A Personal Letter from Jim

As usual, I am thinking about India. I often just randomly think about God's work in India and simply must write. I hope you will read all of this and receive it in the spirit it is given. I Love the Lord and His Church and simply want to go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can. I always come home from India with a burden on my heart to help people so intent on knowing the truth. My prayer is that as long as I have breath, the Lord won't let the fire go out!

I have many thoughts and observations from these couple of years of intense work. In that time I have seen devout dedication to the word of God. I have seen that in people before, but never have I seen it from so many and permeating the whole church. In America 100% of God’s people are willing.... 10% willing to do the work and 90% willing to let them.

Nowhere else in my experience have people traveled long distances to sleep on a concrete floors to have the opportunity to hear the Gospel preached. People sleeping in church buildings--on the floor--so they could hear word of God---with rice and curry flavoring to eat, while people in my country huddle in a lumber yard of empty seats singing “Revive us Again”

Many people ride all night on cramped trains to get to these lectures. I have met men who rode on such trains for 10-12-14 hours to get to lectures on Preaching, then eagerly listen all day hungering for more. Preachers pleading with me to send materials to help them teach the word in there areas.

I have watched men reverently waiting on the table----barefoot. Old ladies bent over from years of labor climbing, crawling on all fours, up two long flights of stairs to get to worship. Never have I seen more commitment to the God of creation and His church than here in India. The opportunities are myriad and the need is massive.

I listened to large groups of preachers singing enthusiastically in praise to God.

(I had them translate the song into English so I would know what they were singing)

The words went like this:

“I’M GOING TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS, I’ll dwell on truth--In season--off season.

Even if the world disowns me and turns against me..

I’M GOING TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS.

If my own people don’t let me in and my own people turn against me---

I’M GOING TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS.

If my parents and brothers kick me out of the house..

I’LL STAY IN JESUS WORD.

Even if threatened with death and become a martyr like Stephen

I WILL STAY AND PREACH THE TRUTH.

I will go forward and save souls for Christ...I’ll preach ‘till the end.”

The dedication of these men is impressive and certainly uplifting. I have said many times that I went to India to teach and learned more from them than they did from me.

While the economy of the USA is suffering, we are still the most blessed nation in the world and are obligated to help. Bibles are needed in India, funds to continue TV, Radio, correspondence courses, and help in support of the care and teaching of these orphan children is urgent. The doors for the cause of Christ are open and we simply must walk through them. Anyone who has been there very much and can’t get excited about this great work is either blind, deaf, dumb or dead!

We need to build this children’s home NOW not a year or two from now when all the funds are completely collected. Cost of concrete is down by almost half and our money will go farther now than later. It would be foolish to wait! The most fortunate children in india are in that orphanage and others like it. They are taught the word of God daily and are cared for by loving people sacrificing much of their own lives to provide their needs. One song the children sing imparts great meaning. “If I have the strength of Samson, The faith of Abraham, The patience of Job, The wisdom of Solomon, if I could sing like David...and had all the riches in the world....without Christ I am a “Zero.” I wish you could hear them and see all the motions that go with that little song.

I wonder sometimes if we in America even have any faith in God at all. We calculate our budgets, what our people earn and how much our contribution is and never step out on faith and let God work. We deny requests for help so easily we don’t even want people to come and tell us of their work. Maybe we are afraid we might WANT to make some sacrifice for the cause of Christ. Then maybe we just don’t care. It soothes our conscience to shuffle off requests for help to the “mission committee” who decides “It can’t be done.” God save us from Ten Spies Mentality and renew in us the spirit of Joshua and Caleb. We want to wait until WE can see the way to do a task rather than saying...”God we’re going to do as you want us to do and we trust you to provide a way.” We Can’t but God can! Tell me---just tell me---where is the power of God in our churches? You don’t need God to do the things we are doing just a few liberal donors or a couple of wealthy people.

The business of the church is to demonstrate God. But if we are truthful with ourselves, we are operating by the same power that drives the civic club or the United Way. There is something wrong with our Christianity when we have to beg most of our crowd to come to church to hear about it. That Christianity is either not what it is supposed to be or Christians had been inoculated with a mild form of the faith and Immunized against the real thing. It is time to pray, “Lord, we will have the real thing or nothing.” Our Lord said it was better to be cold than lukewarm. It simply is too late for “business as usual.” There is no time for dull, dry programs carried on by promotions and performances easily explained on ordinary grounds. It is time we relied on the power of God.

Maybe I am too harsh--I don’t mean to be....Maybe I am wrong.....I don’t think so. Am I a little disgusted...yes, I guess I am. It seems to me we have become more concerned about buildings and budgets and appearances rather than the spread of the Gospel. I don’t care about your new parking lot or remodel project. We simply cannot preach a dynamite gospel and live firecracker lives.

I’d rather see your money save souls. We are fooling ourselves spending millions on brick and mortar and neglecting flesh and blood eternal souls. I have learned I can preach under a tree or in a hut or house and people who really want to know will listen.

Some want to “americanize” these churches in India and that is also ignorance. The Gospel is indeed the same but things are just different. What may work in America doesn’t work there. Nobody wears a white shirt and tie with sport coat to preach and yet they worship reverently. Clean and neat---yes---reverent and respectful, yes....but to think they must conform to our way’s is foolish futility. I want to see them made in the mold of Christ not the mold of middle America. I want them to continue to really worship and pray and learn without becoming ritualistic and appearance oriented.

To impose our cultural standards on them just doesn’t work. Who would want to anyway? For the most part, they are more modest, more respectful and more dedicated to God that most people warming pews in American churches.

They are feeling all the negative impact of our culture. Those who have TV in India are being bombarded with our Hollywood movies and there own “Bollywood.” This influence has been quite successful in bringing Sodom and Gomorra into their living rooms and the culture is showing the effects of that.

And yet their determination to follow Jesus is undeterred.

They need our help and support and certainly deserve it. Any help you can give --- no amount is too small. Please Help.

His Servant.......Jim Kelly

We are in London today and have been able to see the many Biblical Times artifacts in the British Museum and Library. What a thrill to be able to see the manuscripts from which the King James bible was translated.... artifacts from the time and region of Abraham, David, and Solomon. The night before we left India, the services included some Birthdays for the little kids and Bro Gootam. Also Elaine passed out gifts we had bought for them. We bought some practical things (like underwear) instead of toys and trinkets. Here are a few pictures. Also a picture on the day we were leaving with Bro. Gootam and Myself next to the outgoing delivery of graded correspondence courses for that one day. These course have led the the conversion of thousands in India. People love to read and learn and are so receptive to the gospel. It takes a full time staff just mailing, grading, and returning courses. We can't wait to talk to all of you personally of these experiences.

We are in Hyderabad on our way home. We are thankful to be here. The violence has escalated and waned by the day. We were glad they started their foolishness before we got to Khamaam. The roads are blocked and we would probably been days getting here--if at all! We had to cancel the preachers workshop for Monday in Khamaam and village meetings up the road on Tuesday. Because we had to fly rather than drive, we have a LONG layover here but have rented a room in a hostel here in the airport. The room is only 10X12 but has a bed, bathroom, TV and internet hookup. It is wall to wall! It has no room for our luggage so they store that for you but it is clean and nice--just small. We are glad to have it....it would have been tough staying 16 hours out in the airport. We get a 4:30 wakeup call for a 7:45 flight out. Our last couple of days have been busy and rewarding. They want us to come back every year but I don't know about that. They are to publish my sermons in Telugu again this year, one per month in their monthly magazine. I am humbled by such an opportunity as we have had here inn India and thank God he has used us to His Glory. Elaine says we are doing nothing until after the first of the year when we get home---no reports --nothing---just chill for a while. We are both tired but happy we have been able in some small way to help these people. I will contact all my support groups to make reports shortly. I have posted here a couple of pictures of some of our work. Th one is of one of the preachers homes and the other is some of the preachers in the workshop in Narsipatnam. God bless us all in His service.

Monday-Preparing for home

Since our preacher workshop was canceled for today, we have some time to shop for a few things for the kids, visit with the Gootams and get stuff ready to come home. We do have services tonight, but other than that it is an easy day. Actually just one sermon today makes it a very easy day. I thought this was a special service but really just a part of weekly routine. The church here meets for services on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights as well as on the Lord's day. It seems they would rather worship, study, and fellowship with the saints than watch TV! What a revolutionary concept! We enjoyed a fine meal prepared by Sudeepa and Kabita at the Gootam home last evening. They are both wonderful cooks as are most Indian women, I am told. We really enjoyed the evening. The pictures are of Bro. and Sis. Gootam in the office at the church building. The Gootam family have been the moving force for the spread of the gospel in India for many years. The number of people that have been led to the Lord is unable to be measured. The church is teaching on TV and Radio in this region every day and the correspondence courses flow out of here in massive amounts. Since we leave here EARLY in the morning to drive to Rajamundry for the flight to Hyderabad, I may not get to post again for a few days. I want to write some impressions I have about this work and this country later but it may have to wait until we get home. I may try to write when in Hyderabad airport for our 16 hour layover but it may be later. I hope those of you reading this have been informed and enjoyed knowing about this work. Pray for the success of this work in India.

Hello, This is Elaine this time.

I just wanted to let you know about some of the things I have been doing during down time. I have spent a lot of time with the children. I have asked questions and learned a lot about how things are here. The number of children has grown so much that the older ones, both boys and girls, sleep in the church building on the cement floor. The others are in the two-room children's home. These two rooms can't be more than 12x12. There are so many children that they must sleep on top of each other because there is not enough room for them to sit down. Forget about stretching out. The tailor who watches over the children just finished making uniforms for all the children. They looked very nice. The rest of their clothes lacked buttons, zippers and rears of jeans were out of the boys, these children don't have underwear either. I was thinking that if only 70 people adopted a child, or even two people split one, for about $30.00 one could buy a complete outfit for a child. So if you felt real generous and were able to afford - say - $100.00 a year, you could clothe a child, buy shoes, underwear, belts or bangles for one child. These children ask for nothing and are so thankful for what they have, it breaks your heart.

I went with Sudeepa and Kabieta shopping Saturday. I wanted to buy some things for the girls hair and some bangles. We gave these to the girls Sunday. Sudeepa picked out some and handed them to the girls. They did not pick a color or anything, and the bangles on over half of the girls were to small. They smiled, shook my hand, and said a grateful thank you. They couldn't even get the bangles on because they were to small, but they were so proud to receive a gift. I am going to get some larger bangles Monday. They are taught the responsibility of supporting the Lord's work and on Sunday when the collection is taken, they put in some small something from meager allowances they receive. They could buy a candy bar or something but choose to give to the Lord. Reminds you of Jesus story of the widows mite and makes one ashamed not to do more.

I asked if the girls had a place to put their personal things. I was told that they each have a little box for personal items. They seldom use them, because some of the boys (with hard backgrounds) will destroy their things. If they want to protect something, they can give it to the tailor or his wife. They live in the room next to the children. They will keep it for them.

I know I go on and on about the conditions at the orphans, but it is so sad. A preacher from the Memphis school of Preaching, that was here for the lectureship was really good with the children. Stephen, the preacher, said that if he could get 15 churches to give $2000.00 each or 30 churches to give $1000.00 each, the Gootam's could build the third story on the church building. This means more (and larger) rooms for the children and a couple of real bathrooms (with showers) for the children. Please pray for these things to happen. If you know of any church who could afford to help, please notify them. Joshua says that it will probably take them several years to raise enough money to build the third story for the children. Again I say only $1000.00 - 30 churches. $100.00 a year for a child. Pray - the lord will answer!.

Love Elaine

Sunday in Kakinada

It is Sunday afternoon in Kakinada and we are waiting to go to the Gootam home to visit with them and have dinner. We had a great service this morning with a full auditorium as is normal here. We will leave here with mixed emotions, ready to be home but wishing we could do more. As they thanked us for coming today Bro. Gootam again said: "If I could keep him....I would." Makes me feel good anyway. We are anxious to be home. Elaine says Charlie Grace is missing her granny....I think it is the other way around!

A bit of bad news for our work here. The trip Monday to teach preachers at Khamaam has been canceled due to some violence there. A group supporting a separate state in that area have disrupted all activity in the area, blocking highways and attacking people and property. Much damage has been done and no one knows about how much loss of life. We are informed it is just not safe to go. All the roads we would take to get us there are blocked anyway. I am disappointed and I know the 75-80 preachers who planned to be there that day are also but it is not to be. Some of them have to travel quite a ways and may already be on route. We pray for their safety. This country is so divided into factions -political---social---and religious, that something is always "stirring" and often "erupts." It makes us realize the urgency of the preaching of the gospel through out the World. The ONLY answer to this life and the life hereafter is Jesus Christ.

We were originally going to stay Monday night with the preacher in Khamaam and then preach in some villages on the way to Hyderabad on Tuesday but now will not be able to do that. We have arranged to fly out of Rajamundry Tuesday instead of driving on through that area. That gives us an extended waiting period for our flights out of Hyderabad but should be much safer. We are hoping that the uprising does not spread to Hyderabad as there is some disruption there also. At least we do not even have to leave the sirport.

The brethren here have arranged a special service of the Kakinada church Monday night and have asked me to speak. We will pray a lot for peace in India. I include in this posting, a picture of Elders, Deacons, and preachers of the Kaninada church. Also other pictures of preachers workshops, etc. Pray for our work here and for peace in India.......His Servants; Jim and Elaine

This is the third day of the lectures and the rest of the "team" has returned to the states. I will preach 3 times each day today and Friday.and work with the preachers in the afternoon. That has been what I have been doing each day. Some of the native preachers fill in where the others from the states have been preaching. The pictures above are of Billy Bland, Dean of the Memphis School of preaching, with Brother Rao from up north, close to Orissa and of prayer with 4 people about to be baptized. Saturday we are going about 2 hours north to teach preachers in an all day workshop. I will teach and Ricky will translate. I have really enjoyed the time with these preachers. They are so dedicated and I admire them so much. It is very humbling to have them so receptive to what I am trying to communicate to them. They get a great deal of Bible training but very little in practical teaching on how to prepare and communicate--how to preach, so they have been so glad to get some help there. I have been teaching "Jesus Christ---Master teacher--His methods and Content."

One of the group from Memphis had to go the the hospital yesterday with severe abdominal distress. It turned out to be just a bacterial infection from something he ate. Every one was afraid he might have malaria since he had 64 mosquito bites from a few nights before! But he's fine and flew out with the rest this morning. We continue to try to help this work all we can in any way we can. I have also included a picture of a house being built across from the church building here in Kakinada. Notice, it is all done by hand. Women carrying concrete from a small mixer to the men working it building the house. Pray for the success of our work.

The Lectureship

It is Wednesday morning and we are preparing to leave the hotel for the lectureship. It was a busy day yesterday with continuous services from 10 AM until 9PM. The schedule is the same today with the exception of only 2 speakers at the 6:30PM service instead of three. Bro. Billy Bland, Dean of the Memphis School of Preaching and I will speak at the evening service. We both also speak at the 10:00 AM service and then I work with preachers this afternoon. I am putting some pictures in of the children from the orphans home singing yesterday. They proudly were wearing all new clothes made by the tailor who supervises the children's home. They looked great and you could tell they loved it. Elaine has again decided to adopt! Really we know that is impossible, but she has become so close to the little girl sitting next to her, it is hard to leave them. They are so well trained and well disciplined and study from God's word

with vigor. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Pray for the success of our work.

Lectureship Starts Today

It's Tuesday morning as I write this and we are preparing to go to the first day of the lectureship. I will speak 3 times today Morning, afternoon and evening. Several other speakers will also be speaking in these all day events. Sunday afternoon we took the children to a park near the orphanage. It (like most others here) is a Hindu park. We drew a lot of spectators as the children played "Red Rover" and threw cricket balls and kicked soccer balls, mainly with Steven Sutton from Tennessee and Art Wilson from Georgia. Yesterday we spent the day preaching in "villages". it is hard to convey what a village is in India. The population is so great they are not like our little villages in the USA but are composed of many thousands of people. We also went to the shelter for homeless widows (mostly elderly) here in Kakinada. I spoke to them using Joshua 13 and 14 about Caleb thriving at 85 years old. I hope words of encouragement help in some small way.

The village church in ......some name to long for me to spell or remember....was jammed full, the women sitting inside and the men outside. They have about 80 children in bible studies weekly and do a great work. They are supported by a church in Alabama. The native preach

er there has been working in the community for 35 years. It is a great, faithful, church. Pray for the success of our work and the spread of the gospel in India.