We had no idea what to expect in India, only that we believed the Lord said strongly ‘go.’ Pastor Victor had urged us to visit from the time we met him in Virginia in 2008, but correspondence had not revealed nearly the extent of the sizable ministry we were to encounter. Twenty years ago Victor left his secular job to depend on God alone for provision, when he saw the church his father had pastored in a remote village fall into decay. Today he is overseer of Calvary Ministry, a fellowship of 65 mostly village churches, 24 of which are pastored by men and women trained in the Bible School he established with the assistance of his two sons, but today lacks the finances to continue. The pastors receive no salary from Calvary Ministry, as they would if they were connected with a large foreign mission, so they are totally dedicated to the task of proclaiming Jesus. We were privileged to address about 50 of them in a tent specially erected for the purpose.
We spoke in six of the small congregations, varying in size from a couple dozen to about 50, mainly women and children. What they lack in numbers is made up in devotion to their Lord, their eagerness to worship Him and to receive from Him. So many people were healed every day, and so easily – one man from no sight in the right eye due to a cataract and many of the women especially from chronic back pain (which is no wonder since they spend much of their working days bending over to sort out little fish by the roadside or the plant in the fields).
Today, son Pastor Rau (known as Junior, and shown placing a garland on Bob), is renovating an old house into a church for a fishing village that has no Christian presence as yet. Junior is doing it as the Lord supplies materials, a bit at a time as friends help out– because every village must have an opportunity to know Jesus. Junior has also trained 50 women evangelists within a 100 km radius, and his practice is to gather two from one region and two from another and then hold an evangelistic meeting somewhere in between.
One of the small churches looks after about 50 orphans, operating a feeding program in the church twice a day. Some of the children then sleep in the church while others are billeted in homes. The pastor looks after clothing and other necessaries. There is no money to build an orphanage. Once a month members of the Ministry distribute clothing and food to homeless lepers and also distribute food to the poor, including those who sleep on the streets– all provided by very poor folk who have learned to tithe. Weekly the wives of father and sons travel 60 miles (more than two hours) to bring Bible studies to the most remote village.
The city of Kakinada (around 900,000 in the 2007 census) is the headquarters from which Calvary Ministry reached out. It is near the Bay of Bengal, near the area severely damaged by the tsunami of 2004, and only now thatched mud huts and fishing boats have been restored. We were welcomed so warmly, with garlands and a banner. Underneath the banner are Pastor Victor on one end, his wife and two granddaughters who live with them during their studies. On the right is the elder son Sagar. Until 10 years ago, Sagar was the proverbial black sheep, very well to do through his business dealings but with no time for God. For eight years his wife fasted weekly for the health of his soul, and eventually, within a week his business went bankrupt and he lost everything. Then one night, up late alone, he happened to turn on the TV and find Benny Hinn, probably not even knowing who he is. However, at the end of the program Benny asked anyone with a need to extend his hand towards the TV while Benny prayed. Instantly, Sagar says, fire shot from Benny’s hand to his, and he was knocked to the floor by the power of God. That experience changed his life profoundly, so that today he is a man of tremendous faith, whom God has used to heal hundreds and to raise five people from the dead. Sagar has a huge vision, so that he and his congregation of some 80-100 intend, in April, to trust God for the Sunday rental of a facility to seat 1200 and for the PA system and instruments they will need. They believe that, given the opportunity in a neutral area, Hindus and others will come. Sagar is booked to speak at a large conference in Rajhamundry next week.
So, we wondered, what could our presence add to such powerful ministry? But, Sagar said, they are the leaders of the churches in their area and no one ministers to them. They have no ‘elders’ to encourage them– and we were the first foreigners to visit. We saw no other white faces except at the airport. We learned so much from their faith. It is humbling to hear from Junior since our return home: “Spending time with you is a great joy for us and we are so blessed by your visit… Thank you very much for all your wonderful love towards us, your prayers gave us new strength in our Spiritual journey and we love you so much. “
