Autumn 2011 Update

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Hearty Autumn Greetings to all GSH Friends and Supporters!!

Fall weather has finally arrived. I am watching the snow fall and preparing to change my clock, once again. I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the change of the season. I had the privilege of talking with Pastor Joseph last week and would like to share a few recent events from Rajahmundry, India.

To begin with, the Gospel Crusade that took place last June was a wonderful success with all the glory going to Jesus Christ. Many people came forward to commit their lives to the One True God, forsaking the Hindu religion. Most of those who came forward have become a part of Jesus Prayer House Church and are continuing in their faith. Thank you for all your prayers for this crusade. Please continue to pray that all will hear the Gospel in India and put their faith in Jesus Christ.

God is continuing to bless Jesus Prayer House Church and use it to proclaim His love and glory. The church has begun a ministry to homeless people in Rajahmundry by providing food and clothing to the needy in Jesus’ name. A Hindu “holy man” recently came to Christ as a result of this ministry. The church has begun to meet at Mercy Colony, rather than continue to spend resources on renting a building in the center of the city. Over four hundred people came to the dedication of the church at Mercy Colony last week!

All fifty children in the GSH Children’s Home are in good health and continue to be educated spiritually and academically. Sadly, we have lost some child sponsors within the last year. Please pray that God will touch the hearts of His people and raise up additional sponsors to bridge the gap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two of the young ladies in the home, Rani N. & Satya Ch., have graduated from tenth grade and are now attending nursing school.  

We are confident that God will continue to provide for these children, just as He has so recently shown His love and provision on behalf of Prasad K. Prasad K. has finished tenth grade and is well suited for engineering studies, a highly rigorous but greatly rewarding course of study in India. Eleventh and Twelfth grade education in India are not free of charge and are used as pre-university preparation courses. Pre-engineering school costs almost $3,000 a year in India, and this amount of money is not covered by the monthly sponsorship for Prasad. By God’s providence, Prasad placed extremely high in his state math exams (first in his school) and qualified for consideration of a state scholarship. There are many in India who score as highly as Prasad did, and very few receive a scholarship. However, God moved the state to award Prasad a full scholarship for his pre-engineering classes! God is faithful to take care of His own and we praise Him for that!

In other news:

1. The Medical Ministry is now serving 920 to 950 people every month. Please pray that God will continue to use this ministry to proclaim His name.

2. The leper colony has received electricity to help make the daily life of those in the colony more comfortable. Please continue to pray for the perseverance of these precious brothers and sisters who are definitely the “least of these.”

3. The Widow’s Ministry continues to be fully sponsored. Praise God!

4. The church on the Island Godavari continues to meet every week with more of the villagers coming to Christ. This has been and continues to be a great spiritual battle against the forces of darkness who would like to keep that community in idolatry. The solar lights on the Island that were donated by GSH about four years ago now need replacement batteries. Pray that God will provide that which is needed to replace the batteries and continue to keep a physical reminder of His light on that Island.

5. Work on the new children’s home has been temporarily halted as we wait for the property’s neighbor to decide whether or not to exchange a portion of land with GSH that would make the property more usable. Please pray that a decision is made in God’s timing and that the funds are received to continue with construction.

 

Thank you again for all the support through your prayers and finances. May God continue to bless you and your families with hearts fully committed to Him as we enter the Christmas season.

Bro. Gregg

 

 

 

Spring 2011 Update

Monday, May 23, 2011

Hearty Spring Greetings to all GSH Friends and Supporters!!

It has been about six months since we have updated you on how God is working through our friends in Rajahmundry, India.  This is a short update with a few prayer requests for some exciting upcoming events.

To begin with, work is continuing on the building project for the school, church and children’s home.  Because GSH was able to purchase additional property for an amazing deal last year, the ground preparation and boundary wall construction is still in process.   However, Bro. Joseph estimates that the additional fill should be in place within a few weeks and construction of the remainder of the wall will commence.

Bro. Joseph has been away from home preaching at a Gospel Crusade.  When he returns home he is planning to meet with an engineer to commission the preparation of plans for the children’s home.  Please pray for wisdom and foresight for Bro. Joseph and the engineer as they work together to design a permanent home for the children.

From June 7^th through June 9^th, Bro. Joseph will be hosting a Gospel Crusade at Mercy Colony in Rajahmundry.  Please join him in prayer for at least 2,000 people to attend and hear the good news.  Pray also that many will not just hear the news, but that many will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.  Bro. Joseph has invited a famous actress to attend and share her testimony.  This actress is a former Muslim who was recently saved by the One True God, and her presence may help to bring in an even larger audience.  Please join in prayer with all those in Rajahmundry who are working so hard to share the good news, that God will pour out His Spirit during this Gospel Crusade and save many Indian souls.

GSH India will soon be sending GSH USA a DVD with updated photos of the children.  We will be able to share those with you as soon as they are available.

Thank you again for all the support through your prayers and finances.  May God continue to bless you and your families with hearts fully committed to Him as we enter the summer season.

Bro. Gregg

 

 

 

Brother Joseph Schedule

If you would like to see Brother Joseph speak while he is visiting, following is his schedule:

Sept 11 – 5:30 – 8:00  Lake Shastina Community Bible Church BBQ

Sept 12 – First Baptist Church of Mt Shasta for Sunday morning worship services

Sept 19 – Grenada Berean for Sunday morning worship services

Sept 25 – Mountain Christian Fellowship

Sept 26 – Evangelical Free Church of Mt Shasta Sunday morning services

Thank you to everyone who attends any one of these opportunities to hear from Brother Joseph, and thank you for your support of his ministry.

Brother Joseph Visit – September 2010

Blessings to everyone!  We are so excited to announce Brother Joseph’s visit to Siskiyou County in September.

You can look forward to seeing Brother Joseph at a Sunday service at one of the 5 supporting churches soon.  You can also celebrate his visit with us at the 2nd Annual Brother Joseph BBQ.

Brother Joseph BBQ

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Lake Shastina Community Bible Church

5826 Jackson Ranch Rd

Lake Shastina

Behind the church in the outdoor ampitheatre.

Tri Tip BBQ, Music, and Brother Joseph!  Don’t miss it!

5:30 pm

April 2010 Update

April 6, 2010

Hearty Spring greetings to all GSH friends and supporters!  Spring has been battling Old Man Winter around here lately, while summer is in full swing in Rajahmundry, meaning temperatures in the mid to high 90s with extreme humidity.

God is continuing to work through His people in and around Rajahmundry.  I was able to speak with Bro. Joseph on the telephone today and he related the following news to me:

Prayer Request for Uncle Prabha:
I called Bro. Joseph at 11:30 pm his time and he informed that he had just returned home from the hospital.  Uncle Prabha had a kidney stone that was removed last week at the hospital.  It appears that he was put under general anesthesia for this routine procedure.  However, upon waking from the anesthesia, Uncle Prabha had trouble breathing and was close to death before he was put into ICU on a ventilator.  He spent almost a week in ICU and only today was able to breath on his own.  Now in the general hospital area, Uncle Prabha is slowly recovering and needs continued prayer support.  Please take time to pray for a full recovery for Uncle Prabha to the glory of God.

New baby due SOON:
Brother Joseph says that Sister Sowmya is due to give birth to their first child any day now.  Please pray for continued strength for Sister Sowmya, the health of the baby, and a safe delivery without any complications.  Thank you for keeping her in your prayers. God has been answering them by giving her a relief from the anemia she was suffering earlier.

Jesus Prayer House (JPH):
JPH is continuing to grow as the gospel message is preached and the church continues to pray for their city.  Seven new children of God were baptized in the early hours of the morning on Resurrection Sunday.  The church is also continuing to see a response from the television broadcasts of the gospel message.  Bro. Joseph had a busy day Sunday as follows:
1. Early morning (7 am?) baptisms.
2. 8 a.m. service at the original JPH building near the quarry.
3. 11:30-1:30 service at the large hall.
4. 2:00-2:30 television broadcast, followed by questions and answers.
5. 4:30-6pm service at the Island Church.
6. 6:30-9pm second service at the large hall.

Island on Godavari River:
Thank you for your continued prayer for the Island.  The opposition from the Hindu leaders that Bro. Joseph was experiencing during the winter has subsided.  God is slowly growing the Island church as He overcomes the ignorance and alcoholism that is prevalent on the Island.  One of the Islanders’ fishing boats recently was lost, greatly hurting their ability to make an income from fishing the Godavari.  GSH used this opportunity to help pay for a portion of the cost of a new boat in the name of Jesus.  Please continue to pray that God will overcome the spiritual opposition to Christ on the Island.

Boundary Wall & New Land:
GSH was given the opportunity to purchase the one-acre parcel of land adjacent to the previously purchased 2-acre parcel.  The purchase of this parcel not only gives GSH more room for future use, but helps to protect the land from noxious neighbors; the one-acre parcel was an ideal site for a noisy, traffic-increasing, diesel-fume emitting petrol station.  The owner of the one-acre parcel approached Uncle Prabha while the boundary wall was under construction with an offer to sell.  Uncle Prabha wisely declined his initial offer and indicated that GSH was not interested in more land.  However, the owner repeatedly approached Uncle Prabha with lower offers until the deal was almost too good to be true.  After prayer and consideration, GSH purchased the one acre.

As a result of this purchase, the GSH land is now bordered by the village on one side, a two-lane highway on another side, and government-owned agricultural land on the other two sides.  The boundary wall has been completed on two sides of the property, and construction has been halted until enough funds are raised to complete the other two sides (the purchase of the additional land used the remaining boundary wall funds).

Medical Clinic in Vadlamuru:
The medical clinic in Vadlamuru has been treating many cases of dehydration.  Most of the patients have been older women who are more susceptible to dehydration as they work in the rice fields during this time of extreme heat and humidity.

Children of GSH Home:
All the children are healthy and continuing to do well in school while preparing for and taking state exams.  Thank you for your support to help give these kids a home where they can receive a good education, full bellies, and, most importantly, knowledge of our Creator.

Bro. Joseph’s U.S. Visit:
Brother Joseph is scheduled to visit our area in September.  The tentative plan is that he will be here from September 8th through the 27th.  We are looking forward to his visit and praying that God will use the trip to glorify His name as people are made aware of what He is doing in and around Rajahmundry, India.  As Bro. Joseph’s schedule is solidified, we will keep you updated.

Thank you again for your faithful prayers and support in the Lord’s work in and around Rajahmundry.

God bless you,

Brother Gregg

January 2010 Update

January 19, 2010

Hearty New Year greetings to all GSH friends and supporters!  It has been too long since I last sent an email update, and I apologize for the lapse.

Last year was an exciting year as we watched God continue to grow His ministry in and around Rajahmundry, India.  Brother Joseph, Sister Sowmya, and all those who are helping them have been very busy doing the work that God has prepared in advance for them to do (Ephesians 2:10).  We in America are privileged to be a part of this work through the grace of God.  As you read the updates below, please keep GSH Ministries India in your prayers.

Miraculous protection for Bro Joseph

As has become his tradition, Joseph and some of his church members distributed wool blankets to the homeless on Christmas Eve. Not wanting to waste a blanket on anyone who isn’t truly in need, Joseph typically waits until the wee hours of the morning to go out, and looks for people who are sleeping on the ground without any covering. He quietly lays the blankets over them as they sleep, blessing them and praying for them. On the evening of the distribution, he noticed some people sleeping on top of a roof. He climbed up, and as he walked around, covering people, he said it was as if the Holy Spirit just halted him in his tracks. He froze and slowly turned to find that his head was within one inch of a high voltage electric cable running over the top of the building. Contact with the wire would have killed him instantly. He says it was as if a hand was placed between his head and the wire, and God surely preserved his life. He has been giving this testimony ever since. I know you are praising God with me for this miracle. If Brother Joseph had gone to Heaven this past Christmas Eve, it would have been his gain, but our great loss.

Opposition on the Island

Joseph has been encountering an obvious spiritual battle on the Godavari River Island. People are continuing to come to faith in Jesus slowly and steadily. However, staunch Hindu leaders there have been spreading lies about Joseph to plant mistrust among the people. They claim that Joseph has been receiving millions of dollars from America for coming to teach and preach on the Island but that he is keeping the money for himself rather than sharing it with the people. Such lies make it impossible for Joseph to meet any physical needs there, because doing so would only validate their lies and show the opposition leaders that the Christians can be manipulated. God is working there, and the enemy opposes it. Please pray for wisdom for Joseph in this situation.

Recently, a wife in a Hindu family on the island became deathly ill with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At the hospital, she did not respond to any treatment and was told she would live only a few more days. Though the family was Hindu, they asked Joseph to come and pray for her, which he gladly did. They claimed, “If God heals her, we will renounce our other Gods.” Joseph prayed and anointed her with oil, certain that God would heal her. She was healed and left the hospital within 3 days! The family repented, professed faith in Christ and was baptized. This miracle has prompted the intense slandering from the Hindu leaders.

Jesus Prayer House (JPH)

Brother Joseph’s church observed Christmas with a dinner and celebration.  Approximately 1,000 people attended the celebration, and everyone present heard the Gospel message.  God continues to grow the church as more people give their hearts to Him in repentance.

A local Christian has committed to sponsor 2 of the 4 monthly, televised sermons which Joseph preaches from Jesus Prayer House. These sermons are broadcast on the local Rajahmundry station, and Joseph is still praying for sponsorship for the remaining 2, at a cost of $200/month. He says that many “closet Christians,” mostly women, are benefiting from God’s Word coming into their homes because their husbands will not allow them to go to church. Many people are also hearing the Gospel for the first time via television and then coming to JPH to hear more.  Bro. Joseph asks us to pray that God will give JPH the opportunity to broadcast the sermons on a statewide network.

Children’s Home Construction and Political Unrest

Boundary Wall and Motor Room

Half of the boundary wall for the new children’s home has been completed, and construction of an out-building for equipment storage is in progress.

Storage / Motor Room

Electrical and water lines have been installed in conjunction with the building of the wall. Progress has been very slow because there has been much political unrest in the area.

Bro Prabhakar Supervising the Work

Plumbing work for construction

There is currently a movement to divide Andhra Pradesh into two states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana). Disagreement over the split has resulted in violence, riots, and the shut down of government offices and private businesses. Please pray for peace in the area.

Sister Sowmya and Baby

Sister Sowmya is about six months pregnant and doing well. Joseph reports that her “womiting” has stopped, which is probably a good thing. An ultrasound revealed a healthy, normally-developing baby.  Bro. Joseph asks for continued prayer for the new baby and for Sister Sowmya, who suffers from anemia.

Video Ministry

The video ministry team continues to faithfully show videos glorifying God and spreading the Gospel message one night a week.  The elders of JPH have been trained to run the video equipment, provide commentary during the video, and distribute bibles after the video.  This gives Bro. Joseph the chance to preach the Gospel or take part in prayer meetings at JPH during the weeks he does not go with the video ministry team.

Children’s Home

All the GSH children are doing very well and are very healthy.  Sister Sowmya is continuing to disciple and train the older children.  All the children enjoyed a wonderful time of celebrating the birth of our Savior with a Christmas party.  Included with the party was a gift for each child (a new dress for each girl), dinner, cake and dancing.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support in the Lord’s work in and around Rajahmundry. Please continue to lift up our Indian brothers and sisters in your prayers and ask that the Lord of the Harvest would continue to draw more souls to Him.

God bless you and your families this New Year,

Brother Gregg

Video From Brother Joseph