MCML Podcast E62: God Answers Prayer - Interview with Pastor Pongom Part 1

2020 was a year full of challenges as Pastor Pongom attest with the challenges he and his family faced that year. His son, Theodore, was born in 2020 with his lungs not fully developed. The doctors did not see anything wrong but Pastor Pongom and his family still took all the precaution they could. His son’s condition worsened, an infection in his underdeveloped lungs was spreading and no medicine or treatment was working. The hospital the boy was in didn’t even have the right facilities to help him so they had to transfer him to another hospital. It was very hard for Pastor Pongom and his family, especially his wife who wasn’t even allowed to see their baby. All they could do was pray that their son live. He had even offered his life to God, begging that if a life is needed, let it be him and not his son.

His son had to be admitted for exactly one month, being born on November 2nd and coming home with them on December 2nd. God allowed this to happen in order to strengthen their faith and to remind all of us and to confirm His presence, His love and to let us know that He is able to provide. God provided all their needs and, even though many people, including the doctors, thought they were going to lose their newborn son, by God’s grace, He helped them go through that difficult time. Now, Theodore is a very healthy and happy child.

Pastor Pongom realized that this was a blessing in disguise, a reminder of God’s love for his people. During all this, Pastor Pongom had been worried about how they would be able to pay the medical bills that kept going up every day that their son stayed in the hospital when they had no money at all but God did not let them down. He sent men and women, friends and relatives, every day while Pastor Pongom’s church started praying and fasting, organizing a chain of prayer and the church leaders even raised funds. Before he knew it, the medical bills had been paid without him even having to borrow from anyone.

And throughout this all, Pastor Pongom still did God’s work. He prayed for the doctors and nurses in the hospital his son was in. They shared their family problems with him and asked him to pray for their family. He developed a relationship with them, most of them Hindus and Muslims, allowing Christ to be known to these people. God gave Theodore his life for a good purpose, to unite His people. And this challenge showed that his church is a strong church. It doesn’t depend on the pastor and it is filled with people who loved him and his family and took care of him in his time of dire need.

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Global Hope India: For over 20 years we have been watching God radically transform thousands of Americans & Indian Nationals through missions. We’ve taken nearly 1,000 Americans on short-term mission trips to India. We work with 12 long-term indigenous church planting partners located in North, South, East, & West mainland India as well as Northeast India. We empower The Church in India to make Christ known through leadership, child, & village development projects. Global Hope India is a federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Morrisville, North Carolina. All gifts are tax-deductible. More about GHI.

Missions Changed My Life Podcast: A weekly podcast for the missionary in all of us. Everyone wants to make a difference in the world. Changing the World is a daunting task, but when we go on an international mission trip God can use that to change our world forever. Fellow travelers share real-life stories of radical transformation as a result of going on a mission trip. Find yourself right in the middle of a missions team being transformed by God. Receive practical resources as God uses missions to change your life. More about Missions Changed My Life Podcast.

Meet Pastor Kevin: Pastor Kevin is Founder and Executive Director of Global Hope India and your host for Missions Changed My Life Podcast. He’s a poor kid from rural North Carolina, but get this… He just returned from his 50th trip to India in 20 years. If he doesn’t yet hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the most trips to India then he’s got to be close. He’s flown over a million miles to 27 different countries. He’s taken nearly 1,000 people on mission trips to India. Global Hope India has seen thousands of Indian Nationals and Americans radically transformed by God through missions. The miracle continues! More about Pastor Kevin.

Website: kevinwhite.us
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