Manali: A Revisit

Manali, a famous tourist destination, has welcomed us again this time. We already came to this city and had a wonderful time of fellowship with two brothers. The same two brothers took care of us and made arrangement for various meetings this time too.

Meetings with Students 

One thing that impressed me most was the freedom of the gospel within the school premises. Students were educated with spiritual songs and Bible knowledge. Though I have witnessed prayer and singing of spiritual songs in many schools in different parts of India, this school has done a very good work in sowing the seed of the kingdom of God. I was told that the students here have memorised over fifty spiritual songs and a good number of Bible verses. On top of that, daily school devotion added to the further sowing of the divine seed.

This time we were invited to take devotion of two batches of students during our two days stay here. To a group of Class VIII to X students, I spoke on trusting God and working hard as students, and then prayed for them. And to a group of Class XI-XII students, I gave my testimony of tasting and experiencing God by believing into Jesus Christ and led them to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and God. Then, I also encouraged them to work hard as there is no substitute for hardwork with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meeting with Hospital Staffs

A morning devotion time was also given to us to share the word and introduce the ministry books to the staffs, nurses, and doctors of a Christian run hospital. The person in authority invited us for sharing the word and opened the door for all staffs to received the ministry books. 

Meeting with a Local Church 

There is a group of believers who meets as a local church here in this city. We were invited to share the word in their Wednesday night Bible study. A brother and I fellowshipped and shared on Christ and the Church, the Christian life and the Church life. Our burden was to help the believers with the meaning of a Christian life which is enjoying and living Christ, and the issue of the enjoyment of Christ is the church life. 

Fellowshipping with Brothers 

We also enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship with few brothers. It was a joy to hear the testimony of a brother who enjoyed the ministry so much. Listening to such a brother justified the time, money, and energy spent to come all the way to this hill station for the distribution.

A night of dinner fellowship with another brother on the truth concerning the oneness of the Body of Christ was so precious. We fellowshipped at length and in depth till late night releasing our burden, presenting from the types and prophesies in the Old Testament with the reality and fulfillment in the New Testament, concerning the oneness prayed for by the Lord in John 17 and the need to recover such oneness today. I also gifted to this brother two books on the church, The Assembly Life and The Orthodoxy of the Church, with a New Testament Recovery Version Bible.

Two brothers also invited us to their homes for fellowship. These two brothers married local sisters who are  also saved from gentile background. We got the taste and feel of the local Kulluvi life. Though many of the local people were not yet saved, the few who got saved are faithful to the Lord and are burdened for the salvation of the entire community. 

Praise the Lord for the believers in Manali! May the Lord recover His testimony in this city and save many local people.