Incredible !ndia

[So let's all pretend I was able to post this entry on June 12th like I wanted...An EPIC recap of this past week is coming soon. Stay tuned!]

I’m in India. Now. Writing this while resting comfortably against a cement pillar on top of the cement roof of the Sherpa Lodge in Mirik.

We are currently partnering with the Darjeeling Hills Bible School—a 60 year old ministry of the World Mission Prayer League [WMPL]. Students from the surrounding communities [both in India and Nepal] come to complete a Bachelor of Theological Studies through the 3 year program. After graduation they are expected to return home to share all they have learned with family, friends and strangers.

On Sunday we ventured to Darjeeling to worship at one of the 3 churches our host and principle of the Bible school, Dr. Rai, oversees. Its stone walls are set upon a hill. A banner outside hung between two trees reads “Jesus Saves Sinners.”

The service began with a session of contemporary worship. Some of tunes were recognizable but most were unfamiliar to me. The songs I knew, I sang along what I could remember in English. To those traditionally Nepali, I hummed and swayed. About halfway through one of the upbeat native songs, I realized the congregation was no longer singing a chorus in their language or my own but in the spiritual language of the transcendent “Hallelujah.” Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. The glorious cries. My body tingled as I closed my eyes and opened my hands envisioning eternity. All the Father’s children. Together. Forever. Singing our ending hymn.

God be praised.

Dr. Rai and Mrs. Rai have been keeping us fairly involved at the Bible school. When they learned Professor Lee was a professor of English Literature they asked him to lead a series of impromptu lectures on A Pilgrim’s Progress—the text the school is using with the advanced students to practice their [old] English. They have also asked each of us students to teach brief seminars on topics such as Christian Education and the writing process. Soon we will begin working with the children at Mt. Zion—the elementary school for families living in the surrounding mountain community.

Some highlights of our stay so far include spending an entire day in prayer and meditation, completely owning in soccer [I scored 8 of my team’s 15 goals!], drinking ridiculous amounts of local tea and accidentally going on a “secret hike” through the forest and ending up on the inside of a gated Tibetan Buddhist monastery…
This weekend we will travel to Kalimpong, the village where Dr. and Mrs. Rai grew up, and then return to our encouragement of the Bible school.

Prayer Requests
-World Mission Prayer League
-Faculty, staff & students of the Darjeeling Hills Bible School
-Funding for the Bible school
-Surrounding Hindu, Buddhist and Animist communities
-Safe travel
-Health

Also, please pray that God would reveal His will for us in Nepal. We just received an email from our ministry contact in Kathmandu which read: “Hello! I have just been accepted to seminary in India. I leave tomorrow. God Bless!” We have a few back-up options but things are a little uncertain at the moment…

In other news, stories, videos and pictures are up on our group blog! Check it out at www.cui.edu/india.