2010 India Mission Trip

Those that are on the February 2010 trip are:

Jan Devine, Tim Devine, Kristy Mansfield, Todd Mansfield, Saima Naik, Jay Peak, Annette Smith, Bill Burmeister (former member), Kathy Burmeister (former member), Lois Burmeister (Bill's mother), Mike B. (First Assemblies, Binghamton) and Richard P. (Owego Presbyterian).

In the patient presence of the Lord, we sit and pray today: that we might live his truth, that we are infused with his light, that we trust the path he puts before us, that he is here, always here, in our hearts, where he writes his living law of love, that guides our walk, that guides our days. Dear God, through Christ enliven our time together, that we might feel you walking with us on this trip, that we might feel you beside us every hour. Amen.

March 5, 2010 - Some Post-Trip Thoughts

Greetings -

Sorry I have not gotten anything out about my India trip. We returned to an all but closed Newark airport due to crazy East coast snowstorms then slid back to Endwell. After a short snooze I found myself at work and haven’t really breathed since.

Honestly it took more than two weeks to begin unpacking my head from that trip. We saw a lot and experienced a lot in a very short time. Figure that of the 10 days the better part of 4 were spent traveling. In the remaining six days, we met hundreds of people, were entertained and celebrated, heard amazing stories and led an evangelistic conference. And because of rebel Maoists planning to cause havoc with the transportation system, we ended up missing our scheduled play day with the orphanage children. That change allotted additional time in Bhubaneswar where we witnessed a night of Hindu weddings before heading to Delhi where we visited Gandhi (Indri, Rajiv & Mahatma) exhibits and memorials.

Seeing the multitudes of people, the poverty, the cows, the smiles and holding the children and hearing the stories made for a heart changing experience. And for me, a real eye opener was realizing that people I know are very quietly doing a big work on the other side of the world. They are heeding God’s call by providing wise and decent support in ways that seem to make a real difference.

In India’s state of Orissa there has been long-standing tension between the Hindu majority and the growing Christian movement. Two years ago there was a big wave of persecution led by radical Hindu’s, with the area around G.Udayagiri being one of the hardest hit. An orphanage in that town – Nanda – supported by my friends’ organization, GPMO, was spared of any violent acts and has continued to be a haven for displaced and uncared for children.

Once the government stepped in and order was restored, there was a need to repair property and relationships on both sides of the fence. Investment through GPMO into a struggling hospital, a women’s college and a local leper community allowed grace to be felt throughout the community to all people regardless of religion or social standing. It also allowed Nanda orphanage to do some modest upgrades without calling attention to the investment. One objective of this trip was to visit Nanda and the other places and determine next steps.

The great part was that each day we returned to Nanda to find +/- 130 kids being loved, fed and schooled. They are a family that knows Jesus and lives life together complete with joys and struggles. One highlight was that I met a boy that we have been supporting for the past two years…he is 18 and in the midst of testing to see if he can advance to college. Should he pass his matriculation test, he can go to college and has a shot at government employment which is good. If he doesn’t pass but ends up in tech school his prospects are okay while no additional schooling limits his prospects. We are praying for his future and for that of a number of other children that are in the same place. Many have been at Nanda for 7-10 years which means it is home and they eventually need to move on.

Truly, going is only part of the mission; it seems that God’s best work is often in the follow-up. We are in the process of updating the organization’s web site, renewing our sponsorship program ($15 per month to sponsor a child if you are interested), arranging for more beds so that all the children have one, developing a better graduation/exit strategy for the older children, and finding ways for the orphanage to sustain itself in a way that also benefits others in the community. Personally, I have a renewed resolve to be available to God’s bidding.

No doubt more will work its way out of my head in the future, and I will share what seems worthwhile. In the meantime I leave you with the attached pictures.

Peace,

Jay

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010

The team has arrived safely back home amongst the snow! They were one of four planes allowed to land and then drove slowly back to Endicott. We are thankful for their safe arrival and look forward to hearing the impact this trip has made.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010

Hi!

We are in New Delhi, having arrived last night with no problem. Since our flight doesn't leave until 11:30 pm, we will visit the Gandhi museum and some other sights until we need to go to the airport. We spent good time this morning talking about our impressions of the trip, how it will impact our own lives, and how we can move forward to continue supporting what God is already doing in Orissa. We are grateful for Hemant preparing the way for our visit and how he and Saima have shared with us the privilege of serving God in Orissa.

The India team

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010

A quick email before the electricity goes off. We will be leaving this morning for Bhubaneshwar instead of tomorrow. There is a transportation strike that is supposed to start at midnight tonight throughout Orissa, so we need to cover the 6-hour drive before that begins. We would like to change our tickets from BBR to New Delhi, but that probably won't be possible. So we will stay at a hotel in BBR and fly to New Delhi tomorrow as planned.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2010

Hi, everyone-

All is well here. Yesterday we began the morning with a 5-6 mile walk to and from Saima's home town. We saw the devastation from the last wave of persecution: her home and all the homes of the local Christians were burned down. Only a few have dared to return and begin rebuilding their lives.

We spent the afternoon at the leper village, and before and into the evening with worship and teaching from and to 150-200 "delegates"- pastors and local church leaders.

Today is the hospital celebration and more time with the delgates. Have to send this quickly- the electricity goes off in 2 mintues!

Greetings to all,
The India team

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010 (Received via text message)

All is well. Will try to write soon. Annette Discovered cell service At leper village. Jan

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We have not been able to communicate before this because the phone and internet lines have been down. But we arrived safely last night after a long, uneventful trip. Our night in New Delhi turned out to be very short, only 1-2 hours of sleep before turning around and getting back on a domestic flight to Bhubaneshwar. Then we had a 6-hour drive to reach Nanda, where the children greeted us with song, dance and many flowers. It was a wonderful welcome! The construction of the second floor girls’ dormitory and guest rooms is complete enough that we are able to use the area.

Most of us were awake long before the sun rose as we get used to the 10 ½ hour time change. At 6:00 am we joined the children of the orphanage for their morning devotions. We spent the morning at the Moorshead Memorial Christian Hospital (MMCHT), which had been closed until last year when Grace and Peace Mission to Orissa (GPMO) began providing minimal support. MMCHT offers basic care for people in the area, regardless of social or religious status. Although the hospital lacks resources and anything considered modern, the care it offers has been a huge part of the peacemaking effort in the area since the waves of persecution against Christians in 2008-2009. Annette and Todd were able to see some patients, and we took many medical supplies that had been donated.

In the afternoon we went to the local Hindu college for women. Our minimal support there is another way to rebuild peace between Hindus and Christians. The young women presented us with flowers and performed cultural dances and songs. We were able to donate two of the laptops we took to help them develop their computer lab.

Everyone hit the “wall” tonight, so after dinner we hope to get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow is a long day as we travel several hours to visit Belghar. The people in this area are part of an animist tribe and have no written language yet. Since our first visit two years ago, GPMO has been able to build a school – the first to serve the 10 surrounding villages. Again, we will take the gifts sent or provided by all of you back home. Building a relationship with the people of Belghar is a first step before local Christians will invite them to hear the good news of the gospel.

We are blessed to be here!