Helmes, Alvar: Mission Trip to India. Where He Leads 1/2001.
On February 13, Richard Juuti, Carl Lamppa, Mike Hilman, Amy Helmes, and I left for India to visit the states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. This was Richard Juuti's fourth trip to India. Carl and I were making our second trip. Schedules for services had been arranged beforehand by the pastors in India, and we were kept fully occupied during our stay.

We arrived in Orissa, our first stop, on Thursday, February 15, where we were met by Pastor S. P. Limma who drove us to his church compound in Talpatratikira (a five-hour drive) where we stayed until Tuesday, February 20. This was our third consecutive year in which we have visited his church. On Friday we visited three different leper colonies (Jharbeda, Mahnadi Lakshmi Dunguri, and Pointala). We spoke of the love of Christ for all of them and distributed blankets to the adults and clothing to the children after the sermon. The clothing was provided by the Hockinson Church Sunday School children who donated $370 towards this effort. In the three colonies there were about 190 adults plus about 60 children. The people support themselves by begging. The children are illiterate and are not allowed to leave the colonies to go to public schools, even though they do not have leprosy. Thus, they will grow up to be uneducated adults and will never have an opportunity to leave the colonies. Pastor Limma is attempting to add rooms in his compound to accommodate 10 of the children and provide them with an education as well as to provide spiritual instruction. Ifhe is successful in obtaining permission, the ten children may not have to return to the leper colonies.

On Saturday, we had services at two village churches (Paharsirigida and Bormunda), one in the morning and the second in late afternoon. There were about 150 total people in attendance. In the first church, we had our feet and hands washed in a basin of water, which is their custom when guests arrive. We also had our supper at the second village.

Sunday was spent at the church compound where we had a three-hour service. There is much singing in the churches in India prior to the start of the actual preaching. About 175 adults and 50 children were in attendance. A dinner was prepared for all of the people. " On Monday we visited two tribal churches (Binji Palli and Kadali Palli) that were started by Pastor Limma's father. We were the first Americans to visit these churches. In the first church, we were warmly welcomed with a tribal song and dance. The welcome song was this: "Because Jesus humbled Himself to die on the cross on

lour behalf, we humbly welcome you to our church." About

150 people, including children, attended the services. In the first church we had our feet washed; in the second church, our hands

On Tuesday morning we visited the Sutpada leper colony and again spoke and distributed blankets and clothing. In the afternoon we made preparations for leaving Orissa by train that evening.

After a 17-hour train ride we arrived in Rajahmundry on Wednesday, February 21, where Dr. K. Syam Kumar has his free medical clinic. He has also started seven churches in the area that are simply a thatched roof canopy set on poles, but have a combined membership of 750 people.

Prior to our arrival, Dr. Kumar had translated Luther's Small Catechism (less the Questions and Answers) into the " Telugu language and wanted us to teach the Catechis~1 a group of about 25 Sunday school teachers. Thus, for three consecutive days, beginning on Thursday morning, we provided about six hours of instruction in the catechism. There were many good questions asked at the end of each session, especially as it pertains to baptism. The classes were held at the Quarry Market Church, the first church started by Dr. Kumar. On Thursday evening, after visiting the clinic, we had a service at the Burugupudi Church.

On Friday morning we again visited the clinic. Later we visited a Lutheran Bible College. We had the opportunity to speak to 50 seminary students. We had services in the afternoon and evening at the Quarry Market Church.

On Saturday morning, February 24, our team split up, with Richard Juuti an& Mike Hilman going with Pastor K. Yesuratnam for two days and then going on to Pastor M. P. Sugandharatnam' s church areas. Carl, Amy and I stayed in the Rajahmundry area.

Richard Juuti and Mike Hilman Schedule (as written b): Dick Juuti):

Pastor K. Yesuratnam took us to his village of Kapileswarapuram. We held services in two different churches and visited a third church that was basically a thatched roof hut. In the evening we met with children at the orphanage and were pleased with the children's understanding when they were asked to explain the thoughts expressed in the 23rd Psalm. The children are receiving some good biblical training and seem to be a healthy and happy group. Children and staff at the orphanage. On Sunday morning, February 25, we were with about 90 Sunday school children. Pastor K. then drove us to his brother's place where they have a small church. A service had not been planned, but they wanted to hear a short message anyway. We then went back to Pastor K' s for another service with about 300 people in attendance. Pastor K. then drove us to Pastor M. P. Sugandharatnam's place in Injaram. An evening service was held in a 12' x 12' room in Kakinada that was completely full of people. Pastor K. Yesuratnam's church in Kapileswarapuram. Pastor M.P. has made a down payment on a piece of property where he hopes to build a church.

On the morning of February 26, we held a church dedication at Bhatlapalika, the second church built with foreign mission funds. In the afternoon and evening we continued with services, but held them outside of the church as there was not enough room inside for the 500 people in attendance. On February 27, we held two more services at Bhatlapalika. In the evening, we held a dedica- tion service for a church in Brahmapori. This church was not newly-built, but they have put on a new roof, a cement floor, and another set of doors. This work; was paid for from the foreign mission fund. The service was again held outside because of the large crowd.

February 28 found us driving 3-1/2 hours to Bhimavaram to hold two services in two different loca- tions. It was 12:45 p.m. before we returned to Pastor M.P.'s.

On March 1, I spent part of the morning visiting P . Solomon Raju, the man who has been helping Pastor M.P . and who also did some translating for us. In the afternoon we held a service about one hour away. In the evening we held a service in another location about 20 minutes drive with about 100 people present. Pastor M.P. had some Bibles and New Testaments that he gave out at this service.

On March 4, we met the other team in Visakhapatnam for the journey home. Over the last 14 days, we have " received many requests for prayers and many people also requested that we return.

 

Carl Lampa. Alvar Helmes. and Amv Helmes Schedule:

On Saturday morning, February 24, we conducted the

last Catechism class. In the evening we had a service at the Anandanagar Church. Sunday was our busiest day with five services scheduled. In the morning we attended the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rajahmundry, the largest Lutheran church in Rajahmundry , where Carl Lamppa was asked to give the message. We also baptized Dr. Kumar's second son at the service, since the church had requested that he be baptized there. There were over 2000 people at the service. In the afternoon we had services at the Sched- uledCaste Colony and Quarry Market churches. Later in the day we visited Lankalu island in the middle of the Godavari River and conducted a service.

The Godavari River is the widest river in India and is about 2-1/2 miles wide in Rajahmundry. In the center of the river are two islands (Lankalu and Lankatlu) where people live. Dr. Kumar was the first one to bring the Gospel to these people. They make their living by fishing. On a good day, they can make the equivalent of $I.00. The huts they live in are only temporary, since the islands are flooded by about 15 feet of water during the monsoon season and the huts are washed away. During this time, they move to the shore until the flood waters recede. Then they go back and rebuild their huts. Access to the islands is made by canoes that can hold from five to six adults.

The people on the islands are very friendly, but they are illiterate The parents of children pled with Dr. Kumar to provide an education for their children. Thus, three teachers go there five days a week to teach them how to read and write, and they also bring the Gospel to the children.

In the evening we had a service at the Arypunam Church. In this area the upper caste Hindus had burned many of the homes of Christians and lower caste Hindus because they wanted to take their land. The people now live in miserable conditions with barely enough food to survive. As funds permit, Dr. Kumar has provided them with rice. Many of them, including women and children, work in the nearby quarries where they break rock using hammers They are paid the equivalent of$4.00 for breaking up one dump truck load of rock ( about one week' s effort for two people; up to one month' s effort for the very elderly). More than 35,000 people work in the quarries. Breaking rock in the quarries. As a member of the Foreign Mission Board, I was asked to attend the dedication of the new church in Bhatlapalika that Pastor Sugandharatnam serves and that we had financed. On Monday, I left Rajahmundry for the day to attend the church dedication with Richard and Mike. Carl and Amy visited the second island on the Godavari River during the day. In the evening, we had a service in the street outside Srino' s apartment. Srino works at the free medical clinic and was converted from Hinduism. About 60 people were at this service.

On Tuesday, we again went back to the first island, the largest of the two, where we spent most of the day. We had a service and spent much time with the approximately 200 children who live there. On Wednesday we met with the children from the Quarry Market Church and had a service. At the end of the service, we baptized 16 adult believers. We also held a communion service for about 40 adults.

On Thursday, we spent most of the day traveling to and visiting the orphanage that is run by Pastor K. Yesuratnam in Kapileswarapuram. It was very interesting to see the changes and improvements to his facility from the last time I was there three years ago. The children put on a skit about Noah and the ark that was very good.

During our stay in India, Amy was kept very busy making pipe cleaner toys for the children and teaching them English songs and Bible stories. Mike helped her in this regard whenever possible. Amy also played hymns on the flute she had brought along, which was much appreciated by children and adults alike. The toys were tied to Bible stories as time permitted. For example, the eye- glasses she made were related to "Christians traveling by faith, not by sight."

We left Rajahmundry on Friday, March 3, for a four- hour drive to Visakhapatnam where we would fly out of on Saturday morning. We had to stay there overnight in order not to miss our early morning flight to Mumbai (Bombay) on Saturday morning. We left Bombay at 2:00 a.m., Sunday morning, for home.