October 2021
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Andhra Pradesh, India. The last four weeks have been filled with ups and downs as we have confronted waves of new challenges in our personal lives and ministry. The weather has been particularly devastating as we’ve battled cyclone damage to our facilities and roads in addition to limited access to drinkable (potable) water.
Prayers for Santhi and Krupa
Friends, I ask you to lift two of our Bethany Children up in prayer, Santhi and Krupa, regarding recent health issues that have surfaced. Santhi is suffering from epilepsy and Krupa (a recent addition to our home) is suffering from anemia and kidney issues. The medical expenses have strained us significantly. We are thankful God has placed these children in our paths, otherwise they would have been left on the streets with these health conditions and would not have survived.
Building Project Update: Children’s Home
We are pleased to announce we have raised $9,350 towards our goal of $20,000 for the first phase of the new facilities for Bethany Home for Children. I’ll add more details about this at the bottom of this letter. A special thanks to all our generous friends who have given towards this project!
Immediate Need: New Water Well for Bethany Children’s facility
We have an immediate need for access to clean water for our facilities. I want to dig a new well deep enough for safe, drinkable water with a submersible water pump. The entire project will cost $2,000. If you’d like to contribute towards this, it would be a tremendous blessing to our lives.
2021 US Trip (10 Nov – 9 Dec)
I am returning to the US from November 10 – December 9 to raise awareness about the work going on with Bethany in India. God willing, I’d love to meet with as many people and churches as possible. Please pray for me for divine connections to churches, small groups and individuals with whom we can share the vision. If you have any connections with local churches that may be interested in learning about what we are doing, we’d really appreciate your help in arranging an introduction.
Peter Paul Update
Thank you to all our friends and partners who have given towards Peter’s tuition. Peter Paul is in his second year at Asbury University, and Go International has blessed us immensely by providing a matching grant opportunity for donations given towards his tuition. If you’d like to give toward this, donations can be made directly through Go International’s website, in order for them to track the matching fund. (designate “Peter Paul Tuition” in the description field) Thank you for your continued support of Peter as he continues preparing to become a medical doctor in the mission field.
Thank you, friends, for your continued prayers and support for the work of the Kingdom in India.
Paul
Month in Review
We are very happy to see all the children returning to Oakland School!
Cyclone impact: broken doors, windows, and glass along with a 30hr electric outage
Requesting prayers for Pastor Barnabas: his house collapsed due to severe rainfall. We appreciate your prayerful consideration to help rebuild his house. He’s a longtime minister with Bethany Missions and he services with his wife and 3 children.
The road to our school was completely damaged
Great day of worship at Bethany!
An 8 hour drive to train church planters as well as a 2 hour drive to teach another group of church planting students. My sons joined me on these trips. This takes a toll on me physically and we returned in the middle of the night just before Sunday service at Bethany. But God continues to uphold us.
Equipping the church planters
Church leader training
Building Project: Children’s Home
Our focus for 2021 has been to construct new facilities for the children of Bethany that we care for. With the new additions, this need only becomes greater. We ask for your prayers and support in helping us accomplish this vision. We are excited to announce that we’ve raised nearly 50% of funds for the first phase.
Architect 3D Rendering of our future children’s home
These new facilities will help us more adequately care for the kids and to separate out the boys and girls, for safety reasons and to conform with government regulations. We have the land, but we need to begin construction of these new facilities to adequately provide for them. This expansion will also enable us to accommodate up to 100 children.
The total needed for the project is $45,000; however, $20,000 will help us rough in the structure. All donations go directly for construction materials, as we are blessed with a Bethany church family which volunteers their time, talents, and labor, enabling us to maximize God’s provision.