These past few months have been busy ones. It is hard to believe that our family celebrated our first year in India. It has been a year of challenges, culture shocks and learning curves. But all in all God has blessed us and it has been a great year.
In July we had visitors from Thailand. Our directors Peter and Sandra McIntosh visited with us. Peter and Prasad traveled to Nagpur to take part in meetings discussing the future plans of the PAOI in India.
While Prasad and Peter were away, Sandra and Ashton spent time with us in our home. They were able to visit all of our churches and meet our orphanage children. After retuning from Nagpur, both Peter and Sandra spoke in the village of Singaperman Koill, better known as the 'roof top church' for now.
We want to thank the McIntosh’s for buying shoes for all of the orphanage children and for deciding to sponsor one of the children.
Also in July we baptized three new converts from our church plant in Singaperman Koil.
Recently we successfully built our first temporary church building in the village of Nelambakum. After a lot of threats and harassment the church has been built. There is still controversy over the church; some villagers believe that if we build a church the spirits that inhabit the area will leave. Still we press forward and are holding weekly prayer meetings there.
On August 15th (Independence Day in India) we held special meeting where over 300 people attended. Also in August, two of our churches held there annual three day conventions. The meetings were held in the villages of Kollapakam and Kavanoor both meetings had very good attendance.
The months of September and October were very busy. We had special guests with us from Canada. Carl Verhulst came to be with us and spent four days teaching the book Revelation. Daily we had approximately 35 to 40 local pastors and there spouses attending. The next week he spoke in several different prayer meetings and churches.
Carl also brought with him a suit case of clothes and toys from Canada on behalf of WM and Helping Hands Ministries. Passing these things out to the children in the orphanage was a great blessing for us. The children were so excited to get the new clothes, toys, candy and books.
On October 15th a team form KRT (Kennedy Road Tabernacle) came to visit us and stayed with us for 13 days. What a great time we had together. The team focused on four ministries which were children’s ministry, visiting schools and villages. Medical ministry providing free medical camps and medicine to people in the villages, construction team building our children’s home and our ministerial team who spoke in revival meetings.
Threw our children’s ministry we were able to visit 9 schools. The schools ranged in size from 75 to 650 children. What a joy it was to see the children’s faces light up as the team sang songs and told stories. The team also ministered in 7 villages. In the villages the team was free to talk about Jesus and to share his love openly. During their time of ministry they passed out hundreds of gifts and crafts and after the evening services the whole team worked together and passed out hundreds of t shirts. We pray that the seeds that were planted in the children’s hearts during those 13 days will bare much fruit.
The medical team took part in four medical camps over 200 people were treated and given free medications. Twenty seven people had eye examinations and will receive free eye surgery and glasses. Thanks to Operation Blessing for providing us with free medicine.
After a lot of hard work the construction team was able to complete our children’s home to the half way point. Because of late monsoon rains their efforts were hampered but not their spirits. Rain or shine all the ministry teams labored together in a joint effort to see the home built.
Our ministerial team Charles and Marlene reached many people with the good news. Several responded to the alter call and they will be followed up by our pastors.
It was a great 13 days and we want to thank the KRT team for coming to Chennai. Many of the team members left families, jobs and friends behind to be with us. Also we want to thatnk Charles who resighned form KRT several months ago but made a commitment to return and lead this team. Charles has great leaderhip qualities because he leads with a servants heart. This team really worked hard together to achieve a common goal. We both feel that although they came as the KRT team they left us as friends.
Please pray with us that we will be able to finish the children’s home so that we can move the children in to their new home before the end of this year.
If you are interested in coming to India in 2007 as an individual or as a team please contact us as soon as possible so that we can coordinate a time.
Click on the two different Links on the right side... Samson's PhotoBucket and/or Samson's PhotoFlix (November #1 and November #2) to see a good selection of our new photographs.
"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" -- Bob Pierce
In Christ Love
Prasad and Dawn
