Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Roby.
Hi Greg, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m the senior pastor of New Living Ministries Apostolic Church. In 2018 the Lord allowed me to connect with a pastor from Ippanapadu, South India, by the name of David Rague. Through social media, Facebook built strong relationships with friends. In 2019 at the begging of the year, I made plans to visit India. In June 2019, I had the opportunity to visit pastor David in India. I spent two weeks there ministering to the people there. I had the privilege of visiting the people in their homes and community. Ippanapadu is a poor town where the people make less than .25 cents daily. I went there to see what I could do for the pastor and the people there. Pastor David opened his home to me and allowed me to experience the culture of India. While there, I got an opportunity to see the Daisey Elementary School and the students that attend. Pastor David runs the school. It is a private school and is not funded by the government. The school’s little income comes from the parents who send their kids there. The school takes in orphans and may only receive $25 annually from parents who pay. New Living Ministries has built a nice church for the people there, and it’s called New Living Ministries South India.
We also pay the salaries of pastor David and his son Sunny Tavitiki, the assistant pastor. The Lord has used us to sustain them during the pandemic. Food was hard to find for the people, especially since their government didn’t want Christian organizations to help them, but working with David, we were able to send funds to him so he could buy food for the people. The people that Pastor David pastors are in a better position since we have connected. During the Christmas season, he buys the widows clothing they can ware and buys gifts for the kids. The outreach he is doing is great. This year 2022, we will bring him and his son to America to experience the American culture.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the struggles is the language. David doesn’t speak good English, so his son Sunny is the interpreter for us when we talk on the phone. Also, their government questioned them about the money we would send them via Western Union.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My natural job is as a dental assistant. I pastor part-time for now as the ministry is growing. One of the things I’m known for is being a caring person. I’m proud to be able to impact the lives of people around the world. What sets me apart is that I understand the purpose of my life. I put my energy into my purpose.
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is doing ministry. I enjoy what does seeing the lives of people being changed. I feel that’s the purpose of me being born.
