Shalom,
God bless you each and every one. Some of you know that in 2001 I visited India. I went at the invitation of Pastor Prabakar Roa, whom I met online. I went by myself because God sent me. I was not disappointed. It was the highlight of my Christian walk. I was in ministry heaven.
Since my visit, Pastor Rao had a cycle accident, taking a severe lick to his head. Recovering from it, he then fell while out in the tribal villages and struck his head again. He almost died.
His son James has stepped right up and taken over the ministry, both in their home fellowship of Berahca (Praise), and also in the tribal villages.
India has over 1 billion people in it, yet it is smaller than the USA. Almost 3/4 of the population live in villages.
Here is a link that will give you and idea of what is like. I visited 9 such villages when I was there.
Please note that the they refer to me as "uncle". :)
http://photos.yahoo.com/arther_james
Please take note of the captions, that tribal pastors can be supported for about $20/mo, family included.
These are faithful and faithfilled saints who struggle each day for the cause of Christ. If you have any interest in helping them financiall and becoming a part of this blessing, please email me at [email protected]
I'm terrible at asking for help financially. I hate it. But I'm not asking for me. I'm asking for the cause of Christ. Will you get behind this faithful work financially and prayerfully? I pray that you will ask God what He would have you do, in Jesus Holy Name.

In Him,

Lahry

Very encouraging! May God bless your efforts. I am also a missionary, but in the local sense. I am working with Atlanta Youth Project, an inner city ministry. The gospel is being preached, in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and in the uttermost parts of the world. Praise God for that.

I'm the same way financially. We work off donations. We scrape by, but it doesn't matter because the glory is all for Him.

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Hal Bachman

Wow, that was a huge encouragement and motivation to see, Lahry! Thank you for posting this and for the slideshow. Does this fellowship know Zac Poonen? I'm assuming not, for he lives in Bangalore city, but you never know.

Thanks again for this post... wonderful.

-Eli

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Eli Brayley

...have not heard the name Zac Poonen before. But as you say, you never know. There is approximately 1 missionary for every 500,000 Indians. But these indeginous pastors, they are tireless and fearless. They endure harsh conditions, sweltering heat, chilling cold, you name it. The young man James in the slide show told me he had a fever from being in the tribal villages when it rained.
46% of the worlds destitute people live in India. That is more than Africa and South America combined. Can you imagine and pastor and family getting by on less than a dollar a day?
This does not touch child slavery. They are made to roll cigarettes called Bidi from pre-school through late adolescense. It's horrific. They work 12 hour days, 6 1/2 days per week, no school. Most could be ransomed for less than $5.00 US, but the family has no income, so the child labors but cannot overcome the interest and principle because the wage is so low and the interest so high.
Funds are hard to come by in the USA. Feed the Children takes in over $900 million annualy. But I can't find saints willing to buy a bible for $2.00 or a blanket for $6.00.
In the winter, the temperature falls to 65 deg F sometimes. They have to build fires in the villages to try and stay warm because they have nothing to cover up with. We send them letters saying "be warm". :(
I'm not trying to put a guilt trip on anyone. But if there is anyone who could give just a little, but give it faithfully each month, it would be huge in India. Little is much when God is in it. The ministers are so willing, but have so few resources to help them. Sigh.
Thanks for caring an sharing.

In Him,

Lahry

Thank you Lahry. This really brings it home.
It does seem such a simple matter to be of some help, they ask for very little in comparisson...

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Mike Balog

....I was awakened at 5:30 am to loud singing. So I put on my robe (bath robe, not a church robe, lol) and peeked out of my room. There in the living room was the pastor and his family singing praises unto God at the top of their voices. Then each one read a chapter of God's Word.They were reading in Jeremiah. Then each one prayed as led by the Lord. It was so awesome. They begin every day of the year this way. The Holy Spirit just filled the room. I was so ashamed of me.
They handed me the words to the hymn "How Great Thou Art". They asked me if I knew the melody. I said yes. They asked me to sing it, because they had never heard it before. With my eyes full of tears, we worshipped God together, enjoying His Spirit in the words of this awesome work of music. It was heavenly, to say the least.
It took them 4 years to build their home/church. The government told them they could not build a church on the ground. So they built their house, and then the church on top of that. They built as they could raise funds. Now catch this, they layed hands on each and every brick and prayed God's anointing over it before it was layed, brick by brick.
Needless to say, it is a wonderful place to have church. The people arrive 2 hours before church starts to kneel and sit on their feet on hard concrete to pray. They have callous on top of their feet from praying. Is that hard to imagine or what? Is it any wonder thay are winning souls and destroying the works of the enemy?
In the village churches, there are anywhere from 10 to 100. Some have no church building to meet in. So they just gather and have church. Usually, the pastor and maybe one or two more will have a bible. The members simply have no funds to purchase one, even though one can be purchased locally for $2.00 US.
I was preaching in this one village. When the service concluded, Pastor Rao called up this old lady. She had a plastic bag folded and held it over her heart. He took the bag from her and opened it up. Inside were a few pages of the New Testament. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. Indians carry their bibles over their heart, for it is very dear to them. Anyone who owns one is considered very fortunate indeed.
These young men who have been raised up to pastor these churches are so clean, physically and spiritually. You just love being near them. They are un-tainted by the world, and it just reaks off them. You just instantly fall in love with them in the Lord. They are delightful to be with.
When we were out visiting the tribal villages, we went from place to place in a jeep, much like the one in the photo album. It had an old tape player in it, with the speaker wires just twisted together, but it worked. They had this tape of Paul Overstreet singing "God is good all the time". They played it and sang it over and over and over again. When you lay your head down at night, it is all you can hear in your heart. God is good, all the time, He put a song of praise in this heart of mine.
India has little or no appeal to the flesh. But God gives you such amazing grace and eyes to see above the surroundings. Oh, how my spirit growns within when I consider what can be seen above what is seen by the eye. White harvest, as far as the eye can see. Over 1 billion souls.
In the cities, the need is just completely overwhelming. In the rural areas, there seems to be a meger balance and everyone gets a little something. But not so in the city. Old people just lay on the sidewalks, waiting for their turn to die. Children wander aimlessly, abandoned by their parents who hope someone will take them in. Shelter comes from whatever you can find, usually trash. Food is searched for in piles of refuse and garbage. I'm not trying to be gross here, just telling you what I've seen with my own eyes. It just makes you feel so helpless, because you have so little to offer, not even enough for temporary relief from the anguish of hunger and pain. Yet, time moves on. Souls die without Christ, while we worry about who is going to bat first at the ball game tonight. God help us all.

Lahry