Last month, I went on a trip to India, along with my brother and sister and a group from our church. We spent twelve days serving along side the Bengali Christians at the Grace Community Centre in Kolkata.
The first two days were spent teaching computer and English classes and helping with GCC’s daycare ministry.
A leaky boat then took us on a three-day excursion to the Sundarban Islands, stopping at different villages along the way to share the gospel and Bengali Bibles with people who have never even seen white people before.
Our final days in India were spent helping run a neighborhood VBS program at the Grace Community Centre, which is really just a house with the garage converted into one big meeting room downstairs. Over 300 kids packed into that room to sing songs, color pictures, and hear the story of creation, fall, and redemption from the Bible.
The Bengali Christians that we worked with are tireless. We came and helped with their ministry for a few days, but they are serving others in the name of Christ every day of the year. They constantly went out of their way to serve us too, making us meals, taking us sightseeing, and even washing our feet.
And yet, they didn’t expect thanks from anyone. They weren’t working to please us. They weren’t even particularly worried about the results of their work. They just worked hard, and trusted God with the results.
(Photo credit: Peter Mahar)
Each day after the crowd of children went home, we would gather in the quiet, empty meeting room to conclude the day’s work with prayer and the words “Joyu Jishu!” a Bengali phrase which, roughly translated, means “Jesus wins!”
As I come back home to my wife and three little ones, I am encouraged to keep on loving and serving them with the strength that God supplies.
I am encouraged to keep telling my children Bible truths about creation, sin, and most of all, redemption through Jesus, because these truths can transform their lives.
(Photo credit: Peter Mahar)
God has made each of us a tiny part of His gigantic plan to transform the whole world. Let’s keep being faithful with what God gives us, trusting Him with the end results.
After all, Jesus wins!
(Photo credit: Peter Mahar)
2 Trackbacks