Report
Of India Mission Trip From 1st
to 17th
Of April,
2013
The
India mission trip began at the India High Commission in Kenya where
I applied for visa and received it about one week later after
spending a lot of money and after being thoroughly interrogated by
the India High Commission. The mission trip was mainly sponsored and
organized by Renewal Fellowship Ministries from Australia. We were
supposed to board the plane on 1st
April 2013 at 1:00p.m at Nairobi. We had problems with our air
tickets and we boarded the plane to India on 3rd
April 2013 at 1:00p.m when the airline sorted out the problem since
it was their problem and not ours. We slept at the airport for those
two days which was very expensive for us since the airline refused to
pay. That was the FIRST STUMBLING BLOCK to our India mission trip.
Kenya team comprised four Ministers of the Gospel namely Apostle
Elias Nyandika, Pastor Matthew Nyang'au, Pastor Benedict Simiyu and
myself(Pastor Tom Opiyo). We went through the airports of Qatar
(Doha), then we entered India via New Delhi airport(Indira Gandhi
International airport) in the morning on 4th
April 2013. We delayed by two days. Upon arrival in Delhi India, we
were warmly welcome by Pastor G. Venugopalan and his wife plus his
daughter. Sister Anita Femiano from Australia (the President of
Renewal Fellowship Ministries), sister Devena Robert and pastor
Roberts had already arrived in India by the time we arrived there.
They actually met us at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The
AFTERNOON OF 4TH APRIL 2013, we spent time at the Beatitudes Mission
Centre run by pastor Venugopalan. The Centre assists poor Muslim
children to know Christ and some of the children's needs are also met
at the centre. Sister Davena shared a powerful gospel message with
the children using puppets.
INDIA
India, officially the
Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the
seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country
with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the
world. Wikipedia
|
Dialing
code: 91
Official
language: Hindi Language, English Language
Population:
1.241 billion (2011) World
Bank
Government:
Constitutional republic, Federal republic, Parliamentary system
Gross
domestic product: 1.848 trillion USD (2011)
World
Bank
|
RELIGIOUS CULTURE IN INDIA: India
is the birthplace of some of the world's
major religious traditions;
namely Hinduism,
Buddhism,
Jainism
and Sikhism.
Throughout India's history,
religion
has been an important part of the country's culture. Religious
diversity and religious
tolerance are both established
in the country by the law
and custom.
A vast majority of Indians, (over 93%), associate themselves with a
religion.
According
to the 2001 census,[1]
80.5% of the population
of India practice Hinduism.
Islam
(13.4%), Christianity
(2.3%), Sikhism
(1.9%), Buddhism
(0.8%) and Jainism
(0.4%) are the other minor religions followed by the people of
India. This diversity of religious belief systems existing in India
today, is a result of both the existence of multiple native
religions and also, the
assimilation and social integration of religions brought to the
region by traders, travelers, immigrants, and even invaders and
conquerors.
Zoroastrianism
and Judaism
also have an ancient history in India, and each has several
thousands of Indian adherents. India has the largest population of
people adhering to Zoroastrianism and Bahá'í
Faith in the world.[2][3]
Many other world religions also have a relationship with Indian
spirituality, such as the Baha'i faith which recognizes Buddha
and Krishna
as manifestations of the God Almighty.[4]
Indian
diaspora in the West have popularized many aspects of Buddhist and
Hindu philosophy such as yoga,
meditation,
Ayurvedic
medicine, divination,
karma,
and reincarnation.[5]
The influence of Indian religions has been significant all over the
world. Several organizations, such as the Hare
Krishna movement, the Brahma
Kumaris, the Ananda
Marga, and others spread
Indian spiritual notions.
The Muslim population of India is the third largest
in the world. India also has the third largest Shia
population in the world. The shrines of some of the most famous
saints of Sufism,
like Moinuddin
Chishti and Nizamuddin
Auliya, are found in India,
and attract visitors from all over the world.[6]
India is also home to some of the most famous monuments of Islamic
architecture, such as the Taj
Mahal and the Qutb
Minar. Civil matters related
to the community are dealt with by the Muslim Personal Law,[7]
and constitutional amendments in 1985 established its primacy in
family matters.[8]
The Constitution
of India declares the nation
to be a secular
republic that must uphold the right of citizens to freely worship
and propagate any or no religion or faith.[9][10]
The Constitution of India also declares the right to freedom
of religion as a fundamental
right. But many Christians
are undergoing persecution and many have been killed by Hindu
fundamentalists in many parts of India but mainly in Orissa.
CHRISTIANS
MUST INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN EVERY WAY IN INDIA TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL
AND ESPECIALLY BY EMPOWERING INDIAN CHURCH LEADERS AND MEMBERS.
ON
5TH ---7TH APRIL 2013,
Myself and sister Anita traveled to the strongest Hindu state in the
world called Orissa. We were received at Biju Patnaik Airport
Bhubaneswar by pastor Sanjay Limma who took us to Puri area near the
Sea Of Bengal. He left us in the safe hands of his brother pastor
Omega who runs a pentecostal church there. We had powerful prayer
meetings in the church fellowship, preaching and prayers in houses
and on the street. We also had Sunday worship service plus holy
communion. The people gave us a wonderful welcome and they fed us
and paid part of our taxi services. God healed people in the
community through prayers and many people in the community were
asking us to come into their houses to pray for them. The fishing
community in the area gave us fish and they were changed by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Christians
are only less than 1% of the population in the Orissa State and they
suffer persecution and death several times. The saints here are
strong and conduct powerful prayers. One of our Indian pastor
friend was killed in this area in the year 2012 for preaching to
Hindus.
8TH—10TH
APRIL 2013: PASTOR TOM OPIYO AND MISSION IN WEST GODAVARI
DISTRICT--PALAKOLLU
First(Monday
8th
April 2013:)
I, Pastor Tom Opiyo, Anita and Devana flew to Hyderabad airport then
to Rajahmundry airport from Orissa. We were warmly and heartily
received by Bishop David Livingstone. He took the three of us
to Palakollu, in West Godavari district, about two hours drive from
Rajahmundry airport. We had a powerful preaching session that
evening conducted by sister Anita and sister Devana. Several people
gave their lives to the Lord during the revival meeting in the night.
Many people attended the revival meeting. Sister Anita and sister
Devana left the place that night for another place within Godavari
area but was far. The following day was to be a national strike of
all workers and public transport would not be available. Pastor Tom
was left alone at Palakollu.
Secondly(Tuesday
9th
April 2013):
Pastor Tom had stomach problems due to Indian spicy food. But God
graciously enabled him to teach in the Church from 11:00a.m till
4:00p.m. Then pastor Tom preached in a Holy Spirit power-packed
revival meeting that night in the same church. Healing, deliverance,
manifestations of the Holy Spirit and people accepting Christ were
experienced. God moved in amazing ways. Many lives were changed for
the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thirdly(Wednesday
10th
April 2013):
I was still at the church with Bishop Livingstone but on that day, I
ministered at their branch village church. I was welcome in that
branch church with coconut drink. I had a teaching session from
11:00a.m—4:00p.m.
I
had another night of preaching in a revival meeting which was
attended by hundreds of people. People gave their lives to Christ
and God healed/delivered many.
Thursday
11th
April
2013: Pastor
Tom had a glorious send off by the Church of Bishop Livingstone from
Palakollu to Rajahmundry airport. Bishop Livingstone was very
instrumental in taking care of the missionaries and he was active in
helping and supporting the mission in any way possible. He was also
a great preaching interpreter. On the 11th
April 2013, we arrived at Hyderabad. We were welcome there by pastor
Joshua Oradi of New Grace Tabernacle Ministries. It was a refreshing
time to see the other missionaries of our team again, who were also
ministering in different parts of India and to meet all the different
Indian pastors from many different parts of India.
12th
--14th
April 2013: PASTORS CONFERENCE
Some
of our missionaries in our team plus India pastors arrived on 12th
in the morning. The conference began in the morning on 12th
April 2013. All the missionaries had teaching sessions allocated to
them on different topics including prayer, the power of the Cross,
witnessing in warfare, etc. I, pastor Tom, had teaching session on,
The Role of a pastor. Many pastors traveled from far and they truly
enjoyed the pastors conference which united them and enabled them to
know one another. About 50 leaders attended the conference.
On
Sunday 14th
, most of our missionary team members were tired and worshiped at the
church where we had the conference. But I, pastor Tom, worshiped at
Indian Pentecostal Church of God in Hyderabad Hyderguda. It was a
wonderful church which was founded by Pastor
Philip Abraham in 1955.
The current pastor of the church, John Sunderao, gave me a
wonderful welcome and they asked me to come back again and preach.
15th
April 2013:
Our missionary team left very early in the morning for New Delhi.
We flew from Hyderabad to New Delhi where we were welcome by Rev.G.
Venugopalan and his family. We had some little shopping experience
and then had a special house fellowship in a rich Hindu
family.
It was just about 3 hours before we went to New Delhi airport, that
the whole
family of eight people gave their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The family has a High school Principal, bank Director and other
senior people. A Woman who had a disease called migraines in that
family was healed immediately. The family gave us their own car to
take all of our missionary team to the New Delhi airport. God
is awesome!!!!
16th
April 2013 :
We arrived at the New Delhi airport at 2:00a.m and we stayed there
till 9:20a.m is when the Kenya team boarded a plane to Doha Qatar.
We boarded another plane at Doha at 1:30a.m on 17th
April 2013 and arrived safely in Nairobi Kenya at 6:30a.m on the same
day. I was welcome at the airport by a great Canadian friend who
refreshed me in his house before I boarded another public service
vehicle later that day to Narok, about three hours drive from
Nairobi. My family were very happy to see me again and I was blessed
to meet them again. The Church was very happy to welcome me back.
The church was constantly in prayers for me while I was away.
APPRECIATION/OBERVATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS
- Thanks to the President of Renewal Ministries Fellowship Sister Anita Femiano for organizing and sponsoring the India mission as the main participant. Such mission trips should be done regularly in different countries.
- Thanks to all the Renewal Fellowship Ministries missionary team that went to India and served God in very tough and unfavourable conditions.
- Thanks to all who supported me (pastor Tom) in many ways and for your prayers that made the India mission a success. We had many stumbling blocks but your support and prayers gave us victory.
- Thanks to Indian Church leaders and Church members for their accommodation, food, and care. I appreciate the Christian organizations, churches and ministries that are doing their work in India and especially those that we met personally.
- I observed that many Church leaders in India need Christian training and international mission exposures. Many leaders lack the true Biblical foundation.
- I observed that the Church in India is growing fast and they are united in serious fellowships and yet they are not deeply rooted in God's Word.
- I observed that the saints in India fear to do aggressive witnessing because they are afraid of Hindu people. The culture is unique and diverse.
- I recommend that Bibles, and Christian discipleship material be availed to Indian believers and leaders. Leadership seminars, Bible schools, training centres, are needed. Most Christians need income generating activities.
- I recommend short-term and long-term missionaries be sent to India. We are willing to work with any groups that want to work in any way with Indian saints and leaders. Indian saints should also be trained, sent and supported as missionaries to their nation and to other nations.
NOTE:
MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT YOUR REQUEST.
MAY
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST RECEIVE ALL THE GLORY IN ALL THAT WE DID AND
WHAT GOD IS DOING IN INDIA.
REPORT WRITTEN
BY:
PASTOR TOM OPIYO,
P.F.J.M,
P.O. BOX 1008,
NAROK,
20500, KENYA.
Email:
kingdomvisionprtom@yahoo.com
DATE: 27TH APRIL
2013.
