India – Vijayawada (Updated)

A few Victorians are in the midst of a visit to India,

Our unfolding story follows:

November 18

The major outreach in India is situated around the city of Vijayawada. The city has a population of over one million people. Pastor Johnson Abraham supports the work of a number of pastors who look after Revival Centre works in the surrounding villages.

Pastor Dirk arrived in India a few days earlier than the rest of the team. He spent time with the individual pastors, visiting their churches and seeing the Lord blessing people there. At a prayer meeting 5 people received the Holy Spirit and 6 were baptised in water.

It has been reported to us that Pastor Dirk is reliving his childhood, he purchased some fireworks that he intends to set off at his earliest opportunity.

There will be more to follow.

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November 19

Pastor Johnson has contact with a network of schools for trainee nurses. The girls at these schools come from the villages and board at the school. Pastor Johnson has arranged to conduct church meetings at two of these schools. yesterday we visited the newest contact school. Yesterday was the third meeting at the school.  There was around 90 students, most of whom are new to christianity. After a short talk and prayer session,10 students received the Holy Spirit.

Into the bus and down the road to Pastors Raju’s meeting for communion. A seekers meeting followed and 15 persons received the Holy Spirit.

Now back to the original nursing school. A new student intake meant new faces. Lively chorus singing and again a time of seeking for the Holy Spirit. 10 received.

Finally an open air house meeting and general fellowship at a members house.

All in all a good day, returned to the hotel for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow, the pastors conference.

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Pastor Dirk squeezed into the back of the car

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Nurses Home students

November 20

Pastors conference at Pastor Johnson’s home in the upper room. This is also the meeting hall for the church at Bhadrirajupalem. Cool marble floors and the occasional breeze. A day of discussion around the scripture and doctrinal principles.

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3 young women happy filled with the Holy Spirit

November 21

Day two of the pastors conference bought unity and clarity of vision. Preparation for baptism is easy here than in Africa. The water is pumped from an irrigation channel close by and then carried to the baptism tank. The two girls pictured are Blessy Johnson and her cousin Princy. Pastor Raju is saying a prayer and John Nayna is ready to roll up his sleeves.

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Joicy pumping water for Baptism

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A baptism prayer

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Blessy Johnson – pastor Johnsons youngest daughter

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Princy (Joicy’s cousin)

A great way to start the day.

22nd November

A quiet day followed by a night meeting at Kamuru . (Pastor Daniel’s mid week meeting). A young man and his friend walked in to see Pastor Johnson, he wanted prayer. He had previously been a student at Johnson’s school. During the seeking time he received the Holy Spirit along with three other women.

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Those seeking to receive the Holy Spirit

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Pastor Daniel and the two friends, one received, the other still seeking

 23rd November

A morning prayer meeting in a house at Yakamuru. During the seeking time two people (a young girl and an elderly woman) received the Holy Spirit. Both of these had been baptised in water prior to receiving the Holy Spirit.

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If you squint a little bit you may see John Nayna, in this yard of statues

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Princy and Blessy sing a song for us at the morning prayer meeting

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Time to head off after the morning prayer meeting

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and of course the prayer meeting, listening to some encouraging words.

24th November (early post)

One of the things I’ll take away from this tour is Pastor Johnson’s  management of seekers meetings. When the time of seeking is over he asks those who have received the Holy Spirit to stand up and tell the rest of us what happened. Some times there is timidity but the end result is the confirmation that the person has received the Holy Spirit and they have spoken in tongues.

Thanks to Pastor John Andrews who “skyped” into our motel just before 4 of the pastors arrived. His words of encouragement and direction were timely and reinforced the scriptures and thoughts that have been presented to the Indian pastors.

After this meeting we went to lunch at a nearby restaurant. Pastor Yesupadem is always smiling, and sorry mum, I played with my food.

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This evening was the Friday night meeting at pastor Raju’s second church. The people in the village left a mainline church and built this meeting hall. In all there was over 40 adults at the meeting. Encouragement was given by all members of the team and we finished off with a seekers meeting, 6 persons received the Holy Spirit. This was a very happy meeting. It is a bit tricky to obtain quality camera shots in the available light. But note how close the people sit towards the front on a hard stone floor. And the children asleep on the floor without a care in the world. Drums play a big part in the chorus music, in fact it it the only music. The team gave a one off item, that was appreciated by all.

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 Salvation Saturday

Today was going to be a quiet one. A trip to a village to meet with Pastor Gabriel and his family in their home. However the Lord intervened somewhat. A man came to see Pastor Sureesh, this man was very depressed and wanted help. Pas. Sureesh knew we were meeting at the family home. He bought the man along. After some encouragement from Pastor Johnson and prayer the man received the Holy Spirit. His farewell remarks were “he is happy now and glad that he had the experience and would go on with it and life.”

And then there were the twins and their dad. Dad knelt and prayed and received the Holy Spirit. The daughters 9 years old started seeking as well.

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We had a few hours to fill in until the evening meeting so Pastor Johnson took us to his apartment. There we met a young mother who knew about the Holy Spirit but did not speak in tongues. After Michael gave his testimony he asked her if she would like to seek for the Holy Spirit, “yes” she said. Moments later she was rejoicing in her new  found salvation experience.

It is night time now and off to a meeting in a small village with Pastor Yesupadem. (it means “feet of Jesus”). After words of encouragement and an item from the four tenors it was seeking time again. 7 people were Spirit filled.

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Last year Pastor Yesupadem church was the thatched church you see at the beginning of this blog. He has cleared that and is now building a brick walled church. The meeting was held in the front room of his house.

After the seekers time, the hands indicate those who received.

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Sunday 25^th 

This is our last meeting day. We have meetings scheduled at both the nursing schools. Today was the hottest day we have had, and the room at the first school was on the top floor. Unfortunately we were asked to close the meeting down early so we and they, missed on the seeking time. (We need to pray that this management obstacle is removed). Off to the second nursing school to be greeted by many smiling faces who were glad to meet us again. This meeting room was slightly cooler. We sang some Ozzie choruses, words of encouragement and a time for seeking. Some excellent testimonies were given by the nurses.

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Young women at the first nursing home meeting today.

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All eager to have their photo taken with the team