{"id":3546,"date":"2024-05-04T18:29:46","date_gmt":"2024-05-05T01:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/?p=3546"},"modified":"2025-12-23T13:01:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T20:01:55","slug":"south-asia-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/04\/south-asia-success\/","title":{"rendered":"South Asia success"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Dear ministry partners,<\/p>\n<p>I have just returned from another global training, but this time not on the continent of Africa. I was in Asia, helping some of our Pathways partners conduct a couple trainings in two different regions. Locations and names are withheld for security purposes, but thank you for your prayers as all went very well throughout the 16 day trip.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3547\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3547\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2426\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3547\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3547\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2426.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2426.jpg 800w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2426-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2426-768x578.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3547\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Training a network in 2 Timothy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first location was a network of about 16 pastors and ministry leaders who recently started the Pathways process. The coordinator is a graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary, and did a fabulous job organizing all the details and translating as my partner and I taught. Here are some\u00a0of the testimonies participants shared:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2416\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3548\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3548\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2416-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>Pastor &#8220;Gabriel&#8221; &#8211; &#8220;I used Pathways in my church to help my people observe the Word, understand the meaning, and apply it in their lives.&#8221;<a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2416\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3548\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2415\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3549\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3549\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2415-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>Sister &#8220;Tabitha&#8221; &#8211; &#8220;The teachers I train have said that now they are able to understand the Word clearly.&#8221; This sister had prayed just months ago that God would send someone to teach her God&#8217;s Word, then a month later Pathways arrived.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2414\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3550\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3550\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2414-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pastor &#8220;Ram&#8221; &#8211; &#8220;Pathways has helped me to understand the Word and teach it in a way I never could before. Now I am able to train other pastors.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2434\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3551\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3551\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2434-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The network actively engaged in small group activities as well as practicing Pathways principles in presentation sessions.<\/p>\n<p>One evening, a local Bible school was doing their graduation and I was asked to give the graduation sermon. Decked out in a warm, red velvet robe, the evening was a toasty 90 degrees (104 during the day!), but challenging the bachelors and masters level graduates from Acts 20 was a joy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2424\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3552\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-3552 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2424-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2424-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2424-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2424-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2424.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a>One unusual element was that national elections were happening when I was there, and also a very popular religious festival that drew in millions to the city. I visited the local enormous temple at one point, and as I walked through the structure I prayed for the diligent worshippers bowing with their faces to the ground before stone and wood idols. &#8220;The god of this world\u00a0has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing\u00a0the light of\u00a0the gospel of the glory of Christ,\u00a0who is the image of God.&#8221; (2 Cor. 4:4)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/2024-04-madurai-temple\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3553\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3553\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Madurai-temple.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Madurai-temple.jpg 600w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Madurai-temple-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3555\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3555\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2399\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3555\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3555\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2399.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2399.jpg 800w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2399-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2399-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3555\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pilgrims walk sometimes hundreds of miles barefoot to visit temples.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I got up early one morning to go for a run and as I wove down streets, crowds of thousands of people got thicker and thicker until I could no longer run, then walk, then move. We were packed tighter than sardines, and I came to find out that the center of the religious festival was just a few blocks from my route. Fortunately I was taller than most locals so could see a bit above the crowd, but it still took me about 45 minutes to inch my way out of the massive throng.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3554\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3554\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/crowd-copy\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3554\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3554 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/crowd-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/crowd-copy.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/crowd-copy-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/crowd-copy-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/crowd-copy-1024x575.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3554\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Can you find me? \ud83d\ude09<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This was the video view at 10pm out my hotel window:<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 474px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-3546-1\" width=\"474\" height=\"267\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Nightime-traffic.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Nightime-traffic.mp4\">http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Nightime-traffic.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>Then at the second location, the network had progressed to workshop six, and we practiced Pathways principles in the book of Mark. It was a joy seeing them embrace the &#8220;Response to the Gospel&#8221; session our curriculum team had recently written.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/2024-04-trichy-training\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3556\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3556\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Trichy-training.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Trichy-training.jpg 800w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Trichy-training-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2024-04-Trichy-training-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I also taught at a young people&#8217;s gathering (15-25 yrs olds) and on Sunday morning in church.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2480\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3557\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3557\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2480.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2480.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2480-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2480-768x405.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>The hospitality I experienced was truly remarkable. My hosts would not let me do anything, including put food on my own plate. They waited on my every need, a custom in that part of the country.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_3859-copy\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3558\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3558\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_3859-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_3859-copy.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_3859-copy-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_3859-copy-768x440.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I was truly encouraged by the many ministry opportunities I engaged in, praying for struggling individuals, challenging pastors to preach the Word, partnering with ministry-minded brothers and sisters, and experiencing a very different part of the world than my typical Africa. Thank you for your prayers, friends.<\/p>\n<p>PS &#8211; On the way home, I happened to sit next to a window and was struck by the austere but beautiful topography for hour after hour as we flew over Greenland and the northern regions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3559\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/01\/south-asia-success\/img_2492-copy\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3559\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3559\" src=\"http:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2492-copy.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2492-copy.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2492-copy-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2492-copy-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ice and rock as far as the eye can see over Greenland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear ministry partners, I have just returned from another global training, but this time not on the continent of Africa. I was in Asia, helping some of our Pathways partners conduct a couple trainings in two different regions. Locations and names are withheld for security purposes, but thank you for your prayers as all went &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/2024\/05\/04\/south-asia-success\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">South Asia success<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mission-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3546"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3565,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546\/revisions\/3565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belzglobal.com\/ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}