Annual Letter 2010

Dear friends and prayer partners,

We bring Christmas greetings to you through this letter. We also want to share about our ministry, how God helped us, and how your support sustained us through the twelve months from October 2009 to October 2010.

1. October floods:
Repalle township in Guntur District　and surrounding areas with thousands of rice paddy fields were submerged under flood waters for many weeks. There was loss of animal life more than human life. Matilda Education Society (MES) distributed blankets, school uniforms and supplies, water storage pots, and saris for widows. This was part of the help given to eight villages. Distribution was done in co-operation with local pastors and church institutions.　

2. Andrea Buchanan and Julia Guyer:
Julia and Andrea arrived from Reba Place Church, Evanston,

3. Christmas:
December came and the　Christmas celebrations　interrupted our interviews. There were many preparations,　decorations, paper cuttings and carol singings. School children learned the song of the drummer boy with rolling "R’s," but added their own　accents, which sounded even sweeter.

Two nights before Christmas, the Matilda school children, with their parents, cousins and friends, sat around a traditional campfire reading the nativity story from the Bible followed by fire crackers and　candle lighting. Christmas is　considered a　festival of the community of Mallepalli rather than just a festival of Christians. Half the town's population gathered on this night.　Thousands sang "This little light of mine" and carried their candles into the dimly lit streets.

Until two years ago, the government treated Christmas and New Year’s Day as a mid-year　ten-day holiday for educational institutions, but now they treat these as one-day holidays. The ten-day holiday has been moved to Sankranti, a Hindu festival which marks the new year of the Hindu calendar.　

4. Exam Time:
March and April are exam times. All classes are required to prepare for the final exams, and the students in the tenth class are hard-pressed　to put on their best performanc for the future.

5. Summer Camps:
This year we conducted three summer camps, one for the village pre-teens, one for the youth and another for a joint delegation of AGIF Shanghai youth and local Indian youth. The interesting aspect of this camp is that the Shanghai youth took part in painting the school campus as their physical labor assignment and each evening they conducted a Bible study, skits, and dramas. The Indian, Chinese and American children adapted themselves so well to each other that at the end of the week it was difficult for them to　part ways. The Shanghai youth were eager to finish their painting assignment though it was a hot summer. Their ability to eat spicy Indian food was commendable.　 We are hoping that　this high school level　intercultural program can be conducted every year.　

6. Baptisms:
This year the VEDA pastors reported forty-five baptisms. Most of these baptisms are for those who come fo healing or seeking relief from economic poverty and unemployment. We see the need for nurturing in spiritual matters, steering church members away from the idea of getting material gain. We have started Bible studies in　area villages about the cost of discipleship. More people are desiring baptism. 　

7. Away to Taiwan:
We visited the Taiwan International Church (TIC) in Taiwan and participated in Pastor Doug Street's wedding. We visited many house fellowships, shared about our ministry, went sight-seeing in the Sulfur Mountains, and travelled by Hi-Speed train to Kaushing on a typhoon day. These fifteen days gave us much needed rest and a time of introspection. We lost two great friends and supporters of our ministry from TIC, Gloria Cooper in August and Chris Lawrence in October.　

8. Taiwan International Church dental and medical camp:
We held a dental camp at Malleplli from October 30 to November 6, 2010. Sixteen dentists an their assistants screened nearly 4,000 school children and adults for dental extractions, fillings, and dental care. A team of four doctors from the USA branched off from the dental team and went to visit the 2004 Tsunami-affected village of Muthaipalem in Guntur district to treat general ailments. The one-day　clinic attracted 160 patients for treatment.　　
　
Our special prayer needs for the coming year:

1. Churches:
--We hope to construct two village church meeting houses.
--Pray for newly baptized Christians.　
--Complete four churches which are under construction, but unfinished.
--Three mopeds for pastors for rural evangelism travel.

2. Bindu child sponsorships

3. Matilda schools　

4.　A tractor and a tube well with pipe line for our self-supporting farm.

5.　Health needs for Das and Doris　

Das Maddimadug (11-19-10)
　Illinois, on October 30, 2009, and stayed for four months. Their assignment was to teach at two　Matilda schools and write a book on the ministry of the Matilda Education Society (MES). Their midnight arrival at the International Airport in Hyderabad was marked with many questions　about the new surroundings, people, diverse languages and cultures.

Andrea and Julia liked to wear saris whenever the could, especially on public occasions. Children had a good laugh whenever one of them tripped over their tightly wound sari. Though they wore modest clothing, they were trend setters in dressing　up and hairdos. They sat for many interviews with us, paper and pen in hand and　a recording machine on the table, determined to catch every word that was spoken. Later on they edited these transcripts for eventual publication. After returning to the U.S., Andrea　wrote, " I have　learned a great deal by coming to India, and now I'm inspired to become a teacher."　

About Das and Doris

One fine morning in June fifty years ago, I was very happy. I ran across the fields crossed the little ravine that led to the farm where my brother worked to tell the good news that I was free. Free indeed to go to school at the mission compound to learn to read and write. Free, no more bonded to work in the fields of the landlord to look after his one eyed buffalo.

The missionary lady looked at the tattered shirt that I wore and asked me to come closer. She spoke to me in clear Telugu, my native language that I should work hard. And that Jesus loved me.

Jesus did love me. I got free education, clothing and lots of love. No more worries about being sold into slavery. I received a love that is different from the village. I sang songs along with other children and prayed to a God that is not known except that His name is Jesus. Every time I prayed I received a peace that made me forget my mother and father.

At age 19 I accepted Christ and asked him to take control of my entire life’s affairs. During this commitment I made one decision to serve my own people in my region. I had no financial means to go to college. I went to a Lab technicians course and when opportunity came I went to serve in Vietnam under the Mennonite Central committee for 4 years with wife Doris and daughter Esther.

In 1975 we left with the air evacuees to USA on a flight that carried 500 babies under Holt adoption agency. While in North America I studied theology at the Canadian Mennonite Bible College for three years and got an advanced certificate in Pastoral counseling. A year’s studies at Overseas Ministries study center in NJ gave us a clear call to go back to India though there had been several offers to stay in the USA and work in the clinical counseling.

Doris and I prayed. Temptations to stay in the USA and no job offer in India upon return. Two children to feed and educate and no money to buy tickets to go back to India. Test of time. But God told us to go. And He provided. And we went. Worked in various odd jobs. Eight years with Mennonite Church in pastoral and administrative capacity. Often reviewed the purpose of return to India. The call to serve the rural untouchables, tribals and the under privileged re-emerged.

I left the city of Hyderabad with my wife and 3 children. We lived in a village with no running water and proper electricity. At the Stonecutters community, we started a sewing center and a school in a room which also served as church on Sunday. The Stonecutters community provided a base for maximum involvement for expression of faith.

Later we opened an English medium elementary school (1991) at Devarkonda and another seven kilometers away in Mallepally to provide quality education for untouchables and the tribals. An evening education program was added for children who work during the day. Later a home for the orphans was started as an attachment to the Matilda School at Mallepally.

Very recently a clinic for the children was constructed to treat snake bites and other health needs. This is a dream fulfilled. God brought together two Graces in a mysterious way and made this project to take shape and it has served 300 patients in the last 4 months. When the resident doctor gave notice that he was leaving, God sent a couple from Bruderhof community ( USA) the husband to work in the school and the wife to work in the clinic (General Nurse).

We continue to help the bonded laborers and provide them with technical skills as part of a rehabilitation program.

For more info contact Pastor Das at  dmaddimadugu@hotmail.com

Photos of Matilda Construction of Drainage System

Letter from Pastor Das - October 2010

Greetings,

The road from Mallepalli to Muthaipalem is worse than ever and took us more than 6 hours in running. Pastor Raja Rao informed that no lodgings were available for the night since thousands have discended on Bapatla to write class 4 exams, a government required entrace test for three days. After hunting for some time we found a small hotel which harboured mosquitos.

The next morning we attended Sunday school from 8:30 till 10:30. I was surprised to see nearly 40 children from the age group  4-9 years, mostly girls. They were well dressed and quite prepared to come forward to sing special and group songs with actions.

Some parents brought their younger ones and stayed on till the Sunday school was over to collect them. A young man who is a college student led the sunday school. I never met him before. He said that he was converted to Christianit from a Hindu background.

The worship service stared at 11:30 and carried on till 2:00. Men and women kept coming through out the service and also there was some going out. Pastor Raja Rao led the service and administered communion. Only 6 adults  took the bread and wine. Nearly 70 people squatted on the floor of a 14"x 16ft. small room.

Two elderly men came  forward to sing some ancient hymns which the younger generations didn't know. They were quite melodious. I asked the men where they learnt the songs and they said that they learnt when they were teenagers when the early missionaries came to India to the coastal area. At that time Christianity flourished in the region and there was a congregation of about hundred believers among them were their own parents. As the time passed by the  missionaries left and no native leaders took over. The numbers in church dwindled. When pastor mathew came to serve this community he reported that he came across some old generation Christians in his pastoral visits. He was told that today thare are about 100 christians scattered around Bapatla township  without a church.

When pastor Raja Rao took over the ministry  intensified his house visits to trace these old timers. Most of these Christians are from the shepherd caste, distinctive from the  present day dalit Christians. The shepherd Christians did not want to associate with the low caste dalits so they remain as a secret group. Now Raja Rao has  believers from different caste back ground and are open to participate in the Lord's supper.

After sevice was over an elderly man came to meet me. He was polite but firm in saying that we are disturbing the neighbourhood with Christian service. He said that their ancestral gods are facing the chuch which is a bad omen for their families and he told me to erect a 4 feet wall around the church. It's a request ' he said '  but...
Apart from the request his voice intoned  a camaflauged threat  we need to build a wall so that our mud  around the church not to erode into their premises.

Muthaipalem  AGIF Shalom Church discovered a 100 year old faith based  community. And adding young people from college level educational institutions.

This church has a vast potential to reach out many fishermen, shepherds and dalits in future.

Prayer needs.
1. four feet high Compund wall around the church
2. A gate for the wall.
3.Telugu Bibles and hymn books for distribution

Blessings,

Pastor Das

Update - August 2010

Dear Friends and Supporters across Canada of Das and Doris' ministries in India,

Here is an update on Das and Doris's ministries in India and elsewhere.

On September 2 they are planning to leave on a two-week trip to Taiwan.  They have developed a close relationship to the Taipei International Church (TLC) in recent years. TLC has sent volunteer teams and other support to Das and Doris' ministries.  The closeness of the ties which have developed is wonderfully demonstrated by the invitation which Das received to officiate at the wedding of Pastor Doug Street and his Chinese fiancee.  The wedding will take place on Monday, September 13. And on Sunday (5th) Das has been asked to have the sermon at the Taipei International Church, a church with 1,500 expatriot and Chinese participants. 

At Das' request, I have sent him a sample Anabaptist Order of Service for the wedding and also several sample wedding meditations.  For the Sunday morning service at TIC on September 5 I sent him about half a dozen sermons on the missional theme which have been preached at Charleswood Mennonite Church by various people in the last few years. 

Das has also provided us with the following update on their schools and Bindu Home:

"This year we have 1,400 school children in our two different schools and 150 children in the orphanage (Bindu Home). After the Schmidt Family Foundation in BC (SFF) pulled out their support of Bindu Home in June we thought the Lord was going to sift us through tests. On the contrary we could absorb all the 50 children dropped by SFF and more came in. Only the othe day a young lady sent us a letter asking if she could sponsor a girl child. We praise God for such day-to-day miracles.
 
Our tentative schedules for 2010 and 2011:
1-15 Septmeber 2010 Taiwan
14-21 October Pastoral seminar with Wayne Lawton
30-31 October Taiwan Christian dental team
1-7 November  Taiwan Christian dental team
 
Mid-February 2011 Pastoral seminar. No resource person yet."

+++++++++++

Please be in prayer for Das and Doris and their son Nathan's work with the poor and needy near Hyderabad, and especially for Das and Doris'  upcoming trip to Taiwan. 

We will be making our next financial remittance to them in about a month's time (late September or early October).  If you would like to add your gift to the remittance, please send your donation to me by September 24.  Make the check payable to me (Larry Kehler).  We are not able to issue tax-deductible receipts for these gifts, but I would be happy to send you a regular receipt if that would be your wish. You may designate your gift for specific projects, such as the schools, Bindu Home, community church building projects, clinics, or Where Most Needed. 

Look forward to hearing from you,

Larry Kehler

440 Best Street,

Winnipeg, MB   R3K 1P3

Phone: 204-888-8192

Email:  jessieandlarry@shaw.ca