The Legacy of My Heritage

ISAIAH65:1:" I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask me ------and found by those who

did not seek me".

JOHN 15:16---"You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

God saw His people, He chose them and appointed them to bear fruit. This is the story of my heritagewhat I received from my parents. God chose my parents and called them into a preaching ministry. They bore fruit and whatever my father asked God he received it in Jesus name. My parents were called into ministry in 1929 and served till 1979. My father never kept quiet without telling

about Jesus and his goodness. Wherever he went and with whomever he sat with, his conversation was about Jesus and the blessings he gives to all who believe in him. Whoever came to visit him when he was sick and was unable to walk because of a broken hip he used to sing about going to heaven if only he or she believes in him. My father was a good singer and a dancer praising God. He never was ashamed of witnessing for the Lord God whom he invited into his heart. He never expressed sadness in leaving his family in village or his possessions to others at home. He always felt joy in serving God. He brought shepherds into Gods family telling them that it was the shepherds who were visited by the angel to tell them the good news of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. I received the legacy of his faith in the sovereign God. The great inheritance, heritage and wealth we got from him was his complete dedication and devotion to God's work.

My father was very proud of this faith heritage and often said, “I brought all my children into LIGHT from DARKNESS”. He meant that God's light is greater than any earthly thing that's not eternal. Each of the siblings and their families inherited from my parents the great value of serving in his vineyard as pastors or preachers and teachers. The next two paragraphs tell about my father's sister' daughter as to how she was found. Then how he was called into ministry.

My father comes from a village called Malappuram in Nizamabad District. His parents had one daughter and five sons. He is the youngest of all. I haven't seen anyone except his eldest and the 4th brother, when they came to see my father. I was quite young then. My father left his parents when he was in his late teens. I believe he was anxious to see his sister's daughter who married a mason at the time of constructing the Nizamsagar dam. They both came to Hyderabad and settled in a town named Lungerhouze near Golconda fort. He took my husband with him in search of her family. They met a woman on the street and enquired about the person whom they were looking for. They were so excited to know that it was her and she took them home and entertained them. From then on, we got acquainted with them. They never wanted to become Christians but be happy as relatives. They had two sons two daughters married and had grown up children. From the time, they have found out that we are their blood relations. They loved us and we loved them and kept going to and fro as long as we were in Hyderabad city. Then we lost contacts due to jobs and change of places. Then my husband became sick and couldn't inform the news to them..

God calls individuals under different circumstances and in different ways to.do His will. He chose some people and sent them to serve him in places where he needed them most useful. A few examples I quote from the Bible. In GENESIS 12: to 4 God called ABRAM to separate from his people, country and his father's house to an unknown land that he showed him. Abram obeyed God and went. In EXODUS 3:1-12 and 4:1-20. He called MOSES Though he felt it’s hard for him to go back to the place where he escaped from his enemies’ hands and deliver his people from their slavery and bring them to the Promised land CANAAN. Yet he obeyed God and went to Egypt. God was with him in Egypt when he performed miracles for ISRAELITES and ten plagues for the EGYPTIANS for despising GOD'S Word given through MOSES and Aaron his brother who led his people through the wilderness for forty years. Hebrews 11:1 through 40 verses talk about how God planned the lives of them whom he chose to do his will and sacrifice their lives. They exhibited their faith and loyalty Even to this day God has plans and purpose for our lives. God remembered my grandmother’s need and brought my father under her shelter and thereupon made him her son-in-law by marriage. God never forgets any orphan, widow or an oppressed one His eyes and thoughts are always on them. In PSALM 68: 5&6 the psalmist says, - "FATHER OF THE FATHERLESS AND PROTECTOR OF WIDOWS IS GOD IN HIS HOLY HABITATION.GOD GIVES THE DESOLATE A HOME TO DWELL IN. HE LEADS OUT THE PRISONERS TO PROSPERITY---" God changed his life and made him a blessing to many who were like him before. I may not boast about his goodness: but I boast about God's goodness and his love shown through my father's life as to what he was before and what testimony he gave for God as a believer in Jesus Christ. Though he died in 1985 he is still alive in my own life and in lives of those who found Jesus through him.

MISSIONARY WORK IN INDIA -The Methodist Missionaries came to India more than 150 years ago. Different denominational churches in Britain and America sent men and women as missionaries to carry the gospel message of Jesus Christ to different parts of India and other countries where there was no gospel preached. In the beginning of the work started different mission areas were divided among Wesleyan, Mennonites and Methodists.

The Methodist missionaries needed the help of the Baptists who already carrying on the work in the south-eastern side to send some of their pastors to their areas They agreed and sent some of them but they needed many recruits to work in many villages. So, they were surveying villages to select men carefully in order to teach them to read and write and do arithmetic according to Labach method which was Adult Literacy. The areas and the villages selected were very far from one another. To take gospel to all the villages seemed impossible and might take long period. My father never heard the gospel before. Like such were many selected. My father was one of them purely innocent, ignorant and illiterate.

GOD'S CALL TO MINISTRY -One day in the evening a missionary was brought to my grandmother's village. People gathered to see the person as well as to hear him. My father, mother and her mother were enjoying the songs at the close of the service my father was called and interrogated to find out his desire to serve the Lord Jesus. He happily accepted the call and on the appointed day he left to the Christian center. They started their course of learning to read Bible relate its stories, teach prayer and Christian song Gradually learned to trust and believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. They were baptized before coming to the center with their new names---Shanthamma and Peter. My brother was named as John. There were other children who were born to my parents after they joined ministry, most probably in 1929. He was born in their village on 10th of May 1927.I was the second child born on 12th August 1930. I was baptized and named Mary Ananda. Next to me was a boy born on December

5,1936 and two more male babies were born before and after Vasanth who was born on September 1, 1945

GOSPEL WORK [EVANGELISM] SCHOOLS [EDUCATION] MEDICAL CENTERS [HOSPITALS] were the focus of Missionary Work to begin with.

EDUCATION - We all had our education in Christian Boarding Schools started by the missionaries who came from America. We had free education supported by the American mission fields. The schools were not only for Christian community but for everybody.

OCCUPATION -Our parents were preachers in different villages in Zaheerabad district from 1929 till their retirement. What were their benefits? JESUS gave the answer to PETER his disciple. [ read it in the gospel of MATTHEW 19th chapter 29th.verse] This is the blessing for everyone who was and is called by God to his ministry. JOHN, my elder brother was a part time pastor and a full time teacher. Myself, MARY a PASTOR's wife doing all voluntary services as the president, treasurer and an active member of the Women 's Society of Christian Service ,Sunday School M.Y.F planning and conducting prayer meetings, visiting the sick in hospitals and homes comforting and consoling the bereaved families and participating in all the activities of the church. When my husband was ordained as a deacon and elder I was consecrated as a helper in his ministry. Since I was free in the day time I wanted to be a teacher educating children with secular and Christian values of life. I worked in Christian schools for 29 years but I never neglected the church work.

MY PARENTS WERE MY MODELS FOR GOD'S MINISTRY They were the living examples. A] Humble b] Joyful

c] Thoughtful d] Helpful e] Caring

f] Respectful g] Polite

h] God fearing i] Loving

These are some of the traits and qualities that are needed for doing Gospel work. I learned to be humble and God fearing like my mother. Whatever work was entrusted to her by the authorities she used to do it faithfully. Daily she had to teach the children to read and write from the books according to their standards. She had to coach them to fit into class one by the age of six years and sent to the boarding schools Some children were attending during day time some others at night. Before they could leave for their homes she used to close their work with prayer. The same habit was developed when I went to regular school by our leaders and also the teachers. From my father, I learned to visit every home along with him talking about Jesus and praying for their family. Whenever my father was taking us to boarding school we had to travel long distance on horseback some hours together in order to reach the station to catch the train. Before we start he used to pray and during also while traveling. We used to hear him say,"Jai Christh or Yesu maha rajj ki Jai" meaning victory to Jesus.While we were returning home for vacation we used to get down the train and sit again on horseback and reach home after darkness Then he used to utter victory to Jesus and defeat to Satan. These are some of the encouraging words he used to say loudly. By doing this I learned to trust God and put confidence in him for our safety. Whenever we met our authorities we used to greet them and stand up to respect and regard their presence. Not only they respected elders they cared for the needy--stitching clothes for the babies and small children. [hand stitch] by my mother I got this trait from her. They always were

courteous to people though at times they joked with them. People loved them. Early missionaries were loving and kind. They taught us many good things useful for good character building. I never forget to thank God for them. In choosing a right person to work together for Christ in rural areas I looked to God for help and also to send someone who is interested in sharing this kind of ministry. God heard my prayers and prepared persons who can find a suitable life partner for me. Those persons were-Rev & Mrs. George Garden, Rev.Sundaram principals of both mission schools of zaheerabad and Hyderabad.They played an important role in proposing my name to the person who was looking for a right person like me More than anyone God intervened.Though there were many oppositions especially from my own brother God helped my marriage a success.and entered into ministerial vocation in 1952 with our first born son Samuel Parker who was one year old. Our second son, David Ravinder was born on 9th Feb. 1953 in the first year of our ministry in a village called Budhole in Hyderabad district. While we were serving their Parker passed away with diphtheria on August 21, 1953. In 1954 January, we were sent to Medak to work in an Institution called Men's Training School where men were trained to work as preachers in rural areas. After working for 4 years we were brought back to Centenary Methodist Telugu Church in Hyderabad in 1957 Dec. While we were there for two years I did teachers training and worked for a year in Stanley Girls High School

My husband was transferred to Vikarabad as the Assistant District Superintendent in Jan.1960. I joined the school in June of that year and taught till April 1964. My husband was sent to United States of America for the Overseas Pastoral Training in Drew Theological College for a year and came back to India to take the Church work in Hyderabad for the second time at the Centenary Methodist Telugu Church and worked there till May 1969. I had to accompany him where ever he went and worked in the Methodist Boys High School till he was transferred to Sironcha district as D.S.for 2 years and 6 months.to Chandrakal for 6 months and back to Hyderabad as pastor as well as D.S, from May 1972 to'78 and finally Moinabad district D.S.for 3 years. In 1980 while he was conducting the Pastorate Conference in Thellapuram village he suffered a brain stroke and became a sick person. The period of D.S ended [ 12 years] at the age of 58 years and still he had 13 years of ministry for his retirement in 1993 August.

Because of stroke and arthritis of knee and shoulder joints he became an invalid in 1991. He was on sick leave for two years and took retirement in 1993 and passed away on June 11, 1996. In facing hardships and sickness and humiliations unstable health issues God never left us both for any kind of miseries. His hand was on us and his presence guided us till the end. Our son, Rev. David Ravinder who was a Methodist pastor in one of the churches in New Jersey conference cared and supported us with finances, and regular prayers. He made periodical visits with his family and a few visits by himself. The whole family made it in time for his funeral. In 2002, he brought me to U, S and worked for a year to get green card for me. He took care of me in every respect so far. Now I am 87 years and don't know how my future will be and I am thinking of staying here till the lord calls me to him. I am encouraged by God’s word such as Isaiah 57:15 -21 ;Deut.31: 8 ;Joshua 1: 8; Hebrews 13 5 ,6; and many other verses in psalms gospels and epistles not only these but the whole Bible reveals if we carefully search. I love God who is LOVE and who keeps watch over us will someday lead me to him. I must grow strong in him and not worry for it does nothing good. When Parker died in 1953 I was grieving for him daily and one day my loving God fearing husband consoled me like this." Why are you weeping daily, every day that is passing is like a step we are going up to meet him. "That gave me lot courage and hope in God. I stood on his encouraging and faith building words which became stepping stones towards them. I didn't find any one so far who loved and humbled himself in his way of living. God bless his soul and keep in everlasting peace.