Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh has been in our hearts for a decade now. We had visited this city a couple of times fourteen years ago. But so far, nothing solid as far as the Lord's testimony is concerned has been established yet. The ones we used to contact were too much into today's trend of Christianity. Therefore, I did not even have the heart to visit the same group.
The Lord wanted to have a new beginning. Therefore, He gave us a contact from this year's Christian books exhibition in Chattisgarh. A brother who visited our store and purchased the ministry books was in contact with me. While planning for this city, I messaged and called him about our plan. He responded in a very positive way saying he would make an arrangement. Yet I did not contact him until we actually were to visit the city. The reason was, our contact in Ratlam had promised to make arrangements for our hospitality yet that did not work out. but a Christian leader was introduced instead who made all the practical arrangements for a one-day seminar with the Christian leaders in Bhopal, and not for the hospitality. I simply trusted the Lord that He would make the necessary arrangement in time.
Two days before we visited the city I called up the brother whom I met in Chattisgarh. He promised that he would give us hospitality. Meanwhile, I literally could not recognize him except that I had his number on my phone. While on the train from Ujjain to Bhopal, he called me and confirmed that a hotel was booked and also sent a car to pick us up from the station. I was in awe as I could not recollect who this brother was. Initially, I thought he must be a Christian leader, but it appeared that he must have been a businessman. Anyway, we simply followed his message and phone call instructions.
When we arrived in the city, a car picked us up from the train station and dropped us at the hotel. He lodged us in a very nice hotel. After we cleaned up, had our lunch, we went to visit him by the car he sent to pick us up. Only when we were on the way, I finally could recognize who he was. He turned out to be a seeking brother who runs a business to serve the Lord. We were very impressed by his testimony in that he helps a good number of people for the sake of the gospel through his business. As we fellowshipped at his office, he and a few other brothers were so touched by the first burden we shared, "Calling upon the Lord's Name." In fact, we all called upon the Lord's name in his office and they all enjoyed it so much.
Later, he requested us to speak to the believers he has been shepherding online. While the three days and nights we stayed in Bhopal, we were given the opportunity to minister the word of God to the believers online, most of whom were new believers and brought to the Lord by these brothers.
Though we had a one day seminar with the pastors in the city, our burden was fully on the group of believers led by this brother. While we were in the city, we could minister to the group four times online. The messages released were very basic, giving them the view of God's plan and the pracdtical ways to fulfil God's plan through the life practices of calling upon the Lord's name, prayreading the word of God, seeking the Lord's will, etc.. They were so much shepherded, and the brothers became so open to us, to the extend that even after we left the city, they still requested us to minister to them online. Now myself and other brothers committed one day a week each to shepherd them, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays night.
The Lord brought us together in this visit. They are open, simple, and pure. Through the proper shepherding, the Lord will recover them for his testimony in Bhopal, and the places they have been laboring on, mostly in Betul. This is the new beginning the Lord is doing for his recovery in Bhopal.
May the Lord gain these brothers and all the believers with them for the establishment of His testimony in Bhopal!
Praise the Lord for the Lord's move in Bhopal!