Christmas, Widows & Elderly
October 31, 2024 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
"We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work." John 9:4
The "night" could represent different things, but certainly it represents a time when we are no longer able to do what He has called us to do. For us, this could mean the day of our physical death, or it could be the return of Christ, or it could be an event that alters our abilities to serve the Lord as we are accustomed to doing. Whatever the "night" might mean to each of us individually, we know that our life in this world is very short, and we need to serve Him while we have the chance. Galatians 6:10 instructs us,
"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."
I'm really not trying to have the monthly update out on the last day of the month, but it seems that's the way it is working out recently. I just got back last night from being in Virginia with my precious daughter and family, so am trying to catch up.
Christmas is coming up, which is always an exciting time for ministry in India. Last year we asked for $3,500 to help us with various Christmas projects/ministry, and $4,600 was given. Praise the Lord! This year we are asking for $3,000 to $3,500 to help us with ministry, gifts for children, special meetings and bonuses to encourage those who are carrying out the actual ministry. Please pray about this.
As you might remember, our main sponsor for the widows ministry stopped their commitment to RHM in 2023. Thankfully, that same ministry did decide to bless us with $10,000 for the widows ministry early this year. That donation, along with so many others, have helped us to continue with the widows & elderly ministry without making more drastic budget cuts. Please pray about making a donation for our widows & elderly ministry, which will help us during 2025 to continue helping our elderly (also some younger widows with children, and a few handicapped) with monthly support for some of them, some extra food for some, and helping them with medical expenses.
As I shared with you last month, I encourage you to go regularly to our RHM Facebook page, which is called "RHM Matthew 25:34-36". We try to do 15-20 blog posts a month on our website (link is at the top of this update), covering the different aspects of the ministry, and then we post these onto Facebook. I previously would post these blog posts onto my personal Facebook page, but for security reasons I stopped doing that. But since we made that change, it seems that very few people are actually seeing the posts. Please pray about bookmarking our blog page or our Facebook page, and share it with others as the Lord leads. As the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind", and so if we can somehow inspire more people to view the posts, then by our Father's grace more people may become interested to support and pray for this ministry.
Please see and read the photos & captions below. These captions always give you things that you can pray for, as well as rejoice with us for what the Lord is doing in the lives of our precious Indian friends.
Thank you ALWAYS for your love, prayers and support! Bless you.
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 11 year old girl, Praisy Rachel, is a pastor's daughter. The pastor is an acquaintance of Brother Prasanth's from the city of Tenali. We don't support her, but have compassion for her. Praisy has a disease called Wilson's Disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes a buildup of copper in the body, especially in the liver, brain, and eyes. We don't know if the doctors are giving proper treatment, but from the beginning of taking medication she has had complications. Her father (the pastor) recently had heart surgery, and they have struggled financially to maintain needed medication and testing. Please pray for Praisy Rachel, and feel free to help her financially. If any donations are given we'll get the funds into her parents' hands for her care.
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ABOVE: This widower is Bhaskara Rao, whom RHM assists with monthly food, as well as medical reimbursement when he has any medical expenses. His wife, Krupamma, had severe diabetes and lost both of her legs above the knee due to that disease. She passed in 2021. Bhaskara Rao definitely misses her, as he has not been mentally the same since she's been gone.
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ABOVE: During some special meetings conducted during the Dasara holidays (a Hindu festival, usually in October), some of our youth stayed at the church during those 3 or 4 days. These 6 girls (I think there were more also) stayed in one church, while some boys stayed in a different church. Most likely the girls are here cutting vegetables early in the morning, preparing for the lunch meal.
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ABOVE: Some of the boys who stayed in the church during the special meetings, having some Bible reading and meditation early in the morning.
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ABOVE: Having a time of prayer together in the church one morning during the holidays. Some or all of these girls stayed in the church the entire 3 or 4 days that meetings were going on.
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ABOVE: Having a time of worship and praise.
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ABOVE: This brother at the keyboard was a special guest and speaker during some of the holiday time. During the day, a morning meeting was held, and in the evening outdoor Gospel (evangelistic) meetings were conducted.
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ABOVE: This meeting with boys was conducted in the morning before lunch. In the afternoon they went to the beach together. Brother Prasanth is sharing with them. About half of these boys and youth are ones that RHM is assisting in some way, and visiting their homes on a regular basis.
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ABOVE: Same thing as the boys, a morning prayer/service time (the girls meeting conducted in a house), and then to the beach. More than 20 of the girls who attended (many of them not in the photo) are ones whom your donations are helping in some way. Such a beautiful backdrop!
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ABOVE: Sisters Divya and Kavya (11 and 8) at the beach, a beautiful rainbow behind them.
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ABOVE: Sister Rangamma, perhaps the first person in her poor village to accept Christ, with some of her grandchildren. Now there are at least 3 other adults who have come to JESUS, with children and occasionally other adults attending meetings conducted nearby.
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ABOVE: Precious boys and youth (and 2 little relatives or neighbors) are with Brother Marthababu and his wife Pavani on Arun's 15th birthday earlier in October (Arun the 3rd older boy from the left). Marthababu and Pavani are working fulltime in our children's ministry. When they first started a couple of years ago, they were shy and inexperienced, but they have done really well, and the children and youth love them.
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ABOVE: Previously RHM was connected with a ministry called Morning Star, which is in the India state of Orissa (now called Odisha). I met these girls when they were very little at the Morning Star girls home. By the Lord's providence, these 3 girls are now studying in a nursing college in Chirala, which is only 10-15 miles from where much of our ministry is located. We don't get to visit them often (rules of their college), but are thankful that we do get to visit them occasionally. This occasion was on Deepa's 20th birthday, Deepa the girl on the right. The other 2 are Sibani (left) and Leya, Deepa's older sister.
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ABOVE: Children in the village of Kondubotlavaripalem (KB Palem for short), having Sunday School in their church. This is one of 5 villages were our friend Bhaskara Rao is helping us out with Sunday School ministry.
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ABOVE: Three precious sisters doing their homework, all of them very close to all the brothers and sisters who are working in the children's ministry. From left are Kavya (8), Divya (11) and Soniya (14), who live with their single mother. Kavya and Divya are the girls in the previous photo with the rainbow.
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ABOVE: A group of girls with Marthababu and Pavani. Brother Raju (taking the picture) also went, all of them going to the house of Jyothi, the girl to the far left next to her mother in the red. Jyothi lives in a town about 2 hours away from where all the others live, so the trips to see her are special for everyone.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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