Trip to India

Jean & I had a wonderful trip to India in July. Arriving in Hyderabad at 3am, we grabbed a little sleep, spent some time with Malaki & Beulah (our Field Administrator & Wife) and met with two pastors before catching the overnight train to Eluru.

Arriving there in time for a very early breakfast, we spent the day with Joel & Mevis, who head up the network of churches we work with. After participating in a ceremony to start a church building project (we laid the first cornerstone/pillar and prayed) we drove to a fishing village called Gudivakalanka to visit Pastor M.I. Prasad. He has built a fantastic 3,000 capacity facility in a quite remote area. Amazingly, they half fill it on a Sunday and have plenty of room left for growth.

The following morning it was off to Tanuku by road and the official opening of our Children’s Home. We were very moved by the greeting that we received from the children and staff alike. We had a wonderful celebration and all the church members turned out, as well as many visiting pastors. Jean had the privilege of cutting the ribbon to officially declare the facility open.

It was great to see the Home fully completed and all the beds in place in both dormitories (thanks to Bethesda Church, Bury). The children were so very happy and they looked really smart in their school uniforms. The Principal of their school came to the opening and spoke of the change in the children. He said, “When they first came to school they were rather dirty and many were in poor health and were unable to benefit from their education. But now they are not only smarter, healthier and more attentive but also they are the best behaved children in the school.” We were all so proud that he had such glowing things to say about our children.

After the opening ceremony the children went off to school and we had the privilege of baptising two new believers and Pastor Enoch & Mahima’s youngest son. Then for the next day and a half we had a wonderful time with a group of around 20 young pastors and their wives who had travelled in from all over Andhra Pradesh. As we taught, discussed, fellowshipped and prayed with them it became clear that most of them felt the need for ‘fathering’. Some are working independently, but most are struggling to meet the expectations of some group / denomination or other with little or no personal support or encouragement. Our hearts went out to them as they opened their hearts and thanked us for taking the time to be with them. I think that these were some of the most moving moments I have experienced in ministry in all my travels to India!

From Tanuku we drove down to Vijayawada to fly to Bangalore. What a contrast! We were back in the big city and with a church of over 3,000. Immediately upon our arrival we were whisked off to the Saturday evening youth meeting where I taught/ preached about the new birth. Around 100 responded to the appeal. Hallelujah!

Next day I spoke at the 7am service and we rejoiced to see perhaps 12-15 people wonderfully healed. Every person I prayed received their healing from the Lord. Glory to God! We went for breakfast while the 9am service took place and returned for the 11am service. The place was alive with the presence of God and with the expectations of around 700 people in each service. People came and went as the 11am service swallowed up the 2pm service. We preached, exhorted, prophesied and prayed until we were completely spent, the service finally finishing around 4pm. My voice was pretty much gone and so I had to decline to minister further at the 7pm service. It was time to pack and get some sleep since we were due to fly back to England early the following morning.

What an exciting time we had, with all our objectives achieved and more accomplished in a short time than I had dared to hope for. Many thanks to all who covered us in prayer – we needed it and felt it!

With all our love,

Viv & Jean