The Andaman Islands - 22nd May to 1st June 2017

22nd May to 1st June 2017

This, my third trip to Andaman was decided on after much prayer and fasting. The burden that the Lord had laid on my heart for the people of Andaman was not easy to explain. The last two trips had been to lay the ground work for the deeper revelation of God’s Word to take root and grow in the land.

3 days before we could set off for Andaman's shores we recieved news of an 4.3 earthquake in the Indian Ocean, a little way off from Andaman's coastline. There were no tremors felt on the mainland, and no damage caused though.

22nd May

I and my wife, Sis. Benita, left Coimbatore for Chennai on the 22nd of May, 2017 at 3:10 pm by Air India. We reached Chennai Domestic Airport by 4:30 pm. We took a prepaid cab to Medavakkam, Chennai, where a brother associated with our ministry, (Bro. Gray Bharathi from Tuticorin) had arranged for us to stay at his sister’s place.

Sister Violet and her son, Walker, received us warmly. After we settled down in their spare room, and freshened up a bit, I had a chance to speak to them regarding my testimony, and my ministry vision. We met Sister Violet’s husband, Bro. Rajkumar, late that evening.

Our flight to Port Blair, Andaman, the next day, was at 10:30 am, and we had an hour’s journey to the airport to be considered. So we planned to leave at 7:30 am the next morning. I was communicating by whatsapp with the brothers in Andaman who were making last minute preparations for the meetings there.  My heart was heavy with the burden of the Lord, and my mind was occupied with what I would be preaching at the evening meeting the next day.

That night, we retired to bed quickly after an early dinner. We were actually tired out having been extremely busy in the days preceding the trip. There was a power shutdown just as we were catching those first few winks of sleep. The entire apartment complex was without electricity from around 10:30 pm to 12:00 am. The climate in Chennai was hot and muggy, and that made it impossible for us to sleep. The electricity came back on at around 12:30 am and we thought we could finally go off to sleep. But for some reason, after around 15 minutes, the electricity went off again, and stayed that way until 2:00 am. This time it was a problem with the apartment block fuse, and we had to unavoidably wake our hosts to see what the matter was. 

Sis. Violet told us that they did have current cuts, but only for upto 20 minutes, and that they had never encountered such issues until that day. We understood that it was the evil one at work, trying to tire out our bodies and minds before the meetings, the next day. 

After the problem was rectified, and the power came back on, we finally drifted off to sleep at 2:30 am.

That night, my wife had a vision. A creature with the body of a man and the head of a goat was in the room. He came towards the bed and tried to stuff a piece of cloth in my mouth to keep me from speaking. We spent some more time in prayer that night, before we fell into a deep sleep.

23rd May

We were up at 6:00 am, and ready for our Uber cab pick-up at 7:30 am. Our flight to Andaman was uneventful. We took off from Chennai on schedule, in spite of the bad weather, and touched down in Veer Savarkar Airport, Port Blair, by 12:40 pm.

Port Blair gave us a cloudy welcome, but cloudy as it was the salty sea breeze and the waving coconut palms that had won our hearts the first time round made us feel right at home.

We went straight to our room at The Dream Palace, Haddo, Port Blair.  

Unfortunately, as we alighted with all our luggage in tow, my wife somehow misplaced her cell phone in the auto-rickshaw we had come by. We only realized this once we were settled in our room and officially unpacked. My wife was quite disturbed, not much for the loss of the phone in itself, but for the contacts she had saved in it over the years, and all the Bible teaching tools, and the unedited audio messages she had stored.

I managed to console her, and we somehow gave up the idea of ever getting it back. But she did pray that if it was the Lord’s will, he could restore it, and left it at that. Scarcely had she finished her prayer, when there was a knock at the door, with the hotel receptionist telling us that the driver who had brought us there had come back, and told them that we had missed a cell phone in his rickshaw.

Well, that really put us in a good mood 😊, and we just had time to catch a few winks before we had to get ready for that evening’s service.    

The first meeting was scheduled for 6:00 pm that day. We were expected at the hall by 6:30 pm.

The meetings venue: Haddo Community Hall was right across the street.



Pastor David Paul and Bro. Elisha, who had labored intensely for the prophetic alert meetings there, came to meet us at our lodgings before the service and accompanied us to the hall. 

I had planned to expound many things at that evening's meeting ,especially about the coming judgement, and certain prophetic events expected to occur in the near future, before I ventured into deeper Bible Study.

There were just a few people gathered in the hall when we entered. We got ourselves set up with our projector, and had a rousing time of praise and worship with Pastor Yesudas in the lead, Bro. Jeba on the keyboard, and Little Mervin on percussions.

Special Song

As the worship session ended, the crowd had swelled to around 150 people, and I was handed the podium after a brief introduction of my ministry by Pastor David Paul.



My text that evening was Numbers 10, with accompanying texts from Ezekiel 2, and Revelation 22. 



My interpreter for that evening was Pastor Abraham, who translated the message into Hindi, being the common language of parlance there.

Pastor Abraham interprets

I was 15 minutes into the message when the electricity went off, and the hall was plunged into darkness. The message had picked up speed, and the attendees’ level of expectation had been mounting when the electricity went out.

By that time there were around 200 people assembled.

The organizers had requested and managed to get written confirmation from the local Electricity Board AE, that there would be no current cuts during the time  the meetings were to be held in the Community Hall on the 23rd and 24th, and as such, with this confidence, had not arranged for a generator.

The climate in Andaman is such that even though there is a torrential downpour outdoors, indoors we would all be sweating profusely due to the insane level of humidity by the sea, as was the case that evening. With the rain beating on the building roof, and the sound system down, the hall being an old one, my voice had to carry across so that the folks at the back could hear.

I asked the crowd if they wanted me to continue and they all echoed that I should. So, I took a deep breath, put on my best public speaking voice, and continued.

I shared my experience in Chennai the night before, the apparition that my wife had seen in our room there, the hindrances that had cropped up during my preparations for this Andaman trip while in Coimbatore, and even the lost cell phone episode, and lay before the people my burden for Andaman.

I then continued with the message I had begun: ‘Scrolls and Seals’ ,with the bobbing of cell phone lights and candles in the audience.

The brethren had by that time arranged for a spare charged cube and microphone which I could use even without the power.

"Ye are the light of the world"

It was the grace of God that kept all those people in their seats that day, in spite of the dark, the oppressive heat within the building, and the pesky mosquitoes. One thing you have to admire in the people of Andaman is, that they have a real hunger and thirst for God’s Word.

It had been many years indeed since I preached in the dark during a power cut 😊(Those early days in Senthamil Nagar, Coimbatore when RLM had just begun and the first members gathered together in the evenings with a gas lantern between us really paid off!)

By the time I finished the message, I was drenched through with perspiration, but my joy was full in that I had delivered the message to the folks in the assembly and they had received it with a spirit of acceptance.

We made our way to our hotel room soon after the service. Unfortunately, our hotel too, did not have a generator, and we were handed a tiny see-in-the dark glow torch. We had barely changed our clothes before the lights came back on.

The beauty of Indian ministry is the hundreds of unforeseen circumstances that seem to happen just when you think things are going right – the patched tear in the tent that gets bigger when an unexpected downpour starts, the power cuts which pick just that day to occur, the insect bites that swell up your eyes when you’ve planned an extra hour of meditation, and the hotels that tell you that they do have a generator, but that it doesn’t work.  I guess the Indian Mission Field is the devil’s playground in a way. With permission from the throne to rattle us a bit and throw little challenges our way, what he doesn’t understand is that he is toughening us up with minor adjustments to face the bigger adjustments on the way.

So, if the tent blows off, we will preach in the rain; if the electricity goes out, we will preach in the dark, if that pain in the hip kicks in, we will preach with one foot on a stool, and if the people walk out during a sermon, we will preach to those who remain. So there, Satan, we will continue to preach till the coming of our Lord!

24th May

The next day, I was scheduled to speak at a Pastor’s gathering at 10:30 am.


The venue was the same.

Around 50 pastors attended with their families.


My interpreter for that morning was Pastor Thomas of the local AOG church.

Pastor Thomas interprets

I had printed multi-colour charts in English and Tamil regarding the Bible’s teachings on Revelation 17, which were distributed during the meeting. This was the theme of the Pastor’s Conference.


Bro. Elisha distributes the charts



I began with Revelation 17, then went on to Chapter 13, and Daniel 9, going through each point on the chart. My message covered The Origins of the Mystery of Iniquity, the start of the Ecumenical Movement, the Beast System, the aims and objectives of the WCC, the signs of One World Government in our times, 2 Peter’s end time warnings, the Roman Catholic and Protestant Accord, an Exposition of False Ministries, Compromise in Christian Churches, the End Time Ministry of the Restoration of God’s Truth, and the Faith of the Apostles.

I supplemented the teaching with images, scanned clippings from books and newspapers, and related videos.


We had a short buttermilk break at 12 noon, and continued the conference till 1:30 pm, after which we broke for lunch.

We retired to our room and packed for our journey to North and Middle Andaman the next day before we prepared for the evening service.

Pastor Yesudas leads the Worship Service
Sis. Sugandhi sings 'Isravele Kartharin Nambu'




The evening meeting began at 6:00 pm, and I was handed the podium at 6:45pm. 



Pastor David Paul served as interpreter.

Pastor David Paul interprets the message.

The organizers had invited their local Ward Councilor for the meeting as well.


                           

I reiterated some of the points in my message of the day before, then spoke on the Laodecian Age, the Close of the Ages, what the Apostle Peter had meant when he spoke on ‘the elements shall melt with fervent heat.’, End Time Prophecies, more specifically, the Great Californian Quake, and a warning regarding the deceit of Ecumenism.





All those who came testified to being greatly blessed.



At the end of the service we distributed tracts on Baptism, and the Mystery Babylon Charts. A total of 400 Baptism tracts, and 350 Mystery Babylon Charts went out to the public.




The organizers, Pastor David Paul, Pastor Daniel, Pastor Yesudas, and Bro. Elisha who had labored hard for the meetings there, rejoiced that everything had gone according to plan.

Left to right: Pastor Yesudas, Myself, Sis. Benita, Pastor Daniel, Pastor David Paul, Bro. Elisha
With the youth who had helped with the meeting arrangements.

Pastor Daniel and his wife visited us in our room for a brief time of fellowship.

We were asked to be ready by 3:40 am the next morning for the start of our journey into Andaman’s interiors. Pastor David Paul, Pastor Yesudas, and Pastor Daniel would be accompanying us. They had booked an Ertiga for the purpose.

25th May

After a fitful sleep, we were up before dawn and ready to go.



Pastor Yesudas arrived at 3:40 am sharp and we left Haddo for Mayabunder, in North Andaman. We picked up Pastor David Paul on the way, but Pastor Daniel had to cancel at the last minute.

The distance between Haddo and Mayabunder is around 260 kms. We drove for around 2 hours to a place called Middle Strait. We had to cross Jarawa country along the way. The Jarawas are a primitive tribe inhabiting the forests of Andaman for centuries. They are today a protected asset of the Government of India, much as certain endangered species, or biosphere reserves.


The Jarawas

There are many tribes in Andaman out of which the Jarawas are the most hostile. Other tribes such as the Great Andamanese, the Jangil, the Onge, and the Sentinelese have adapted to civilization in their own ways, and manage to maintain a rapport with the local populace. They entertain visitors, share their culture, and are willing to barter with their civilized conterparts. The Jarawas however, are an untrusting lot, hostile to foreigners, and very protective of their territory. They have been mistreated by non-islanders in the past, and have even killed in revenge.

Pastor David Paul related how the native Jarawa never brushes his teeth from infancy, how their only source of bathing hygiene is either a rain storm or a forest pond, how even their sputum is considered poisonous, and how the tribe’s knowledge of roots and tubers have helped them retain their health and live long in the forest.

We managed to see a few of the tribespeople along the way. However, while entering Jarawa country, each vehicle was handed a token, was told not to overtake the vehicle in front of it or risk a fine. There would be no photography or videography, no alighting from the vehicle, and no stopping along the 35 km expanse of forest. Any neglect of these instructions would be heavily penalized, with CCTV cameras positioned all along the roadway expanse of the forest, and special guards known to the tribespeople permitted to wander along with them for protection when the vehicles passed through.


The end point outside the Jarawa Reserve is called Middle Strait. 





There was a jetty there where the entire convoy passing through the forest would be loaded on ferries to the other side of the rivulet to a placed called Baratang.



With signboards warning us away from the creek sides on account of the risk of crocodile attacks, we watched as vehicle after vehicle including public buses made their way up a ramp into the waiting ferries to cross the rivulet.

                             

The ferry we boarded was named North Bay and Pastor Yesudas’s brother-in-law Madan just happened to be working on the boat that day. So he treated us to a healthy breakfast of chapathis, greens, and lentils. It was our first experience eating below deck as the ferry bobbed across the waters.



We prayed for Bro. Madan, and alighted at the entrance of Baratang



From here we had to drive a few kilometers to the next jetty where we boarded a second ferry to a place called Uttara




By the time we got to Uttara, a light shower had begun, and we prepped ourselves for the 4.5 hour drive into Mayabunder.


The brothers told us about a mud volcano that had erupted in 2003, and asked whether we wanted to see it, so we stopped by to see the bubbling ash pit along the way.





 As we went deeper into Andaman we saw the gentle sea side scenery dissolve into dark forests and dense vegetation. This was the real Andaman beauty: cows walking along the beach, rock fragments and betel nut trees decorating the sides of the road, massive storm-tried coconut palms bending their fruit laden heads to the sea, and meter long centipedes wandering across the forest floor.





As beautiful as the journey was, it was tiresome too. Fatigue began to set in once we crossed into Mayabunder borders. Having begun before 4:00 am that morning, and on a non-stop journey along the bumpy North Andaman terrain which was laughingly supposed to be a National Highway road, we stopped for lunch at  a Bengali Hotel, then quickly resumed our journey to reach in time for a few hours of rest before the evening service.

We reached our lodgings in Mayabunder only by 4:00 pm.

Pastor Francis Daniel of the local Indian Pentecostal Church was there to receive us. We almost fell into bed and slept off our tiredness till 5:30 pm.

The evening meeting was scheduled for 6:30 pm at the Dhanapur Community Hall nearby. 



People from the local Mayabandar congregations had already gathered for worship when we arrived.



The Karain Baptist Choir led the worship. The Karains are a local community made up of migrants from the Northeastern part of India – Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Manipur. (Click on the link below to watch)

The Unofficial Mayabunder Karain Baptist Choir video clip

Pastor David Paul initiated the service.

There were around 10 pastors, and 150 people in attendance.

Pastor David Paul interpreted the message into Hindi.

That evening my message was a simple one. It centered around The Importance of Obedience to the Word of God: the normal Christian walk of life, the compromising state that many christians had adapted in our times, the weak state of christian leaders and pastors in correcting their flock, and the sin of self-righteousness in the church.

Pastor David Paul inetrprets

I spoke about Noah’s Ark, and the Ark of the Covenant being types of Christ, and showed the congregation images of the pattern of the Ark as per the Bible, and a few discovery videos on the findings of Noah’s Ark in Turkey. I ended by telling the congregation that the reason science was proving the Bible, was to make people understand that if the events recorded in the Word of God had actually come to pass, and were being proved by scientific findings, then surely the Bible was true, and its record of the prophetic events of the future would also come to pass.


Pastor Francis concluded the service with prayer.


We were invited to Pastor Francis’s home for dinner that night. It was a small apartment on the first floor of an old building quite close to the meeting hall.

His wife, Sis. Blessy had prepared a fabulous meal for us: Crab curry, mutton fry, fried fish, vegetables, and buttermilk gravy with rice. The crab was a Godsend to Sis. Benita, whose throat had gone sore with the change in water and the constant travelling.


Later after steaming cups of black tea, we discussed island ministry, and adapting to the varied communities and cultures within India.

Andaman is aptly named 'Mini India'. People across all walks of life and from every state of the country can be found there. The majority being Bengalis – pre Independence migrants from West Bengal, there are also a vast number of Tamilians, Keralites, Telanganites, North easterners, Maharasthrians, and even work migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkand, and Bihar.

The common language is Hindi, however ministry is usually divided with churches being community wise. The North easterners or Karains have their own churches and service, the UP and Bihari brethren their own, and the Southerners usually stick together. The Bengalis are considered a hard hearted people, but once won for Christ are equally hard in their commitment to the Word.

The beauty of this island paradise is how all these varied communities manage to co-habit peacefully. 

Pastor David Paul is a walking encyclopedia. He had regaled us with his knowledge of the origins of early Andaman Christian Mission work on the way to Mayabunder. That evening he shared his missionary experiences with the various Christian communities in Andaman. The brethren and I related missionary mishaps and anecdotes until we were laughing into the night, and it was time to go back to our lodgings for some much needed rest.

With chidings from Mr. and Mrs. Francis about us ‘not having eaten anything’, we made our way back to our lodge and fell into deep slumber until the morning light filtered in through the blinds and we had to be ready for the morning Pastors Conference scheduled to begin at 10:30 am.

26th May

The venue was the same.

That morning there were around 80 pastors gathered along with their families, from different corners of Andaman, mainly from the interiors.


I began the message with much prayer. I first delved into the Mystery of Iniquity : where it began and how. I expounded on the Fall of Lucifer, Mystery Babylon, Titus’s siege of Jerusalem after the death of Jesus, the Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem as per prophecy, and the Coming Rule of the Messiah.


I spoke on the Original Sin, the Sacrifice of Cain and Abel, Christ in Theofany, how pagan worship infiltrated true Christianity after the death of the Apostles, the Nicean Council, and The Aim of the WCC.


The Mystery Babylon charts were distributed there as well, and I took the ministers through a step by step history lesson through the ages, explaining how the root of Christianity had been gnawed at by the parasite of paganism until we had paganism masquerading as Christianity in churches today with no one the wiser because that was the just the way they had been taught.


I warned the ministers regarding the looming specter of Ecumenical Christianity and how it would deceive the majority of Christians of today into worshipping a false god.


I denounced traditional Christianity, explained why God was not in denominations, exposed the Anti-Christ system of Rome, expounded on Revelation 17 and 13 in detail, and ended with a call to come out of Babylon and be separate for the Lord.

There was a 5 minute tea break at 12 noon at which not many stirred, and the meeting ended by 2:00 pm, after which we were served the staple lunch of pulao (spiced rice), chicken gravy, and raitha (curd salad).

Many of the ministers who had come to the conference that day were blessed. Many came forward and asked to be in contact, and requested any literature that could edify and guide them deeper into the Word of God. Many are dissatisfied with the current state of denominational churches, and a surprisingly large number of ministers are operating independently relying only on the tithes and offerings their flock brings.

The ministers in Andaman are a sincere bunch. They are ready to brave the dangers of the forest, the dangers of the sea, and the discomforts of island living with the bare essentials, for the sake of serving souls. They travel great distances over land and sea to visit the homes of believers in far off places, and give no thought to what they can get out their ministries so long as there are fulfilling their commission. Many of the ministers are ignorant about a great many events occurring in the outside world. Andaman, especially Middle and North Andaman is quite cut off from the rest of the world. 'Internet' there, is a word that most people have just heard in passing. Even the cellphone network there is far from desirable.

There is a lot we can do for interior Andaman in terms of clothes collection for the poor, aid for church shelters, and spiritual literature in the common language.

I was quite satisfied with the Pastors Conference. Around 100 Mystery Babylon Charts had been distributed and I could feel the move of the Lord during the meetings.

We went back to our room for an afternoon nap and were back again at 6:30 pm.

Pastor Yesudas led the worship.


A Methodist Pastor sang a wonderful Tamil Song on 'The Lord's Call to preachers to be like the Apostles'.


Pastor Francis prayed for the message


The congregation was around 200 strong.


My text for that evening was from 2 Peter and Revelation 18:10. I spoke on the judgment of God by fire and how it would take place. 


I also expounded on end time events to occur, primarily the Great Californian Quake being expected before the coming of the Lord. Once again my teaching there was supplemented with projected slides, images, and videos.



I ended with a call for believers to take their spiritual lives seriously, to read their Bibles, to challenge traditional beliefs, and live in the expectation of the coming of Christ every day.


Pastor Yesudas requested Sis. Benita and myself to sing a special song at the end, and we obliged with our recent melody: ‘Hosanna’ based on Psalm 23.

That day happened to be our 10th wedding anniversary. We had prayed together the night before and were especially grateful that we had been able to spend the day serving the Lord together.

On mentioning this on stage, the pastors present there joined in prayer for us.

The service ended at 9:00 pm, and the jeeps that had been arranged to take the congregation back to their homes across the far reaches of Andaman’s center were greatly appreciated.

A few families came forward for prayer after the service.

We were invited to the home of Evangelist Lazarus in Pastor Francis’ church.

His wife had put out quite a spread: Crab (again) (that was so hard shelled we had to break it with a little hammer), Chicken gravy, white rice, fried fish, cucumber salad, and boiled egg bondasJ These people take the word ‘hospitality’ very seriously, especially when it comes to serving ministers.


Left to Right: Pastor Francis, Sis. Blessy, Bro. Lazarus, Myself and Sis. Benita, Pastor David Paul, Pastor Yesudas

We retired to our rooms soon after dinner as we had to leave by 7:00 am the next morning to take the second ferry from Uttara to Baratang, and the connecting ferry to Middle Strait once more.

27th May

It looked like rain the next day. The morning was gloomy as we shifted our luggage into the car. 




We left the lodge at 7:00 am sharp, and stopped by Pastor Francis’s church on the way. 






We were amazed at Pastor’s relation of how a few believers who had recently converted to Christianity, walk nearly 30 kilometers through the forest to catch a bus that would bring them to church on Sundays, some with children in tow. We had a short Word of prayer in that little church before we piled into our car again ready for the never ending (or so it seemed) journey back to Port Blair.





Ferry to ferry, ferry to ground, ground to ferry, ferry to ground, and then the long drive back home with lonely Jarawa eyes looking at us through our car windows. 





We reached Port Blair by 2:00 pm that afternoon.

Pastor Yesudas had received word along the way that his son had had a nasty road accident. With the cell phone networks not working that well, there had been no way to contact the family until we reached Port Blair. We made our way to his home directly to put his mind at rest.

By God’s grace the young man had just sustained minor scratches and muscle injuries with no fractures or damage to his bones. His scans had come out alright, and we gave thanks that it was nothing worse.

The next day being Sunday, Bro. Elisha had managed to get us seats on the 2:00 pm government ferry to Havelock where he ministered to a small gathering of Bengali Christians.

Pastor Yesudas invited me to preach at his church on Sunday morning.

28th May 

The next day, we made our way a little past the Haddo Community Hall to a smaller hall on the first floor of a public building in view of the ports.

There were around 60 people in the congregation. Bro. Elisha too joined us that morning.

Pastor Yesudas led the worship, with his son Gideon Raj at the keyboard.



As is customary in Tamil culture to honour a guest at a service or ceremony, Pastor Yesudas presented me with a pattu shawl before handing me the pulpit.


My message that morning was: “The Before and After Saints”: the Stages of the Coming of Christ, the Raptured Saints, the Saints of the Great Tribulation, and the difference between the garments given to the two. 


I explained a little regarding the 7 church ages, specifically about the Laodecian Age that we are living almost at the end of, and exhorted the congregation to break out of traditional bondage and come to the original truth that the Apostles taught.




Bro. Elisha concluded the service.


Pastor Yesudas invited us over to his house for lunch after we had freshened up. So we went back to our rooms, and went over to his place by auto-rickshaw with our luggage. Bro. Elisha would also be joining us there. And we had planned to make a beeline for the jetty after lunch.

We gulped down our meal and were at the jetty at exactly 1:20 pm for our baggage scan before we boarded the government vessel, to Havelock Island.

Bro. Elisha had fractured his foot somehow, but still refused to cancel the trip. It lifted my spirit to see him brave the rain, the pain in his foot, and the waiting currents to serve the few souls in Havelock who were eagerly waiting for the Lord’s words of comfort.

The sea was rough, as we had set off at high tide.


We had seats below deck, but once we were halfway across, we could no longer abide the musty cabin air, and went up on deck. It was drizzling and half a dozen people were crowded at the top to catch a glimpse of the waves and breathe in the sea air. I had a chance to see a team of flying fish jump in and out of the water.

The waves were black and boisterous, beating against the boat relentlessly. We were a bit concerned when the gentle sea spray gave way to dark billows spilling over onto the deck.

(Check out the video links below:-)

Water water everywhere - vid.


Rough Seas to Havelock


We finally reached Havelock at 4:00 pm.





It began raining cats and dogs just as we alighted the vessel. 

Thankfully, Bro. Elisha had booked a government guest room for us just near the jetty, so we didn’t have to walk far. 

Soaked through, we downed Havelock’s dark Bengali chai and went straight to our rooms to change and get ready for the evening service.

We set off by 6:00 pm for the DFO Office area, the basthi or ‘dwelling’ where Bro. Elisha ministers.

There were only around 15 people in the gathering, including children, the District Forest Officer and his wife who had been invited to come, and a Karain community pastor laboring in the same area.



I was heartened to see the Hindu converts I had met on my previous visit, still strong in their convictions, singing the Hindi Christian song: ‘Jaisi Maa Sambhalthi Hain’ (“As a mother cares”)


My message for the service was a simple one, as it was mainly for the few converts who had just begun their spiritual journey into Christianity. I spoke on the Five wounds of Christ, and Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. I also shared the testimony of my conversion there.


Pastor David Paul interpreted the message in Hindi.


The service ended at 7:30 pm and Pastor David Paul, Bro. Elisha, Sis. Benita, and myself had a Seafood dinner before we went to bed.

It was a rainy, stormy night, and the next morning was gloomy as well.

29th May

Bro. Elisha told me that he would book our tickets on the Makkruzz Seacraft that usually left Havelock by 1:30 pm. He and Pastor David Paul took care of some Island house visits, and other work, while we spent some time in prayer in our room.

I had asked Pastor David Paul to come by that morning as I had wished to discuss some of the deeper points of Bible Study with him, and throw some light on the restoration truths of our time. He arrived by 11:00 am and we had a good few hours of fellowship before we set off for the mainland again.

We boarded the Makkruz by 1:30 pm. 

Queue for The Makkruz

Storm clouds overhead

We had to travel 4 hours to Port Blair with a brief stopover at Neil Island to pick up a few passengers there as well. 

Inside the Sea Craft
What we didn’t know when we set off was that the dreaded Mora sea cyclone had entered the Bay of Bengal and was making waves there.
Cyclone Mora


Our journey to Neil Island was rough. The sea was roiling and the waves swelling up under the sea craft. Past the comfort of the vessel's air conditioned interior, we could see the billowing sea through the tinted 6 feet windows, and they were not a pleasant sight.

Leaving Neil Island

By the time we set off from Neil Island, what had been a steady drizzle turned into a downpour. We had another two hours to go before we saw land, and with the sea looming before us and the waves appearing ominously unfriendly we did our best to sit still and calm.

It was around 3:30 pm that the sea craft began picking up speed so as to avoid the oncoming cyclonic storm. That was when the sea grew violent and began lifting the vessel almost 20 feet into the air. It was like riding on a roller coaster…only worse. Many of the elderly travelers were sea sick. With sickness bags being passed to and fro, and the frightened expressions on the crews faces which they masked by giving us faint hypocritical smiles and lying to our faces that everything was normal, we braced ourselves against the rough tide, and realized we had to ride out the storm.

Cyclone Mora was churning the seas, and the vessel seemed to be heading right in the direction of a huge dark storm cloud extending from the sky to the uncertain horizon in front of us. We actually understood the phrase, ‘rocking the boat’, and the three of us prayed for courage and help to face what lay ahead.

We remembered the Apostle Paul, and thought on his experience of being shipwrecked, the sacrifices that he had made, and the hardships he had endured for the sake of the gospel, so that we, the Gentile world could be profited and receive the Word of Salvation.

We remembered Jesus in the boat with the disciples crying out, “Lord, do you want us to perish?” And Jesus’s reply: “Oh, ye of little faith!”


 And we drew our calm on those churning seas from the Word of God which told us that the “The Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters”, and “Even the wind and the sea obey him.”

Well, we reached Port Blair in one piece, albeit a bit wobbly, where we were greeted with the unceasing rain once more. We hobbled across the pier and into a waiting auto rickshaw bound for our room in Haddo.

Pastor David Paul saw us off with a reminder to be ready by 7:00 pm for our evening meeting. He had arranged 3 cottage meetings over the next 3 days at believers’ homes, especially for those who wanted to know more about what had been preached in Andaman this time round.

I had a bad episode once I got off the vessel. I wasn’t sea sick on the sea craft, but on land. A bout of extreme dizziness and exhaustion set in, and I had to down some chilled lemon and salt, and a couple of pills before I could get ready for the service.

That evening’s meeting had been fixed at the home of Bro. David in Bathu Basthi. And the young brothers who came to pick us up by car told us that it was a miracle we had reached land that day, as he Makkruz Seacraft was a light vessel which couldn't withstand storms, and in the past had been known to be docked on some island rocks for a week due to a mechanical glitch.

 
Around 15 people gathered in the small living room, where I went over Mystery Babylon, and showed the folks there a few images, videos, and pieces of evidence I had gathered over the years from various literature, newspapers, and also proof that had come to light in our days supporting scripture that had been written so many scores of years ago.


At Bro. David's home

I was a bit doozy and was finding it hard to concentrate after the service, because of the drugs I had ingested to battle my travel fatigue. I foggily remember eating a sumptuous dinner which I couldn’t quite taste, and then falling into bed only to awake the next morning.

30th May

I felt better the next day, having slept off my sea head, and I and Sis. Benita made our way to Pastor Yesudas’ home where we had been invited for a late breakfast. Pastor Yesudas’ wife treated us to South Indian cuisine: steaming idlis and dosas. Pastor David Paul too accompanied us.

After breakfast we had a good time of fellowship with the family, with me explaining my ministry vision, my calling, the testimony of my early years in ministry, and how the present day churches had diverted so far away from the Apostolic Truth. Sis. Benita shared her experiences in living a life of faith, and how the Lord had given her a second chance to live for His service.

Pastor Yesudas too told us about his conversion, how he had been a hooligan, and how today he was serving God in the same area in which he had terrorized the neighbourhood. He testified to us of his healing from liver cirrhosis after being prayed for, and how the Lord had led him into independent ministry, the hardships he and his family had faced, how his church building had been recently demolished by the Port authorities, and how they had been allowed to worship in the little hall above the public bathrooms in Haddo.


With Bro. Yesudas' family at their home.

Pastor Yesudas lives in Haddo, Port Blair, with his wife Sheela, mother, sister, daughter Lavanya, and son Gideon Raj. Do lift him up in your prayers.

We skipped lunch and got back to our room for some rest before that evening’s meeting.

Bro. Amos came over to our room to pick us up for the meeting which had been arranged in a small 10X17 room right next to Pastor David Paul’s rental home.



Sis. Sugandhi led the worhip.

That evening I preached on Trying the Spirits: Exposing False Ministers, and examining true ministry in the light of God’s Word. I also spoke about the Ark of the Covenant and The Most Holy Place.



There were around 25 people gathered.

                 

Pastor David Paul treated us to a dinner at a hotel where we dug into Fish Koliwada and jumbo prawns. His wife, his son Levi, Bro. David, and Bro. Amos accompanied us.


With Bro. David, Pst, David Paul and his wife (left), and Bros. Amos and Levi (right)

1st June

We spent the next day packing for our return journey and praying for Andaman. A couple of brothers called me over the phone, exchanged contact details, and invited me for meetings in their areas the next time round. A couple of pastors provided me with contacts in different parts of India where I could take the Word in the future.

We had the evening meeting in the same place.

Pastor Yesudas led us in worship.




I spoke on ‘The Original Sin’, ‘The Mystery of Creation’, and ‘The Great Tribulation’.



I exhorted the little congregation to check their hearts, stand for the truth of the age, and stand against Ecumenism, no matter how hard it got.


Pastor David Paul concluded the service in prayer.

I bid goodbye to all the wonderful brethren who had attended the meetings and were serious about leaving denominational Christianity and standing alone. Many of them asked me to send across literature and Bible teaching CDs, since the internet facility in Andaman still needs a lot to be desired.



With Sis. Sugandhi
With Bro. Elisha and Pst. David Paul
Sis. Sugandhi, Bro. Elisha’s niece invited us to a warm homemade dinner at her place. We had a short time of fellowship there as well, before we took our leave and ascended the stone steps cut into the gorge to the road above, and our waiting drop to our hotel.

We slept well, and were up bright and early the next morning. 

2nd June

We had received word the night before that our flight was delayed by 2 hours due to bad weather. So we were due at the airport by 8:40am to catch the 9:40 to Chennai.

Pastor David Paul, Pastor Yesudas, and Bro. Amos saw us off at the airport.

We were airborne at 10:00 am, and reached Chennai a little after noon. We then had to wait for our connecting flight to Coimbatore which we boarded at 1:30 pm. We reached good old Coimbatore by  3:00 pm and were back home by 4:00 pm.

I thank Sis. Violet and her family for their hospitality in Chennai.

I am deeply grateful to all who helped to make the various arrangements required for these meetings: Pastor David Paul, Pastor Yesudas, Pastor Daniel, and Bro. Elisha for their support, encouragement, hospitality, and organizing skills; Pastor Francis of Mayabunder for receiving us, and all the associated pastors there for their co-operation during the Mayabunder meetings; Bros. David, Amos, and Stephen, and Sis. Sugandhi, for their respective roles in helping with the meetings, all the sisters who provided us with Christian care and good home-cooked meals to safeguard our health, all those who contributed for the expenses of this trip, and all you believers out there who prayed us along the way.

Do continue to share our prayer burden for Andaman. May the Lord work His will in the people’s hearts, bring them to a deeper understanding of His Word, restore them to the faith of the Fathers, and guard them against all the darts of Satan.

NOTE: It was only once we returned to Coimbatore that we received news that Cyclone Mora had made its way to Bangladesh and had wreacked havoc along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal,  
and that had it had been especially destructive from the 29th of May to the 2nd of June. We thank the Lord for His protective hand along our journey.

"   For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
    They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."
    "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."

(Psalms 91: 11,12,14)


21st to 29th November, 2016


I and my wife left for the Andaman Islands on the 21st of November, after months of prayer for the people there.

Aerial view of Andaman
We caught our flight to Chennai on the evening of the 21st and stayed over at an old friend’s place that night. This friend happened to be the daughter of a well-known Methodist Pastor who had been a good Christian influence on me back in the days when I was still in Hinduism. The Lord arranged it just so that I had a chance to testify of my conversion to the family that night. We stayed up late talking about the coming of the Lord, the ecumenical deception that was overcoming Christianity, and I also shared my ministry vision with them. After a short time of prayer, we retired, and were up the next morning for our flight to the islands. 

Veer Savarkar Airport
22nd November

Our flight was scheduled to depart at 11:40 am from Chennai. We arrived at the Veer Savarkar airport in Port Blair, Andaman at 1:30 pm. Due to some miscommunication regarding the pre-booking of our hotel room, we had to spend some time looking for good lodgings. We finally settled in, and that evening met Bro. Elisha, a member of the local Methodist Church who had helped organize my preaching tour there.

23rd November

Haddo Junction Sea View
We had a day to ourselves before the actual church meetings began, so the next morning, we both took a leisurely stroll along the beachfront and watched the sunlight glitter across the sea like a giant diamond.

Traffic in Port Blair is almost nonexistent, the people – peaceful and harmonious, but wary of strangers. There is no casteism or religious friction here, usually prevalent in the rest of India.


As in most island towns, market wares from clothing to vegetables are quite expensive. The only inexpensive commodity is the sea food.


After our walk, we wandered around the market place, exploring Port Blair. But everything that looked buyable was price - hiked and the sun was merciless, so we soon retired to the comfort of our air conditioned room.

Dry Fish market, Port Blair
We spent most of the afternoon in prayer and then set off to visit Port Blair’s historic site, The Cellular Jail. 

Cellular Jail miniature
This was where many of India’s freedom fighters had been imprisoned during the struggle for Independence.

Jail Cell
 There was a martyr memorial, a museum with old photos, and we had a tour of the jail – the cells, the execution block, the oil mills where prisoners had to fulfill their forced labour. 



The whole place had a gloomy look about it, so we left as soon as we could.

That evening Bro. Elisha had arranged for an hour’s preaching at the Jesus With Us Ministry Prayer Center, in Garacharma, Port Blair, at 7:00 pm. The center was managed and run by Pastor Emmanuel Kovilraj and his wife. 


There were only around 20 people gathered to pray for certain intentions, mostly women. People usually came there from all different denominations to join in prayer.




In the short span of time allotted to me, I preached on Hebrews 4:12, how the Word of God was like a double edged sword, the importance of living a sanctified life, how it was not just the outward appearance and rudimental rituals of church going that sanctified us, but the answer of a contrite and obedient heart to God’s will, and how necessary it was for us in the present day to seek out God’s will and do it whole heartedly no matter what the cost.

Bro. Anil Babu
It was a simple message, apt for the little gathering.

My interpreter, who translated the message in Hindi, was Bro. Anil Babu, a sharp young man sincerely seeking the will of God in his life with regard to his ministry call.

After the meeting we visited Pastor Daniel who lived nearby. Pastor Daniel was another brother co-ordinating the meeting arrangements with Bro. Elisha.

23rd November

The next day, we had another evening meeting at 6:30 pm, this time at the John Livingston Layman’s Prayer Cell and Outreach Center, at Megapod. The Layman’s fellowship was attended by around 25 brothers who were working within Andaman, and usually gathered together after the day’s toil to pray for Andaman and many other ministry intentions. They also set aside certain days to spread the gospel and preach Jesus to the people in the various scattered islands.

Evg. Dayalan (center)
I spoke on Matthew 25, explained the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, and the message was received joyously and with much fervor.


It was a contrast to the earlier day where the flock who had gathered to listen was all women. Here were around 25 men, all sincere prayer warriors with a burden for souls.


Evg. Dayalan who headed the Center treated us to dinner, and we left for the hotel at around 10 pm.

 24th November

Bro. Elisha had arranged for us to travel to Havelock Island, one of the renown tourist spots in Andaman, and the island in which he ministered among the Bengali inhabitants. We had a government shuttle that afternoon which would take us to the island across the sea way.


Before we set off however, we had a preaching date at Power Prayer Ministry Church, Pathrapur, pastored by Pastor Sam Carmegam. It was a fasting prayer service and once again the audience was mainly the women folk.


My message there was on signs of the times, with the text from Matthew 25, and II Peter 1:19.

We left at 12:00 noon sharp as soon as my preaching was done, as we had to be ahead of time at the port to get our luggage scanned before boarding the vessel.

There were four of us on this trip: Bro. Elisha, Bro. Anil Babu, Sis. Benita, and myself. 

It was a 3 hour journey and our first time aboard a sea vessel. The government yachts were cheaper fare-wise compared to private service providers but the comfort level was nothing to be desired. We weren’t able to abide below deck, so me and Sis. Benita decided to go up and get some sea spray in our faces.

The sea was glorious. It just magnified the majesty of the Lord.

We reached Havelock at 3:30 pm and made our way by auto rickshaw to our lodgings. As Bro. Elisha is also a government forest officer, he was able to arrange accommodation for us in a forest cabin. It was a rustic cottage with a picket fence and bamboo furniture. The ‘forest’ turned out to be just a few yards from the beach J


                 



Havelock Island is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in Andaman, one of the more popular islands. 

Apart from its historic importance, it offers a variety of tourist activities: sea plane riding, scuba diving, surfing, and something as novel as sea – walking, where they give you these underwater helmets and take you 12 feet undersea on a rope, where you can actually walk along the sea bed and watch the sea life around you firsthand.



Bro. Elisha asked us if we wanted to try any of it, but we were way too burdened in spirit to flit around that way, so we declined and settled rather for witnessing of the ‘One who walked On the water.’



Beside the tourist attractions, Havelock Island which was originally all agricultural land and vegetable farms, now caters to the growing international tourism industry. The population is mainly Bengali, with not much in the way of income except for fishing, agriculture, souvenir and clothing sales, and other tourist related services.






However, today’s Havelock is a den of vice, with mostly all families seeking a higher income bracket, extending their home to make up so-called Spa and massage parlors, in truth a guise for immoral activities, the worst of which is teen prostitution. 




Families suffering with the economic crunch of having not much in the way of government aid for farming activities, and very few basic facilities without greasing the palms of the local officials, turn to this way of earning to develop on the island.


Seeing these mini brothels and drug dens, every 5 kms, really broke our hearts and burdened us even more.

Bro. Elisha had begun a small ministry prayer home on the island, named ‘Deep Immanuel Prathnalaya’ (in translation : Island Emmanuel Prayer Center) The little congregation were mostly Bengali speaking people with two Tamil sisters.


I delivered a simple message there on the love of Christ and his suffering on the cross as most of the attendees were non-Christian, and some just new to the Christian faith. Bro. Anil Babu served as interpreter.

A Hindu sister who had just begun attending the service there came forward for prayer.


After the service we traveled to the Dolphin Resort for some good sea food dinner. Behind the resort was a boardwalk, a long stretch of concrete pavement beside the sea. We went for an after-dinner stroll there and watched the waves roll up and splash against the concrete walls at high tide. It was strangely unnerving and fearsome – the waves mounting up in darkness, the continuous roaring noise of the surf.

My wife was quiet for a long while after that and when I asked her why she said, “I was thinking about the Apostle Paul, and how he was ship wrecked. He would have been holding on to a wooden plank, maybe some driftwood…….. adrift on the sea….. maybe even at night…in the dark…as it is now….cold, and tired, hungry. The sea is so dark now, it almost looks as if….if we fall in, it’ll swallow us….It’s so scary, so overpowering……How much Saint Paul must have suffered, that the gentile world could know this Life….”

We were in a somber mood that night, and left our host early. We were asleep by 9:00 pm. But we woke up by 2:00 pm. I was very restless, and when I sat up to pray, I felt a leading in my spirit to pray for the salvation of Havelock. The burden was very heavy and consuming......so many people in sin, idol worship, witchcraft, some who knew Christ, some yet unaware of His love, but more so because, with such a short time before the coming of the Lord, there were still so many places yet unreached. My wife joined me in prayer, under the unexplainable burden we were both feeling, and we prayed that all this filth may leave Havelock.

25th November



When the sky lit up I glanced at the clock and to my surprise saw that it was only 3:30 am. It looked as bright as 7:00 am. The reason was because the island was very low lying and so faced an early sunrise and an early sunset as well, when the night darkness begins falling at 5 in the evening, itself.
At around 7:30 am after a cup of tea, we went for a morning walk on the beach. The sand looked like a powder of precious stones sprinkled on the shore, the water so clean it sparkled through and through, and we marveled at the splendor of it all, the splendor of our Father’s creation.





Bro. Elisha suggested that if we didn’t want to sightsee, we could spend the day in outreach. So we travelled to a couple of colonies where there were a few houses Bro. Elisha regularly visited for prayer.  The roads were kaccha, that is not cemented, and the paths to some homes were rocky and uphill. We prayed for the sick, and I shared the testimony of my conversion from Hinduism to many.




Sharing the gospel with the basthi locals

Prayer for a man suffering from paralysis





With Bro. Elisha

With Sis. Benita

One notable thing that had happened was that the sister, who had come forward the other day in prayer, said that she hadn’t slept in 5 years, but that night after prayer, slept so well that she didn’t know when it morning had come. This had affected her so much that she decided that day to turn away from idol worship. This sister had also asked for prayer for electricity and roadways in her area, and the Lord gave her a Word that she would receive her answer within a month.

The island outreach was fulfilling. There are many innocent souls who yet do not know the truth there, for which great prayer and labour is required. I had a long talk with Bro. Elisha and Bro. Anil regarding leading the flock in the way of the Lord.


We left that afternoon by a private sea craft to Port Blair. We were tired and queasy when we arrived on the mainland and went straight to bed.

On board Mak Cruise


26th November

The next day we had to ourselves again. And after a bit of shopping, we spent the day praying for the next few meetings, especially for the Pastor's Conference, and for the Lord to open the hearts of all who would attend.

With Bro. Stephen's family
That evening we were invited to the home of one of our friends, who had guided me during my last trip to Andaman, Bro. Stephen. The family gave us a warm welcome and a warm dinner. 

Bro. Stephen has recently opened up a recording studio, and we tried our bit at singing and voice recording.

We had a nice time of prayer, and I once again made use of the opportunity to share my testimony, and that of Sis. Benita’s narrow scrape with death, and how the Lord had once again restored her life.

Bro. Elisha resides in the house right next to Bro. Stephen, so we had a short time of prayer there as well.

With Bro. Elisha's family

27th November

It was Sunday, and I was scheduled to preach at Shiloh Church, in Jungli Ghat.

Tsunami affected area in front of Shiloh church
Pastor Dashrathan welcomed us,


And the message was interpreted into Hindi by Sis. Nayagam, an elderly sister in the church.

Sis. Nayagam interpreting

There were around 200 people in attendance.


The message was about sanctification and holiness, the mingling of the church and the world, how following the will of God was neglected, the gospel commercialized, and how ministers had become men pleasers. It was a message of rebuke and correction for the congregation.

I urged the church to grow in the awareness of the signs of the times, brought to their attention the fulfillment of certain important prophecies, and explained the significance of current events in God’s plan for the rapture of His Bride saints.

Pastor Dashrathan appreciated the message. 

His wife had prepared a nice lunch for us.

With Pastor Dasrathan and Bro. Elisha after service

After lunch, we retired to our room and got some rest before the evening service at ECI Church, Haddo Junction. We had been invited by Reverend Lawrence



 There were around 70 people in attendance, and all of them Tamil speakers, so I had no need of an interpreter there.



The message I delivered was about True Repentance: the sacrifice of Cain and Abel, and the difference between the denial of Peter and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot.


We left early to spend some time in prayer for the next day’s Pastor’s Conference, which was the base of our trip.

28th November

The venue for the Pastor’s Conference was the Holy Trinity Methodist Church, Haddo. The local Pastor, Reverend T. Selvaraj had already explained that he would not be able to attend.


Bro. David Paul interpreting
Pastor David Paul, who usually translated for the likes of Rev. Paul Dhinakaran, Sis. Padma Mudhaliyar, Pastor Sam Chelladurai, and many other prominent evangelists, was to be my interpreter for the day.

Around 50 pastors and missionaries from the various corners of Andaman had been expected, but only 35 ministers showed up with their spouses.

I had prayed hard that day for the Lord to pour out His anointing mightily to open the eyes and minds of the shepherds in Andaman to recognize the signs of the age we are living in, and the deception which has crept across the world through the Ecumenical movement.

It had been a controversial topic to start off with, and I took some time with my testimony gauging the attentiveness of the listeners. And then the Holy Spirit began His work. My message covered the Mystery of Iniquity, from the Fall of Lucifer, the origins of Babylon, Revelation 17 and 13, a study on the great image of Daniel 2 and 7, II Thessalonians 2:1 - 7, the office of the man of sin, the anti-Christ system, and the false doctrines introduced at the Nicean Council; to the current day falling away, an exposition of false ministries, the deception of the WCC, the dangers of ecumenism, and the world events to take place before the coming of the Lord.

The conference was supposed to have been scheduled for the beginning of the week, but due to a church inauguration at which all local pastors had required to be present, had been postponed until the end of our stay. But it had evidently been the Lord’s will.

At the end of the discourse, many pastors came forward to tell me that in the history of Andaman, no minister would stay for a conference for more than an hour without refreshments or at least a bit of distraction, maybe a ten minute break, but all those 35 ministers had been glued to their seats for 3.5 hours as the Holy Spirit slowly broke down the scriptures before them. I truly believe that this was the work of the Lord. Many young men who had given themselves to the ministry, came forward eager to know more.

With a few Conference attendees
With Bro. Anil Babu (left) and Bro. Daniel (right)
We had arranged a luncheon for the gathering, as all the ministers were from many different islands across Andaman. After lunch, a few pastors expressed their appreciation and extended their hands of co-operation for forthcoming meetings there.


In this day when ministers fight and devour one another, and such walls of mistrust are erected against fellow preachers and ministers in the Christian battlefield, it was and is my aim to deliver this warning, as commissioned by the Lord, to the shepherds, so that they may carry the message to their sheep. If any shepherd does not do so, then the future of his flock lies on his own head, and the Lord may provide some other way for them to receive this message and be delivered.

The end result of the week’s meetings and the Pastor’s Conference in Andaman: “.......Men and brethren, What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)

November 29th

Our flight to Chennai from Port Blair was to depart at 2:30 pm.

Before we left for the airport, a few pastors came to visit me at the hotel. 

From left: Bro. Elisha, Bro. David Paul, Sis. Benita, Pastor Shadrach, Bro. Anil Babu, Pastor Job
Extreme right: Bro. Paul

There we had a time of prayer. Pastor David Paul prayed for revival in the Andamans before the coming of the Lord.


 I am convinced that soon, the Lord shall grant them one. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11th to 20th May, 2013

I had been praying for Andaman for 18 years, before the Lord opened a door for me to minister here.

I came upon the idea through my sister Shiny’s office acquaintance, Bro. Vijaysagar, who lives and works in Andaman. I was warmly welcomed into the little community in Port Blair, where I had been invited to preach at various denominational churches.


With Bro. Vijaysagar
The weather had been sweltering before I landed. However, the day I reached Andaman, the shores were rain swept, and the people were rejoicing for the relief  the monsoon showers had brought to the heat racked land. Andaman in summer is unbelievably hot. It rained off and on during my 10 day stay there, so the climate was bearable.




The island resembles Ooty in Tamil Nadu, but with a shoreline. The views are scenic and enjoyable, and the calm of the sea waves crashing in the distance is soothing and almost hypnotic.


The population consists mostly of Tamil and Bengali people. Mostly everyone knows Hindi. Walk along the road and you can hear a whole gamut of languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telegu, and more! The staple food is of course seafood, with fresh fish being the main course.



I had a chance to visit the Cellular jail in Andaman which had been in use during the British Raj especially for Indian freedom fighters.


Andaman Cellular Jail - Indian National Memorial
Ironically, it drew a parallel to the lives of those in darkness trapped in by the sea of sin on all sides, forced into a life of bondage, and ultimately awaiting the blackness of death.

Travel in Andaman is mostly by sea, and people keep travelling to and from work on ferries along with their vehicles. This is because the Andaman is a scattering of islands separated across short distances by the sea. It was a novel experience for me cruising along the islands by ferry. Bro. Stephen from Andaman was especially helpful in lending me his car for my visits around the islands.

With Bro. Stephen

I preached at the ECI church to a gathering of about 400 people on Sunday, May 12th. My message covered the decay that has set into traditional Christianity. 



With Bro. Elisha
With the elders of the church

I then preached to a Methodist congregation of around 500 souls at the morning service on Sunday, May 19th, and the late morning service was rendered to the King Maranatha Church with around 200 members in attendance. The message at both services was about The Laodecian Age of Revelation 3, and the prophetic sight necessary for today’s Christian people. Many souls were touched and came forward to testify how the message had convicted them. They have all asked me to come back a second time.


In the days between I was invited to preach at a women’s meeting in the Methodist church, and at 3 cottage meetings, where I spoke on ‘Seeking God in Truth, The Touch of the Holy Spirit, and Divine Healing’.


The islanders are an innocent and God fearing people, not corrupted by the ills of mass Christianity or the prosperity gospel, and not deluded by the end time tugs of war. The people are hungry for the Word of God. 

This was an introductory trip. And I feel led to visit Andaman again. My aim is to present and minister the word to people in all the surrounding islands and somehow reach the area’s Bengali population which I have been told is hard to win over.

Do pray for my future endeavours in Andaman, for the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ to be established there, for the end time message to spread through the land, and for the island’s tribes. God willing, I may also be able to minister to them one day and tell them about the love of Jesus Christ and his return.

5 comments:

  1. I have enjoyed reading this very detailed and dedicated report! It is so nice to have a look into the ministry of those in other countries who are seeking The Truth for this day. Keep up the great work you are fulfilling as per The Voice of The Archangel to all parts of the world. God's blessings to you and your wife and family. Bro David Curtman USA.

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    1. Thank you for taking your time to read dear brother and also for your encouraging words. God bless you.

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    2. Thank you for taking your time to read dear brother and also for your encouraging words. God bless you.

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  2. The Lord bless you bro Shadrach in the mighty name of Jesus. Reading all your trip reports really touches the heart to see the Light moving in such a way. Praying for Andaman and all the people that are thirsty for the Word there.

    -Your brother in Christ - JP Rouhana (Lebanon)

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    1. Thank you brother Jp Rouhana. Nice to get a word of encouragement from Lebanon.

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