When the dirt road ended today, Stephen and I once again jumped on motorcycles whose fearless, young drivers took us on a deep descent into a distant valley, across a river on a swaying suspension bridge, and up a narrow ridge. As the day waned, 180 citizens of Cho Yain Village were waiting on a hand-dug soccer field to welcome us, many of whom were dressed in their tribe's traditional clothing, ready to dance.

Pastor Paul Fang has baptized many believers in China, but none more important than the one he recently performed. This new believer in Jesus was once an animist who worshiped spirits in trees, rocks and other objects, and practiced witchcraft and strange superstitions. She lived in deep darkness, regularly cursing her enemies, but lived under the continual curse of tormenting spirits. She spent all her life in poverty, and was even forced in her youth to build roads under Mao's regime.

The civil war in Syria has caused millions to suffer, but given God's people an unprecedented opportunity to serve our spiritually needy family—as well as demonstrate His love to Muslims, many who are now open as never before.

Over the past two weeks I've been navigating jeep trails carved into the steep mountains of Myanmar's (Burma's) Chin State, visiting remote villages served by Heaven's Family. In some cases, when those trails have become too narrow for our Land Cruiser, our team of three has transferred to motorcycles. The going has been slow. At the most, we've advanced 90 miles in 10 hours.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent armed conflict between Israel and Gaza. As is often the case, innocents are either caught in the crossfire or neglected due to strained resources or the evacuation of aid workers. Happily, Heaven’s Family has found a partner currently working among the needy in Gaza, and we’re funding two of their aid workers for a year to help those like “Mohammed,” an 11-year-old boy who has been partially paralyzed since birth.

When your life is in real danger, you flee as fast as you can with your family and loved ones, leaving everything else behind. That’s what Alyia (not her real name) and her family did when the persecution against Christians, currently taking place in Iraq from ISIS, came to their village. Due to Alyia’s frail, aged condition, however, she had to be carried.

Gui Lan has a special ministry among those, like her, who suffer the debilitating effects of leprosy. She uses her sewing skills and a rugged, foot-operated sewing machine provided by Heaven’s Family to take care of the general sewing needs of her fellow village members, who live exiled from the world, tucked out of sight, high up in the mountains of Yunnan Province, China.

God is moving again amongst the A-Che people of Southern China. Those of you who have been following our efforts know that the A-Che, until very recently, was an unreached people group. Much has happened in the last few months. As of this month, about 50 A-Che have made decisions to follow Jesus. Of those, 40 have attended discipleship training courses, and 30 have been baptized. This is cause for great rejoicing and praise to God!

I have received a wonderful expression of gratitude from Prasanna and her daughter, Sarah, who serve the leprosy communities in Hyderabad, India, as wound-care nurses. They recently purchased a vehicle with help from Heaven’s Family that will help them make more house calls!