One of the key elements in the ministry of the Adda Road Advent Christian church is its vehicle – a three-wheeled autorickshaw, commonly called an “auto” or “three-wheeler”, There are literally thousands, perhaps millions, of these vehicles scattered everywhere in India, almost all of them coloured bright yellow! They are designed to carry three or four people at a time.
This multipurpose vehicle plays a very important part in their ministry as they use it to transport children and adults to and from their Sunday School and worship services, and latterly have been using it to ferry literally dozens of folk to the top of Calvary healing Mountain, where they hold their monthly outreach to those who live in the rural areas around their church.
They carry many people at a time (you would be very surprised at how many passengers can be crammed into an auto – especially in rural areas where the police are not so evident!!) and for carrying people and supplies to the church and to the top of the mountain.
But too much of this (pictured above) results in too much of this (pictured below)
As you can see, access for maintenance, even on the underside, is easy, but it is also costly!
Their vehicle will have carried thousands and thousands of adults and children, often over very rough roads, in the approximately six years they have been ministry partners with Yesuway Jeevan Mission, and we have assisted them on several occasions to keep the vehicle operating – it is essential in their rural area where there is no public transport and where most of those who live there are very, very poor and cannot afford their own transport.
ACMissioNZ was recently able to send some funds, to which YJM added further funds, to enable them to pay a deposit on a new vehicle and they will use the funds they have been spending lately on repairs to the old vehicle to pay the balance of the total cost price of 260,000 rupees (NZ$5,800) over the next two years.
Please thank the Lord that it has been possible to “keep this growing ministry mobile” and pray that His people at Adda Road will be able to provide the ongoing funds.
Below are pictures of Pastor Paul Gantham taking delivery of their new “Piaggio” autorickshaw
and here is a picture of some happy members of the Adda Road church family welcoming their new vehicle.
