ACCI OUTREACH at ADDA ROAD VILLAGE, ANDHRA PRADESH STATE
On 19 December 2014 Mission Manager Immanuel, accompanied by two other YJM staff members travelled in the Mission jeep, driven by Driver Raja, to attend the dedication of a new church building at the Advent Christian Conference of India’s outreach at Adda Road Village in the neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh – a journey of about seven hours. They stayed the night in the town of Kanigiri and travelled the 20 kilometres to Adda Road for the service timed to begin at 11 am on Saturday 20th December.
In true Indian style there were few present at the appointed time of 11 am, but by 12.30 pm there were more than 500 people present. Immanuel was advised that because of difficult employment conditions in the State, many people have to work for seven days a week, including Sunday. High unemployment and the subsequent availability of workers is such that if Christians ask to be excused from working on Sundays they are told that they either agree to work seven days a week or they lose their jobs. On Sundays many Christians start work very early and finish at 11 to enable them to attend worship by midday or soon thereafter.
Immanuel was asked to begin the dedication service with prayer and brought a message of greetings and encouragement on behalf of Yesuway Jeevan Mission – we support the outreach financially each month. The native language in Andhra Pradesh is Telegu and Pastor Paul Gantham’s son – Victor Abraham, also a pastor, pictured below right, being “shawled” by Immanuel – was able to translate Immanuel’s Tamil very well. Immanuel was told that Victor Abraham is able to translate for Tamil, Hindi (India’s national language), Malayalam (the State of Kerala’s language) and English – an accomplished linguist!
Advent Christian Conference of India’s President, Rev Francis Thangadurai dedicated the church building (below, left) and past president Rev Moses Barnabas dedicated the foundation stone.
Pastor Paul Gantham’s ministry has been very fruitful and far reaching, in a State which is 91.25% Hindu, 6.9% Moslem and only 1.5% Christian. It has touched some well-known people in high positions in the area, and three of them were willing to testify publicly at the meeting to their faith and the power of God in answer to prayer.
The wife of the Deputy Superintendent of Police for the area (pictured below) told the meeting that she had been healed from cancer through Pastor Paul‘s prayers for her. Immanuel said that she spoke very nicely in Telegu and praised God and Pastor Paul for her healing. Both she and her husband, who are from Brahmin families, have subsequently been baptised and are attending the church regularly. Her husband also spoke to the meeting.
The wife of the Depot Manager of the Government bus service in the area (pictured below) also told of being told by her doctors that she had inoperable, cancerous, uterine fibroids. After Pastor Paul had prayed for her she was able to have successful surgery and she gave very good witness to God’s healing power.
The wife of a senior executive in the Government Health department in the area (pictured below) told of being demon-possessed and of being released from the demonic power following prayer from Pastor Paul.
Please praise the Lord for Pastor Paul and his family and their ministry, and thank the Lord for the rapid growth of the congregation. Thank the Lord for these manifestations of the Lord’s power in a country of great, spiritual darkness and pray for the ongoing ministry of the Gospel in that area. Please pray for safety for Pastor Paul and his family and co-workers for the Lord at Adda Road Village and his outreach ministries at Kanigiri Mandal, Narappa Reddi Palli and Ladimallapuram.
(Ernie Schache)
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