PUNE YOUTH CAMP - A BLESSING TO 200 YOUTH FROM 18 TOWNS

Duke Jeyaraj

My wife and I travelled to Pune upon the invitation of my Pas. Steven Dar to preach in the Emmanuel AG Youth Camp at Daund (May 16-20, 2011). Pas. Steven was my student when I briefly taught in the Central Bible College in New Delhi (2001). I was so happy to see how the Lord had raised him up to a key leadership role in this church of over 1000 people. 200 young people from 18 towns in Maharashtra and Gujarat gathered for this camp. The Lord moved mightily.

On the opening night, I preached a message that began with Dhoni's heroics in the World Cup Final 2011. This message went to talk to about what Jesus endured the last 12 hours of his earthly life and a graphic, frank description of the sins of the youth (sexual sins included) he bore on his body, the altar was crowded with youth surrendering their lives once again to the Lord. Some were fighting back the tears.
The next day, my more or less my wife's day. She preached three messages that moved the audience. On relationships. On wisely choosing one's life partner. On overcoming temptations. The young people made decisions that were very important. Decisions like, "I will not fall in love with or marry an unbeliever", "I would be willing to shed my blood to overcome temptation and live a holy life!", "I am willing to bring into my life a Nathan-life friend to whom I will be accountable." etc. I, on the other hand, preached to a bunch of pastors who had come along with the youth - about 20 of them. I taught them why God created marriage. At the end of the message, some of pastor's wives in that meeting profusely thanked me for preaching that practical message.

On Day Three of this meeting, after a message by Evan my wife on the Holy Spirit we prayed for the Holy Spirit Baptism to come upon the youth. There were young people who praised God in strange new languages after having received the Holy Spirit Baptism. Just before lunch, I preached a message on Why the Bible is such a great book and how one should read it starting with a Chris Gayle IPL IV story. Young people dedicated their lives to the daily study of the Word, following this message.

In the same night, I came up with 'the message of the camp' - a ministry challenge message from the book of Amos. Amos remains my most favorite book in the Bible! After this message, a major chunk of the youth committed their lives for full-time ministry down the line and ministry-involved presently. It was a 'wet' altar call. Members of the video recording team remarked, "We have recorded sermons galore. By what we just recorded is one of a kind!"

On the Final Day morning, I preached the final message on how the young people could be practically witnessing for Jesus right in the places they hailed from: via Kneeling (intercession for the lost); via Walking (like Christ); via Speaking (like Andrew, like Paul in Athens); via Healing; via Working (in a secular company); via Travelling (as a missionary to an unchurched place)! I also answered this question: "What if I sin after the Camp gets over?" A powerful time at the altar followed. Rev. Nana Dhar, the senior pastor of this church interpreted into Marathi few of the messages while his son, Pastor Steven, did the same for some of the messages. One other message was interpreted into Hindi by a pastor serving in Kashmir.

We had opportunity to counsel youth, one on one. They bared their hearts to us. "These are things we would never share with anyone else," they would say and open their lives to us. We gave them counsels from God's Word in a practical way and prayed for them. One reason, why this happens almost every youth camp we preach in, is that we openly talk about issues youth struggle in, openly, from the light of God's Word - issues like masturbation, issues like porn-watching in secret, issues like boy-girl physical intimacy, etc.

We had an encouraging ministry resource sale at this camp - 20 copies of my book, NO BEATING ABOUT THE BUSH STRAIGHT TALK ON HUSHED UP MATTERS, were sold, as were message CDs, magazines, gospel tracts.

During our flight journies to Pune from Hyderabad we could give out Gospel tracts (Bubbly Outside, Yet Empty Inside? - Duke) to the air hostesses, the boarding pass issueing staff, etc. Preaching remains just one way in which we can bring people closer to the Lord!
Eggle, Rev. Dar's third son, along with his wife, Shweta, took us around Pune for shopping, before driving us to the airport. By God's grace, I have now, as God opened the way, landed in airports such Chennai, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Kolkota, Delhi, and Pune, from Hyderabad to preach God's Word in those respective towns. That's one reason why we prefer to stay in Hyderabad - India's most centrally located big city. From this city we can fly to any big Indian city in a matter of three hours, preach God's Word to the Google Generation, and get back.
When my wife and I landed in Chennai from Pune in the wee hours of the early morning of 21st May, Daniel Pravin was there to pick up from the airport and drive us to his home near Tambaram. Daniel and his wife Ruby were students in Adiaman college of Engineering in Hosur when I had the opportunity to preach to the fellowship they lead in their college while I was a student of Southern Asia Bible College, Bangalore, then. We are grateful to God for people like them who make our ministry travels, a lot easier.

Our children were with my parents and my parents-in-law in Vellore for most past this summer vacation. Their grand parents looked after them and so we both could go for preaching in youth camps together. We praise God for their cooperation.