Rescuing the Weak and Needy
September 13, 2021 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
"Defend the poor and fatherless. Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalms 82:3-4
The above Scriptures are part of His calling upon RHM in India, to try and bring protection, justice, and deliverance to the poor and oppressed. Here's a couple of examples:
1. It's amazing how some of the people with the highest salaries in India, government employees, are often the most corrupt. Many, not all, use their positions of authority to demand bribes (perhaps better labeled as extortion, I'm not sure) from the poor. Several, if not many, of our elderly, widows and handicapped fall into that category. Because of the officials' demands for extra money, or wrong information given on their birth certificates, govt identification cards, etc., they never are able to get the benefits they are lawfully entitled to (such as a widow's pension, old age pension, or handicapped pension). Though a small amount compared to America, still it's a lot for them. Lord willing, we are planning to begin making efforts to change this situation later this month. We have a couple of brothers (pastors) who will be going to the officials to put some pressure on them to do the necessary paperwork and give the benefits they need. Corruption often prevails against the poor simply because they have no one to help them.
2. We have a couple of young widows, both about 35 years old, whose husbands both died with Covid. They both have 2 children and were in a state of hopelessness when the Lord brought us into their lives. Sunitha was swallowed up in debt which her husband had accumulated, and she had no means to pay the debtors who were beginning to hound her. Shivangi had been electrocuted in 2017 and hasn't been able to work much since that time (you can see Shivangi and her 16 yr old twin girls in photos below). It has been such a blessing to see how the Lord has slowly been changing the countenances of these families since our involvement, and drawing them closer to Himself. Hallelujah!
Pray for an increase of donations, so we can help more of the broken like those mentioned above. Simply put, the more we have, the more we can do. No pressure, just pray that He will touch hearts according to His will. He is merciful and faithful!
Scroll down to see some of what the Lord is doing through your giving and prayers. For those who are not aware, we have a Blog on our RHM website where we try to make about 15 posts or so a month. Most of these same updates also go to our "RHM/Dan" Facebook page. 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: Shivangi is the mother (blue dress on the right), her twin girls Mary (green dress) and Martha with her. Though you can only see part of the house, the rest is basically the same: no permanent walls, only pieces of cloth, tarps, whatever they could find to gradually make their own "walls". We have no idea why there is a door there. Since this photo was taken in mid-August, now we have placed a temporary mat (or mesh) all the way around the home to make it more secure. Lord willing, we hope to start constructing walls with cement bricks soon. They also have no electricity, and their outside bathroom is not enclosed. These things also, we hope to have completed within the next 2 or 3 weeks.
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ABOVE: This was the first time I had seen Mary (left) and Martha smile. Their bicycles were rusted, so the mother didn't know how the girls would be able to go to school (she didn't have money to pay for any kind of transportation), but the Lord provided for them through your donations. They started their 11th grade classes last week. Praise the Lord!!
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ABOVE: This sister's name is Subbamma. A long story behind this, but Subbamma began being drawn to Christ early this year after the death of her son in an electrical accident. She began coming to our literacy classes in her village, Brother Raju leading. Raju and Bro. Prasanth both knew that she could not hardly hear anything, so they had to get close to her and speak loud in order to communicate. As she slowly began to learn GOD's Word and pray for herself, suddenly she came to Raju and testified as to how the Lord had healed her ears. Now they are able to talk normally with her. Hallelujah! Raju testified that neither he nor Prasanth had laid hands on her and prayed. Only the Word of GOD healed her!
"He sent His Word and healed them..." Psalms 107:20 |
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ABOVE: Precious Raja Kumari, whom we love so much, a young widow (about 52). She was healed of cancer, then developed water in her lungs, the catheter draining the fluid from her lungs. Doctors first concluded that it was not a heart problem. Then she was under treatment and tests, searching for cancer for months, to no avail. The cancer hospital thought that she might have TB (tuberculosis). She stayed at the TB hospital for more than a month, and they also couldn't find the cause for the fluid. She has been suffering for more than 6 months, losing much weight. It seems they have now found some meds which have increased her appetite. She stays at home, as she and her family have lost all hope in the doctors. Pray for a miracle from the Great Physician, the ultimate Healer of ALL sickness.
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ABOVE: Brother Prasanth, leading this group in a time of prayer and worshipping the Lord. This photo is from January of this year. We had started having meetings once a month in a central location so that many of the people we're involved with could attend. Because of Covid, we had to stop the meetings, but hope to start them again soon.
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ABOVE: Sister Bharathi, part of our widows ministry, her husband dying of HIV. She also has bad health, weak and not able to work much at all. This photo is showing her home after building new walls and stone flooring, and hanging a new door. It's so much safer now for her and her 11 year old son from people, snakes & rats.
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ABOVE: The young woman on the left is Teja (24), whom we assisted as she got married to Srikanth (right) in April. Long story, but really it was the hand of the Lord that brought these 2 together. This photo was taken on the opening day of their new medical clinic, Srikanth an RMP (registered medical practitioner). Teja will likely be at the clinic more than her husband, as he goes to people's homes to give them treatment or checkups. We're confident she will be a good witness for the Lord. Pray for the success of their new clinic, and for their ability to share with others about JESUS.
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ABOVE: Sunday School class in a place called Chilakala ("parrots", although there are few or no parrots there at this time; maybe in days gone by). They normally meet in this verandah (porch) area outside their church because it's less hot on the porch than inside the church. This is one of 9 different villages where RHM funds are used to help with the children's ministry. |
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ABOVE: Brother Bhaskara Rao leading Sunday School in an ST ("scheduled tribe" in the India caste system) village we call Madala. This was a rainy day, the class even having to shift locations at one point to get out of the rain.
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ABOVE: Children praying in a little village we call the Karlapalem ST Colony, only 5 or 6 families in this village. Please pray for these families and precious children. We don't know what will happen in the future, as they don't have their own land, but the govt is currently giving them permission to stay by the roadside. They are very near to one of a pastor friend's church, so it has been a great opportunity to share Christ with them. Some of the mothers, one young man and children are attending the church.
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ABOVE: Precious little ones in KB Palem, learning how to pray during Sunday School being conducted by Brother Bhaskara Rao.
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ABOVE: Tuition class on Rani's verandah (porch), "tuition" the common word in their part of India; we might say "tutoring" here in America. We give some help to Rani as she ministers to her village children in these tuition classes, and also Sunday School each week.
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ABOVE: This mother, Nagendramma, was forced to marry before she had reached puberty, maybe 10 or 11 years old at the time. Not able to have children for many years, her first boy was born when she was about 33 (he turns 13 in a few days). This is her 2nd boy in the photo, Jaison (7). Her husband was a drunkard and very abusive. Because of the beatings, she has some health problems, especially headaches, so isn't able to work much. Her husband died less than a year ago, leaving her with several thousands of dollars of debt. She has much more hope in her life after the Lord brought us to help her. Pray for Nagendramma and her 2 boys, Jone & Jaison.
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ABOVE: Subbulamma (Subbu) is part of our widows & elderly ministry. The photo is reflective of the pain she has experienced over the last year or more. Her son has made many problems for her, causing her to be without her own home (Lord willing, we'll be building her a new hut next month). She's also a diabetic. Her sugar levels seem to be under control, so she should be having a cataract surgery soon on one of her eyes. Pray for Subbu.
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ABOVE: A precious family we're doing ministry with, part of a small tribal colony. The older woman is the grandmother of these children, and because their parents are alcoholics, she and her other daughter give most of the care for these children. Pray for these beautiful children.
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ABOVE: Clockwise from top left is Bhargavi, a great caregiver for her mother, Raja Kumari (4th photo from the top). Next to Bhargavi is Pavani, Brother Raju's wife who is now doing children's ministry with Raju; then there's Divya, her younger sister Sandhya, then the 2 little ones Bhavana & Bhavya. Bhavya (front left) is a child the Lord has us helping. Divya & Sandhya we're assisting with edcuational needs. This photo was taken on Sandhya's 18th birthday. She was soooooo happy!
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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