A Journey Together
"They lived a life full of adventure and fun,
Together Abraham and Mary worked until their time was done.
They traveled the world, saw places anew,
And witnessed others' success with hearts full of truth.
They worked side by side, hand in hand,
Their love is the foundation of all they planned.
Through thick and thin, they stuck together,
And in each other's company, they found solace forever.
Although they're gone, their legacy remains,
In the lives of those they loved, and the memories they've ingrained.
Their love was their bond, and their life's work,
And though they're not here, Abraham and Mary's spirit still lurks."
- Philipose Vaidyar
The Land of Ghee that Beckoned Abraham
God called Abraham to leave his household and loved ones in "God's own country" and embark on a journey through a land known for its abundance of ghee and jaggery. Although the area's climate was generally dry, there were wide stretches of farmland that produced paddy, sugar cane, and various vegetables. The local language of the area, Tamil, referred to Neikkarappatty as the "village of ghee." Most of the landowners in the region owned flocks of cattle, with farmers responsible for tending to the animals and selling the milk locally. The milk was processed at home and sold as curd and ghee, which was a common practice during Abraham's sojourn through the land.
At dawn and dusk, the dusty village roads would teem with buffaloes, cows, and occasionally herds of sheep and goats. The Naidus or Nayakars, who were primarily agricultural landowners, and the Kurumba Gownders, who tended to the sheep, were the main communities that called this land their home. The shepherd families would often travel long distances in search of grazing lands. They stayed there until their entire flock was ready for sale at the appropriate time, before returning to their native villages. Meanwhile, other caste groups in the region worked as daily laborers in the fields of the landlords contributing to the diverse tapestry of people that called this land their home.
It was to this very land that God led Abraham, who hailed from a village in Chengannur of Alappuzha District in Kerala. However, he wasn't called to buy land, settle down, and start a new phase of life. Instead, he was summoned to trek through the region, cycle along its muddy roads, and share the love of God with its inhabitants, inviting them to a new life. During that time, there was no known gospel witness in the area, and most of the villagers had never heard the Good News before. Nonetheless, the Spirit of God must have been preparing the land, opening the dry hearts of its people so that streams of living water could flow in. When Abraham first received the call, he had no idea that God was leading him to this particular place to witness the villages around him. Today, there is a congregation of believers, drawn from nearly 50 villages. There are more people than the building can contain. All of them heard the Gospel for the first time in their lives. The simple life and witness of a genuine man of faith with vision had appealed to the souls of even the illiterate villagers. They saw a loving and compassionate man who attended to their needs, as a true friend.
Rev. Abraham at Neikkarappatty
In 1962, Abraham and Mary got married and moved to Neikkarappatty village near Palani, a popular pilgrimage center with a temple on a rocky hill. The couple came to this place with a mission to spread the message of the Lord Jesus Christ where his name was not heard before. Abraham had completed his Medical Compounder training at Thiruppatthur Christukula Ashram and Hospital, which was then managed by Dr. Patton and Dr. Savarirayan Jesudasan. Mary, on the other hand, had grown up at the Prakashapuram Ashram near Udumalpet and completed a nursing course at Ramnad Mission Hospital.
Mary decided to leave her work at the hospital and join Abraham in serving the poor people in the villages of Neikkarappatty. Together, they would trek or cycle to different hamlets, visiting homes and talking to people. They would offer support, counsel, and encouragement, and carried a box of medicines to treat any sicknesses or wounds. Since there were no hospitals or medical clinics nearby, Abraham became popularly known as a "doctor".
Mary was in great demand for attending to women in labor as childbirths were happening at home during that time. She used to stay overnight with the family in need, while Abraham took care of their three children at home.
Through their selfless service and genuine care, Abraham and Mary gained the trust and respect of the villagers. Their love and compassion drew people to them. Their simple message of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ found its way to the hearts of many.
Rev. K. Abraham, also known as "Periya Ayya" to the people of Neikkarappatty and "Palani Achen" to others in Kerala, was constantly busy visiting villages to share the Good News and bring them into the Kingdom of God. He had no time to sit and relax, reflect, and write. However, towards the end of his life journey, he started writing his story in a small, new, student-sized notebook, possibly due to someone's urging. He only managed to scribble on the first four pages.
"I was born and brought up in a God-fearing Christian family in Venmony, Chengannur, in Kerala. My parents were very active in the Mar Thoma Church and held conservative values. They made it a priority to send me to Sunday School and Church worship, and I too was enthusiastic about participating in those programs. Most of my childhood was spent at my mother’s home, Malepeedikayil, in Venmony. My maternal uncle, M.O. Abraham, was a voluntary evangelist during the times of Bishop Abraham Mar Thoma and the veteran evangelist Sadhu Kochukunju, fondly known as Moothampakkal Sadhu Kochukunju Upadeshi."
"Since my childhood, I was inspired by my uncle M.O. Abraham, who was deeply committed to proclaiming the Gospel in its purest form. He was not only financially well-off but also rich in his spiritual life. Despite being very young at the time, I closely observed his work.
"I was born and brought up in a God-fearing Christian family in Venmony, Chengannur, in Kerala. My parents were very active in the Mar Thoma Church and held conservative values. They made it a priority to send me to Sunday School and Church worship, and I too was enthusiastic about participating in those programs. Most of my childhood was spent at my mother’s home, Malepeedikayil, in Venmony. My maternal uncle, M.O. Abraham, was a voluntary evangelist during the times of Bishop Abraham Mar Thoma and the veteran evangelist Sadhu Kochukunju, fondly known as Moothampakkal Sadhu Kochukunju Upadeshi."
"Since my childhood, I was inspired by my uncle M.O. Abraham, who was deeply committed to proclaiming the Gospel in its purest form. He was not only financially well-off but also rich in his spiritual life. Despite being very young at the time, I closely observed his work.
My parents also had a strong spiritual inclination and led a prayerful life. They had two daughters before me, and when I was born, they dedicated me to God for gospel work. Growing up, I was a God-fearing child who never had any bad habits or kept wrong company during my school days. As a family, we had an abundant living until my school final, after which we faced severe economic problems.
After completing high school, I tried hard to find a job, but every door that I knocked on only put me down instead of offering encouragement. Although my qualifications were not insignificant at the time, it seemed that God had not yet opened a door for me."
“During this time, I was an active participant in prayer and fellowship meetings conducted by lay leaders and preachers. I had an inner feeling to get involved in gospel ministries, but as a jobless person with no money in hand, I did not know which way to move. With no income of my own, I felt everyone only mocked me. Even at home, I felt like an object of scorn.
“I used to call on God during those miserable times and depressing moments of life. I experienced God’s presence and divine peace that helped me to stay in faith. As the family went through more financial strain, my father also was compelled to sell portions of the land bit by bit to meet the challenges.
“By this time, I had joined the AMM Bible Institute in Kompady, Tiruvalla, where Rev. T.C. George was the principal. Within a year, I completed two short-term courses here and was selected to join the new training institute starting with a two-year program with eight trainees. My first year was nearing completion and at this time, the study of doctrines gripped my thoughts, and I was very attracted to get trained in sound Christian doctrine. I heard about Rev. John Varghese, fondly known as Palakkad Achen, who was going to start a study class for those who were interested in Biblical doctrines.
“I did not have to think much or reason about it. I decided to leave the Bible Institute and join the class at Prakashapuram. For me, learning the sound doctrine of the Bible was more important than completing a two-year formal Bible course at an established Church. I quit the course and came home to tell my parents about my plan. My desire to study sound doctrine was not well accepted at home; they reasoned with me, scolded, and even cursed me. The next day, I had to travel to Prakashapuram. I had nothing more than my dress and bedding. I did not have a single paise to buy a ticket for my travel. I was on my knees, bravely believing that it was God’s will for me.
“At 12:00 noon, there was a bus from my town to Kottarakkara. Prakashapuram is about 360 km away and would take a whole day to reach Madathukkulam, the nearest railway station. My father had gone somewhere early in the morning. It was 10:00 AM, and I was still in prayer, not knowing what I should do. At 10:30 AM, one of my friends who was also a prayer fellowship member came home after hearing about my plan. He prayed with me and handed me 10 Rupees. Rupees 8 was enough to reach Madathukkulam.
“It was in June 1958, and with a lot of emotions, I stepped out in faith and reached Madathukkulam. Prakashapuram ashram was 3 km away from the Railway Station, and I joined the study class that began on 12 June. At the end of two months, on the day of the study class, Palakkad Achen (Rev. John Varghese), …………….….”
The page that he scribbled stops abruptly.
Rev. Abraham was unable to continue the story he had begun writing in 2016 due to his confinement at home for almost two years. Sadly, on December 3rd, 2018, at the age of 84, he passed away before he could complete it. Abraham left behind his two sons and a daughter: Koshy, Santhi, and Prakash. Despite his passing, his son Koshy still remembers the story his father shared about his early years in Prakashapuram.
III
Koshy the eldest son of Rev. Abraham could recollect only what his father had shared at times towards the dusk of his life. The father obviously did not share every experience and struggle he had faced in life and in ministry.
1958. After two months of doctrinal classes, Rev. John Varghese invited Abraham to stay at the center in Prakashapuram and get involved in witnessing and serving the surrounding villages. Rev.Varghese had already set up an ashram in this remote village of Tamil Nadu, 90 kilometers away from Palakkad (Palghat) on the Palani road and on the bank of the Amravati River. He had bought a wide stretch of land and called it 'Prakashapuram' (city of light) to live apart from the busy towns and care for the poor, orphaned, and neediest villagers who had not yet heard the Gospel.
Abraham felt led by God to stay and reach out to the neediest people. For the next four years, he traveled far and wide beyond Madathukulam to visit villages. Rev. John Varghese was also involved in yet another Ashram at Palakkad, so Abraham had many opportunities to travel between the two locations.
In 1962, Abraham married Mary, who was then working at the Christian Fellowship Hospital at Oddanchatram (CF). He encouraged her to resign from CF so that they could serve the people in Neikkarappatty together.
Abraham had a bicycle and would travel as far as 20 kilometers, starting as early as 7:00 AM to visit people and return home for breakfast by 11:00 AM. As he traveled to villages with medicine boxes and the Word of God, he was known and respected by every villager. People would invite Mary to attend to deliveries, and if she was delayed at night, she would stay in the village and return in the morning. These opportunities allowed the couple to pray for every sick person they encountered and every new child born in and around Neikkarappatty.
Abraham and Mary had three children: two sons and a daughter - Koshy (Prasad), Susan (Santhi), and John (Prakash). In Palani, Abraham always looked for people to make friends with, and he attended the CSI church with his family."
A Wave of Revival
Paul Francis was an active member of the Palani CSI Church. Along with him, Abraham and others used to visit Neikkarappatty during the week for ministry along. An old small CSI Church was built near Neikkarappatty that was established by missionaries, but it was not active with any gatherings. Despite there being a few Christians around, there were no services at the church.
Paul Francis and his team worked together to visit the locals, revive them, and gather them during the weekends for prayer, Bible study, and youth meetings. Most of those who attended these gatherings were school graduates, college students, or unemployed youth.
Immanuel was a schoolteacher in Palani, and he used to meet up often with Abraham and Paul Francis, who shared his evangelistic fervor. In 1977, the three of them, along with their children and a group of youngsters from Palani, attended the ‘Blesso’ youth revival camp at Tanjavur. The camp was organized by the Full Gospel Young Men Association (FGYMA), which later became known as Blessing Youth Mission (BYM).
The sessions at the camp had a profound impact on Abraham, leading him to rededicate his life more fully to evangelistic work. He experienced a special anointing of the Spirit of God, inspiring him to preach the gospel more earnestly, in addition to his medical work. Despite there being no specific church name or denominational affiliation, the work continued to thrive among the villages.
Upon returning from the camp, the group formed a Saturday prayer fellowship at the Palani CSI Church. Many church members who were passionate about Christian witness participated in the fellowship. Gunasekharan, an advocate, and several of his family members were also part of the ministry team. Week after week, they traveled from village to village, revisiting the earlier ones and spreading the word of God.
God can open and close doors for people, and use individuals and situations to guide them on the right path. Sometimes disappointments can even be appointments from God, redirecting them towards a better outcome.
The presbyter at the Palani CSI church had been transferred, and a new pastor had taken his place. The new pastor advised Abraham not to participate in the Church at Palani but attend any Church at Neikkarappatti.
As the revival movement in Kerala during the formative years of the Evangelical Church began to catch the flame, many members of fellowship groups set out from Kerala to preach the gospel in neighboring areas. Evangelists like Oommen, Yohannan, and George were among those who came to the Palani region and joined hands with Abraham.
The group was dedicated to spreading the message of God, traveling on bicycles through muddy roads with printed materials to share. They carried a kerosene lantern, also known as a petrol-max, and a hand-mic to conduct open-air preaching during the day and prayer and Bible study meetings in the evenings.
Immanuel was so moved by the experience that he later resigned from his teaching job and, along with his wife Jebakani, joined BYM as missionaries. They continued to work until their retirement, spreading the Gospel and serving communities.
During this time, there was a revival in Oddanchatram as well. Doctors from CFH, including Dr. Selwyn D. Ebenzer, Dr. K.O. John, Mr. Chandran, Dr. Alex Abraham, and Dr. P.K. David, were involved in prayer fellowships. Each of them later developed their own ministries and services.
Dr. Selwyn used to provide spiritual guidance to Abraham and also participated in the initiatives in Neikarappatti. Eventually, Dr. Selwyn left his medical profession to cater to the spiritual needs of people and became a full-time Christian worker and pastor.
The Beginning of a Church
Most of the landowners were Naikkars, including Periyasami Naidu. Abraham had a good rapport with him, and he used to treat his diabetic son Chinna Durai by administering insulin injections at their home. Guruswami Naidu and several other elders used to visit Abraham's home to listen to him and read the Tamil Bible he had. They had heard the Gospel multiple times and understood the salvation story. Although they didn't publicly confess their faith in Christ, they were friendly with him and sometimes even asked for prayer. Periyasamy Naidu was willing to sell a piece of his land to build a church beside the road at Neikkarappatty. The Church ministry started in a small hall in 1983 with one family and a small congregation of 15 people. New evangelists from the Tiruvalla center came to assist Abraham in the ministry in the field. In 1980, Abraham was ordained as a minister of the Church and continued to provide leadership to the ministry.
Sunday schools and neighborhood worship groups were started in different places. On Sundays, people from the villages participate in the Church located in the town. As years went by and the ministry grew, the Evangelistic Board of the Church appointed 10 evangelists for the local ministry at Neikkarappatty. Most of them were the new generation of adherents from the area. There are 7 mission stations where these evangelist families live and witness. Every week on Wednesdays, the workers meet to share, interact, and pray together for the ministry. Most of the people who worship prefer to come to Neikkarappatty every Sunday. There is one more Sunday service in a village called Iyershed, where STECI has built a worship hall cum retreat center on land freely given by a local believer named Samuel (Kaliyappan).
In the 1970s, the gospel message spread to scores of villages, and the local people were enlightened with the gospel and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. However, the medical health needs of the people kept Abraham and Mary busy with caring for their physical health. The cases they couldn't handle were sent to the CF Hospital at Oddanchatram.
In 1979, the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India in Tiruvalla learned more about the Neikkarappatty village ministry through two of the seven (women workers) who were working in the Palani area. Rev. M. I. Thomas and Rev. T.C. George from the Church visited Neikkarappatty several times and encouraged Abraham to build a church hall in the area.
The Breaking of the Land
The land of jaggery and ghee was in transition. The Land Ceiling Act of the government in the 1970s allowed for provisions and distribution of land to many landless and poor laborers who worked in the fields of the zamindaris (land owners). Some of the unfertile lands sold by the landowners were used to establish brick kilns in the area. Many of the poor laborers who received new fertile lands eventually fell prey to the brick merchants. Poor landowning farmers who lived in debt leased out or sold their fertile land to brickmaking companies. Many such poor laborers worked in such large-scale kilns almost in slavery.
Milk continued to flow in the land; it was the livelihood for many. Milk service societies had emerged, collecting milk and processing it in chilling plants. However, the vicious cycle of poverty persisted for several people. Nevertheless, Abraham continued to pedal his bicycle through the muddy roads to reach the remote corners of the land. He continued to be a friend to the laborers and landowners.
Rev. Abraham and
friends in one of their regular trekking through villages
Visiting every village and hamlet, stopping at every home, and praying for their needs were part of Rev. Abraham's everyday life and ministry. He tended medicines to the sick, bandaged the wounds in their body and hearts, sat with them and ate with them, and served them.
Sickness and Home call
In 2012, Rev. Abraham's wife, Mary, passed away, but he continued to stay at the base and serve. During the five years of being widowed, he developed some illnesses, and the treatment was rigorous, leaving his body weak. The doctors diagnosed him with Addison's disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, which is an uncommon disorder that occurs when the body does not produce enough of certain hormones. In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys, produce too little cortisol and, often, too little aldosterone. The treatment at Oddanchatram included steroids. He was once affected by an acute kidney condition, which improved in 15 days.
In 2015, he suffered a fracture due to osteoporosis and was admitted to Christian Fellowship Hospital. He often experienced fatigue and developed a bubbly boil on his ankle, which turned into a chronic and non-healing wound on the right leg. As a result, his affected leg had to be amputated, and he was confined to his home.
During this time, he started reflecting on and writing about his experiences of answering the Lord's call and pursuing it through all those years in the nooks and corners of interior Palani. However, on December 3, 2018, at the age of 84, Rev. Abraham completed the mission that the Lord God had laid out for him.
The words that he spread fell on several kinds of soil and they sprouted, grew, and began to bear fruit in many folds. While sitting at home and seeing the results of souls joining the Kingdom of God and crowding the small hall, he used to quote the verse, "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days." (Ecclesiastes 11:1 ESV).
Solomon emphasizes that we should sow goodness to reap a future harvest. The idea is for us to become people who do good for goodness' sake, regardless of the harvest. Casting bread upon the waters is a metaphor for the law of sowing and reaping. In this case, the seed is witnessing and sharing the gospel of the Kingdom. There will be a harvest in heaven as well as in this world.
Dr. Kuruvilla Varkey of Christian Fellowship Hospital at Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu ponders on the days of Rev. Abrahamand his ministries. He writes:
“I searched for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land .....” Ezekiel 22:30
And in Abraham Achen God indeed found one!
“My earliest memory is how Achen was caring for patients in the ward in the beginning times of Christian Fellowship Hospital. What is still fresh in my mind is his innate gentleness and compassion. “Blessed are the meek”, said the Lord. How true, “ they inherit the earth- God’s Kingdom”.And they usher in many others into it, as Achen did, in his precious life.
A quintessential pioneering spirit
He stepped out in faith “seeing the invisible “to Neikarapatty to pioneer in church planting in that small, quiet, interior village in Tamil Nadu. For years he was constantly enabled by our Lord Jesus, to persevere in obedience to the call. His obedience was not a mere external performance but an enduring inner agreement of the heart out of love for the one who gave His all to us!
Tireless labor of love
He was a Co- laborer with God, in His vineyard.
Day and night, he worked unwaveringly amid much discouragement, opposition, troubles, and trials, especially in the earlier years. Slowly, yet steadily, he and the family built up, brick by brick, genuine, believing congregations that humbly and boldly embraced the Light of the Gospel of Christ.
Simplicity of life
That was the hallmark of his life.
“Purity and Simplicity of devotion “to Christ was the real secret of his life.
He was simple in life, in the message, and in ministry.
Faithfulness, Fruitfulness
“Good and faithful servant” who entered the Master’s joy is the most fitting epitaph for such a life as his. A life, so well lived in Love: to the full, to the last.
It was only the gift, a reward from the Master. For a life of total obedience!
“Pastor par excellent, with a heart melted by the Gospel.
He ventured into the world in the name of Christ, “setting his face like a flint”.
He was a true shepherd
of the flock.
That was his occupation and preoccupation!
His life is and will always remain an inspiration for generations to come!
“Those who sow in tears shall harvest with joyful shouting.
One who goes on weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Psalms 126:5-6
- Dr. Kuruvilla Varkey
Christian Fellowship Hospital, Oddanchatram
It was true in my dad’s life
We were raised in a very
beautiful village called Neikkarapatty. For me, this is the most beautiful
place on the planet. This village was our world and the people of this village
were more than relatives and friends. I had a very good happy childhood in this
village. There was no church in the village and ours was the only Christian
family in the entire village.
We used to attend the
CSI church in the nearby town, PALANI, and my two brothers and I never missed
attending the church services. Sometimes Appa took us to the Marthoma church
located a couple of hours away from our place. I think Appa wanted to introduce
us to different congregations in Tamil as well as in Malayalam.
As small children,
we enjoyed the bus trips on Sundays. When we became teenagers, he encouraged us
to attend the youth meetings in the CSI church and allowed us to go to large
youth Christion conferences. One such meeting was 'REVIVO’ for the girls and
‘BLESSO’for the boys organized by Brother Stanley and his wife Dr.Lillian
Stanley. My dad tried everything possible to introduce us children to various
Christian groups where we could have friends/fellowships apart from our school
friends who were mainly from non-Christian backgrounds. We used to have youth
meetings in different houses of our Christian friends. Appa always reminded us
of the promises given by GOD to Abraham. ‘Genesis 12: 2. "I will bless you
and will make your name great and you shall be a great blessing". He
arranged a Sunday school teacher for us who would come on Sunday evenings to
teach us English choruses and Bible stories. I always wondered how he was able
to find the Sunday school teachers in that part of the town. He was
meticulously planning that our childhood should be molded carefully as there
were no Christian resources or fellowships in our village.
When we were growing up
all our friends were from other faith backgrounds. Appa respected all our
friends. Our house was often filled with friends who visited us. They used to
love to come to our home as our parents always fed them and they enjoyed their
company.
I learned the importance
of reading from my dad. Appa used to subscribe to children's magazines such as
Chanda Mama. When we grew up to read more, he used to subscribe to India Today,
Women’s Era, National Geography, Reader’s Digest, and Indian Express newspaper
along with Christian magazines like Blessings, Arraikooval, and FMPB (Friends
missionary prayer band) magazines. Thus, encouraging us to read even when we
were very young.
Appa used to tell us
that he was a humble vessel used by GOD for His glory. God used him and he
humbled himself for His calling. My mom was his great support in all aspects of
his life. "God chose things despised by the world, things counted as
nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing that the world considers
important". (I Corinthians 1:28).
I remember my dad
sitting in a corner in the dark upstairs praying before the family prayer. He
taught us to be advocates for the poor and the voiceless. His life was a role
model in this regard.
Appa secured a small
piece of land for the church on the outskirts of the village where we lived. I
remember that the initial meetings were only prayers with his friends. At night,
the small hut was lit by a petromax light. We used to help our dad with the
cleaning of this area before each meeting. My dad and a few of his prayer
partners started all-night prayer meetings in different villages in the year of
1973. They prayed for the souls in the surrounding villages. We (my brothers
and my mom) went with my father to all the villages for the all-night prayer
meetings. Little do we understand those days, but now everything makes sense. I
see the main church and the house churches in a few villages declare the glory
of the living God. I understood the Gospel is the power of God to transform lives. The gospel saves a sinner from his sins into
righteousness and holy living. Whenever we preach the gospel, it is the power
of God is announced. We are declaring the power of God to save sinners unto
salvation.
"The love of God is
greater far
Than tongue or pen
can ever tell
It goes beyond the
highest star
And reaches the
lowest hell"
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart from it". (Proverbs 22:6).
Appa was a disciplinarian.
He wanted everything clean and in order always. Our reading areas, beds, books
and the school bags, the way we wear our clothes everything should be clean and
tidy and proper. My dad did not have many shirts or dresses. But whatever he
wore was always neat, washed, pressed, and well-kept.
I have seen my dad
always address the young and old with respect. Appa was a mentor for many
young people in the village where we lived. He encouraged them to go to school. He
kept them away from indigenous drugs; prayed with them, and prayed for them.
Yes, many young people reading this article will remember him for the same and
will agree with my statements. He was a humble channel of God for many to come
to the Lord.
He uttered this word
always, "He is our Ebenezer" (I Samuel 7:12), and told us stories of
how GOD had been his help since his youth days. He was content with simple
things. My dad’s favorite hymn was, Great is thy faithfulness!
“Great
is thy faithfulness!
Morning
by morning new mercies I see.
All
I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great
is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me,
Pardon
for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine
own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength
for today and bright hope for tomorrow;
Blessings
all mine, with ten thousand beside"
I will see him one day
with my Savior and with my Amma.
Yes, I miss them here every day.
________
Susan Santhi Thomas is Rev. Abraham's daughter. She is a professor of Nursing studies at Houston Community College. She is married to Abraham Thomas, a businessman. The couple has three daughters- Dhanya (married), Sharon, and Sowmya. They live in Houston
VII
The Way Forward
The task of spreading the Gospel to the villages of Palani and beyond remains unfinished. While we have made progress in reaching many villages, countless more await the love of God. To achieve this goal, we must deepen our ministries and reach new heights. We need to multiply our congregations and mentor our youth to reach new generations in a more relevant way. Additionally, we must train more people to bear fruit that will last for the Kingdom.
Rev. Abraham answered the call that came to him and obeyed the Master's voice in hills and valleys. He started in faith and finished his race well. His stories of leading people to the saving knowledge of God are etched in the hearts of those whose names are written in the Book of Life. Though he left his written story incomplete, his legacy of faith lives on. Let us be inspired by Rev. Abraham's example and answer the call of God with faith, courage, and determination. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the world by spreading the love of God to those who have not heard it yet.
So, what is your calling?
Are you willing to answer the Lord's call and leave a lasting impact on this world? The challenge is set before you. Will you rise to it and continue the unfinished work of proclaiming the Gospel to those who need it most?
Abraham heard the call from above,
To leave his home and the dear ones he loved.
To sojourn through a land of ghee,
And trust in God's plan, wherever it may be.
Through a land of dry and dusty plains,
With stretches of farmland that remain.
Paddy, sugar cane, and veggies grew,
A bounty of nature, ever so true.
Neikkarappatty, the village of ghee,
Where farmers tended cattle with glee.
Milk sold locally, curd and ghee made,
A livelihood, in this land of trade.
Dusty roads at dawn and dusk,
Crowded with buffaloes, cows, and musk.
Herds of sheep and goats, they spare,
The shepherds have a nomadic life they bear.
Naidus and Kurumba Gownders,
The landowners and herdsmen, they're founders.
Of this land, they call their home,
A place of peace, where they can roam.
Daily laborers in the fields of others,
Several caste groups, they work like brothers.
Together, they build this land with care,
A testament to their resilience, everywhere.
Abraham listened to God's command,
To journey through this bountiful land.
He left his home, and his loved ones too,
To fulfill God's plan, and stay true.
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