I am pretty sure our yearly meeting family just grew. Alleluia? Praise the Lord. Alleluia.
(try and find us…it’s like where’s waldo…just a little easier)
Last week we traveled by train with Arun and Shoba and some of the staff of Caring Hands for 2 days to reach Kerala where the EFM Indian Yearly Meeting was held. Despite the billions of hours it felt like traveling, India Yearly Meeting was such a great experience. We were welcomed by Benson Sam who put together this year’s Yearly Meeting in his hometown.
About 150 people attended India’s 2nd Yearly Meeting. I believe 4 states were represented as well as us from the NWYM. John Williams and Chuck Mylander also from the US were the main speakers. The theme was “Equipping the Saints”. It was a very fitting theme I realized after hearing the Mission Reports from all the groups.
We heard from a group who is starting Youth programs and churches in Calcutta, a group from Missourey who has an amazing disciple-ship training and spreading program. Our group from Dharwad who runs the Caring Hands ministry which deals with Temple prostitutes and their children as well as runs a Bible College. It was really exciting to hear all of the reports and the work being done throughout India and some neighboring countries. I was so impressed by everyone there. Persecution is so much more real and visible in everyday lives of these people but they persevere like no other and stand firm.
The first message from John Williams was on standing firm and always give yourself fully to God because the work of the Lord is never in vain. Everyone there was such a great example of that.
Leaving Yearly Meeting was as hard for me as leaving our own NWYM. In the amount of time we spent there, only 4 days, my family grew. One night we all danced together. No one danced any particular dance it was just dancing in a community. I know God was smiling because I could not refrain. I was so overwhelmed with joy when I saw people who didn’t know each other who spoke 4 different languages and probably spanned 3 or 4 generations simply dancing together and singing praise songs to God. It was so wonderful.
I will leave the elephant riding and beach trip to vicky or lisby to write 
