Our hearts are filled with gratitude to God and the Church for their participation in the implementation of a trip to India. By God’s grace we were able to meet with the ministers of local rural communities in several states, as well as with foreign and Slavic missionaries.
Together with brothers and sisters from the local churches, we began to pray for the development of further cooperation, as well as the preparation of subsequent visits in order to visit the villages in the jungle, serving some of the children’s homes in the north and in the east of the village in the foothills of the Himalayas. In these villages still untouched by the white man. We were able to meet with the local believers to help persecuted Christians for their faith in their country and to obtain reliable information from Dr. Reed about Christianity in India and on the part of the persecuted Church. We could also inspire one of the Indian pastors serve not only to his tribe, but also reach the neighboring nation, as before, he had a vision. In the neighborhood we visited towns and villages inhabited by many unreached people preaching the good news: the Hindus, animists, Buddhists and Muslims. Number of many of these nations millions people.
All stay in this amazing, colorful and picturesque country was rich, full of acquaintances, dialogue with our brothers and sisters in the faith of the Indian peoples, missionaries Slavs, ministers of other Christian denominations, as well as with the representatives of the religious world of India.
The Lord has blessed us journey together as a team of seven people, five of which were presented to the local churches of Ukraine and Russia. The inspirer and coordinator of the trip was the brother of Jonah, who was visiting India is not the first time, and had a preliminary agreement with local believers.
The first three days we spent in the Indian village of S. in the jungle in the north-east of the country, where the tribes of Santana and mahato live. Along the horizon stretching lush green fields of young rice, lush jungle impressive and dense vegetation. Land – bright red, clay, elastic even puddles. Not to recall the biblical notion of Adam (from Hebrew -. Red or earth).
God blessed us with a surprisingly hospitable and dedicated to Christ Pastor Joy. He spent his childhood in the jungle, engaged in hunting with barefoot tribal boys. Pastor Joey grew up in a Christian family, therefore, still a teenager, he read the Bible several times. At a young age, God miraculously through the vision and life circumstances kindled in his heart a strong desire to serve Christ, not sparing his own life. Thanks titanic efforts, constant prayer and dedication brother Joey has gone biblical education. Denying yourself around, a lot of work, he learned English and paid for his college tuition. Later, he founded the mission of social assistance to the poor. He sees the purpose of his life preaching the gospel of the tribes living in his native land, which must necessarily be accompanied not by words alone, but feasible and effective social aid to the starving people. We invited Pastor Joy Missionary for our annual conference in Rivne in 2017, which will be held in the last week of January. We pray that the brother Joey was able to come and join us to worship the Lord.
In the village we visited the home of tribal people. God brought his brother Joey’s dream to bring brothers and sisters from another country and another race to his people. According to him, before he could not persuade any of the foreigners go so deep into the jungle. The village people were touched and surprised by our appearance. We are blessed adults and children with their smiles, touching, hugging them, brought sweets were presented to each of us. Pastor’s Family selflessly served us, trying to make nothing marred our stay in their home. It’s embarrassing when you meet, like the Queen of England.
Some people in the village knelt and touched our feet in appreciation. Some brought children to them, we touched, sensing the touch of the white man, as a sign of blessing. All of them have seen white-skinned for the first time and it was interesting to us to touch. On rented car we toured several villages of this and the neighboring state. Rural communities are going under the shed in the yard. Only one community, we have seen their own house of worship. The population of villages in the poor and is unable to build a church building of brick, which costs about $ 5,000 here.
Many families bring the tithe as a handful of rice, the cultivation of which is the main activity of the peasants. Each time, preparing food over a fire, the faithful mistress lay a handful of rice to the Lord, and at the end of the week bring to church all that was postponed. This food is for the support of the local pastor. Not every family is able to pay the electric light. Many live literally in huts, covered with straw and clay resting on a low base. Immediately under one roof live domestic cattle. They eat rice, hunt in the jungle birds, fish, gather mushrooms. Some families they prepare the leaves for sale. For a pack of dried leaves them unable to gain about forty rupees. Rupee approximately Russian ruble, $ 1 = 60 rupees. And in order to survive it would be nice to have around 18,000 rupees. Therefore, many in the villages live below the poverty line can not afford to have two changes of clothes, do not dream of getting education or improving nutrition. Despite the abundance of fruit, many people suffer from vitamin deficiency. Figure hostess dried directly on the roadway, as other dry places in the jungle there. Fortunately – asphalted road. Car drives small. A special luxury – a motorcycle on which ship the whole family and calmly overcome the distance of 250 km. Some farmers have bikes, as well as a special kind of cargo velomobile with a wooden body. The widely used manual tractive force. At the service people go for several kilometers on foot. It happens that the entire Droga overcome with the children in the pouring rain. In October, the rains are still warm. The temperature is 36 degrees and high humidity. However, in the winter at a temperature of 10, and sometimes 1 – 0 degrees in huts without windows, doors difficult to keep warm. But the most severe of these places is not cold, and drought from March to June. Then the eight-meter well and a pond in the village dry completely. Problems with the water at this time afflict even respectable Delhi, where some people have to be content with 2 liters of water per person per day. The team noted for themselves that the design and implementation of water-saving technologies in the countryside, literally, would serve to save lives.
In the village to meet with us specifically Christian married couple came from another country. This family is now 10 years old is in India on a student visa and worried that sooner or later they can send. Their vision – this is the work on the training of pastors. The concept of a pastor in rural areas wide enough: it could be any more or less responsible brother from the local community, often with no theological education, and no education at all. The statement of faith of local Christian leaders – a great need in India. In recent years, traditional Baptist church with two hundred year history completely merge with the world, observe the Hindu tradition, the ministers of their corrupt donations are used at their discretion. Local believers have told us the sad story of how the church council members in one of the village communities literally beat the pastor and forced him tearfully to marry a young couple who have cohabited week in front of the whole village … At the same time there young medium-sized communities, striving for personal holiness, and gospel. Update initiation, pious life, sound doctrine, the desire to preach the gospel – all these prayer requests of the Indian Church.
Pastor Joy and his wife are working in several villages, especially through children’s ministry. We visited the village. For all of us gathered funds Pastor Joy advance carefully purchased gifts: toys, pencils, sweets, blankets and mosquito nets (this thing is actually saves lives because of the insect-peddlers of contagious diseases). Also specially for us organized a meeting of pastors, who, together with their spouses gathered from different villages. Only three out of 25 people speak English. Where is Russia had an idea, only one of them. Most people have never even left their village, about geography have little idea. God uses people straightforwardness tribal culture in the following way: these people do not have double thinking if they received Christ, they do it with all your heart, and be confident, without hesitation give their lives for it. If they did not accept the gospel, you all hate from the heart and can kill. This incident occurred in the neighboring state in 2009, when he was burned alive in the car white missionary with two teenage sons. It should be noted that we also visited one of the rural churches of the state, 25 km from the place of the tragedy, and God’s great mercy He has protected us from any collision with the local opponents of Christianity. This is a great goodness and His miracle! In every church we were pleased to see us prepared the gifts, the children painted postcards, together we worshiped God, praying and, of course, there were many hugs and smiles, as none of us knew more than two words in the local language.
We learned that in the depths of the jungle except Hindu and animist farming tribes also live tribes who eat meat tachinu, blacksmiths, miners, and even bamboo forest “bounty hunters.” In total, India is home to about 4600 peoples unreached – 560. Our guide Joey other than English has 5 more local dialects, so it was our faithful interpreter.
In the village of S. we liked: breathe freely at times, and people are much nicer and easier than in the “concrete jungle” multi-million cities, we visited later. I would like to visit this village also spend more time in dialogue with the local people, it is better to understand them. On their land Joey Pastor, with the support of foreign Christians is building Bible Training Center, where dreams to continue training local pastors, to strengthen their faith. On a motorcycle regularly twice a month visits the village himself and the family now live in the city where he works in the Christian mission and teaching, from which has facilities for training its 14-year-old son and a trip to the jungle peoples. Santa Joy owned lands, which are processed by the local peasants. Joey has a good reputation and is popular respect. He and his brother, the only Christian family in the whole village, which has a large lantern and old gun to scare away elephants. Animals are attacking the village in search of food in the harvest season.
With his education now he could earn three times as much, but he knows that the Lord gave him these opportunities are not then to live for themselves. His heart burns with the desire to preach the distant tribes, so it does not bind itself bustle career. Many times the pastor stressed that he and his family are in no need and satisfied with all that God has provided them. His prayers and his pain for the tribal people, who have not yet known the Gospel, for the ministers, who are not strengthened, with the village of Christians who are starving and persecuted. About them, he asks to remember in your prayers, to visit them he calls white brothers and sisters. Joey can not understand the white Christians had spent in five-star hotels in Indian cities, to spend on it a lot of God’s money, which they donated to the preaching of the Gospel and never never dared decades delve into the countryside and at least one day to spend in the jungle with local tribal people. This is a call from God to us – the Slavic Christians, not yet spoiled by creature comforts and still has not lost the property to survive a few days without air conditioning, and tiled bathroom.
The next stage of our trip was a visit to one of the major cities. On the way back our drivers are kind enough to make a detour of one hundred kilometers, so that we can dip your feet in the Indian Ocean. A pleasant coolness after the already usual 36 degrees. High wave with splashes nahlёstyvaet on a concrete embankment. On the horizon sways many fishing schooners. A lot of people, walking with enthusiasm make selfie on our background, asked to be photographed with their children, as the white man’s touch is considered a blessing. we decided not to swim, as we were warned, if you will take in the sea, no one will not even try to save them.
We managed to visit the memorial service place of the mother Theresa, to get acquainted with the nuns and novices, who are orphans and disabled for 5-8 years each. It attracts and female volunteers from other countries to give these children a few weeks to several years of attention and warmth. Here we visited the tomb of the Catholic saint, visited the almshouses founded by her for adults. Noted for its high level of dedication these ministers and servants of their work, cleanliness and atmosphere of caring for casualties in these shelters.
Next to the door of a shelter on the ground sit, lie, go beggars asking for alms. Here you can meet the biblical Lazarus literally. The newly comprehended the Lord’s words “I thirst!” Written on one of the almshouses, the walls of which lay a lot of the poor and destitute in the streets. What craves Christ today? Do we see the thirsty Lord in each of these emaciated faces?
In the city of Serampore near Calcutta, we visited the tomb and museum of William Kerry (William Carey), and the University founded by him. We were shocked by the discrepancy between the importance of human labor for the benefit of the Indian Church and today’s attitude to the memory of this missionary. William Kerry issued a 44 translation of the Bible and its separate parts into various languages and dialects in India. In the library of the University of dust and cobwebs, grave peacefully swimming in a pool, a priceless original manuscripts are kept in the museum is not something that is not under glass, but even glued shut. Quite simply, no officialdom, one can twirl in the hands of a century-old exhibits, personal items and drop scratching desk that belonged to the missionary.
We had the opportunity to enter one of the temples of Calais, the goddess of death. Fanatics still bring her thousands of human lives every year. These fall into the naive village boys who come to the metropolis hoping to find at least some work. And unlucky tourists who allow strangers Hindus drag himself into the crowd. In the temple crush, mud, above the door hangs a large air conditioner completely black from soot settles on it, dust and smog. In the corridor in his underwear baby asks to eat. Give her a couple of rupees, asking for more, digging in his backpack giving candy, child happily enough food, unluckily spilling coins. In the depths of a teenager facing obsessive shouting loudly enough for us clothes, begging. Over the heads of fans pass inside the temple three years the girl and money. After some time a minister of religion gives the child back, apparently spent a rite of passage. Inside the temple, a man possessed by a demon in a trance. People are always moving procession through the narrow corridor, without stopping, jostle us out of the temple. Everyone goes barefoot. Not the first freshness blackened floor sprinkled with white powder with the smell of bleach. After the temple pick shoes from the improvised “storage”. The whole company enthusiastically rubbed the soles of wet wipes. Temple attendant casts a withering look after us.
The human ant hill in the city so that if gape, then you can get into trouble. In big cities and tourist areas people are very smartly adheres to travelers trying to sell more expensive different trinkets, children and mothers with babies begging and teenagers trying to pull the purse. So you need to keep your eyes open, and in any case did not break away from his group in the streets and squares, teeming with hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously.
The nice thing is that thousands of years accustomed to coexist side by side, millions of people have learned to be mutually polite, friendly towards people who see the first and last time in my life. Particularly impressed with Olympian calm drivers in regular traffic with pop-up out of nowhere motorcycle, rickshaws, “sacred” cows and pedestrians attempting to cross the roadway. Dents and scratches on the body in the paint – is no reason to go to the police, bumped, he apologized, and each went his own way. From a contaminated air there is pain in the chest. Adjuster and riders tied on the lower part of the face scarves to in any way defend about dust and exhaust fumes.
We eat in the cities mainly in the field of catering. Our Explorer tries to choose not the most expensive restaurants, but not the most terrible snack. Throughout served very spicy food, even after the request is not keen cook, still get burning. A few days later we get the hand to order Naan (naan) – cake, similar to tandyr cake and any bottled beverage in a plastic container, which already has in stock. Catching himself surprised looks on the waiters, we all now was eating a pile of cakes “without anything”. Hindus do not eat a lot of bread, main dish – rice. But the trouble is that it is prepared in a big pot with a pre-measured amount of hot spices. From meat to eat some chicken. There are a lot of vegetarians. Most of the dishes we did not try, as local warned that more than one spoon, we still can not swallow because of their sharpness. We were also warned that drinking tap water in India is extremely dangerous without habits. Yes, and it is desirable to have only that passed the thermal treatment, if you do not want to spend the whole journey lying.
After lunch, we are under the strict guidance of our Indian pastor visited the shack. It stretched for kilometers rows of huts, concocted improvised: sticks, old billboards, cellophane, some containers. Something reminiscent of awnings trade stalls by the road or clothing market. Only under the canopy every such family lives. Some people have jobs. Some of us even on the phone photographed. All of them can not afford to live in a normal house. The apartment is worth several million rupees. Slum run by leaders quarterly. Clean up the people in the river or in the water pump next to the roadway. The toilet go, anywhere. If someone dies, his body just faces in the river Ganges. Here, wash clothes and collect water for cooking.
We were given a hundred mosquito nets, looking in every house, and making sure that these people are living there. Slums – is a black hole or a bottomless pit, where it is possible to carry a ton of help and care, all will not suffice. The population of the city – 20 million. Pastor Joey organized targeted assistance to the poor families of the quarter, where he comes from time to time, ask a drink of water, talking with local, building relationships for the transmission of the Gospel. At the end of the quarter, we stopped and gave the kids came running sweets. Photographed with a willing, blessed the children. One of our sister sang a few songs on the violin. After that, we at the urgent request of Pastor Joey quickly pushed their way through the crowd, got into the car and literally took away his legs, as there was nothing left to distribute. Later, we learned that God greatly bless our trek to the poor. Our guide was praying all day and could not sleep at night, worrying about our safety, and because of the likelihood of abduction of one of the white girls. He said that recently, foreigners were distributed aid in the slums. The leaders of poor neighborhoods began to share gifts, a fight broke out, which ended with the murder. This was the case even mentioned in the local newspapers. By the grace of God in this day none of the leaders was not at home, only children, women and the elderly. We all got back safe and sound, no one was suffered any moral or physical harm. This is the great mercy of God! After all, to find someone in the city with twenty million inhabitants – just unreal.
In the evening, we were placed in a hotel for Catholic pilgrims – excellent, inexpensive and safe place. Here we had a meeting with the two pastors and three women, who have come a long way from the two neighboring states and have been waiting all day to see us. The initiator of the meeting, Pastor A., met with our Russian coordinator of the conference in Kolkata last year. These were the mountaineers from the Himalayas, they are cordially invited to the white missionaries to visit their village, which has never set foot white missionary. Pastor A. takes care of small rural communities in six villages. It is interesting that God is working there, mainly through healing. Ministers also need to be trained, and the main scourge of the local population – a drinking and black magic. There is, of course, is cooler than in the jungle, in some places there is no electricity, but a lot of people living there and the church, ministers are in need of encouragement, strengthening of faith, the presence of the mission. We decided to pray about the possibility to send them to the team next year.
In another big city, we met with the Slavic missionaries, family and unmarried sister, who for ten years have been serving in the three orphanages of family type. Their activities are constantly exposed to high risk. All decorated in Indian believers. These Christians have experienced many difficulties, had been ill all possible diseases, several times cheated Indian servants, not always pleased their children obedience. their local assistant was recently arrested, and all the children from the orphanage were subjected to the risk of isolation to ascertain the circumstances. Fortunately, they had time to take all wards children and temporarily attach them to the relatives, so that none of the children was injured and was not punished. Several times was a great temptation to give up and go home, but they realized that in another will not be able to live. Now they operate in deep underground. If service in India will have to collapse, they will go further, perhaps to Nepal and other countries. We were very impressed by the example of these simple, no notable people in their dedication to the Lord, Indians ministry, sacrifice, despite the fact that they are not deceived again, tried to use for personal gain, showed appalling ingratitude. We have tried to encourage them, in the cafe together held a sacrament.
Directly to the hotel to meet us came highly educated Indian professor Dr. Christian Ried. About two hours later he shared with us information known to him about the situation in evangelical Christian churches of different states of India, about his vision and ministry. It was a great honor for our group. Dr. Reed told us that according to official data, about 2.5% of the total population of India – Christians, however, including the secret Christians, their number is about 5.5%.
In northern India, the number of Christians is increasing. Half of all Christians – Catholics. Their strategy – Christian schools. (Remember that the population of India is very young – 30% are children and adolescents).
Current government policy is not friendly to the Christian churches: close foreign accounts. There are difficulties with the registration. Unfortunately, a disadvantage of the church unites Christians of different denominations. Part of the evangelical community in India froze in their development and assimilated with the world. This “sleeping”, a traditional part of the Evangelical Church accuses the young charismatic and fraternal community is that they are too much “pop out” and actively implanted the gospel, because of what has to suffer both.
The doctor involved in the ministry of education leaders in 39 colleges in the country, in the translation of the Bible in Hindi, as well as familiar with the translators for another 35 languages. His grown-up sons are engaged in the service of rehabilitation of girls from the slums: teach them the language, manners, change of thinking from pauper to justice. After a few years of living in a girls heart transformed so that no one can guess where they came from. They get the job, and can independently comprise his entire family. In general, public work in India – it is prestigious, and it wants to anyone because the school teacher or a police officer receives up to $ 800 per month. Another area of ministry to which involved the professor and his family – a ministry release people from sexual slavery in collaboration with the local police.
Question pastors education remains quite acute, because training in Bible college costs more than $ 1,500 per year. For rural pastors is quite prohibitive amount. This is an opportunity for the Slavic Christians together to explore ways of development of education of Christians. On-line training is impossible, as the pastors do not have computers and Internet access.
Prayer Indian Church is unity, the development of the missionary vision (especially foreign mission), the use of the remaining time for further missionary work, as the next elections can win nationalist party, which “tighten the screws” to Christians than ever.
Our tour route ran also through Agra, home to the family of Indian pious Christian, but, unfortunately, we were unable to meet him, since he was just out of town on business service. So we met with the taxi driver and a Muslim-Buddhist guide who drove us along the way not only to the Taj Mahal and the palace of the Sultan, but also in their Buddhist center, where he prays to his god. There we talked with the local Buddhist ministers, questioned them about the basics of their faith. They graciously chatted with us and even left their business cards. The truth is in the walls of their sanctuary was full of cobwebs and running mice, but the Buddha statue with gold sparkled brightly and through the ropes with the laundry a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal on the other side of the river Yamýny (Jumna).
The tomb of his beloved wife of the Sultan and the Red Fort impressive scale and grandeur of the architecture. At the entrances to all the memorable places and even in large stores, in airports – frames with metal detectors, search, inspection of personal belongings, to which we have become accustomed to in India. The tomb terrible stuffiness, crowds of people, writing: “Keep quiet!” And a loud whistle dudyaschie overseers, who hurried to the crowds leave, so as not to crush. At places of pilgrimage throughout souvenir sellers, beggars, rickshaws. For white – special price for all goods and services, so walking everywhere is best only when accompanied by local Christians. Hindus scary loves a bargain, so inferior, that simply amazed.
One of the local Christians, has agreed to be our guide for Delhi. Recently, by the way, someone stole her bag with money, and all the documents, so that it is engaged in their recovery. This is also a part of the missionary life. Fraud and theft – common problem of people in these places. With her, we visited the memorial sites of the capital of India, made a prayer for the country and the government at the gates of the presidential palace in New Delhi. We also met with the famous Lotus Temple (the Lotus Temple), built Baha’i believers (bahai), where representatives of all religions to worship can be silent, each of their deity. Also visited a great new religious complex, which was built specifically for the convenience of pilgrims – there side by side are numerous churches and museums deities enlightened leaders of local scientists. The country is just preparing for a magnificent celebration of the religious persuasion, which, apparently, will remind the Brazilian carnival. The cost of a whopping scenery – could feed many hungry people.
We do not intentionally do not mention place names and the names of these ministers, because we want that such a trip continued, and that the disclosure does not hurt the ministry in India. Lately, especially after the election of a new president with his slogan of “India for Hindus!” Authorities turn a blind eye to the illegal persecution of Christians radicalized Hindu. Our brothers and sisters are often beaten, in some places burned house of prayer. Foreign missionaries are deported and may even go to jail.
I heartily thank you once again, dear brothers and sisters, because of your efforts we are all together as the Church of Christ, could so much to learn, see and even to serve, and to support and encourage their believers in this great and such country in need. Thank God for everything!
Vyacheslav Arterchuk,
Tatiana Arterchuk
