Pray for Us!
March 27, 2024 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
"Finally, brethren, pray for us that the Word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you." 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Though Paul was chosen, called and anointed to do the works the Lord had given him to do, he still recognized that he needed the prayers of the saints! About 6 times in Paul's letters he mentions his need for others to pray for him and the ministry. Same with us doing this ministry in India. Although the calling and giftings are there, yet we still need your prayers! Same with YOU. Though the Lord has surely chosen you to be and do some part in His glorious Church, still you need the prayers of other believers to empower and encourage you along the way. This prayer in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 is a good prayer for all of us: "Father, cause Your Word to spread rapidly and be glorified! No glory for me, my church or this ministry; but to You alone be all the glory!" If that is truly the cry of our heart, then we can trust that He will be at work so these desires are fulfilled. Praise the Lord!
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass." Psalms 37:4-5
As usual, there are several prayer requests and praise reports mentioned below. In one of the photo captions you can read Brother Raju's testimony about the Lord moving on the hearts of some of the children. This is by far our greatest desire for the children, more than helping with education, medication, food, etc., to see them walking faithfully with JESUS, and bringing glory unto Him throughout their lives.
Praise the Lord for another large donation given for our widows, which brings us above $30,000 in extra donations for 2024 ministry to the widows & elderly. This is in addition to the usual giving of faithful donors throughout the year. Lord willing, we are now able to run the widows & elderly ministry without as much financial restraint for the remainder of 2024. Thank You Lord!
Continue to pray for the children's ministry. Many requests are there to help more children with school expenses, but we're holding off for now. There are other needs among the children and their families which will require more support in the coming days, so the Lord wants us to put more emphasis on that at this time. The Lord is faithful, and we are trusting Him to lead us always. We have finished updating the RHM website recently, including the photo gallery through 2023. Click onto the "RHM Website" link above to see.
Bless you always for your prayers and support!
Brother Dan
"So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Galatians 6:10
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ABOVE: This group of 10 boys and 10 girls are 20 of the 22 children we sponsored this year in one particular school. We feel like all of them are doing better academically than in previous years. Most of them were studying in the government schools with low academic standards, so it's been a challenge for many of them to adjust to a private school. But they have done well by the Lord's grace.
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ABOVE: This is the 10th grade children standing with the principal. The 10th grade is a major milestone in education in their part of India. If they don't pass all their subjects in the 10th final exams, they cannot advance to 2 years of "intermediate studies", essentially the same as the junior and senior years in an American high school. From left: Johnbasha, Mahima, Nageena, Pinky. Today, the 27th, was the final day of their 10th exams. Pray for good results.
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ABOVE: This was Shiny's wedding day in 2020 with her new husband Paulson. Friends Rani and Amrutha are in the photo also. After their marriage, Shiny got pregnant, but had complications causing damage to her body. The doctors only gave her a 20% chance of getting pregnant again. She did get pregnant again and is now in her 4th or 5th month, but has had much pain. Please pray for Shiny!
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ABOVE: Sister Dayamani is the wife of a pastor named John. You might remember 13 year old Joy, a beautiful girl we were very attached to whose body died of diabetes-related problems in 2021. John and Dayamani are her parents. A friend was returning Dayamani home from a meeting on a motorcycle (John only having a bicycle). They had an accident, Dayamani falling off the bike and breaking her arm in two pieces. She was in terrible pain, but has had surgery and is recovering. Please pray for her.
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ABOVE: Sister Chandramma (part of our widows ministry) with her 2 grandchildren, Deborah and Vijay Kumar, after receiving monthly food. Their Daddy left in 2021, the mother and these children now with Chandramma. Pray for Chandramma, who will likely need cataract surgery in the near future.
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ABOVE: Nirmalamma is writing out what seems to be a Scripture (the first 2 words being "krupa" and "sathya", grace and truth) during literacy class in her village church. She has been battling with cancer for a long time, at least 2 years now. Please pray for Nirmalamma. |
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ABOVE: Soniya (left), little Kavya and Divya with their mother. Kavya could probably be called Brother Raju's little girl, as she has much love for him (and vice versa). Soniya is a very friendly and spiritual girl, loving to worship, hear His Word and pray in the meetings. We are beginning to see signs of Divya having some of the same desires. PTL. Please pray for Soniya, who has been having severe headaches in recent days. As of today, she is doing better, but we are trusting for total healing.
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ABOVE: Precious girls who went to Jyothi's home (Jyothi looking at the camera, sitting next to her father). This was just a couple of days ago, on the 25th. It was a school holiday, so Brother Raju took 9 girls to Jyothi's home for a time of prayer, singing, and hearing the Word.
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ABOVE: During a time of prayer at Jyothi's home, the Lord touched the hearts of several there. Brother Raju shares this testimony (I edited and condensed it somewhat): "The Holy Spirit led us deeply so that the children cried out to the Lord and they confessed their sins (4 children and Jyothi's mother). I never saw this kind of experience during our prayer times. I didn't hear the children asking for any blessing, but I recognized they were seeking God in the prayer. Today almost we were in prayer 55 minutes (some of the children on their knees the entire time) by the help of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for our children, that they will go deeper in seeking the Lord."
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ABOVE: Sister Ruth (part of our widows ministry) and her granddaughter when receiving some monthly rice for her and those staying in her home. Please pray for Ruth, too thin as you can see.
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ABOVE: Some of our widows and elderly who meet together in this church building behind them. Their pastors, Brother Samuel and his son Puthra are also in the photo. Brother Wesley leads our widows ministry in this area, and visits this place at least twice a month.
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ABOVE: Listening to a speaker in a recent meeting conducted on a weekly basis, gathering as many of the children, their relatives, our elderly and others as possible. We are very thankful, as most all (or all) these people, including the children, attend their own churches on Sunday morning, but also attend this meeting in the afternoon.
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ABOVE: Brother Bhaskara Rao often uses magic tricks to illustrate spiritual truth to the Sunday School children, which is what he is doing here in the village of Nandayapalem.
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ABOVE: Brother Wesley is sharing with widows and elderly in a village called Thunagunta. Wesley (also a pastor) travels more than an hour one way on his motorcycle to visit them and encourage them in the Lord. He does the same for 37 of the 43 widows & elderly he is involved with. The other 6 are members in his own church.
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ABOVE: Blessy, now 21 and having finished her 3rd year in college, was just given baptism by this pastor and his wife in the Bay of Bengal. She has truly been a blessing to us during the 3 or 4 years we have been helping her.
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ABOVE: This is Vidya and her older brother on her 17th birthday in early March. We do not support or sponsor her, but I have known Vidya since she was a little girl. We try to stay in touch with her now and then, and hope to impart some blessing into her life. On her birthday, the Lord gave us a very nice opportunity to share His Words to her and other family members and neighbors gathered in her home. If it comes to your mind, please pray for Vidya.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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