Waldron Mission Fund

 

Under the oversight of the elders of the Crossville church of Christ, PO Box 211, Crossville, TN 38557

 

Vol. 42                                                       January 2008                                                                              No. 1
WALDRON NEWSLETTER

A TRAGEDY

 

On the 22nd of December I received a letter from Peter Wilson in Dindigul telling the sad story of brother R. Palanisamy, whose beautiful life was snuffed out by a truck.  As you read Peter’s letter bear in mind those trained to preach usually spend three years in the program, training the first year near his home at a feeder school and then finishing the final two years at a place like Dindigul.  While they train we give them some support and encourage them to learn a trade or other way to earn a living, so that they may serve as tent-making preachers.  These brothers and their families are unbelievably poor, but brother Palanisamy was doing a good work, preaching for two small village churches and supporting his family by selling pots and other vessels from house to house.  Concerning his widow, through one of the brothers at Dindigul, we sent her Rs 5,000\- ($130), which is the equivalent of more than two months wages.  The first week of January I will be in Tamil Nadu and be able to ascertain what she needs, a cow, goats or other help.
Text Box: Dindigul, 22 Dec 2007 Dear brother, Here are the details about Bro. R. Palanisamy S/o Ramasamy, who met an accident and died. His age was 34. He graduated from the one year school of preaching at K. Paramathy in April 2000. He completed his last two years at Dindigul and graduated in April 2002. He lived in the village of Ku-ru-ka-ti in the district of Erode about sixty miles from Dindigul His widow’s name is Rani. She is 30 with a seventh grade education. There are two children, both boys. Prabu, who is 15, is in the tenth grade and his brother, Karthik, is 13 and in the 8th. He was preaching for two village congregations, Vallima Nagar with twelve members and Poon-di-pa-lay-am with nine members. He was a vessels (plastic pots and pans) seller. When he was returning on 16th (Dec.) Sunday after the worship service about 9 p.m., a Lorry (truck) hit his two-wheeler and he died. If you need any more details, I will enquire and let you know. With love in Christ, M. Peter Wilson

December in shillong

 

Tuesday, December 25, 2007: Having left home at Kingston, TN on November 24th I was with the church in Malvern, AR on the 25th, from there I drove to Memphis, flew to Newark, NJ and from there to Delhi, India.  During the last 24 days I have been in Shillong, N. E. India teaching the book of Revelation to twenty-three preacher students and one sister, the wife of Ramesh our office manager.  Just today the students took their final exam.

There were sixty-five questions with a hundred answers.  The students had to identify many symbols

Here are some examples: 1. The dragon (chapters 12, 13, 20);  2. The first beast of chapter 13; 3. The second beast of chapter 13; 4. The image of the beast in chapter 13;  5. 666 (chapter 13); 6. The great harlot of chapter 17;  7. Babylon (chapter 18); 8. The mark of the beast in the forehead (chapter 13); 9. The mark of the beast in the hand (chapter 13);  9. The battle of Armageddon (chapter 16); 10. The lamb with seven horns (chapter 5); 11. The seal of God in the forehead (chapter 7); 12. The Lion of the tribe of Judah (chapter 5); 13. The 144,000 in chapter seven: 14. The 144,000 in chapter fourteen; and 15. The one thousand year reign (chapter 20). All but two passed. Twelve of them made 90 or above.   The grades of another six were in the eighties.  The texts for the course were the Bible and the commentary, The Lamb/The Lion.

 

This book is made up of questions (576) that cover virtually every aspect of the Revelation. You may have a copy by writing to Waldron Mission Fund, P. O. Box 1010, Crossville, TN, 38557.  No charge, as this is a part of our effort to produce good literature for the States as well as abroad.  If you would like, you may order enough to teach a class.

 

Speaking of books, last month we sent you a list of books which are distributed without cost for personal studies, classroom and prison work. Concerning prison work, the book Vital Fundaments by Jerry Frazier is proving to be a powerful tool for prison evangelism.  Brother Frazier obeyed the gospel while in prison and his book on fundamentals is solid evidence as to what the gospel can do for a person’s life.  One inmate in a Georgia prison said, “I can relate to that man.”  A church in West Tennessee ordered 800 copies in the last four months of 2007 for their work among those incarcerated near them.  Write for a sample copy to evaluate if it may be useful for your work.

 

Prison evangelism is proving to be a very fruitful way to win souls.  Local congregations across the land could be working local jails, state prisons or perhaps even prison work-camps.  Recently I was told of some Christian ladies teaching women in the jail in their area. Too many young women are getting caught up in the meth trade and they need to know that you (we) and Jesus care.   One illegal immigrant from Mexico found himself in the Nashville jail (sounds like a good title for a country song), was taught by a local brother, obeyed the gospel, was deported and is now in Mexico studying to preach the pure and unperverted gospel of Jesus.

 

Speaking of Jerry Frazier, his life is a classic as to what a broken home can do to a young person.  But by the grace of God he is now a worker for the Master, and as of December 2007, not only is he free in Christ, but he is a free man, “Down In Oklahoma” (that is a song).  His books have proven to be so useful, even powerful in winning souls that we have ordered another 10,000 printed.  The printing bill is just over $11,000 including shipping.  The book consists of 165 pages in perfect binding. We have a current printing bill in Tamil Nadu (India) of $2,397.  If your congregation has some money just rusting in a CD or other bank account and you want to invest it in souls, we would be deeply appreciative if you could help with these printing bills. We love you all, and pray for you as our partners in this work of faith and labor of love.

 

 

Sri Lanka

 

In the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, there were more than 8,000 killed in Tamil Nadu, India.  At the same time in the island country of Sri Lanka, which is just next door, more than 35,000 lost their lives.  In the early ‘90s there was a school of preaching in its capital, Colombo, but it has not been active for some years.  On the 4th of  January Don Iverson and I will go there to investigate the feasibility of starting it again.  In that connection let me ask you to pray for the some 25,000,000 who live on the island. The vast majority of the people are Buddhists and Hindus.  A request to song leaders: check out the song, “From Greenland’s Icy Mountains,” by Reginald Heber; it is potent to teach the urgency of world evangelism and it mentions the “spicy breezes (that) blow o’er Ceylon’s isle (the former name of Sri Lanka).”  It wouldn’t hurt to sing “The Gospel Is For All” at the same time.  It was written by a farm “boy” and dedicated member of the Lord’s church from north Alabama, who went to Japan in the late 1800’s and preached Jesus for thirty years or more.

 

 

With love to all,

 

Jim E. Waldron