Day Two - Harvest is plentiful but workers are few

When you are half way through eating food served by a couple in their home, what if the host who is serving by hands tells you sorry for the late in preparing the good, but it was because both he and he wife have been suffering from fever?

Would you worry about you getting sick or would you appreciate their effort of going through all the trouble to make food for you while being sick and rejoice in his happiness that he is hosting you? Your answer could be a small test to determine if you are ready to be a missionary in a third world country :).

That was how our second day ended.



But, it would not be fair to start with that to describe the day as it was another amazing day.


A VILLAGE with desperate need for Church

"I want to follow Jesus", "I want to be a Christian", "I want to go to Church every Sunday", " I want to tell everybody here about Jesus" are the sincere statements from people referring to not having any Christian or church around to guide them that started our day. As a Christian, whose heart longs for evangelism, who truly believe that receiving and knowing Jesus alone gives eternal life and save us from eternal punishment that we are destined to without Him, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What am I doing? How could I not respond to that? In fact, who truly know and believe Jesus and after life would not respond to that?

This is true situation of the village called, Cheded, in Ranga Reddy district, Telangana State of India. This is where Ramesh (I shared about him and about his interest for full time ministry in my previous blog) lives.

First, we went to his house and met his parents. Then, his neighbor came and met with us. His name is Yadayya. His soul is ripe in Christ. When a Pastor visited their village a couple of years ago, his family hosted him and gathered a few others to pray in his house. But, the Pastor has never shown up again. I was told that, because these villages are far and remotely located, no body wants to live there, instead, all the Pastors like to live in cities. Raju asked him if we send a Pastor (along with his wife, if he is married) to their village, if his family would be willing to host him temporarily until he finds a place, and he said said very excitingly. We videoed this conversation between him and Raju. I'll get subtitles added when I get a chance before I return to US.


We went to his house, and few selected ones gathered there for us. Listening to one story after another of death of husbands of these young (in 20s and early 30s) women with little children made me wonder what's going on here. Many of them got ill suddenly, some stomach ache, some fever and some went to farming field, then went to doctor or on the way to doctor, died within days. Now, they try to do daily labor, that they don't find everyday, to provide for themselves and their kids. What's impressive is that all of them still send their kids to school, instead of putting them to work as well. I have a feeling that, if their lives continue like this, it won't be same in future as she would be getting sick and it would be becoming hard to keep finding work regularly. So, those kids wouldn't be able to finish their schools. Again, I'm working on preparing a list of widows with pictures and details to present to donors.

On top of their current struggles, they try to buy drinking water from afar for INR 10 per tin per home regularly as the ground water in that entire area contains Fluoride to poisonous levels. I talked to them, took their pictures, gathered details of the few individuals and told them to try to be there with their children on Saturday, the 21st, as there would be few foreigners whom Jesus is sending to know them and bring their needs back to their churches. They all want to be there. We told them that we can't promise anything yet, but two things we for sure try are: sending Pastor who would guide them in Christ which could eventually lead to building a church which they desperately want, and building a water plant in their colony that they can even share with rest of the village. This colony belongs to Scheduled Cast (the untouchable caste). They are very excited to show us a bore near by where we can setup the water plant. Their leader (elected by the government) came over to talk to us. Raju told him that we are not trying to scam them as we are not asking them any money towards it, nor trying to convert them into christianity. He said to us that we'll have their complete support for the good work and also that everybody has freedom to say and share what they believe, including religion, referring to his support to bringing them to Christ as well.

Ramesh with his parents 

Then we went back to Ramesh's house and recored his and his dad's testimony on how he was given a Bible when he was ill badly and visiting a hospital in near by town, how he got healed then, and how he says "LORD save me" regularly since then. And also recorded the testimony of Ramesh on how hearing our filter work in the villages near by and joining the work gave him hope to learn and become a christian. Again, I'll try to get the english titles added before I return to US and share.



Ramesh's parents house 

TWO VILLAGES - Khudaspally & Vattipally in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India. 

Then, we headed to Khudaspally in the same district to check the recent filter work and then to Vattipally in Nalgonda district right next to check the water plant built by government for that one village.

There are some pictures of the filters being used included at the end of this post. You can see evidence to the effects of the high fluoride in three of people that I took pictures of here. They all are used to be daily labors, working in farm fields well until few years ago. Now, the first person can't even get out of the bed with all the bones crippled and deteriorated quickly.

MEET A PASTOR

The Pastor, who is serving these two villages has a great testimony. He was a member of Naxals (a radical communist group, fighting against injustice in society using weapons from forests). There is a special wing the police department across India to fight against this group and kill the with orders of shoot at site. When he was young, he used to go hangout with friends at lunch time in Vattipalli in a church building that was running at the time. So, he read few of the quotations of Jesus on walls of the church building. In later days, he joined with the Naxals group, being angry against discrimination by higher caste people and injustice, along with some of his family members and college mates. His uncles, cousins and friends were shot to death right before him. He was captured along with few others. Once on 2001, when he was captured and beaten bad by police for several months, he remembered about sheep and Him being the shepherd. That night, he asked Jesus to save him and he would commit his life to follow him once he is out. Miraculously, he was the only person that they let out on bail the very next day. Thinking to himself that if he goes back to his village, again it will be the same group of friends visiting him and getting him in trouble by the police, he ran away to a town and started attending and serving in a church. Later, one day, the pastor advised him to join a seminary called Bethel, and he did. While attending the seminary, he was attending court on the cases that were filed agains him. The seminary was very helpful to him and supporting him to travel and attend the court regularly. Praise to God, on the same day that he was graduating from the seminary, all (ALL) the cases against him were ruled out by the court. As he wanted to serve the village where he is from, the seminary helped him building a church building as they didn't want him to rome around without a place as that could get him back into trouble. This is the church building and the little one room house attached to is their kitchen and everything, as you can tell that they used the church building to sleep in the winter, while they sleep on the terrace during summer nights. They requested Raju for any help on adding another room for their stay.

WATER PLANT 

Then we visited the water plant that is installed by a company, with help of government, mainly for the purpose of promoting their plant that is working well for Fluoride as well as filtering all the bad stuff in water. It basically uses same concept of the individual filters that we are building, but do it in two levels, in very big amounts and store the filtered water in a big tank outside. The machine itself consists of a big (black) tank outside in which the bore (ground) water is pulled and stored. There are two small tanks with chemicals and water inside as part of the machine that let the water run through and separate good and bad (with and without Fluoride) water, then the water is run through UV rays for any germs and bacteria to be killed. Then this water is pushed into a metal tank outside. A little bit amounts of Ozone is added to the tank with filtered water as it is noticed that the ozones levels are dropping from where it is recommended to be in drinking water during the filtering process. People used the taps attached to the filtered water tank to fill up their containers. 

Black tank is for unfiltered water pulled from ground directly. Metal tank is for filtered water pulled from the filter. 

This part of the machine with two smaller tanks separates Fluoride from water. 

This part of the machine lets the water exposed to UV rays produced in the metal tank/tube (behind the person), so germs and bacteria in the water are killed. 

We noticed two advantages with the water plant over filters. 

1. Cost  

A 250 liter plant that provided clear water for over 500 families a day, and costs around $1000. An amount between $1000 and 1500 is needed for any filter to prepare a filter including labor. So, while a 250 liter plant (over 500 families) costs not more than $2500, a 500 liter plant (over 1000 families) costs not more than $3500. Building individual filter is costing us $40. 

2. Wastage 

We are noticing a wastage of up to 50% with individual water filters that includes cost and a lot of labor. Because the people are not educated and with very low levels of sanity, and some with very low morals, causing the waste in terms of some filters not used and maintained properly while some have no or less interest (as much as when getting one) in keep using them. 

Withe ways we are planning to install and maintain the filters, we can do it with out much of compromise in terms of helping Pastors to reach out to the lost. In fact, in a way, a plant which is big and serving everybody in the village would be giving more name, credibility and gratitude towards the Pastor, it would also solve the issue of questions like why the other person gets the filter first, but not me. 

We are proposing donors who would like to fund for an entire filter that we would build the filter on their name through LCC that you might not understand how thankful the village would be for that family for generations for that. Also, one day, that family or church can visit the place and see a good work built in their name. It will be something like this, replacing the name with blue background by the names of the family or church. 

Journey to a distant land 

Our original plan was to take a break and rest that night, and leave to the Anantapur district which is on the opposite side in the morning. But, we decided to stretch it and drive there that evening and sleep there instead. So, we can head to the remote village in the morning and be finished by the next afternoon. As my parents, who are getting old, would appreciate my presence during their stressful move, I thought it would give me a night to rest before the move. So, we vacated the hotel in Hyderabad and headed towards that place. I couldn't keep my eyes open, so I kept dosing off in the car. Once we reached the town at night, we met with the Pastor who insisted us to eat at his small house while he himself and his wife being sick. We checked three hotels to decide what would be more comfortable for the teams coming from US to stay. We are not really impressed with any of those. More than facilities, I'm looking for something that is clean. Hotels in that town are not that hopeful, but we have few other ideas that we are going to look at in the morning. 

Thank you for all your support for eternity for which the heaven rejoices. 

In HIM, 

LCC 

First Day - Responding to what God already Prepared

I landed here close to 2am, but it was almost 4 by the time. Raju and Ramesh came to the Airport to receive me. As I was trying to read the book, Imagine Heaven, I didn't sleep much on the flight which was not a good idea. Raju suggested to take rest today and we start visiting villages tomorrow. But, I felt like keep going and kind of pushed on it. Again, sleep wise, that was not a good idea. But, ministry wise, it was a great day.

One of the villages that our team is strongly sensing God calling us to start the work in is the village that Ramesh is from. While we were waiting for Raju getting ready, I asked Ramesh how he came to believe in Christ as he mentioned his family is not believers earlier during some other talk. He mentioned that, when he was young, his dad got sick very badly. Someone one told the dad about Jesus and the Bible, and he prayed and was healed. But then, as they don't have any church or any other Christians in their village, they didn't know how to live and how to be a Christian. So, in the following years, his faith faded, and, now he would say that he was healed by doctors and medicine. But, Ramesh himself noticed Jesus healing his dad and started believing in Him then. But, as there is not a church or any other christian living in his village, he didn't really follow or pursue after his faith. He did nothing as he didn't know what to do or how to be a christian. But, said that, it was when we were doing the filter work and building water filters in a village near by his that he started involving and following Jesus. It was that time that his name was brought to my attention as being very devoted, hardworking and young. He had just graduated with a college degree and attending a teachers training.

He also mentioned that there are two or three other christian families moved into their village. They used to go to church when they were in the city that they moved from, but now they don't go anywhere or do anything in terms of gathering as there is no church in their village. During this entire talk, it kept hitting me how desperately this village needs a church. Not just having no church, but there is no one ministering to the village.

The one in the pink shirt is Ramesh. I'm planning on recording 
a video of his testimony when we visit his village in the morning. 


From being impressed on how prepared he is on picking poor families, widows and orphans before my arrival to present to us so we can help them, and from his heart in reaching them, I was prompted to ask him why he shouldn't consider full time ministry. He said that he would love to, but he doesn't know anything on how to do it. I told him that we can consider getting him trained. I wish I could have captured a picture of the tears filled his eyes at that time for you. Any ways, before that, seeing all the need in their village and understanding that several families in the list would accept Christ if there is a Pastor or minister to share and guide them in Him made me to strongly look for finding a Pastor with a call from God for the village to get our work done through. Then, after listening to his story and seeing his passion, I was prompted to ask him to be in full time in the ministry.


Later I brought it to Aaron, on phone, who had to be away for few days on a Cru trip with students. He praised the LORD as he was having same thing for him in his heart by God. So, once he is back from the trip, I'll be sitting with him on the 17th, before the team arrives that night, to discuss with him on this and on another thing that I'm going to share with you below and lay out some specifics these two things.

Later we visited a church, pastored by Simon who has been very devoted to LCC's work right from the starting, if you remember him from my blogs from my last trip, 2 years ago.

Pastor Simon and his grand ma Estheramma


This church, without the building, was originally started by his grandma, Estheramma (Esther amma), 16 years ago. Later she sold her property and used that money to build this church building. 6 years ago, Simon started pastoring it. She is widowed and she lives in the small one room hut attached to the church with a door directly into the church. Simon sleeps on the cot in church building at nights. You can see how tightly the church and the ministry are woven into their lives.


Pastor Simon's sleeping arrangement in the Church building

They have services every day:

Sunday - morning Service and evening Youth gathering
Monday - Members' gathering to pray and share testimonies and what God has put in their hearts for the church.
Tuesday - Widows gathering (there are around 30 widows in the church, the grandma herself is a widow)
Wednesday - Bible study
Thursday - House visitings
Friday - Fasting prayer, one from 10am to 4pm and another one from 7pm to 9pm for those who cannot attend the earlier one
Saturday - gathering to share and pray on prayer requests.

There around 100 members in the church, out of which, 70 members attend the church service regularly.

I have been noticing what one of the biggest needs across all churches and villages is the need for widow caring. This is the other thing that I'm going to talk to Aaron about as he brought some ideas to me before on the ways we can help widows.

Another immediate help that we can do to this church is building a water plant. Government has built one, but, because of no proper care and maintenance, as with every other thing by the corrupted government, it has not been working properly. So, all the villagers are traveling far to another village to get drinking water. Then we noticed this bore right in the church compound and the extra space they have (behind the bore in the picture), so we can build a water plant and connect it to the bore right in there that brings villagers to the church for water with the potential of leading them to the living water through these faithful servants of God who devoted their lives in serving Him for years.




Also, notice the rock with big scary eyes, nose and religious powder in between the eyes that is sitting on a raised platform? Interestingly, just as the Bible mentions about the corner stone, referring the Jesus, every village has a "boddu rai" (central stone) goddess. They had it here as if the clean drinking water is this god's provision. Let's replace it with the church of true living God, the true corner stone that springs the water within them that makes them never thirst again.




I'm compiling pictures and details of widows. So, we can share with Churches and individuals who are interested to consider sponsoring one or more of them. Please pray and seek God if He provides you to sponsor for any of them and let me know if you like to look at the list. We'll help you establish a personal relationship through updates, letters and may be any future visit from you in person, through which you can witness in person the desperate need of these people here in finding the God in the form of many idols and way they worship and practice instead. I like to keep the list at one place, so whenever a person is sponsored, we can update the list.

As I was reading the NDEs (near death experiences) documented in the Imagine Heaven book and coming out of the real picture it paints on how people slipping away into heaven or hell for eternity according to what they chose to believe in and what they chose to live for in their lives, in other dimensions after death, it is very sobering to be looking around while walking or driving on road filled with people everywhere caught up in their own things. And, believing truly the joyful picture it paints when a believer and a poor and needy is take care of and encouraged in love, encourages me to focus on cherishing every little movement that these poor individuals (our team including Raju, Simon and Ramesh) who are oppressed in many ways in their life times get overwhelmed by tiny things like supporting them and treating them equally well. They get so encouraged and supported for the little love you show and little care you express in word or deed. It makes me overwhelmed to thing how rich we are in love and care in Christ that tiny part of which can bless many so deeply. Is this what when Bible tells us grasping, together with all the Lord's holy people, how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ? Ephesians 3:17-9

Please pray for these people living here in multitudes of numbers.

Pastor Raju is on my right, wearing white shirt with long sleeves in this picture 

The door leads to Estheramma's one roomed little hut. 

Estheramma's little hut attached attached to the church building. The other house attached to the hut belongs to somebody else. 

The water plant that was built by the government that is not working properly. 

Houses without window covers and doors. Simon's parents life here.