7:15 pm 10/6 Indiana
LAST JOURNAL ENTRY
Waiting for the 6:20 am train to Calcutta at the Adra station
Today we begin our journey home. We will land in Chicago 48 hours from now.
I believe this week has been a big one in our lives. First, a look back at yesterday. I spoke three times; 8:00 am (hold the rope); 11:00 am (How Peter kept the Fire Hot); and 6:00 pm (You have no Idea what Jesus wants to do).
Yesterday was also goodbye. Most of the youth left right as teh session ended. The Northeasst crew loaded their buses for their 30 hour ride home. Others took the night train to Calcutta. Those from the Southeast boarded their train for their 36 hour ride. There were some very tough goodbyes to be said.
For most anyboey, when camp comes to an end it can be said. You do want to say goodbye. Yet, in this case as we say goodbye, I recognize that many go back to a dark place where they are very alone. 1.8% Christian conservatively; 5% liberally. Either way, to be a Christ follower is to stand alone. Where will they go from here? What will God do in the life of:
- Pinkie - The young Hindu girl from the Northeast who was Jesus in a vision on the last night, and she gave Christ the key to the door of her heart.
- Ravi - The horse jockey in training from Hindi Fellowship. He's the only Christ-Follower in his family, the rest Hindu, and he's "holding the rope" for them.
- Joash - The ADD guitar player training to be a flight attendant. Sooo much potential
- Pinkie and Priyanka - The two gals from the Missions girls sschoool. Priyanca put her trust in Christ for the first time. Pinkie is in training to be a school teacher (English) and wants to use her abilities for the Lord.
- Anshuman - He's 6 months from graduating from Bible College and heading for a year to Bihar, a state in India that is very dark, needy, and hostile to the Gospel.
So much potential.
So much more I wish I could do.
So blessed to see true repentance and abandonment of all for the cause.
As we go; I somehow know there will be a return. When? It may be a little longer this time around. Where? I'm not sure. Northeast? Calcutta? Raghunathpur? Youth-o-Ramah? Janelle and I? A team of Youth?
Why did we come?
I think it was a "for such a time as this" moment. It seemed like we were the right individuals at the right time for the right event.
Also, as I started this journey, I recognized that this was my last week of my 20s. That week has now become days. As I enter my 30s, I'm thinkking this week has been a reminder that this life is not mine. It's the reality of the keys. Will I give him access to every part of me? In this past week, I feel I have been able to live and minister as one. Not a split life. I feel as though I shared from a pure heart and mind. I fell in love with people halfway around the world.
May my 30s be marked by a life of complete and utter abandonment of all things for the sake of Christ.... Philippians 3:7-10
1 comment:
I googled Raghunathpur and found this BLOG. I found this very interesting because I spent some of my growing up years living in Raghunathpur with my parents who were missionaries. The last time I was at Raghunathpur was about 1969. I am planning a trip to India in March 2008 with my wife and daughter. Raghunathpur is one stop we are going to make. I have many childhood memories from there. Joychandi-pahar is the land-mark cannot wait to see and would like to climb to the top. Thanks Gary Gamble
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