Report for April 2010

A hectic month –Trip to Andhra Pradesh. Meetings with 10 Bible School students and a trip to Mumbai suburb for one more student. This is the heart of the summer. Max temp went up to 110’F. In Bangalore up to 96’F.

11th to 16th:- Venkatesh and I went to North A.P, beyond Rahjamundri, a village called Muramanda.

11th:- Departure 10pm by bus to Vijayawada.

12th :- Brethren received us and took us by another bus to Mandipetta. Stayed in a hotel.

The same night, at Murabanda an open-air gospel meeting was held with full stage arrangements. 200 gathered in front of us. But they put two speakers at a certain height, the whole village (2500) heard the gospel. Meeting began at 9 pm and concluded at 11.30pm. Venkat spoke in Telugu and translated my speech. Preacher Samuel Christoper, his daddy Devadass and the local congregation have arranged everything.

13th:- Day class for the preachers. 12 attended. Both morning session and evening session, Venkatesh spoke in Telugu and I spoke in English with Telugu translation.

Second day- Night gospel meeting between 9.00pm to 11.30pm was conducted. 225 attended. The whole village heard the gospel with the help of the P.A. System.

14th:- Day classes for preachers.

Night gospel meeting was conducted in a near by village, called Pulimeru village. 100 were attended. C.H. Raja Prasad arranged the meetings with the help of the local Congregation.

15th:- Night open-air gospel meeting was conducted. Preacher John Abraham and the local congregation have arranged the meetings. 200 gathered. Besides, village folks, from their homes listened to the message came thro’ P.A.System. 9 to 11.30pm.

16th:- More than 100 youths gathered at the Murabanda village Congregation meeting place. They meet in the school premises. Preacher Samuel Christopher and his daddy Devadass arranged the meetings. They operate this school. 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. School boys and girls attended. Venkatesh and I spoke. One young girl Chandra Kala obeyed the gospel.

Same evening at 6 pm, Venkatesh and I returned to Bangalore. They all were very happy and the preachers and the congregation members invited us to come every month if we can.

This is the 2nd time, the local congregations put a joint efforts and they spent about Rs. 20,000 (less than $500) for this trip. We distributed Telugu Bibles, tracts and calenders. They were very happy. In June, the preacher Samuel Christopher want to visit us with his family. Very hospitable and fine Christians.

17th:- My nephew, Murali Krishna, Divisional Engineer, Tele com department came and visited us. He has a N.T. in Sanskrit. I presented the book “I AM” edited by Jeremy Barrier and Charles R.Webb, to my nephew. He appreciated the book. He is a Hindu.

19th to 24th :- Trip to Mumbai.

19th:- Departure to Mumbai by flight. Arrived 1.30 pm. Bro. Yesu received me at the Airport and we went by taxi to Badlapur and stayed with him in his house. Conducted Bible Study with his family members, namely his parents and brother and sisters. They all are denominational people go to New Life fellowship. They are originally from Adoni, A.P and came to Mumbai and settled down here many decades ago. They speak mother tongue Telugu and Marathi, the State language and Hindi the National language.

20th:- Yesu and I, after visiting his contacts went by train to Jalna, Aurangabad. This is also in Maharashtra State. 6 hours journey from Badlapur.

21st:- 2 young preachers, Solomon and Devi Dass received us. Conducted full day classes for these 2 preachers. They go to denominational churches. Last time when I visited them, we shared the gospel. They did not obey the truth yet. I spoke in English and Yesu translated into Marathi.

22nd:- Yesu and I visited the 2 preachers and their village. Contacted their family and friends and shared the gospel.

23rd:- We returned by train to Badlapur. Visited preacher John and his family. He preaches for a church of Christ congregation, meets in a school building. We went to Philip David and his family and the church which meets at Bandra. In my last visit, I baptized 4 souls. They are faithfully meeting every Sunday. Shared the truth with all of them and encouraged them.

24th:- Returned to Bangalore by flight.

25th:- Departure 2.25 pm to Vijayanagaram (A.P) with Venkat by train.

26th:- We arrived at 3.15 pm. Preacher G. Joseph and his team of preachers about 10 of them, came to the railway station and received us. We stayed in a hotel. Evening conducted Bible study at Chinthapalli. 4 were baptized at the Bay of Bengal at 7 pm.

27th:- We proceeded to V.P. Rega village. Visited the preacher G. Joseph and the congregation he preaches. Then we went to Peda banta palli, congregation, where S. Nehemiah preaches. Conducted bible study and 8 souls were baptized in a small lake near by.

Same day, we went to Bobbilli town and preached to the congregation of church of Christ. Proceeded to Parvathi puram, conducted a night gospel meeting at Leprosy colony. 50 persons gathered. One girl came forward to obey, her parents objected. Returned to hotel.

28th:- We went to Komarada and conducted Bible study. 3 were baptized. Proceeded to Kinjangi, preached the gospel and 2 were baptized. One denominational church people invited me to preach at their wedding Ceremony. I shared the gospel. I took Ephesians 5: 22-33 comparing the relationship of husband and wife with Christ and his bride (the church), I preached about the one church Jesus built etc. Proceeded to Hiramandalam. P. Ravi and his brother David Raj arranged meetings in 3 places, Hiramandalam, P. Gajapathi Nagar and Parlakimundhi, which is in Orissa State border. We preached the gospel. We visited the palace of Bobbili and Parlakhimundi. Before our Independence (1947), these small Kings (Raja) used to have places in Ooty my native place. When I was a boy, my elder brother used to be the care taker. During March, April and May our summer time, the Rajahs used to come and enjoy the season, cool climate of Ooty for 2 months and they go back.

We had a night gospel meeting at Kothur, inside a house. 40 gathered. We preached the gospel. A small church is meeting here. The local Christians and their preacher advised us not to go further into Orissa State because of the Political situation. We returned to Hiramandam. David Raj and the congregation are constructing a church meeting place. It was under Construction. Doors and Windows were not put yet. We slept in the church building all side open.

30th:- We got up early, conducted one Bible class for preachers. 10 were presented. Then we went to Srikakalam Road Railway station and took the train to Bangalore. At the church building, some body has stolen my cell phone (Nokia), while we engaged in Prayer. Some outside thief knocked it.

1st April,we arrived in Bangalore by 1.30 pm. In the last trip, 20 precious souls were baptized.

We baptized___________________________45 Souls

Preachers reported____________________115 Souls

March and April_____________________ 160

Running total for the Year= 160+145= 305

Brethren,

We thank you all for your encouragements and help. Continue to pray for us.

Hot News:-Last Sunday, 23rd May 2010, Sun feast World Marathan 10K, Run was held in Bangalore. One Kenyan won the prize. There was a 4 K RUN/WALK for Senior Citizens. About 2000 people ran. I participated in this event and completed 4 k run. All adjudged being winners.

Sad News:-On Saturday 22nd May 2010 at Mangalore (not Bangalore) Air India plane crash took 158 lives burnt to death.

In Christ,

P.R.Swamy