Kistavva, a 62 year old woman shared, “I belong to a Hindu family. I had two sons and daughters. Seven years back I lost my husband because of a health problem. After that my elder son died with another health problem and even my second son died in an accident. With these incidents my daughter became depressed and died in 2016. Now I live alone. A few years ago, a tumor appeared on my face which has been growing ever since and I do not have the resources and the energy to treat it. My relatives don’t come to meet me as they think that I am unlucky and that is why I lost my husband and children. In this condition I cannot afford a warm clothing for winter. I really thank ServeNow for this great help.
Ellama is a 55-year-old lady who stays in a hut beside the church. She shares “I have not been able to walk these past five years. I had severe pain in my legs. We visited many hospitals, but we haven’t had enough money for treatment as my husband is a daily wage labor. I have two daughters and one son. One daughter is married. The other one is with me to take care of me. My son, after he got married went to stay with his wife’s family as we do not have our own house. I am very happy. ServeNow came here to show the love of God. The gift of blanket will be very useful for me.”
Jahangir, a 60-year-old widower says, “I lost my wife a few years ago and am staying with my son who works as a daily wage laborer. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with a tumor on my cheek which I could not afford to operate and haven’t been able to yet due to many financial constraints. It felt wonderful today to be invited to church and to be given a special Christmas gift and a warm hug. The gift of the blanket is what I needed this winter to battle the cold, but I had not been able to afford it. I have not felt wanted and cared for in a long time. I also received a book which I shall read when I go home.”
Narsaiah, a 60-year-old shares, “I was not married so I live with my distant relatives. Sometimes I feel very bad to ask anything as they treat me like I am a beggar. I was waiting for many days to have my own blanket. After receiving it, I felt very happy that someone cares me. I thank ServeNow for coming long way and fulfilling my need.
Stories of how Blankets are opening hearts and doors for the Gospel this week.
Two ServeNow staff members visited a remote island last week to assist a partnering pastor ministering among a Hindu dominated area. To our surprise almost everyone who came to receive the Blankets had never heard the Name of Jesus! It was a joy to share about the Love & salvation of our Lord to these people and we hope that in the days to come many will accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior.
The pastor shared the following, “I am happy that through these blankets, ServeNow was able to help bridge the gap between the church and the community. I hope that in days to come, ServeNow continues to stand by pastors like me and support us spiritually as well as in other ways as we try to take the gospel to the various communities, – especially the ones living in the interior islands. I would also request you to continually pray for my ministry.”
One of our staff, who was there said, “I personally felt the Lord’s approval and presence as we shared the message of Christmas and the blankets to the people of this village. I could see the work of the spirit on their faces and I trust in the Lord that in days to come many of them will experience forgiveness from the Lord and be a part of God’s eternal kingdom. It was a joy to see the smiles in their faces that the gift of a blanket brought about.
In a separate area, another pastor shared the following, “I have been serving the Lord for the last 30 years. In the beginning there where hardly any believers in these villages and now I have a church in four places. I am glad today we could distribute blankets to the old and needy in one of my branch churches. I am glad that during the distribution even the Village leader came and expressed his joy saying “Only Christian people will help without expecting anything. I really thank Serve Now for coming from very far to help the old and needy.” Pastor Samson also shared “When we distributed The Secret of True life book to people in villages I got many prayer requests from those families, it’s a great encouragement for my ministry.
Pastor Samuel shared, “It is wonderful how through ServeNow churches like mine have been able to grow spiritually and not just that, these humanitarian programs like medical camps and the winter coverings are an ice-breaker for the church and the community. Through the winter covering distribution today, we could take the gospel to the community at a scale we could never have imagined. We are grateful to ServeNow for their efforts towards expanding the kingdom of God and hope to continue the wonderful partnership in the future.”
***Thank you for your partnership with ServeNow to make all these stories possible! We are so encouraged and inspired each week by the stories that come forth and privilege we have of serving the Lord and sharing the Good News around the world. For more information visit our website at: weservenow.org
