• India Kid-Mission Report
Well, I am home from India. What a Kid Mission trip! I was gone 17 days. I traveled 25,000 miles by plane and rented vehicles. In eleven days, I spoke over 30 times in organized meetings (excluding the travel days). I spoke to over 4,000 children. I had such an adventurous time seeing such a diverse county like India. I am sure it will impact me for years to come.
My Kid Mission really turned out to be two trips in one. The first was with C.V. (Chako Vadanana) traveling to four states: Maharashta, Gujarat, Kerala, Andra Pradesh, and the other state was Tamil Nadu with Noah Jebaraj in Aruppukottai.
Working with two national missionary/evangelists, I got a great exposure to Sathyam Ministries and SSC Ministries. There were numerous decisions to follow Jesus, as he was able to strategically illustrate the gospel with gospel magic, ventriloquism and object lessons. I enjoyed a wide variety of ministry venues, like these: Public schools, private schools, missions schools, an orphanage, 2 seminaries, 2 church kids rallies, Sunday school rally, 2 teacher-training workshops, 4 vocational schools, 3 village outreach evangelism meetings, and an annual children and youth festival.
Both C.V. and Noah showed me every courtesy and provided splendid hospitality. They were more than attentive to my needs and security. Both my organized ministry opportunities so I could share the gospel with the children. These opportunities each had the highest possible follow up potential and each had the potential to expand their present ministries to new levels. One of the outreach strategies that became very clear was to work with existing ministries and trying to expand those rather than to launch out to begin new works. I think this was especially strategic with efforts to reach children.
I was aware of Satanic opposition trying to thwart our spread of the Gospel. I was also aware that God was demonstrating His power and glory through my teaching and preaching of the Gospel. I experienced the fullness of the Spirit many times and enjoyed great freedom and joy in connecting with children (even many adults).
The audiences of children everywhere were enthusiastically responsive, especially at the schools. I enjoyed a kind of a “celebrity” status with the kids. Every thing stopped for an assembly with me (hard to image that in the U.S.). I was the “best magician” they ever saw! Of course, I was the “only magician” many of them ever saw. I became aware that few come to India just to minister to the children. These visits were not just “entertaining for the kids” or “child’s play” or “child care,” rather our creative unpacking of the gospel for children was intentional and strategic. Noah told me, “you are not a visitor, you are a soul winner!” Noah translated and printed 2,000 copies of my Born Again Birthday Book in Tamil. We nearly used them all in Aruppukottai region.
Both these leaders are men of God. Both have ministries that are “understated,” By that I mean, they have some obvious programs and results, but what is missing is a description for an American audience that attempts to explain their complex web of existing relationships. They each have a network that includes years of trained personnel already in place to advance their work. By supporting them, one really is supporting their network of ministries. Each man has great vision and opportunity beyond belief. So much can be done!
I saw first hand, just how they each lack funds to finish projects they have begun. I could also visualize that if these projects were completed it would expand their great work. They both have such commitment and vision to do major undertakings on so very little. But it takes years to build and expand with their limited resources. I became aware just how much our money could really help them. A person there will work all day for the equivalent of two or three U.S. dollars. A full-time worker could be secured for just $20 (US) a month (in Noah’s town) and a little more for C.V.’s area. Just a little of our funds could make a huge difference, not only some regular monthly funds, but special project funds that move the work forward quicker.
They are each involved in serious training of the children even young children and each recognize that “real changes” in India has to involve the children of the next generation. But we know that working with children is not a “one-time fix, a one-time visit, a one-time prayer, and a pat on the head.” It will take sustained commitment over a long period of time to disciple and nurture another generation. These men have the commitment.
What I would propose is that we maintain an annual commitment to work with these men of God. Further, I would propose that we invest in their ministries in a serious monthly way. Further, once we uncover and isolate their strategic needs, which we are doing, we need to support these special projects. This one thing will enable them to support their long-term vision to sustain ministry to the next generation. Further, we need to encourage the sending of specialized teams to train, encourage and support these great visions that God has given them. We need to construct a web of other ministries, churches and key persons with needed resources to connect with these men of God and help them reach their visions for reaching and teaching the “least of these.”
We could rally around the idea, which we could call India-Web Connections. This Web idea is just a visual concept that might explain the vision. We find quality men of God with vision for India that have great opportunity with children, but need help. Then we connect them up with various organizations and ministries that have quality resources for children. This could help to meet real needs to strategically advance their ministries for the next generation.
There is more, I am still working through the implications of this incredible trip. It deeply affected me, like no other trip. Watch for other Kid-Mission Posts so you can follow any new developments.
One Response to “• India Kid-Mission Report”
September 27th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
BARNEY, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOUR EXPERIENCES! YOU WERE GOD’S MAN FOR THOSE DEAR KIDS.
NORM
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