Anticipating Miracles
February 22, 2023 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
"Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. Yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, he was able also to perform."
Romans 4:19-21
Though Abraham and Sarah were elderly and beyond the age of being able to have children, Abraham's faith actually grew stronger, and he was able to give glory to GOD, even before the answer came. In spite of many things taking place in our world that might try to discourage us, we need to remember the faith of Abraham. According to these Scriptures, he was "fully assured" that the Lord was not only "able" to give them the ability to have a baby, but he would also "perform" it. May we continue to believe the Lord to do wonders in and through our lives and the lives of others in these last days.
Some updates & prayer requests: Baji had his liver transplant about 11 days ago. His wife Navya donated part of her liver for Baji. Navya came out of ICU a few days ago, but Baji is still there. Both seem to be progressing well, for which we praise the Lord! Pray for their continued healing, and for the Lord to do a miracle in their financial situation, as their family has taken loans to pay for most of this. RHM is helping them with rent and food, as the doctors have told them they must stay near to the hospital for followup treatments for the next 6 months, especially Baji.
Chanti had a hysterectomy a couple of weeks ago, which also had some dangerous growths attached. She's now with her mother, along with Chanti's son, and she seems to be doing well. Please pray for another precious sister (we won't give her name for obvious reasons) who just had one of her breasts removed because of cancer. She is recovering. Thank you so much to those of you who pray for the requests we share with you.
We now have about 40 children whom we try to visit with and minister to on a weekly basis, the great majority helping with their education or whatever needs they might have. Altogether, we have 65 children whom we are involved with to varying degrees (we may not be able to see them often, but RHM is sometimes assisting them financially). I searched through their profiles and came up with this info about their backgrounds:
The number of children who are living with both parents, but there's poverty: 21
Children whose parents both died (all living with a grandmother): 3
Children abandoned by both parents: 2
Children who had one parent die, and the other left them: 3
Children who live with one parent, and the other parent died: 15
Children who live with one parent, but the other parent abandoned the home: 21
We are so thankful for all 65 of these children, and the opportunity the Lord has given us (via your prayers and giving) to love them and plant seeds of His life and Word into their hearts. We are trusting (and asking you to pray) for ALL of their salvations, and for ALL of them to be useful in His kingdom in the coming years.
Please scroll down for precious photos & captions of the work in India. There is much information within these captions about what the Lord is doing in India via this ministry and through your donations and prayers.
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: Vimalamma is one of our widows for whom we're planning to help build a better home in the next 2 or 3 months. Her husband passed about 4 years ago.
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ABOVE: Below is Bullamayi, about 80 years old (but not sure if anyone knows her age correctly). Her husband died around 2011. She has 3 sons, but they are not able or willing to care for her. One of the sons is a good believer in the same church she attends, but has some health problems and many family problems. He lives very near to her, but is not able to work and provide much for her. She receives a "pension" benefit from the govt, which the govt provides for most of the widows in her state of Andhra Pradesh. RHM helps her with medical expenses when needed, and built a new hut for her in 2020. She is completely deaf. She came to the Lord around 1998, and is faithful to attend the prayers. |
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ABOVE: Chanti (below with her son, Paul, and a relative named Akshaya). Chanti had a hysterectomy, which some doctors were not willing to do, saying she was a high-risk case. The surgery seemed to go well; she was in ICU one day, then moved to another room. She seems to be recovering well at this time. This month we have started helping Akshaya (left) with medication and food. She previously had seizures, but now is doing much better.
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ABOVE: Sister Pavani is singing a song with elderly in the village of Alluru. She and her husband, Marthababu, go once a week to conduct literacy classes with the elderly (and whoever else comes) in 5 different villages. In one other tribal village, they have literacy classes for children. Usually, before or after the literacy class, they will have a time of prayer, singing and sharing the Word.
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ABOVE: Brother Raju is sharing the Lord with 2 mothers and their boys. The mother on the left, Bharathi, is part of the widows' ministry, and the other mother, Karimun, is receiving help with food and rent. The 2 boys, Arun (left) and Johnbasha (whom we call Johnny) are part of the children's ministry. We've seen both families go from a place of hopelessness and discouragement, unto a place of hope and finding purpose in their lives. We praise GOD for Raju, his wife Pavani, Bro. Marthababu and his wife Pavani, these 2 couples doing the children's ministry.
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ABOVE: Brother Raju's wife, Pavani, is sharing JESUS with 2 twin girls, Mary (right) and Martha, and their mother, Shivangi. Shivangi's husband (the children's father) died of Covid in 2020. There's also an older son and his wife who are living with the family in this small 2 room house.
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ABOVE: Brother Marthababu is praying with Nageena, Sameera, little Vamsi and Poojitha in their nearby church. The Lord has truly given us 4 people (2 married couples) who connect really well with the children. Praise the Lord!
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ABOVE: Marthababu's wife, Pavani (both Raju & Marthababu's wives' names are Pavani), is praying with Sisters Rangamma (the grandmother of these 2 children) and her daughter Muthyalu in their little village. Please pray for the men of this village, as some of the women and children attend the prayers, but the only man who comes is Muthyalu's young married son.
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ABOVE: Three of the girls we are involved with took baptism a couple of months ago. The pastor on the right, Bro. Benjamin, is talking to Mahima (14) before giving her baptism. Two sisters, Suma and Sowmya, are to the left. It was a glorious day seeing these children taking this decision to be baptized.
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ABOVE: These are 4 of 11 children in their family! Poojitha enjoyed her birthday celebration so much, the first time anyone has made a cake or had a function on her birthday. No one in her tribal family even knows when their birthday is, so we picked a day for her, December 29th (don't know her correct age, but probably 10 or 11). These 3 boys are the only boys among the 11 children, all the rest girls. Of all this family (having a father, 2 mothers and living in 2 huts near to the church), Poojitha is the only one who is faithful to attend regularly, having a desire to learn about Christ. Praise the Lord! These boys all come to Sunday School sometimes.
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ABOVE: This is Sudhakar (maybe 11 years old), a child whom we're helping with monthly meds. He is mentally impaired, but otherwise seems to be in good health. His mother died of Covid in 2021, and the father abandoned him and his older brother after the mother died. Sister Ratna Kumari (one of our widows) is his grandmother, so Sudhakar is staying with her. Please pray for Ratna Kumari, as it is a huge challenge for her (more than 60) to care for this boy. He's not able to attend school, mostly doesn't talk, and cannot comprehend very well. Pray for a miracle for him.
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ABOVE: A sweet family the Lord has led us to assist with some of their educational needs. Brother Raju is on the left, the 5 children's Daddy on the back. He's an electrician, but had an accident a few years ago and broke his leg; he also has diabetes. While he was mostly bedridden for many months, the family took loans for their survival. Now he is working again, but they are still struggling financially. The girls are in the 11th, 10th and 8th grades, the boys in the 5th and 3rd grades.
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ABOVE: Johnny (left, 14) and Abhishek (9). Both are without a father, but the Lord is using Bro. Raju in Johnny's life, and Bro. Marthababu in Abhishek's life. It's beautiful to see how the boys are interacting with these Brothers, whom the Lord is using as mentors and big brothers in the boys' lives. So much needed!
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ABOVE: Srujan (14) when we went on an excursion to Vijayawada. He tried to stay on, but this bull is slick, fast, and there's nowhere for Srujan to keep his feet! Needless to say, Srujan didn't stay on very long, but he had a great time, and we all had a good laugh.
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ABOVE: There was a grassy area in the same park where Srujan rode the bull in the previous photo. His mother is the Sister 2nd from left. Here she, both Pavanis and some girls are singing to the Lord when we all sat down and had a time of devotion.
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ABOVE: This photo was taken at a tourist spot in a mountainous area. Bro. Raju is with a pastor named Abraham and his wife, Sarah. Abraham is a pastor whom we've been giving a small amount of assistance after radical unbelievers closed his church and drove him out of their village. Now he and some believers are meeting in his rented apartment, the 3 girls and 1 boy to the right all part of his congregation.
"GOD be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His Face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations." Psalms 67:1-2
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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