Pastors
The pastors of Grace Iris Ministries are a tremendous example and inspiration to us. They labor, sacrifice, and serve the Lord with incredible determination and joy. The obstacles these pastors face are almost incomprehensible to us in America. Yet these men and their families are committed to meeting both the spiritual and physical needs of their neighbors. These pastors study and serve day in and day out, thrilled to know Jesus as their savior and to have the honor of telling others about the love of Christ. Along with their preaching and teaching these men are also constantly working within their communities: distributing food, medicine, and clothing, providing family counseling, transporting the sick from remote villages to hospitals and clinics, these men are called upon to do it all in service to their community (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Women's Prayer Groups An additional ministry that has developed since 2005 is the formation of women's prayer groups. This ministry began with 10 women meeting at the school compound for fasting and prayer each week. The women meet every Tuesday and pray and fast all day. At the end of the day the women enjoy a meal together and return to their homes. Many of the women travel for several hours in order to participate. Since 2005 this ministry has grown, now with 800 women participating each month, with up to 400 women meeting at one time. Vasantha also regularly travels to some of the more remote villages and churches to have similar prayer meetings with women who are unable to travel to the compound. In addition Vasantha is also training and encouraging other women to gather in prayer. Church Planters The Grace Iris Ministry also utilizes both men and women as church planters. These individuals will make initial contact with a village and begin talking to and praying for the villagers. They pray for various needs within the village and count on God to answer prayer in order to gain an opportunity to fully share the gospel, develop a prayer group, and possibly plant a church. This process of praying, answering questions, and building a relationship with villagers and village leaders can sometimes take many years before a village will become receptive to the gospel. This requires a remarkable amount of perseverance, patience, and faith in the investment of time it takes to truly make disciples. It is a great privilege to partner with these men and women as they work to further the Kingdom of God into these remote areas of India. Please pray for these laborers and their families as they strive to serve the Lord. |
Andrew Fuller had said, "There is a gold mine in India; but it seems as deep as the center of the earth; who will venture to explore it?" "I will go down," responded William Carey, in words never to be forgotten, "but remember that you must hold the rope."
Modern Heroes of the Mission Field by W. Pakenham Walsh. New York: Fleming H. Revell, [n.d.]
Modern Heroes of the Mission Field by W. Pakenham Walsh. New York: Fleming H. Revell, [n.d.]