As I type this message I am sitting within 100 feet of the doors to the Missionaries of Charity Mother House, the home of Mother Teresa for much of her ministry, and the site of her tomb.
Visiting the other day it was interesting to reflect how one person could so completely follow Jesus, and be almost universally accepted and loved. At the same time it was bizarre struggling with the fact that she was just a person. There was something special about her certainly, but she was still just a person.
We have completed our first week of ministry and are in to our second week already. So you know what's going on here's a break down of our schedule.
6:00- 7:30 Wake up/Shower/Devotions
7:30- 8:30 Breakfast at BMS Guesthouse
8:45- 9:15 Team Devotions
9:30-10:00 Guys Depart for Howrah Drop in Centre/Girls for Kalighat Red Light District
-12:30 Depart for Lunch in Kalighat
2:00- 3:30 Set up and pray for Kids Club Ministry in Kalighat
3:30- 5:30 Kids Club!
5:30- 6:30 ESL/Prayer and Worship
And then the evening consists of eating, debriefing, attending to personal hygiene issues, and often a time of fellowship with at least some members of the Shaw family.
Today at Howrah was especially heart breaking because two of the kids who I had connected with last week were high on glue and sleeping when we arrived. By the end of our time there one had woken up and was starting to come around, but the other hadn't. Some days at Howrah are incredible difficult, other days are a wonderful blessing.
At Kalighat our ministry is to street children. Today I introduced them to my favourite superhero Captain Canada and his alter-ego... Kevin. We then proceeded to talk about one of my favourite super heroes from the Bible who has a secret identity of their own, Esther. Later this week we will be talking about other heroes such as Mary, the Justice League of Babylon (Rack, Shack, Benny, and Daniel), Jesus, and the Hero Kit (armor of God). We are also going to be taking the kids to a water park but SHHH don't tell them that. It's a surprise.
Prayer Requests:
Health - as a team we have been remarkably healthy. We've hit only minor snags and nothing that has prevented any of us from fully participating in ministry. However, the same can not be said of the Shaw family. There is some sickness going around their house right now so please lift them up in your prayers. Also pray for the continued health of our team.
Energy - This week looks like it is shaping up to be a week in which we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Pray that we can find strength in God primarily, but also in the places God has blessed us, with a wonderful team and incredible hosts.
Scripture -
1 Corinthians 13:3
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
2 Timothy 1:7
1 John 3:16-18
Thanks for reading, thanks for praying. I look forward to talking to you all soon,
Water... I mean... Joel
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
06/06/2010
Here it is! The final pre-trip update!
We board our plane to Delhi via Brussels at 6:10 and then after a 12 hour stopover will continue on to Kolkata!
Some huge praise items to share with all of you.
1 - EVERYONE HAS THEIR VISAS! This is incredibly exciting as it means that we have already sorted through the most significant red tape that we'll face and we can get on our plane knowing that.
2 - I have received all my financial support! Thank you so much to all of you who were able to contribute, and to all of you who were keeping this matter in your prayers.
So here we go, I'm getting on a plane in less than 6 hours. I'll try to update you from India at least once a week depending on Internet access. Thank you so much for supporting me through this time.
Prayer requests:
Culture Shock - Jet Lag - Heat Exhaustion: These are three things that I would love to avoid, as well as malaria, travelers diarrhea and a number of other things that will make me less able to experience India and engage with the people and the culture as we try to bring Christ's message.
2 Timothy 1:7 - Continually pray that we will recognize that God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.
The Shaws - Pray that we can truly be a blessing to the missionary family we are going to partner with. It is our desire as a team that we can leave having refreshed, encouraged, and truly helped this family in their ongoing work in India.
India - The country has a lot of needs as it continues to face political, social, and religious turmoil.
Once again, thank you all so much.
Joel
We board our plane to Delhi via Brussels at 6:10 and then after a 12 hour stopover will continue on to Kolkata!
Some huge praise items to share with all of you.
1 - EVERYONE HAS THEIR VISAS! This is incredibly exciting as it means that we have already sorted through the most significant red tape that we'll face and we can get on our plane knowing that.
2 - I have received all my financial support! Thank you so much to all of you who were able to contribute, and to all of you who were keeping this matter in your prayers.
So here we go, I'm getting on a plane in less than 6 hours. I'll try to update you from India at least once a week depending on Internet access. Thank you so much for supporting me through this time.
Prayer requests:
Culture Shock - Jet Lag - Heat Exhaustion: These are three things that I would love to avoid, as well as malaria, travelers diarrhea and a number of other things that will make me less able to experience India and engage with the people and the culture as we try to bring Christ's message.
2 Timothy 1:7 - Continually pray that we will recognize that God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.
The Shaws - Pray that we can truly be a blessing to the missionary family we are going to partner with. It is our desire as a team that we can leave having refreshed, encouraged, and truly helped this family in their ongoing work in India.
India - The country has a lot of needs as it continues to face political, social, and religious turmoil.
Once again, thank you all so much.
Joel
Friday, April 30, 2010
Update 30/04/2010
And so the journey has begun. I packed my bags last night and left home for the last time before the team flies out. Here are some of the things that are going on.
1. Visas
2. Training
3. Malaria Medication
4. Support
1. We have all applied for our Visas and should be going in to pick them up soon... very soon. I don't know if there's any need to be nervous about them at this point. Hopefully everything will work out fine. Peter, one of our team leaders, is South Korean and as a result his Visa may take longer to process. If that's the case he is going to need to apply for an emergency Visa later this week so that he can enter the country with the rest of the team. Pray for the Visas, and especially for Peter's.
2. The team training days are this coming Monday and Tuesday! We'll be using this time to prepare some of the programs we need to have in India as well as go over some last minute information. Pray that these days are impactful, and that we can absorb and retain all the information we need to.
3. Two of us will begin our Malaria medication on Monday. This is a weekly medication that has been known to have some side effects. As exciting as vivid dreams may sound to some, please pray that we don't succumb to any of these adverse effects. The rest of the team will start their medication when we arrive in India with a different set of potential side effects.
4. Thank you all so much for your prayers! With only 6 days until we leave I can really feel their effects, especially as things fall into place. Financial support is doing well but I'm not quite there yet. If you're able to provide financial support it's not too late, and you can continue to contribute after we've left. The address for those of you who are able to provide some financial support is:
Cheques can be made out to "Tyndale University" with a memo reading 'India Team - Joel'
Thank you for your continued support and I'll try to update with stories from the road!
1. Visas
2. Training
3. Malaria Medication
4. Support
1. We have all applied for our Visas and should be going in to pick them up soon... very soon. I don't know if there's any need to be nervous about them at this point. Hopefully everything will work out fine. Peter, one of our team leaders, is South Korean and as a result his Visa may take longer to process. If that's the case he is going to need to apply for an emergency Visa later this week so that he can enter the country with the rest of the team. Pray for the Visas, and especially for Peter's.
2. The team training days are this coming Monday and Tuesday! We'll be using this time to prepare some of the programs we need to have in India as well as go over some last minute information. Pray that these days are impactful, and that we can absorb and retain all the information we need to.
3. Two of us will begin our Malaria medication on Monday. This is a weekly medication that has been known to have some side effects. As exciting as vivid dreams may sound to some, please pray that we don't succumb to any of these adverse effects. The rest of the team will start their medication when we arrive in India with a different set of potential side effects.
4. Thank you all so much for your prayers! With only 6 days until we leave I can really feel their effects, especially as things fall into place. Financial support is doing well but I'm not quite there yet. If you're able to provide financial support it's not too late, and you can continue to contribute after we've left. The address for those of you who are able to provide some financial support is:
Dave Roberts
25 Ballyconnor Court
Toronto, Ontario
M2M 4B3
Cheques can be made out to "Tyndale University" with a memo reading 'India Team - Joel'
Thank you for your continued support and I'll try to update with stories from the road!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Update 12/04/2010
Sorry that it's been a while since my last update. Here's what has been going on!
1 - Our flights are booked!
2 - We got our shots!
3 - We have our directive!
4 - Spring Arts Festival
1 - We are leaving on May 6th and flying via Brussels (a 2 hour stopover) and then Delhi (a 12 hour stopover) before we arrive in Kolkata. I'm super excited! On the way back it's only a 9 hour stopover in Delhi and we'll arrive home on the 29th. Our team leader Peter will be leaving India the day before we are and flying home to Korea.
2 - So we went to the Missionary Health Institute on Thursday of last week and subjected our arms to the various jabs that associate themselves with global missions. I only needed a couple shots, which I was quite thankful for. Afterwards we had a team dinner at an Indian Style Chinese Restaurant. The best part of the meal was definitely the 2.50 Fried Banana and Ice Cream Dessert which was absolutely amazing.
3 - I just received an e-mail forwarded from Monique Shaw who we will be partnering with in Kolkata. Here's what she had to say:
4 - We were able to set up a booth at Tyndale's Spring Arts Festival this year! We had a great time hanging out, telling people about our trip, and selling samosas. We brought in just over $100 which we are using to buy groceries for our team retreat at Chloe's house in Haliburton from the 24th to the 25th of April!
Things are shaping up! We leave in 24 days!
Here are some prayer requests.
A) Preparation - As we get songs ready for the Kids Club, prepare skits, and continue in prayer and fasting
B) Team Unity - I'm excited about our upcoming retreat, especially after the amazing time we had over dinner the other night. Pray that we can use that time to really get to know one another and understand how to work as a team to accomplish something amazing by God's grace while we are in Kolkata.
C) Finances - As we continue to fundraise I only know the status of my own personal account. Out of the 3500 I need by the end of the month I currently have $1535. I am trusting that God will continue to provide, though some days that's a little harder than others. Pray that I can continue to trust in God's providence. Pray about whether or not you can support the team. Every little bit helps, whether it's $10 or $1000.
D) India - Continue to pray for India while we are preparing, and long after we leave. There is a lot of brokenness and despair there. Conversely there is also a lot of joy. Pray for systemic change that will free the oppressed and assist the downtrodden.
1 - Our flights are booked!
2 - We got our shots!
3 - We have our directive!
4 - Spring Arts Festival
1 - We are leaving on May 6th and flying via Brussels (a 2 hour stopover) and then Delhi (a 12 hour stopover) before we arrive in Kolkata. I'm super excited! On the way back it's only a 9 hour stopover in Delhi and we'll arrive home on the 29th. Our team leader Peter will be leaving India the day before we are and flying home to Korea.
2 - So we went to the Missionary Health Institute on Thursday of last week and subjected our arms to the various jabs that associate themselves with global missions. I only needed a couple shots, which I was quite thankful for. Afterwards we had a team dinner at an Indian Style Chinese Restaurant. The best part of the meal was definitely the 2.50 Fried Banana and Ice Cream Dessert which was absolutely amazing.
3 - I just received an e-mail forwarded from Monique Shaw who we will be partnering with in Kolkata. Here's what she had to say:
As I have been praying and asking God what the priority should be while you are here, I felt like the focus should be on our street kids and youth from the red-light area. We have been able to rent a room in the area for 10 days from 3:00-6:00pm daily. During that time we would like to do a kids klub with the kids for the ten days and also teach English to the youth. The ages vary with half of them in the 8-12 year range and the other half 13-18 years so it will be challenging to figure out how to do something for all of them in the same room but I will work on that.
4 - We were able to set up a booth at Tyndale's Spring Arts Festival this year! We had a great time hanging out, telling people about our trip, and selling samosas. We brought in just over $100 which we are using to buy groceries for our team retreat at Chloe's house in Haliburton from the 24th to the 25th of April!
Things are shaping up! We leave in 24 days!
Here are some prayer requests.
A) Preparation - As we get songs ready for the Kids Club, prepare skits, and continue in prayer and fasting
B) Team Unity - I'm excited about our upcoming retreat, especially after the amazing time we had over dinner the other night. Pray that we can use that time to really get to know one another and understand how to work as a team to accomplish something amazing by God's grace while we are in Kolkata.
C) Finances - As we continue to fundraise I only know the status of my own personal account. Out of the 3500 I need by the end of the month I currently have $1535. I am trusting that God will continue to provide, though some days that's a little harder than others. Pray that I can continue to trust in God's providence. Pray about whether or not you can support the team. Every little bit helps, whether it's $10 or $1000.
D) India - Continue to pray for India while we are preparing, and long after we leave. There is a lot of brokenness and despair there. Conversely there is also a lot of joy. Pray for systemic change that will free the oppressed and assist the downtrodden.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Update: 26/03/10
Our team is setting up some opportunities to get together for team bonding exercises! In other exciting news, it looks like my cousin Joanna (who is already in India) will be joining us in Kolkata to provide some medical treatment for those we are working with! The details are still being worked out as far as I know, but the possibility is exciting.
Mother India
Hey Everyone!
I'm excited to share this exciting adventure with you. I have an opportunity to travel to Kolkata, India this May with a group of seven other Tyndale students. While we are there we will be working with two groups of people.
The guys in our group will spend our time working at a drop in with children who live on the tracks at the Howrah train station. These children have a reputation for breaking the hearts of the teams that have gone before us. There are many stories of substance abuse, malnourishment, and despair. We are looking forward to bringing some light and some excitement in to their lives.
The girls will be rotating between the drop in and the brothels. While they are in the brothels they will be sitting with the women, talking, having tea, sharing stories and getting to know them. The missionaries we are going to partner with are currently establishing a jewellery business as a means of establishing an alternative source of income for the women so that they are not trapped in such a profession.
There is a lot to be done in the next 7 or so weeks while we prepare to leave and we could use support in a few ways:
Prayer will be huge:
-as excited as we are to go to India we're not there yet and we have a lot of school work ahead of us, pray for discipline and focus
-preparations have begun but there's still a lot more to come. from what we've heard you can't really adequately prepare for India. the spiritual and physical climate have been known to be quite overwhelming
-finances are coming in slowly for the team and is a cause for concern, but we're stepping out in faith trusting that everything will come together by the end of April.
Finances:
-if you are able to provide financial support your cheques can be made out to 'Tyndale University College and Seminary' with 'India Trip' on the memo line and a note attached with my name on it. You can also donate cash
-funds can be sent to
Global Missions Department
Tyndale University College and Seminary
25 Ballyconnor Court
Toronto, Ontario
M2M 4B3
Thank you for taking the time to partner with me in this exciting venture. As much as I can I will try to post notes on here as we prepare, and as we are in Kolkata.
I'm excited to share this exciting adventure with you. I have an opportunity to travel to Kolkata, India this May with a group of seven other Tyndale students. While we are there we will be working with two groups of people.
The guys in our group will spend our time working at a drop in with children who live on the tracks at the Howrah train station. These children have a reputation for breaking the hearts of the teams that have gone before us. There are many stories of substance abuse, malnourishment, and despair. We are looking forward to bringing some light and some excitement in to their lives.
The girls will be rotating between the drop in and the brothels. While they are in the brothels they will be sitting with the women, talking, having tea, sharing stories and getting to know them. The missionaries we are going to partner with are currently establishing a jewellery business as a means of establishing an alternative source of income for the women so that they are not trapped in such a profession.
There is a lot to be done in the next 7 or so weeks while we prepare to leave and we could use support in a few ways:
Prayer will be huge:
-as excited as we are to go to India we're not there yet and we have a lot of school work ahead of us, pray for discipline and focus
-preparations have begun but there's still a lot more to come. from what we've heard you can't really adequately prepare for India. the spiritual and physical climate have been known to be quite overwhelming
-finances are coming in slowly for the team and is a cause for concern, but we're stepping out in faith trusting that everything will come together by the end of April.
Finances:
-if you are able to provide financial support your cheques can be made out to 'Tyndale University College and Seminary' with 'India Trip' on the memo line and a note attached with my name on it. You can also donate cash
-funds can be sent to
Global Missions Department
Tyndale University College and Seminary
25 Ballyconnor Court
Toronto, Ontario
M2M 4B3
Thank you for taking the time to partner with me in this exciting venture. As much as I can I will try to post notes on here as we prepare, and as we are in Kolkata.
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