Upon our MTM team arrival in Andra Pradesh, state of India, Pastor Abraham Samuel hosted us in remote tribal village visitation. Just ahead of our arrival, there had been heavy storm activity in this region which downed trees and cut off the electricity and swelled the rivers. On our way to the first village we came to a river that we needed to cross but the river was to high for our auto to cross-over. Now what to do?
We become all things to all people for the sake of the gospel (I Corinthians 9:22-23)
So, wading through the water we splash and finally we arrive at the village (we were told these are despised slum people) and they are sitting under a strung tarp waiting for us, thirsty to hear the word of God. THIS VILLAGE HAS NO WATER (no bore hole or well). They must walk 2-3 kilometers for physical water. But oh, they were so thirsty to hear all about living water (the word of God).
Ministering the Gospel at Konalova Village
Only 37 adults live in this small village. A native evangelist named Prem (see photo album) has been reaching out to these marginalized minority tribal people and 20 adult souls have chosen to drink of the well of living water (Jesus Christ). Blessed be God.
Thank You for Coming to Our Village and Please Help Us
Finally, Living Water
And so it was at the pastoral Bible conference as well at Chinthaluru village. Daily 160 pastors and emerging leaders gathered to drink of the Word of God. Likewise, they were so thirsty to hear the Word of God. Their thirst and responsiveness to the Word was tremendously invigorating for Glenn Martin & I daily as we ministered the Word of God. There was also much need for physical water as daily the temperatures were 100+ degrees and we sweated profusely. The electrical power was more off than on and the generator had this nasty habit of simply quitting and then all the fans would stop…more sweat indeed!
But nevertheless, as Jesus Christ was exalted repeatedly in Glenn’s topic of “Two Kingdom Principals” and my topic of “Leadership Priorities”, they would raise or clap their hands in response to receiving the truth of God’s Word. On one occasion as Glenn completed his teaching, the people just spontaneously responded by coming forth to the alter in response to their needy souls. Blessed be God.
Pastor Abraham Samul is overseeing a large group of pastors who are committed to taking the gospel to the unreached tribal villages of this region. These MTM conferences are a means to empower, facilitate and rejuvenate them through the teaching of God’s Word as well as raising up more evangelist He can send out to reach the remaining unreached villages.
I surrender All, Here Am I Send Me
Pastor Abraham Samuel has shared many testimonies that after previous MTM conferences brothers rose up with a new vision and went forth targeting unreached peoples & villages and planted NEW churches among them. Blessed be God and may the Lord do it again and again.
A very special think you to Glenn & Grace Martin for giving of their time and resources to serve the Lord through MTM. Your labor of love was much appreciated and our prayer is that the Lord will reward you openly.
The MTM Vision
It is the goal of MTM to provide a reproducible, and sustainable model to train and send out native men of leadership who will evangelize, make disciples, and plant churches among their own native unreached people groups.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORT MTM,
Raymond Burkholder
MTM Director
