A Refuge from the Storm
August 13, 2022 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
“For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat. For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4
What a beautiful Scripture! All over the world, "the blast of the terrible ones" (the powers of darkness and those they work through) "is as a storm against the wall." The pain, fear, discouragement and lies of the enemy are so real, and it beats against the minds and hearts of GOD's people as this raging storm pounds against a wall. But praise His Name, that our Lord is "a Refuge from the storm"! For those who put their trust and hope in Him, He becomes a Hiding Place from all the stuff that this world and the god of this world will try to throw against us (Psalms 32:7).
For the most part, these are the people the Lord has given us to care for. Most people in India take care of their elderly and have their basic needs met, but a percentage do not, as in perhaps most countries of the world. The state of India where we do most of the ministry (about the size of Nevada or Colorado) has more than 50 million people. If 5% are struggling to have food to eat, cannot educate their children, their widow's pensions aren't enough to sustain them, etc., that's 2.5 million people in need. These are the ones the Lord has given us, and we rejoice in the opportunity to serve them, and more importantly, in being able to share JESUS with them. He is a living Hope, even in the darkest times, when the storms are beating against our hearts. Hallelujah!
One mistake from the July update: I mentioned that "it takes about $2,000 or more a month to do the children's minstry." This was an estimate, but when running the figures more in depth, a more correct figure would be about $2,000 or less a month, which includes education, medical help, food, village ministry, salaries for those working with the children, everything. The cost of educating the children we're involved with is $850-900 a month. These estimates are assuming the exchange rates stay about the same as they are now.
Keep us in your prayers. Pray for me, scheduled to return to India in late September. Scroll down for precious photos & captions of the work in India.
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: Brother Raju must have said something funny during Bible study. This was during a birthday function for Kavya, the little 5 year old in the pink dress on the left.
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ABOVE: Brother Marthababu and his wife Pavani are now helping us in the ministry, working both with children and the elderly. Here they are praying for Kumar, Sonal, Padma and little Rupki. Beautiful to see Rupki learning how to pray! If you'll notice, the girl in the green dress, Padma, has a large growth on her back. It doesn't seem to be giving her problems at the time. Eventually we need to get it checked out.
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ABOVE: I really like this photo! Boys and I are in a bus on the return journey from Hyderabad.
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ABOVE: Brother Wesley giving an audio Bible (works with a battery) to Abraham in the village of Thunagunta. Sixteen of these Bibles are being distributed to our widows & elderly, those who were interested, in Wesley's area of ministry. Most or all of them are illiterate, so we hope they will be very useful.
"How sweet are Your Words to my taste, yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Psalms 119:103
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ABOVE: Pavani is seeing how many in her widows & elderly literacy class can write the Scriptures. The sister in the forefront of the photo, her slate says "Yehova na Kapari" in Telegu ("Jehovah is my Shepherd." Psalms 23:1). The Telegu Bible usually uses Jehovah instead of "Lord" in the Old Testament.
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Brother Hanock is praying for Moses, one of our members on the RHM elderly list (he is married). Moses has paralysis from a stroke. Thank the Lord that we were able to provide him with a new ceiling fan, mosquito mesh on his windows, a portable toilet seat, and a door for his room. PTL!
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ABOVE: Wonderful to see young boys worshipping the Lord. Most all of them seemed to be entering in, as other photos show them crying out to Him. This was our July monthly meeting with the children and elderly we're involved with.
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ABOVE: Touches my heart, because much prayer is ascending to the Throne in behalf of these children. He is faithful to do a true work in their hearts! Thanking Him for His work in the adults as well.
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ABOVE: A poor quality photo, but a very sweet family who has gone through so much pain in their lives. The mother, Deevana, is with her 15 year old Hannah (left), and twins Samuel & Esther. When the children's father left the family when the children were small, he tried to kill them all through "black magic". This is before this family came to JESUS, and all of them went insane. The older girl had a serious problem (which she still struggles with sometimes) of not eating and cutting herself. Within the last year or 2 this family became connected with Brother Abraham, a pastor we are affiliated with. Over a course of about 6 months all of them found deliverance in Christ. Hallelujah! Pray for this family, especially for Hannah, that they will walk close with Him. We are assisting the twins with their education.
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ABOVE: Brother Raju and his wife Pavani (both women in the children's ministry are named Pavani) took these precious tribal children to get ice cream, a very special time for them. The Lord is using RHM to help their families with food (hopefully that will continue after this month), and 3 of the children with education.
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ABOVE: Sravani (14) is leading these Sunday School children in prayer in the village of Devuni Manyam. Brother Bhaskara Rao (a children's minister we assist financially) also comes here once or twice a month to help with their Sunday School class.
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ABOVE: This is the school where we are sponsoring 19 of our children with their education. We're very thankful for the principal, who also has compassion for the poor children and said he would give any of our children a discount.
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ABOVE: A new school bag (backpack) being given to Sirisha, now in the 10th grade, the highest grade in this school. This is one of Sirisha's teachers giving the bag.
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ABOVE: Another teacher is giving a new school bag to young Sonal. He may be about 7 years old, but is in "lower kindergarten" (they have 2 levels of KG) because he never has had proper schooling previously. The principal is standing on the left.
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ABOVE: Five year old Deborah in her school uniform. She and her little brother are on our children's list, their father abandoning the family for another woman over 2 years ago. Her grandmother is on our widows' list.
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ABOVE: Precious sisters, 9 year old Yesu Meri on the right, and 6 year old Sukanya. Their mother died when Sukanya was a baby, and then their Dad left. Their great grandmother is on our widows' list. They and Deborah attend a government school (we would call it "public school"). The chances of getting a good education there are very slim.
"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of GOD." Mark 10:14
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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