India
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Andhra Pradesh and surrounding States
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We welcomed Pastors Samuel and Mary Balaraman, and ten associated pastors and churches into our Lion and Eagle family on October 20, 2009.
Samuel founded Eternal Rock Ministries in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India in 1997. He pastors their principal church in the village of Tenabanda which is 2 kms away from the town of Chittoor, a slum area. He says: “Village evangelism is the need of the hour in India. Millions living in these villages in India have not known Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour because Gospel preachers do not go to these villages.”
Samuel’s passion is therefore church planting; and today he has ten associated churches and ten associate pastors in surrounding villages. The main congregation in Tenabanda runs to about 150 every service and the other churches run between 50 and a 100.
They also reach out with the Gospel in about 10 villages of the Thiruvannamalai District of Tamil Nadu. This work began in 2006. They also have a work in the state of Karnataka.
Pastor Samuel submitted a detailed application in which he wrote: “I believe that my ministries will develop by affiliation to Lion and Eagle Ministries International.” These ministries include medical outreach with free monthly eye camps in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and twice yearly general medical camps. They also conduct community development programs to include gifts of clothing, free tuition centers, adult literacy programs, and the like.
We thank God for the work they are doing in very difficult conditions in India. Christians are striving to meet great needs amid much persecution and loss of life.
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