India has captured my heart in every single way
It seems like I arrived only just yesterday.
I didn’t know God’s calling on my life would be so clear
And who’d have thought half way round the world I would have found it here
My life seems so different now and yet it’s still the same
Remember when my foolish self was all consumed by fame
It really is surprising how so much can change so fast
Forever changed by God alone not looking to the past
When you dare to venture down God’s appointed path
The journey doesn’t seem so hard until you feel the wrath
Of God’s just rebuking for the refinement of His chosen
The process can be slow without surrender you’ll seem frozen
But it’s a journey, it takes time
And His grace will always cover you down the line.
Remember He’s your Father and wants the best for you
All He’ll be faithful waiting, watching all you do
He doesn’t beg or plead with you to enter in and stay
And for those who never turn to Him there is a price to pay
But life is filled with choices and there’s one that we must make
To serve the one and only God the others are… well fake!
In India there are many gods totaling over 330 million
Statues, idols and worthless things effect the populous of 1 billion
Even trees are worshiped here in villages by tons
And the Government is supporting the disease by stealing needed funds
People dying everyday apart from Christ their Savior
How did they adopt this sick, wicked, corrupt behavior
Poverty is worsening and castes are still oppressed
The country has it’s hands full of political unrest
But in the darkness there is a light
redemptive love is shining bright
Harvest India grows stronger day by day
It’s commitment is to stand in the gap no matter what they say
If nothing is impossible with God we have nothing to fear
Our behavior’s not commendable, this is why we’re here!
Jesus made it clear that the cross came at a price
And picking up our cross to bear isn’t always nice
Our eyes are fixed on heavens prize the race is near completion
Our names are registered in heaven with no fear of deletion.
We’d love to have you join us in this necessary hour
We are a family of believers and our number gives us power.
If iron sharpens iron and the Word is a double edged sword
Join us with your weapons as we give glory to our Lord!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Faithful Prayers are Answered and the Good News Continues to Save
Spending the afternoon at an elderly home in Cherkupali, Andhra Pradesh is not something that tops the charts of “Greatest things to do while in India” but I believe it should! Through many visits to several of Harvest India’s elderly homes I have been awakened to India’s desperate need for care of the elderly. The elderly of Harvest India pray faithfully, three times a day, everyday that God would continue to grow and aid the ministry, providing resources and blessing the supporters of God‘s work here in India. We believe that we could not do all that we are doing without their faithfulness to continually pray for the ministry.
Venkaiahamma ~ was immediately healed of neck pain she has been experiencing for months when the body of elderly believers laid their hands upon her in prayer.
Ruthamma ~ has a son who abandoned her when she needed his care the most. He has a daughter who has been struggling with constant body aches and pains. Ruthamma’s son came to the elderly home to ask his mother to pray for his child. She has been faithfully praying for God to heal her grandaughter everyday. This week God healed her!
Kanikaram ~ which means “compassion,” was brought up in the Hindu faith. She joined the elderly home just a few weeks ago and has been oppressed by many evil spirits who caused constant torment to her body and mind for several years. This week she asked the believers in the home to pray for her and in the name of Jesus the spirits fled her body. She gave her life to Jesus this week!
Ramaswami ~ prays three times a day that the staff and supporters of Harvest India’s ministry would remain healthy and safe and God answers his prayers everyday!
Suseela ~ Suseela’s story encourages our faith, gives renewing strength to our time in prayer, and reminds us that God is always listening to his children and will answer us righteously. Suseela is over 80 years old and has been living in Harvest India’s Elderly Home in Cherkupali since it opened this last September. When Suseela was just 16 she married Balaram. They have been married for over 60 years and reside together still under the care of Harvest India. They were unable to conceive any children of their own, which in Indian culture brings disgrace on both families. The Hindu faith encourages that the barren are cursed by the gods. Suseela’s sister also married young and gave birth to two boys within 10 months of one another. The eldest boy was given to Suseela and Balaram just after the second child was born. The child was named Silvaraju and was raised by Suseela and Balaram as their own. They provided for his every need and ensured that he received a wonderful education. Arranging marriage for their son in his early 20’s he wed and over the last 10 years, Suseela and Balaram have rejoiced over their two grandchildren.
In old age Balaram became very ill and had to be hospitalized for a lengthy period of time. Silvaraju and his wife refused to help their parents and turned thir back on then declaring that the wew not in a financial position to help them. Living in a large city with high paying job and beautiful home, Silvaraju and his wife are in a perfectly reasonable position to aid their ailing parents. Common practice in India unfortunately is to disown parents who become a financial burden to their children yet in India they are sent out into the streets versus nicely appointed elderly homes in the states. And complete financial abandon sets in versus paying a bill every month to keep the elderly needs met. Balaram was discharged from the hospital when he could no longer afford the medical bills and he and Suseela lost everything. Thankfully, Suseela and Balaram heard of Harvest India’s ministry for the elderly and so they came to join Harvest India elderly home project in Cherkupali. There Balaram regularly receive medical care, medication, food, shelter, and have both received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Just weeks ago Silvaraju came to Charcoal to visit his parents and begged his mother and father for their forgivness against the ways he had been ungrateful and sinned against them. He poured out his hearts troubles and explained that his wife had left him and taken his children as a result of an argument they had recently had. Silvaraju’s wife had hardened her heart against him and decided that marriage was not something she desired to do any longer. He had pleaded with her to come home and his pleading has returned void. He begged his mother and father to help him and do something. They shared of their new faith in Christ Jesus and how through him all of their needs are being met because of his great love for them. Then they prayed over their son with the other elderly in the home. That very day Silvaraju’s wife returned home with their children. Silvaraju and his family are now in communication regularly with his parents and Suseela and Balaram are blessed to see their grandchildren again who are now 9 and 5. Silvaraju is sending a little money every month to help pay for the expenses of his parents at the elderly home. Suseela and Balaram know that they are nearing the end of their race and they see a peace of God’s plan at work through the trials they’ve faced. The real blessing in their lives has been the opportunity to receive everlasting life through Christ and to share God’s love with their son and his family.
These men and women are finishing the race, finishing strong!
Venkaiahamma ~ was immediately healed of neck pain she has been experiencing for months when the body of elderly believers laid their hands upon her in prayer.
Ruthamma ~ has a son who abandoned her when she needed his care the most. He has a daughter who has been struggling with constant body aches and pains. Ruthamma’s son came to the elderly home to ask his mother to pray for his child. She has been faithfully praying for God to heal her grandaughter everyday. This week God healed her!
Kanikaram ~ which means “compassion,” was brought up in the Hindu faith. She joined the elderly home just a few weeks ago and has been oppressed by many evil spirits who caused constant torment to her body and mind for several years. This week she asked the believers in the home to pray for her and in the name of Jesus the spirits fled her body. She gave her life to Jesus this week!
Ramaswami ~ prays three times a day that the staff and supporters of Harvest India’s ministry would remain healthy and safe and God answers his prayers everyday!
Suseela ~ Suseela’s story encourages our faith, gives renewing strength to our time in prayer, and reminds us that God is always listening to his children and will answer us righteously. Suseela is over 80 years old and has been living in Harvest India’s Elderly Home in Cherkupali since it opened this last September. When Suseela was just 16 she married Balaram. They have been married for over 60 years and reside together still under the care of Harvest India. They were unable to conceive any children of their own, which in Indian culture brings disgrace on both families. The Hindu faith encourages that the barren are cursed by the gods. Suseela’s sister also married young and gave birth to two boys within 10 months of one another. The eldest boy was given to Suseela and Balaram just after the second child was born. The child was named Silvaraju and was raised by Suseela and Balaram as their own. They provided for his every need and ensured that he received a wonderful education. Arranging marriage for their son in his early 20’s he wed and over the last 10 years, Suseela and Balaram have rejoiced over their two grandchildren.
In old age Balaram became very ill and had to be hospitalized for a lengthy period of time. Silvaraju and his wife refused to help their parents and turned thir back on then declaring that the wew not in a financial position to help them. Living in a large city with high paying job and beautiful home, Silvaraju and his wife are in a perfectly reasonable position to aid their ailing parents. Common practice in India unfortunately is to disown parents who become a financial burden to their children yet in India they are sent out into the streets versus nicely appointed elderly homes in the states. And complete financial abandon sets in versus paying a bill every month to keep the elderly needs met. Balaram was discharged from the hospital when he could no longer afford the medical bills and he and Suseela lost everything. Thankfully, Suseela and Balaram heard of Harvest India’s ministry for the elderly and so they came to join Harvest India elderly home project in Cherkupali. There Balaram regularly receive medical care, medication, food, shelter, and have both received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Just weeks ago Silvaraju came to Charcoal to visit his parents and begged his mother and father for their forgivness against the ways he had been ungrateful and sinned against them. He poured out his hearts troubles and explained that his wife had left him and taken his children as a result of an argument they had recently had. Silvaraju’s wife had hardened her heart against him and decided that marriage was not something she desired to do any longer. He had pleaded with her to come home and his pleading has returned void. He begged his mother and father to help him and do something. They shared of their new faith in Christ Jesus and how through him all of their needs are being met because of his great love for them. Then they prayed over their son with the other elderly in the home. That very day Silvaraju’s wife returned home with their children. Silvaraju and his family are now in communication regularly with his parents and Suseela and Balaram are blessed to see their grandchildren again who are now 9 and 5. Silvaraju is sending a little money every month to help pay for the expenses of his parents at the elderly home. Suseela and Balaram know that they are nearing the end of their race and they see a peace of God’s plan at work through the trials they’ve faced. The real blessing in their lives has been the opportunity to receive everlasting life through Christ and to share God’s love with their son and his family.
These men and women are finishing the race, finishing strong!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Love’s Revolution
Gideon PerikalaAge: 44
Tenali
In childhood a brotherly bond was formed. In adolescence the bond was nurtured through great joy and unsettled heartbreak. And as they matured, the two brothers grew closer through their relationship with our Heavenly Father. Gideon Perikala and Suresh Kumar remain banded as brothers, serving, side by side, the Kingdom of India as the hands and feet of our Savior. Gideon is a remarkably strong man in presence, gentle in spirit and powerful in command. He is the chief officer of Harvest India’s main operations in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh. Eighteen years ago Gideon “sold out” to the Kingdom work of God’s redemptive love and became employed by, long time best friend, Suresh Kumar at Harvest India. For the last fourteen years Gideon has been living out his declaration of faith in a main role for the ministry work at Harvest India.
Gideon grew up in a Christian home that faithfully served the one true God in a time of every opposition in India. He credits his families faithfulness to laying the spiritual foundation in which his faith has grown exponentially. In his early twenties Gideon fell in love with a beautiful young girl he met at high school. Their love grew mutually and they committed to wed. When the couple sought the approval of her family their was great opposition. Gideon and his soon to be bride were separated by levels in the caste system. The remains of the caste system are widely responsible for the continued oppression of the majority of India’s 1.2 billion populous. Facing opposition and committed to loving this woman, all the remaining days of his life, Gideon stepped into the gap and proclaimed his love for her even more boldly. Sadly, the young girl was not as strong and fell before the opposition denouncing her love for Gideon and returning to her family’s rule over her life.
Heartbroken, Gideon was consoled by the love and compassion of his closest friends. He sought God for answers to the questions in his heartbreak and God answered! He answered in a clear calling on Gideon’s life in the most unforeseen of circumstances. Gideon’s heart had been committed to studying economics in hopes of starting his own business and finding joy and peace in the successes of this world. God had different plans which began to unfold as Harvest India’s ministry began to grow and he was offered a position working to oversee crusades and outreach programs in the rural areas of Southern India. With his life in transition he welcomed a new opportunity and he has since worked to further Harvest India’s ability to reach and save countless lost souls from this passing world with the hope of salvation in Christ Jesus!
Gideon has committed his life as a sacrifice to God, committing to serve the Kingdom work of Harvest India for as long as God will give him days on this earth. Unfortunately for Gideon, his commitment to serve God has come at quite a price. In India your marital status holds a significant weight in society. Because Gideon is 44 years old and unmarried, his family easily finds themselves losing focus of God’s will for his life and reverting to their own, for Gideon to find joy and happiness in the commitment of marriage, and they constantly challenge Gideon to wed. Perhaps there is a lesson in Gideon’s commitment to God for us all. God certainly blesses marriages that honor his commandments but, suppose, for Gideon and so many others like him, that true happiness can only be found in Christ, that in the societal pressures of today’s world the bible is still truthful when Paul speaks of singleness to be something to strive for, to desire, because of it’s unique way of allowing more of yourself to be given more fully to God. Perhaps more servants of Christ, in this up and coming generation of Indian children, will pledge full allegiance and “sell out” to anything less than God being the only true lover of our souls. Gideon is a revolutionary! A revolutionary for the doors of God’s love to be open wide. He remind us that God will show us what full surrender to Him looks like in our individual lives. He reminds us that society does not know what’s best for God’s children and neither do God’s children know what’s best for one another. It’s personal, it’s a journey, it’s a revolution, it’s love!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Chosen by God
Children are born everyday into families whose financial position inhibit them from providing all that the desire to their children. But, what happens when the parents of such circumstance live in an area that is neglected, supported by a government that refuses to help them. In India nothing happens! And nothing keeps happening until the child and the parents are dying of starvation and literally begging for help. Very quickly the situation can shift from bad to worse as survival mentality takes over and parents turn from their children and abandon them into the world to care for themselves. This is the story of hundreds of thousands of children in India, This is the story of one child in India, This is the story of Bhagayasri Thata.
Thata Bhagayasri
Age: 13
Birthday: September 13, 1997
Village:
Born into a strong Hindu family background, Bhagayasri’s family was very poor. Her father, who as in most Indian household, was the sole provider of the Thata family deceased while she was still very young. Quickly the already struggling Thata household became desperate for food and her mother began begging. She was able to raise Bhagayasri until the age of 10. But the environment, in which, Bhagayasri existed was not providing for her growing needs or body. Her mother became very ill and deemed that she could no longer render care to her daughter. Refusing to abandon Bhagayasri she sought anyone that would take her in and raise her as their own but she feared her efforts were in vain. Then she heard news of an organization that was caring for poor, downtrodden and orphaned children in Papavenasanam. She ran into the arms of Christ as she sought Harvest India to adopt her child in hopes that they could provide Bhagayasri with the food, shelter, education and opportunities that she could not. Three years ago Bhagayasri joined the orphan children home at Papavenasanam and her life has been marked by every opportunity in these last years of thriving. Sitting down with Bhagayasri she told us this about her experience.
“I am so thankful to God for the new life I have been given in my home. Because of BriteCity (who sponsors the children home at Papavenasanam. We are being fed three hot meals per day and we have shelter and education.. I love school and I have done very well and study hard. I am currently first in marks in the 8th class and was just recently awarded 2000 rupees for my academic achievements. I am very thankful to BriteCity, Bishop Suresh Kumar, Harvest India, and it’s staff and supporters who make my life so wonderful.”
Imagine that! Bhagayasri was just a poor, oppressed kid whose society told her she would never become anything more than her mother, a beggar. And now she is at the top of the ranks, first in class at her public school amongst 57 other young peers studying in the 8th standard, and being awarded rupees by the same government that refused to help her desperate mother. What’s even more powerful is that she has surrendered her life to the service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and gives all the glory to God!
ANUSHA, BISHOP SURESH KUMAR, & BHAGAYASRI
We also met Bhagayasri’s best friend and sister in Christ, Anusha. Anusha holds the second spot in the 8th standard and together in the orphanage they push each other forward, studying together and giving all the glory to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ! Bhagayasri and Anusha are keeping their eyes focused on the road ahead. They refuses to be marked by anything other than their perfection in the eyes of their Father. They both aspire to be general doctors so that they can provide medical care to others that are growing up the society that tried to oppress them into a future God never chose for them.
To find out how you can make a difference and sponsor the future of India please contact Suresh@HarvestIndia.org or visit Harvest India online.
Thata Bhagayasri
Age: 13
Birthday: September 13, 1997
Village:
Born into a strong Hindu family background, Bhagayasri’s family was very poor. Her father, who as in most Indian household, was the sole provider of the Thata family deceased while she was still very young. Quickly the already struggling Thata household became desperate for food and her mother began begging. She was able to raise Bhagayasri until the age of 10. But the environment, in which, Bhagayasri existed was not providing for her growing needs or body. Her mother became very ill and deemed that she could no longer render care to her daughter. Refusing to abandon Bhagayasri she sought anyone that would take her in and raise her as their own but she feared her efforts were in vain. Then she heard news of an organization that was caring for poor, downtrodden and orphaned children in Papavenasanam. She ran into the arms of Christ as she sought Harvest India to adopt her child in hopes that they could provide Bhagayasri with the food, shelter, education and opportunities that she could not. Three years ago Bhagayasri joined the orphan children home at Papavenasanam and her life has been marked by every opportunity in these last years of thriving. Sitting down with Bhagayasri she told us this about her experience.
“I am so thankful to God for the new life I have been given in my home. Because of BriteCity (who sponsors the children home at Papavenasanam. We are being fed three hot meals per day and we have shelter and education.. I love school and I have done very well and study hard. I am currently first in marks in the 8th class and was just recently awarded 2000 rupees for my academic achievements. I am very thankful to BriteCity, Bishop Suresh Kumar, Harvest India, and it’s staff and supporters who make my life so wonderful.”Imagine that! Bhagayasri was just a poor, oppressed kid whose society told her she would never become anything more than her mother, a beggar. And now she is at the top of the ranks, first in class at her public school amongst 57 other young peers studying in the 8th standard, and being awarded rupees by the same government that refused to help her desperate mother. What’s even more powerful is that she has surrendered her life to the service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and gives all the glory to God!
ANUSHA, BISHOP SURESH KUMAR, & BHAGAYASRI
We also met Bhagayasri’s best friend and sister in Christ, Anusha. Anusha holds the second spot in the 8th standard and together in the orphanage they push each other forward, studying together and giving all the glory to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ! Bhagayasri and Anusha are keeping their eyes focused on the road ahead. They refuses to be marked by anything other than their perfection in the eyes of their Father. They both aspire to be general doctors so that they can provide medical care to others that are growing up the society that tried to oppress them into a future God never chose for them.
To find out how you can make a difference and sponsor the future of India please contact Suresh@HarvestIndia.org or visit Harvest India online.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sing Praises to the King!
Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it!
Praise report: one of my favorite CD's is RockHarbor's Awakened from 2009 and while I listen to it all the time on my iPod, my iPod charger has been misplaced in India and I have been missing all my worship music. Turns out the the RockHarbor team brought a laptop for Suresh, on their last visit, for the ministry. I've recently been setting the computer up to Suresh's accounts so that it can be used as his personal laptop and guess what I should find in the E:drive... the Rockharbor Awakened CD!!! God is good!
All the songs are sung by the RockHarbor worship team and many of the tracks are written by "parts of the body" in Orange County...
One of my favs: YOU ARE
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the everlasting
You are the giver of life
You are beautiful
You are strong and mighty
You are the one that I love, the one that I love
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the hope of glory
You are mighty to save
You are wonderful
You are the one and only
You are the one that I love, you’re that one that I love
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the God of everything
You stand alone as the matchless King
All Heaven and earth one day will sing your praise!!!
We’ll sing your praise
You are the God of everything
You stand alone as the matchless King
All Heaven and earth one day will sing your praise!!!
You’re worthy of my life
Worthy of my all YOU ARE!
Praise report: one of my favorite CD's is RockHarbor's Awakened from 2009 and while I listen to it all the time on my iPod, my iPod charger has been misplaced in India and I have been missing all my worship music. Turns out the the RockHarbor team brought a laptop for Suresh, on their last visit, for the ministry. I've recently been setting the computer up to Suresh's accounts so that it can be used as his personal laptop and guess what I should find in the E:drive... the Rockharbor Awakened CD!!! God is good!
All the songs are sung by the RockHarbor worship team and many of the tracks are written by "parts of the body" in Orange County...
One of my favs: YOU ARE
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the everlasting
You are the giver of life
You are beautiful
You are strong and mighty
You are the one that I love, the one that I love
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the hope of glory
You are mighty to save
You are wonderful
You are the one and only
You are the one that I love, you’re that one that I love
Worthy of my love
Worthy of my heart
Worth of my life, you are
Worthy of my hope
Worthy of my joy
Worthy of my all, you are
You are the God of everything
You stand alone as the matchless King
All Heaven and earth one day will sing your praise!!!
We’ll sing your praise
You are the God of everything
You stand alone as the matchless King
All Heaven and earth one day will sing your praise!!!
You’re worthy of my life
Worthy of my all YOU ARE!
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