The devotional book that I read regularly has been challenging me of late to TRUST instead of feverishly planning. I have to smile as I am a planner, and can also be something of a control freak. I like things to go smoothly, have what I need . . . the list goes on. Since my self proclaimed 'retirement' I find myself so very unorganized and procrastinate way too much. If all goes according to my attempt at planning my next adventure in India, however, I will be there in two weeks!!! I am just not ready for that and know that I need to get down to the work of preparation, packing, et al. To read the above this a.m. helped put it all in perspective. I need to get busy, but HE has it all under control. How grateful I am for that!!!
I mentioned in the last post about my stress test. It went really well. The cardiologist I saw comes originally from India, and we had a really lovely talk! He reported to me that his daughter, a teenager, wants to do things like 'work among the poor' or with 'rescuing girls from the sex trade'. I gave him some suggestions of organizations to Google, and he did it! He said he would follow up with me when I get back in March, and that he wants me to meet his daughter! Let's see. I would love it, of course.
The Delta flights that I am booked on are standby. I did this last year, and was delayed in Amsterdam a day going out and in Mumbai a day coming back. I am praying that this will not happen this time. I am told that my position is good at the moment, though things can fill up as you get closer to departure. My route is Richmond, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Mumbai. Departure is scheduled for the 21st with arrival on the 22nd.
There are two old students from Woodstock School that I hope to see in Mumbai. I will spend up to three nights in the city which will help facilitate that, help me get over the 10.5 hour time change and the long flight. It will be like Richmond summer when I arrive in Mumbai! My plan is to fly to Kolkata, not on standby, on the 25th.
It will be exciting to reconnect with my Emmanuel Ministries family. In addition to them, I will over lap with friends from Ukraine. This will be the third time for some of us to meet in Kolkata, the second for others, and the second meeting at least for others that I met for the first time in Aug when I visited Ukraine. Dave and Cathy Hicks will arrive at the beginning of Feb for a few days, and I am looing forward to overlapping with them.
On Feb 5 I leave on an overnight train for Hamiltongunj in N. Bengal. I will be there for 2.5 weeks volunteering with NORTH BENGAL OUTREACH MINISTRIES (NBOM). I visited there in Dec 2009 with Dave and Cathy Hicks. Nicholas Narginary, our dear friend and colleague from our days together with OM in Calcutta back in the '70's leads this work. My heart was so touched, and Nicholas has been asking me to return since.
Nicholas, among some of the first Indians to join OM, led outreach teams until the mid 70's when he returned to his home area to focus on church planting. This area is the northernmost point of W. Bengal in eastern India. He lives 20 miles from the Bhutan border (China is 200 miles to the north); Bangladesh is 35 miles to the south; Nepal is just 75 miles to the west and Myanmar is to the east. God is working in a special way in the Himalayan region.
When he returned to the area, he married Pushpa and bought land that they have developed into a ministry center. They have three grown children, a hostel housing 100 orphaned or very poor children, cash crop gardens for food and for training the children in productive farming methods, and a primary through 12th grade school educating 430 students.
Joshua and Meni Narginary work alongside his parents in this great work of God. They focus primarily on the school. Noel (10) and Joanna (7) are their children. They have asked that I help the children improve their English and to be an encouragement to them spiritually.
NBOM's primary focus is the unreached people of north Bengal and neighboring regions, bringing transformation and healing in their physical, educational, mental, emotional and spiritual lives. Ninety five NBOM pastors and evangelists are placed strategically to preach the Gospel, shepherd and plant more churches. As a result, hundreds are baptized and many new churches are started each year.
This area of Bengal is so very different from Kolkata . . . a big, crowded, dirty and noisy city. Somewhat isolated and rural it will be a different experience for me. I will stay in guest accommodation and be well looked after. It is my prayer that I can quickly fit in, not as the foreign guest, but as a sister/aunty in Christ.
Back in Kolkata, I will not live in the same place, but otherwise plan to do many of the things that I have done in the past . . . Conversational English classes and Bible studies with women and teenagers. It is my plan to pick up where we left off in the Bible studies on the doctrine of Grace which were so well received during my last visit. I am looking forward to spending time with the children and teens in the residential programs as well as many young adults who have become very precious to me during previous visits. Then, too, there are adults who work in EMC to reconnect with. And, of course, I want to be an encouragement to Premila in whatever way I can be.
NBOM's primary focus is the unreached people of north Bengal and neighboring regions, bringing transformation and healing in their physical, educational, mental, emotional and spiritual lives. Ninety five NBOM pastors and evangelists are placed strategically to preach the Gospel, shepherd and plant more churches. As a result, hundreds are baptized and many new churches are started each year.
This area of Bengal is so very different from Kolkata . . . a big, crowded, dirty and noisy city. Somewhat isolated and rural it will be a different experience for me. I will stay in guest accommodation and be well looked after. It is my prayer that I can quickly fit in, not as the foreign guest, but as a sister/aunty in Christ.
Back in Kolkata, I will not live in the same place, but otherwise plan to do many of the things that I have done in the past . . . Conversational English classes and Bible studies with women and teenagers. It is my plan to pick up where we left off in the Bible studies on the doctrine of Grace which were so well received during my last visit. I am looking forward to spending time with the children and teens in the residential programs as well as many young adults who have become very precious to me during previous visits. Then, too, there are adults who work in EMC to reconnect with. And, of course, I want to be an encouragement to Premila in whatever way I can be.
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