Sowing in Tears, July RHM Update

Right Hand Ministries
RHM: PO Box 12385 Oklahoma City, OK 73157 rhmforhim@gmail.com

Sowing in Tears

July 1, 2023 Update

Dear RHM Friends,

Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.

"Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalms 126:5-6

This is a beautiful Promise from the Bible. The "seed" is the Word of GOD. As believers, our desire should be to share His Word wherever we go and whenever we have opportunity, "carrying his bag of seed" (carrying the Word of GOD in our hearts). What is the "weeping" about? It stems from the love of Christ which "compels us" and which should be "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (2 Corinthians 5:14; Romans 5:5). Many of us have knowledge of the Bible, but has that knowledge brought about the tears of love for souls, souls who are lost, hurting and on their way to hell? When we combine the knowledge and wisdom of GOD's Word within our hearts with the love of Christ which brings about tears and compels us to speak, then the power of His Spirit will work much more effectively through our witness. Let us pray, not just for the tears, but for the love which produces the tears, whether those tears are shed as we share, or as we pour out our hearts in prayer.

Please pray for us who are here in India, those who are personally involved with the people, the families, children, the elderly... Pray that we also will not just have knowledge of His ways, or even a passion to do ministry. But pray that we will have His love burning in our hearts, not a "love" which compromises with sin, but a love which results in the power of Christ working through us to set the captives free. "...and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of GOD." Ephesians 3:19

Pray for a young believer named Esther (maybe between 25-30 years old), who had some violent seizures less than 2 weeks ago. She apparently had some seizures when she was a small child, but hasn't had them for many years. She's not able to function as a mother and wife at this time, and it doesn't seem that the doctors have yet pinpointed the cause or solution. We know the Great Physician who is never in confusion, and we trust Him. Esther and her husband John live in a small village and have 2 young children.

We have shared with you about our situation concerning the widows & elderly ministry. We have been greatly blessed with a main sponsor for this ministry for the last 5 years. This year will be the final year that this sponsor will be assisting our elderly. In fact, their funds will probably be completely gone in late August or early September. We praise the Lord that a one-time donation of over $4,000 came in for the widows & elderly ministry, which is such an encouragement! Continue to pray for the "WE" ministry as we wait upon Him for new sponsors and direction for the future.

Please scroll down for precious photos and captions of the work in India, the majority in this update involving the children. 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

ABOVE: Elizabeth Rani (right) had a little baby boy on June 19th. Rani previously (before her marriage) helped us with a Sunday School class and tutoring some children after school hours. We feel that it is only our Father's grace that enabled her to give birth naturally, as she is not very strong, having a low blood count and general weakness in her body. We praise the Lord that both she and the baby are doing well. You can see that Prasad, the Daddy, is very happy about his little boy.

ABOVE: This is a precious Sunday School class in the village of Thunagunta, a more remote place where we have some elderly ministry being overseen by Brother Wesley, a pastor friend. The girl with the big smile (back row, 2nd from right) is the pastor's daughter and Sunday School teacher. Teja & Keerthi (girls top row, 2nd & 3rd from left) and Rishi (boy on the front row, left side) lost their Daddy more than a year ago from some kind of skin problem, so the Lord has used RHM (donors) to help them and their mother, Sister Latha.

ABOVE: A new academic year has begun, and so far we have 21 children in one particular school where the principal is giving some discount for our children (we are also assisting other children in different schools). This is the 10th grade students, the school having nursery through the 10th grade. The ones which RHM is sponsoring are Johnbasha (boy on the right), and the 3 girls next to him, Pinky, Mahima and Nageena.

ABOVE: This is the 9th grade students in the same school. Our children are Sai (farthest boy to the right) and all 3 of the girls: Sreeya, Nandini and Prasanna. Nandini is new to the school this year.

ABOVE: This is the 8th grade students. We have 2 girls in this class whom we sponsor, but Soniya was not well this day, so isn't in the photo. Our one girl in this class photo is Nanditha, 3rd girl from the right. Nanditha is also new to the school.

ABOVE: In one respect, this was a heartbreaking day, as Sister Dhanamma's body died a couple of weeks ago. She was such a precious woman, a pastor's wife whom so many loved. Many tears were shed at her funeral, but for many they were not tears of despair; we know that she "is comforted" (Luke 16:25), but still she will be missed. This is the procession of her body (in the last vehicle) from the church to the grave site. Many pastors were in this procession, some of them singing, praying and sharing the Gospel all the way through the village. It was amazing! Dhanamma was on our elderly ministry list, as she had some major health problems. Pray for her husband, Brother Samuel, her 3 children and several grandchildren.

ABOVE: Some of us in America can remember the days of hanging our clothes to dry, and some of us might still be doing that. In over 30 years of coming to India, I've never one time seen a dryer, so this is the scene everywhere we do ministry. But the main purpose of the photo is not about the clothes, but to show the plastering work which was done for our widow, Ratna Kumari. Please pray for her, as soon after this work was done, she had a serious stroke. She is slowly recovering.

ABOVE: In our once-a-month gathering of children and elderly whom we work with, sometimes we have a time of praying in groups for at least 30 minutes before or after sharing a message from the Word of GOD. You can see groups of older boys and girls at the top of the photo, adults filling the rest of the church. Most of the younger children were outside having a children's meeting at this time.

ABOVE: Brother Raju's wife, Pavani (right), is with children having breakfast during one of our recent excursions to Bhavani Island in Vijayawada. When our first bus stops in a different town, we have breakfast before getting on a 2nd bus to Vijayawada. We all very much enjoy these trips and the precious time we have with one another.

ABOVE: Singing a song together after reaching Bhavani Island, a tourist-type place situated in the Krishna River. Both of our couples who work with the children, Raju and his wife Pavani, and Marthababu and his wife Pavani, were with the children on this excursion.

ABOVE: Cute brother and sister, Vijay Kumar (2) and his sister Deborah (6), during our trip to Bhavani Island. Their Daddy left the home when Vijay was a small baby.

ABOVE: Because we have many children who hadn't gone on any excursions with us recently, and because there was only a few days remaining before school starts again, we decided to go to Bhavani 2 different days with 2 different groups. This time Brother Prasanth and his family also joined us. We had 12 girls, 5 boys and 5 adults. Only 6 of these children we are assisting on a regular basis, but the others are children whom we share His life with whenever we get a chance.

ABOVE: Before school started again in the 2nd week of June, we had a VBS (Vacation Bible School) in one of the local churches, most of the children whom we're involved with attending. We're very thankful for Sister Mary, who was in charge of most of the program during these 2 days.

ABOVE: Sister Mary teaching an action song during one of our monthly gatherings in recent months. The younger children are with her, while most of the teenagers and youth are usually with the adults inside the church during the afternoon session of these gatherings.

ABOVE: Beautiful photo inside a large church in Hyderabad, where we took 12 boys for an excursion in May (2 of the boys are college students). Brother Raju is in the middle, and the pastor on the right is Brother Zechariah, who graciously let us stay in his church during these 3 days, and also accompanied us everywhere we went.

ABOVE: A rare photo of 4 girls coming together at one time on the swings, Bro. Raju observing to see if they are doing it safely. From the bigger girl on the right clockwise is Akshaya, Soniya, Divya and Esther. Please pray for all our precious children; MANY issues and potential issues are there in many of their lives, Satan trying to use a parent or other harmful influences to hurt the children in some way. Example: the girl in this photo, Esther. Because of problems in her home the mother and Esther both were willing for Esther to come and stay with another Godly sister who wanted to care for her, which would be so much better for her security and spiritual life. It wasn't even 2 days, and the mother was claiming that we had deceived her, and she influenced Esther to come back to their home. We trust that, regardless of what happens in the short term, the children and families will see the love of Christ and ultimately be drawn unto Him.

ABOVE: The couple in the middle, Marthababu and Pavani, had a prayer meeting and meal for some friends and church members at their home recently to celebrate their wedding anniversary (I believe it was their 8th year). They work with our children. They were shy about doing a cake cutting, but others compelled them, so they were willing. Brother Prasanth (who helps us with the RHM ministry) and his wife Prasanthi are giving them cake.

"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31