In February 2006 a team of six persons (Pastor Nathan Showalter, Paul & Ruth Dyhr from the Shanghai Abundant Grace Church in China and Paula Perkins, Gerry & Gloria Cooper, all former members of Taipei International Church in Taiwan) spent a wonderful five days with Pastor Das and Doris and son Nathan at their school campuses in Mallepalli and Devarkonda, India.

The primary purpose of our visit was to provide support and testimony for Pastor Nate who was the guest speaker at a Pastor's Conference organized by Das for the 50-75 rural village Christian pastors that serve the Lord within a 50-100km radius of Devarkonda. This was a joyous event as many pastors brought their spouses and children. The site of the conference was the glorious new Shalom Ashrama "Church on the Rock" that has been built in Devarkonda with contributions from Christians all over the world to serve the Stonecutter community. All of the pastors seemed to really enjoy the fellowship that comes from praising God and worshipping in a multi-cultural setting surrounded by other Christians from India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States. Gloria and I had the special privilege of giving out Telugu-language Bible dictionaries to all of the attending pastors.

On the final day of the conference, Pastor Nate called for a rebirth of Christianity to be led by these faithful pastors in rural Andhra Pradesh that could spark a movement north through India joining with Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan and China on the road "back to Jerusalem."

Other highlights of our week in India included meeting all the staff and teachers in the Matilda School classrooms, teaching a few English and Science classes, greeting new and old friends among the over 100 children in the Bindu Home, witnessing the completion of construction of many new classrooms both at Devarkonda and Mallepalli, and finally taking a six-hour trip by van to visit two of the three coastal villages now supported by MES after suffering severe damage from the December 2004 tsunami.

All of us on the trip were deeply touched by the work that God is doing through Das and his team both on the Matilda campus and in the coastal villages rebuilding lives, one thatched-roof home at a time. That work can be seen in the slides that follow this letter. Partnered with organizations like the Mennonite Central Committee and with churches in the U.S., Canada, Taiwan and now China, contributions like yours and mine can reach the people that most need the helping hand.

I am hopeful that this slide presentation from our trip will assist you in sharing the work and ministry of Das, Doris and Nathan through the Matilda Education Society with others in your church, your family, your business, and your neighborhood.

Please don't hesitate to contact Das or myself if you have any questions about these many worthwhile projects.

With God's blessing,

Gerry Cooper
17 Wilkes St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
tel 703-837-0281