At the invitation of the GARBC, the International Partnership of Fundamental Baptist Ministries sent representatives to attend the GARBC conference in St. Petersburg, Fla. The IPFBM is a coalition of independent Baptist church associations that includes 62 associations from 20 countries. Representatives came from two associations in India, one association from Bangladesh, and one guest association in India that has shown interest in the partnership.

Dr. Chatla Devasahayam arrived early Monday morning after traveling all night by bus from Greenville, S.C. Dr. Chatla is president of the Indian Christian Bethel Baptist Gospel Fellowship in Nidumolu, South India. His son, Wesley Chatla, arrived on Tuesday with his family to attend the conference. Wesley, formerly the administrator of the Dr. J. Frank Davis Public School, a Christian school, is doing graduate work at Faith Baptist Bible Seminary, Ankeny, Iowa.

Rev. P. Mohan Kumar arrived from the West Coast on Monday afternoon. He is president of Jehovah-Jireh Baptist Ministry in Secunderabad, South India. He and his wife, Padma, conduct children’s ministry multiple times a year in tribal areas using Regular Baptist Press materials sent to them by Gospel Literature Services.

Ruth Enosh arrived on Saturday. Ruth’s husband, Rev. J. D. Enosh, is president of Faith Baptist Ministries in Devanahalli, South India. J. D. planned to attend the conference but had to stay in India, as just before his departure, Hindu radicals broke into one of his village churches, vandalizing the church and burning all the Bibles, furniture, musical instruments, projectors, and ten thousand gospel tracts. The association is not an IPFBM partner, but is interested.

Rev. Uttam Tripura flew all day from Seattle, arriving in St. Petersburg on Monday afternoon. He is director of administration and education of the Bangladesh Tribal Association of Baptist Churches. BTABC maintains the children’s hostel in Hebron that will be the recipient of the missions offering project “Operation Bangladesh” featured in this year’s VBS program from Regular Baptist Press.

The GARBC welcomes its international brothers and sisters as colleagues in ministry.