Gospel Campaign and Outreach Ministry at Jog Falls - Indien
Transcription
Gospel Campaign and Outreach Ministry at Jog Falls - Indien
FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY ATAKA SH RN KA Section of the gathering at the special gospel meeting at Jog Falls area of Shimoga District. 32 nd Year in His service RA MAND Karnataka Village Ministries along with local Brethren Assemblies of Shimoga District organized a Special Gospel Campaign at Jog Falls area with Bro. Ratnaiah and team from 13th through 19th April 2015. KSM team joined with them along with the local volunteers in this ministry. With Gospels, tracks and New Testaments they reached every home in the village called Kargal in the Jog Falls area. They also shared the gospel to the tourists each day who come to visit Jog Falls. Students from Karnataka Bible Institute also actively took part in this o u t r e a c h ministry. HASAMAC UB HA Gospel Campaign and Outreach Ministry at Jog Falls No.132 I AL APRIL 2015 / MAY 2015 KSM volunteers Rev. Geoffrey Kotian, Mr. Prasanna Kumar and Bro. N. A. Paul participated in this ministry program. Dr. Prabhudas, chairman of KSM, Bro. N. A. Paul and other servants of God brought God’s message in the evening meetings. On the last day, that is on Sunday, the 19th of April, Rev. B. D. Immanuel, Executive Director of KSM brought God’s message at Zion Brethren Assembly. This strengthened the c h u r c h congregation and benefited them spiritually. On the final day we had a KSM team presenting special song during the gospel meeting at Brethren Assembly Church. Rev. B. D. Immanuel, whom the Lord used to start KSM, was an ex-foster-child of KNH. He was with OM (Operation Mobilization) where the Lord broke him and moulded him for His ministry. On 19th May 1966, the Lord saved him and called him to His ministry. He had initial Bible training at UBS (Union Biblical Seminary) with the sponsorship of Mr. H. T. Sangliana and Back-to-the-Bible Broadcasting. The Lord laid on his heart a strong desire to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his own people in Karnataka. By His Grace, the ministry of KSM took birth on September 10th, 1983. The Lord had laid this burden upon a number of God’s people, God’s servants and led them to launch this evangelistic program and provided everything that was needed for this new ministry. Objectives of KSM ministry are: 1. 2. 3. 4. To take the Gospel to the people in Karnataka and follow-up in cooperation with the local churches and assemblies. Planting groups of believers and adding them to the local church. Establishing medical and community development services in slums and prisons. Conduct revival meetings and evangelistic camps with the cooperation and working through local churches. KSM is not officially associated with any denominational church. However, it seeks to have close fellowship with all churches and Christian organizations with similar activities. It believes that the churches are the backbone of the ministry for evangelism. “This is of the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes” – Psalm 118:23. CONTENTS Gospel Campaign From the Executive Director Building Bridges Cheerful Giver .. .. .. .. 1 4 7 7 Medical Camp Tailoring Visit to Chikballapur Prison Praise God for ... Pray & Share ... .. .. .. .. 8 12 13 16 Published by: KARNATAKA SHUBHASAMACHARA MANDALI KSM Hospital, KSM Mission Centre, Kothanur Narayanapura, Bangalore 560077 Phone: 28465900 email: immanuelbd@gmail.com Layout: JF Soans Printed at: SM Prints, Bangalore 560030 FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY 2 APR / MAY 2015 (Above) Rev. B. D. Immanuel preaching on Sunday the 19th April at the Brethren Assembly Church at Jog falls. (Above right) Dr. Prabhu Das presenting God’s message during the special gospel meetings held at Jog Falls. fellowship meal and concluded the one week program and returned back to our respective homes. Along with KSM team, Mr. Ratnaiah and team, Zion Brethren Assembly church elder Bro. Israel K Paul, local churches and people from other parts of Karnataka (like Belgaum, Shimoga, Bhadravathi, Contd. on page 6 (Left & above) Sections of gathering on the last day of the gospel meeting on Sunday the 19th April at Brethren Assembly Church. APR / MAY 2015 3 From the Executive Director’s Desk What makes Jesus Christ Unique? Dear prayer partners, supporting friends, In these last days God spoke uniquely through His son who was with Him when He created the universe. By this He reconciled the world to Himself, and the Son now sits at the right hand of the majesty on high, superior to the angels (Heb 1:4). The familiar words of John 3:16 tells us – whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. One missionary writer wrote, “The uniqueness of Christ is not something that we claim on behalf of Christ; but it is the claim which He made for Himself. Christ himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me”. Jesus Christ is a Unique Person: Dr. J. T. Seamonds tells this story about Sadhu Sunder Singh, a sikh who experienced Jesus and His salvation and became one of India’s greatest follower of Jesus Christ. One day a European professor of comparative religions, an agnostic, interviewed the Sadhu, with the intention of showing him his mistake in renouncing another faith for Christ. He asked, “What have you found in Christianity that you did not have in your old religion?” The Sadhu answered, “I have Christ”. Yes I know, the professor replied somewhat impatiently, but what particular principles or doctrines have you found that you did not have before? Sunder Singh replied “The particular thing I have found is Christ. Jesus Christ’s Unique Resurrection: If you read the sacred books of the East you will nowhere find it said of the founder of any great ethnic religion what the Bible affirms of Christ, that He, a sinless man, was made sin for the lost world. Nor will you find it written of Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha or Mohammed that after death they rose Dr. Shanthi Samuel examining a child patient at KSM slum clinic. 4 APR / MAY 2015 Nurse Tejeswini dressing the wounded hand of a child with Lalitha Prasad, and KSM staff helping. His father is seen beside him. again to vindicate their claim. Among all the graves in the world only one grave is empty that is of Jesus Christ. It is a historical fact that no one can deny. The two great facts – the sinless life of Christ and His resurrection establish the uniqueness of the gospel in contrast to the religions of the world. The great philosophers like Socrates, used to argue for the immortality of the soul. Jesus did not argue. He simply raised the dead, and rose up from the dead Himself as evidence and proclaimed that because He lives, we too shall live. The early Christians went everywhere testifying to the resurrection. It was the basic theme of apostolic preaching. Peter at Pentecost proclaimed, “you crucified Him, but God raised Him up”. His opponents had no answer. The resurrection of Christ is just one sample of God’s power. If you ever had doubts, remember the resurrection. It is one of the things that makes the Christian life so exciting. The gospel is unique because of the uniqueness of Christ demonstrated in His resurrection. One reason for the universal appeal of Christ is that He was not an American or a European. In the wisdom of God, He was born in Asia, in a tiny APR / MAY 2015 country that forms a land bridge between three continents. He learned to walk in Africa. By race and human ancestry He was neither white nor black. The color of His skin was the almond-colored descendants of Shem. With respect to time and place, color and race, His position will always remain central in history and life of mankind. He was born midway between East and West and He might be Savior of both. Those of us who have children thank God for the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ taken place in them. Jesus Christ is God’s final message to mankind. There will be no other. In this rests the finality of Christ for the salvation of lost men. The risen and victorious Christ declares: “ I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” - Rev 22:13. In other words, while Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega of God’s divine alphabet, we believers are the other letters of the alphabet that God uses to communicate His message to the world”. 5 What a great heart for the State of Karnataka of India we had! KSM staff and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your participation in the Lord’s Ministry through KSM by sending financial support and upholding us in your prayers. Together we can do great things for God! When you are our support and prayer partners, you are a part of all that the Lord’s Ministry that happens through KSM including taking the lifesaving Gospel to the people in villages, slums, cities and to the prisoners in prisons in the state of Karnataka; standing by us having the “House of Hope” in reaching for those who are yet to hear the Gospel and make decision for the Lord in order to be saved from the bondage of sin and eternal damnation; supporting all the five different ministries of KSM all over Karnataka, taking the Gospel into prisons, slums, hospitals and to the shut-ins. We need prayer support all the time. KSM provides opportunities to the believers, volunteers from different denominational backgrounds. I want to plead with you to be faithful supporters of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to your earmarked pledges for the Lord’s Ministry through KSM. When you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you! I also request you to pray for the medical, community development, evangelistic programmes and also for KSM office staff. We need this “prayer covering”. When we are on the front lines to carry the Gospel-preaching mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come under great attacks and get discouraged. But we have a great and powerful weapon of prayer. Let us exercise it regularly and be victorious to move forward for the Lord. Yours in Christ Mission Rev. B. D. Immanuel Outreach Ministry at Jog Falls (from page 3) Sagar, Shikaripura, Hassan, Mandya, Mysore and Bangalore city) also joined in this ministry of gospel meetings. All the programs and gospel meetings went on very well and many were reached with the gospel message. Pray that the gospel may penetrate many a hearts and they may come to the saving knowledge of Christ. All praise and glory be to our God. – Bro. N. A. Paul After the Sunday service Rev. B. D. Immanuel praying for a school teacher who made decision for the Lord. 6 APR / MAY 2015 Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers Barriers are part of an organization’s growth but it is how you overcome them by building bridges. The last month had been quite a testing month at the Senior Citizens Home where Hope Springs has its regular medical camps. When we reached the location we came to know that half the inmates at the home was unwell. Thankfully our volunteer doctor was able to step in and give them the required treatment. One of them even had to be put on drips as she was severely dehydrated. She was able to gain some strength after some time and was able to eat. She had not eaten for almost a week. We just want to thank God for opening doors for us to help them in whatever way possible. The Home has been very appreciative of us since we started going there last February. Over the last one month we also have been trying to create awareness about our projects and encouraging individuals to become a part of it in whatever way possible, even if it is through the skills and talents one possesses that can benefit someone or through financial support. We want to encourage individuals who are passionate to serve to become partners with us. You can express your thoughts and write to us at info@hopesprings.in. – Kevin Immanuel Administrator Cheerful Giver strengthen the Lord’s ministry through KSM. God indeed honors the giver for His ministry by rewarding him or her and the families adequately. Today the Lord has given us precious gifts of men, women and children who share lovingly, faithfully, liberally and sacrificially to meet the needs of Lord’s Ministry through KSM. Let us remember “Whatever we have done in the Lord’s name will never be in vain.” - I Cor. 15:58. “Give, and it will be given to you “. - Luke 6:38. God loves a cheerful giver! Over the past 32 years or more several of our friends have donated substantially for the ministries of KSM. Prominent among them are a number of God’s people and families from Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Bidar, Belgaum, Mumbai and other places. They showed their gratitude to the Lord for the Lord’s ministry through KSM by remembering manifold blessings that the Lord showered upon them and their families who in turn APR / MAY 2015 7 Free Medical Services Camp for the rural poor at Shambhuvanahalli of Bangalore Dist. KSM Medical Team joined hands with the Assembly of God Church of Ejipura, Bangalore to conduct a primary health care services camp at Shambhuvanahalli with the help of three doctors from Bangalore Baptist Hospital. This was held on Saturday the 14th of March. The team travelled by KSM ambulance from KSM Centre to pick up medical team members including Dr. Luke, Dr. Arnab, and Dr. Shiny from Bangalore Baptist Hospital. Our journey started towards Dr. Luke from Bangalore Baptist Hospital examining patients at the camp. 8 Dr. Arnab from Bangalore Baptist Hospital examining patients at the free medical camp at Shambhuvanahalli of Bangalore Dist. Shambhuvanahalli Medical Camp place. The Assembly of God church pastor and his people had visited the village a couple of days earlier to inform the village people of medical camp. They also found out before hand about the health care needs of the people in that village. This information helped the team to be prepared with the right stock of medicines to be taken to the camp. APR / MAY 2015 The medical team and the volunteers reached the village about 9.45 a.m. where the organizers from Assembly of God Church were waiting. The organizers had made all p h y s i c a l arrangements as needed by the doctors. The leader of the A . G. Church Mr. Geo Jose introduced KSM and Hope Springs medical team and volunteers and 3 doctors from Bangalore Baptist Hospital and shared about their church. Before starting medical checkups, Mr. Jose asked one of his pastors to pray for the success of the medical camp and for many villagers to be benefitted through this ministry. Patients who gathered registered their names with Mrs. Naomi Kotian and Mrs. Arpita Prakash from KSM and Hope Springs at the registration counter. On checking each patient for the illnesses and by interacting with the patients, doctors realized that there were a number of infant deaths in the village especially due to the diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, poliomyelitis and measles. These are diseases caused mainly due to malnutrition, which can cause disability, morbidity and death. Tuberculosis and ubiquitous APR / MAY 2015 Dr. Shinny from Bangalore Baptist Hospital examining patients at the camp. diseases are found in almost every village. It could be prevented by BCG vaccination, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) tetanus (DPT) by a combined vaccine called Triple Antigen. Poliomyelitis causes morbidity and disability and occasionally death. These are preventable diseases. Village people attach a sentiment to measles. Vaccination prevents measles. It is said that “Immunization is recognized as one of the most powerful and cost effective weapons against diseases”. Three doctors in the medical camp prescribed medicines to each patient examined. They were then issued free medicines by nurses at the KSM Ambulance. There were a number of children with scabies, abscess, diabetes and hypertension. One child with web-hand was asked to come to the Bangalore Baptist Hospital for reconstructive surgery. 9 Some patients with blood sugar levels of 400 and above were unaware of it. They were given appropriate medication and were advised to control their diet. We counselled 79 village patients who attended this medical camp about nutrition, hygiene, health in addition to treating many of them for specific ailments. Complicated cases were referred to hospitals in Bangalore city with relevant facilities. We asked some of the patients why they do not go to Government primary health centers which may be functioning in their village. Majority of the patients responded saying that quality of service in these health centers was very poor. It is important that the quality of the health service rendered by medical staff depend on several factors like their accessibility to patients, regular and adequate supply of drugs and the rapport they build in the community. There is a great demand for medicines for common ailments and iron and folic acid tablets. Irregular and inadequate supply of drugs have been the common complaint in these villages. The reason for people not availing Government health services is that they have to wait for a long time in these places to receive any medical help. Sometimes they are turned back without treatment because of non-availability of proper equipment. Moreover, there is also no privacy during medical examinations of patients, particularly of women and many of the Government health centres do not have lady medical doctors on duty. Rural women feel embarrassed to get examined by male medical personnel. Another important reason for the village patients not to visit Government hospitals is because they feel they are not properly examined nor they are given required medicines. Therefore many village patients come to Christian Health Centers for treatment. The medical staff at KSM are eager to render medical service to all patients who come from Patients from Shambhuvanahalli registering their names at the registration counter. 10 APR / MAY 2015 far and near for treatment at their clinic. KSM’s mobile clinic caters to the people in the villages and slums and it continues to grow. The foot fall of patients are slowly and surely increasing in both the clinics at KSM Centre and Koramangala slum and also at the mobile clinic at villages and prisons. The following are the categories of the medical cases dealt with at the camp. Categories Nos. ANC Dermatology Diabetics F.P. Gastroenteritis Gynaec Hyper Tension (High BP) Injury Immunization Malnutrition Respiratory Miscellaneous 1 — 25 — 5 — 7 1 — 3 17 20 Total 79 – Dr. Luke In-charge of Bangalore Baptist Hospital Community Development Medical Program in Rural Areas Of Bangalore District. ********** It is indeed my pleasure to write about the medical camp that was conducted at Shambhuvanahalli a village near Bannerghatta, in Bangalore on Saturday 14th March 2015. On behalf of Pentecostal Young People Association (PYPA), IPC APR / MAY 2015 South Centre Bangalore, I extend our sincere gratitude to the full team of KSM and Hope Springs for their wonderful cooperation, effort and hard work for the successful completion of the free medical camp that PYPA planned to conduct. We have received very good response from the village community. The Medical Camp helped more than eighty families of the village. The Panchayath members welcomed the voluntary work and invited us to conduct such camps often. It was a very good experience for the PYPA council also, as we were planning the charity work for the public. It was a challenging responsibility. We thank KSM and Hope Springs for taking up our request and conducting the medical camp with meticulous responsibility. Special thanks to the doctors, nurses and administrators for their effort and the attitude of sincere service during the camp. We look forward for such opportunities in the future as well. – Geo Jose (Secretary) PYPA South Centre, Bangalore ********** A free medical health checkup was held for the residents of Shambhuvanahalli, Bangalore by KSM and Hope Springs in association with PYPA. The three volunteer doctors from Baptist Hospital, Bangalore Dr. Luke, Dr. Shiny and Dr. Arnab took part at this village camp at 10 AM with KSM and Hope Springs team. Free 11 Mrs. Beulah Immanuel, nurse Jaya and Arpita from Hope Springs at the registration counter. physical examinations along with free blood sugar tests, blood pressure tests were conducted with free medicines provided by KSM and Hope Springs. Around 79 villagers were examined at the health camp. D o c t o r s prescribed them v a r i o u s medicines and provided consultation. The families in village contd. on page 15 Tailoring It is common to see school dropout girls and housewives from the Koramangala slum and from the villages around KSM Mission Centre at Kothanur Narayanapura in depressed and in poor living conditions. Most of them are not gainfully employed and with the prices of household items sky racketing, it is difficult for them to make both ends meet. Often the men folk in their families do not earn enough or they spend their earnings in drinking. Women are often beaten by their drunken husbands. To check such atrocities KSM has been working towards improving the living conditions and bring hope to their lives making 12 them self sufficient. Many girls and women taken this opportunity and come forward to do tailoring training at KSM Mission Centre and at Koramangala slum clinic. Thus KSM aims to bring about a social, economic and ethical change among these people. KSM offers 8-month tailoring training course which enable these underprivileged girls and women to be employed in garment factories nearby or be self- employed. KSM tailoring training department is proud of the completion of a number of trainees from these two tailoring centers. – Lalitha Prasad Tailoring Teacher. APR / MAY 2015 Visit to Chikballapur Prison On 11th April, 2015, I joined with the staff and volunteers of KSM on one of their regular visits to the Chikballapur prison. This was my first visit to a prison and I want to thank the Director, Rev. B. D. Immanuel for letting me join their prison ministry team. KSM prison ministry team gathered for prayer at KSM Centre before leaving for Bangalore Central Prison. up several of the team members on the way. Mr. Prasanna, a volunteer for 14 yrs. in the Prison Ministry, was our leader and also he drove the Ambulance which took us to the prison. We arrived at the prison at 11 am. KSM prison ministry team presenting gospel songs before sharing the gospel to the women prisoners gathered. We started at about 9.30 am from the campus of KSM with a word of prayer. We picked APR / MAY 2015 13 We were 10 of us, 5 women and 5 men. At the entrance the police took our mobile phones and marked the visitor’s stamp on our hands. The volunteers Herman and Vijay set up the mike system and led the group in a few Kannada songs. In the audience there (Above) Bro. Naveen Chandra sharing the gospel to men prisoners at the Open Air Jail. (Left) After the prison ministry programme, KSM team with the lady prison superintendent in front of Tumkur District Women’s Prison. (Below) Dr. Anuradha examining patients at Kolar Dist. Prison. were about 80 men inmates sitting and listening attentively to the songs and at the end there was a round of applause by them. This was followed by a time of sharing the gospel by Mr. William, a veteran in the Prison Ministry. At the conclusion when he asked how many would like to believe in Christ, several hands went up. After closing in prayer, 14 APR / MAY 2015 Mr. William met and prayed with quite a few who made decision for Christ. Then the meeting broke up for the Medical Camp conducted by Dr. Shanti. She was assisted by Naomi, Angelika, Jaya and Tejuswini. The doctor checked more than 70 patients and Dr. Rohit from Chikballapur CSI Hospital examining a prison the nurses gave patient at Bangalore Open Air Jail. medicines. The inmates looked very happy at being treated. The presence of the Lord was evident in the meeting. The inmates were happy to hear the songs and the preaching of the word and the prayers. We believe that the Spirit of God would have prisoners that they would know the peace and righteousness of God. touched many lives that day. – Rev. Noel Kotian We returned with prayers in our Secretary of EFI, South India hearts for the salvation of the Medical Camp (from page 12) needed serious guidance with counselling on health and hygiene. A particular family with three kids was suffering with many health issues because of lack of proper hygiene. Doctors advised the basic hygiene practices to the family along with physical examination and prescribing medication. They APR / MAY 2015 were very satisfied and happy with this free medical camp. Camp was successfully organized under the guidance of Kevin Immanuel and Mrs. Beulah Immanuel, Mrs. Naomi Kotian, Mrs. Jaya Isravel, Mrs. Teju, Ms. Angelika. Mrs. Arpita Prakash supported in the coordination of the camp. – Mrs. Arpita Prakash 15 Praise God for ... The growing prison ministry in 7 prisons - Bangalore Central Prison, Bangalore Open Air Jail, Chickkaballapur and Tumkur Women’s Prison, Tumkur, Chintamani and Kolar prisons for men. For those whom we have reached with the Gospel and for seekers in these 7 prisons. For KSM medical ministry in both Koramangala slum and KSM Centre clinic. Patients who come to the clinics to be healed and also to be reached through the Gospel. For the mobile clinic in Muslim hostels and schools through the medical ministry and the love of God to be planted in these children’s life. For Hope Springs ministry in the old age home. For Hope Springs social work in different villages. For the needed funds for Hope Springs ministry. For the KSM tailoring training program for young girls and women in slums and villages around KSM Centre. For the health and well-being of KSM staff and their families. For the volunteers in the challenging evangelistic, medical and prison ministries. KSM prayer partners and supporters to be actively involved in the KSM ministry. Cooperation and involvement of local churches and its leaders in different ministries of KSM. Pray and Share ... The needed funds to support all the 5 ministries of KSM. To make up the 25% shortage in the monthly support funds during the last two years. For the 33rd anniversary special Gospel meeting to be held in an appropriate place and the dates to be fixed. Pray for all the KSM Board members and their families. For His guidance in all the programs that will bring blessings in the lives of people. For the vision and mission of founder Rev. B. D. Immanuel enabling the 5 different ministries to move forward with his leadership. For the good health to Miss Angelika from Germany who is with KSM till June. For Rev. B. D. Immanuel’s health. For Hope Springs upcoming projects in rural areas. For Hope Springs upcoming fund raising events. For more supporters needed for KSM and Hope Springs ministries. For all the foreign supporters and their families. For the “Hilfe fur Bruder” international organization and their ministries.