Regional Snapshot

Rod and Ruth Matthews
Asia

India and Sri Lanka:
the challenges

BURLEIGH HEADS, Australia—I returned Dec. 12 from my annual trip to India and Sri Lanka.

The time I spent with the Indian ministers, Danny and Mary Zachariah in Secunderabad, and Joe and Joanna D’Costa in Bangalore, was profitable and enjoyable.

In Secunderabad (the twin city of Hyderabad) a board meeting for the Indian Trust was conducted over two days, Nov. 23 and 24, and the trustees discussed several important business items, including the launch of a new Indian magazine (more below) and the sale of the apartments the Trust owns in Mumbai (Bombay).

In Secunderabad, Mr. Zachariah conducts a monthly Bible study in the home of a friend in a nearby subdivision. Through the connections of this family, the numbers have grown to more than 20, and the enthusiasm is infectious. Few of these people attend our regular congregation, so in effect we have the basis of a second congregation in Secunderabad.

I gave a Bible study on Nov. 24 to the group and was impressed with their attentiveness and desire to learn from the Scriptures, and their eagerness to see the meetings maintained and expanded.

Mr. and Mrs. Zachariah and I visited an orphanage Nov. 24 that has received support from the Zachariahs, and from the school where Mrs. Zachariah and other members work. It is run by an elderly Irish priest who has lived in India for more than 40 years, and which is partly supported by various charities.

The 75 boys who live there were homeless and destitute and were picked up off the streets of Hyderabad-Secunderabad. The boys attend local schools, but the orphanage runs additional classes and a school to train some as tailors so they can ultimately be qualified in a trade and earn their own living.

The Bunbury, Australia, church had sent some money to meet some of their current needs, and we determined in talking with the warden that the most useful contribution at this time would be to provide each boy with a new shirt and trousers.

But the benefit would be doubled if we could provide cloth rather than ready-made clothes so the tailors-in-training could make the outfits right there as part of their training. Mrs. Zachariah negotiated a good deal on cloth with a wholesaler, and we made the presentation of cloth to the warden on behalf of the Bunbury church. The boys gathered around, were told what was happening, and applauded the gift as well as our concern for their welfare.

I also spoke to more than 40 people in our Secunderabad congregation Nov. 25 and enjoyed seeing a group of young people lead the worship with enthusiasm. The church-owned hall in Secunderabad is also the base for a community counseling service offering personal counseling or referrals in areas of finance, health, personal relationships and religious issues using qualified members or professional contacts.

In Bangalore, I spent several profitable days Nov. 26 to 29 with Joe and Joanna D’Costa and their family. The new magazine is produced by Mr. D’Costa there and initially is called Living Light. It is printed in booklet size and in a format not unlike Reader’s Digest. It is being offered initially to the former Living Today subscribers (the magazine formerly produced by the church in Australia), and is designed to carry articles of interest to non-Christians, particularly those of Hindu background.

The potential in India is enormous, but our approach has to be sensitive and discerning in an environment where Christianity is often accused of converting people through material inducements. It is a new and historic initiative for our fellowship in India, and there lies ahead a long but exciting road of learning and exploring how best to introduce the good news to an Indian audience through a locally produced publication.

After traveling on to Sri Lanka, Nov. 29, I was joined by Mohan Jayasekera. We spoke to the Colombo congregation Dec. 1 and enjoyed a meal with the members. We met with the pastoral team that serves the churches in Sri Lanka to review last year’s activities and plan for the year ahead.

The following day, Dec. 2, the Worldwide Educational Institute conducted its annual graduation ceremonies for nearly 80 young people who had completed the one-year, six-month and three-month courses.

We then celebrated another successful year with a dinner for the faculty and staff. The Institute faces some challenges in maintaining its student base in a country where the economy has been severely affected by the ongoing civil war, and where many other schools compete for students (although we continue to receive confirmation that the level of education the young people receive at WEI is clearly superior to that offered at any equivalent institution).

Last year, Sri Lankan Airlines contracted with WEI to provide a series of English classes to raise the competency of English communication for their staff. The service being provided by the small staff is outstanding. To see the fruits of their labors in the lives of the young men and women at the graduation ceremony was an inspiration.

We even managed to find some time to go to the Singhalese Sports Club stadium in Colombo and watch a cricket test match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

On the return trip, I attended a four-day course on Lifelong Leadership near Manila, Dec. 7 to 10. In attendance were the other regional directors and about 50 pastors and lay leaders from the Philippine churches. The course was conducted by Shelley Trebesch, a visiting professor from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena.

The course highlighted how God works with those who submit to him over the years to maximize each person’s potential and use their gifts. This was followed by a short conference for regional directors in which we discussed areas of developmental focus for the year ahead.

SECUNDERABAD ORPHANAGE—Meal time at the Secunderabad orphanage.
[Photos by Rod Matthews]

FUTURE TAILORS—
Some of the orphans with
donated cloth for tailoring instruction.

WORLDWIDE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE—The institute
graduated 80 young people in December.

SECUNDERABAD ORPHANS—Some of the orphans saved from the streets.

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002