Something else that he had done was to mount a speaker on the outside wall on the second floor where church services were held. With a small sound system he effectively broadcast his sermons that could be heard by passers by for several blocks. It was regrettable that I did not get to meet him and that his life ended at such an early age. He was only 47 years old when he passed. There was a late night prayer service and one of his parishioners from another village needed a ride home which he obliged, using a motor bike. It was during the hot months and on the way home he subcommand to heart stroke and by the time he was discovered he was near death. He was brought to the local hospital, and although too much time had lapsed to save him he was at least comforted by the presence of his wife and children when he departed.

Yes, he was a man who thought ahead. He had sent his three children, two sons, Jaya Kumar and Vijay Kumar, and their older sister Devamani to the Bible College. Devamani was away at Bible College when I was there and returned home a couple of months later. When I was there one of the most requested prayers from the people was for spiritual growth. When I would ask them if they could read, the answer was usually no. Hearing and receiving the basic salvation message is a heady start, but to grow spiritually beyond that requires that one reads the word and build on ones knowledge of God and forming a relationship which is the way to spiritual growth.

I saw a need for an adult literacy program and so we established one which met for the first time the night that I left, tutored by Pastor Jaya.