Page 5 - PIR 2020

Dear Friends,
Words cannot express how grateful I am for you! More than ever before, 2020 proved to us the need and power of partnership.
Even through lockdowns and travel restrictions, we continued to reach people in need. How? None of
our field workers quit, none of them packed up their ministry and left. Instead, they journeyed through the darkest days with their communities and the Lord used them to bring comfort and help to people living in fear and grief. They could not have done this without
you and your partnership in prayer and incredible generosity! Thank you!
None of us had a readymade plan or strategy to navigate through the pandemic but, as we look back, we can see how the Lord guided us and directed us. We can be so proud of the way that our heroes in the field boldly stepped up to the unknown, and became the hands and feet of Jesus in their communities.
On one of our countless calls, as they were sharing with me some of the things they were doing, I started warning them to be careful. One of them quickly interrupted me, saying, “Why should we be afraid? What’s the worst thing that could happen? We die and we go to be with Jesus. Is that such a bad thing?”
I felt the Lord rebuke me through those words.
If we only listen to the media, without balancing what we hear with God’s Word, we will quickly think and behave like people without faith and hope. Even through the difficulties of COVID, these brothers and sisters continue to inspire us to – keep our faith fresh; keep our trust in Jesus simple and sincere; live every day in the certainty of our eternity, and not allow fear to paralyse us.
Jesus never guaranteed that everything was going to be easy. Last year was the most difficult season of our ministry, but we can truly say that the Lord was with us and that He was, and still is, at work. Jesus encourages us to lift up our eyes and see the harvest. So, even in this pandemic, we refuse to look down or look away but choose to keep our eyes focused on the harvest. The devil will do all he can to distract us,
but let us be determined to remain focused on what matters in eternity. After all, what is the worst thing that could happen?!
As the pandemic and uncertainties continue, more than ever before, we need to stand together in partnership with our brothers and sisters in the field. Like them, let us boldly keep our eyes on the harvest and continue the race knowing the end is near.
Thank you so much for your incredible partnership with us in 2020. Your support, combined with God’s sovereign move, meant that fruit has been abundant in the field. I pray you will be encouraged by the stories of love and hope as you read through these pages.
We thank God for you; we love you and we pray for you. Continue to do all that you can to make sure that no harvest is lost — I know that in eternity, you will be so glad you did that.
For the Lord, the lost and the least,
Jossy Chacko
Founder and President, Empart
Partnership Impact Report 2020 5
what’s the worst that could happen?