Almost home

Eleven of us from group 1 started our trip home Friday night India time after a busy day and moving graduation service. We are currently awaiting our flight in JFK with just the short flight to Atlanta remaining. We are very tired since we are approaching 48 hours since any bed based sleep. We could see group 2 deplane in India but they could not see us. We pray the team in India has a safe and productive week.

Team 2 quickly

I will post this as best I can. As this will be it for Internet till we return. We made it safely to Kochi. We rested for the morning. All is well. I must go.

See you when we return.

Thursday Schedule

As I write this it is Thursday Morning.  The conference is continuing and our schedule for today is as follows:

Morning Worship: Led by Bill Ross, Devotion by Laura Smith and Singing by Melissa Fox

Morning Session:

Group 1: Led by Harris Travis on By Who and When was Leadership Instituted

Group 2: Led by Lauren Waggoner on Teaching Children

Afternoon Session:

Group 1: Led by Harris Travis on What Happens Without a Leader

Group 2: Led by Laura Smith on Spiritual Parenting

The afternoon session will be followed by the Baccalaureate Service for the Graduates.  Most of our group is involved in this service in one way or another, speaking, singing, praying or distributing awards to the graduates.

The Graduation dinner follows the Baccalaureate Service. 

  

This will be a very long, busy and hot day for our group.  Please pray for us.

Wednesday Update

During the day yesterday, the missions conference continued.  Our team continues to be heavily involved in leading the conference and teaching the attendees.  Our schedule was as follows:

Morning Worship: Led by Kevin Meadows on Missional Church Leadership

Morning Session A

Group 1: Led by Greg Odom on Biblical Principles for Leading God’s People

Group 2: Led by Paul Smith on Leadership in the Old Testament

Group 3: Led by Lauren Waggoner on Women Leaders in the Bible

Group 4: Led by Thelma Goolsby on Homiletics

Morning Session B

Group 1: Led by Greg Odom on Biblical Principles for Leading God’s People

Group 2: Led by Elaine Sheldon on Working with Volunteers

Group 3: Led by Liz Cole on Teaching Others to Serve

Afternoon Session A

Group 1: Led by Greg Odom on Biblical Principles for Leading God’s People

Group 2: Led by Bianca Robinson on How to Develop Youth Leaders

Afternoon Session B

Group 1: Led by Harris Travis on The Essential Qualities of Leaders

Group 2: Led by Elaine Sheldon on Working with Volunteers

Group 3: Led by Liz Cole on Teaching Others to Serve

As stated before, all of the classes / meetings are occurring in non air conditioned rooms or in an open air tent outside.  Even with numerous ceiling fans (even in the tent) it has been very hot and leading these classes is very draining.  We have had a few instances of people feeling ill, but so far nothing some rest, some water and some air conditioning hasn’t cured.  

Team 2 starts the journey

Team 2 will be leaving in the morning. We meet at the church at 10:00 am to start our fantastic voyage. I am sure as Team 1 can surely attest. Thursday will be as thrilling as it will be a long time before rest. Thank you everyone for your prayers and well wishes. Probably at this point the best wish would be for safe boring flights (plane wise anyway). I'm sure the trip to Kochi will be exciting. I learned a little history. When I looked at maps I saw Kochi (Cochin). A colleague at work is from India. I asked him why two different spellings. He said Cochin is the British spelling and pronunciation. Kochi is the traditional Indian spelling and pronunciation. India is transitioning many of the cities back to traditional Indian spelling and pronunciation. That is why Bombay(British) is now Mumbai (Traditional Indian).

The Missions Conference Begins

On Tuesday, the missions conference began.  This is a conference of local pastors and seminary students that is focusing on Christian Leadership.  It concludes Friday with the graduation of the seminary students who have completed their studies. 

Our group is heavily involved in leading the conference and teaching the ministers and seminary students.

The message at the initial session was given by Bill Ross and focused on how to go from being a good spiritual leader to a great spiritual leader.

The attendees were then broken apart and Beverly Sonnier led a session on My Spiritual Journey while Paul Smith led a session on Old Testament Leaders. 

Following lunch, Bianca Robinson led a session on How to Develop Church Periods while Thelma Goolsby led a session on Homiletics.

The final meeting was an entire group meeting with Harris Travis leading the meeting with message on God given visions in the church.  Other members of the group led in prayer and singing during the service.

During the afternoon break we were treated to a pineapple party by Dr. Chacko, our host, and his wife Jane.  The pineapple was extremely sweet and very pure tasting. 

All of the conference meetings are taking place in open air facilities or rooms with no air conditioning.  It has been quite warm.

Please continue to pray for us as we lead the conference and educate our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ about Christian leadership.

A Monday Adventure

It is about noon on Wednesday as I write this.  The missions conference is in full swing and I thought I would take a moment to update everyone on our week.

Monday was a free day and the Indian Baptist Theological Seminary treated us to a back water cruise.  This is a boat ride down small canals that shows the beauty of the country and provides a glimpse of the people as they lead their daily lives.  It lasted about three hours.

While it was hot, the scenery was spectacular.  We did have one small incident.  Some of the vegetation in the canal got wrapped around the propeller on the boat and we had to stop to clean it off.  A passerby volunteered to dive in the canal and free the propeller, but he wanted a pair of sunglasses.  After about 45 minutes and Ms. Georgia volunteering her sunglasses, we were freed and continued on our trip.

Later that day, we went to do some shopping and then had a dinner at a local resort.  The views along the water at the resort were breathtaking and we were treated to traditional music and dancing during our meal.  The fellowship among our team members was the best part of the meal, however.

After the Monday adventure, we were ready to start the conference on Tuesday.