The last day of 2008 saw us in Mangalore, India which is in the state of Karnataka west of Salem. We had been planning to visit the brethren there for very many years, but just could not find the opportunity to do so. The opportunity presented itself because of the marriage of one of our old friends from Kuwait. Their daughter was to be married on the 30th of December. 

A thanksgiving service at Pastor Michael Pedrin’s home.

We were able to make it and the Lord helped us see what David Pedrin and his brother Michael have been doing in Mangalore for the last twenty years. The Lord brought this Catholic brother into the truth of the Seventhday Adventist faith through the Holy Spirit by answering Timothy’s prayer one morning in the year 1987. Brother David walked into Tim’s office and the way was opened for Timothy to give him a Bible study. Since that day we are so thrilled to see the number of souls won to Jesus by the faithful witness of this brother and his entire family. Mangalore is a Catholic stronghold as well as a staunch Hindu community. This provides a deadly combination for the Adventist brethren. 

Brother David and his younger brother Michael Pedrin have established a Seventh-day Adventist church in Mangalore as well as in Udipi. We had the wonderful privilege of having fellowship with the fairly new church members and listening to their heart-warming testimonies in Michael’s home as we gathered together to bid farewell to the old year and bring in the new with prayer, praise and thanksgiving. Tim gave a short message and testimony. It was a high point in our visit and brought joy as well as tears to see firsthand what the Lord has been doing in that area and amidst such difficulties with these two saints of God. If you wish to know more about their ministry please visit their website www.clearbibleanswers.org and be blessed. 

Anita with David Pedrin’s mother.

We were also able to give David another contact for Bible studies from the family of the young woman whose wedding we attended. Please pray that this wonderful Catholic family will also accept the truth, as the father had attended a few evangelistic meetings in Kuwait on our invitation in 1986. 

In the coming months we at Green Pastures are hoping to be able to start the Bible Training School for the youth as the Lord provides dedicated workers and students. And we also are thinking to start Green Pastures Retirement Village for the older members of the Lord’s family. Both would complement each other, and we are sure that it would be a blessing to the young as well as the old. We solicit your prayers and voluntary service so our dreams and visions can become a reality, the Lord being our Helper. 

Currently, we are getting the property cleaned of brush and weeds, and attending to maintenance of rundown buildings as well as repair work on motors, pumps, damaged electrical wiring, carpentry work on windows, and doors, etc. Once the monsoons begin, this cannot be done effectively. Our absence from the farm during our trip to the United States has taken its toll and we are still trying to catch up on all that has to be done. A shipment of the tabloids from Cornerstone Publications has already been distributed by various churches in the south as well as central India. During the Christmas and New Year season, there were many opportunities to meet other denominations and share the printed page. 

Here is a letter from one of the brothers who was helping to distribute the literature:

“‘Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.’ John 4:35. Let me share some wonderful news with you. It is a miracle that is taking place in Alwar. I can see thousands of souls that are hungry for the Lord Jesus Christ. For the last two months I was working very cautiously seeing that it is a heathen place and the people here might hurt me if I take an aggressive step while I share Jesus with them. But I was welcome everywhere and the people heard me very kindly. They took the free literature I distributed. But wonderful things happened on Christmas that opened my eyes. The most important thing is that the local churches are satisfied with their present membership and have no plan of visitation and outreach. Souls are hungry for the bread of life but have no one to think about their need. We benefited from this opportunity and distributed a lot of free literature. The demand was large and we didn’t have enough literature, but we are happy that we did our best. Let us pray that the Lord will work through the literature and many will want to know more about Jesus the Son of God. Since we do not have a church here to make friendship, we started visiting the CNI church in the city. With much prayers, a friendly nature and free Hindi Desire of Ages books I received a warm welcome from the CNI church members and the pastor became my friend. With the pastor and local leaders I visited many Christians and some of them asked me to visit them again. Four families are open to Bible studies. I managed to get an old Christian directory and soon I will be visiting all of the Christians with free Adventist literature.” 

This pastor from Chennai where we sent 150 boxes has already distributed one third of what he has. We have also sent consignments of the tabloids to New Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, and are waiting to hear from them. 

Brethren, the Lord has challenged us that if we have the faith of a mustard seed we can move mountains. When we can exercise this faith, all our obstacles will disappear and we will be able to see a plain path for our feet. Oh, for a grain of faith. That you continue to uphold our ministry as we press on and press together and go on to meet the Lord in glory, is our prayer for this year. 

By Timothy and Anita Tharasingh, Green Pastures Project, India. Donations can be sent to SALUTE Ministries – USA, P.O. Box 337, Bismarck, AR 71929-0337. Telephone: 501-865-3974.