Maranatha Veda Patasala
Training youth for the ministry
Maranatha Bible School was started in 1984 with two year
program to train the youth for the ministry. It got started in a
facility with asphalt roofing and walls with bamboo mats in a place
given temporarily by my Hindu uncle. In the beginning we had hard times
as the floods hit our area bringing water into the school. The students
had to stand in muddy water to have their meals. There were hard
times to feed the students. The young people of the area threw stones,
broke the bulbs, and urinated into the faculty room. They, time and
again, threatened to bomb the thing down. Thank God for HIS protection !
The meager facilities and lack of money didn't bother
the dedicated students that they stayed on to finish the program. The
Holy Spirit has shaped up their lives that some of them are doing great
in the ministry. In fact, some serve in our Executive Committee today.
The school was moved in 1989 to our own buildings in Atmakuru Village
outside the city. We now offer two and three year program - Diploma in
Biblical Studies and Bachelor Of Theology. Since its inception, the
school has trained hundreds of youth for the ministry in India. The school provides boarding, food and schooling free of
cost and is supported solely by the voluntary contributions from sponsors
like you.
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First facility of the Bible School in Vijayawada |
Bible School students & Faculty in Atmakuru Village
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We, however, had to sell the buildings in Atmakuru due
to bad drinking water and poor location and also to bring the Bible
School back into the city of Vijayawada. Thank God for HIS providence to
build the following facility.
The new building of Maranatha Bible School and Asram.
The new
building was dedicated in December 2001 to the glory of God and
to train the youth. It has
20,000 square feet in two floors giving enough space for 100 students in the Bible School
and 30 widows and destitute in Ashram.
The staff and students
of the Bible School
The Bible School is reopened with 70 students for
another year of training them for the un-reaped harvest. Fifteen students have graduated
in 2001 and about 14 students have graduated and
gone into the fieldwork in 2000. The
students go out to villages on weekend gospel invasions that have been a
blessing to the new church-planters. They get real
exposure and practical training for the ministry. It is
exciting to see the lives of young men and women shape up for the Lord's
work.
Ordination of Six pastors,
our former graduates |
The bible school students in a drama |
The Holy Spirit is moving mightily touching and shaping the
lives of these young men and women. Silas Siripurapu, the Dean, is leading them well. A student
may be sponsored with a monthly gift of $30 to train for the ministry.
Dollar a day! Not much ! Is it ?
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