Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

January 3, 2005

As we were approaching the station, Chuba solicited the help of his new-found friend to jostle our luggage to the exit door, since we were half-way down the car. We almost filled up the little entrance way trying to leave space because the door swung inside toward us. With only ten minutes to load and unload, people just cram together to get off and to get on even while we are trying to get off. A sense of panic seems to be resident for travelers.

God is so incredibly good and answers more than our heart desires. I would classify our visit with Charls Joseph Idiculla and his family as a gift to us. We last saw Charls in 2000, when he came to the States to speak at a conference in Chicago where his auntie goes to church. After that we had about two weeks with him in Oregon. Now we will have the opportunity to see the ministry in the field that God confirmed to him while he was in our country.

Our friend, a little more salt and pepper than before, was waiting for us wearing a ski jacket and knitted stocking cap. His white smile was welcoming against his dark Kerala face. We hugged as we met after almost five years. We were looking forward to seeing his family and reminiscing our past together that goes back about ten years. He introduced us to one of his team leaders, Swinu, who helped with the luggage, and we were soon in the jeep, off to the New India Church of God campus where they are living.

Driving the roads in the northern part of West Bengal are only a little better than Nagaland and there are places that we can actually get up to 80 kilometers/hour, but that was at night between the truck convoys. When the rains come, they are torrential and destroy the roadways. Periodically you can find a crew melting tar to make asphalt and another crew applying it. Always Charls was using the brakes, shifting down, or running the bumps like bucking bronco riding.

Chuba stayed with us three nights and headed back to Dimapur, then to his hometown of Changtongya to spend the remaining holiday with his folks. Kilang and his family would join there after his ministry commitments were finished about the 5th of January for a few days. Daniel was up with his grandparents and they would have to bring him back for school. It would be Aienla's first trip there. I knew her grandparents would be excited.

On Christmas evening we went to a CNI church in Dima, where the worship team were going to present the program and Bill would give the message. It went well, except for a couple cultural things that I shared with Charls and he shared with the young men. They accepted my input and changed their presentation to adjust to the change without anyone noticing except me. I encouraged them in the improvement of their presentation.

In the church celebration, this CNI pastor gives recognition to the Father Christmas. Odd I felt, but someone in their history introduced it. Holy Spirit bring the truth to this people.

Christmas day was bright, sunny, and cool enough to wear long underwear. Bill and I gave our little gifts to Chuba and each of Charls' family, who were surprised as they do not get the privilege of exchanging gifts. But we started the day with laughter and the day only got better. We celebrated the day at the New India Church of God in Batpada with Pastor Joseph Rai. Then the evening at a Chuapara cottage meeting in Pastor Peter's humble hut with mud and plank flooring completed a perfect day. Sunday morning service was held at New India Church of God near the Bhutan border in Basra with Pastor Philip. Bill gave the message for the last Sunday in the old year. On the way back, we stopped in to see Pastor Zulu of the Naga Baptist Mission, as Kilang had instructed us to do. They were just getting out of service and we were ushered to a table to be blessed with a surprise congregational lunch (surprise to both them and to us)...all because Chuba introduced himself as Kilang's brother. Now here is a great case for 'who you know'.!

We stopped at another branch of the New India Church of God in Khairbadi South, but Pastor Yuhanna was not there. Instead, we prayed for his son, Pastor David, who would soon be going to another outreach area with his family. It was in this location that the "facilities" were behind by two patty fields and behind a cut down palm. They call it "communing with the fresh air." This little diversion was long enough time for chai to be made. We made the hostess happy and went on our way home. Charls and a few of the team took me to Mechpara #12, the place where Babalu had been working and we met in the home of the first believer in this tea plantation village. It was a precious time sharing a simple Spirit-inspired message. I love going to the villages with the native pastors. I want so badly to be able to speak Hindi. We went back to the village later when it was daylight to see the two-room wooden building (looked to me like an unused chicken coup) that would soon be the home of Babalu and his new bride of four months, Sunitha. It would allow them to be right where they are needed most and be able to get to know the people there.friendship evangelism. We prayed over the new home, their marriage, and their ministry together in this new place.

At 9:30 am Monday morning we started Kingdom Living class, focusing on the Trinity and each Person of the Godhead. The classes lasted three and a half hours, but the time flew by. I also held an English improvement class from 3-5:00 pm. We only held four days of classes because there was much preparation to be done for the Watch Night Service on New Year's Eve. We would be gathering at Pastor Jonathan's in Mechpara #8 tea plantation church, also called New India Church of God.

The Watch Night Service was so much fun. Bill shared a message after the worship time and then the fun began. There were skits, singing, children dancing tribal dances, asking Bible questions to team members so that the audience would get to know the answers (since they don't read or write), and even I got up to try to teach the Thunay, Moojay song in Hindi. I got confused by one of the fellas trying to play the guitar to the song he didn't know. So I ended up having to la,la the tune and then speak the words in Hindi, while everyone was laughing the whole time. I was surprised at myself because I was having so much fun. When the New Year arrived, everyone broke out in singing, and then went around shaking each other's hands and saying, 'Happy New Year' in English. It was almost one in the morning before we got all the equipment back into the jeep. A few of the fellas rode home on bicycles in the dark and the others rode on top of the jeep in the luggage carrier.

Only a few short hours later we were up and climbing back into the jeep for the all day ride to Gangtok, Sikkim (Suk-ham) where Pastor Gabriel B. 'GB' Rai is pastoring the New India Church Of God across from his fifth floor residence. In April the trade route is opening to Tibetan China. From this church branch there will be an opportunity for new evangelistic outreach in this new frontier. GB's son, Pastor Joseph Rai, will be in Jorethang with a new work, but while we are in Gangtok, he would be our tour guide.

We arrived in Gangtok, elevation 5200 km, between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. It was dark and the night air cold. There was no electricity when we came, so we were guided up the stairs with a torch (flashlight) and shown to our bedroom. It felt as cold inside as it was outside. It was. The windows were warped and would not close properly. There is no heating system in these homes. So we felt like we were sleeping outside inside. Under two thick blankets, long underwear, outer clothing and my vest jacket, I slept quite well.

In the morning a knock on the door brought the tea and coffee to wake us up. There was time before the morning service, so I didn't rush to get my clothes changed. Sweety called to me to come with my camera. I grabbed it and followed her up to the roof to see the sun shining on the tip of Mt. Kanchenjunga, in western Sikkim, but the 3rd highest mountain in the world. The highest being, Mt. Everest, also in the Himalayas. From my current vantage point I only got the tip. But Sweety said that we would be going to Darjeeling (pronounced, Dooar-jay'-ling), the city built in the shape of the Buddhist prayer wheel. There we would see the rest of the mountains.

The scenery going through the mountains during the first day in the new year was breathtaking. 'Rangbochar' is Nepali for beautiful. I took a lot of pictures of the views. I may have enough to make a calendar of just this area!!! The roads are narrow and difficult to travel. In some places we have to wait for those coming down to back up, as the vehicles going up have the right of way.

After the morning service, Pastor Joseph took us up the hill to sightsee. Bill remained behind to rest. Joseph directed Charls in the ways to go through these narrow steep 'pathways,' called streets, to get to where we needed to go. The first stop was at Tassi viewpoint. We acted like tourists with all the snaps taken. And again at Ganesh Tok, elevation 6100 kilometers, we got out for more photos.

Our time was running out to be back for the evening service at 4:00. So we did not get a chance to drive farther up to the place where the trade route will be opening in four months. Thirty-five km farther is Nathula, the border town to Tibetan/China at 18,000 feet. The border is another 15 km at 12,400 feet. [The highest that I have been was Emogene Pass in the US Rockies not far from Uray, Colorado, when Patrick was a baby.] It is still invigorating to be up this high enjoying His creation. I will always love the mountains and the truths the Lord has revealed to me over the years.

On the way back, Joseph was giving instructions on how to get to the church home. But in the middle of a circular narrow curve, a policewoman shouted to us to stop. She asked for Charls' license and vehicle registration papers. She said that since we were going down the narrow road the wrong way at the wrong time, the vehicle would need to be impounded. All the children and women had to get down from the jeep and walk back to the church. As Charls turned the jeep around to go back the way we came, I pointed to the jeep and declared that no one would be taking the Lord's property in the name of Jesus. Charls just smiled as the three fellas headed to the police station.

Sweety headed down the hill first, after telling me that here they treat outsiders badly and make them pay high fees. I assured her that we would not be paying one paise penalty. Josiela was holding Pastor Joseph's son's hand, while I was walking alongside praying outloud in the Spirit and declaring favor, forgiveness, and release of the vehicle in the name of Jesus.

The Sunday evening service was delayed in starting, but singing was going on for those who had arrived early. They would wait for the pastor to start whenever he was ready.

Charls, Joseph, and Iliya returned in about fifteen minutes. They went to the station where the policewoman and the authorizing officer were waiting. Charls told them that he had brought some foreigners to visit in the city and did not see any sign designating any time or prevention in going down that street. He said that if he had made a mistake, to please forgive him. After some time passed, they did forgive him, gave the papers back and released the vehicle. So, the enemy of God does not get any victory when there is unity in the Spirit.

I was led to give my life testimony that evening. Bill also gave his before a brief message. Pastor GB said that both our testimonies touched his family personally with the truth, forgiveness, and hope we found in Jesus. The first two days of the new year have been victorious days!!!