The name "Siloam"...
...is found only three times in the Bible as applied to water: once in Isaiah 8:6, who speaks of it as running water; once as a pool near the king's garden in Nehemiah 3:15; and once as a pool, in the account of the Savior healing the man born blind in John 9:7-11. Its literal meaning is from the Hebrew verb "to send".
Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Kothapally Silvi Nishantham adopted the name "Siloam" for his ministry for two reasons:
- We know that water in the Bible is symbolic of an outpouring of God's Spirit. To "be sent" represents a blessing sent from God.
- The word can also be applied personally as one who is being "sent". Pastor Silvi has been sent by God to preach freedom, healing, and deliverance to not-yet-believers in the villages and tribal areas of Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh, south India.
Some ways in which we minister are...
...through social service ministries to orphans, widows, the elderly, crippled persons, and the destitute. In addition to pastoring a vibrant, spirit-filled church of more than 200 members, Pastor Silvi:
- distributes rice and other provisions to more than 20 beggars every month;
- cares for 15 fatherless children in the Nishantham Memorial Children's (NMC) Home; and
- provides food and medical assistance to several elderly widows.
