In Service of the Most High Ronnie, Haritha & Fiona Gootam

Transcription

1 In Service of the Most High Ronnie, Haritha & Fiona Gootam Newsletter - November 2018 Contact Info (Temp): Ronnie Gootam 4527 Mayfield Glen CV # 201 Collierville TN Contact Info (Permanent): Ronnie Gootam P.O. Box 80 Kakinada, AP India Phone: USA: India: ronnie.gootam@gmail.com Find us on the web: Overseeing Congregation: Hickory Grove Church of Christ 1131 Hickory Grove Rd, Almo, KY Contact Info: Larry Wyatt: (270) Marlin Pierce: (270) Final Full Month in USA The preparation that we had been doing for a longtime has been for this purpose that we return to India and resume our responsibilities in the Lord s work being operated out of Kakinada, India. Just like the biblical Jerusalem for the 1 st century Christians, Kakinada plays a similar and major role in spreading the word across the country filled with idolatry and superstition. My family especially has received many missionaries over the last 4 to 5 decades into our home in Kakinada and has spearheaded them into areas where the gospel needed to spread. Looking back, we can say that God has been glorified by our actions and efforts. Many congregations of the Lord s church have been planted in places where there were no easy roads. Many church buildings were constructed over the years (and continue to do so). These church buildings would be in places where there has never been a church building since the day of Pentecost. It is a known fact that church buildings stabilizes a local congregation and boosts their evangelistic efforts. In most places the churches that were planted remained standing. The 3 years of hard work and dedication at MSOP to study the bible under the feet of great teachers, driving 400 miles each week to preach the Lord s Word in two small congregations in Arkansas, while keeping up with homework assignments and the grades at MSOP during the two year training and also visiting congregations regularly to raise awareness of the work that is going on in India and to seek support is for this month of our lives i.e. the final full month before we head back to India. This month of November, we were very tied up making the final preparations as a family to move to India. We needed to dispose off as much stuff we accumulated here in USA and also tie up the loose ends and yet finding time to preach the gospel which has been our family tradition ever since I have gained consciousness after my birth. As a family we get to visit Hot Springs, AR and I get to teach both the Sunday morning Bible class and worship service on the November the 4 th. My topics were, Fear of the Lord and The Forgotten Commandments. On the 18 th November I get to present the works at Guim, AL congregation of the Lord s Church.

2 We also get to visit with the Wyatts at Almo, KY who also are one of the elders at Hickory Grove congregation and spend with them a couple of days. They have graciously agreed to oversee our efforts and collect our funds for us and our works. We get to combine this short trip with business and pleasure. Fiona get to see and feel her first snow while we were visiting with them while Bro. Larry and I went to the bank to set up a few things that were essential for smooth transactions and transfer of funds while we are in India. We had our family huddle before we took their leave to come back to Collierville, TN. It s a family tradition of the Wyatts which we are blessed to be a part through our labors in the Lord. If you are not a believer in Providence of God, our partnership in His labors were laid in the Lord by the Lord way back into the late 80s and early 90s. My daughter Fiona s much awaited paperwork have not come. Hence we took a temporary permit/visa for her to be able to travel to India. This would allow us to wait in India for the paperwork we need for her to stay in India for a longer stretch. We wanted to travel this month because we wanted to be home in Kakinada for the Polishing the Pulpit which starts on Dec 2 nd, 2018 to 7 th 2018.

3 Our tickets are booked for us to leave on the 4 th of December to reach home on the 6 th December. We tried everything we could to be in Kakinada for the whole of PTP but there were circumstances beyond our control that did not allow us to be there. The event is not for our glory but for the glory of God and the message is not our message but the Lord s message to the people that are coming to learn about His Word. May the Lord be glorified by our efforts. The speakers and the people are arriving in Kakinada as I prepare this Newsletter. This is my promise to you that in the next newsletter I ll surely mention all the great things that have happened during the PTP. A lot of preparation had been in USA and in India have been put for this event. Please pray that people will be renewed, refreshed and recharged across both these nations. On the Home Front Before I report on this section, I am reminded of a passage of scripture where Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman saying, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him (John 4:21). When I am reminded of the mission work in India, I am reminded that Christians worship our Lord anywhere and everywhere there is a place to worship. The following pictures will tell you of such. Gospel Meetings in the middle of the street Gathering upon a roof top

4 Ladies Class in a member s home Preaching in a Gospel Meeting Dad s Radio preaching combined with Basic Bible Course and other evangelistic efforts have brought many souls to Christ over the years. Many of the souls that were saved were formerly Hindus and worshipped many gods. One such convert is Sis. Rama Devi. Her story of conversion and the faith she possesses will challenge anyone who claim to be a Christian. She is from a staunch Hindu background who worshipped many idol gods and even the cattle. She heard the gospel on the Radio and TV. She signed up for Basic Bible Course and completed it without the knowledge of her husband or her family. She has decided that she has come to the knowledge of the truth and came to Kakinada to meet my Dad and to be baptized into the Lord. Her mother-inlaw came along with her to convince her not to do so. But she got baptized. When they went back, her family gave her an ultimatum either renounce Christ or renounce family that night. She turned the tables on them and stood firmly on her faith. Her family changed their mind about persecuting her but to let her do what she wants to do. She has been instrumental in starting three congregations in nearby villages most of whom are women and children. A local preacher seeing her faith and the work that is going on felt strongly that he needs to join the efforts. All the above I described took years. Last year the members of these three congregations requested us that we help them build a church building. Prayer in Rama Devi s home Prayer at the under construction Church Building The supporters have opened up for this cause and donated. In the pictures above, you could see my Dad praying and Sis. Rama Devi wearing a yellow saree and her mother-in-law (who wanted to stop Sis. Rama Devi to obey the gospel was baptized into Christ early this year) in blue saree. Also you could see the idols of Hindu gods in the house (the men haven t obeyed the gospel yet). They later gathered and began their worship in under construction church building in Gokavaram, Andhra Pradesh India. It might take another 3-6 months to completely finish the building but the true worshippers of the Lord have worshipped Him in places that are not contusive to people to stay. The faith of these Christians is such. Three small congregations now rejoice that

5 they have a building and a roof to worship the Lord in Truth and in Spirit. They humble themselves by kneeling down in prayer. Special need for my mother s surgery As you may already know earlier this year (in May) my mother Kabita Gootam had to go through her surgery in the neck here in Memphis, TN. Her surgery was a success and she returned to India early August and resumed her responsibilities straight away. She is the first Christian from State of Orissa (in India), baptized into Christ in She has served the Lord with all her heart, mind and soul. She is the only author, translator and publisher of gospel materials in the language of Oriya (that is spoken in that state) which is over 40 million in population most of which are tribal people and live in the mountains. Many of them do not even known that there is a language called 'English.' But they have books like Why I am member of Church of Christ by Bro. Leroy Brownlow, The New Birth by Bro. Perry B. Cotham and many other gospel materials in their script. Along with that, she puts out materials in 3 different languages and directs Oriya Bible Correspondence Course (which was instrumental in getting the gospel to Orissa) and editor of a bi-monthly magazine of sermon articles that goes to over 4,000 subscribers. She has authored close to 200 books of gospel materials. She is also one of the scheduled translators for the ladies class teachers we are going to have for the PTP in Kakinada starting in December 2-7, Due to her relentless efforts we have at least 600 congregations (mostly among tribal areas and house churches in the state). This is also a state where conversion to Christianity is banned by the government of India in the 1960s. Many missionaries and Christians in the past were killed by the locals (some burnt alive) with the assistance of local police and politicians in this state. Many newspapers have reported their gruesome killings over the internet. One has to search in Google with Orissa Carnage and see for themselves how the people in that state have relentlessly persecuted Christians with the help of local policemen and politicians. I have received an invoice from the clinic of her surgeon. The insurance she had, had denied to cover any of her expenses and the clinic is looking to seek the expenses from her. She did not come into USA for medical reasons but to help us welcome our newborn baby daughter. But while she was here we noticed that she is not able to stand upright properly. When consulted the doctors here they have suggested immediate surgery on her C3-C4 spine after performing MRI on her spine. The Indian doctors at the same time did not guarantee her life after surgery whereas the doctors here in USA guaranteed she will walk the same day or the next day of the surgery. She had a successful surgery and she returned to India after 6 weeks of recovery. We see the Lord s Providence in her coming to USA and getting the much needed surgery to become whole again. At this time, it we have raised about $5000 to be able to pay off the bill. We are still short of about $7,000 to pay it in full. What are our current needs? A. Since prayer support is so important to the success of this mission, please pray for us fervently. We are constantly reminded as written by James, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (Jas. 5:16b). 1. Please pray for Fiona s paperwork to come through quickly. 2. Please remember our family as we travel. 3. Remember to pray for PTP India being conducted in Kakinada. 4. Please pray for our continuous smooth running of our ministry. The government of India is making up laws to try to stop mission works in India run smoothly. B. Sufficient funds are required for us and for the Lord s work. 1. We are about 40-50% short of monthly budget for the intended mission work. 2. We are seeking monthly commitment from individuals and congregations that are serious on spreading the gospel to the whole world. C. Mom s surgery bill: 1. Earlier this year when my mother came to USA to help us with our newborn she was diagnosed by the doctors to need a surgery.

6 2. Surgery was performed on May 31, 2018 on her neck-spine bones (C3-C4). 3. The travel insurance she had, denied her claim and the surgeon s clinic sent us an invoice of $12,122.12, which is attached along with this report for your consideration. 4. About 50% of the required funds have been collected so far. We still need 50% of the funds. D. Need for Bibles. 1. We are currently active in about 50 ministries that we do on regular basis. a. Each of these ministries are focused on saving souls by evangelism, benevolence and edification. b. Souls when they are saved require a copy of the bible to grow spiritually. 2. We anticipate as we enter into the final quarter of the year and that we are going to be busy serving the Lord there will be a huge need for bibles. a. An estimated anywhere between 8-10,000 bibles or more will be needed by us by January. b. We averaged 1000 bibles each month of this year 2018 that were bought and given away for free for those that have asked for a copy of the Holy Writ and those that completed the Basic Bible Course by Bro. Ira Rice Jr. This could increase because of the programs that we have coming up. c. Each bible costs $3.15 (including shipping). 3. Please help us meet the demand for a soul that would ask for a bible. How can you help? A. If you know of any good congregations or faithful Christians that have a heart to give for His work please recommend our works to them. B. Please send your regular contributions to our overseeing congregation and make a note saying, India Mission Work Ronnie Gootam. C. Plan a visit to Kakinada, India to do mission work with us.