Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

January 9, 2005

Bright and early on the crispy Monday morning, we headed out of Sikkim with Joseph as our guide for Darjeeling, located on the other side of the mountain range south of where we began. He would go with us as far as Siliguri and catch a bus or taxi back to Gangtok. I know that he will be physically exhausted by the time he reaches home in the early hours of the next morning. The main road is difficult to navigate and narrow through the mountains sharing with the large trucks that traverse bringing goods to the high places.

It would take us about four hours to move toward Darjeeling where we would have lunch and sightsee. But due to the road conditions, "communing with the fresh air," and vomit stops for the children and those riding in the back seats, we ended up eating lunch at a tourist inn where they promote lodging and rafting before reaching the city.

Our first stop in the Darjeeling area was at the Batasia war memorial at 7410 kilometers elevation. We got a snap of the narrow rail steam train that takes seven hours to come up from Siliguri for only Rs 65. But if you take the 'Joy Ride' between a couple of villages, then you pay Rs 250 for an hour ride. Truly tourist targeted.

We passed the last stop of the second highest railway station in the world at Ghoom, which means, 'bamboo rain hut with roof made with leaves.' Its elevation is 7418 km.

We made our way into Darjeeling which is spread out on the mountainside with a perfect view of Mt. Kanchenjunga in full sight. When we stopped to eat our early evening meal about 4 pm I took a couple of snaps while waiting for our meal. Afterwards we walked up to the broad place where four streets come together in the market square. We continued down the street directly ahead and made a circle passed the college and the Tibetan students' school and the viewpoint returning to the square where Bill was waiting for us. We had sent food to Charls while he watched over the jeep and the belongings up on top of the jeep. Things are easily and quickly stolen when one is not watching. We found out that the police had come three times to harass him for sitting in a parked vehicle and not moving. He got out and watched from across the street, then behind overseeing the safety of the Lord's property.

Mother Nature called and there was no communing with fresh air in the city. No one was willing to show me the public toilets because I was informed that they are too dirty. So Joseph took me, Josiela, and Salome back to the restaurant where we ate.up several levels of stairs, traffic, and to the second floor. Praise the Lord for His grace; we made it with fast beating hearts.

After piling everyone back into the jeep we tried to leave town. Due to some traffic congestion, we were directed another way, turning here and there, no signs to guide us, until we came to a place we recognized as having come. It was beginning to get dark and Charls knew that we had some difficult mountain riding to do in the dark. So we prayed and headed on our descent. It seemed like it took longer to get down than to go up and it probably did. We had to give the right of way to all the trucks and vehicles coming up the mountain. This meant that if Charls missed his opportunity to get through a narrow place, then we had to back up on the road until there was a place for the truck to pass. I sat by the window in the front seat with my window rolled down directing him how close he could get to the edge. [It is not easy to back up in the dark on a narrow mountain road with a carload of people.] Charls is a very good driver and cautious, but he gained a headache on the way down.

Siliguri is at the base of the mountains and we were excited to get there, not for the fact that we were safely down, but for the bargain shopping that Sweety and I planned to do for a little while before heading back to Hamilton Ganj two and ½ hours farther. It also gave Charls a chance to refresh and rest.

Finding a sweater for Sweety and Abel and a few other minor items, we headed for the Dooars. [Bill and I decided that we would do our shopping in Delhi area when we knew how much room we would have in our suitcases.] We arrived safely back to the church campus at 11:30 pm. What a whirlwind weekend!!!

The last three Kingdom Living classes were focused on the practicality of applying the scripture to our lives and ministry in speaking the word, believing God for our requests, and expecting answers for which we must be prepared for. The days went extremely fast and Friday the 7th was ready for us to move to Siliguri again to catch the train to Delhi. Tearfully we said blessings to each one - Babalu and Sunitha, Rathesh, Surag, Keren, Miran, Benjamin, Sweety, and Josiela. We had hugged and kissed the children before they left for school. Swinu, Juby, and Iliyapane would ride with us to help get our bags on the train. Even then it was sweet sorrow to say goodby until the next time.

On the way, we talked about the New India Church of God ministry with 16 outstations in the Dooars and four in Sikkim; one mobile team; two areas targeting children's ministry; the bible training center; and the four pioneering church work and its associated outstations that we didn't visit. So much to do and so few laborers.

In Siliguri we went to the location where they will hold the Festival of Blessing crusade. We prayed over the ground and I took a couple snaps. It is hard to get the dimensions by photo, but we know that God is going to do miracles here. Charls and the men who came with us will have other things to do in the morning before going back. Hamilton Ganj is around 246 kilometers from here and by the time we leave it will be too late anyway for them to go back. They will have to find a hostel for them to sleep. Sweety will be looking for their return with her surprise.

We had Charls go ahead and inquire on the price of a semi-automatic washing machine badly needed for their ministry. He came back and informed us that we would need to cash our traveler's checks for the rupees to pay for it. We were right in front of the bank. The first floor sent us upstairs. The second floor sent us up to the traveler's check window where we waited for the staff person to return from lunch. At that point we learned that this was not the window we wanted, but upstairs farther. Getting there we had to wait for the person who had just left for lunch. When he returned, we had no problem in securing the paperwork and the identity token to take back downstairs to the first floor window #104. Again no one was there. No problem, the pink copy of my paperwork had not been sent down yet, so be patient.

A young man tossed a book and my folded pink receipt into the empty cage. The banker in charge of this cage asked if I wanted larger bills, to which I said yes. He left to go get them. When he finally returned, I handed him my token and he gave me the cash with the firm instructions to count it. In agreeing with his count, I thanked him for his efficiency and wished him a good day.

Next we went to the home appliance shop and I got to choose the appropriate semi-automatic red colored plastic covers of Sweety's new machine. This one was the only one with a column agitator with a separate extractor that would spin while the washing tub was running by Whirlpool. It was also reasonably priced at Rs 6300 or $147. It would make life for her home and hospitality ministry easier.

We picked up some Darjeeling tea and stopped for Indian fast food lunch on the way to the station. We got there in time, but waited for the tardy transportation. It gave us a little more time to fellowship with the men that came with us by shelling and eating the peanuts that Bill had. In no time the boggy we were to be in arrived and we pushed our way down the track to its location. We were assigned on the small side of the isle, which created the challenge of getting our luggage under two seats and in the bunk above. Bill and I would sleep with bags at our feet.

Hugging each one goodby and promising we would call when we arrived in Delhi, the fellas got off as the train began to move. They waited as our window passed to send the last wave and smile to us. I can only comfort myself with the thought that we may be coming again. Please Lord, send us back here.

Being tired, we passed off supper, secured our bags with the chains, and slept through the night. I took advantage of the morning privacy and began writing my reflections.

Friday, 8th January, 2005: In the early morning haze heading to Delhi, the air is cold. People are wrapped in shawls and barefoot, although a few have sox and chappals for warmth. It's the way of life here. The washing water is cold.

Ten to fifteen minutes before the train passes, the crossing gate closes and the traffic gathers to wait and watch as if giving reverence to the warning horn continuously blowing acknowledging the people's stance. Unfortunately, some people use the train as a means of suicide for their distraught and hopeless lives. Not far from Charls' place, a man was desperately trying to save his foolish friend as the engine took them both to their eternal destination.

Coming into Allahabad Junction on the east side, we crossed a large river. We are in the low water season, but high water evidence is clearly etched into the land. Above this begins the frail wood and mud huts of those souls who live precariously close to eternity. These do not hold up to the power of the waters that surge up in the torrential rainy season. People drown every year. These are the souls the churches in these cities need to reach, but the need has been dimmed by the same things that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees.

It grieved me to hear that out of 53 churches in Siliguri, only two were willing to help New India Church of God with the crusade that could potentially grow their own churches. Lord, where is faith?

The last three days in class in Hamilton Ganj, the class submitted themselves to God, putting on God's armor, and taking the spiritual land to possess and occupy it for the crusade, the tea plantation villages where at least one believer has been harvested, and for the new door to Tibetan China. The Holy Spirit challenged these young men to allow Him to stretch their faith for souls to lead to Jesus and for more laborers to help them. When the men realized that it is not themselves who will accomplish these things, their countenances changed with understanding and the zeal within them surfaced.

We prayed for two hours for souls to come into the kingdom, even asking for a blessing of souls for the two churches who are willing to help with the crusade. We were so full of the Holy Spirit and faith that by evening we were singing and dancing to the worship video, 'Touching Heaven, Changing Earth,' by Hillsong. How satisfying it is to be in the middle of where God wants you to be - right in the middle of His Presence!!! Charls lives in the Dooars where the jungle area is the home for the Bengal tiger, the one-horned rhino, the largest elephants, and pythons. There is a place near his home that for $50, you can ride in the elephant basket and roam through places in the jungle to see the wildlife. [Maybe next time we can plan for this tourist attraction.] Coming back one evening through the jungle on the state road, Charls came upon a group of elephants. He immediately stopped, turned off the lights, and backed the jeep far away to wait for the elephants to finish crossing. He had witnessed men killed and crushed by them when they attempted to chase the elephants away.

On another occasion, the team was returning from ministering. In the road was a large snake about 8-10" in diameter. He didn't want to run over it and damage the vehicle. He focused the headlights on its eyes to blind it while the brothers stoned it to death in order to protect the small livestock and children in the area. We do not take the protection of the Lord for granted. Even when we have to "commune with the fresh air," we ask for protection from whatever lurks, i.e. spiders, scorpions, snakes, leopards, etc. We depend on prayer, especially appreciative of those who think of us while we are gone.

Another surprise has been given to me.daylight to see Kanpur after 34 years! It was in this city that the Lord touched my heart for India before I knew Him personally. I wonder if Lalit Srivastava still lives here and works for the pharmaceutical company that Mel and I toured back then. He would be perhaps in his 60's now.

As throughout, some things have changed and some things have not. Only one thing is sure, the gospel must be preached to every creature.