Mission India

Mission India - December 5, 2007

Dear Family,

In the weeks just prior to our trip, the enemy launched his attack at our most vulnerable spot - he attacked our wives. Because they are such mature women of God they saw if for what it was and pressed in to the only source of hope - Jesus Christ. They decided that in spite of the giants in the land they were going to release each of us to India. At our packing party Suellen prayed a prophetic word over each of us and by the time we got on the plane each of the situations we were dealing with had been resolved. Each man felt fully released to get on the plane unhindered.

We left late Friday evening and arrived in Calcutta only a few hours behind the scheduled time. The trip from the airport to our hotel was a weird, surreal experience. We saw billboards advertising Gucci and the like while immediately below the signs were homeless men and women looking through the debris for something of value. My first impression was almost an overwhelming sense of crushing poverty and so many people! No matter where you look there is a steady stream of humanity.

After a few hours of rest we headed downtown to meet with the out-of-work rickshaw pullers. We walked into a small rented hall and were greeted by over a hundred street kids from 4 schools run by a pastor who is fully sponsored by Mission India. They welcomed us, and then sang songs of praise to Jesus. Each of us spoke a word of greeting and spent a few minutes with the kids. The kids left and the rickshaw pullers arrived. I had the privilege of talking to them about a God who knew their names and loved them so much that He had provided them a way out of their hopeless future and was building them a home in eternity.  Each man had a lifetime of struggle, poverty, and hardship written all over their faces. But they also had this undeniable hope there too.

After we prayed together they took us outside and showed us a rickshaw. I climbed in one and one of the men lifted the handles as if he were taking me somewhere. I felt the need to get out of that cart - it just didn't feel right. We went back inside and while the men were enjoying a feast that the Waterboyz for Jesus provided, the pastor talked with the team about the dreams of these 35 men - dreams of transition to other means of earning an income since rickshaw pulling has been outlawed. For a cost of about $50-60 each of these men has the potential of doubling their income without having to endure the physical demands. Rajendra will be meeting with the pastor in the next few days to sort out the process for accountability and start-up. The Waterboyz for Jesus have already committed the funds to seed this start-up and look forward to hearing stories of how God uses this initiative to His glory!

The next day we experienced the first of four Dream Center visits. These Dream Centers are part of a network of eighteen locations that provides a residential living place for 1,800 orphans. Every orphanage is run by a pastor who views his job as providing each child with the tools he or she needs to have a future. The most important of these is to have a life-changing personal relationship with Jesus. As we pulled up to the Center we were greeted by several drummers and dancers who led us into the Center with great fanfare. After getting a tour of the facilities we were treated to a program put on by the kids. Each Dream Center has it owns personality and flavor but the recurring theme is a celebration of the radical transformation in the children’s lives because of who Jesus is and what He has done. They sang praises to their friend Jesus with enthusiasm, energy, and passion. The dancing and routines were unbelievably involved and beautiful. The kids worshipped with their whole being and we were undone!

Our second stop was at the Barakati Dream Center where we helped dedicate the new wing that the Waterboyz for Jesus had funded. It was an overwhelming experience to see just how much a few men making small sacrifices could accomplish for the Kingdom.  I had the privilege of unveiling the plaque honoring the gift of the Boyz and quoting John 7:37,38 claiming the promise that if we accept the living water of Jesus Christ it will become a groundswell of water flowing out of each of us. As I looked into each child’s eyes, I knew I was seeing these words of Jesus come to life. We then celebrated together with the children performing well-practiced dancing routines, all the kids singing praise songs, and a few men of God speaking the gospel to hundreds of people from the surrounding community. Seeds were planted that will bear fruit in the coming months and years. God was honored and lives were changed. I can say this with confidence because I know five men (the team) who will never be the same! We were speechless and overwhelmed!

Late that afternoon we journeyed back deep into the interior to visit with 100 lepers. Somehow they had heard we were coming and had gathered. They are outcasts from their villages and rejected by family, neighbors and the government. The rest of their lives are doomed to being beaten and chased away whenever they get too close. As we walked up to where they all were, they began to sing a song of praise to Jesus. A man wearing a wool cap stood and sang and sang. I looked around and could not grasp what I was seeing - these wretched men and women who are racked with profound pain praising God. We all wept. I don't know what to do with this - many of the women had a child or two. Little kids born into a life of rejection and a high risk of getting the death sentence themselves. We each talked for a few minutes about the reality of our God and His heart. A heart for the least of these - a heart for them!

Good News India, our host, provided blankets and a snack for each person. We handed out the blankets and placed our hands on each person’s head in blessing. I will always remember the men and women hobbling off into the surrounding fields with a blanket clutched under their arms, or in some cases stumps of arms. They have no shelter and in most cases no possessions, only the clothes on their backs. On the way back Dr. Rahman showed us where a leper compound could be build that would allow these 100-150 rejected souls a place of peace and care. Please God - in your infinite love let this come to pass!

Tuesday we visited a Dream Center built by a couple who had lost their 21 year old son in a tragic accident. Rather then living in the past and in their pain they choose to invest in a future. They realized that the best way to honor their son’s life was to provide a future for hundreds of boys and girls. The kids had gotten up at 5am to practice their program one more time before the guests arrived. They were SO excited to perform for us. After the program we had breakfast with the pastor and his wife who run the orphanage. As we were talking he shared a dream about a play area for the kids which would draw the community in as well. He talked about the opportunity this would provide to speak the name of Jesus in a place were speaking that Name has the potential for being beaten, jailed, or worse. A few of the team members bought 3 swing sets for their playground on the spot!

We then headed to the site of the future Lodha Dream Center. Many members of the Lotha tribe are fugitives from the law, wanted for multiple murders and other crimes. Through a miracle connection, a couple from our area - Don & Makiko Harrison - completely funded the building of a facility that will house 350 Lotha orphans. There is already a day care being held for several hours a day and by mid-January the residential program will be in full swing. When the staff arrived most of the kids were naked and had never had a haircut. As they learn about Jesus and their worth, a transformation begins immediately. When we arrived we were greeted by several Lodha men dressed in matching shirts with peacock headbands and with bells fastened around their waists and legs. As the drummers played they danced us into the compound and to the place of honor prepared for us. Another program of kids dancing, the audience praising God, and preaching of the Gospel to many who had never heard the story before. Again seeds were planted and Jesus was lifted up in a way that will provide fruit in the Kingdom!

We reached to last Dream Center late afternoon to another greeting. After a quick meal we again were provided a program. This stop was my personal highlight of the trip so far -  watching 171 kids praising God with their whole bodies. When the pastor prayed, the kids began to pray. I watched them as this happened and they were praying to a God who was there - close – personal.  I felt the wings of the angels brush my face. My heart raced as the Holy Spirit thundered into the place. We all were swept up and began to dance, and sing, and praise Him. I watched kids raise their hands and voices and oh how they worshipped! I will never forget the sweet presence of God in that place! We concluded the evening with our team performing the Good Samaritan story with a skit. The kids LOVED IT! Thank you Jeannie for all the AWESOME material for the kids - we have used all of it.

We still have a trip to an 'at-risk' orphanage for girls tomorrow and a visit with those who we have already helped start micro-businesses in Calcutta. We have seen God in such a clear and powerful way. We will need time to unpack all that we have seen and experienced. We have been changed - our view of Eternity is SO clear right now.  We are in the middle of a God adventure that we pray will never end - let this be a beginning!

Written by Paul Foss on behalf of the team