India - The Unstoppable Gospel
An update from Todd Peterson, Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, TX, and Emerging Nations Team ‘Representative’ to India…
Pastor Jayaprakesh Ravuri (JP), wonderfully supported by his wife Sathwika, pastors a small church in Gundugolanu, Andhra Pradesh, India. JP describes his village this way:
“Gundugolanu is a small town with more than 3000 families residing in it. Most of these families are poor and live by their daily income. Christianity is very less in this town in comparison with other surrounding towns. People are not open to the Gospel and very hostile to it. The freedom of preaching the Gospel is questionable!”
Gudugolanu is a predominantly Hindu village where openly sharing the gospel with a Hindu is strictly forbidden. The village is segregated into a small area of Christians and the rest Hindu. Even having a church service that could be heard from the streets might draw a visit and warning from the Hindu village “elders”. Even though JP has lived there most of his life, and everyone knows who he is, passersby on the streets don’t even acknowledge him as they walk by.
The global COVID pandemic has hit 3rd world countries very hard because there are so many people who live day to day, earning money or begging for each day’s food. As JP describes “Due to the strict implementation of the lockdown, ten percent of families in Gundugolanu are suffering a lot. The Indian Government is incapable to meet everyone’s needs!” As JP surveyed his village, he found that about 300 families had little to no food or would run out of food before the end of the lockdown with no way to buy more. God moved on our hearts together that this was an unprecedented opportunity to show the love of Jesus to those who have been unwilling to listen!
JP and Sathwika put together a 10 day care package of basic food items and washing powder and with the permission of the authorities began distributing them to the poorest in the village.
JP said “We considered the widows and the old that needed our help. We had the privilege to pray with them and share the gospel. In fact they showed interest to pray with us! We could see some of them crying looking at the food. As we stepped into some houses, the situation is very pathetic. It's more pathetic to see the children at their houses and some others looking at us with hungry eyes.”
“Within the first week we were able to distribute food to 250 hungry families in Gundugolanu. God has given us (the church here) grace to identify the most needy irrespective of their religion, caste or community. We received warm welcome as we stepped into their houses with food supply. Some even received us with tears by looking at the food which they never expected to come their homes. What we have done, has filled many hungry stomachs and glorified God! Besides, it opened doors for us with good opportunities to share the Gospel, distribute the gospel tracts and the N.T Bibles and also pray with some of them.”
JP and his helpers were able to step into hundreds of Hindu homes and not only meet their physical needs but also found an open door to share the hope of the gospel with many. JP shares, “The news spread over the whole village. People started talking in the streets and in agriculture fields that there are many rich class families in the town but none came forward to look for the needy, but a Christian church has come forward to look out for the needy and hungry. They have done something admirable!”
JP said those same people who used to pass him on the street and ignore him now smiled and warmly greeted him. The next week another wave of poor nomadic families returned to the village, “Over the last week over 140 migrant nomadic working families came back to Gundugolanu because the work has stopped all over the state. They come back on foot, or by catching rides on the backs of vehicles. We visited all 140 families (as they live in the same area) and found that 128 of the families have little to no food.” God continue to stir the hearts of the members of our church and we were able to send money for this new group of 128 families.
The very first house they entered JP reported that “We began food help first with a muslim family. They invited us into their home. The man of the house broke his leg just before the lockdown. As we began helping and encouraging them, they showed interest to hear the gospel. Today they told us that they want to join us in the church to know more about Christ!”
God is truly opening door after door to the gospel that has literally be shut for decades. The work is ongoing as the poorest of families have needed another 10 days of provisions. Word spread to the next village called Potunuru where JP also pastors a small church. The church members asked if we could do the same for their village as they have many starving families as well. The member went and scowered the village and came back with 279 families were in dire need of food. God continues to provide the finances and the first 140 packages are going out as I write this.
God has used this pandemic as an historic opportunity for the gospel of Jesus to be experienced by 665 families and counting in these villages unlike has ever been seen since they were formed. Let us continue to pray that many will not only hear the hope of the gospel of Jesus, but that God will save them and give them new life in Christ!!
