Good Samaritan's Home Ministries, June 2014

What an exciting year it has been as we have watched our 10 year dream of completing a permanent home and school for the precious children in Good Samaritan’s Home, become a reality!

On June 16, 2014, the school opened, approved for operation on a conditional basis, with a few additional projects to be completed in the near future. God’s grace and provision have enabled our communities to raise and send the $200,000 needed to complete the school and home to this point. An additional $33,000 will need to be raised to bring the home and school to full completion and government compliance. (kitchen ,$20,000; an additional well and water storage, $9,500;  a commercial grade electrical transformer$1,500; and teacher’s insurance deposit, $2,000)

To give us a full report, we are excited to announce the upcoming visit of Brother Joseph’s father, Prabha Kolamuri, July 5^th-14^th, 2014 . We will be welcoming him at a potluck at the Holst’s home on Sunday July 6^th, 5:00-8:00pm.  We are attaching a full schedule of his visit so that you may take as many opportunities as you can to sit at his feet and learn and glean from this wonderful servant of the LORD. We will be sending him off on Sunday July 13^th at a potluck at the Barr’s home, 5:00-8:00pm. We encourage you to send back with Prabha, greetings of letters and photos to the Kolamuri family and the children, but due to space, no gifts please.

We are also excitedly preparing for the visit of Brother Joseph in Sept. 2014. Watch future emails for a schedule of events. Please pray for the details of the full completion of the school and home, Prabha’s visit, Brother Joseph’s visit, and lives to be changed as a result of the gospel outreach in Rajahmundry June 25-27, 2014.

Praise be to God for His faithfulness to Good Samaritan’s Home Ministries!

Halstroms Update

Good Samaritan's Home Ministry (Update Dec. 2013)

Dear GSH Supporters,

   Hearty greetings to you from India and from our own chilly Siskiyou County! The low temperatures in India are in the upper 60's and low 70's in December, but that is COLD to them! We spoke with Pastor Joseph today and one of his prayer requests is for good physical health for him since he is exposed to "cold" night air as he is preaching in different places each night. He specifically wanted prayer for the  Rajahmundry city wide Christmas celebration on Saturday Dec. 14th from 7pm-10pm. He said that thousands of citizens, pastors and politicians will be there and he will be the main speaker--posters of him are all over the city! Please pray that He would be led by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel message.

We are in the process of compiling a mailing that will update you on all the GSH  ministries, but we didn't want you to miss out on the latest from Pastor Joseph as well as the current ministries needs list. Watch for the mail update in the next couple weeks and be encouraged that your prayers and financial support are accomplishing amazing things in the lives of the poor in Rajahmundry, India.

To God be the glory!

    The Board of Good Samaritan's Home Ministries

 

 

Good Samaritan’s Home Ministries Needs Assessment

November 2013

G S Home for Children Building Fund:

$110,000 still needed to complete the 2 building project for home/school

Children:

14  sponsors needed at $50.00 each

$500.00 per year needed for Rani’s 4 university years of nursing education DONE!

$500.00 per year needed for Satya’s 4 university years of nursing education DONE!

$50.00 per month for Sujanna (9 year old HIV child rescued as a newborn by Kolamuri family)

$50.00 per month for Hagar, Sujanna’s mother (rent, food, utilities)

Widows:

7  new sponsors needed at $25.00 each (19 total including 2 men)

Vadlamuru Village:

Medical clinic: glucometer; IV pole; IV fluid; scale (cost to be determined)

Begin a widows/lepers/mentally ill assistance program (Approx 8…numbers yet to be determined)

1 computer ($500.00) and 5 tables ($150.00) for the local school children DONE!

20 ceiling fans at $25.00 each ($500.00)

Island Ministry:

Solar light replacements ($300.00 for bulbs and batteries for 2 presently non-functioning lights)

Add another solar light to make 3 total on island ($600.00)

Church building thatched roof repair of $700.00 (roof been in existence for 7 years)

Leper Colony Ministry:

Increase rice/dahl distribution to once a month rather than every 2 months ($200.00 per month)

Roof repair (caulking for leaks)

Additional 15 ceiling fans at $25.00 each ($375.00)

Gospel Work Ministry:

(Current) Weekly TV Broadcasting of sermons on 4 Christian channels ($600.00 per week)

(Desired) Weekly TV Broadcasting of sermons on 1 secular channel ($800.00 per week)

 

July 11, 2013

 

Dear Supporters of GSH Ministries,

 

I am pleased to provide you with this update about the progress of construction of the GSH Children's Home and School.  Included are some photos of the footings going in.  The building is concrete construction, so lots of rebar!  The progress has been fairly steady with some minor delays due to the rain (It is the rainy season in India right now). 

 

 

 Our initial funds that we started construction with will be used up in about 30 days, so we are praying for God's provision of the funds needed to keep construction moving.  If you are considering a gift to help fund construction now is a great time.  The dollar is very strong against the rupee right now (best ever actually).  The exchange rate has been between 44-50 rupees to the dollar  over the last decade but is currently at 60.  This means we're getting 20-30% more bang for our buck right now.  We thank God for this fortuitous exchange rate.

 

 

 

Please also pray about being part of the delegation  that is planning to visit India in November for the grand opening of the home.  You can express your interest in a reply to this email or by talking to any GSH board member.

 

 

 

We will continue to send photos of the progress as we receive them.

 

Thanks for your continued support of Brother Joseph and GSH!

 

In Christ,

 

Jacob Barr

President GSH USA

 

Prayer Concerns from the Warwicks

Dear Tony, Thanks you! We are grateful for your willingness to bring our prayer needs before the throne of grace on our behalf. Endurance, focus and those holding down the fort at home: Yes, I know, we said that in the last Prayer Update too! Since we last checked in, Ken has been in Dar es Salaam, Berlin, Thailand and New Orleans. Now both of us are headed for the ReachGlobal Europe Conference. Ken is grateful for the access to so many of our staff at the conference in Slovenia, but that kind of schedule does demand a prayer-fueled endurance. Both of us will work with Heidi Tunberg to offer a day long workshop at the conference for those parents who are dealing with the sorrow of having "prodigal" children. Numerous other more project oriented meetings and conversations will make the six days with our Europe staff very full.  Please pray for Suzanne and Ren as they hold the fort in Minnesota.  Wisdom in many conversations: Though it is wonderful to pick up conversations started years before in relationships spanning decades, it can also be a complex task, requiring immense concentration.  Pray that Ken would have wisdom and clarity in all his conversations in Slovenia. Refreshing times of encouragement. Please pray for all of our staff from across Europe as they gather that they might be encouraged by the speakers, the workshops and in worship together! Times with old friends in Germany and Austria. We are taking advantage of the trip to the conference to visit five families on the way to Slovenia. These are all relationships measured in decades. Please pray we will be a blessing to each family we visit. The major projects continue even though we are on the road. Ken is very involved in four ongoing projects which impact our entire missionary staff. Two of those will require immediate attention once we return from the conference so please pray that long plane rides and side conversations at the conference can help him keep those balls in the air as well. Thanks! We'd love to know how we can be praying for you these days as well.

In Him, Ken and JoAn

Prayer Concerns from Kathy Keller

Dear Praying Friends,

 

Thank you so much for praying for our team over the last few weeks.  Our TIMO Quest team has gone well and I have personally seen God working in the lives of people in new and significant ways.  Praise the Lord!  I appreciate so many of you who faithful pray for me, my team, and the people we work with.

 

As my last prayer update indicated we are coming up on a two week vacation.  I am really looking forward to this time to be with my mom and to go on an exciting vacation with her.  

 

Our TIMO Questers leave on Wednesday, we have team day on Thursday, and our vacation starts on Sunday/Monday.  Yeah!

 

I just wanted to ask prayer for one thing that is more of a personal item.  A couple days ago now I experienced a brief numbness in my right arm and some slurred speech.  I was able to get an MRI in Dar es Salaam and it has been determined through that that I need to have an appointment with a neurologist.  We do not have a neurologist in Dar es Salaam that can help me figure out a treatment plan, so I have been advised by our insurance and medical personnel to make a quick trip to South Africa (five hour direct flight) to see a doctor there. 

 

Would you pray that this trip would go smoothly?  Would you pray that Laura (who is going with me) and I would find the offices we need and an inexpensive place to stay quickly?  Would you also pray that I can get this sorted out and be back here either on Friday to meet up with my mom, or at least by Sunday so we can head off on our planned vacation?  Would you pray for me that I would not have any sort of fear about any of this?

 

I would covet your prayers.  

 

In Him,

 

Kathy Keller

Email Response From Brother Joseph

Dear sister Marina Rosso,
Hearty greetings in Jesus Holy name. I am so happy to receive an e-mail from you. I always remember your EV Free church in my prayers. I had a blessed time with some of your church members when I was in USA in the year 2011. You are blessed with very good pastors ie Pastor Gary Vandiwalker , Pastor Jeff, and others. We all had nice lunch in restaurant after Sunday service with Pastors, Moss family, and some brothers and sisters of EV Free church. It is really good to have communication with you from that blessed Church.

For the past many years, many people from EV Free Mount Shasta have been supporting children at GSH Home. Additionally, your Pastor Jeff Summers visited here in 2010 and witnessed our church, children's home, and many Gospel outreaches. Thank you for praying for us over the years. We have seen God's Holy Spirit move and many Hindus, Muslims, and unbelievers have believed in the name of Jesus.

The children at GSH Home are thriving thanks to the quality care they are receiving. In addition to food, clothing, education, and health care, they are also being instructed daily in the Word of God. Recently we began construction of a new children's home cum English-medium school. The building and land is being constructed from donations received by individuals in your church and from other churches in your area. For more specific information about the building of this new home, please ask Pastor Jeff Summers who knows all this information. I feel it as a blessing to communicate with you and share my burden of missionary work in our place.

We are looking forward to receiving a delegation this fall of Bro David Holst and Sister Lori Holst, and perhaps others from your area. The delegation will come to witness and celebrate the completion of the children's home. I request your earnest prayers for the construction of Children’s home cum English medium School, Leppor Ministries, Medical ministries, Gospel outreach ministries..
Our prayers are always with you. God bless you sister.
Your brother in His service,
Pastor K. Joseph Edwards.