Rhema Mission 2011

2011-02-27T17:30:00.002Z

Our final day has been full of fascination and fun.

We had a moving thanksgiving service at the Rhema Garden early this morning. The whole community attended and we sang choruses together, prayed and shared our mutual touching memories of the week.

We then proceeded to a church plant at a place called Mottamolai which literally translated means 'bald place' - a reference to the dry, rocky ground on which this very poor community is built. The church there was established in 2006 and now has 50-60 members. The church provides an evening care centre for children every week day. The Pastor told us that most adults work long hours for meagre wages (about 50p - 90p a day) and did not return from work until 9-10 p.m. each day. Their children often went to bed on an empty stomach. The church provides a place for children to be tutored and to complete homework as well as have an evening meal each evening. 50-70 children attend. We met a number of members of the congregation who have become Christian recently. It was very exciting. The Pastor is also hoping to establish a small tailoring institute to give unemployed people a skill with which they can get employment. There is a tailor in the congregation who wants to run free evening classes.

We then made our way to Chennai by plane. We have had a relaxing evening at a nice airport hotel and had the joy of watching England tie with India in a nail biting cricket match. We were surrounded by very excited Indians who all shook our hands at the close agreeing that it was a good match. We leave for the airport at 0045, our flight is on schedule and should leave at 0400 and we hope to arrive on time at LHR by 9.40 a.m.

Warmest wishes

The HTC Rhema Team

2011-02-26T16:24:00.001Z

Today was our last full day and we spent most of the time in a day of Youth Activities and fellowship. Many worship songs were sung and games of volley ball and cricket together with parachute games. We were very tired afterwards as the day was very hot. God had answered our prayer not to send any more rain and the ground was reasonably dry. Inside the dining room we set up many Messy Church type games and activities. These were much enjoyed by all the children and youth and we enjoyed the company of children from the ages of 5 to early 20s - about 90 in total. This itself made the tasks quite demanding!!!!!!

The theme of the day was Arise and Shine which was reflected in the songs and games and some of the activities and at the close of the day as the children went to dinner in the darkness we presented each one with a glow necklace which lit up the evening!

Two services tomorrow starting with one here in the Rhema Garden when we will have to say our goodbyes. Then on to a sister church near Madurai and then onto the airport. Please pray for safe travel, that our work here will have a lasting value and that those of us who were lucky enough to come will long treasure the memories we have and retain the lessons we have learnt from our hosts.

This is our final blog and we look forward to seeing you all again at HTC.

The HTC Rhema team.

2011-02-25T16:12:00.001Z

Today was the second day of the Alpha conference where Jill and Richard gave talks on Prayer and the Holy Spirit respectively.

These were both well received with positive feedback by the delegates of which we had 150.

The Special Needs Group, After-School Club and the English language teaching went very well, and we have all made good relationships with the children and students. It looks like Jill, Christine, Jackie and Dorothea may be setting up an online English teaching programme with the students as they are keen to continue with their studies and will have six laptops to use. Five of the refurbished laptops we brought over from England are now up and running, thanks to Rev Reuben, David, Roger and Ashley, with hopefully the others following suit tomorrow.

All of us are enjoying the delicious food provided by our hosts...however our English palates are now beginning to crave more traditional fare such as fish and chips. Unfortunately we have realised that the Claygate Chippie is shut on Monday, the day of our return!

During our English lessons, one of the prizes was a bag of Jelly Babies which got everyone drooling and nearly didn't make it to the students!

Prayers would be very much appreciated for our Youth Day, the last major event of our programme. Please pray for good weather as we have experienced some very heavy downpours and much of the day will be spent playing games outside.

We thank God that we are still all healthy, but please pray for Dorothea as her cough does not seem to be improving, despite a second course of antibiotics.

Please pray for some of the Special Needs children who have gone down with a fever.

2011-02-24T14:09:00.001Z

Another amazing day with the added feature of the Alpha Conference with in excess of 150 attendees! Some came from as far away as 250 killometers!! We did two mock Alpha evenings with welcome, talk and small group sessions and the whole concept was grasped eagerly by all present. There has been significant feedback that it is just what they have been looking for and in the last session of the day the discussions in the small groups was extensive and very encouraging. We met a number of the Rhema missionary pastors this evening who gave some amazing testemonies as to how their churches were growing; one of whom was expecting to grow by 500 this year! This is not to say that the work is not without difficulties and hardships but they place their concerns in the hands of the Lord and there were many examples of answers to prayer. All in all a very humbling experience.

In addition to all this we also did what is now becoming the daily pattern of Engish classes, after school club (with its many games of cricket!l) and today the children learnt about Jonah and the whale which was read and enacted by the team. Fiona worked with the special needs children who are quickly picking up and enjoying the tasks she had set for them.

In our prayer time we have prayed especially for the Holiday Club at HTC and for Roger Whittaker's safe travel to the UK for his brother's funeral on Friday.

The HTC Rhema team.

2011-02-24T03:31:00.001Z

Today was our day off and we travelled over the Western Gatz Hills to Kerala for breakfast in a hotel managed by Mohan, one of the Rhema trustees. The Periyar Meadows hotel is definitely worth considering if ever you visit Kerala.

The hardiest of us took elephant rides, while the others photographed us. We all then enjoyed a visit to the Garden of Abraham, a spice garden run by the third generation of a (catholic) family. Abraham had featured in a BBC2 programme on Spice Gardens of the World just before we came here. He showed us all the spices produced in southern India and we were amazed at the diversity of God's creation.

In the afternoon we visited one of Rhema's church plants in Kerala and met Pastors Robin and Pakiraj (he was from another plant in the vicinity). The church was a simple corrugated hut in a village of 1,000 families. The Christians met regular persecution from the local Hindus and from the Kerala government. Nonetheless his church has grown from 3 ladies to 50 members, including children, over the last 6 years. We were struck by the meagre conditions in which the pastors have to live and work and we felt very humbled by their faith in adversity.

Roger Whittaker left us today to travel home for his brother's funeral on Friday. Please keep him in your prayers as he travels home to be with his grieving family.

2011-02-22T16:44:00.001Z

Several of us spent this morning in the school for disabled children. We were all somewhat in the dark about what to expect. Naturally one might assume that any teaching, and therefore pupil attainment levels, would be far lower than in the UK. Not so, we were so amazed by the wonderful work the teachers and helpers do and the fantastic progress of all the children. The faith of the teachers and children alike is humbling and a privilege to witness. They know that they are all loved by God and it is this that spurs the teachers on in their care of this special group of children. Our educational toys brought from HTC went down a treat, although we suspect they somewhat disrupted the lessons!! We thank God for the blessing of enabling us to work with the children for the remainder of the week.

Another group of us began teaching English. Ten intermediate students attended the English Language class led by Christine with asistance from Roger. The students all had good vocabulary but really needed and wanted the opportunity to speak it, so much of the lesson revolved around pronunciation and rhythm. They were taught a childrens' prayer and they will be memorising Psalm 23 for homework.

Other activities today included painting the second floor external wall of the girl's hostel block. After school club attracted 50 children today when Noah's ark was built and the children created animals to go inside.

We also celebrated Gleny's birthday with a special celebration service and ended the day in prayer when we prayed especially for the Holiday Club at HTC.

The HTC Rhema team.

2011-02-21T16:13:00.001Z

We had breakfast in the Rhema Garden at Bishop Samuel's house followed by a tour of the Gardens. We viewed the accommodation and classrooms for the special needs children and the hostel for the older girls, who are studying here.

We then visited the new Medical Centre where patients were waiting to see the doctors. There were also separate wards available for male and female patients. We also visited the tutor rooms for the university and the library, which houses 15,000 books.

After a break Bishop Samuel gave us a talk on the caste system and many of us were both surprised and disturbed by the rigidities that it imposes on Indian society. His over-riding point was that in God's eyes we are all his children and of equal worth to Him.

After lunch and a rest we split into two groups. One ran the after-school club with over 30 delightfully-engaging children. The centerpiece was a frieze depicting the Creation painted by the children. Other activities were cricket (the World Cup is expected to end up in India!) and other team games, which the children loved.

The other party visited the church plant at Uppukottai , an uncomfortable 45 minutes drive away. HTC has financed the higher foundations for the church, which are necessary in the monsoons. The church now needs a roof, the finance for which is on its way in March. The party visited the hamlet close by the church from where some of the congregation come. The poverty was extreme and very humbling. But the dignity and serenity of the people was terrific.

Please pray for Roger Whittaker who travels on Thursday back to the UK for his brother's funeral on Friday. Please also pray for our continued energy levels in sapping heat despite the thunder storm that we have had today

The HTC Rhema Team

2011-02-20T15:58:00.001Z

After breakfast we left for the airport for the next leg of our journey to Madurai, where we were met by Bishop Samuel, his wife and Rev Ruban. We were each presented with a garland comprising roses and marigolds and after a moving prayer of welcome, we went by bus for two hours to the Rhema Garden outside Cumbum. The welcome here was astounding and very moving. The staff and lines of children greeted us with more garlands and threw petals over our heads as we entered the garden. An amazing conclusion to our two day journey to reach the goal of our visit!

Bishop Samuel then led a service of welcome and we sang 'Give thanks with a grateful heart...', so apposite for our safe arrival. During the service there was a reading from Psalm 91, Richard introduced the group to the residents of the Rhema Garden and Michael thanked them for their incredible welcome. The children were delightful and whooped with glee when told we would be playing games with them later in the week. Some of them continued to pelt us with petals throughout the service of welcome! This is Richard's seventeenth visit and he was welcomed warmly being so well known.

We have checked into our hotel - the Jabba International. We are ending the day with dinner at Bishop Samuel's house followed by a short Bible Study on 1 Thessalonians. Please pray for good sleep as many are still adjusting, and for energy levels during long, hot days. Tomorrow we are being introduced to all the projects that are run from the Rhema Garden and will also have planning meetings for the children's activities and the Alpha training event. Some of us will also be visiting Uppukottai where Revd Ruban ministers and Holy Trinity Claygate have given money for the construction of the church. Thank you for your prayers.

The HTC Rhema Team

2011-02-19T15:58:00.001Z

Our prayers have been answered with a safe arrival in Chennai, early this morning (1 a.m.!). Gentle day of sightseeing and acclimatisation. We visited the oldest church east of Suez – St Mary’s at St George’s Fort, Chennai/Madras built in 1680 and the nearby museum that explained the impact this site had in establishing British power in India. Please pray for improved observation skills amongst the group, as one of our number (no names) thought he saw a reindeer which turned out to be a cow! In case any of you think this is a jolly we must inform you that there is no alcohol at our hotel (three of our number – who will again remain nameless scoured the local shops for beer but were told they would have to walk at least two kilometres and didn’t persevere!).

We travel again tomorrow on a much shorter trip – flying to Madurai and then continuing by bus to the Rhema Garden. On a sadder note, we ask for your prayers for Roger Whittaker whose brother Nigel, passed away yesterday evening. Although not totally unexpected, please pray for Roger and Nigel’s family.

The party is in good heart and bonding well. Please pray for continued good health. We had a Bible Study before dinner on your sermon subject tomorrow – the healing of Blind Bartimaeus – Mk 10.46-52 – in the dark which helped us empathise with him! Looking ahead we will need his humility and insight into the ministry of Jesus. We expect to meet challenges in the way we will need to relate to our hosts who are likely to have Bartimaeus’s qualities of courage, perseverance and deep faith.

The HTC Rhema Group

First posting.

2011-02-17T08:49:00.004Z

We have now reached the last day before flying and are in the midst of last minute packing!

We ask for prayers that our team of 16 are ready to go, remain calm and reassured of God's strength and support, and thankful in the knowledge that all we will be doing will be in His strength, not our own.

We pray that our visit will be a joy to those who welcome us and that those in the party will learn from the people we meet and the experiences we have.

We know that God will be travelling with us and keeping us safe. We pray that those we leave behind will not be anxious and that our families and friends will also be strengthened by God and his Holy Spirit during our temporary absence.

We go in His name to do His will.

Thank you for your prayers and a special thankyou to all who have been involved in helping us prepare to go..

Richard Lloyd, Jill & Roger Marsden, Dorothea Inglis, Roger Whittaker, Glenys and Clive Finniear, Ashely, Amelia and Jackie Burton, Jess Balding, Fiona Clifton, David and Christine Steeds and Clare and Michael Porter.(The HTC Rhema team)

17 February 2011

2011-02-02T22:02:00.006Z

For the first time, a mission team from HTC will be heading off to India in February. Headed up by HTC’s new Associate Vicar, Richard Lloyd plus Roger and Jill Marsden, the team will be working alongside the Rhema Partnership, set up by Richard to support the work of Bishop Samuel in India. They will be based at the Rhema Garden, a compound in Tamil Nadu which includes a school for children with disabilities, a health centre and hospital, an orphanage and accommodation for some widows.

Richard says, “I am very excited about leading this trip to the Rhema Gardens. We will get involved with all aspects of daily life such as helping those with Special Needs, helping in clinics, teaching English, after-school clubs and youth work.” He added, “These Indian Christians have such compassion for their neighbours and zeal to evangelise that they serve both the social and spiritual local needs so effectively. I hope and pray that we will come back with a renewed vision for serving the social and spiritual needs of our locality.”

The Rhema Partnership was established to support initiatives such as the RMS Trust which was started in 1986 by Bishop Samuel and his wife, born out of their passion for pastoral ministry for the very poor in India. Initially just helping to assist and fund education for local children, the RMS Trust now runs the compound’s school for the disabled and the health care centre.

The Partnership also supports the Theological College at Rhema Gardens, which is in the process of being upgraded into the first Christian Evangelical University in India. Many graduates of this college are now pastors who have planted more than 25 mission churches in the district over the last six years.

HTC has supported the Rhema Partnership financially for the last two years, but this will be the first time we have sent a team there. Roger and Jill have served on the HTC Mission Committee for a number of years and this will be their first visit to India, though not their first mission. Roger and Jill were seconded to the USA from 1999 to 2002 and it was at the church they attended in Virginia that their passion for mission work started when working with the Native Americans in South Dakota. They have since been regulars on the Ukraine summer and winter missions.

Jill and Roger are certain that short-term missions have advanced their commitment beyond funding and prayer support. Jill says, “It is only when you actually go, that your heart changes.” Roger agrees, “There is just as much impact in the lives of those who go on short-term mission, as on those who are being visited. Missions are not simply about delivering goods and being with people; you are truly blessed in return.”