Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

January 31, 2006

We got up at 4:30 am, bathed and walked to the train station for our three hour trip on wooden seats. We arrived into Siliguri and hour late. We secured two bicycle rickshaws to get to Svenu’s house where the Sunday service is held. As soon as we arrived, I headed to the latrine and immediately Bill was introduced and invited to speak. We only had one hour to pray for the people and eat our lunch. Inspite of all the rushing, we were late to the slum because we needed three bicycle rickshaws and the drivers could not agree on a fee. I felt bad that I had not taken any photos. Then I saw that Svenu had a camera snapping some scenes. I asked for a copy. Sometimes I feel that it is not wise to take out the camera, depending on where we are at.

Before leaving Siliguri, we tried to exchange some cash, but the rate was only Rs 43.2, so we only did $100 until the rate was better. The return train was only a little late and we were back to Hamiltonganj for our evening snack, prayer, and bed all before ten pm. It was a long day and we slept quickly.

It was a good thing that class on the campus begins at 10:00 am. I was sleeping like a log until 8:00 am. The children left for school at 8:30. It became quiet very quickly. The day seemed full of activity: I gave an introduction and an assignment about speaking the word in our daily lives, followed by an hour with English phonograms. I then made coleslaw salad for two meals and walked with Sweety to have her clothes stitched that I brought her from Mumbai. While in the market area, I found a royal blue three piece fabric for a chudidar for Rs 250 with stitching for additional Rs 30 to be done on Friday. I even sneaked in a forty-five minute nap.

At six in the evening, we left for the cottage meeting at tea garden number twelve in Bablu’s church. Sunita, his wife, was sick and this was why she was not in the morning class. Bill would share in the cottage meetings while I taught in the New India Church of God Training Center four mornings a week.

I perceived something in the man I had been introduced to as a teacher at the center who taught once a week on Mondays. I sensed that he was unsaved and mentioned it to Charls. What Charls sadly shared indicated that this man was indeed unsaved and I said that he would be better off getting a job, rather than playing pastor and scheming for money. Lord, we forgive the sinner, but You bring justice to light on wicked behavior because of Your great mercy. Amen.

I went to a Christian wedding with Sweety and her friend, Biki in Makalapuri, over an hour away. They are a tribal people because I noticed they had a different dress. It appears that it is a cross between the Naga sepati and the saree, something more like the combination of the two. Very attractive in it’s presentation on the ladies.

We arrived and went to a relative’s home where we got a refreshment and use of the toilet. Following the others, we went through the ‘tent walk’ fully decorated with plastic flowers and crepe streamers. Through the tent tunnel we passed on the right a tent full of people sitting on chairs. Going left took us passed another tent on the left where tables were set up and people were eating as servers filled their plates. They were being seated in shifts. Ahead of us was a larger tent with people seated and a platform where people were filing to and fro with gifts for the married couple. Biki led us to the right and up the front stairs of a house which was part of the festive activity. Here we were told the bride was changing her clothes, we walked to the end of the porch, and were introduced to the groom, who had not changed clothes yet. We were seated on the bench and Biki left us alone. Shortly, an English-speaking uncle came to introduce himself and his wife. He stayed with us visiting, while we watched the stream of people going in and out of the bride’s changing room. We never met the bride, so I guess the groom was Biki’s relation. Later, the uncle was signaled by someone. We left with him to find us a place to sit in the eating tent. He served us himself to be sure we were sufficiently supplied. When we had enjoyed enough of the mutton curry, rice, dal, and sweet dessert, Sweety and I walked back to the house we started in to find Biki and look for our taxi driver.

It was dark when we got back to Hamiltonganj and Sweety told me that she and I were to stop in at the new beauty shop. Rita wanted me to come with my wig on. So we changed clothes, I put on the wig and we walked over to the beauty shop with Nunita, the houseowner, and Sweety’s youngest son, Asher. I was given the only chair in the shop and before I knew it I felt like I was the Wooden Indian statue for all the souvenir photos. Rita even posed as if she was cutting my long hair. I took a few photos of the people I knew and we left.

Charls, Bill, and I hopped the local bus to Jaigaon to check email and exchange currency. We found out that we could not go into Bhutan as we had been able to do last time. It is because of terrorists we are told. So Charls asks around for the closest internet café. No bank would exchange our cash, but people know where an exchange can be done, so they directed Charls as Bill and I are at the café doing the emails.

We ate our lunch in a family style hotel (restaurant). Charls and I had palak paneer (cooked, spiced spinach with cheese chunks) and Bill ate soup with cheese sandwich before catching the bus back. Charls had rescheduled my classes so we could go, but the bus was late and I only had a half hour left. I gave the assignment and dashed to the room to change and wash up for the distribution of the sweaters we bought for the Sunday School children in the tea gardens where New India team was working. We distributed to two (Batpara and Chuapara) of the three groups before the evening cottage meeting. We were short ten sweaters. Those kids would get theirs on Sunday, but we included them in the group picture.

I learned ‘take courage’ in Hindi – ‘himmut rakho’ as we were riding back to Hamiltonganj in the taxi. Charls kids were laughing at me as I practiced to say it correctly. They were happy that I was learning more Hindi. We ate our supper, prayed, and went to bed wiped out.

Charls interpreted the praying scriptures lesson with me and left after the first session. I do the English phonograms without him. It gives the students practice to speak to me in English slowly when he is not there. They understand some words, but the practice is what they need.

There was no evening meeting on Thursday. The school had a holiday so the kids were home too. Shalome, Abel, and Asher sat with me while I did a pedicure and foot treatment on Sweety’s cracked dry feet outside in the sun. While did Sweety’s feet, the kids and I worked on English. Nunita came out to join our troupe and was taken by the fact that I was doing Sweety’s feet. She said that no one touches another’s feet. She asked me why I did. I told you do when you love someone and this is my way of showing it.

Later, I gave both ladies a facial, i.e. showed them how to steam their faces, gave a face scrub, rinse the face in warm water, then splash it in cold water, following all up with face cream. They loved it and wanted to know how soon they could have another one. I even showed them how to make tea and use milk powder…again something they never had! Shalome told me that they are learning too much from me. [Thank you, Lord, for giving me these little children to show Your love to.]

Shalome came into our room (actually her room she has given up to us) to ask me if she could copy some recipes and scriptures in English for her to use. She likes to read English books. She poured her heart out about how much she understood when she read the new book we brought for her dad (Foundations for Righteous Living, by Derek Prince). She wants to do ministry someday. I told her to continue to read and what she learns to teach to her friends. She can practice to be a Sunday School teacher. Her smile indicated the idea was pleasing. [Use her, Lord, for Your glory.]