The Lord's Work in India

Well I thought I would be writing this back home in New Zealand as I had planned to leave India last week. However after a turn of events I am in fact still in India and not sure for how long. It has certainly been quite the challenge to my faith as I know the Lord is at work through these circumstances but it is nevertheless very stressful and difficult at times.

So last week I made it to the airport and checked in for my flight on the Tuesday night but as I was going through immigration there was an unexpected problem. I had mistakenly not seen the 90 day stay limit on my visa and I had overstayed by seven days. I am now in the process of applying for an exit permit which can take up to two weeks before I am allowed to leave the country. Unfortunately Indian government offices are not run very efficiently and clear instructions are hard to find.

However amidst these difficulties I have clearly been able to see the Lord's grace and mercy in having various people help me with support, advice and prayer. After spending most of last week in Bangalore I am now back in Hunsur with Raju at the Children's Home waiting for this exit permit to process. It certainly is a blessing to be with Raju and the children here and with the Lord's strength I will try to make the most of my time here with teaching His Word.

Once again prayer is always appreciated and much needed in the working out of God's plan in me and through me, that I may remain faithful to the Lord is all things.

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." - Ephesians 6:18

Everyone excited with their new pillows and bedsheets

Last week we managed to get a few things organised to give out to the children. Much needed pillows and bedsheets which everyone was very excited and thankful for. New bible bags which took over a month to organise with several visits back and forth to the supplier in Mysore. They are a large size with strong quality waterproof material and a custom name printed on them, 'BCH HUNSUR', short for Bethel Children's Home. We ordered 100 of them and handed all but four of them out. There were also about 30 new bibles that we gave to the children who needed them.

Handing out new bible bags and bibles

The new bedside boxes installed next to each bed

Special holiday sweets for the kids afternoon snack

3,000 new chicks have been added to the chicken farm

On Sunday morning we continued our study through the book of Ephesians with looking at chapter 4 and verses 17 to 24. In how we are called to walk in Christ by doing three things; putting off the old man, renewing our minds, and putting on the new man. Even though I wasn't expecting to be there last Sunday nevertheless our time together proved to be a blessing. 

I also took the youth meeting where we looked at our second study on the armour of God in Ephesians 6. We also got outside and played a few large group games which everybody really enjoys.

John Mark with his wife (Namita) and son (Samuel)

Overall I am certainly praising the Lord that I can spend more time here with the children as it is a real blessing. I would really hope to return to India again sometime soon if it is the Lord's will and continue His work here but I will no doubt be praying for it continually and I would hope to encourage you to do the same.

Prayer is need for the salvation of each child, the building up of their faith, coming to a fuller understanding of God's Word, that they would be shaped into the character of Christ, and be fit to do His service. Please pray also for Raju, Shanthi and the other leaders that they may be given wisdom, guidance, support for the children's needs, and they may continue to be a Christ-like example to the children. May His work continue to grow.

Praise the Lord.

Photos from the Week #10

As this is my last full week in India there has been quite a rush to get everything organised before I leave. However it is so rewarding when I can take time to look around and see the wonderful work that the Lord is actively doing here at the Children's Home. Even from my short time here I can see real spiritual fruit in these children's lives and I know that our time in the Word of God will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

We had our final bible study on Friday night looking at the last part of the book of Esther. Our studies on Esther have been greatly profitable as it has really challenged each one of us to strengthen our faith in the Lord. Everyone was full of laugher upon hearing of Haman's trap for Mordecai had turned back on himself. The below verse is when Mordecai was telling Esther that if she did not say anything to the king to save them that no doubt God will provide another way for salvation.

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place ..." - Esther 4:14

It is incredible to see the strong faith that Mordecai had in believing the promises of God to his forefathers. The challenge for us is to have this same faith. One of our memory verses is below which tells us how we are to grow our faith, and that is by studying the Word of God.

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17

Everyone ready to learn at an early morning Bible Study

On Monday there was an entire nation wide ban on working as a means of striking against the Indian Government for a raise in fuel taxes. This was only decided two days before the actual day, which would have distributed a lot of workers. And if that was not enough Wednesday and Thursday were also a national public holiday as Hindu's celebrate one of their many gods. So we tried to make the most of these days off school by having a morning bible study and playing games around the home.

Lots of hands to help prepare the new bed sheets and pillows

We organised with a local guy to make 100 small metal boxes for the children. They will be attached to the walls next to each bed so everyone can put their bibles and other personal items in them. Everyone is very excited for them and I am sure they will be well used.

The older boys showing their finished paint work on the new bedside boxes

Shashank (13) showing that he really enjoys eating corn

Arun (15) working hard digging dirt to find a leaking pipe

The boys playing volleyball in the heat of the day

The kids playing games outsides in the late afternoon

The shed at the children's home all ready for another batch of small chickens

The weather certainly is very hot and it is sometimes difficult to stay cool. Prayer would be appreciated that my health may continue to be strong especially during these last few days and that the during back to New Zealand will go smoothly. I plan to catch a bus up to Bangalore on Tuesday 18th as my flight leaves at 11pm that night. I should arrive back in Auckland at about the same time on Wednesday night. I will try to put up one more blog next week as a final wrap up of my time in India.

Photos from the Week #9

In our evening bible studies at the children's home we have finally finished our study on the life of Joseph which has proved to be a great encouragement to all and a challenge to live out a life pleasing to the Lord just as Joseph did.

I have given the children five memory verses to remember from our studies and I plan to test them all on Sunday afternoon. They sure are keen to learn the Word of God and I have no doubt that everyone will memorise the verses as they genuinely want to and maybe because I promised a small piece of chocolate if they do.

The verse below is one of the memory verses from when we looked at Joseph revealing himself to his brothers. Joseph understood that it was not because of their sin that he was in Egypt but because of God's plan and purpose. Amazingly he could say that God was the one who sent him to Egypt so that he could bring about a great deliverance for his family from the famine. The parallel to this is that the Lord Jesus Christ is our great deliverance from sin and death.

“Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” - Galatians 1:3-5

Inside a large wholesale warehouse in Mysore

On Thursday and Friday me and Raju made two trips to Mysore which is a large city an hour away from the Children's Home. Unfortunately I find it very difficult to do any shopping in India as the whole journey of getting to the right place and back again becomes very stressful. However we are praising the Lord for the relatively successful time we had in being able to purchase various items for the Children's Home. Some of the items we got were: pillows, bed sheets and pillow covers, plastic chairs, bible bags and photos.

Everyone watching intently at a short movie on Joseph

This week I took a special bible study just for the older boys and then another one just for the older girls. We looked at specific bible teaching to men and woman and what God expects from us. It was a very encouraging time to be able to talk freely through some issues they were having and to steer them in the right direction for the Lord. There certainly is great potential in these children to grow up to be strong mature Christ-like men and women who will no doubt lead the next generation in a right manner. I think they are really privileged to be in such a fantastic environment for spiritual growth.

The boys cutting the grass to level out the ground

The weather has changed and it is now heating up quite a bit as each day has an average of around 30 degrees. The rain seems to have stopped and I don't think it will start back up again for quite some time. I am thanking the Lord that my health appears to have improved as my cold is only very mild now.

On the first Sunday of every month the assembly in Hunsur have a big shared lunch which they call 'fellowship meal'. There are around 50 people from the surrounding villages and 60 people from the Children's Home that attend the meeting each Sunday. Over half of them would be under eighteen years old. I think there are about three other Christian meetings in Hunsur however they appear not to be very strong in their bible teaching.

Hunsur has a population of around 350,000 people over an area of 900km squared with a 60% literacy rate. According to the Indian census 90% of the people in Hunsur are Hindu but Raju thinks this is less due to people hiding their Christian identity because of persecution. 

Sunday shared lunch at the Hunsur assembly

Everyone brings a different dish to share - Mainly rice dishes

Some of the children doing their homework after school

At the back of the Children's Home they are getting ready to plant new crops

Next week will be my last full week in India as I plan to fly back to New Zealand on 18th September. There still a lot to organise at the Children's Home before I leave and I am hoping everything works out in time and I can pass on my responsibilities. 

Praise the Lord.

Photos from the Week #8

Each week has its own challenges spiritually and physically. The enemy often tries to discourage me but as I look around at what the Lord is doing here I am continually reminded of His faithfulness not only towards me but for each one of these children and I know that He will fulfil His desired work in them.

We continue to have such a wonderful time at our evening Bible studies at the children's home. It really is a privilege to teach the Word of God every night to such a large and eager audience. For I know that what they learn from these studies will stick with them for life and will hopefully build them up into strong and mature followers of Christ who are firmly grounded in the truth and are able to also teach others some day.

Everyone ready for another evening Bible Study

As we continue to study the life of Joseph it is amazing to see the big picture of God's plan and purpose for his life. Last night we read Genesis 43 and 44. What really stood out to me was the huge change that we can see in Joseph's brothers lives, especially Judah. For 22 years ago he was the one who pushed the idea to sell Joseph as a slave to Egypt which shows how much he did not care about his brother. But now in chapter 44 we see him fully changed in how he begs to take the punishment of his youngest brother upon himself, that is to be a slave to Egypt, this surely shows the great love that he now has for his brothers and his father, in wanting to give up his own life to save his brother.

The physical battle continues as I thought the sickness that I had last week was easing off but it actually had me out of action all of this week too. A heavy cold and gastro stomach bug off and on does make things difficult but now I do appear to be on top of it which is a good thing. I think it must be from the unusually colder climate in Hunsur as a lot of the children are sick also. It is certainly is tough living in a foreign country trying to adjust to the diet and the climate.

Abhishek, Elizabeth, Mounika and Roshini showing off their School projects

Sport Day winners showing their prizes - certificates, plaques and eating plates

A local tailor working hard to make adjustments to my new shirt

Raju's car packed full of supplies for people in need

Over the last month there has been major flooding in an area that is about one hour drive away from Hunsur. Raju knows an assembly there that he helped setup some time ago. He heard of their real need for basic supplies as most of their houses and possessions were lost in the floods. So earlier this week he filled up his car with as much supplies as he could, everything from blankets and rice to toothbrushes and soap. He had some difficulties trying to deliver the supplies as police road blocks stopped him and advised him that they will distribute any supplies however Raju told me that they will actually persecute Christians by purposefully excluding them from the government supply handouts stations. But Raju found a way around and managed to drop the supplies off to the Christians in need which was a big encouragement for them.

Sandhya (13) - New this year to Bethel Children's Home

The above picture is of a lovely girl called Sandhya who has joined the children's home earlier this year. Just like the other children she too has another sad story to share. Last year her mother gave up on living and decided to commit suicide but not before telling Sandhya to do the same. And just like most single parent families in India, her father couldn't keep up the costs of looking after her so he managed to get her into Bethel Children's Home. All of this has no doubt had a big affect on her life but after coming here she has really bounced back and now has a real desire to follow the Lord. I recently gave her a leather English bible as she likes reading English.

On Thursday there was a big magic show at the school which they normally show once a year. A small group of somewhat talented magicians performed for all the students for over an hour an a half. They did everything from cutting someone in half to making a student float to telling funny jokes and dancing. Everyone got quite a laugh out of it. Below is a video of one of the acts.

The second video below is the school boys Kabaddi team playing a match against another school. It's quite an interesting game to watch as it requires a lot of skill, mentally and physically. In essence it's a game of tag, where one person from a team must try to tag as many people from the opposing team as they can and then make it back over the centre line without getting pinned to the ground. This video is not from the actual Sports Day last week but from another competition as I was too scared to take any videos on the day as there must have been five times as many spectators watching than this game.

Photos from the Week #7

Another week flies past quickly but I am continuing to see the Lord at work each day and praising Him for His grace and mercy.

The Sunday afternoon Youth Meeting continues to be a success with a large number of young people attending regularly and they are always keen to study the Word of God. Last Sunday we looked at the below Bible verse and what it means to us. We then continued to look throughout the first chapter of Ephesians to find some of these wonderful spiritual blessings that we now have in Christ. We also noticed the difference between the earthly blessings the children of Israel had in the old testament compared to our blessings.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" - Ephesians 1:3

In our Sunday morning meeting we are studying the key doctrine from the book of Ephesians which is rich with teaching that applies to us today. Last Sunday I gave a clear overview of this letter of Paul's to the Christians at Ephesus and then we read the first three chapters together. We hope to dive into the real details of this letter over the next few weeks.

Young people eagerly studying the Word of God at our Youth Meeting

Independence Day Celebrations

Another week has past and as I look back over it I am amazed by how God is truely working in the lives of each of these children. I am so thankful that He has brought me to India and that I can have a real impact on their lives, spiritually and practically. I have built strong friendships with all of the children as they are always so kind towards me. It is a joy to be able to pray for their spiritual growth and then see my prayers being answered right before my eyes as they have such a desire and hunger for the Word of God.

The bus ride home after school 

Photos from the Week #6

It is truly amazing to see the Lord working in the lives of these children. I am constantly reminded that He is the One who has brought each of them out from the hopeless situation that they were born into and has brought them into his loving care. Into a place where they can not only grow and learn in a safe and loving environment, but most importantly learn of the One who is at work in their lives now.

Last Sunday at our Youth Meeting we looked at the topic of forgiveness. We looked at how the world forgives compared to how God forgives and how we are called to forgive each other just as God has forgiven us through Christ. We had everyone split into small study groups and look up verses on the topic before we discussed it altogether. It proved to be a profitable time in the Word of God and everyone seemed to be greatly encouraged by it. However prayer is still needed to help these young people apply what they've learnt to their daily lives and live for Christ.

The boys answering a bible study test on the life of Jacob

Photos from the Week #5

Once again I find myself praising the Lord as I look back over the week that He has given. Thankful for His mercies each day and the success of His Word going out into the lives of these people. It is refreshing to read of God's promises and then to see them in action in the children's lives for He has brought each one of them into His loving care and provides for their every need.

John Mark, Naguraj, myself, and Vivek 

Photos from the Week #4

Praising the Lord for the week that He has given. I've managed to recover from last weeks trip to Tamil Nadu and now back into the full schedule of everyday life in India. We started the Sunday youth meetings two weeks back and they seem to be a success so far. There are a large number of keen youth ready to learn from God's Word which is a real blessing. So far we've looked at the importance of knowing the truth of God's Word from Ephesians 4:11-16, being a disciple of Christ, and how to share our personal Christian testimony. Our time together is split into a portion of teaching, discussion questions, and small group studies, with a video or game to end with. I would ask for prayer that our time together may be greatly profitable in God's Word and a real strengthening of the faith of these young people.

A packed class for the Sunday Youth Meeting in Hunsur

The Trials and Joys of Tamil Nadu

Last week it was decided that we would go to Tamil Nadu for four days. The aim of the visit would be to see the work the Lord is doing, to encourage the believers there, and strengthen their faith through the teaching of His Word. Raju has been actively involved in setting up assemblies in that area since the 2004 tsunami hit and has made the trip over there many times.

I wasn't too sure what I was getting into but it was very different to what I expected. There were times of great difficulty and frustration but then there were also times of great joy and encouragement. Below is a brief overview of the trip.

We left first thing Monday morning and made the long journey down the Western Ghates, dropping more than 2,000 metres into Tamil Nadu.

Driving down the Western Ghats to the vast plains of Tamil Nadu

Photos from the Week #3

It's a real joy to be able to serve the Lord in India and I much prefer it over working back in New Zealand. Even though at times it is very challenging and difficult, it still proves to be far more rewarding. By God's grace I am remaining in good health and am continuing to serve Him through teaching His word and showing forth His character.

On Sunday morning after the breaking of bread we looked at the faithful unnamed servant of Abraham in Genesis 24 and how we can learn from his example to serve the Lord more faithfully. For he was one who took up the task of travelling a long distance to find a wife for Isaac. He didn't complain but was focused on the job at hand.

The girls at the children's home excited with their new posters

Photos from the Week #2

It has been a busy week that has flown by so quickly. The bible studies each evening continue to be successful and we are now looking at the life of Jacob. It's a great help having a projector as I use it to supplement the bible study with pictures, maps, videos, memory verses, language translations, key notes, and songs. It engages all of the children well and helps them to remember the study.

We are aiming to start a weekly youth meeting this coming Sunday. It's focus is to meet the spiritual needs of the young people in the assembly by building up their faith and understanding key bible doctrine. But it is challenging to know what actually are their spiritual needs and what their level of understanding about God's word is however I have confidence that the Lord will make our time together profitable.

The boys at the children's Home on a Sunday afternoon

Photos from the Week

Another week has gone by and life in India still shows new experiences each day. The temperature has dropped to around 23 degrees and most days it rains off and on. The sky seems to always have grey overcast look to it. Several of the children have come down with some type of stomach bug causing loose motion and sorts. We're not sure how they got it but we think it just might be an issue with not cleaning their plates properly. I'm still trying to fight off this cold that I've had from two weeks back, plus the odd stomach bug, but otherwise I'm doing relatively well.

Stopping by a field of Marigold flowers on the way home from school

A Heavy Heart for the Lord's work

It sure is a blessing to be able to serve the Lord in a foreign land. I am constantly thanking the Lord for this wonderful opportunity. Each day has it's challenges which is to be expected but to be able to share Christ through the way I live and teach of Him to such a precious group of children makes it worth all the effort.

Waiting for the school bus at the children's home

The Lord at Work

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done; and Your thoughts towards us; There is none to compare with You... Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!". - Psalms 40:5, 16

I am very thankful to the Lord that I have made it safely to India. It was a very long and challenging journey but after 20+ hours of travel by plane and bus I have finally arrived at the children's home in Hunsur on Friday evening 15th.

Stepping off the plane for the third time in India is still a huge culture shock. The smell, the dust, the noise, the vast number of people everywhere, and the primitive look of everything, almost makes me think I am in another world entirely.

Being welcomed by everyone at the children's home

An Open Door

Praise be to the Lord for opening up another opportunity to visit India and further His work there.

The purpose of this blog is to record my experiences while in India, report on the work the Lord is doing there and to encourage others in their walk with Him.