Sermon on the mount

Dear Pas. Steve,
Thank you so much for these series and teaching on this important life style. So much blessed. Wish to hear more.
I wanted to add a small testimony here regarding one of our Tuesday gatherings (prayer cells) from 6 p.m to 8p.m. We gather in a small Church. The women( teenage girls) will attend about 12 to 20 each week. 90% of them are Hindus. This is a big slum/ labor area in the heart of the city behind big shopping malls, busy roads, big apartments and luxurious houses.
The girls will always seem cheerful and happy unlike our other prayer cells. Though they come with troubled hearts, they go out rejoicing. Such a big and beautiful smiles rarely can be seen. All of them are suffering with financial problems, men (their fathers and elder brothers)are drunkards, lots of heath problems and pressures.

Few stories:

Vimala- only Child, father left them when she is 12 years old after her mother was diagnosed with thyroid and throat cancer, lots of debts, living with her uncle (doing all the house hold things like a slave). When her mother was in the hospital for more than 2 months after operation and Chemotherapy, none of her family members came to see them. She took very good care of her mother and now she is recovering miraculously.

Jyothi- Second daughter, father and both her elder brothers are addicted to drinking, they do no work. Her mother works in few houses as servant. Jyothi is from Hindu back ground and she comes to the prayer secretly. If found her father would beat her black and blue. She never missed the prayer in all these 2 years. How many times she was caught up and beaten! But she never stopped.

Lakshmi- From Hindu background, beaten so many times for attending the prayer, father is a drunkard, she and her mother works in the nearby houses. She loves to study but never had the opportunity, can read the Bible.

Rashmi- From Hindu back ground. Father died when she was small, she had one elder sister and younger sister and an older brother. Mother is always sick. Eldest sister got married, gave the boy lot of dowry taking loan from private people and all the remaining 3 are working hard to pay the debts which are increasing rapidly day by day. Her brother - in -law always demands lots of money from them and threatens to leave her sister if they don't give the money. At first, her mother and brother opposed her strongly but now seeing her faith on God, whole family accepted Jesus as their Personal Savior.

Kumari- From Hindu back ground. Neither her mother nor her elder brother approves her coming to the prayers. Many threatening s, will not give her the meals when she will be caught up. Praying for her marriage as her parents are looking for a Hindu boy for her. They are backing up afraid of the dowry.

Revathi, Sushmitha, Prashanthi, .. what ever their name be, same stories. You will not even believe the pain they are going through every day. Hunger, debts, beatings, shame of being a female, dowry, drinking, humiliation, family threats are all hidden behind their beautiful, pure smiles. You will neither see a dark circle under their eyes nor will hear them complaining about their miserable lives, Never. They are so strong in their faith.

None of them ask to pray for their trouble but for the strength to come through. They walk any where in the city just to save 3 or 5 rupees and when it comes to giving they give MORE than the others. They fast( they hardly eat a good meal a day !!), walk miles, save from their vegetables and other stuff just to give. Many times their giving left us in tears. Seriously. We are so inspired and touched by their faith and giving many many times.

We are so proud of our team and so thankful to God for all of them.

...poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry, thirsty, merciful,pure in heart, peace makers, persecuted....yet rejoicing. A small story about a bunch of young girls in our team.

Keep praying for them.

Love and prayers,
Vince and Nancy