It’s exciting times for United Grace Mission and the work they are doing in India. “The future of United Grace Mission has never been more exciting”, says the organization’s recently appointed Director, John Boyd.
Alongside his wife Grace and UGM’s new Vice-Chairman, veteran missionary Tom Lewis, John recently travelled to India where the mission is active. Whilst there, they met with some of the Pastors sponsored by the ministry, to encourage them and implement some changes within it’s working structures.
Their first stop was at a Pastor’s Conference in Rajahmundry in South East India in the Bay of Bengal.
John stated: “We had 26 men there; these are pastors with congregation’s ranging in size from 50 to 150 people.”
“Some of them have been working with us for 15 years. These men are looking for leadership. My brief now is to go out at least three or four times a year to lead, direct and encourage them, as well as spending time in the villages”, he added.
The second half of the traveler’s weeklong expedition was spent talking to those concerned with the accountancy and administration work of UGM about the planned changes within its operations.
Time was also spent looking at the mission’s groundbreaking practical plans for the very near future.
John revealed: “Funding has come through to co-ordinate a group of believers; a doctor, two nurses and a driver who are going to go in and do medical camps in the leprosy colonies.”
“This is a developing work and their first trip will take place towards the end of April. Beforehand we would have done it once a year but now we will go on a regular basis”, he said.
John also points out that younger people are also being encouraged to get involved in the work of United Grace Mission UK with a view to them taking up the mantle of leadership in the long term
“The mission is on a breakthrough at the minute – the Lord has moved miraculously in the last year” he said.
“In 2012 we had 25 pastors and that was all that we did. Now, we have a leprosy mission and have started a translation and literature ministry, in addition to organizing youth teams to go out to India.”
Work on the Jonathan Boyd Home for Differently Able children in Kerala is also progressing well. On their next trip to India, John and Grace will look at equipment, furnishings and other aspects of that project.
Exciting times for United Grace Mission as they make progress with several projects.
Students at a nearby Bible College are also going to benefit from the generosity of UGM.
Explaining more about the ‘Launch a Missionary’ initiative, John said: “Each year, a number of students are going to be selected and we are going to support them through until they do their BTh or MTh”
“Once they graduate we are going to support them for a further two years as long as they commit to go into an unreached area of Asia. All of a sudden UGM is becoming a mission in the true sense of the word and all of this being done through indigenous people.”
Meanwhile in the Punjab region, the work of placing orphaned young people with children families is also continuing under the direction of Pastor Babychen, who is also Director of Bible Education by Extension in India.
All of these developments require prayer if they are to succeed.
Asking UGM’s supporters to intercede, John said: “Pray that all the administration system that I have set up that that will work smoothly. The aim of these is to make it easier for Pastors to receive their monthly support.”
“Also, pray also that my health will be sustained as I lead and direct the mission in this new phase -that the Lord will give us health, strength and wisdom.
Finally, pray that funds would continue to come in at the rate they are for the Jonathan Boyd Home and that we see that all coming to fruition”, he concluded.
You can read about more about the exciting times for United Grace Mission and their various projects on their website here and if there are any evangelical churches, fellowships or groups who would like to personally find out more about the work of United Grace Mission or John and Grace’s personal story, please do not hesitate to contact them.
Telephone: 02825653070 / 07715418766 or e-mail: jboyd@unitedgracemissionuk.org