FLAME Continues to Spread

 

 

 

It was a great joyful moment for us to become parents. First a daughter in 1984, and then a son in 1985. What great privilege to impart the wonderful truths of the gospel to our daughter and son. I, Kailas, did not have that honor having been raised in an idol worshipping home. God in His kindness engineered things in such a way that through the life and testimony of my host, Carlene Pennel, I trusted the Lord Jesus as my Savior in 1972 while a student at Eastern Illinois University.

I arrived to India for the very first time in 1980. Jayaraj and I married in November 1982. It is difficult to put into words the joy that flooded our souls when our daughter, Karleen, placed her faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. A year later that same joy engulfed our hearts when our son, Arpan, put his faith in the Lord Jesus.

 

While we were discipling our children in their young faith, we also observed that many wonderful Christian couples were struggling in raising godly children. Having served for many years among tribals of India, we were both sensing a new direction for us from the Lord.

Then a challenge came from Hebrews 11:7, “…built an ark to save his family…” This is how the birth of Ark Family Ministries happened in 1995.

 

As we studied the Bible for our very first small family seminars in 1995, we learned that God’s Word was rich in family principles. In these 28 years, God has opened door after door to impart Bible based family life principles from His Word. The very positive response to the family seminars for churches and organisations led us to begin Christian leader couples family conferences in 2006. By now we had well trained staff who joined hands in brining this teaching to hundreds upon thousands of couples in different Indian states.

 

Many Christian leader couples confessed at the end of the seminar that they were not aware that the Word of God had so much teaching for husbands and wives as well as raising godly children. As a result, several leader couples requested us for further training so that they can be better equipped to minister to the families under their care.

Thus in 2013 we began to conduct a five and half day training program called Family Life And Marriage Enrichment (FLAME) Institutes. Our North East India staff couple, Kerry and Ringmila, took the training at the first institute conducted in April 2013. Since then they are appointed as Directors of FLAME Institutes.

We have conducted 11 such FLAME Institutes in 6 Indian States in English, Telugu, Gujarati, Nepali, Manipuri and Hindi languages. God has allowed us this great joy of multiplying ourselves to reach thousands more.

And we thank God the flame has continued to spread!!