Traveling Andhra Pradesh - Part 2

My last week in India had some real testing times to my faith as it was physically challenging but there was also times of great spiritual blessings in seeing the genuine faith of other believers and there love for the Lord.

We left Job's place in Vijayawada on Monday night (25th) and caught a sleeper train down to a city called Nandyal which is just before Banaganapalli where Emmanuel's father Solomon lives. All of this was quite a new experience for me but I was thankful I had Keith with me as he knew what to do.

Catching a 5 hour train from Vijayawada to Nandyal

We stayed at a hotel in Nandyal during the week as each day we were taken out to visit various assemblies around the area. The assemblies were up to two hours drive away on the worse kind of roads imaginable while sitting in an extremely packed out van full of people. Everyone we visited was very excited to see us and also very thankful for the encouragement and teaching we were able to give. Some of the assemblies were quite small with around 20-30 people while others were packed out with over 100 people. Keith spoke of various topics ranging from the Mount of Olives, Abraham's eyes, Foundations and Wells while I had a few opportunities to share my testimony of how the Lord's grace has reached into my life.

Visiting assemblies around Nandyal - 1

Visiting assemblies around Nandyal - 2

Keith teaching outside in the dark to around 100 people

On Saturday morning we headed down to Banaganapalli to meet up with Emmanuel and Job as there was a three day youth conference organised for all the believers in the area. When we arrived we had to officially open two new bedrooms where we would be staying by cutting a ribbon and singing songs. After being introduced to a multitude of people in the searing 33 degree heat we all gathered together inside the meeting hall and started the conference. 

Overall it was a very profitable time learning from God's word and everyone really appreciated us being there. I gave two addresses, one on 'The two big catches of Peter', looking at Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:3-17, and the other one on the prayer life of the prophet Daniel. Keith taught on the characters of Joseph, Jonah, Ruth and Timothy.

Emmanuel talking at the Youth conference in Banaganapalli

Around 150-200 people attended the 3 day Youth Conference

On Monday afternoon (2nd October) the conference finished up and we were taken north by car to a large city called Hyderabad where we were to fly out at midnight. The car ride was a scary 5 hours long on Indian roads and at the end of it Keith told me that he was praying all the way because there were so many close calls. But by the Lord's grace we managed to get onto the right flight to Malaysia. We said our goodbyes as Keith was traveling onwards to Myanmar for two weeks and I was flying back to New Zealand. 

I'm now back home in Auckland, NZ. There is quite a bit of adjusting needed but I'm slowing getting back into the daily routines here. I'm thankful to the Lord that I was able to get my job back at the English School, so I start back there on Monday full time. There is a lot to reflect back on over the last three months as the Lord has taught me a huge amount. I have really enjoyed my time in India and would love to return one day soon but for now I need to get my health back right.

Praise the Lord.

Traveling Andhra Pradesh

By the Lord's grace I have meet up with Keith in Andhra Pradesh and we have been spending the last several days traveling around to different assemblies teaching and encouraging believers from the Word of God. As always it is of great encouragement to myself to see how other believers live in the mist of difficulties and how the Lord's hand continues to work.

Map of the southern state of India called Andhra Pradesh and some of the places we are visiting

The heat and humidity levels in Andhra Pradesh are extremely high with an average temperature of 34 degrees each day. The crazy traffic and heavily populated roads in Vijayawada make traveling around very difficult. I have never seen so many people before, I really don't know how this city can function.

Meetings at a Village north of Vijayawada called Mucherala where Elisha lives

We had an encouraging time with Boaz and Ruth on Thursday and Friday last week. Their humble hospitality and their dedication to furthering the Lord's work in remote areas amongst the Koya tribes was great to see. Boaz took me out on the back of his motorbike to visit some of the villages which was really interesting. It was like going back in time as places would have very little road access or if any and they simply survive off the land. Unfortunately some of the children had huge bulging stomachs from malnutrition. We had a meeting at Boaz's place in the evening with about 60 people from the surrounding villages. Keith gave a good message on 'Working out our salvation' from Philippians 2:12 and I had the opportunity to share my testimony with everyone.

Celebrations at opening a new room with Boaz and family at Bhadrachalam

Sunday meeting at Narasaraopet (2 hours south of Vijayawada)

Evening view of the sunset and paddy fields at Boaz's place

Lord willing we plan to get onto a train at 11pm tonight (Monday) from Vijayawada to Nandyal which is about six hours south. There we will meet up with Emmanuel and again visit various assemblies. There is a large youth conference planned for this weekend in the area which we are hoping to take several messages at.

Leaving the Children's Home

The last few days have been very busy with trying to get everything organised before leaving the children's home. But they have been a real blessing as I've had some good opportunities to really encourage the children in living for the Lord. I can see real fruit in their lives as they begin to truly understand how God loves each one of them and it shows through their actions. I taught them a new song which is linked to one of their memory verses and they love to sing it. Below is the verse used in the song.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105

Celebrations at opening the new rooms

Over the last two years Raju has been slowly building a new girls dormitory and bathroom on-top of the dinning hall as the current rooms don't have enough space for all the girls. On Sunday it was finally officially opened and everyone was very excited. There are two new rooms, one is for the girls to sleep in and the other is for storing their bags and doing homework in. There are 34 new beds in the room which will be able to accommodate the majority of the girls. I'm thankful that I was able to help with some of the costs of getting the new beds as I'm sure they will be put to good use.

Inside one of the new rooms for the girls

We finished our Bible studies in Ruth last week and all the children seem to really enjoyed it. Several of the girls told me how they now want to live like Ruth, in setting the Lord first in their lives. At the final Sunday youth meeting we looked at two topics, the significance of water baptism and eternal security in that we are once saved, always saved. I've taken studies previously on baptism so it was only a short overview this time because several of the youth are taking baptism on this coming Tuesday which is great. I felt that teaching on once saved, always saved was very important as some of them were asking questions relating to it during the week.

The last night with the children

On Sunday night I said the final goodbye. I showed all the children the photos that I had taken over the last three months and really encouraged them to stay strong in following the Lord. I then gave each one of them a small thank you card with their name and a short message on it and a photo of them with me. Everyone was very sad but very thankful for the time I spent with them. I now have a large stack of thank you letters from all the children.

I'm now in a hotel in Bangalore as tomorrow morning I fly over to meet up with Keith on the other side of India. Very thankful to the Lord for the wonderfully fruitful time I had at the children's home and that my health has remained good. Already planning to visit again next year Lord willing. Looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me over the next two week.

The Last Week at Hunsur

This is the last week that I'll be spending at the Children's Home in Hunsur as from Monday, Lord willing, I'll be catching a bus to Bangalore then a flight over to Vijayawada, East India to meet up with Keith Simpson. We will then spend the next two weeks visiting various believers, different assemblies and a youth conference in the aim to build up and encourage others in their faith in the Lord. I'm a bit nervous about this upcoming two weeks planned with Keith as it will be my first time doing anything like it but with the Lord's strength and Keith's help I'm sure it will be a blessing to me.

Raju and his wife Shanthi who run the Children's Home in Hunsur

The children's home in Hunsur was started by Raju and his wife Shanthi 17 years ago. Their aim was to provide and care for orphan children and to show them the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. However over time they have also accepted children who do have parents but are in very difficult situations, such as broken families, poverty or abuse. They have seen the Lord's hand of provision and grace over the years in providing for all of the children's needs and keeping them safe from the dangers that surround them. There has been real spiritual fruit shown in the children's lives as many of them have come to saving faith in the Lord and continue to live for Him. It's a real blessing to be apart of the Lord's work here and to see His grace being shown out daily.

Last Sunday afternoon I organised a Bible study quiz for all the children. They had been asking for it for a while. The quiz had 20 questions from the different topics that we've covered in our evening bible studies over the last 4 weeks. It was encouraging to see that everyone really enjoyed it and many knew most of the questions which was surprising because I made some of the questions really tough.

The children sitting in groups for a Bible study quiz

This week for our evening bible studies we are looking at the book of Ruth which I hope will be an encouraging time for all. On Monday and Tuesday I took an older boys and then an older girls only study which we looked at specific responsibilities that God has given to men and women. We then discussed how to add this into our everyday lives. Everyone really appreciated the messages.

For the last three Sunday youth meetings we have been looking at end times from the book of Revelation. I used a powerpoint presentation which had a lot of material detailing the rapture and tribulation events as well as the marriage supper of the Lamb. Overall it was a real time of blessing as many of the youth were really encouraged by the talks and told me that they hadn't heard much of the end times before.

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. ... Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." - Revelation 19:7 & 9

I'm thanking the Lord for His grace being shown in every area of my life. My health appears to be better than it was last week which is great but still praying that I'll be kept strong over the next three weeks that I'm here in India.

Praise the Lord.

Bind us Together Lord

The past week has been busy but fruitful. I'm thankful that I can be well used at the school during day with teaching various subjects and to have the opportunity to bring forth God's word daily. It's a real blessing to be here in India and to serve the Lord in this way. I've grown strong friendships with most of the children so no doubt it will be hard to say goodbye when the time comes.

The assembly that we meet with on a Sunday morning gather together in a large room next to the school in Hunsur. The breaking of bread meeting is done in a simple manner as the Lord requested with Kannada hymns being sung, a few brothers sharing verses, and a time of prayer. Once the breaking of bread meeting has finished Raju brings forth a message from God's word while a Sunday school class is taken for children under 10 and I take a youth meeting for those under 18. There are around 70 people that attend the Hunsur meeting regularly and on the first Sunday of the month they all have a shared lunch together. This is quite a significant event culturally as there are people from different background or 'castes' that normally wouldn't associate together but here they recognise they are one in Christ.

Enjoying the shared lunch at the Hunsur Assembly

I've been quite busy at the school during the day as the students have their mid-year exams starting next week and there is a lot to do to help the kids prepare for them. In our evening bible studies at the home we're looking at the book of Daniel this week and how to remain faithful to the Lord in times of testing. It's incredible to read how Daniel and his friends were put under immense pressure to conform to the Babylonian way of life but yet they remained faithful to the Lord and experienced remarkable blessings.

Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. - Daniel 3:28

The above video is of the children at the home singing before the school bus arrives. The words of the hymn are: "Bind us together Lord, bind us together with love."

I've now got less than two weeks left here with the children in Hunsur and then I leave to meet up with Keith on the other side of India. There will no doubt be many opportunities to teach God's word and I hope the Lord will work through me to minister to the needs of His people effectively. 

Unfortunately I've come down with a sore throat which started yesterday and has gotten worse today which is making things difficult. But Lord willing I will be strengthen to finish the task He's given me to do.

Examples of God's Grace - Part 3

When looking back over the past week that the Lord has given there is much to be thankful for. I give thanks for the Lord's care over each of these children's lives, in how He keeps them safe from all the dangers around them, how His word is able to be regularly brought forth to challenge their hearts and draw them closer to Himself. I've noticed how the same sinful nature that is seen in New Zealand is also seen here, the same disobedience, the same problems, even if they are disguised differently, for we face the same enemy all the world over. 

Deepika (9) and her older sister Kruthika (12) skipping together

It is a privilege to be able to teach these children God's word and to show them Christ's character daily. Not only that but to become close friends with them is a real joy. The above picture is of two lovely girls called Deepika and Kruthika who are sisters. Everyday they have such a big simile on their face and love to talk with me. They have a father, mother and a baby sister living in a village about 1 hour away from Hunsur. However since they are very poor, not only the living conditions are rough but there is no hope to be able to afford education for the kids. As the father would have a hard manual labouring job but only earn less than $5 NZD per day. 

Education for each child costs around $200 NZD per year which includes uniform and books. So being able to have them stay at the Bethel Children's Home and attend the school is a real blessing for them. In addition to the better quality of life they are given, the real opportunity comes from being able to teach them God's word which they would otherwise not be exposed to. Recently Deepika memorised 5 memory verses so I bought her a skipping rope (which only cost 80c) as a prize. I've never seen someone so happy over such a small prize, it was a real joy to be able to share in it.

Sahanna (10), the older sister of Sandya

In our evening bible studies we've been looking at the life of Elijah and Elisha which have been a real blessing. It's incredible to read when Elijah found Elisha plowing the field with oxen and as I look out the window while I'm typing this I can see men working in the field doing the exact same thing Elisha was doing, plowing the field with oxen, some 3000 years later and nothing has changed. The below verse is when Elisha tells Elijah three times that he has a real desire to follow him, may we have the same desire to follow the Lord Himself.

'Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.'  - 2 Kings 2:2

A closed off bridge covered in mist right next to a raging waterfall

On Tuesday myself, Raju and his son Emmanuel went on a day trip two hours west of Hunsur to a place called Madikeri in the Kodagu district. It's a place where there is very high rainfall as it's surrounded by mountains. We visited a huge raging waterfall called Abbey Falls and as it was considered the rainy season it was quite the sight to see.

Over the past week it has been raining quite a bit which makes drying clothes and getting around quite difficult. However I continue to thank the Lord for good health, the opportunity to be useful in teaching at the school during the day, and being able to prepare and present His word in the evenings to the children. Praise the Lord.

The distribution of God's Word

Working for the Lord in India is by far the best job I've ever had, if I could even call it a job. For it is a blessing beyond compare to have the opportunity to share God's word daily and to live out Christ amongst such loving and precious children. I can clearly see that this is where the Lord wants me to be, as the spiritual needs of these children are ever so great.

Praying before handing out Bibles

One of the big needs I saw for the children was to actually have God's word physically in their hands, as many of them only have a small new testament or don't even have a Bible at all. Thanks be to the Lord for providing the opportunity to purchase and distribute His word. Last week we were able to buy 60 band new full English Bibles (NKJV), 30 of which were the Thomas Nelson leather bound ones and the other 30 were paperback. Over the last week I had spent time explaining to the children the importance of God's word by looking at verses describing the power it, such as the one below and explaining how to use the centre-column reference and concordance. All the children were really excited to be receiving a Bible and would tell me how they had been praying earnestly that God may provide them with one. Almost all of the children from 8 years old and up can read English reasonably well and actually prefer it over reading Kannada.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105

15 year old Sumanth receiving his first English Bible

Last Sunday afternoon was when we finally distributed the Bibles. I wrote each child's name in the front of the Bible and explained that this is their own personal Bible. Each child received a copy of God's word, a few bookmarks calendars and a small chocolate. 70 Bibles in total were distributed, a few being Kannada versions for the smaller children. I've never seen so many children receive God's word with such joy and excitement before. They all had a real desire to want to open their Bible and start reading it straight away. I pray that it may be a real asset to them in their lives and they learn to trust and follow His word with their whole heart.

God's word being received with joy

The Sunday meetings and evening bible studies continue to be very fruitful and a real blessing to everyone, especially myself. I'm thanking the Lord everyday that He continues to provide me with good health and a focused mind for His work here in India. Praise the Lord.

Independence Day

I am really enjoying my time here in India as each day is a real privilege to be apart of these children's lives. To be able to share the Word of God and to show Christ's love to them everyday is an amazing blessing. 

A desire to learn

Everyday I am so thankful to the Lord for bringing me to India and surrounding me with such loving people. It is a real privilege to be apart of these children's lives and to share God's Word with them daily. However teaching His Word is only one part of the work here, the other is being a Christ-like example to the children and showing them first-hand what it means to follow Christ.

Examples of God's Grace - Part 2

The past week has been busy with the daily routine consisting of preparing a bible study in the morning, teaching at the school during the day, helping the kids with their homework in the afternoon, then taking the bible study in the evening. However it is a blessing to be able to serve the Lord in this way and to be apart of these children's lives.