The next training trip is scheduled for June/July 2012.

Looking forward to it!!

It’s sad that we’ve now come to the conclusion of our Indian mission trip for 2011. We have:

-Ministered to some ninety-four pastors
-Travelled some 2000 kilometres
-Conducted two courses (Romans-Salem, PTF-Nashik)
-Slept in four different locations
-Met with pastors who are targeting to establish one church every 12 months
-Crossed three different language barriers
-Partaken in four road trips at an average speed of 40kmph (Longest trip being approximately 16 hours, including the flight to Nashik)
-Visited a Buddhist Temple which pre-dates Jesus Christ

The team has really appreciated the prayers and support leading up to and whilst being in India. The Lord has blessed us mutually with our brothers and sisters in India. We are confident that the training will further God’s kingdom, here in India. We’ve really appreciated the daily communication from Australia. This has been helpful in keeping us in the field knowing that folk back home are with us all the way.

It’s hard to say what has been the best experience thus far, so we thought that we would give you a snippet of one of the testimonies of this Pastor.

Pastor Jacob

(this testimony has been edited to protect the identity of the Pastor)
“My name is Jacob. I was born into a Christian family, but I was living a worldly life doing bad things. One day a snake bit me. There was no hope for me. But by the grace of God I got a new life.
So from that time, I gave my life to Jesus Christ. Then I went to Bible College. I have done my B.Th. (Bachelor of Theology). Now I am doing God’s work as a full time Pastor.
I have one wife and a couple of children. They are studying in school. Please pray for my ministry.”

Promise to Fulfilment Group

We also have a feedback video link below, please watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRn6CCdDZJ0

Signing off from India. Please pray for us as we travel home and we too have missed you all dearly.

India Mission Team, 2011.



Nearly the end of the travels (I think some are more sad about this ending than others). The past two days have heightened the travellers (or pastors, reverend, sisters, brother, “Aussies”- we reply to all the above now) senses, both the good and the ‘interesting/ different’.

TASTE: Starting the day with bread and butter, moving on to chips and bread for lunch the team has hit the town for dinner the past few nights, a step up from the McDonalds (which was welcomed by some perhaps  a little too enthusiastically). On Wednesday night we took the autorickshaw to what would be considered the Indian eat street, so many makeshift stalls selling everything from American sweet corn to things that are unidentifiable to the Australian eye. After arriving, a few members were a little unsure about getting off the auto into a street which was possibly our first experience of unglobalised Indian nightlife- we ended up walking into a little hidden treasure that served incredible tandoori chicken, and of course a bounty of naan!

Tonight (Thursday night) we were treated and taken to a restaurant named ‘Top of the Town’ (the amount of stairs we had to take to get there really made the name ring true!). The first experience of using cutlery without feeling like the tourist. Dishes chosen by Benny- the Aussie guide, we are all feeling very well fed!

George and Manoa at the restaurant on Eat Street

SIGHT: Besides looking at George for many hours a day during the lectures, our tour guides (Benny and Manoa- an incredibly devoted man from Pune) have walked us home from dinner through the back street of Nashik the past two nights. Being the first time we have been let loose on the town and having to cross many roads, where a pedestrian crossing means no more than some white decorations on the road, this was an interesting experience. Learning my lesson I wore closed in shoes for the second time! The things you see when not rushing past in a bus- so many different people just doing life that is so different to how we know it in Australia.

In the auto on the way to dinner

SOUND: The sound of car horns is going to haunt me for many months to come (maybe you will be hearing the car horn around the local streets when we all return as it has been so ingrained in us that you honk when you make any move on the road, or just whenever the driver feels like it so may need some time to stop this habit).

Perhaps the most amazing sounds we have been hearing is the stories of the pastors, both how they came to know and love the One and Only True God or the stories about how they are taking risks and evangelising in unwelcoming places and despite the persecution, joy, praise and prayer are still at their forefront as they are on a mission to save their country. One man told us of how he was put into prison and was going to be burnt, he was given 5 minutes to talk to the people, the people heard the gospel and let them go- Praise God that he does do incredible things!

There is a wedding happening at the moment in the foyer of the hotel. Indian weddings are not known for their short length and soft music so we may be in for a long night (feeling sorry for the pastors who are trying hard to study for the final exam tomorrow with Bollywood happening a few meters away). We walked past the wedding before, a few of us had to move on quickly before our dancing feet got the best of us and we disgraced the Australian race! However, it’s a beautiful sight and I’m sure the speeches are actually heartfelt and ‘romantic’, but being in Marathi we have absolutely no idea what’s going on!

TOUCH: Perhaps this sense has not been used a lot during this trip, with bottles of disinfectant being used by certain members after each time they touch any object that is remotely foreign. Others of us just go for it and chose not to think about what we are doing, while in India we might as well be like Indians, right?

SMELL: Let’s just say this is where the bad comes in a little, sitting in a conference room across from a slum or as we discovered could also be named ‘the child’s bathroom’ has lead to some unpleasant smells. On a nicer note, the smells of Indian cooking, of sweets and spices would heighten anyone’s sense of smell- the Indians win the prize for the best use of spice and street side cooking!

Looking forward to moving on to Mumbai tomorrow, but will be sad to leave such passionate and dedicated members of the global church behind.

p.s sorry about the lack of photos, we were trying to keep a low profile as we walked the streets as we were already out of place- Richard’s camera would have made us stand out all the more.

Katie D

Last you heard we had arrived safely at the Royale Heritage Hotel that has seen better days however the facilities allowed us everything we needed onsite so will make this an effective training venue. The rooms were of reasonable standard and clean with a deluxe double with air conditioning for $15AUD a night per person.  Bathrooms were complete with standard bucket wash in lieu of shower which is actually a fun experience for a short term stay.

The view from our hotel

After turning in early from the long 16 hours travel from Salem to Nashik (pronounced Nassick) the team appeared around 8am and were treated to a hearty Indian pancake breakfast (Dhosa) and sweet coffee in preparation to start week 2 and Promise to Fulfillment. I am happy to report Pastor George got his black coffee without sugar this time!

The pastors attending the training had travelled up to 400km and were a joy to be having fellowship with as the day started with singing praise to our God!  The day saw intense teaching with Pastor George being the star as he consulted with translators, lead the main teaching sessions and also lead workshops during the day.  There were 3 separate groups of around 13 pastors. The sound system gave some challenges but was quickly resolved so the focus could shift to biblical theology. As I write Promise to Fulfillment day 1 has just completed with 3 Units of study and workshops looking at understanding God’s unfolding plan of salvation, unity of the bible as well as focus on Abraham and the Children of Promise!

The translators are worthy of a special mention as they are here for training and assisting George in the main sessions and all of us leading workshops. These guys are awesome and very helpful in assisting facilitation so we do not stray too far from the material so we support the pastors passing the exam!

After a long and tiring day we were told we were going out to dinner and were ushered into 3 Autos (called tuk tuk in Thailand) with 3 squeezed in the back of each and weaved through the busy traffic to arrive at, believe it or not, MacDonalds!! Chicken being the main ingredient on the menu the team mainly went for the Chicken Maharaja Mac (meal was 127 rupees or $2.80AUD). Amazed at the good value, coffee and sundaes were also ordered and after safe return to the hotel we look forward to a good sleep before completing a busy day and 4 units of study Wednesday and the final 3 Thursday to allow the pastors study time for the exam on Friday.

Aboard the auto rickshaw

Ben and Ronald

Praise God that everyone is healthy and for his faithfulness and the joy of serving in India!!

Roy

Just a quick update.

We travelled from 4.30am to 8.30pm today by road, plane and then road again, so everyone is pretty tired. Praise God that we have arrived safely in Nashik and that everyone is well and healthy. We left Mike in Bangalore to make his way home, and picked up Roy to join the team for the second week.

Mike did a great job teaching Romans and the whole team has worked well together.

We will have another 40 pastors commencing the training tomorrow morning, when we will be teaching Promise to Fulfilment.

We value your prayers and support greatly, please pray as Mike has asked in the previous post.