Friday, December 18, 2009
Kardias Ministries Newsletter December 2009
God’s Awesome Provision!
In 2006-2007, we joyfully watched as God provided a church building for Pastor Chitti
located above his home in the village of Lanka. Since then, we have been hopeful
that the same would happen for his brother, Pastor John, and his congregation in
the nearby village of Rajupalem.
Not far down the road from Pastor John and Sister Ruth’s home is the original church
building built by John and Chitti’s father, Andrew, sometime in the 1970s. John’s
congregation has not been allowed to meet at this location to worship for nearly
3 years. Hindu leaders in the village have prevented it by claiming that the building
is located too close to a government-managed road. They have repeatedly threatened
that it could be torn down any day. The only place left to worship is on the roof
of Pastor John’s home, on his own property. This leaves the worshipers at the mercy
of the elements. This is often challenging, especially during times of searing heat
or in the rainy season, and is especially difficult for the elderly members of the
congregation.
We experienced this challenge first hand during our last mission trip when a youth
meeting was disrupted as the monsoon winds and rain blew in. A couple days later,
the Gampalas made the need for a new church building atop Pastor John’s household
known to us. Since then, we prayed about this need, shared it with others as we
had the opportunity, waited on God to provide, and now have wonderful news to share
about this.
Even without a Kardias seminar, or any sort of formal announcement, God made a way
for this project to be completed! Through a conversation with some new friends we
were able to share what we have seen God doing in India; we were able to talk about
the struggles we’ve seen our brethren facing. The convicting power of God’s Holy
Spirit moved these new friends to build a new church building in India.
Our God is an awesome God so we thank Him and praise Him above all. We also want
to give a heartfelt thanks to the Scharpen Foundation for this contribution to help
spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in India.
The funds have been sent over to the Gampalas, and construction is well underway,
as you can see in the pictures below.
You can read more about the history of this project
on our website. You can also
view a video clip of a “cornerstone dedication” held during the last mission trip
where prayers of faith were offered up that God would provide for this need by viewing
the video at this link, starting at 6:35.
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Pastor John prays a blessing at the new threshold of the House of God as construction
begins.
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Johnson, son of Chitti, shows off the new walls as they take shape.
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Mission India 2010
In our last newsletter we announced that the next mission trip would be in December
of 2009. This was coupled with still looking to see how God might provide for projects
still in need of being funded and with individuals being led to go. As we made plans
to attend the Feast of Tabernacles celebration out in California this past October
there had not been much response. We had a sense of waiting and were even ready
to acknowledge that maybe the Lord had something else in mind. As you have read
above, God provided in a very powerful and unexpected way during the Feast with
a donation fully funding the church building now set to be completed above Pastor
John’s house by March of 2010.
It is for this reason that we chose to postpone. We now have new dates for the mission
trip. Mission India 2010 will be March 24-April 6, 2010. A trip during this time
will allow us to be present at the House of God (church building) dedication and
will also coincide with the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. This will
allow for a very special time of celebration with our brethren in India and with
our Lord. These ARE the final dates, so if you feel that it is the Lord’s will for
you to attend this mission trip to India with us, please let us know in the next
few weeks (see contact information at the bottom). It will soon be necessary to
reserve seats at a group rate for the flight (the first week in January). Please
also view the
mission trip timeline that is posted on the website so you can begin
making preparations for an adventure with fellow believers and with our Lord that
may very well be life changing. We are so excited and would so much appreciate your
prayerful support as we move forward with plans and preparations.
Sleeping Blankets and Pallets
If going on a mission trip isn’t right for you, perhaps you would like to help with
a donation of time or resources. The Lord has already moved a number of unrelated
people to help our brethren in India even before we announced the mission trip!
One woman was inspired to create sleeping pallets, another couple spontaneously
committed to making sleeping blankets. Neither of these ideas were solicited – they
came out of the Spirit of God moving in the good hearts of His people.
I love to be involved in a work of God where He is the leader, and I am just one
of many people bringing their time, energy, creativity, and resources together in
His service. If God is inspiring you in a meaningful way that you could help, let
us know. If we can enable your service, we’ll do everything we can to help you out.
Based on the response so far, from people spread from California to Tennessee, I’m
guessing that the bags of those called to be the traveling missionaries will be
filled with love, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over
(Luke 6:38). What a blessing it will be to pour that love out in the laps of our
brothers in India who need so much.
If you have any questions that we can answer, or comments to share with us, please
feel free to contact us.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according
to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Agape,
Brian and Stephanie Smith
Kardias Ministries