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Another assignment

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This evening I checked in at Terminal 2, Changi Airport. As I enjoy an Old Chang Kee curry puff and a cup of black coffee, I wait for my flight to Kansas City, USA. It will be a long journey, three flights and more than 28 hours of travel/transit. Yet I am reminded that when the Lord calls us, no distance is too great and no sacrifice too costly. It is a privilege to serve His Kingdom. The purpose of this trip is especially close to my heart. I have the opportunity to encourage missionaries and pastors who have faithfully laboured in the field for many years. They have poured out their lives for the Gospel, often serving quietly and sacrificially. It will be an honour to minister to these faithful servants of God. I am also thankful to be working with my tag-team partner, Dr. Joey. His journey to the conference centre is much shorter than mine.   Over the years we have ministered together on many occasions. He is a wonderful gentleman, a faithful servant of Christ, and a treasured ...

Lest we forget - American missionary surgeon Kenneth V Dodgson, who healed thousands in Assam, dies at 100

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Kenneth V. Dodgson spent nearly 25 years at Jorhat Christian Medical Centre, performing over 11,000 surgeries, mentoring Indian doctors and helping build one of Northeast India’s most respected mission hospitals Guwahati:  Kenneth V. Dodgson, the American medical missionary who spent nearly a quarter of a century transforming healthcare in Assam’s Jorhat and performed more than 11,000 surgeries and deliveries, has died at the age of 100. Dodgson passed away on July 12, four months after celebrating his centenary. His death was announced by the  Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School  in New York, where he studied theology before choosing a life of medical service that would leave an enduring legacy in Northeast India. Commissioned by the  American Baptist Foreign Mission Society  along with his wife, Sally, in 1955, Dodgson arrived in Jorhat in 1957. Over the next 24 years, he helped transform the  Jorhat Christian Medical Centre  (JCMC) into one of ...

The Church does not need more noise; it needs more Holiness

There is nothing wrong with loud worship. In fact, the Bible encourages it.  "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy"  ( Psalm 47:1 ). The psalmist repeatedly calls God's people to sing, rejoice, and lift their voices in praise. Heaven itself resounds with the worship of God's people. I've been in some churches where the sound system was so loud that after the service I wasn't sure if I had heard God's voice, but I definitely couldn't hear my own! The problem, therefore, is not noise. The problem is when we mistake noise for the presence of God. Over the years I have observed a subtle shift in some churches. There seems to be an unspoken belief that the louder we sing, the more we shout, or the more emotional the atmosphere becomes, the greater the anointing must be. We can unintentionally measure God's presence by the volume of our worship rather than by the transformation of our lives. The Scriptures never teach this. Th...

A drop of water...

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"Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire."  — Luke 16:24 On Monday, I had a conversation with a pastor friend who told me he had preached on the phrase, "A drop of water," in his church the previous Sunday. Since then, those simple words have stayed with me, prompting me to reflect more deeply on their significance. It comes from Jesus' account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Interestingly, this is the only parable, or account, as some believe, in which a person is given a name: Lazarus. Whether Jesus intended it as a parable or as a description of a real event, the message is unmistakable. The rich man had everything in life but ignored God. After death, he found himself in Hades, in torment, while Lazarus was comforted in Abraham's presence. In his agony, the rich man did not ask for a river or a cup of water. He pleaded for a single drop. A drop...

Another new beginning - Cafe opening

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  Dear Rev P Ramachandran, With grateful hearts, we thank God for the successful inauguration of Living Water Restaurant. All glory belongs to God! We were honored to have Rev. Victor Goh inaugurate the restaurant. More than 500 people attended the event, including our movement coordinators, pastors, ministry leaders, friends, and well-wishers. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Rev. Dr. Ramachandran Periasamy for his valuable guidance, wise counsel, constant encouragement, and faithful prayers throughout this journey. We also sincerely thank Brother Vignesh and Sister Angel, who serve as the TN Coordinators of PEM International, for their dedicated support, encouragement, and faithful prayers. Our heartfelt thanks also go to all the spiritual leaders, movement leaders, coordinators, pastors, and friends who have continually prayed for and supported this vision. We are encouraged by the warm welcome and positive response from the local community. We humbly request your continued...

Hungry for the Word of God

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Scripture:   "One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God."  —  Luke 5:1 Jesus had only recently begun His public ministry, yet wherever He went, crowds gathered around Him. They were not merely curious about the miracles He performed. Luke tells us that they were crowding around Him to listen to the Word of God. The scene is striking. It was probably very early in the morning. The fishermen, including Peter, James, and John, had just returned from a long night's work and were washing their nets, a task usually done at daybreak after fishing through the night. This suggests it may have been around sunrise, perhaps between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m. Before most people would have begun their daily routines, many had already gathered by the lakeshore because they did not want to miss hearing Jesus speak. His Presence The people   crowded around Him . They simply wanted to be near Je...

First trip to Sri Lanka

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Jeya and I had the privilege of spending the last six days in Sri Lanka, and I can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable and memorable trips I have ever made. Before arriving, I had formed a very different picture of the country. I had been given the impression that Sri Lanka was relatively underdeveloped, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I experienced. The roads were clean and well maintained, the traffic was remarkably orderly, and there was a sense of calm and organization that stood out immediately. Having travelled extensively in India, the contrast was quite noticeable. Although the city we visited was not very large, it was modern, well planned, and had all the infrastructure needed for comfortable living. Many people told us that Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful countries in the region, blessed with breathtaking scenery, mountains, beaches, and lush greenery. Unfortunately, our schedule was full, so we were unable to explore much beyond our ministry commitme...