Locals had a taste of India on Monday evening when they heard the latest updates from a special Indian friend and rounded off the evening with homemade curry.

John Rajiah, of Eternal Word Ministries, India, was special guest speaker at a meeting in Bethel Baptist Chapel, supported by members of Westgate, Pembroke; Emmanuel, Manorbier; Hesed Fellowship, and Calvary, Haverfordwest.

Eternal Word Ministries is an evangelistic charity that also provides housing for orphans and operates a child sponsorship scheme, in addition to many other ministries.

Introducing John and the work of EWM was Sam Wright, of Caerphilly, a former pastor of Bethel, who was there with his family. He gave the news that the cost of the land for building the new EWM Children's Home in Nepal had now been paid in full, and of the total price, around £46,000, £5,000 had come from Pembrokeshire.

Pastor Sam teased John Rajiah about his vision for children's homes, saying that they grow well beyond their initial target of caring for 100 children, one home now accommodating 280 children. He went on to mention in passing other projects needing funding and prayer, such as a home for ladies who have suffered abduction into prostitution, etc., and a ministry to lepers that has seen 200 (roughly half) commit their lives to Christ. He mentioned the need for the purchase of a minibus (costing £11,000, of which £3.500 has already been raised) and the installation of a 'bio-gas' septic tank.

Peter Richmond, organiser of Pembrokeshire Prayer for the Suffering Church (PPSC), then took orders for curry before handing over to John Rajiah.

"Thank you to everyone who has been praying for and standing with us," said John. "God always answers prayer and money just comes in miraculously." He made specific reference to Peter and PPSC.

"Now we can complete the building project in Nepal and the children can move from their rented accommodation.

"Thank you with all of my heart. My wife [Catherine] and I really appreciate every penny that came from this part of the country.

"I can't do what you can do - you can't do what I can do, but if we put our talents together and stand shoulder to shoulder, we can win souls for the Kingdom of God."

John studied in Swansea Bible College. Then he went to India, and when he arrived, the challenge of poverty seemed overwhelming. But from small beginnings in 1989, EWM now have 309 churches, plus three in Nepal, and a rising total of 60,000 members. The new children's home, when it is completed, will also function as a church, bringing the number of EWM churches in Nepal to four. Just in August six Nepalese people were baptised.

the nepal project

At this point the lights were dimmed and John talked us through a video presentation, which started with scenes of EWM's new work in Nepal.

"We saw children hanging around water buffalo, with no opportunity to go to school," he explained. "So many children are orphans, or have an alcoholic for a parent.

"We gathered them, fed them and shared the gospel with them. They are beautiful children. "

Some 250 handmade teddies had been handed out to children from the villages. They were very happy to receive them. Villagers were also delighted with the rice bags which were distributed, one to each household.

christmas at the leprosy mission

Every Sunday EWM hold a service for a large group of lepers. They also dress and clean wounds as required.

Although leprosy is easily cured if caught early, Indian religious beliefs cause people to be ashamed of their symptoms and afraid of widespread rejection as having been 'cursed by God', so the disease is left to mature until it is untreatable. The lepers are outcasts, suffering pain, disfigurement and sorrow.

However, their spirits were lifted as the EWM orphan children visited them at Christmas, performing dances in colourful clothes. The lepers were given new crutches and sticks, clothes to wear and cake to eat.

John Rajiah said many of them wanted to become Christians in response to this simple kindness. "They ask - 'I'm a leper, will Jesus accept me?' and I reply, 'outward appearance means nothing to God. He loves them.'"

While he was there someone showed John a cup of brown liquid and asked him what he thought it was. John's first guess was coffee, but it was just water. As outcasts from society, lepers cannot approach the village water supply and have a desperate need for a new well giving them clean water. It was an impelling request, and by the end of the evening, the total cost of building two new wells, one for the lepers, one for a children's home, was pledged from those present.

children

The children in EWM's care also get new clothes every Christmas, as well as toys and sweets. Last Christmas, 1,000 backpacks were ordered for the children. Funding for this comes mostly from sponsorship, which costs £18 a month. Sixty children are not currently sponsored, and in Nepal 32 out of the 55 have sponsors.

Children stay on until they are 18 or 19, then move on to EWM training programmes (like carpentry or sewing) or to jobs or even university. Some grow up to work in new children's homes.

There is no government funding for these projects; in fact, the government make it a bit harder by imposing rules like segregating boys and girls into separate houses.

floods in june LEAD TO ANOTHER NEW CHILDREN'S HOME

EWM went to help flood victims in the mountains of North India, an area which attracts many pilgrims. Children had been orphaned by the floods that claimed thousands of lives. Currently in temporary houses, the children are being looked after by EWM staff, and some land has been donated so a new home can be built for them in the area.

NEW CONVERTS

As an evangelistic ministry as well as a humanitarian one, EWM has seen great success. In response to a question at the end of his talk, John revealed that in North India, 1,600 people became Christians on just one trip, and there have been at least 2,500 new converts so far this year!

CURRY

Those who were able to stay after the meeting shared a choice of curry or almond chicken, served with rice and naan bread. There were many appreciative comments, and as a man experienced in curry, the compliments of John Rajiah were particularly welcome.

Visit the site http://www.eternal">www.eternal wordministries.org for more information about EWM.