 |
|
Duane & Karen Smith – India Trip Report
Brochure for India Trip (April 22 - May 2, 06)
Newsletter Article on Duane's Trip to India
Dear family & friends; We are back in USA, blessed to have been in India and thankful to be home. We had a wonderful experience in so many ways. The Lord was faithful to provide much grace for our trip and power to fulfill His work. Our greatest memories will be in the precious relationships developed with many new friends, half way around the world. Their simple lives and sincere faith have left deep and lasting impressions on each of us.
We experienced great favor with what we shared. The pastors we trained and the people we ministered to were very open and responsive. The pastors received us addressing cultural norms that were in conflict to the scripture with humility and repentance. Women in-equality and the evils of the cast system that identify poor people as substandard were prevalent everywhere. We held three days of pastor conference meetings attended by 450 pastors and some of their wives. We held several village church meetings. Our favorite was a children’s meeting that was attended by 250-300 orphans, street kids and those attending the church. Their joyful enthusiasm, contagious smiles and sincere prayers almost made you forget that many of these were hungry children in hopeless situations. The meeting was followed by dinner for all of them.
In the back row Pam & Steve Watson, Karen and Duane Smith and their son Skyler
In contrast, we struggled to overcome natural challenges to our crusade meetings. The first night was hampered by the forecast of a pending cyclone. We prayed and the cyclone never hit, but the attendance, +/-800, was substantially less than we had hoped. Still, 60 Hindu's received Christ and many more were healed of various infirmities. The second night was met with the cyclone hitting just before the meeting started. The tents, lighting and stage were destroyed by the strong winds and heavy rain. We were thankful that the meeting hadn't started as many would have been injured or even killed in the storm. We moved the meeting to a nearby building and had +/- 300 attend. There were 74 conversions and again many healings. The India team had reset the stage and lighting for the third night. Just prior to starting, the rain and wind began to come. We spoke to the storm to go around us and proceeded with the meeting. By the time we arrived at the field the rain had completely stopped. We later received reports that the storm was severe everywhere in the surrounding area, but missed us entirely. Attendance was again hindered, but when we started ministering there were +/- 2,000. 120 received Christ and many healings were witnessed.
The following day we traveled to a more remote village at the base of the mountain tribal areas. This was primitive India at its best. We traveled through many thatch hut villages. 60-100 tribal pastors convened for an evening meeting, with villager's crowded around, listening in. We encouraged them in the Word and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. We had scheduled to have baptisms, training and crusade meetings the following day but we were not able to return for safety reasons. Maoist terrorists had pirated 2 tourist cruise ships near Hyderabad that day. All 500+ tourists were rescued but the ships were destroyed and several terrorists were killed. Tensions were high and there was no police presence in the tribal areas. The meetings preceded without us Americans. There were 55 baptized and 30+ new conversions.
In addition to the meetings and ministry times, we were able to pray for our drivers, body guards and hotel aids. One driver asked to convert to Christ from Hinduism. As we prayed for him, he was delivered from demonic possession. He later shared with us through interpreter what happened to him while we prayed. He had a vision of the cross and a Hindu god side by side on a hill. The longer we prayed the more faint the Hindu god became, until it disappeared altogether. He was a changed young man from that point on. One of the other drivers has a brain tumor and suffered from severe headaches and other symptoms. We prayed for him and he was healed, having no sign of the tumors existence again. He is saving money to go to a 3 year pastoral ministry school and become a village pastor. The call of God on his life was very obvious.
We also were able to set up the arrangements to open an orphanage called House of Hope Ministries, with a team of five pastors to provide oversight and accountability. The orphanage will start as soon as they complete government registration (within the month). It will start with 10 orphans and two widows to live with and provide care for the children. At that level, the total costs will be $350/month for building, food, schooling and care. The same five pastors will oversee a pastor care fund for the 100 village and tribal pastors that are connected in relationship together. We have committed to $125/month ($25 for each oversight pastor) plus additional funds as raised for the monthly support of the other village pastors. Most pastors have a family consisting of 6-12 members (parents, grandparents ect) and can provide basic housing and food for their family with $25/month. (Amazing) If you are interested in helping with support for the orphanage or the pastor support fund, let me know.
In summary, we are very grateful to have gone. The day before we left, I asked God if He had anything He wanted to tell me before we left. He spoke in me heart these simple words: “Yeh….thanks for going”. Upon return I echo these words in response: “Thanks Dad, for letting us go”. We thank all of you for helping send us and for your prayers. We felt His grace and protection at all times. In many ways, the fruit exceeded our expectations. Although the crusades were hindered, there were over 300 receive Christ and many more healed of various infirmities and diseases. God was faithful in every way.
As I conclude this
letter, my son has just awoke from a nap with a dream I want to
share. In the dream the 5 members of the outreach team are walking
along a sandy road. As we go we discover beautiful sea shells buried
in the sand. The last shell uncovered was the largest and most
beautiful, being blue in color. We had a common interpretation of
this dream as follows: I share this prayer as blessing and benediction: May your heart be Impoverished by the pursuit of riches, Rich in pursuit of the impoverished; May you be found Discovering the Fathers hidden treasures, In hiding, treasuring the Father; May your life be Blessed by His touch, Touched by His blessing.
In His service; Duane
On the Lighter side: I was conversing with Pastor Anil (Village Pastor) as we were looking over the proposed orphanage building. There were several crows in a tree next to the building. He asked if we had crows in America, to which I responded yes. He then asked (with sincerity) “Are the crows in America white?” PS: in 14 days in Kakinada, we saw 5 white people besides ourselves.
Only in India: Men holding hands with men is a common expression of normal friendship. As our relationships grew with our Indian friends, they began holding our hands as we walked, as indication of that friendship. Skyler, our son, squirmed a little but complied with the culture. He stated he really felt uncomfortable when they interlocked fingers. Since they bonded with him the strongest, it was very common to see him hand in hand with one of the drivers or body guards. He received a good deal of harassment from the rest of us.
During one of the messages, our professional interpreter’s cell phone rang. He proceeded to remove it from his pocket and answered: Hello? Subduing my laughter, I made a referencing comment to the crowd, but I doubt he interpreted what I said.
We've also included this email from Anil, the Pastor Duane originally helped that hosted the trip.
From: Anil Kumar
Dear brother, Greetings in the name of our lord almighty
How are you? Hope every thing is fine with you there. We are praying for you and your family. I feel it’s our opportunity to pray for you and your family and for your friends. Thanks a lot for spending 14 days with us even though you are very much busy .HOW IS BROTHER STEVE WATSON AND PAM WATSON
We have many healing testimonies coming to my house and they are sharing with us how god healed their illness.
I am very much happy about it. It is very much happy to us and inspires ME to move forward. Many people are coming and telling their testimonies some are ringing to my mobile and share their healing testimonies
To say frank and fair here many conduct pastors conference and crusades but the people who preach the gospel don’t go deep in to the subject but your teaching are very nice and many pastors who attended the pastors conference were inspired and they also personally told me that the teaching will be very much helpful to them and they told me that your team has given them a enough bread of word of god AND THEY ARE SATISFIED BY YOUR TEACHINGS. I got a very good name in Kakinada due to your teachings IN PASTORS CONFERENCE AND IN CRUSADES. I was very much disappointed that your trip is completed and you went to USA because many people and pastors are interested to listen the word of God and implement them in their life.
it is such a privilege and honor for me to have you here and help our pastors to grow more spiritually. I am very much happy about. I am unable to express my happiness in this small page. I am getting phones and some are coming to my house and some are contacting Vijay we are very very much happy about your team. thanks for giving us a wonderful messages .please convey my special thanks to Steve Watson and Pam Watson .
I have written the testimonies of the people who came to my house and who rang me and told their healing testimonies. I will send it to you by post.
One of the wonderful healing testimony is A WOMEN OF AGE 45 WHO IS FROM KAKINADA IS SUFFERING WITH HEART PAIN SHE WENT TO HOSPITAL AND WHEN SHE WAS RETURNING TO HER HOUSE SHE HEARD THE VOICE FROM THE GROUND SHE CAME TO THE GROUND AND SHE WAS IN THE HEALING PRAYER SHE GOT HEALED .PRAISE GOD HALLELUIAH WHAT A MIRACLE. I WAS VERY MUCH HAPPY ABOUT IT.
MANY ARE SAVED AND MANY RECEIVED CHRIST AND MANY GOT HEALED AND MORE OVER MANY PASTOR RECEIVED GOOD MEESSAGE WHICH IS VERY MUCH USEFUL TO THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE. I WILL GIVE YOU CLEAR REPORT OF 14 DAYS INDIA TRIP BY POST TO YOU.
THE GREATEST THING IS EVERY ONE WAS HAPPY ABOUT THE SONGS OF SKYLER .THE SONGS WERE NICE AND HE HAS A GOOD VOICE.MANY CAME TO ME AND THEY WERE ASKING FOR THE CD’S OF SONGS WHICH WERE SUNG BY SKYLER. IT WAS VERY MUCH HAPPY TO ME
I WILL SENDING THE ALL THE DETAILS BY POST. ONCE AGAIN THANKS A LOT FOR SPENDING YOUR VALUABLE TIME WITH US
I AM GOING TO REGISTER THE MINISTRY NAME AS “HOUSE OF HOPE MINISTRIES”
I have given 75 dollars to KALEB WHICH SKYLER DONATED FOR HIM TO GIVE. HE WAS VERY MUCH HAPPY AND HE IS OUR GROUP PASTOR AND HE HELPED US VERY MUCH .HE ASKED ME TO CONVEY HIS SPECAIL THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR GIVNG HIM THE AMOUNT OF 75$ AND I HAVE GIVEN 25$ DOLLARS TO ONE OF OUR GROUP PASTORS WHO IS VERY MUCH POOR HE IS NOT IN THE LIST OF 5 PASTORS . THEY ASKED ME TO CONVEY THEIR SPECAIL THANKS TO YOU .
CONVEY MY SPECIAL THANKS TO MADAM KAREN SMITH, SKYLER .
CONVEY MY BEST REGARDS TO STEVE WATSON AND MADAM PAM WATSON
PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING FOR US AND PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING FOR THE NEEDS HERE AND PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING FOR ME AND MY FAMILY .please pray for my brother Pavan and also please pray for the danly WHO IS INTERESTED TO STUDY THE BACHELOR DEGREE IN THEOLOGY .
HOW DID YOUR CHURCH MEMBERS REACT WHEN YOU TOLD ABOUT THE TRIP OF INDIA IN YOUR CHURCH YESTERDAY
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON
YOUR BROTHER, ANIL KUMAR
|
