

This Post has been edited to assist in the safety of workers in the field.
Do you know how to lend to the Lord? (See Proverbs 19:17 to learn how).
A couple of months ago, we wrote and asked for a second time in 2 years for contributions to NAMS COVID relief in parts of the world where NAMS has work or bases, that were facing particularly difficult times. We at NAMS thank God for those of you who gave and prayed towards this COVID-19 Relief Fund 2021, which we were able to channel to our leaders and bases in India, Nepal, Peru and Cuba, a few of the most hard-hit places.
You may remember that we shared that our NAMS South Asia Regional Team Leader — has contracted COVID. See his report of full recovery below. Also, thank God that our Companion in Nepal, Kiral Pal also recovered. However, three of our NAMS Companions, Pankaj Neupane in Nepal, and our NAMS missionaries in Peru, Juan Tamayo and his daughter Melissa, are currently also COVID-19 positive. All are recovering, but please keep them in your prayers.
Two brief reports from Juan and Maida Tamayo, NAMS Companions and leaders in Lima, Peru of those helped by our COVID-19 Relief funds:
Sister Yaipsi: “Today, I want to thank our Heavenly Father for the great blessing received from all of you, my family in faith. My family and I are totally grateful for your valuable contribution and especially your prayers. May God multiply your blessings greatly and may His mercy be infinite to all of you”.
Sister Rosa: “Greetings to the NAMS brethren. Today I’d like to thank God for the great blessing which you are having you in my life. I know God is working greatly in my life with a purpose through the great act of kindness of your offering. The support of NAMS means a lot to me because it was in a moment that I was going through certain needs. Our prayers to God are powerful – their answers are reflected in the act of kindness of your offerings. I am very grateful.”.
Indeed, to all who gave and prayed, we at NAMS say ‘Thank you’ and thanks be to God.
This Post has been edited to assist in the safety of workers in the field.
URGENT APPEAL – NAMS COVID-19 RELIEF FUND 2021
Dear NAMS friends and supporters,
We live in a world that continues to battle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While those of us in developed countries have started to reap the effects of vaccinations in bringing down infection rates, such is still not that case in the majority world.
NAMS has work on 5 continents, and our Companions and leaders are widely spread around the world. Some of them continue to struggle with the effects of the pandemic. A few nations like India and Nepal are facing huge surges in numbers once more, as I am sure you are aware from the news.
We in NAMS are seeking to raise funds to help people through our NAMS NAMS bases in 3 of the most hard-hit nations globally, that is, India, Nepal and Cuba.
In fact, in India, the NAMS leader of South Asia, is now in hospital being treated for COVID.
The situation is equally dire in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh. Our NAMS Nepal leader has just reported that one of our NAMS Companions in Kathmandu, Kiran Pal, has contracted COVID-19. They are now in a desperate search for a hospital to treat her.
Finally, the island state of Cuba has not been much in the news. But our NAMS base there reports that COVID-19 and the collapse of the economy has meant that there is a shortage of food, essential items and employment in the country.
We would therefore like to appeal for emergency funds to send to our NAMS bases in these three countries in particular, India, Nepal and Cuba, so that they can help meet the needs of people there – especially the sick, suffering or destitute.
If you would like to help or donate, please click on the ‘Donate Now’ button here or go to our website directly ( http://www.namsnetwork.com/ be-involved.html ) to donate there. Contact us at info@namsnetwork.com for other ways to transfer any gifts. (Please indicate ‘NAMS COVID-19 RELIEF FUND 2021’ on the remarks column).
Above all, please pray for these and many other nations in the throes of this pandemic.
As it has no doubt been for you, 2020 has been a strange year for us as well. Many things we had planned have been put on hold. Too many people dear to members of our network have suffered as a result of the pandemic—the disease itself and its devastating impact on economies and culture. Yet through it all we have seen God at work, and we have been blessed because of it.
We have seen disciples made, churches planted and new mission fields open in India, Peru and the US. Our Global Apprentice Program expanded into Africa this year. We now have (or are poised for) Global Apprentice in Asia (Thailand) and Europe (England). Generous donors made COVID relief through NAMS possible in five major regions. The work goes on because the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ carries us onward.
To those who have already given this year, we say “thank you.” To all of you who pray for us so faithfully, we again say “thank you.” As the calendar year draws to a close and our brothers and sisters in the USA enter a season focused on giving thanks, we ask you to consider showing your thanks to God by making a gift to NAMS and so partnering with us in the spread of the gospel around the globe. We cannot continue to answer the Lord’s call to pioneering global church planting through disciple-making discipleship without your generous support. Thanks be to God, who is able to do far more than we are able to ask or imagine!
Or, you can mail a check (or use your bank’s online bill pay feature to send a payment) to:
NAMS
2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 694
Charlotte, NC 28209
Many of us were taken by surprise by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our nations and world. Like a tornado or typhoon, it has wrought swift destruction and damage to all in its pathway. But despite the strict limitations now in play in many parts of the world that are still causing suffering and death, we thank God that He is not limited by Pandemics or shut-downs. God is still at work around the world, and we in NAMS, in part with His church and people, are working actively despite the challenges of our times.
Our our NAMS Base in Nairobi, Kenya is an example. Just prior to the presidential directive to have school closed and our cities placed into lock down, a NAMS’ team led by Rev. Isaac Lasky (from Bangkok Thailand) and Pastor Pankaj (from Kathmandu, Nepal) was in town (2-8 March 2020) to do orientation with three new NAMS Global Apprentices. Had the training dates been planned a week later, it would not have been able to happen, and we saw God’s hand in the immaculate timing.
The plan after the training was to have the trained apprentices join me in regular practical ministry’s activities including preaching, training and pastoral visitations; with each remaining committed to making disciples in their sphere of work and home. The lockdown in Kenya brought a halt to our plans.
However, NAMS Sub-Saharan leader Timothy Mazimpaka in Kenya further reports what happened: “One day, while waiting upon the LORD to know what should be done, I got a message from a sister in the Lord that I knew from the USA with an encouraging quote from A.W.Tozer. She had gotten it from one of Tozer’s books, ‘The Pursuit of God’ that she had stated re-reading. As we spoke, I raised an idea to organize a way to read the book with her online and to have our Global Apprentices join in. She readily agreed. Since then, we have been reading together the book once a week and it has been a great blessing. We read, do assignments around topics raise and then come back to share. Our prayer is to get those we are reaching to also use the book as a resource.”
At the same time, Timothy and the Global Apprentices have begun using another virtual discipleship platform, by DAI (Development Associates International) – a 9 weeks’ course on “Servant Leadership.“ They have been meeting virtually and online with 12 emerging leaders from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Canada.
So, even as they aim to start the GAP program in Kenya proper with support from Isaac, GAP Global Co-ordinator, once the situation improves and they can physically be together, in the meantime they have been able to keep learning and growing through these times with various activities on-line. We thank God for the opportunity through the COVID-19 lockdown to continue to train emerging leaders in Sub-Sahara Africa. God’s glory continues to unfolding in ways we least expect. Glory to God in the highest!
Do you know Eliud Kipchoge? He was a Kenyan marathoner, who during the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Vienna, Austria, became the first man in history to run a marathon in under two hours – specifically 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds. But Eliud did not run or win the race on his own.
He was surrounded at alternative times during the race by different groups of 36 men in all, dressed in uniform black gear, who acted as his pacesetters (or pacemakers). Asked to comment about the role of his pacesetters in his historic achievement, Eliud said: “They are the best athletes in the world. I thank them. It’s not me alone who made history. We made history together.” It is debatable whether Eliud could have broken the record without those pacesetters running with him.
In December 2019, a NAMS global team from drawn from the USA, Chile, Egypt, Zambia and Kenya played a similar role of being pacesetters to a group of Christians called to run in Gospel ministry in Mbeere Diocese, one of the upcountry Dioceses in the Anglican Church of Kenya. During the week of teaching and celebration, our team shared with and inspired about 400 youths, 20 young professionals and 30 clergy to become agents of godly transformation in their community by sharing the Good News of the Kingdom of God and making disciples of others who could do the same. We thank God for the new partnership we have with Mbeere Diocese and pray for another 100 years of faithful and fruitful Gospel work and harvest will grow from our time there. Will you pray with us for this?
Feedback from two participants:
“I didn’t know that through ‘multiplication’ I am the potential to bring millions of people to Christ”— Miss Justina.
“In my work as a clergyman, I have tried with my all to serve my church, but to no avail. This training has taught me the smarter way to serve: To equip my congregation to do the work I used to do alone.” Rev. Thomas.
Will you consider partnering with us in our work in Sub-Saharan Africa, as we seek to help to make disciples who make disciples, raise disciple-making leaders and plant disciple-making churches?