India Report #30, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, at 7 a.m. from New Eden, Mizoram
Dear family and friends:
No chance to recharge the computer battery so I’ll use it up on this believing that we can recharge at Tlangsang and will not need it for anything else before then. We can do other things for our personal worship rather than reading MW books on the computer.
We walked to the Friday night meeting here in New Eden where they had no hall and so just gathered by the side of the road. The “crusade” generator was barely sufficient for the equipment and a few lights. I was asked to speak to them and once again featured God’s love for ALL people including the Bru. They feel they are left out of most things because of their past history. I shared my feelings as a young boy feeling less than those around me because dad was a drunkard and his abuse led to the divorce when I was about 4 or 5. Then how my life changed at Mount Vernon Academy where I learned more of God’s love and surrendered to Him. I was baptized at age 14 that same sophomore year. Wonderful things happened to me once I had the new purpose and focus, including school grades that went to the top. I told them how God wants to do great things for each who submits to live the new life in Jesus. They related well to it.
Since we could not understand the language we returned to our dwelling while the rest of the meeting went on and got an early start on a night of rest.
Sabbath morning was not casual. We had our breakfast here while Zosiama and the Youth Leader went for breakfast with the others. Ours was adequate, but not hot in the cool morning. Most warmth and comfort comes in bed with the heavy blankets sealing out the cold, but life goes on in spite of some things missing. When the sun comes up the cold flees and warm to hot prevails until the cool moves in again after sunset. We notice the people have fires in their little bamboo houses. It is dangerous but necessary.
We walked with Zosiam and the Youth Leader up the road to the house of a leading man in the village who will be baptized today with the others. He owns a mountain he is willing to sell for use as a school and church. Other relatives are involved and he cannot just give it. The price is Rs 100,000 or $2,000. One of the students here works at an electric shop in Aizawl (and took time off to come here and help) He does not have much money but offered to buy the mountain if they would accept payments of Rs 10,000 per month. That is being pondered now. We did a fast mental calculation and decided we could give the first Rs10,000 and still have enough to get us back home through Aizawl and Calcutta expenses. So we offered that. We should know this morning (Sunday) if it will happen. In some ways the mountain is not sufficient for church because of its location, but it would work for a school. They think they could sell off part of it and also get building materials from part of the mountain for the church and school. I hiked part of the trail newly cut so we could see what the mountain really looks like and what it has to offer.
Then we walked a really difficult path to the next village where we would have Sabbath Service (their first). There were many difficult ups and downs and I was glad I did not wear my suit as first suggested by Zosiama. He did and maybe regretted it. I had a shirt and tie but my regular shoes and everyday black pants. With the good help of a student and the Youth Leader we made it ok and have some video to show what was involved. Mary Alice remembers how she used to scamper over many places when she was a young girl, but that was 70 years ago!
In the final stretch before the next village we had to take off our shoes and socks and wade the river. It was not too deep at that point. They offered to carry us over, but wading was a better option. We had brought along a towel for the occasion to be able to put dry feet back into our shoes.
This new village (Katholbari) welcomed us with songs by the young people who are Hindus but sing Christian songs they have just learned. (We have it on video) It is so touching to hear them sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus—no turning back, no turning back”. We also received garlands and wondered where they found the flowers to make them. I gave a little talk in response to their welcome and later learned they also expected me to have the Sabbath sermon. I had no Bible along because of the difficult walk to the village. I have learned long ago that in mission service you need to have something in your head that can be adapted to the occasion with little or no advanced notice. The students there are staying at a portion of the house they rent for Rs 500 per month. Two of them plan to stay and continue nurturing the new believers. The same is true of each of the four villages now entered.
There are 70 planning to be baptized today from that village including the Head- man who is Hindu. He and his brother own a nice piece of land that they are giving for a church and also another piece for a school. They also want to provide materials from the jungle for the church and school and will help do the labor of building. In counsel with the Youth Leader we decided to give our last $1000 personal money we brought for emergencies and get them started immediately on the project building a strong foundation of materials not available otherwise. The young people will come back again from Aizawl in January to help put it up in one week. We felt it was a great investment opportunity. We are stressing among all the villages the need for their doing all they can to build the church and school from what resources they have, scant though they may be. This “ownership” will make it more effective for them. We hope to supplement their efforts and sacrifices as the Lord opens doors to do that. Two other denominational leaders also plan to be baptized. One is Presbyterian and the other a Baptist pastor.
We had to walk down a trail to the government school building for church. You may ask, “Why do they need an SDA school when they have one by the government?” The answer is that the government teachers do not really teach. They may come one time in a month and do a little but collect salary as if they were teaching. So the people have nothing. The government will not let us come into their building to teach. It sounds stupid and is but that is the way things are and the people are shorted what they should have unless people like us come in and help.
Following the church service and lunch with the student missionaries (rice and dahl, French fried potatoes—yes, I am probably gaining weight rather than losing as I had hoped with the austerity) and fruit to close if we wished, we hiked another trail about 1.5 Km over equally harsh ups and downs. Again, student help was valuable on the steepest and slipperiest places. On the first trail our Youth Leader pulled out his Mizo knife (like a machete) from his backpack and slashed from the jungle growth a “stick” for me and one for Mary Alice to use in supporting our steps a little on the slopes. Some places had steps carved out of available hard dirt, but erosion still leaves you a bit vulnerable. We wonder how they make it over those same trails with heavy loads.
That trail led us to Chhimlaung village where the baptism is to take place today. We saw parts of the village we had not seen last year. The same Bru teacher from Tlangsang was there to interpret. He was only able to spend a couple of days here from Tlangsang duties this year. We again talked with the welcoming committee including our student missionaries there from Aizawl and other places. They are making great sacrifices to do what they are doing and are willing to stay or come back, notwithstanding it will cost them their jobs or take valuable years out of their own education. We understand since our David did that for Ebeye in the Marshall Islands. It has affected his future but he and family have adapted well to it. All our children have made sacrifices for the Lord and we are very happy and proud of them.
After my talk and the discussion of their needs and expectations, I explained our many challenges already this trip to be able to give the financial help desired and needed. I also laid the burden on them to do what they can to get land and materials from the jungle to assist in the project. They now know what we really promised and are willing to do to help them meet the fulfillment of their dreams.
From there we did have to cross a portion of the river on makeshift planks and wood benches laid upside down across the water to get us (more or less) to dry ground on the other side. This time we did not have to cross the river by car but were able to climb up to the new bridge over the river where a waiting car carried us back to new Eden and our lodging. We did not go to the evening meeting since we had been there before and made our appearance. So we had a better start toward a night of rest.
There is a padlock for the door to our quarters but no key. They have repeatedly asked the Village Leader for the key but he has not been able to find it. So, one of the students volunteered to stay here and protect our computer etc. from theft. He had to miss the services of the day, a great sacrifice and we did not ask for it. His brother shared the day by doing one “shift”. So they each got in part of the service.
Mary Alice has decided that we will not let them do it again today during the baptism. They have all worked hard to produce the harvest and deserve the joy of seeing the expected 250 baptized in the river by Chhimlaung. Mary Alice will stay by our stuff and I’ll get the photos and video. We saved just enough video camera battery to get those photos before recharging in Tlangsang or Aizawl. As it turned out, they bought a new lock with keys and so Mary Alice can go also to the baptism.
This morning Zosiama and another vehicle from Aizawl will have to transport many of the people being baptized to the river from their villages. The closest village will walk as we did, but it is too far for the others. It will take some doing to get them all there and back again. Maybe some of the Conference people who come for the baptism will use their vehicles to help with it.
Last night my early rest was interrupted by the Village Council being here to discuss the possibility of their getting a school and church here. I was asked to participate in the discussion. I told them our circumstances and put the burden on them to do their part and we will do what we can to supplement that. It was very interesting to be surrounded by the “underground Bru” leadership who prior to the truce with the Mizo Government, used to slip out at night and kill Mizos wherever they could since they had burned down the villages. They mentioned that other Christian groups had come in and offered spiritual help but then left with doing nothing to help with the needed infrastructure (schools etc) I think the Baptists have a school that goes to the 5th standard, but that is not enough for real development and growth.
I told them that we are not competing with the other churches. If the Bru can get what they want and need from them, to go ahead with them. I told them about the SDA mission around the world and what has happened to primitive villages in New Guinea etc. where the principles introduced by SDA have made the difference and they get rid of the pigs, beetle nut, tobacco and alcohol etc. Just being baptized SDA will not give the added years of life and quality of life. I cited the studies in USA about SDA living about 10 years longer than the general population and stressed that it happens only when the people adopt the principles and lifestyle that enables that difference. Otherwise they would just be “wet Hindus” after baptism with no noticeable change. I cited other villages that asked us for a school and we told them how it would create struggles in the homes if the students tried to live by SDA lifestyle without the parents doing the same. They saw the reasonableness of it. I stressed the importance of a changed life and how the grace of God enables that for others as well as SDA. I quoted the Head-man of Lawngtlei who welcomed us and said how SDA are strong but they are weak and need grace to get to heaven. Then I showed the fallacy of that argument. SDA are strong enough to obey what God says only when they accept the grace offered to make it possible. After I went back to bed, they continued to discuss. I prayed from my bed where I could hear them talk. This morning I learned that my words had made a deep impression on them and they were considering what they can do to help themselves and then invite our additional help. I am trusting the Lord will open doors for us to be able to meet the needs by doing our part.
Soon we should be going to the baptism and I am about out of battery so will close for now. We appreciate and need your prayers. This may be a very important trip in the outcomes we envision. We feel blessed to be a part of it. Sometime I will try to trace the various steps in the Providence of God that brought this all together at this moment. It gives us courage as we look to the future.
With love,
Dad and Mom (Glenn and Mary Alice)
P.S. 6:40 p.m.
Zosiama brought in a battery and Inverter so that we can recharge our batteries. It is happening right now as I continue this. He took out his car battery for them to use to conduct the evening meeting two nights ago. The other one had run down apparently with no way to recharge it. So he had to park his car where it could be pushed downhill to start.
We ended up going to the baptism from four villages at about noon because all 3 cars were busy ferrying baptismal candidates from their villages to the river site at Chhimlaung village. Officers from the Mizo Conference were there and lots were taking photos with good cameras as well as cell phones. We have started giving a copy of our 2008 family photo to those trying so hard to get good pictures of us via their inadequate cell phones. We had a bunch of them from a free offer and are glad to distribute them to those who really want them. It makes a nice souvenir for them. The SDA Chief of Police for this whole area was there with his family and two soldiers with their automatic rifles just in case there should be trouble from anyone.
It was an inspiration to see all those people gathered for baptism—a first for this part of India (Tripura). After being interrogated as a group regarding their faith, we all walked down to the river. In order to get good photos I had to wade across the shallow part of the river to a height above where the action was taking place. Bare feet on slick mud equals slippery. But I had wonderful help, always eager and ready. Mary Alice stayed on the other side to get still photos. I had only a small fraction of battery left and used it up on the baptism. I recognized several that we had talked with face to face yesterday and previous on our visits to the villages. The Head-man from Katholbari village cut his long hair but I still recognized him when he was being baptized and got it on video before the battery gave out. Another man from that same village gave another large piece of good ground for future use by the new church and was proud to tell us about it today.
The district circuit pastor was here to help baptize. Last year he was the one who baptized the 35 we witnessed at Chhimlaung. This time there were six pastors in the water baptizing continuously rather than all six coordinated at the same moment. That made it more personal in a group baptism. All together 208 were baptized today. Some sixty in another village wanted to wait until tomorrow when they expect us to visit their village and be baptized then. So that is in the works. Many more are preparing for a future time to be baptized.
This district pastor is Mizo but has learned to speak Bru very well. Today I learned that he was at Maubawk church in 1998 when we held our first India series there. He says he was revived by our meetings and came down to Tripura immediately to begin his work among the Bru. We keep meeting people in various parts of the work who went through that Maubawk experience. It is a little inkling of what heaven will be like when we meet people for the first time who trace their beginnings in the SDA faith to our ministry and influence.
The large group was fed rice and chicken before returning to their village. I haven’t heard many roosters since and wonder if they were on the menu. It was served on large leaves that had been dipped in water. We were very glad we had brought some of Mary Alice’s crackers and cashew nuts in her purse. We had our excuse to not eat what we would not and especially on those “plates.” Sickness would surely have followed.
Since the cars were needed to take the newly baptized back to their villages (where they are too far to walk), we decided to walk back to our quarters rather than occupy a car and delay the trip home for some. Mary Alice insisted on it. She may have forgotten that it is entirely up hill on the way back. It was about 1.5 Km. We are getting more exercise lately and enjoying it very much. It is healthier and more interesting seeing things with normal vision rather than bounced vision in the car bumping along. We deal with pot holes more wisely on foot.
The students fixed their evening meal of the usual hot food and brought us some. We were willing to forego our usual skip supper practice in favor of getting a hot meal today. With the extra exercise we do not fear a sleepless night because of the 5:30 p.m. meal. The computer and video camera and phone are about recharged so I may head for that sleep very soon.
With our love
Dad and Mom (Glenn and Mary Alice)