Report on WEI-India
In January, I was blessed for the third time to preside over graduation ceremonies, preach the word of God, and fellowship with many dedicated Christians involved in the WEI-India mission, directed by Brother Prabhu Kumar.
The word of God has been taught using the WEI tool by Indian preachers in 55 year-round WEI schools in India. Since the inception of this ministry in 2008, approximately 22,500 WEI students have studied the Bible in these schools. There have been 621 baptisms. Praise the Lord!
My visit was again a thrill beyond description. The Indian Christians are some of the most loving and gracious hosts I have ever had the honor and pure joy to meet and visit with.
Prabhu had my schedule full from morning till night. The first full day after arriving was the annual Teacher’s Planning Conference in which twenty-three teachers gave reports on their WEI schools and their respective congregations.
Many of the very best WEI students were invited to attend the Conference with their teachers. The day was full of making plans and setting goals for the New Year. Lessons from the Word of God were also delivered by several preachers and teachers. A total of over 600 Christians and non-Christians attended the conference to hear a good word from the Bible.
At the end of the long day, as the sun was setting and casting beautiful colors on the horizon, we rejoiced with the angels in heaven as 13 WEI students put Christ on in baptism. This was another glorious memory from India that I will always cherish in my heart.
In the following days, we attended many WEI graduations, welcomed new WEI students to the start of another semester, and preached the word of God at every gathering. I’ve learned to bring with me many lessons and sermon outlines and to be prepared on a moment’s notice to teach or preach in front of scores and sometimes hundreds of people patiently waiting for our arrival.
We traveled seven hours by train early one morning to a rural area where several WEI schools were located. Programs by the churches of Christ were arranged in advance of our arrival. For two days Christians and non-Christians were invited to attend and hear the Gospel message at these different rural locations.
At one arid location, we had to travel several miles from the village to find sufficient water. Three precious souls were added to the kingdom in baptism.
On my final evening, a well-advertised big open-air Gospel meeting was arranged in one city. Many denominational churches were invited to attend, as well as the entire Hindu community. It was a blessing and thrill to speak under the stars to hundreds of people on the topic of the Love of God.
On every trip to India, my heart breaks at the sight of the big monkey idols at the Hindu temples which are located at the entrance of the cities, towns, and villages.
They believe that this idol will protect the community, and they pray to this idol for protection. It’s a very sad and glaring reminder to me that these beautiful people need the truth; otherwise they will surely spend eternity outside the presence of God.
Physical poverty is overwhelming, but spiritual poverty presents eternal consequences of an incomprehensible magnitude. WEI-INDIA IS MAKING AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PRECIOUS SOULS.
The annual budget for this fruitful ministry is only $30,000. We still need a good congregation of the Lord’s church to step up and assume sponsorship of this ministry. Maryville, TN Church of Christ continues to sponsor this work on an interim basis until a full-time sponsor can be found. We struggle each year to raise this necessary support, but God has heard our prayers and provided the funds necessary for 2017.
2018 remains unfunded, so if you would like to be involved and invest in eternity through WEI-India, please contact me or anyone associated with WEI for more information and instruction.
