Bread in the Midnight Hour
September 7, 2022 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
The disciples had requested in Luke 11:1,
"Lord, teach us to pray". Part of His answer to them came in the form of a parable in Verses 5-8,
“Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”
For RHM, we are now finding ourselves in a very unusual position which we have perhaps never been in: a position of literally running out of money in the bank. It's a combination of donations being down a little bit from last year at this same time, and our zeal to help more people. In other words, we have expanded ministry (more children and families in need), so have spent more than what is available. As I've said many times before, we are so thankful for every donor and person who is praying for this ministry. No one is to blame but me, as ultimately I am making the decisions to attempt to help more people when the funds are not there. It's been a great soul-searching time (as we're instructed in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14), but also a time of humbling, realizing that there must be times when I've truly thought I heard His Voice, but apparently didn't. Though it's a dark and painful time, we're trusting in the Promise of Verse 8, that He will open the door so that more "bread" (physical & spiritual provision) can be given to those in need.
Pray with us, and for us, and for those who are being affected as we downsize ministry among the people wherever it is possible. Pray also that the Father will grant us His wisdom in the future, where to spend and where not to spend, according to the desire of His Heart. The needs and opportunities of ministry are endless, but He hasn't handed us a blank check to do ministry with. So we need His direction.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, and I will counsel you with My Eye upon you." Psalms 32:8
Pray for Santhi Kumari, a pastor's wife who is having a surgery this Friday to remove a cancerous tumor from her lungs, that the tumor will be successfully removed, and that the cancer will not spread. Pray also for a few of our children who have fevers, colds, and some having chicken pox. There has been much rain over the last 2 or 3 months, this being what they call the "wet monsoon" in India. The rains could continue off and on into November or December. Most of December through the early part of June is usually dry.
Pray for me, scheduled to return to India in late September, planning to be there until the 3rd week or so of January. If any feel led to help with expenses while I'm there, it's greatly appreciated. I am hoping in the Lord for a more long-term visa (now on a tourist visa). Considering our current financial situation and the needs of the people, I don't feel peace about spending so much money for traveling to & from India more than once a year, even though it is my own money being spent. That money could be used to help the needy.
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 Wesley's son, Sunny, giving a "Talking Bible" (Bible on audio, run by batteries) to Chandraiah and his wife Thirupamma in the village of Kothapeta. They are illiterate, so we hope this will be a blessing for them.
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ABOVE: One of our widows, Naomi, at the doctor's office. Naomi has a serious diabetic problem. When we became involved with her in early 2021, on the same day her big toe was amputated, her husband died in the same hospital (he also a severe diabetic).
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ABOVE: Sister Ruth, one of our supported widows, praying at the beginning of Sunday School in the village of Nandayapalem. One of the village teens leads this Sunday School, and at least once a month another Brother in the Lord comes to help out.
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ABOVE: Chanti and her son, Paul, both with HIV. The boy's Daddy died with AIDS. Pray for Chanti, sometimes having various side effects from the HIV.
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ABOVE: Pavani (right) is leading literacy class for the elderly in Alluru. She has her Bible open, so is probably seeing how well they can write a Scripture.
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ABOVE: For those of you who can remember this, one of our widow's husband died with Covid in 2020. She, her son Prem and 2 daughters, Mary and Martha, were living in a home without walls, electricity, flooring, etc. It was pitiful. Now they have all of those things, and just recently the plastering was completed. Praise the Lord! |
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ABOVE: Little Prem Kumari (deaf girl on the left) and her brother Vijay Babu are 2 of the children we help as they have need. Their mother committed suicide after the father abandoned the family, so they live with their grandparents (in photo), great grandparents and an aunt. We are still giving them a much smaller amount of food via a benevolence fund provided by World Challenge.
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ABOVE: Some of the children we help with education expenses. This photo was taken in August, shortly after their uniforms were completed. Precious children! There are many more children than this in the school, but these are the ones we are involved with.
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ABOVE: These 2 girls, Sirisha (left) and Prasanna, are sisters and also attend the same school as the above children. Sirisha is in 10th grade, and Prasanna in 9th.
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ABOVE: A teacher giving a new school bag to Sai in July. Sai's parents are both alive, and he lives with them most of the time. The mother has some mental issues, and the father is an alcoholic. Sai is in the 8th grade.
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ABOVE: Worshipping the Lord during our monthly gathering in July. Some are sitting in chairs or on the floor, but there's about 20-30 of our widows & elderly in this meeting, as well as 20 or more of our children whom we assist through your donations.
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ABOVE: Three children from the village of Sathya Narayana singing a song in Sunday School. Not sure the boy's name, but the 2 girls are on our children's list, Sukanya (left) and Yesu Meri. Their mother passed, and the Daddy left. They live with the grandmother and great grandmother.
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ABOVE: Precious children who went with us to Hyderabad in May, along with one of their Sunday School teachers. This was taken at the Nehru Zoological Park (that's what it says above in the Telugu language). Pray for the girl on the left in the green, Sameera. She's had bleeding from her ear, and asked us to pray.
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ABOVE: Another Sunday School class, this one in the village of Chilakala Colony. I like how the children are being brought up in this village, as many of their parents are faithful to attend the services regularly and are teaching the children in a Godly way.
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ABOVE: Obviously, one of our children's ministry leaders said something funny, as the children are having a good time. On the back row on the right is the mother and her 3 daughters who live in this home; the other children are all neighbors who join in with the singing and lessons. The two younger ladies on the back left are both named Pavani, they and their husbands leading our children's ministry. Please pray for the Lord's blessing upon this children's ministry.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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