Main Street Baptist Church

Dear Friends,

I thought I should give you an update of what’s been happening concerning India, and I have some prayer requests for you.  In the 6 weeks I’ve been home I have heard from many of the pastors who have attended the pastor’s conferences.  The letters show how helpful and even life-changing these times have been for them.  They really want another one soon, plus one for them to attend with their wives.  The Bible Institute they want to teach is ready to move ahead.  It needs only a commitment from me as to when I can come.  

I’ve stayed in close touch with numerous pastors and friends from there, and we are supporting the family with Aids by sending $50 a month to them.  The mother and son are still at home as they continue to weaken.  The other son and daughter are at a Christian boarding school where for the first time in their life they are properly fed, clothed and taught.  Thanks to those of you who have contributed to this needy family!  The ministries to the slum churches (Dalits, or untouchables) are going well.  

I would like to return in February or March for another 4 weeks.  That works best with their schedules, my schedule and the weather.  I want to have a pastor’s conference and a shorter one for husbands and wives, then start the new Bible institute and teach there each day for 2 weeks.  The last week would be spent in Ahmednagar speaking to a special gathering of all the churches there.  

Before this can happen, however, I need two things I would like you to pray for.  I need the finances to cover the cost of the trip and conferences.  The total would be about $4,000 and I now have about $1000 in donations.  Please pray God would provide what is needed in time to make plans and secure facilities, etc., in India.  Pray also that God would provide someone I can travel with, someone going from here to India about that time.  It’s very hard maneuvering through airports in India if you don’t know the language!  I have been working hard at teaching myself Hindi since I have been home, but many of the sounds in it we don’t have in English and it isn’t easy for me to learn.  Pray for God’s mercy on me as I study this language.  

Please pray for God’s guidance and provision in all areas of this.  He had put a deep burden in my heart for the people of India and I look forward to returning soon.  If God leads you to contribute you can make check payable to Main Street Baptist Church for a tax deduction or to me personally.  Either way mail them to 252 W. State St., Doylestown, PA.  18901.

Thanks and God bless!


Jerry

 

Various times and places on 3 different continents from Thursday evening (India time) to Saturday morning (EST)

If you are reading this email it means I made it home. But it wasn't an uneventful trip!

The day was spent with the children. I tell them they are my India family and after visiting my American family I will come back to them. They are a close family, the ones who live at the school.

The evening before leaving Abigail's whole India family had a reunion. It's the first time they've been together in 6 years. I've known some of them quite well for a long time (ride the train with me, help at pastors conferences, baby dedication, etc.). It was special being part of such a meaningful reunion. The father is very old, a fine man of God and long-time pastor who sacrificed untold things for the gospel. They asked me to say a few words and share a Scripture. I picked Joshua 24:15. It was a very meaningful evening and they seem to think I have had a very positive impact on their Indian family.

The bad news is that we got a call saying our flight to Newark has been put off 5 hours. The good news is that they promised us free transportation and hotel rooms while we waited. The bad news is that we had to wait an hour for the Hyderabad to Mumbai flight to take off (4 AM - we were up all night). The good news is that they upgraded up to First Class so we waited in the lunge and got free bottled water, something you can't take through check-in and I would have been without for 12 hours. The good news is that I talked with 3 young American software programmers who were on their way home from India after 2 weeks working with a company here. The good news is that First Class was great!

But the bad news is that when we got to Mumbai they didn't make good on their promise to give us rooms, nor did they upgrade our seats here as they also promised. The good news is they did give us a free breakfast but the bad news is that my stomach has totally rebelled against anything but the mildest food (and I can't blame it). The bad news is we had to sit on hard seats and wait from 5:30 AM until noon when we could board the plane. The good news is that we got to know several other passengers due to our common 'misery' and promises not being kept to them, either. Shared pain breaks down walls between us and Hindus that would never come down otherwise.

The good news is the plane finally took off. The bad news is that the ride was longer (18 hours) and more crowded than I remembered. The good news is that they gave us several meals. The bad news is that Air India serves white rice and puts lots of curry in their food. The good news is that my mouth is getting to not mind curry. The bad news is that my stomach won't stand it.

The good news is that we finally made it, 50+ hours after getting up in Hyderabad Thursday morning. I arrived home a little after midnight Friday night/Saturday morning USA time!

MANY THANKS!!!

Words cannot express how much I have needed and appreciated your support through all this. Your financial contributions made it all possible. Your prayers were the key to all that happened in me, to me and through me. And your supportive words and emails really encouraged me. They still do. I thank God for you and for allowing me to share this part of my life with you. God will eternally reward and bless you for your faithfulness. The fruits of this India trip are yours as much as they are mine!

SO WHAT HAD GOOD BEEN TRYING TO TEACH ME THROUGH THIS ALL?

The answer to that is a definite "I'm not sure!" I know it has to be something but I'm not sure what. Last year I was aware I was being stretched beyond what I'd been before. Still, I was with a group of Americans eating a lot of American food, living in an American-style house and riding in an AC van. It's like this year God took me out of the bubble and set me down in India with no one to count on but Him and a few people I had never met before. I have special promises I've read and trusted every day and I know He's teaching me to trust His promises. I've learned how totally weak and incapable of ministering or even living on my own I am, but that when I admit that He takes over and good things happen. And He's clearly pointed out how much pride still remains in me - and it’s not very pretty! Obviously He was teaching me to find my security only in Him. Also I've been able to forget about the past and future and live more in the moment, enjoy it for what it is.

Still, I think there is more. I haven't just been stretched; I've been totally taken outside myself. God hasn't just stretched what's there, He been building something new and different into me. It's been such an extremely intense time. So very many events happened, almost daily (sometimes several times a day) that would have been the highlight of my whole year not many years ago. But here they are topped by something later that day or the next day. God had me totally outside myself, and then He rained down these wonderful experiences and blessings on me continually. So I know He's doing something. I just don't know what. And I'm wondering if I ever will. Maybe it's not something to put my finger on, to put into words on paper. Obviously He had something in mind. It's like He planted a seed inside me to gradually grow and produce the fruit its creator desires. It’s still all Him, its nothing I get any credit for.

WANT TO JOIN ME?

I’m looking for some willing people (or children or teens) to go alone to help minister here. I absolutely guarantee you that when you come as a group your housing, food, transportation and overall living conditions will be similar to what you experience in America. Mine were so different this trip because I ventured off on my own to better experience the ‘real’ India. I won’t be doing that next time. If you are at all interested please let me know. It’s an experience you’ll never forget and will change you completely! Cost will probably be around $2500, depending on the cost of the flight. Thanks again!

There are other ways of joining than coming to India. I am committed to sending $50 a month to the AIDS family. They are depending on it for their schooling and daily life can't continue without it. I want it to be an 'us' thing, not a 'me' thing- so you can share the blessing and reward. If you can sponsor them for a month, or even part of a month, send the money to me, Jerry Schmoyer, 252 W. State St., Doylestown, PA. 18901. I'll keep an email update list of those who contribute and keep you informed of the family.

AND PLEASE PRAY FOR GOD TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEXT PASTOR'S CONFERENCE AND TRIP. I CAN'T COMMIT TO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE MONEY BEING AVAILABLE TO FINANCE IT. I KNOW GOD WILL PROVIDE, BUT HE WANTS US TO PRAY. Thanks!!!

IN A NUT SHELL

Here is a quick summary of my trip

Days in India 29

Travel here and back: 10,000 miles each way

Travel by plane, train, car, van, 3-wheeler, motorcycle, scooter, foot

Miles traveled by train 3,000 in 70 hours

Places slept 11

Hour+ long neighborhood walks 27

Pictures taken 2500

Messages given 63

To pastors 22

To church congregations 23

Different churches 14

To children 14

Misc. 4 (baby ded, widow’s food distribution, sewing center girls)

Times spoke in Biblical costume 17

Magic tricks done 125

In the first 8 days I spoke 28 times, then 1 day train ride to Ahmednagar and spoke 7 times in 3 days

Last week I spoke 22 times

I averaged 3 messages a day on the days I wasn't traveling.

Also: updated and edited my Spiritual Warfare Handbook, something I’ve been wanting to do for some time but haven’t been able to get to. India is an appropriate place to do such a work!

Thanks for praying and don't ever stop!

You can find updates and more information on my web site http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/ , either at Ministries, Asia Mission Journal http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/asia-mission-journal/ or on my blog page http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/blog/ .

As to showing the slides of this trip, I’ll have a real brief overview on Sunday morning as part of my sermon. It seems Wednesday evening (7 PM at church) would be best to show more. We’ll start and see how far we go. We may finish or we may need to continue the next Wednesday. That seems to work best for the majority of those who responded. If it doesn’t work for you let me know and I’ll see what else I can do. I have many excellent pictures and great stories to go with them. I’ll be able to do little more than give an overview on Sunday. I think they are very interesting and informative and look forward to sharing them with you.

Thursday, July 26, 2007, Hyderabad, India

Today David Babu and I leave. On the plane I’ll think and type my feelings, lessons, etc. Suffice it to say its been quite a trip! It’s been more intense, more great memories, more true ministry opportunities than I ever imagine. In all ways I imagined this trip has been more successful than I could have imagined.

Yesterday I spent in the neighborhood of Bethel Fellowship Church, meeting and talking to children and adults. I also visited the neighborhood of the Benjara tribe, the original people to live here before it became the city of Hyderabad. They have their own culture, language and customs. The church has reached out to them and many are now believers.

I also spent almost two hours walking around the various neighborhoods with a young man from the church who knows some English and wants to go into the ministry. We even went into the Indo-American Cancer Hospital, a large complex of buildings. If you give the inside a good cleaning and fresh paint, it would look like an American hospital of 50 years ago. But the care seems to be almost as good as in the USA. They are partnered with Sloan Kittering doctors and partly sponsored by them and others in the US. I don’t know how modern their equipment is, though. Probably pretty recent.

We gave 2 more Hindu widows rice in the afternoon. Both were young with several young children. Young widows don’t remarry. The family looks down on it and men would rather not have a ready-made family. So these women will be alone the rest of their lives. Raising children and earning money is very difficult. One has the poorest job possible, sweeping streets with a broom. It’s hard and very dangerous work, and she gets almost no pay. But it is a job.

Lasts night I spoke at their Bible study. Twice as many people came as normally do because they knew the white American would be there! They seem to really have benefited from what I said Sunday. The best part, though, was that about half a dozen widows who received rice came. The two young widows came as well. I tried to0 clearly explain salvation as a free gift from Jesus and how to receive it, then led them in a prayer to receive the gift. I don’t know who did or didn’t, but they were very open and responsive. Every one wanted me to lay hands on them and pray for them after the service.

Today I’ll spend at the Good Shepherd school with the children. We go to the airport about midnight for a 3 AM flight to Mumbai (Bombay), arriving at 4:15 AM. Then at 7:20 AM we are to leave for Newark with a stop for fuel in Paris – my second visit to Paris! (We stopped for fuel on the way here as well.). It is a 19 hour flight and arrives in Newark at 4:30 Eastern time.

Please pray for today, for the flights to go smoothly (Air India isn’t know for that) and on time, for the time to pass quickly and for God to continue to use this time as well.

Thanks for praying and please, please don’t stop now! I’m not home yet!

SECOND PASTORS CONFERENCE, July 7-7, 2007, Hyderabad , India

Pastor A. Jacob – his and families growth, pray for money so he can send his daughter to school

Pastor B. G. Sundaram, Church of Living God - pray for family, congregation to grow spiritually and church needs.

Pastor B. John Marak, Calvary Hope Church – pray for church and school expenses for children, wife having health problems, God’s anointing to teach believers

Pastor D. Johnson, Children’s Home – pray for spiritual life, faith, greater love for all,

Pastor G. Apollos Rajghana, Kurios Baptist Church – church growth, family needs, new church building, financial supprt

Pastor G. Prabhakar, House of Prayer – church growth in faith and number, family spiritual growth, studies of daughter Priscilla 6^th grade and son Sam 4^th grade, land for a church

Pastor J. Rajaratnam, DBM Church – pray for family, church, church growth, poor people, salvation of unbelievers

Pastor K. Prakash – pray for family, ministry, money to pay rent, spiritual growth,

Pastor M. Christdas – family and church

Pastor M. D. Devavtham, Baptist Church – church and family, 2 married daughters

Pastor M. Devadanam – pray for my ministry, health, son-in-law, whole family

Pastor Mallela Babu Rao – church growth and his family

Pastor Nissi Bhushan Koya, Peace Life Fellowship – need a location for church, for family,

Pastor Pashin B. Praghundas – church ministry, financial help

Pastor Peter Paul Mella, The Holy Grace Penial Church – one problem family in church, need a building, family health, personal problems he has in the ministry

Pastor S, Raul Rey, Church of Christ Prayer Hall – family, church growth, financial problems

Pastor T. John Wilson, Baptist church – spiritual growth, church growth, children grow spiritually, unsaved family, church unity

Pastor T. Rajaratnam, Grace Church – church growth, effective ministry for self and family, new church plant

Pastor V. Matthew – family, church, wants to have children, needs transportation, for believers to come to church and to follow Jesus instead

Pastor Veragi P. Israel, The Real Tabernacle of the Holy Church – souls winning, church progress and world evangelism

Pastor Y. Ratma Paul - salvation of local people, church construction

Pastor Moses – continual ministry growth, finances to expand ministry, new church location, sewing center, widows food distribution, orphans home, Leprosy ministry, HIV ministry, Bible Institute, family, vehicle, computer, money for children’s education, washing machine for family, expand ministry in other locations

You can find updates and more information on my web site http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/ , either at Ministries, Asia Mission Journal http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/asia-mission-journal/ or on my blog page http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/blog/ .

Wednesday, July 25, 2007, Hyderabad, India

One more night in India ! Tomorrow morning when I get up I won’t go to bed for 50 hours, until I sleep in my own bed in the USA (after a very good shower, of course).

Yesterday I went to the Good Shepherd Children’s School and home and talked to the whole school, then had a nice long time alone with the 20 students who live there. I gave them bracelets with different color beads explaining salvation. We had gone over the colors several times in the main group. I gave the home mother a bracelet by Mrs. Spink like I had given others who have helped me, for she has always made me fine meals and done everything she could to serve me when visiting there. She was thrilled with it! It is so easy to bring joy to these people. It take so little and means so much to them for so long. Next trip I will do a lot of it.

Last night we took an hour ride in a ‘taxi’ (3-wheeler) way across town to a church started by one of the men who came to the pastors conferences. In 2007 he wasn’t pastoring, just helping here and there in other churches. The conference so encouraged and motivated him that he went full time and started a church in his home. It outgrew him home and now they rent 2 small rooms joined by one door. That’s where we met last night. One room is 10’ x 20’ the other 10’ x 25’. Both were packed. There were about 80 there on a Tuesday night! We got there early to beat the traffic (which can’t be done here) and visit with him awhile. He spent the first hour we were there frantically trying to get the electricity to work. They had one light bulb and one fan, and without them couldn’t meet. He so reminded me of myself sometimes at church trying to get the heat to work or get something functioning correctly before a meeting. I’m sure it was especially bad for him because he had special visitors waiting. Finally it worked and was much needed. The light from the bulb reached me where I was speaking, but unfortunately the air from the fan did not! Their worship singing was inspiring and uplifting – so much enthusiasm and excitement, so much praise and worship. I’m starting to learn some of their more common praise songs because I hear them often. I have no idea what the words are but the feeling behind them is obvious. I talked about needing to keep our eyes on Jesus. Peter had to learn that walking on the water but didn’t and denied the Lord, then he stood for Him on Pentecost and before the religious rulers. In these very dark places I can’t use notes so get a quick outline in my head and go by that. I still feel 100% totally inadequate standing before people like this, but I know God uses what I say and just the fact that I came to their church to uplift and encourage them. Afterwards they all lined up for me to lay hands on them and pray for them. That’s one of the ministry privileges here which I will miss most when I leave!

It was most encouraging and uplifting to me to see another result of something very and good that has come from the pastors conferences and my trips here. I could see it in the joyous faces of every believer present last night! What an honor and privilege it is to impact so many lives in such a positive way, and just by doing what I love – speaking to pastors.

Today I am going with Moses to visit a ‘tribal’ church. He said they are like gypsies. It should be interesting! Tonight I’ll speak at his church again. That will end my ministry to adults here. I’ll speak to the children at the school twice tomorrow and then I’ll be done. I won’t be visiting the believers in the AIDS colony or the leper colony for they are quite a distance away. They say they will take me there next time – something to look forward to!

Thanks for your prayers and don’t stop now! Pray these final days would be very effective for Him and that whatever work He is doing in me would continue. Pray for the trip home to go quickly, smoothly and safely. Air India is not a way we will be flying again!

I asked the pastors at the pastor’s conferences for prayer requests. Here is what they gave me. I haven’t been able to get them to you sooner because I needed someone to translate them for me. The pastor I visited last night is on this list.

FIRST PASTORS CONFERENCE, July 2-4, 2007 , Hyderabad , India

Evangelist M. Sanjeevadah – pray for his brothers and his family

Pastor B. Peter, Shammah Church – pray for children and wife

Pastor Ch Abraham – son has night blindness, church construction stopped for lack of money, 3 sons become good servants

Pastor Ch Ravi Kumar, Love Pentecostal Church – church building needed, spiritual growth of family, brother Emanuel whose kidneys both failed, Abraham (12) not talking, those needing salvation, no home for own family, wants to have a son

Pastor D. Kumar - for spiritual growth, for his ministry and for his relatives

Pastor D. Samuel Raju – God bless his family and ministry

Pastor D. Yahon – spiritual growth for him, family and church

Pastor G. David Paryadesi – wife and children’s health

Pastor G. Isaac, Shammah Church – pray for wife and children

Pastor G. Jeovon, Shalem Church – church construction, church growth, wife and children, local people

Pastor G. Timothy Antipas – serve God with family (holy, honest and faithful until death), to gospel ministry, children to hear God’s call to service, church construction debts, follow what learned at seminar, health and prayer life

Pastor H. Samuel – good health, family, church growth

Pastor K. Augustine Manohar, Zion Prayer Hall – effective, fruitful ministry and church edification,

Pastor K. Jacob Abishekam – family needs, church PA system

Pastor K. Nathaniel – pray for his family and for God’s will in his life

Pastor K. Surcoh Babu, Shalem Church – conference next year

Pastor M. Prajad – for own growth and for family

Pastor M. Yesuperdn – land to build church, spiritual growth, do God’s will

Pastor P. Daniel Sostry, Lords Full Gospel Ministry – pray for his 7 children, 3 married; pray for his ministry – constructing a church building

Pastor R. Jebez – own and church spiritual growth

Pastor Raj Kumar – able to carry out vision of taking gospel to untouchables in unreached villages, needs a LCD projector for his ministry

Pastor Ramesh – pray for children

Pastor S. Jashwa Daniel – ministry and family

Pastor S.Devabaram – for family and for town of Guntur to have pastors conference next year if it is God’s will

Pastor Sanjeev Raju, Sharon Church – church development, keep Holy Spirit on him and family

Pastor Y. Prema Sugar, Full Gospel Church – own and church spiritual growth

Pastor Yesupadam, Emmanuel Calvary Church – family, ministry to multiply

Tuesday, July 24, 2007, Hyderabad, India

Yesterday was spent at Bethel Fellowship Church, pastored by Moses, the man at whose house I am staying. He distributes a month’s worth of rice to elderly (over 60) widows, all Hindu but one was Moslem. I spoke to them first about the free gift we are getting being like the free gift of salvation. That was a challenge – preaching to women my age (only one had more gray hair than I do). Speaking to Hindu women about Jesus takes on a whole new slant!

There is also a sewing center at the church where women learn how to sew so they can earn an income at home by sewing for others. It’s a very practical skill for them to have. Eight Hindu young women were there and I spoke to them awhile. I talked about Dorcas who sewed clothing, died and was brought back to life after Peter prayed. I talked about the resurrection power of Jesus and His power over death. I invited them to pray with me at the end. I have no idea what was going on in their minds and hearts – but God does!

The church also sponsors a orphans home with 18 children. It isn’t a large church but has a real heart for reaching the community, especially those hurting in the community.

Lasts night we went to visit the church of a pastor who came to the pastor’s conference. Sunshine Ministries (David Babu’s ministry that sponsors Good Shepherd school, pastors conferences, sewing center and computer center) is giving 5 pastors a free motorbike to help them get around in their ministry. When we got there he called a special church meeting and I spoke to the people. Since I was the only speaker I spoke longer than at other places but the same message of encouragement, they are not alone, and keep their eyes on Jesus. Afterwards I again got to pray for the people one by one as they lined up around me. I really enjoy laying hands on their heads and asking God to bless them. I pray for whatever He shows me to pray for concerning them. In these smaller groups I have more time to pray longer for each person.

They are located in a very, very poor, crowded section of town. I remember seeing the community my first year here during a morning run but not entering it. Now I was preaching in it! They have a church building. We would call it a large shed, but its great for them. Except when it rains it leaks and gets quite wet so people don’t come. It sounds like MSBC needing a roof a couple years ago as well!

It was very rewarding seeing one of the pastors I taught and seeing how that conference has helped him and his family, how his ministry has been strengthened and focused, and how he has been encouraged and eternally benefited by the pastor’s conference. It seems like years ago, but it was only 3 weeks ago!

This morning the son where I am staying wanted to walk with me so at 6 AM we went for a walk together. He just wanted to spend time with me. He is 11 and makes me miss Mark more! His schooling is in English, as is virtually all education in India, so we could talk about some things. The daughter, 16, who is studying to enter medical college and me a missionary doctor, daily wears the bracelet I gave her mother and really cherishes it. That’s special to see. Thank you, Mrs. Spink, for making and donating those. They have been GREATLY appreciated by me and the women who wear them!

Today I will be at the children’s home during the day and speaking to the children. Tonight I will be speaking at another church pastored by a man from the pastor’s conference. Tomorrow we go to a tribal church. From what I gather we’d call them gypsies. It should be quite interesting. Then Thursday its back to the school and to the airport late Thursday night!

PLEASE keep praying for God to speak to me and through me! Thanks!!!

As to showing the slides of this trip, I’ll have a real brief overview on Sunday morning as part of my sermon. It seems Wednesday evening (7 PM at church) would be best to show more. We’ll start and see how far we go. We may finish or we may need to continue the next Wednesday. That seems to work best for the majority of those who responded. If it doesn’t work for you let me know and I’ll see what else I can do. I have many excellent pictures and great stories to go with them. I’ll be able to do little more than give an overview on Sunday. I think they are very interesting and informative and look forward to sharing them with you.

GOOD SHEPHERD SCHOOL HOME CHILDREN

I asked the children who live at the school for prayer requests and this is what each child asked prayer for:

Akeela – for her studies

Anita – family to know the Lord Jesus

Anju – for brother’s health

Deena – for studies

Jeevaw – for all the home children and their studies

Johnson – all the children in the home to study well

Keerthi – for studies

Manogna – for studies

Meena – for her studies

Mounika – parents to know the Lord

PLrathep – for studies

Pradeep – for uncle and cousin

Rani – for family members

Ravi – to be able to study well

Samthosha – for her mother

Sharon – for health

Sudhekar – for brother

Suvarna – grandparents to know the Lord

Swapna – wisdom to study well

Vishal – for studies

Thanks for praying and PLEASE don’t stop now! Jerry

You can find updates and more information on my web site http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/ , either at Ministries, Asia Mission Journal http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/asia-mission-journal/ or on my blog page http://www.mainstreetbaptist.org/blog/ .