Pastor Babu

This post is going to be a little out of the ordinary... you'll see. :-)

For the past several months I have been corresponding through e-mail with a Pastor from India. His name is Chitti Babu, he has a wife (Esther Rani) and two children (Johnson and Dinah Grace), he pastors three small congregations, and he is a dedicated Sabbath keeper - resulting in persecution from Sunday keeping churches in India.

It has been quite an experience and a challenge for me to interact with this bold and Biblically-minded pastor - but let me back up to the beginning. Pastor Babu had read one of my articles in a small Christian magazine, and felt led by the Spirit to contact me with the hope of beginning a friendship. I honestly believe that God has something very specific in mind to teach each of us through our correspondence... humility, maybe - Lord knows it has been a challenge for us to communicate sometimes. *LOL* We've both made some rather blaring assumptions (he was shocked when he learned that I was 17-years old, still in school, and unmarried... though I told him I wasn't worried about any of it ;-)) and had to go through the pain of clarifying quite a few things. We've also had to ask forgiveness from one another on different occasions. All in all, though, we've gotten along very well and it has been a good experience for both of us. We're being exposed to other cultures, and keeping each other and each other's family in our prayers.

The reason I tell you all about Pastor Babu is because of a request he made of me, that I share with others his church's prayer and financial requests. Here is the situation that his church is in: their building was heavily damaged by a cyclone that went through the area in September 2005; they are in the process of rebuilding their church and repaying the government for the work that they have already done (the government pays for half of certain repairs, and the church pays for the other half.) They have the flooring in, but now they are working on doors, windows, the electrical wiring, painting, etc. Here is the deal: the church that Babu pastors consists primarily very poor members, most of them being widows, unmarried women, and poor families. Because of that fact, they are somewhat dependant on the financial giving of brethren in the U.S. If you can give - any amount - I know that the church in India would be very, very grateful. If not (and I understand that not everyone can, and that giving is entirely between you and God), please pray - that is all I ask. I'll keep you all updated and let you know when the church is finally finished with construction.

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Pray:

For the provisions to complete construction on the church, and the funding to pay back the Indian government

That these Brothers and Sister in Christ would stand firm in their faith, though they face persecution from those who profess to follow Jesus Christ

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Here is Pastor Babu's address:

Pastor: G. Chitti Babu
Church of God
Rajupalem- 533 344
(via) G.mamidada
E.G.Dist, A.P., India.