Yesupadam

This is the story of God's miraculous work through one indigenous missionary and his ministry in eastern India. It begins as the story of Yesupadam, whose name means “Jesus Foot”, a starving Untouchable boy embittered by his caste and poverty. He turns to communism, atheism, gambling, alcohol and gang violence in his search for purpose but becomes radically born again through a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. His life as a deadbeat husband, father and drunkard is transformed and Yesupadam becomes a tireless evangelist. His growing ministry begins to target the unreached tribal peoples in the mountains of Andhra Pradesh and dramatic miracles take place as the message of salvation is shared. While many books about missions revolve around Westerners bringing the Gospel to other ethnic groups and struggling to break through cultural barriers, the real lifeblood of world missions today springs from the effective evangelism of Christians reaching their own peoples. Yesupadam and the others in Love-n-Care Ministries have lived lives of great sacrifice to bring the Gospel to their nation. These men tell of God using their prayers to cure cancer, heal sickness, restore deaf ears, cast out evil spirits and raise the dead. More importantly, they tell of people coming to Christ. Through the preaching and praying of these pastors and evangelists, Love-n-Care Ministries is doing what no other Christian group is doing in Andhra Pradesh: planting churches not only in Indian villages but in every major village in the tribal areas. In a tribal region with over 6 million people, LNC has already planted more than 300 churches since 1995. However, this is not a story of the finished past but of the continuing present and unfolding future. Yesupadam and the believers in LNC have great faith to believe for more — more churches, more reached villages, more children's homes and even a university. Clearly, God has much more to do through Yesupadam and these faithful Christians in east India.

Terri Whitaker

Terri Whitaker, has been researching and writing the amazing life story of Yesupadam and Love-n-Care Ministries since she first traveled to India in 2002 to teach at the LNC school and to work in its Children's Home. Terri conducted and recorded fifty interviews with key leaders, directors, teachers, spouses and children, visiting tribal areas, schools, children's homes, the hospital and other ministries. Terri is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and son, where she writes, teaches piano, and serves her local church.