Widening Horizon - June 2005
The Eternal God is our Refuge and Strength and underneath is the Ever Lasting Arms - has been proved again and again, as many trials and difficulties came our way. It is ONLY because of the Ever Lasting Arms, which has held each one of us, and prayers of many like you that we could widen our Horizon.
For the last few years we were concentrating and making the foundation strong in villages like Rabaguda and Jamguda but with a challenge thrown out by Remo to widen the horizon and enter new villages with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the 20 committed staff took up the challenge to venture into new villages.
To report just a nutshell of what is being done here is Romesh Khosla who could contact two Kondh tribal villages - Pakhanmuhar and Gajulkuonda and has started a children's program and an evening literacy programme. The response is amazing. In spite of increasing opposition and closure of the work at Ayeteguda (due to external opposition) the Lord is enabling us and leading us to widen our horizon and start work in new villages.
Sobita and Rukmoni go by Scooty (a moped - a very rare sight for a woman to ride a moped in Malkangiri) to Sanyasiguda a Kondh village 12 KMS from Malkangiri to conduct literacy programme and the children and young adults have learnt action songs and Bible verses all in this last 2 months.
Minothi and Shanti have started work in Khadval a Poraja tribal village. They are finding it difficult to balance their active one plus year sons on the cycle and drive the rough road so often they have to make their sons to sit on the back seat and push the cycle! This does not deter them from going to the villages regularly. The rainy season has started and village visit with their young sons is going to be even more difficult so we will appreciate your prayers as staffs under various difficulties are pushing forward to widen the horizon.
Sopon has started work in MV 19 a Bengali village. Bengalis are the main community who oppose the work of God in this area so we need your special prayers.
The work started by Somesh Nayak in Sandural which is 45 Km north east of Mundiguda is expanding and new people are joining the group. They belong to the Harijan community. To reach this village one has to cross 6 small hills of about 1000 to 1200 feet high and reach a height of 2000 feet above sea level. So this is an up hill drive by bike and in the rainy season it is rather difficult to reach. So please cover Ranjith and Romesh who are now continuing the work in Sandural village.
Niranjan Gorada' s uncle Anthony Nayak as suddenly developed left side paralysis for which no medical cause is found and so all in the family feel that witchcraft has been done on him and requests to cover Anthony Nayak with prayer.
Somesh children have fully recovered from chicken pox and now John's three children are recovering from chicken pox. Please pray for the arrest of chicken pox among the staff and in the villages.
We are able to widen the horizon because of our faithful 21-fulltime staff and 2 part time staff and 6 part time evangelists. I am enclosing a list of our staff and their family detail with their living and children allowance, if any of you are led to sponsor any one of them or at least a part of their allowance, we will be most greatful to you, for this last one year has been very stressful financially for Reaching Hand Society.
Our heartfelt thanks to each one of you who pray and each one who have sacrificially contributed for the work which God helps us to do.
Closing with prayers
Dr. Iris. G. R. Paul
Founder Director,
Reaching Hand Society