Thursday, June 20, 2013

Summer Fun And Church Construction

Dear Friends,

For several weeks our home has been filled with the voices of children playing in our back yard. It’s summer in India which means school holidays. It is a tradition at the Samson household that all children at “Hope for the Children” that can’t go home don’t feel safe at home or don’t have homes, come to stay with us. So for all of May and into June we had had up to 6 extra children with us. Noise, dirty hand prints, tattle tailing and scraped knees are all part of the fun of summer.







This summer we took the kids to a arcade/play area where we spent the day. Talk about a day of firsts. First time at a mall, First time on an escalator (almost as much fun as the arcade),first time trying KFC. In the end it was a great day and something the children will talk about for a long time to come.



























In the past we have had the privilege of hosting many teams from Canada but this month we hosted our first team from India. We were approached by a local summer camp to have a team of children visit “Hope for the Children”. The team brought snacks and cakes and spent the morning playing and talking with our kids. We were very blessed to have them with us.









As this goes on on the home front construction continues at the church headquarters. This is God’s project and he is building His church. I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18








So far, we have seen the old church building demolished, the basement and columns raised and in the next few weeks we will begin to poor the floor. Praise God! We are now trusting God to provide for the walls of the church.



In just a few weeks we will be heading home to itinerate. We are looking for opportunity to share about our work in India and to raise funds for the new church headquarters. We pray that you will join hands with us with this project which is the primary purpose of our mission abroad.
If you are interested in having us share please contact us through email. I am also holding “Scarves of Hope” parties again the summer. If are interested in hosting a party please let me know via email or Facebook.
Looking ahead please pray for our family as we travel and itinerate. Also pray that all will run smoothly with ministry here while we are away.

In Him,

Prasad and Dawn

Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Dear Friends,

The past few weeks have been full! Revival meetings, a retreat, specials guests and laying a corner stone for a new church. We wanted to put together a update of some of the highlights of the past two
months.

Over the past few weeks the godess of death visited "Hope for the Children". In North America we would say they had the chicken pox. So far over 17 and one of our staff contracted them. Thanks to all the prayed for the kids they are now for the most part on the mend.







Prasad welcomes Pastor Dan


On January 29th our pastor Rev Dan Colantonio Highway Gospel Church Scarborough arrived in India for the first time. It was such a blessing to have him with us. We want to thanks Highway Gospel Church for sending him.




 On Feb 1 we started 3 nights of revival meetings with Pastor Dan as our special speaker. We saw many come forward for prayer and healing. One young man was healed of a bladder infection he testified on the second night of feeling a burning sensation in his body. After a visit to the doctor he was told that there was no infection.




 On the fist night Pastor Dan spoke on the prodigal son. With out him knowing, there was a woman in the audience who had left the church become discouraged and began to support her self as a prostitute.  On the second night that same woman lay weeping face down at the alter seeking God’s grace and forgiveness. Hallelujah!






 From February 6th to 9th we were honored to host our third Indian Field retreat. The retreat is a time for the PAOC Indian team to come together to refresh and renew ourselves. What an amazing time of fellowship with our team! 










We were extremely blessed to have Rev Peggy Kennedy as our special speaker this year. She encouraged and edified us blessed and taught us. We are so thankful to Peggy and Jack Kennedy for attending the retreat. We were also blessed to have Pastor Dan share during of the sessions.









 On January 10th Peggy and Jack Kennedy along with Pastor Dan were our special guests at our cornerstone service.  After the  service by faith we laid the cornerstone of our new church headquarters.








Some funds have some in for this project but we still have a ways to go. Construction will start in the coming weeks. Until the construction is complete we will be holding services temporally on the of the girls dormitory at Hope for the Children. If you would like to play a role in this church project contact us at prasaddawn@hotmail.com.
We are believing that God will build his church.  Please pray as we start this new project.







Looking ahead to our next update we will be filling you in on how we celebrated Easter and the great things God did. Until then may God Bless!

Prasad and Dawn

Monday, January 21, 2013

Dear Friends,

It's winter in India and there is a slight chill in the morning air. We look forward to this time of year not for the weather, although it is nice to be cold for a change, but because it is the time that we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. I have put together just a taste of what took place this Christmas. 

Widows enjoying their Christmas diner.
Ladies playing musical chairs.















On Dec 15th we had our widows Christmas party. We love spending the day with our ladies. We played games gave out prizes shared the word and gave them their Christmas sari and Christmas meal along with some extra money for the holidays.




This year we were blessed with 4 Christmas concerts two of them were made even more special. One in our new church building in Avadi. I am reminded of several Christmases that the concerts were held out doors because we had no church building. This year we held the concert inside the beautiful completed church. Praise God! Thanks to everyone in Canada that made that the building of this church possible.

Boys preform at Thayur Church

The Church in Thayur packed to the rafters.



Another program was the church in the village of Thayur. For years this church was closed to us and we were not able to hold a service in the building while the case made it's way through the Indian court system. This was our first Christmas program in Thayur in 3 year. 



Children decorate their first Christmas tree.

Starting with prayer.


















On Dec 24th we held the annual Christmas party at Hope for the Children. Thanks to Trinity Pentecostal Church in Greenwood N.S. and "Scarves of Hope" the kids enjoyed a great party! Which included their first Christmas tree that everyone got a chance to help decorate. A visit from Santa who brought candy. New clothes and toys. A cake and we ended the night with a great show of fireworks.
This was the first Christmas for some of our children they had never seen a Christmas tree or heard the Christmas story.  Making Christmas even more special for us. 

We ended our Christmas with a midnight Christmas Eve service.


Stopping for some ice cream after lunch.

This month along with all the kids "Hope for the Children" we joined the circus! At least for the afternoon show. We started the day at Guindy Children's Park, right here in Chennai. The kids got to see animals and reptiles. They also got to play on a huge playground.




Next we went straight to the circus. It was great watching the kids enjoy the show. Many of the kids had never seen the circus and a lot didn't even know what it was. Boy were they in for a treat!

Looking ahead in a week our pastor from our home church in Scarborough Ontario Rev Dan Colantonio will be visiting us. We are planning revival meetings and special services during this time. February 6th to 9th we will be hosting the PAOC Indian Field Retreat. Our special speakers are Peggy and Jack Kennedy, Dan Colantonio and Peter McIntosh. Please keep this busy time in your prayers.