Week 6 - Teaching

This week has been a week jam packed with lots of ministry.

Each morning we have been waking up and joining in prayer with the kids at the orphanage. then we have been going to the school just around the corner and teaching about our respective countries as well as teaching English, Maths and other subjects here are there.

In the evenings we have been doing many house visits to different villages around the area. We have been giving a short word, testimony and also leading in some worship. These times are filled with God’s love and we enjoy the fellowship with the local families.

Halfway through the week we attended a late night prayer meeting, were we were again able to share about our identity in Christ, share a testimony and also do some praise and worship songs.

This week has been such a great experience and we have but one week left before we have to go back to Australia. Please continue to support us in prayer for sharing God heart for the people we meet as well as continuing to walk in excitement and enthusiasm for all God has for us.

Blessings,

Team INDIA

Week 5 - Orphanage

This week we spent the first half of the week in Darjeeling doing some more hospital visits and kids ministry.

While at the hospital, Becky was able to pray for a Lady who was in pain due to a c-section. After praying twice for the lady, the lady felt no pain in her body.

On Friday we all traveled down from the beautiful town of Darjeeling and after almost two days of travel we arrived at the orphanage that we will be staying at for the last two weeks of our outreach. 

Already we have sung in church as well as share a testimony and skit there. On Monday we attended the local school and taught on different topics. We taught Maths, English, Healthy Habits and were able to sit in on a dance class. 

So far we have already been interacting with all the children and they are all such a blessing to us. They are all eager to learn what we have to share in addition to wanting to share all that they have.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, our time here continues to produce so much joy and love. 

Blessings,
 Team INDIA 

Week 4 - Village Visit

This week we arrived back from the bible college and did some maintenance around the base, as well as going to the hospital to pray and talk with people and kids ministry once again. It has been so great to interact with the Kids each week and build relationship with them.

During our hospital visit Cole talked with a young boy who had tonsillitis and after praying for him the boy said that the pain had gone and he was able to swallow without feeling pain!

Over the weekend we traveled two hours away to a small village to do some ministry with a local pastor and his family. The weekend consisted of a prayer walk in the village where we walked to a Tibetan monastery to pray and intercede for that place. Once we were finished there we again walked up the hill to find a quaint little church sitting there. We prayed for the people of the church and its leaders. We also did house visits to pray for families and share with them more about Gods justice and how He sent Jesus as our redeemer. On the Sunday we also helped run a church service in a small room. Again Cole spoke on our identity in Christ. The weekend was so good to build relationship with the community and encourage surrounding Christians. 

we are now just over halfway into our outreach phase and have been having such a great time, we will be heading to south India in a week and look forward to the plans that God has for us. Please continue to pray for us as we continue on our adventure!

blessings,

Team INDIA

Week 3 - Bible College

This last week we traveled to a Bible College in Takdah to teach. The overall theme was “character and nature of God.”

We arrived on Monday after taking a cosy bus ride down. Each day consisted of a morning devotion, two 40 minute teaching sessions, and an afternoon devotion. As a team we took it in turns leading each day.

On Monday robin taught on God as the Sheppard. Tuesday, Matthias spoke about the power of God through the story of Job. Wednesday, Becky spoke on healing and finally and on Friday, Cole spoke about being humble before Christ.

The weekend was just as busy with Deborah leading a woman’s fellowship, sharing how it is important to spend quality time with God. On Sunday Cole preached about our Identity and authority in God with Matthias giving a testimony about how God healed a man in the town.

Over all the week was a great time to be able to share with the students of the bible college and spend time getting to know them and their hearts for God.

Then to end the week we were invited by one of the college’s staff to stay Sunday night. While we were there we spent time in fellowship with them. We were invited to share at a prayer meeting and Deborah did a small devotion on the importance of dreams. Then we spent time praying for people and their families. We also did a few house visits and prayed with the families.

This week has been such a blessing for us to be able to go and share and fellowship with so many people who are also in love with God. It was sad to have to leave but exciting to see that God is at work and that we were able to go and share.

Please continue to partner in prayer with us and pray that we would seize every God opportunity, that we would step out in boldness and for the health of the team.

Blessings,

Team INDIA 

Week 2 - Ministry

At the beginning of the week we did some work around the base weeding, washing walls, mopping floors and generally tidying up. We also did some kids ministry with about 50 children in a small room.  We shared the story of David and Goliath by doing a skit and some crafts. 

During the middle of the week, we visited a hospital and were able to talk with patients as well as pray for them in the areas of health, healing and blessing.

We will be going to a bible school next week to do devotions and teach on certain topics pertaining to the character and nature of God. This week we have been preparing and organizing for the teachings.

This Saturday we were able to attend the same kids ministry and youth group as last week. It was lovely to build on those previous relationships once again.

Today we ran the Sunday school service and again we taught on David and Goliath with the added fun of singing songs. In the afternoon we attended a healing crusade and listened to a English speaker. He was speaking from Mark 5, where the woman touched his clothes and drained his power. 

It has now been two weeks since we arrived in India and has been so great to come and experience the culture and all of its surprises as well as having already started our ministry and seen God at work in each area of ministry. Please continue to pray for us while we are here. 

Blessings

Team INDIA!!

Week 1 - Welcome to India

We arrived in Kolkata last Monday and spent two days there before heading to Darjeeling.

While we were in Kolkata we were able to get out and experience India's everyday life. We had quite a lot of food on the streets and even went to a market. The weather there was very humid and sticky. On our last day in Kolkata we were able to meet up with the YWAM Newcastle crew, who were just finishing up with their outreach phase.

On Wednesday night we went to the train station to catch the train to Siliguri . We were  two hours early for the train and so Cole and Robin started playing guitar and drew in quite a crowd. It was so great to be able to bless the people with music. After the 10 hour train ride we arrived in Siliguri. We then caught a jeep up to Darjeeling which was so much smoother than expected!

After settling in at the YWAM base here we went on a scavenger hunt to familiarise ourselves with the city. It was lovely to be able to see all the different markets and get a feel for how things work in Darjeeling.

On Saturday, Debbie and Becky went to an orphanage to do some kids ministry on the topic of Daniel and the lion’s den. Robin, Cole and Matthias went to a young adults youth group and shared on the prodigal son, had a testimony and played some games.

On Sunday we all went to a local church. After the worship we did a skit called ''Lead me to the Cross'', then Robin shared his testimony and then Matthias preached about our identity in Christ. 

So, after our first week we have already experienced a lot of the culture and started our ministry! We have so much more planned for our time here and we are excited to share about what we are doing on this blog!

please continue to pray for us in the areas of team unity, courage and boldness, compassion and health.

And we are off!

This is it folks, this is the day we head off to India! Our bags are packed, tickets are booked and excitement is filling the air! 

We fly out of Brisbane headed for a 6 hour layover in Singapore. From there we fly into Kolkata where we will stay for 2 nights before traveling by train and jeep to Darjeeling!  

Please continue to pray for the team while we are in India. Over the last week we have come under attack in ways of sprained ankles, personal issues and a concussion from a fall. But we are even more encouraged through this as we know that God is leading the way ahead of us.  

Thank you all for your continued support and prayer over our team, stay tuned for next weeks update! 

God bless, 

    Team India