A year and a half ago I was asked to take part in something that was much more than anything I could ever imagine; a mission trip to India. On that trip, 30 people from Granger Community Church left the comforts of home and traveled 9,000 miles away to make a difference in the lives of a 158 villagers in a small colony of untouchables in the village of Kalavai southern India.
As part of a long term ongoing effort in Kalavai this mission consisted of 5 teams, each with a specific goal in mind. The construction team helped the villagers rebuild brick homes that had
fallen down over time due to poor construction methods and inferior materials. The Conversational English team taught school children how to speak a few words of English to get
them started for English as a second language. The Health and Wellness team gave everyone in the village a checkup and taught the men and women about hygiene and the benefits of a healthy diet. They also checked the water supply for bacteria and other water borne microorganisms that can cause illness. The Micro-Enterprise team purchased goats from a nearby farmer so the villagers to raise and sell them at market for a profit. And we sent a Worship team that performed 4 concerts at outdoor revival meetings in and around the town of Kalavia.
I’ve been asked to return to India on another mission trip. This time will be a little different than the last. We are only sending one team, an arts team. This team will consist of a worship band,
actors and dancers. We’ll be traveling to 4 cities around the state of Tamil Nadu. We’ll be performing concerts (most of the music in the native language of Tamil) in each city during the evening and throughout the day we will be teaching church planters how to conduct worship in their services. In addition to this teaching we’ll be spending time with local pastors to help them establish themselves in new villages.
The Indian culture consists of a very complex caste system, or social class system. One of our highest priorities is the edification of Indian Pastors. When we (westerners) go into a village with a pastor he gains great credibility just by the fact that we believe in the same God that he does. We are looked upon as being in the highest caste, almost god like, therefore if we support his efforts the people will have more reason to trust him and his beliefs and teachings.
India is a dark place, and any light we can bring, be it through music, teaching, or edification will push back that darkness in the name of the Lord.
With all that said I’m asking you to search your heart and pray for guidance in helping this mission happen. Your contribution, support and prayers will make a difference in the lives of thousands of people who my have never heard the name Jesus before.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
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