@farcornersministry.org or by following this link to the Far Corners Ministry website (indicate Kalchini Project): https://farcornersministry.org/how-to-be-involved/donate

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ORIGINAL DETAILS:  In 2009 WRBC began a ministry partnership with Far Corners Ministry (focused on NE India). This ministry is founded and led by Shant and Ginny Manuel. WRBC sent their first team to north-east India in 2010 and has every two years since, until Covid-19 interrupted the rhythm.

Several months ago, I (Bob Fast) was in conversation with Ginny and learned about a small but growing congregation that was in desperate need of a new meeting place. Pastor Sujat (one of the supported pastors) and his wife Hemanti minister in the village of Kalchini. Initially they met in one room of their three-room house. Then they outgrew it and put up a tent-like structure just next to the house. The tent-like structure had been repaired several times, and after the last rainy season it became apparent that this was not going to be adequate.

By November 2021, they had grown to about eighteen families with forty members. Many new families from other faiths are joining and during Christmas time 17 people committed their lives to Jesus and now they are coming regularly to church. Now there are around 34 families at Kalchini to attend in the new church building and Shakti (the local missionary working with Far Corners) feels that they will see continued growth in this area. Praise God!  

The Kalchini church construction project started in November and was planned to be built in stages as funds became available. The building is approximately 18 x 40 feet. The pastor and wife have given part of their land for the building which saves over $5,500. The cost that Shakti gave for the project at the beginning was approximately $12,275 CDN. Costs for building materials and labour costs have increased significantly in India as in other parts of the world so this cost keeps rising. Other interested donors have given to this project to help with the construction. After donations from various donors, mostly in Canada, to complete the project, they estimate they require $4500 CDN.

My wife Dale, and I participated in one of the WRBC trips to Northeast India in 2016. Many others from our church have also gone and ministered to the wonderful people there… and have been ministered to. They are very committed to serving God and building His kingdom. I have regularly thought about how we can support them in some of their entrepreneurial initiatives. The people in this area are not wealthy but are very hard working.

Dale and I have personally invested in this particular kingdom project, and I would like to encourage you to pray about how God might be leading you to participate. It would be great if together, we could provide $5,000 to get this church building complete. To invest in this project, you can e-transfer to the ministry email at info@farcornersministry.org; or by following this link to the Far Corners Ministry website (indicate Kalchini Project): https://farcornersministry.org/how-to-be-involved/donate

Bob Fast

May 2022

Here are some photos of the church in progress:

Update:  May 11, 2018

Bill C-45, the legalization of marijuana, is being studied by several committees in the Senate. On May 1st, three of those committees recommended changes which may end up delaying the bill, possibly as long as one year.

The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee recommended banning home cultivation of marijuana. Bill C-45 would allow an individual to grow up to four marijuana plants in his/her home.

The Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee has recommended delaying the implementation of Bill C-45 for up to one year because they believe that there was inadequate consultation with Indigenous communities about the bill.

The Senate National Security and Defense Committee recommended negotiating an agreement with the USA for Canadians crossing the border after legalization of marijuana.

Now, the principal committee on this issue, the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) is considering these recommendations and will make their own report to the full Senate on May 29.

It appears that the government, and specifically Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, are still planning to continue with legalization.

Thank you for praying about this matter and thank you to those who have contacted senators and others in the government with concerns about Bill C-45. If you have not had a chance to express your concerns to the senators yet, we encourage you to do so. In fact, this is a good time to communicate now that SOCI has started studying the recommendations each committee submitted.

For the contact information of the senators and relevant politicians and points of communication, please go to this website.

https://madmimi.com/p/5ac41c?fe=1&pact=1566028-145032374-10197578822-eaef932ab706aaae67b2eaafd15e639362b534ea

MY Canada also asks us to join them in prayer, saying…

“Please join us in praying that Bill C-45 and the legalization of cannabis would be delayed. Please pray that many MPs and Senators would disagree with the minimum recommended age and that this age would be increased to the suggested 25 years. Please pray against addiction affecting so many Canadians and especially our youth. Let’s pray for a spirit of revival that would bring real freedom to all those in bondage to addiction to mind-altering substances.”

Let us continue to contend for our country.

Thank you!

Previous update:  May 5, 2018

Bill C-45 would legalize access to marijuana for non-medicinal (or recreational) use and would also control and regulate how cannabis is grown, distributed and sold.

The bill in its present form would make access to marijuana legal for anyone over the age of 18. The concern is that many experts have warned that the legal age should be set at a minimum of 25, due to the effects of marijuana on brain development in young people. There is also concern that a clause in the bill may be interpreted to allow children as young as age 12 to legally possess up to 5 grams of marijuana (approximately 15 joints). There are also provisions in Bill C-45 that would allow up to four marijuana plants to be grown in a person’s home and to allow for a person to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana in public. Police forces have expressed concern that they will not be prepared for legalization by this summer. (The government’s original plan was for marijuana to be legalized by July 1st, 2018.)

Bill C-45 was passed in the House of Commons on November 27, 2017. On March 22, 2018, Bill C-45 passed second reading in the Senate. It is currently being studied by several committees in the Senate, principally the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) and is expected to come to a third reading vote before June 7. The Senate has the ability to make amendments to the bill and send it back to the House of Commons. If the bill passes into law at the federal level, it will be in the hands of the provinces to regulate it.

What Can We Do? The faith-based organization, My Canada, is encouraging all concerned Canadians to take the following actions:

1. Contact Senators on the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (especially Independent and Liberal Senators) and ask them to make amendments to the bill.
2. Contact all Senators (especially Independent and Liberal Senators) to ask them to vote against C-45.
3. Contact your MLA to ask them to regulate marijuana with caution if it is passed into law by Parliament.
4. Contact your MP to ask them to vote against C-45 if it comes back to the House of Commons.
5. Pray about this matter and spread the word.

The final vote in the Senate will take place by June 7. Time is of the essence.

Please go to this website for contact information and concerns to communicate. 

We also highly recommend the following show from MY Canada. It is very informative about the dangers of legalization of marijuana and the shortcomings of Bill C-45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWK_HDi3sQ8&t=1467s

If anyone is interested in knowing more, please contact Tony and Ayumi at candy_igazato@hotmail.com or (204) 488-6850.

Thank you!

Are you interested in getting to know other ladies in the congregation in a fun, relaxed, social atmosphere?
4X4 LADIES FELLOWSHIP GROUPS are all about connecting with others, building relationships and enabling spiritual growth.

Each group of 4 people who are formed by picking out of a hat, will meet once a month for 4 months starting in March. In your group you will take turns planning an activity with your group each month. Activities can be as simple as a potluck, painting class, or teaching your group a craft. Or you can volunteer at a food bank. Savour the richness of God’s blessing in a 4X4 fellowship group. Learn together, grow together and experience God together.

Sign up sheets are at the Welcome Centre until March 5th. Launch date is Thursday March 9th from 7-8 pm.

As you know, the Building Committee has been working diligently to find a resolution for retention pond / drainage into Lake Muir.

We are reaching out to LaFarge and Fort Whyte Alive to seek an audience with them, with hopes of a favourable resolution to the drainage issue. We are asking you to lift this matter in prayer before the Lord. We are praying that the decision makers at both LaFarge and Fort Whyte will be open to receiving the various supporting documents that we have provided them, that they will be open to working with us, and that they will decide to allow drainage into Lake Muir.

We thank you for your continued prayers as you uphold this particular matter before the Lord.”

Thank you,

Azhar Laldin

WRBC Board of Church Governance Chair

This Sunday, December 18, we will have a special offering to raise school funds for our 13 children in India ($3,000 total). Money received beyond $3000 will assist youth from Garden Hill (Pathway Camp Ministries) attending Youth Quake in February.

Please prayerfully consider how you can participate in our special offering to show love to these children.

Thank you.

The December 2016 edition of ‘Parenting Christian Kids’ is now available to view and download online!

Download “December-2016-Parenting-Christian-Kids.pdf”

On December 3; 5:30 p.m., we will be holding a special Family Christmas Dinner at WRBC.  Everyone is invited to attend a festive celebration that will include a delicious pulled turkey dinner from Danny’s Whole Hog and a Variety Night of music and entertainment from our own church folk.

If you would like to attend, please sign up in the church foyer on Sunday morning.  Cost is $15.00 per adult, $7.00 for ages 5-12 years, and kids ages 4 and under are free. Payment due when you sign up.

And we would love to have many of you involved in the evening’s program!  If you, as an individual or part or a group, would like to provide music, a readings, a skit (or whatever else you might think of), please contact Pastor Kevin Klassen.

Church Family Prayer Time – Tuesday, November, 15; 7:00p.m. 

Please join us for a time of prayer this Tuesday as we lift up to the Lord the decision we will be voting on next Sunday, November 20 at the Congregational Meeting concerning the selling of our current building and the construction of a new one on McGillivray Blvd. “Call unto me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3)

General Meeting—Sunday, November 20; 12:30p.m. 

While the general meeting will include the normal business of setting the operational budget, elections and membership, we will also have a motion from the Board regarding our decision to proceed with building and the potential sale of our current building. To encourage attendance, the meeting will be held immediately after the second service. While the members’ votes will determine acceptance of the motion, all adherents will be asked to vote to show their acceptance of this decision.

Advance Voting / Mail In Ballots

Your vote is important!  Mail in Ballots are currently available at the Information Centre for both members and adherents who are unable to attend this meeting, or by contacting office@whyteridgebaptist.ca.