Incredible India- experiencing God’s provision first hand!

Words can hardly describe what India is like, let alone sum up 6 weeks of ministry, new experiences, strange cultural habits, Hindu idol worship, hot food and spices, spiritual warfare unlike any we have ever known, smells and sights of poverty known but ignored by the western world, personal struggles and attacks, disbelief at personal growth and change throughout the year, but also experiencing the power of prayer and the very real presence of God in the lives of children so small their faith touches your inner being and makes you wonder why you’re not living the life you have been called to live-to be in constant communion with the Lord and in step with the Spirit! What an example of faith!

Southbound GCEX 2011 team was privileged to spend over 4 weeks at the orphanage in Kota enjoying the company of some wonderful 500+ children between the ages of 3-18. From 4-30^th Oct we spent time daily with the children sharing about Christ through many different means including dramas, music, dances, personal testimonies, sharing the Word and preaching, games, and just by hanging out with them. During the course of our time at the orphanage and with the surrounding ministries, we were privileged to be involved in a number of areas of the ministry and work including:

-Our initial first few weeks focus was on medical clinics with our doctor and nurse team (Louis and Hanalie )and occupational therapist (Max), and with all the willingness of the rest of the team to help wherever needed all 500 children had their vitals, physical and mental abilities assessed- a monumental effort considering the make-shift clinic and time given to complete such a  task!

 

-teaching the children in the schools with different subjects– communications (Heather), computers (Tian), maths (Gerherd), English and music (Erin), and even a girls choir (Gehta)

 

 

-work projects around the orphanage included fixing school benches, building repairs and leaking pipes (Jean)

-Bettina designed and architected the construction of a memorial garden and building for the beloved founder of the orphanage, with numerous hours of drawing and planning

-whole team efforts to clean both girls and boys hostels, and wash all their bedding and sleeping mats

-whole team efforts to de-lice the entire orphanage and present the children with little gifts for their hair or stickers/bouncy balls for the boys

-praying for and with the children for their futures and encouraging personal growth in the Lord

-play games and sports with the children during their school breaks and in the evenings

-And we even got to run a talent show evening for the children to enjoy and celebrate their gifts that God has given them!

 

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Our whole time in India is a miracle story and testimony to God’s faithfulness! A few weeks before flying into India to begin our next ministry phase, we were assessing the available finances and realised that we did have enough money in the budget to get to our ministry points, let alone have to finances to feed and accommodate the team, or even be able to get anything for the children to bless them and the ministry. Trusting in the Lord, we put out some prayer requests to our personal and team supporters, a blog went up on the global website, and within a few days of departing for India we had some funds come in to get us through the first week of Veritas III bible course up in the mountains. Upon arriving in India we discovered more funds had been donated and we had enough money to get the train fare down from Delhi south to the orphanage in Kota. Throughout the next month money was donated each week through the blog, the fundraising efforts of our supporters in our local churches and donations received online. By the end of our time in Kota we had enough money available to purchase much need supplies for the orphanage and even bless the children with a few gifts for their personal use.

 

 

 

These included sports equipment such as numerous sports bats and balls; a chicken dinner for the 500 children which they receive once a year; medical supplies to cover the children’s expenses for a month; and also team-up with another visiting group to supply the children with health and hygiene items such as shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes for each child, sanitary items, soap, hair clips and play things, and even a pair of new underwear each!

 

What a blessing from the Lord to experience firsthand His provision for not only our daily needs of food and accommodation, but to give us above and beyond what we required to meet the needs of those around us, through us. It was such a humbling situation we were faced with going into our Indian ministry time with nothing to bless the children with or even to get by ourselves, but the Lord saw that need and supplied in His faithfulness!

 

 

As such, we can echo what Paul spoke of in Philippians 4:18-20 (NIV)...

^“18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

 

Where You Go, I Go- performed by Jesus Culture

'Though the world sees and soon forgets

We will not forget who you are and what you’ve done for us'

India was an incredible country to experience, but it was certainly the place where we learnt of trusting God in His provision completely. What begun as our last ministry country for our Global Southbound journey, ended up being the country that impacted the team as a whole the most. The children were inspirational to our own journey with the Lord. What an impact they have made on us- a lasting impression of trust and faith in the Lord, and despite their personal hardships and circumstances of the past, they believe that it is only in and through Christ that we have hope, freedom and true life! Amen!