Another blessed day in India

Dear Helpers in the Gospel,

Today has another blessed day in India. We went up to the beautiful Yercaud mountain. This is a beautiful location with a cool climate at the high elevation. The vegetation is beautiful, especially the coffee plantations. However, even more beautiful are the precious saints who worship here, that we have come to love. We had been here on several previous occasions. We had to worship then in an extremely small room, belonging to one of the church members. We were literally crammed in wall-to-wall. However, even in those days we felt the blessed Holy Spirit in our midst.

Today we had the happy privilege of helping them dedicate their newly constructed church building. It's construction is not totally complete, but it is adequate for them to start meeting in. We're praying that more funds will come in to complete the building.

Elder Babu is their faithful pastor. He is very energetic and has a great zeal for spreading the gospel here.

Bro. Zack prayed the dedication prayer, then Bro Timothy preached on the importance of church unity. He spoke from the virtues of Colossians 3:12-15 that is essential to unity. The message was well received.

Bro. Herb spoke from I Kings 6:7, drawing a lesson from the building of the temple. He said that a New Testament church is built from living stones, emphasizing that God has to be the builder. This message was also well-received. Before the preaching, the congregation was obviously filled with joy and engaged in lively singing.

We enjoyed good fellowship the rest of the afternoon and visited the site of Pattipaddy church, in a rural area of the mountain. In this beautiful location, there is small orphanage. Elder George and his wife are doing a good work here.

Only five years ago, Bro. George was making illegal alcohol. Elder Immanuel of Veerianthanda church witnessed to him of the Lord. Bro. George's life is totally changed. After his conversion, he immediately began to love God's word. As he grew in grace, the brethren recognized a preaching gift in him. He apprenticed under Bro Guna and was finally ordained. This is an amazing example of God's grace.

A young deacon at this church, Bro Paul, has suffered for following Christ. He is from a tribal community in the mountain. When he became a Christian, his parents kicked him out of the house and disinherited him. But it is obvious by looking at him, that he is very happy serving the Lord.

We are still feeling the results of your prayers and ask that you continue, as we must split up tomorrow. Bro. Herb going to a new work in Vellure, and Bro Timothy and Bro Zack will be going with Bro Guna to the coastal town of Cuddalore and the new church there. We will be there for Sunday services and hope to meet back together in Chennai. Bro Guna will leave for Cambodia on Monday night, with us starting our journey back Tuesday night.

We have tried to be faithful and have grateful evidence of God's blessings.

Your brethren in Christ,

Elders Zack Guess, Herb Hatfield and Timothy Guess

ANNUAL NEWS LETTER- 2007

Dear Friends and prayer partners,

greet you all in the wonderful name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It is my pleasure to share the up-date news in the ministry during the year 2007. In fact in the history of the GSPB ministry, this has been a difficult year for us in many ways. There have been discouragements, disappointments, unhealthy tensions prevailed in the ministry. But in midst of all such hardships, we felt that the Hands of the Lord were upon us and His work has been continually growing steadily. Let me share a comprehensive report on what the Lord has done throughout this year.

EVANGELISM AND CHURCH PLANTING:

We continually see an effectual open door to preach the Gospel in various places in the States of Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. During February 2007 the Lord enabled us to constitute a church with 23 members in Thalavaipatty a suburb of Salem city. Elder. Zack Guess, Herb Hatfield, Mike Stewart and Timothy Guess were with us on this special occasion and helped us in the constitution service. Elder Judson Ravi is pastoring the church. This church is meeting in a handicapped children’s home for worship service. We have already purchased a piece of property to build a church building in this place. A foundation has been put up in the site. In God’s time the church building may be erected so that the local believers will worship the Lord corporately.

Another church has been constituted in Cuddalore during July 2007. Elder Jeff Harris helped us in the constitution by preaching and ordaining the local minister. Cuddalore is a coastal town terribly affected by tsunami three years ago. Most of the believers in this church are from fisherman community still living by seashore. As these people now believe the Sovereignty of God, which gives a comfort even in midst of their loss of lives and possessions.

The churches in Andhra Pradesh are growing in numbers and Grace. Except in Kanekal, other two churches in Budedu and Gooty Ananthapur were meeting in open air for Sunday worship, as there is no bigger building to rent for the meetings. We felt the need of building for these believers. By the help of Andrew Bishop and Collierville Primitive Baptist Church, a church and parsonage building has been constructed in Budedu which was dedicated on 27th October, 2007 by Bro. Jones JayaKumar and Bro. Prince. We are thankful to them for their partnership in the gospel ministry.

The Ananthapur region is the most backward District in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and sickness are the big common problem in this District. Terrorism is another long standing problem around this area. A large group of Terrorists are scattered all over the District. In this context, Evangelism is very difficult among this people. On the other hand, a good number of people are responding positively to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our preachers are really doing a challenging ministry among this kind of groups.

The Church building construction in Yercaud Mountain is still slowly going on. Generally building construction in Yercaud Mountain is extremely expensive. Most of the support has been received from Indian source for this building project. We are thankful to Bro.Jones Jayakumar, Prince and Bro.Sam Surya for their generous contribution extended towards this construction. By faith, it is our goal to finish the construction and start the worship in the new building by next year. Still the church is meeting in a believer’s house which is too small to accommodate all the people for worship and other services.

The total No. of people baptized in 2007 are 60. Three churches have been constituted and 5 Elders have been ordained.

S.No Details Tamilnadu Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Total

1 No. of Constituted Churches 11+ 3= 14

2 No. of PB Fellowships 2 +13 = 15

3 No. of PB Preaching points 11+ 3 =14

4 No. of Ordained Elder/Pastors 9+ 4 =13

5 No. of Evangelists 7+ 13 20

We continue, teaching the young believers to grow in His knowledge of Truth and become sound in the faith and Practice.

LITERATURE:

Literature is an effective tool to reach thousands of people with the Biblical Truth. The Tamil Baptist Witness has been continually blessing to the Primitive Baptist Churches as well as to the other orders. We receive good testimonies from the readers time to time.

On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary meeting we released 2nd edition of Commentary on the book of Philippians. Presently we are on the process of translating Romans and Colossians. And God willing these commentaries will be published in near future. It’s our goal to translate commentaries on the whole New Testament books being written by Elder.Jeff Harris. As we do not have any commentaries in our vernacular language, these commentaries will be a great help to the Tamil Christians at large. We are thankful to Elder.Lasserre Bradley and Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church for the partnership in the literature and church planting ministry.

CHILD CARE:

“Jesus said, And whose shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me” ( Matt 18:7).

I and every one of the children in all our orphanages are thankful to the sponsors who received these poor and orphan children and extending support for feeding and educating them. Children between 5 to 17 years are in the different Homes. During my USA visit, in the months of March and April 2007, as there were some new sponsors came forward to sponsor children, about 30 children have been admitted in our orphanages in the beginning of this Academic year. As we were not able to resume the school, still children are going to Government and Private schools for their education.

I do not think ever we can have our own school unless the Lord provides the requirements. However, our Home staff members diligently teach the children to improve their learning. Apart from the school work, Christian education is imparted to the children on every day regular basis. As a result, Children have remarkably grown in spiritual life.

Two boys have finished their High school and joined in a Trade school for Electrician course. This is a Two years Diploma course. Once they graduated the school, they can stand on their own leg. One boy is going to complete 12th grade and 9 others are going to finish 10th grade. Still we are thinking and praying to start our own Trade school to give vocational training to the older boys and girls after having completed high school studies.

DETAILS OF THE CHILDREN:

S.No Name of the Home No. of Children
Boys Girls Total

1 Shady Grove Children's Home 61+ 35= 96
R.C.Chettipatty, Salem District

2 Eureka Children's Home 43+ 27= 70
Veppamarathur, Dharmapuri District

3 Hope Children's Home 15+ 19= 34
Pattipady, Yercaud Mountain

4 Sovereign Grace Community Child Care Program 12+ 8= 20
Regadahalli, Dharmapuri District

5 Rehoboth Children's Home 18+ 7= 25
Angiam, Trichy District

Total 149+ 96= 245


COMMUNITY CHILD CARE:

The Veerinthanda Child Care has been closed in June 2007 as the duration of the project period was over. Instead, Tuition centers have been started in 30 different places in the states of Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. About 80% population of India are from rural villages. Mostly educational system in rural area are still very poor. Therefore, it is our vision to reach the rural Children helping to improve their education and also to preach the Gospel. So far we have received good positive reports from Tuition Teachers.

For a long time, the people in Regadahalli have been requested me to start a community child care effort for the poor children in their village. We were waiting for the Lord’s time to start. In a due course of time, a church in the States came forward to sponsor 20 children to start this labor. Accordingly, during July 2007 the child care effort has been inaugurated by Elder. Jeff Harris and those who traveled with him.

Presently, there are 28 children being benefited by this effort. Nutritious breakfast and dinner are served to the children. Daily in the morning and night instruction is given by a qualified teacher. Spiritual nurture is being given by the local Pastor. Stephen. From early January 2008, similar kind of labor is going to be started in Thalavaipatty village under the supervision of Elder. Judson Ravi, the local pastor. About 30 poor children have been committed to this effort already. Now we are in the process of making a proper infrastructure to be able to support the effort. Our goal is helping the poor children for the holistic development without isolating them from the families. Ultimately, along with the children, their families can be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am thankful to Lower Mill Church for their generous support of this endeavor.

COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE:

Our efforts to help the community receive healthcare started in a simple manner and is growing day by day. About 25 villages are benefited by our mobile clinic. First aid, General Health Awareness, Pre-natal and post-natal care are being given to the poor community in and around Veppamarathur. An average number of patients treated in this local dispensary and the mobile Clinic are about 500 per month.

As the Lord provided finance through Elder. Jeff Harris, our long term vision of constructing maternity centre has become materialized. About a half of the building construction is over and hoping to inaugurate the maternity centre named Fair Haven by April 2008. The clinic will be a great help to pregnant mothers to deliver babies without much expenses. Presently, desperately we are in need of a staff nurse, dedicated to work in the clinic. Please pray that the Lord will send a right person to work in this project.

Recently, the Lord led us to start an effort to help the poor farmers in Veppamarathur area. A retired Government Agricultural Officer named Duraisamy has gladly come forward to help the farmers by imparting training for effective cultivation. A model Agricultural farm has been planned to teach the farmers practically. Rice paddy is growing in our orphanage land which is being used as a Model Farm. We are working on to facilitate poor farmers to tap the Government resources for their agricultural development. We are thankful to Sis. Lee Morrow who is behind the scene, for everything she has done to materialize this effort.

While concluding this report, I am reminded of Deut 8:2, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord their God led thee these forty years in the wilderness”. July 10th 2007 was a special day in the History of the GSPBT. On that day, 10th year has been completed since the Good Samaritan work had been started. As a GSPBT family and overseas guests, we had a wonderful time of gathering and thanked the Lord for what He has done in our work during the past one decade.

We acknowledge the friends and churches in USA and Australia and in India who are backing our ministry by their support and prayers. We are thankful to Sis.Lea Bennett, Ripley, MS, USA and Bro.Steve Dallimore, Nowra, Australia for their commendable service in co-ordinating the sponsors in the above mentioned countries. Without you all, the work could not have grown up to this stage indeed. We are grateful to every one of you for your love and support and partnership are being extended in our work.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3).

Yours Fellow Servant in the Lord,

A.Gunasekaran