In 1898, William Spicer left his home and journeyed overseas to the country of India.
For three years, Spicer was the only ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor in all of Southern Asia.
Southern Asia represents a large territory with more than a billion people.
Just like our modern day missionaries do, William Spicer had to adapt to a whole new culture.
He tasted new food, stumbled through foreign languages, and surrounded himself with an unfamiliar environment.
Despite the great challenges, William Spicer did a lot to establish the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Southern Asia.
He founded the first Adventist periodical in India. If you visit India today you can
stop by the Oriental Watchman Publishing House. At this publishing house, they produce thousands
of books and magazines every day.
Workers feed paper through the machines, knowing that when the process is complete,
they will have materials containing a valuable message.
Jagdish Namey has worked here for years. He lost some of his fingers in an accident a long time ago.
Although working like this can be difficult, Jagdish Namey doesn't let that stop him.
He works here because he knows the impact these books have on the people who read them.
All of the employees have a passion for their job and sharing the good news of Jesus.
William Spicer continued to work throughout India as a church leader.
He went on to become the General Conference secretary and then president.
His mark was left behind throughout Southern Asia.
Education is an important aspect of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in India.
Adventist education often plants a seed in the children who attend the schools. Many students who attend these
schools are not from Christian homes. They hear Bible stories for the first time and want to learn more.
Students of all ages are inspired by the stories of Bible characters
and how God worked in their lives.
Most Adventist schools in India are full because of their good reputation.
They hold a high standard of learning. Both Adventist parents and parents from the community are happy to
send their children to these schools that range from primary school all the way through college.
Spicer Memorial College was established almost 100 years ago. Named after William Spicer, is a well-respected institute in India.
Through the years the college has gone through a series of progressions to make it what it is today.
The beautiful campus offers students a high-standards learning environment. A large church building
features services and programs every week. Students come from all over the world to attend Spicer College.
These students go on to be pastors, teachers, principals, and find jobs in a variety of
other fields throughout the Southern Asia region.
The Southern Asia region of the world is made up of only four countries.
These countries include Bhutan, India, the Maldives, and Nepal. More than 90 percent of the population are Hindu and Muslim.
This is one of the fastest growing regions in the world.
In the cities you will have to fight your way through overwhelming crowds. Although there are only four countries
in this region, it boasts a population of about 1.2 billion people!
Of the 1.2 billion, there are about 1.6 million Seventh-day Adventists. That means that about
one of every 750 people you meet might be Adventist. There is still a lot of work to be done.
This region of the world is home to some fascinating places. In earlier days, when the British
colonized India, they would sail across the ocean to reach Southern Asia.
They would arrive in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. The first structure visitors arriving by boat would see is the Gateway of India.
This structure stands 85 feet tall on the edge of the Arabian Sea.
It is a monument built to honor British royalty. Visitors travel here to see the impressive
monument and explore the other sights along the coast.
Many visitors to India will also make a stop to see the Taj Mahal.
This world heritage site attracts millions of tourists each year. If you can make it through the crowds,
you can walk right into the buildings and learn the history behind these structures.
"The Taj" is made out of white marble. It was built by an Mughal emperor in memory of this third wife.
This tall structure is an impressive site to see.
Despite all the amazing things to see in India, it is still a difficult place for the Adventist church to reach.
There is a great need for Jesus in this part of the world.
So many people have never opened a Bible or even heard the name of Jesus before.
One way the Seventh-day Adventist Church is spreading the gospel to the people of Southern Asia is through Global Mission.
Global Mission is focused on starting new Adventist congregations
in some of the most challenging places on earth.
Global Mission pioneers are on the front lines of this work. They plant churches among groups who have never heard the gospel.
There are many people who have come to know Jesus directly
because of the work of our Global Mission pioneers.
Pothiram is one of many Global Mission pioneers working throughout India.
Pothiram was not always working for God. He used to drink heavily.
He would do terrible things and did not care for his family.
One day, a neighbor saw Pothiram's wife, Jeshoda, crying in front of their house.
She invited Jeshoda to her home where she could go and pray with the family.
Jeshoda went week after week to pray and study with the Christian family.
The family eventually gave her a Bible of her own. She was so happy, but there was only one problem; she couldn't read.
The only solution was to bring the Bible home and have her husband read to her.
At first Pothiram resisted, but he eventually agreed.
The more he read from the Bible, the better he felt. His heart was being changed.
Jeshoda invited her husband to join her next Bible study. The more he studied, the more
he felt convicted to change his life. He gave up alcohol and made his family a priority.
Although he still faced temptations, Pothiram was convicted that God's way is the right way.
He and his family were baptized.
He wanted to do more to serve God so he became a Global Mission pioneer.
Now, Pothiram and Jeshoda go into the community together to share the gospel message.
They can't imagine doing anything else with their lives. They love spreading this message with everyone they encounter.
Their life is filled with joy and they have a happy marriage.
The family reads their Bible and prays together because this is what is most important to them.
We can support Global Mission pioneers through our prayers and other resources.
As you can see, people in the Southern Asia region of the world is busy spreading the gospel in many ways.
They face some of the hardest mission challenges in the world today,
but it doesn't stop them from doing the work that God has called each one of us to do.
Please pray for the work in Southern Asia.
Pray that they can teach millions of people about the gospel so we can see Jesus return soon!