Missions Trip to India

Nine members of MOVED! went to India from 2 October 2012 to 13 October 2012. We were based at the YMCA tourist hostel in New Delhi.

MOVED! and the believers of Rehoboth Church in India spent time together in fellowship, sharing the joy of knowing Jesus Christ together in harmony.

Our Evangelist, Emmanuel Odumodu, and Pastor Ningong Kamei and the believers of Rehoboth church made us feel so welcome and blessed, and we had an amazing, awesome experience in New Delhi.

We had early morning devotions in the chapel at YMCA every morning, and then went out to meet the local population and to fellowship with Emmanuel and Pastor Kamei. We attended church on Sunday 7 October, and we had a seminar on Wednesday 10 October 2012. The seminar was directed at believers, and the objective was to teach existing Christians how to be effective witnesses for Christ. The training was called "The Roman Road To Victory", and uses scripture found in Romans to teach believers the seven steps to winning the lost for Christ. The reason for this strategy was because foreigners are not allowed to encourage people to convert from their beliefs to Christianity. We did take opportunities to witness and to give our personal testimonies when the opportunity arose, and we handed out tracts and literature wherever possible.

My wife Margie spoke to the ladies on "Connecting with God through relationships", which was held at the ladies meeting on Thursday 11 October 2012.

We did some local sightseeing, but we also visited the Taj Mahal in Accra, which was a wonderful experience.

The experience of being in New Delhi was a huge culture shock. The food was good but unusual, in that almost every dish was spicy and largely vegetarian. We had to buy bottled mineral water very day, as we were warned not to drink the local tap water. The accomodation at the YMCA tourist hostel was very comfortable and good with air conditioning, but not like 4 star hotel establishments, although we lacked for nothing. There is a laundry service available, and you can request to have your bedding and towels changed every day. Room service is available. The local tea was tasty, made with spices, and called "Chi". The YMCA has more than adequate facilities, in that it has a very good bookshop, a business centre with internet facilities, card operated telephones, Forex office ,a travel and tourism office through which one can book transfers and taxis, and an ATM. It also has good conference rooms and the dining room is well appointed with good furnishings. The lift was a little temperamental, and the pool was not in service and partially drained and murky. But all in all a place that one would definitely visit again.

The transport system is not like anything we have ever experienced before. The roads are very busy, filled with all manner of transport vehicles, including cars, taxis, buses, tuk-tuks, rikshas, bicycles, scooters and small capacity motorcycles. The ugliest trucks (Tata) I have ever seen emerge at night, to transport cargo to various destinations. The liberal use of a hooter is very important as the vehicles approach and pass one another. It is truly amazing that there are hardly any accidents The train service is superb, with trains running filled to capacity every minute or so. It is not wise to go to India on your first trip with no guide. We were fortunate to have Emmanuel with us most of the time.

The place is densely populated, and grimy, with dirty streets and roadside food vendors. Most buildings looked dirty and old, and in serious need of renovations.Temples and shrines are common.

Shopping is for the brave, and one is expected to bargain and banter when purchasing. Almost everything that a shopaholic might need is available in India. The favorite place that the ladies liked was Palika Shopping Centre, within walking distance from the YMCA, although one could take a tuk-tuk if you did not feel like walking.

Most people we met were either Hindi or Muslim, and after the polite greeting of "Namaste!" was exchanged, would listen politely while being witnessed to. The Christians are in the minority, but seem to be very fervent and dedicated in the way they serve God. The polite thing to do when entering a place of worship or a home is to remove your shoes and leave them outside. The missions team found that custom a bit strange, but we complied.

All in all a good experience, which needs to be repeated as soon as possible.

God bless you, no matter what!

David Crawage.