The Wilsons and IRFA News – January 2020

“I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15).   “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15).

Answered prayer!
In the past three years, we have been requesting prayer that God would raise a new group of missionaries that would lead the work of IRFA, which commenced in December 2004. We wrestled with our unbelief but the Lord has intervened and provided Rev Hiralal and Luxmi Solanki to fill Richard and Ann’s shoes in India. In the last several months it has been clear that the Lord has raised Samuel and Dhruti Christian from Melbourne to start a new work in Gujarat, which is the Christians ancestral home in India. Added to these are Greg and Sue O’Keefe from Toowoomba, Queensland who is the most senior person with LEM phonics who will travel to India for a two-week visitation to faith Academy, Delhi Grace Academy, Dehradun and the Mukti Mission in Puna. Greg and Sue will be making their first visit to Delhi in early March 2020.

Home-based Ministry for the Wilsons
It seems that Richard has been confined to home-service duties, due to a doctor’s ruling that I should not do any extensive travelling. Now that the year has started, living under such instructions is not easy for him to adjust to. I have been well occupied with facilitating the commencement of the newly formed IRFV Council in Victoria, and Ann and Richard have had some holiday-type excursions – which has been very pleasant and restful. There seems to be a lot of medical appointments that seem to absorb our time. Richard has taken some preaching invitations, and he is now ready to receive invitations to preach and to but do IRFA Presentations as requested.

Samuel and Dhruti Christian: Entry into IRFA
‘The Christians’ home church is the Frankston Presbyterian Church where Samuel is an ordained ruling Elder in the Congregation. Samuel has now finished all requirements for his Theological Training and Presbyterial Examination and is ready to engage as a Full-time Missionary to India. The Christians were Candidates for this Ministry originally through ‘APWM’, and have now requested that they use ‘IRFA’ as the Missionary Agency through which they would go to India.IRFA would require structural changes in order to become a Missionary Agency – which we believe has now been completed. These structural changes, upon common counsel, required the setting up of an autonomous Incorporated Association in Victoria that would deal with all practical matters relating to the Christian’s work as Missionaries in India including all financial matters relating to the Christian’s support and costs for their ministry. We decided that the IRFA Council would be matched by an IRF-V Council made up of Victorian Presbyterian and Reformed Ministers, as well as Ruling Elders and suitable Members of the Churches in Victoria.

After agreeing together on the course of action that should be taken, IRFA Council resolved to send a letter of intent to the newly formed IRFV Council that it (IRFV Council) be the basis on which to act together with IRFA, and that they set up an Incorporated Association with the same Constitution and Practices as IRFA’s Constitution and Practices. IRFV was then incorporated with an agreed MOU that defines the basis of the two bodies working together on our common purpose of sending Christians to India as Missionaries from IRFA, who will, in turn. seconded the Christians from IRFV.
All necessary documentation has now been finalized and implemented. Letters have been sent to APWM (Federal Body) so that the Christians’ (Samuel’s and Dhruti’s) status with APWM would change to the same status as IRFA’s relationship with APWM. All these necessary documents will be received by the IRFA Council this Friday as an official record of proceedings.

Samuel Christian has been away in Canada visiting family and friends, and no doubt informing people concerning his developments. He went to India after visiting Canada to attend the RPF Conference at Jabalpur MP, at which he was scheduled to present a paper, I believe, with Hiralal Solanki. Hiralal is preparing for all the papers to be published under the auspices of IRFA.

Samuel has fallen sick with a virus, but I believe he is still pressing on. He is due to return to Australia on 4 February 2020. The Flinders Presbytery has set 6 March 2020 to be the date for Samuel’s Ordination and Induction, along with the Christians being set apart for Missionary Service in India, at the Frankston Presbyterian Church, Melbourne at a time yet to be disclosed.

Rev Hiralal Solanki – Associate Pastoral Coordinator Report – January 2020

The following report is submitted by Hiralal to keep this up to date with his ministry in India and elsewhere.

Prayer letter January 2020

Dear Family in Christ Jesus

May God bless this New Year to you and your families. Thanks for your continued support for the work of the Lord. As this new year begins we pray and labor to see wonderful work of the Lord in progress of the gospel in our beloved nation. Thanks for your care and love for us and the kingdom God and gospel work.

1. RPCI and Reformed Bible College – Reformed Bible College in Reformed Presbyterian Church of India, is preparing local leaders for the church. It is on Christmas vacation till 16 January 2020. I will be teaching Christology in the coming term. I also continue to minister in RPCI evangelistic fields and fellowships as and when needed.

2. BILD / Theological training in the field – We have started BILD in central India mission fields. We select an evangelist who is already working in the field but is not trained. We provide them with resources i.e. books, courses and guidance for their training while they minister in their field. We have now six candidates who have applied for it, Shahdev Shende and Ukey in Nagpur, Mahavir in Jaipur, and Benhure and Petrus in Pune, Sachin, and Akchhay in Wai. Each needs help to the value of about 80000 Rupees a year for four years for the program to complete. Shahdev is already supported. We are at present supporting only one. Please pray and support as the Lord may guide you.

3. PRCI – www.prci.in – The church work in central India is going on well. There 8 mission fields. God has been sustaining and helping established this labor in the kingdom. I continue to visit these fields and encourage the evangelist and pastors in this field on a monthly basis.

4. Visits – This month I visited Goa, Ambikapur, and Pune in PRCI mission fields. We also gathered for three days of training with pastors. In this training, I shared about Biblical Literacy. From 22 December to 1 January we as a family visited mission fields of Ambikapur and Pune. In Ambikapur we ministered in three different places around Christmas and celebrated with them. In Pune, we ministered to the pastor’s family and two other church families at the onset of a new year. It was a very encouraging and fruitful trip for us.

5. On the personal side, I am enjoying God’s blessing and continue to minister as and where he provides me opportunities. I am continuing to lead a D Min Cohort in Delhi and working on my Ph.D. Laxmi and the children are doing ok. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Prayer requests

• Please pray for Presbyterian Reformed Church in India and its work of church planting ministry in Goa, Maharashtra, and Chattisgarh. It is a new work. You may visit us at www.prci.in
• Please pray for RBC and its training program in Delhi to encourage and assist church planting in RPCI. Rev. Anjan Jena is leading it.
• Please pray for the in-field training / Theological scholarship program and its needs.
• Please for upcoming RPF conference from 7-10 January, I am presenting a paper there.
• Please pray for my studies and family needs.

IRFA Prayer Points

Continue to prayer for the Covenant Reformed Assemblies at Ramachandrapuram.

‘… Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ (Revelation 3:20)

• Give thanks to God for the fruit of the gospel through the regular ministry in the CRA churches, VBS and the biblical preaching in the highways and byways through the 40 Days of Lent Ministry each evening in the Open Air Ministry. Give thanks to God for the protection given in an area where it could be very dangerous to preach the gospel in this way.
• Pray for protection as the anti-christian sentiment rises within the community through political propaganda. Pray that boldness be given to these congregations as a testimony to the gospel.
• Pray for our new pastors that have finished their studies at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Dehra Dun. These three pastoral students are now being inducted to CRA. Pray for their spiritual life and theological understanding to be founded on wise and biblical principles.
• Please pray for our Children’s educational needs. This year they are going to higher education.
• Give thanks to God for the very useful ministry we had with the 26 CRA pastors in Ramachandrapuram this year during the second season of ministry.
• Pray for the Christmas program that will be a natural evangelistic outreach. Give thanks to God for the ongoing evangelistic outreach and the strong discipleship program that is going on within the CRA federation of churches.
• Pray for wisdom as a new site for a permanent church in Ramachandrapuram is purchased and buildings are soon to be erected.
• Pray for Pastor Moses and Hepsiba as they are seeking to finish off their permanent place of residence which will include ministry facilities for general ministry.
• Please continue to pray for the work of the Darjeeling Hills Bible School in Mirik.

‘This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.’ (1 John 5:14)

• Pray for the new students and add to the number of the students there will be attending DHBS.
  Give thanks to God for the graduation celebrations that have just taken place in Mirik. Pray for this financial situation to be turned around this year.
• Pray for the little Mount Zion School and that the facilities for the school would be upgraded and filled with larger numbers of children.
• Pray for Rev Kushal Rai as he focuses on his leadership at DHBS for the coming years. He is becoming clearly focused and we are praying that as he continues DHBS.
• Pray for Nepal and the Christian church in this troubled land.

‘Now I thank you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayer to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judaea who do not believe, and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and be refreshed together with you’ (Romans 15:30-32)

Uma writes:

Greetings from Kathmandu

Our mighty Lord is blessing Nepal Campus Church for His glory (our church’s new name is in Nepali “JYOTI KA SANTAN CHURCH”, in English-“live as Children of Light”. Last week our Lord Jesus Christ helped us to give a new name to our church.

We are getting new contacts with new families and we are sharing the gospel to these families. After Christmas six new families are attending worship serving and we are doing house fellowship with new families in Kathmandu.

There are three JYOTI KA SANTAN churches in Salyan (Okhreni, Lanti and Dangri). We also started to share the gospel in new place RAMRI in Salyan. We are praying to set up a new church in RAMRI in 2020.
We are praying and preparing for two days of training in Okhreni, Salyan on Monday and Tuesday 3rd and 4th February next week. In these two days, we meditate God’s word, spend time in prayer, pray for each other and plan for the future to expand God’s kingdom in this land.

There will be all the leaders Kathmandu and Salyan and all church members from Okhreni, Lanti and Dangri. We hope there will be more than 250 people.

Three people and I myself will go to Salyan on Saturday evening (1st February) after worship service. I will get in Salyan on Sunday evening (2nd February). 3rd and 4th February we meditate God’s word and spend time in prayer.

Gebiram Kumai (pastor in Okhreni, Salyan) is requesting to me to bring 100 Bibles and 100 Hymnbooks from Kathmandu. Our people could not get Bibles and Hymnbooks in the mountain so that Gebiram is requesting to me to bring Bibles and Hymnbooks from Kathmandu. It would be great blessings to our people in the mountain if we distribute the bible to them. Much appreciated your prayers for the mountain mission.

Please pray for the journey from Kathmandu to Salyan and two days of training in the mountain.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and great support for this ministry. I do appreciate it.
In Christ,
Uma

• Pray for Richard and Ann’s ministry at home and give thanks to God for Greg and Sue O’Keefe’s provision the LEM Phonics Ministry;
• Pray for Greg and Sue O’Keefe’s trip to India in May 2020;
• Pray for the multitude of unplanned opportunities for ministry and for the informal conversations that go on continually. That wisdom and understanding will be given to suit the particular need of the situation;
• Please pray for Richard’s family;
• Pray for the planning 2020’s itinerary that all the opportunities may fit in perfectly.

REAP Federation – Vellore, India

REAP Federation is an effort to bring together the local churches that confess and are committed to the Reformed Faith. It includes two churches in the city of Vellore and five other churches in the nearby villages around the city of Vellore. God in His Sovereign Providence pleased to teach me, Rev. J.Y. Paulraj, the Reformed Faith about 25 years ago and we are thankful that we can serve Him in possible ways. Kindly pray for us in our earnest efforts to preach and teach the Truth of the Scripture faithfully as it has been done by innumerable saints since the Church Reformation. Kindly uphold us in your prayers and please pray for the following mission endeavours of ours being done for the glory of God.

• Sola Gratia Theological Training Program: A ministry of Teaching and Training Men in the Reformed Faith.
  Fellow Servant Sermon Outline Publication: An effort to help pastors with Sermon Outlines, prepared from the perspective of the Reformed Theology.
• Grace Foster Home (Karunalaya): A ministry to care for the orphans and needy children from our village outreaches. This has been a home and hope for children who need care, protection, and Christian education. About 60+ children are being cared for through this ministry over a period of 12 years.
• REAP Federation: Reformed Evangelical and Presbyterian Federation. Please pray that the member churches with this federation might continue to learn and stand together as a testimony for the truth of the Scripture.
• TULIP Tutor Program: A ministry committed to helping children with their educational needs and through which the families and societies be reached with the gospel of Christ.

We look forward to more fellowship and the opportunity to help each other in India for the glory of God. Rev.J.Y.Paulraj, Eden Campus, Jabrapet, Vellore 632006, T.N., India.