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NEWSLETTER July/August/September 2003 - VOLUME TWO
INDEPENDENT CHURCH IN INDIA PO BOX 238 FREDERICKSBURG, PA 17026
website: www.indchurch.org email:info@indchurch.org
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TURNED FROM DEATH TO LIFE
She was ready to kill herself… There was just too much pain and sorrow in her life. As she sat inside her small dirt floor hut, all she could remember was her dead son, who had previously committed suicide as well. She felt that she no longer had a reason to keep on living. But that night, a strand of hope invaded her despair. She had a dream that a van would come to her village, and a foreigner would come to visit her. A visit from a foreigner coming in a vehicle didn't happen very often at her village. But the next day that is exactly what happened. That foreigner was me…
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That day, Pastor Britto, the founder of Independent Church In India, and I had a divine appointment with that woman. That day, being led of God through diligent prayer, the leaders of Independent Church took their team members and myself to that village for the very first time. That day, God would use us all for His divine glory! As we walked up to this woman, Pastor Britto asked her if she would like to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ. She, having been formerly involved in Roman Catholicism, gladly invited us into her house. Inside her small and dark hut, she showed us some pictures of her dead son and began to share with us that her life was filled with unhappiness and grief. Pastor Britto listened in compassion to her troubles as he translated her desperate words to me in English. Suddenly remembering, with a shimmer of hope, she began telling us the dream she had the previous night before. This was the perfect opportunity to share with her that there was a true God in heaven that loved her so much, that he had arranged us to meet, so we could tell her the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we told her the good news of the Gospel, she listened very carefully, deeply taking in every word spoken to her. |
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That day, the angels’ were also rejoicing in heaven because Marriyammal’s name had been recorded in the lamb’s book of life.
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We shared how she can trust in Jesus who is the only one who can fill the void in her life and give her life eternal. She prayed and joyfully received the Lord Jesus Christ into her heart and life as her personal Lord and Savior. That day, we witnessed a life in total despair and emptiness be transformed into complete freedom and joy unspeakable! That woman’s name was Marriyammal and she began praising Jesus from the bottom of her heart. That day, the angels’ were also rejoicing in heaven because Marriyammal’s name had been recorded in the lamb’s book of life.
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When we left her house, we found another group in the same village and we began sharing the Gospel with them. In that group, they were afraid to accept Christ, because they were living in fear of their idol gods that were also in our view as we shared the good news with them. As we turned to move on, we saw Marriyammal freshly dressed in clean clothes and she joyfully told us that she was on her way to make things right with her daughter and share the good news.
Shortly after saying our good-byes to her, Pastor Britto and I went to find more lost souls in that same village. We soon had the opportunity to witness to a group of women who warmly accepted us by giving us hot tea to drink. Many of these women also received the Lord Jesus Christ. After this, we came to another group in that same village. This group after hearing the Gospel remained silent when we gave the invitation to repent of their sins and receive Christ as their Lord and savior. After preaching some more, a man stepped forward out of the group of around fifteen or more. He said that he was the Hindu priest of that village, and he was ready to give his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. After we led him in prayer, another woman seeing her Hindu priest repenting of his sins, also came forth and received Christ as her Savior. We thank God for the lost and hurting souls that had come into the kingdom that day!
The next day was Sunday, and Marriyammal came to our church bringing with her three others who had walked over two hours in the tropical heat well over a hundred degrees just to get there. Marriyammal joyfully told us that the night before she had a lot of pain in her legs, but she prayed to her Lord Jesus for healing, so she could come to church the next day. When she woke up in the morning, the pain was completely gone! Jesus had healed her! Marriyammal reminded me of the Samaritan woman at the well. She after receiving the Gospel, also went forth with joy, and began telling others about her Lord.
Please pray for both Marriyammal and the ex-Hindu Priest Jayakumar. Pray that the Lord will bless them and use them to be mighty witnesses in their village, to those who are in bondage to idol worship.
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