India Report #21, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011, 5:18 p.m. at Lawngtlei, Mizoram
Dear family and friends:
I planned to skip writing today since there was not that much new to share, and give your computer inbox some relief. But then things started to happen and the day changed considerably.
Biaka came to go over the sermon for tonight at about 10 a.m. and told that the father of one of our SDA members had died in the night and many were going to the family to give condolences. He felt we should go also. That meant I would skip the planned hydrotherapy and massage, get into my suit and head out to visit the family. When we got there the funeral was in progress in the house. Many, including us, sat outside on wood benches about 10 inches off the ground, provided by the tiny SDA Church next door to the family house.
The deceased was 96 years old, rather unexpected in Mizoram where 50 is about it for most. He was Baptist and so the funeral was conducted by an elder in that church. Someone sitting next to Biaka asked some questions and Biaka was giving a Bible Study on the Sabbath and Sunday while the sermon inside was Baptist. Several came to me and said that they had been seeing the sermon each night on their TV. Each night a DVD is made and edited for TV timing and taken to the local TV station and it is aired each day. I think the first 3 nights were missing because somehow they did not have sound with the video. So, the 150 to 200, besides children they do not count, we see at the Hall is just a token amount of those who are actually viewing the meetings in spite of the Baptist efforts to keep them from it. The plan is for us to catch up those 3 missing sermons in Aizawl in the SDA studio at Mizo Conference Office. They plan to make thousands of copies and send them to stations all over Mizoram so the whole country will hear this series of meetings. We will leave an extra $200 to help with DVD costs—a pretty good investment.
They bury the same day as death here in Mizoram. A procession walked with the casket to the cemetery. I wanted to follow, but Biaka said the path was not suitable for us in suits and Sabbath shoes. Instead we walked half a mile up the road to visit some faithful SDA of long standing. The steps to their house are cut out of the dirt on the hillside. In Sabbath shoes it was at least a minor challenge. They also said they saw our program each night on TV. Biaka says that almost every home in Mizoram has TV and it is the best way to reach most of the people that are too timid to attend the meetings because of being identified with them, but want to get the message we share. Who knows what all will come of it.
After the burial we returned to the home of the widow. Biaka said it is customary to give money to help them with funeral expenses. I slipped a folded Rs 1000 bill (about $20) into her hand. Even with tear dimed eyes she saw it and unfolded it to take a second look. Then her eyes lit up in surprise and gratitude. We could not speak but that gift said a lot to her and I realized again how true Jesus’ words are “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” I received a rich blessing in the giving that no great philanthropist giving millions could surpass.
Then we were taken to another SDA home for lunch. The house was clean. One man there is the one we used to model the Priestly Garments on Sabbath morning when I preached at the Hall about “The Gospel in Priestly Garments”. They had fresh salad (cabbage) and it looked good, but we didn’t dare eat it not knowing about how it was put together. There just isn’t time to be out with “Delhi Belly”, the counterpart of “Montezuma’s Revenge”.
The hosts must have noticed that Mary Alice needs a sweater to help keep warm because they gave her the choice of a shawl or a warm jacket they had purchased for her. The jacket was too small. I told them that there is more to Mary Alice than most people suspect. They gave me a shirt also. The shawl is very warm and nice and appreciated.
Tonight in spite of the funeral and other things to keep people away, we had 190 plus children—the most yet at the Hall. This is besides the TV watchers who see it the next day. They sat very silent as we explored what the Bible says about death. Lots of gospel seed is being sown.
We still don’t know if we will be going to Saiha village tomorrow morning to visit the SDA School there and talk with the students. It all depends on the availability of Diesel. We’ll just wait and see.
Another reason for sending these reports when we can is that we have bought Internet Connection only through Nov. 20. We may not renew it because of uncertainty that it will work in Tripura in our out-of-the-way places to minister there. But we can use Mizo Conference connection when there. “One day at a time.”
We have four lizards in our room ranging from small to fairly large and we are glad for all of them. They are our first line of defense against the insects that might like to try “white meat” for a change. We saw a cluster of eggs (about marble size) near the ceiling and suspect they are more lizards awaiting service at the right time.
Our prayers are also with those who have emailed certain challenges they face and want prayer support from here too.
In love,
Dad and Mom (Glenn and Mary Alice)
P.S. Monday at 6:33 A.M. Biaka phoned at 9:30 P.M. after the meeting to say they did not get diesel and so we will not be going to the school at Saiha this morning. They will try today for fuel and we may go tomorrow. It is probably for the best. He is very tired from everything pressing in on him with the meetings.
Perhaps today we will move into a room now vacant and get a head start on our new life with the eastern toilet. We have been able to adapt to most things. There is always a way if we look hard enough.
UPDATE AT 5:12 P.M. MONDAY: We are in the new room, one next to Biaka. Suddenly it opened up and we could save the cost of the higher(?) room by getting in here before noon. So at 11 we moved in. Then I headed for the therapy and massage, a bit late, but it worked fine. Then we had lunch and walked back here to unpack and rearrange and clean. Here it will cost us Rs 270 per night ($5.63). That is $8.43 per night saved or $50.58 over six nights. Well worth it since there is less to clean here and we have good sunshine. An additional $50 can do a lot of good here. And we have one flight of steps less to climb each night after the meeting, not that it matters particularly. We do have mold but not as much as upstairs. Most of the mold is in the bath/toilet room. Our last holdout for western ways (toilet) is now gone. I think we are ready for almost any adaptation now.
Biaka tried again this morning to get diesel. It is rationed by the Mizo government and released by government permission, but Biaka knew the manager of the gas station. He was a friend since they were 5 years old. Using that leverage Biaka got enough diesel to make the trip tomorrow to Saiha SDA school and church and also to get back to Aizawl on Sunday. God always opens up some door when others seem closed.
I tried unsuccessfully three times to get on line and send this today but will try again in the new environment right now. (Still isn’t working) When we moved in this room none of the electric outlets worked. But our driver knows electricity and has it fixed now. He had to do the same in their room when we first came. The old building will be renovated after we leave, they say. It surely needs it.
We cannot heat our pour water here as before, but Biaka will do it for us in his room. So that is solved too.
Tuesday at 4:06 P.M.
I Tried again and failed to get on line , so I’ll add a little more here and wait for a chance to get out with it all—maybe not until Aizawl.
We left at 5 this morning and drove over the terrible road to Saiha. We didn’t mind it so bad but the car really takes a beating and muddying. Some photos may let you see a little of it. Our school there was waiting to greet us, all 620 of them. Most of them are not SDA. It is a real mission field. They have many more waiting to come for when they have more space to accommodate them. The teachers are very dedicated and work far beyond what they do in the schoolroom. They are of the Mara tribe but speak mostly Mizo. They presented us with garlands (artificial, thankfully because of bugs). Then they presented us with shawls made from Mara cloth in Mara designs. They really want us to return next year to have an evangelistic series here and a week of prayer at the school. That makes two places down here with special invitations for evangelistic meetings. We are the first white people to visit their village and they were overjoyed. We wish you could have seen the smiles and photo taking as if we are celebrities. They all want to be photographed with the Americans. The schools are the key to evangelism here.
We heard sadly about a Conference President in the past in the Mizo Conference who believed it was a waste of money and personnel to operate schools and he closed several that were thriving. It really hurt the work in this part of Mizoram. Now they are trying to rebuild and do have a correct understanding of the value of Christian Education and mission outreach through it. They have needs we wish we could fill also. That’s the hardest part of it for us—to see the needs and the value of what can be done, but not have the means to make a real difference.
We ate our normal breakfast in the room here at 4:30 a.m. and then ate with the pastors at the home of the Circle Pastor at about 9. The food was good but we avoided the salad when we noticed the “laying on of hands” by so many during its preparation. It is rare that you can fully trust the food before you.
We checked out the Guest Lodge in Saiha and it is so very much cleaner than here and not too expensive. So, if we do come back, there is that pleasant anticipation.
There is a lot more to share but no time for it right now. The electricity in our room will not sustain use of the computer, so we are limited on what we can do. We did just arrange with Biaka to use his when we need to but we hate to intrude into their time in the room. Will tell more in another email that we hope we will be able to send.