New Things Have Come
January 15, 2022 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Thankful for 2021, and full of anticipation for 2022. Just wish I was THERE; trusting Him to make a way in His time. Please pray for that. Because of a lack of time (extra load of record keeping these days), there will be no newsletter sent out in January. I'm sad about that, as many on our mailing list do not have email addresses that we are aware of.
Our 2021 Christmas Project went so well in December. It was amazing how the Lord provided the funds so quickly this time, and the brothers/pastors in India implemented all the Christmas programs, purchasing, distributing the gifts, etc. in a great way. We don't have all the numbers together at this time, but hopefully by the time we create the February newsletter, we can give a rundown of how those funds were spent. Praise the Lord!
2022 got off to a little bit of a rocky start, as our friend Jebaraj (a pastor in Chennai who has been a friend of the ministry for more than 20 years), his mother passed into eternity on the 1st. But the family has much comfort in the fact that she was a Godly and faithful woman for many years, and will surely have a great reward (1 Corinthians 15:58). Pray for the family's comfort. Bro. Wesley, who oversees part of the widows & elderly ministry, his father (also a pastor) is in the hospital now (photo below). Please pray for him.
Thanks to all those who gave extra donations toward the end of the year! Those extra funds are always so helpful for us. This time, those funds will especially be helpful as we start a new tailoring shop project this month. This is a totally new venture for this ministry, but we truly believe the Spirit is leading us in this. World Challenge sponsored the training of about 10 students to learn the tailoring skills. About 7 of those students are planning to work in our new tailoring shop. We're renting a building, and offering tailoring of various kinds to women and girls. In the India culture the tailoring shops are usually run entirely by men, the women tailors usually working from their homes. This shop may be a "first of its kind" in that area, which will give mothers and grandmothers a place to have their material stitched, and a place to bring their girls for the same thing. Pray for this new tailoring shop, which should begin by the end of January or first of February. RHM is funding this shop for a period of 6 months, with the goal that the shop will be able to stand on its own feet from that point forward.
An amazing thing that has happened: we asked you to pray for a pastor named John and his wife Dayamani, who lost their 13 year girl Joy to diabetes last April. With Christmas and her birthday within 3 days of each other, the end of December was a tough time for them. Somehow the president of World Challenge, Gary Wilkerson, saw this need and felt moved of the Lord that WC give a $10,000 "gift" to Bro. John to help him with the construction of a house/church on his small property! Hallelujah! $10,000 goes a whole lot further in India than it does America, so this may be sufficient to finish that construction. Pray for that work also, which hopefully will begin soon.
Scroll down to see some of what the Lord is doing in India, and how you can pray. Continue to pray also for the One Who "owns the cattle on a thousand hills", Who says, "the silver and gold are Mine" (Psalms 50:10; Haggai 2:8) to touch more hearts to give and to pray. It's not for our personal benefit, but for the purpose of healing more of the brokenhearted, comforting more who mourn, bringing more souls closer to GOD. It's all about Him, and His love being manifested on the earth.
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: Brother Wesley's father has had another "paralysis stroke", and is in the hospital. Last we heard from Wesley, he is doing a little better, recognizing people. Pray for this dear brother, a pastor for many years.
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ABOVE: We should honor those who have labored diligently in the kingdom. This is Brother Jebaraj's mother. We asked you to pray for her healing and peace last month. On January 1st, she passed out of this evil world. As Paul said in 2 Timothy 4, there is laid up for her a crown of righteousness which the Lord will give "to all who have loved His appearing."
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ABOVE: This is Divya, one of our tailoring students who was taught how to sew last year. She is one of perhaps 6 or 7 girls/young women who are supposed to start working in the new tailorong shop soon. Please pray for the Lord's blessing upon that work, and that He will be glorified through it. |
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ABOVE: Brother John and his wife Dayamani. We had asked you to pray for them in December's newsletter, as this is the first Christmas for them since their daughter Joy (their only child) passed away in April from diabetes complications. Joy's 14th birthday also would have been on the 28th. The Lord touched the hearts of WC leaders, and has blessed them with funds to help with the construction of their home & church. Here they are singing in a Christmas celebration very near to their church location.
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ABOVE: Brother Peter (pastor on left) and Bro. Bhaskara Rao (children's minister on right) with precious children in Chilakala Colony after they received new Christmas gifts, all with Scriptures or Godly sayings.
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ABOVE: Brother Raju having literacy class with widows & elderly in Karlapalem. He is teaching them how to read, and how to navigate through the Bible.
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ABOVE: Deborah and her little brother, Vijay Kumar, after receiving new sweaters in December. Cute, cute, cute. New sweaters were given to 23 of the children we are ministering to. |
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ABOVE: Pavani (Raju's wife on the right) with a tribal family living near to one of the churches which we are doing ministry with. This family's Dad has 2 wives and at least 8 children. The woman in the middle is one of the wives, but she didn't give birth to all of these children. She helps to care for some of the other mother's children. Pray with us for their salvation. Precious and needy children. |
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ABOVE: This is Rani just after being baptized. She and her older sister, Amrutha, both took baptism on the same day, a very happy day for both of them. We are assisting Rani in her ministry to children (Sunday School classes, and daily tutoring of children in her village), Amrutha also helping sometimes.
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ABOVE: Precious Raja Kumari. She has been mostly on this cot for many months, her lungs daily filling with water. After months of treatment, scans and tests in 2 major hospitals, both she and her daughter are not wanting to try any further testing. By His amazing grace, her faith and hope in Christ is strong, and she has surrendered her life into the Father's Hands. She told us recently that the Lord spoke to her that He will take care of her children (she has another son), and that has brought her much peace.
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ABOVE: Vasantha Kumari is a sister whom we assist (the Lord through us) with monthly medicine for diabetes and thyroid problems. She somehow fell and injured her foot. She is in a needy position, living with her son, but he doesn't care for her very well. Her husband left and remarried years ago.
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ABOVE: Most of these people are part of Bro. John's congregation (Joy's Dad in a previous photo). Many of these people (especially the children) we are having many opportunities to minister to. Beautiful to see them looking at their Bibles as the Word of GOD is being shared. Praise the Lord!
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ABOVE: We are thankful to be able to help Kethan with taking keyboard lessons, his instructor on the right. Kethan's family has been such a blessing to my life personally. Their father has had some health problems for the last 14 years or so, and hasn't been able to work since then, so the Lord has brought us into their lives to help them. Our Father's love is being manifested in so many ways to the precious people we are involved with. Truly,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35
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ABOVE: Brother Raju sharing with the children in KB Palem after they had literacy class. These children live in a very backward tribal colony. Some of the children will attend school, but because of the adults' migrating habits to look for work, the children don't have any consistency in their education. And because the parents don't put any priority on education, the children are easily able to escape the responsibility of going to school.
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ABOVE: Our widow Kanikaramma after receiving a new blanket in November. Pray for our widows and elderly ministry. So many more we would like to help and minister to...
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ABOVE: Precious little children giving cake to Gani on his 12th birthday in November. Gani and his brother stay in a hostel, so most of their needs are met through that hostel when they are there. Occasionally, we help them with some extra clothes, shoes or other items when needed. We've known them for years, so want to stay connected with them, and are helping their mother who is in bad health.
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ABOVE: Brother Raju with Johnbasha on his shoulders. Very thankful for Raju, his wife Pavani, Bro. Prasanth and others who have a real love for the people, and real desire to bring them closer to JESUS. Each month Raju & Pavani are taking a group of the children the Lord has us assisting on some kind of outing in order to bond with them better.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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