We just returned from completing my first “Hope Bible Conference” ministry trip with Hope and Help International. The trip was February 10-23, 2008. We had the chance to minister in the large southern Indian city of Hyderabad, and we also ventured north of India into a small village in the country of Nepal - two very different places. God put together HIS team to meet the unique needs and opportunities that we would have on this particular trip. Diverse? Completely! But we had a team of mature, spiritually-minded servants who shared the goal of challenging and encouraging fellow-believers to grow in their own relationship with Christ and to reach the lost in their part of the world. The four teachers of the conference were myself, Greg Love, Robin Webb, and Peter Grant. Greg is from FBCE. Robin is from Tabernacle Baptist Church of Arlington, and Peter is from PreVision Partnership in Georgia.
Watching the traffic in Hyderabad, I was reminded of my old traffic enforcement days on the force with Houston Police. After experiencing India’s traffic congestion, I will never complain about DFW traffic again. Imagine bumper-to- bumper traffic, usually about nine cars wide on a four-lane road, tons of people trying to walk across the road, add in a few ox carts among the motorized vehicles, horns beeping constantly, some guy transporting 30- foot bamboo poles on a bicycle and no one every really stopping, just weaving in and out. There you go! The traffic in India helps us make sure that our team members are fully prayed up before the conferences ever begin!
In Hyderabad, we partnered with Victor Nandigam, the Founder and Director of Grace Gospel Ministries. He and the steering committee did a wonderful job of coordinating every aspect of the conference and made sure that the schedule was working with precision.
Peter Grant kicked off the day sessions by teaching on evangelism from Luke 5.
Keith Christie provided very practical training on discipleship.
Robin Webb spoke on the sufficiency of Christ.
Greg Love followed with teaching on the family;
Larry Malone opened the conference by introducing the theme: Jeremiah 29:11.
We had about 120 pastors and their wives who had traveled from northern Andhra Pradesh, plus over 100 pastors and their wives from the local Hyderabad area. In the evenings, we moved to an open venue where the public had been invited for Gospel meetings. What a privilege to gather in an area where you could hear the sounds of a busy city and pray and sing praise to God and then share the Good News. Throughout the ministry in Hyderabad, approximately 90 people trusted Christ. 
On the first night, a demon-possessed girl came forward at the invitation. Robin Webb spent over two hours praying with this girl. The second night she was back, and following the service she came forward for prayer again. As Greg Love was praying for her and others who responded to the message, someone stole his backpack, which contained his passport. Greg could not travel without a passport, so as the conference in Hyderabad concluded, Larry Malone and Greg left the rest of the team and went to the American Embassy in Delhi to apply for a replacement. Once the replacement was secured, they would have to go to the Indian Embassy to get a visa, which is a permission from the Indian government that allows foreigners to travel in their country.
The conference in Nepal was scheduled to start the next day, so Lori Overcash and the rest of the team got on a plane and headed for our destination in northern India. We were to fly to Bagdogra, West Bengal and then drive about three hours into Nepal. However, there was a strike in Nepal, which made it unsafe for the team to travel to the location where the conference had originally been planned. As we met Rupak Shankar, our partner in Nepal, we were amazed to learn that Rupak had quickly reorganized the conference in a village just inside the Nepali border. It was safe for us to go into this particular village, but no further. We shared many sweet moments with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Nepal.
One of the most memorable occurred during an evening service when the power went off. It was absolutely dark in the conference center with the lights out, but the attendees kept singing as if nothing had happened. We were so aware of God’s presence. Larry and Greg were able to get Greg’s passport and visa replaced very quickly, but not quick enough to join the others in Nepal. They returned to the States a couple of days ahead of the rest of the team. Since Greg was one of the main speakers, he was missed in Nepal. However, God had a plan in place, even when we didn’t know we would need a plan! Emmanuel had prepared messages “just in case” he was needed. He was! And he more than adequately filled the spots with some great teaching on Biblical principles of leadership. Throughout both conferences, we made a great personal connection with the attendees. It made a tremendous impact that the team took tea breaks and ate lunch with them. The effort to get to know the people on a personal level greatly increased the attendees’ receptivity of the messages.
In spite of the challenges and difficulties we faced, it was one of the most blessed experiences. God put together HIS team for this trip and He guided our steps. Praise be to God for allowing us to be involved in HIS ministry in India and Nepal!
No comments:
Post a Comment