The following letter is from Elilo Patton Ezung. ERCC supports her missionary work in Nagaland (India). More information about the orphanage she has built (from the ground up) can be found on her website. Several recent photos are included at the end of the letter.

Elilo, Elisen, and Abemo
(Nagaland Outreach Children’s Ministry)

Dear Family and Friends,

We send New Year greetings to all of you. I hope you all had a blessed Christmas with family and friends. Amazing to say that this year the Christmas celebration went so well! The kids and adults really enjoyed the three day program (evening church service) at our church. We had a great advanced Christmas celebration party for only the staff and the kiddos of NOCM. The kids had fun decorating the Christmas tree and got their gifts for Christmas. They were overjoyed! They danced and sang and it was great to see the smile on their faces. On the 24th of December at the church evening service there was a talent show night and hundreds of people attended. Muslims, Hindus, and Roman Catholics came to the show and they enjoyed it very much. We praise God for the opportunity to share the love and mercy of Jesus Christ with them during Christmas time.

We thank you all and praise God for the unconditional love and provision towards our orphan kids and family here in Nagaland. The kids have done so well in their studies, two of them Ajanthung and Mercy got excellent in their class. The best academic award went to Lothungbeni of 7th grade and Ajanthung of 4rd grade. We are really happy and thank God for the caregivers and staff who taught them with lots of perseverance for the whole year. Even though it’s tiresome and the work is long helping to teach the kids because of all the different personalities and backgrounds, we see the good result and see the smiles on their faces. It makes us happy and all worth it. We are so proud of them. It’s all because of God’s grace and your prayer support they are able to get an education. We pray that even in the years to come the kids would really do their best in their studies. Keep them in your prayers as they are studying every subject in English which is the
fourth language for us.

We share with you all about the joy and happiness that Abemo and I have that the Lord has blessed us with our first son, Elisen Kris Ezung. He is such a joy and we are so blessed to be his parents. He is now five months old and is constantly growing, cooing, and talking to us. He loves to play, especially with daddy. I feel like 24 hours is not enough time in the day for me. Since the birth of Elisen, our life has totally changed! But I am enjoying every single minute. Abemo and I had many children to care for before Elisen was born so we were very prepared for our own precious child. Sometime Elisen could not sleep because it is so noisy here, hehe! He is happy with people and he doesn’t want to stay by himself. I appreciate you all for your prayerful support, through emails, and sending gifts for Elisen. He really enjoys wearing those foreign clothes and is so blessed and spoiled by you all! Indeed we appreciate all of you. Without your prayer and encouragement life would be so difficult. All the kiddos love him so much. I can see them playing with each other in the future. We pray that Elisen Kris will also grow up to know God’s great love for all people, especially for orphan kids who have never heard the good news before and non-Christians who surround us.

Another thing that we are so humble to see is that the kids are so active in the church service. They enjoy singing special songs, reciting Bible verses, and choreographing movements to Bible songs. They are learning how to have good communication and fellowship with other people As you can see, the kids are growing so fast; physically, spiritually and mentally. They are so active and involved in the church and school activities. We hope and pray that some of them will become a servant of God and help educate men and women in near future.

Newly Completed Boys Dormitory

The new boy’s dorm has been completed! We are so excited, especially the boys, to move into the new dorm. We are re-arranging and repainting the old boy’s dorm and at the same time we are arranging and getting everything organized in the new dorm. At the end of this month we will have a house dedication since this is God’s blessing. We will have a thanksgiving service and will then move in.

We are receiving a new orphan girl this month. Her name is Lorenda and she is 9 years old and will be in the 4th grade. Please keep her in your prayers as she adjusts to her new home. I will give you an update about her in the next newsletter.

Once again we thank God for His grace and mercy and to all of you for your unceasing prayers, encouragement and financial support. We also appreciate our forwarding agent, Lynn Skonnord, for the wonderful job she has been doing ever since the beginning of this project. It would be so difficult without her. Every gift that we receive from you all is the reflection of God’s love and we have nothing to give you but our constant prayer. Please continue to pray and support us. We all wish you a very Happy New Year may God SHALOM be upon you and your family!

Thank you all once again!

Because of Him,

Elilo, Abemo and Elisen