We have been really busy the last two days. Yesterday, we were awakened by the zap zap of our obnoxious hotel room door bell. When Dad answered, we were delighted to see Sunnil. He had come down from Sitarganj with another pastor, Jugdis, to take us to see the new outreach COI has in the villages surrounding Rudrapur. After taking us to a scrumptious hole-in-the-wall restaurant for breakfast, we met the local evangelist who works in this area on a daily basis. Called Bapoo, he is only 21 and a really neat young man who is so earnest and sincere in his ministry to the villages.
It was a bit of a drive to the village, and along the way the scenery changed from dusty and urban to vivid green with lush rice crops. It also seemed that we could have been in a time transporter. Apart from the few tractors and motorcycles, there is hardly a trace of modern comforts and technologies. It is astounding to see how hard these people work. On the way to another village today, we saw about a dozen guys slaving away boring a hole for a well. 5 hours later we passed the same group and they were still there, working as hard as ever. Although some of the villagers can afford tractors and plows, many do all the work by hand. This includes plowing the field, planting the rice, flooding the field, harvesting it and then separating the chaff before the rice can be cooked. In so many things in their simple lives they put forth such a tremendous effort to sustain themselves.
The people in the village we visited yesterday are primarily of the Sikh religion. While we were in Delhi, Ramesh told us some very interesting things about this religion. He explained that they do not really believe in any gods or even an afterlife. The religion is all about improving our lives here on earth - caring for the poor and sick, loving people, and respecting others. There were 10 gurus long ago who set down their laws that they follow, and adherents revere these gurus to the same degree that in other faiths is held for gods. You see pictures of them in many of the Sikh homes. After meeting some of the people and drinking some chai (Indian tea that is always served to respected guests - we stop by so many homes I think we drink around 5 cups of it a day!) a worship service was held in one of the courtyards. Sunnil told us that there are about 3 Christian families there and many Sikhs who quite interested in Christianity. When Dad and I were given the opportunity to share with them, I tried to focus on the fact that there is a God, a tangible, personal God, who loves us and created us for His pleasure and when we restore our relationship with Him, that is the ultimate reason for doing good works. Around 40 people were there, and they listened intently to all that we had to say. Pray that they will consider these new ideas and have the courage to accept it. Also pray for the few Christians there, as they do not have much support and it must be very difficult at times to stand up for their new found faith in their village.
Today we went to two other small villages in the same area. The first one we visited is the home of another Christian evangelist, Sunnil (not the same Sunnil who is in charge of the outreach here.) The Christian witness in this primarily Hindu village is very new, going on for only about two months. We joined a worship service there held in a small school hall. Marvin shared a message regarding the Son of God who is innocent paying the penalty of the guilt of His creation, mankind. This idea was very new to them and they listened spellbound the entire time. When he was done, they had many good questions. They are very interested in God, and pray that this seed will sprout up and take root. When we stopped in the next village later this evening for another service, we had a great time walking about the quaint countryside and trying to relate with some of the people there before it started. I always carry my camera around, and they always chuckle at they funny things I take pictures of - a water buffalo, a rusty old bike or their small stoves fueled by water buffalo dung. When I start taking pictures of the children, more and more people begin gathering around to see the pictures on the LCD screen. Then they start asking for me to take photographs - first of themselves, then them and their buddies, then their siblings, then their family, and sometimes I find my self putting on my wide angle lens to take a huge extended family shot with uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents - sometimes 30 in one photo. Although these posed photos aren’t as interesting as more natural shots, it’s serves as a great icebreaker and a way to connect with the people. Marvin’s get-the-ring-off-the-string puzzles and Edwin’s string tricks always gather a large crowd of delighted spectators, all trying in vain to accomplish the puzzle and laughing loudly when they are shown how simple it is after they give up.
After a long day in these villages, we headed up to Sitarganj. I tagged along on the back of Sunnil’s motorcycle. It was a lot of fun, riding astride Tatas and navigating between cars and narrow bridge walls. Max and his wife arrived in Sitarganj today via bus, and we had a delightful time with them this evening. It will be such a blessing working with them for the rest of our trip.