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Waldron Mission Fund |
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Under the oversight of the elders of the Crossville church of Christ, PO Box 211, Crossville, TN 38557 |
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Vol. 41 March 2007 No. 3 |
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REACHING THE LOST For the last twenty years (1986-2006) I have taken flights from the U.S. to India via Europe which usually consisted of a stopover in Amsterdam in Holland. Commonly the planes would leave the states about 7:00 p.m. in the evening and arrive in the Netherlands around 8:30 a.m. the next morning. However, the last two trips I have taken a flight with Continental Airlines out of Newark, NJ, which flies non-stop to India’s capital New Delhi. The two legs of the trip via Holland takes about 18.5 hours including a two hour stop over in Amsterdam while the non-stop flight takes 13.5 hours. Thus after leaving Newark just after 10:00 on Tuesday night, we arrived in New Delhi at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The next morning I flew northeast of New Delhi to a city called Bagdogra (Bhaag-dohg-ra), which is in the Indian state of West Bengal. This was my first trip to the area and I was greeted with the very heavy rains that come to the foot hills of the Himalayas at this time of the year. My purpose was to determine what could be done to encourage the growth of the kingdom in the area. In order to orientate myself to this end I was to meet a brother who is supported by the church in Singapore. He not only met me but arranged on Friday, March 2nd for me to meet thirteen brothers who are from various congregations in the region. By interviewing them I became impressed with the fact that we have a smattering of small churches and preachers in this part of India. Yet, they are like rust on the balances when it comes to the need of the tens of millions of lost souls. Oh how we need more and more brothers to come here to train preachers to be soul winners and planters of strong local churches of Christ. What can be done just now for this area I do not know, but the letters below will give you some idea as to what could be accomplished by training native brethren to reach their own with the gospel. The brothers who sent these letters were trained in the English medium school of preaching at Shillong. Hopefully we can get some of the thirteen into that program. The first of these letters comes from two brothers (Tifusa and Tang Kam) who graduated from the Bible Institute in Shillong in May 2004. That summer I sent the two of them as evangelists into the state of Arunachal, which has China on its northern border and the Indian state of Assam on the south. There is political unrest in the state and it is one of the least developed in the country. For more than 20 months the two of them traveled by foot, bicycle, jeep, bus and boat to visit the little churches in the state. In March last year I asked them to gather from those congregations brothers who could be trained as gospel preachers. The classes began in April 2006 and continued until January this year when the students were given a month’s leave. The letter tells of the renewal of classes at the beginning of March and lets us know of the difficulties these young brothers have to face in order to be in the preacher training program.
Dibrugarh, March 3, Dear Brother Jim, Greetings. Hope and do pray that you are Fine. Everyone over here doing the same. About the students, for 6 (six) brothers have arrived in the school, and the three more brothers Simeon, Ngophusa and Giliye are on the way back to school, for they supposed to arrived here on 3rd, we had been informed that they are late due to heavy rain, and it is jungle road, since they travel 4 (four) days on foot to reach school. And among these, two of the students will be appearing their 10th standard examination on 7th & 9th of this month (this is a GED type program), so they have requested leave on those particular days. In His Service, Tang Kam & Tifusa. |
The second letter is actually a report from brothers Dijamani and Lynder. These two have also been trained in the Bible School at Shillong and were left to serve in the area around Diphu, Assam after the students from the school worked with refugees there last June and July. What is interesting is that they not only have been able to preach and teach among the denominational people but are finding little churches of Christ in various spiritual conditions. “Dear Brother, This is about our gospel work:
1) Gospel Tour to Kalibithi, Assam. (Date 27th to 29 Jan. 07). This church was organized: 1984. No. of Houses (families) 9 or 10. Active members: 37 Total No. of People 60. Present leaders: Chairman, Wilson Sumer. Secretary, Welkin Mynsong. Status: Illiterate + very weak doctrinally: Observing Christmas, Good Friday and so on and Lord’s Supper is seldom. Visiting: Second time two brothers Peter and Dijamani. We strongly (rebuked) them and having with them four times class. Crowding for Sunday worship. In worship we regulated 5 acts of worship orderly. They requesting us to come back. 2) Songpijang Church of Christ at Haflong, Assam. This church was organized: Around 1999. No. of Houses (families): 6. Active members 15. Total No. of People: 25. Present leaders: Sekholen Dongel who graduated from the Assam Bible College (ABC) some years ago; and Khupthang newly graduated, Calcutta School of Preaching. This was the second visit by Linder and Dijamani. They planned to construct a kacha (thatched shed) building for worship but (did) not (have) enough the material. They worship like as what our worship. A married (brother) named Lunkholen plans to study in NBI in Shillong. We left him Introduction to Faith to study and some tracts. 3) Khonom Church 16 km (10 miles) from Manja by foot. Mr. Hegin Guite around 65 and his three married sons were formerly with the church of Christ while they lived in Mulchom Village. As (when) they shifted to Khonom Village the head man compelled them to merge into the “church of Jesus Christ.” (This is a denomination that came out of China). Even though they were unwilling. Presently they seek to find a place where is free of religion matter. So that they may reorganized into the former church. His brother. Chimpu Guite is an ABC graduated working in Silchar Assam, Phone. 03842- 223819. Visiting: 2nd time by (our) tour Company: Brothers Linder and Dijamani. 4) Evangelism February 07: Langsoliet Congregation. Around 19 km (12 miles) from Diphu. No. of active members: 5. Visitors: Around 8 to 20. This village, Langsoliet is a good centre. We worship Sunday regularly and preaching around this area and others. 5) In Diphu: Due to our earnest prayer and study two Hindu boys namely Mr. Pradip Chakma, 20 and Mr. Joy Chakma, 20 were obeying the gospel and baptized on 23rd February, Friday, and attending the Sunday worship. If God’s will some others also will be baptized some days. 6) Phonglokpet Congregation: Above 60 km (38 miles) from Diphu. Conversions formerly in 1990, No. of families around 8. After three years of conversion (they) merged into “Believers Church” and other denominational churches. On the dates of 19 and 20 our prospect a Mr. Sunil, a Baptist Voluntary Evangelist, who himself also claimed to be baptized into church of Christ has taken me (to) the above same area. We went house to house preaching and asked them to be reorganized (as the church of Christ). By the great works of God 5 houses of them mostly welcome of the re-union. In the same time we preached some youths about the baptism. Again on 24th Saturday I (re-) turned back there with two Assamese (brothers) and two Assamese Bibles and some dried grapes (raisins which are boiled to produce grape juice for communion). In the evening we met with the youths in regards of that reason. Next morning all the five families attending Sunday worship leaving away their church of believers. Also a Miss Suntina Terangpi, 19, and Mr. Jona Sing Kro, 18, was obeying the gospel and got baptized on the Sunday Morning. Right after their baptism at 10 A.M. we were conducting the first Sunday worship regulating the five acts of worship in a house which is a center for all of them. Total No. of Members: Around 16 to 17. They heartily request us to be back on every Sunday. On that same day bro. Linder was looking after the congregation in Langsoliet with other brothers. Thanks for your constantly prayer, fund and guidance.
May God bless to us all. Dijamani.”
Beloved, as a supporter of this work, you may rejoice that you are helping to train such men as these to preach Jesus and His kingdom.
With love to all,
Jim E. Waldron, Shillong, Meghalaya
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