Since my last blog, it’s been difficult for me to decide what exactly to share. My new team and I (Beast Mode) have experienced so much and grown in ways which are indicative solely of the Lord’s grace and commitment.
Where We’ve Been
When our 5 days in Calcutta ended, Beast Mode as well as 3 other teams (Blaze Trailers, Food Truck and Beautiful Leftovers) boarded a plane bound for Imphal, Manipur, India. Knowing next to nothing about Manipur (well, I didn’t), we descended through the clouds and haze into a green, mountainous wonderland. I was struck by my own excitement opon seeing the landscape. When I look back now, I can see how two months of living in cities had begun to take a slight toll on me without me even realizing it. Mountains and valleys covered in green trees stood imposingly against the skyline and all I could do was gaze in awe. As we rode on the bus to Sielmat, a city south of Imphal where we would primarily serve during our next 2 weeks, anticipation for what was ahead rose with every gust of wind that hit our faces.
Me at the top of a mountain we climbed on our adventure day (don’t let the lack of trees in this picture fool you – Manipur is full of vegetation)
The following 2 weeks were filled to the brim with precious moments, deep conversations, unexpected adventures and a wide variety of situations which allowed us to make new friends and be God’s hands and feet.
Planned Ministry
Planned (or organized) ministry came in all shapes and sizes in Sielmat. It included helping serve at a medical camp in a surrounding town, putting on a VBS for 400+ kids and young adults, sweeping leaves and preparing walls for kaulking at the Christian hospital down the street, speaking at churches on Sunday, visiting the Deputy Commissioner’s village and leading 400+ kids and young adults in an impromptu church service, and attending a 2-day Seed Sower’s Seminar in Imphal.
Seed Sowing Seminar
Of all of those, the Seed Sower’s Seminar stuck out in my mind’s eye. A compelling picture of unification within the body of Christ, it gave me a better idea of how the message of Jesus is being spread to all people groups in Manipur.
Although my team and I were excited to serve at the seminar, our team was uncertain about the back story behind it. We knew our role, our small piece in the bigger puzzle, which consisted of intersession for the speakers and hearers, helping lead worship and preparing resources. My team seemed ok with the lack of information so I didn’t ask queations. Still, I personally remained curious about the seeming importance of the event.
Why did they want to hold a seminar for these people? What were they wanting to accomplish from a 2-day seminar? How was this going to be beneficial for both people groups (Mar and Maetae)?
Upon arriving at the Catholic conference center complex in Imphal, my curiosity overtook me and I asked John Pudaite as we climbed the steps to the main meeting room on the 3rd story of the building…
“John, how long have you been preparing for this event?” “For over a year,” he replied, “We have noticed that all of our (the Mar people’s) efforts at reaching the Maetae people with the gospel have not been very successful. The Maetae people and the house churches are having a more lasting impact, and we are wondering why and if there is anything we can do to help…that’s where the idea for this seminar came from.”
I considered his answer. Such an honest, humble ministry effort this was! And it was that humble platform on which the remainder of the seminar operated. It was evident that the Mar tribe was wanting to come alongside and encourage and equip the existing Maetae pastors, evangelists and church leaders as they witness to their own people; their intent was not simply to impose their own tactics or strategies (even saying those two words when talking about ministry makes me cringe a little) on the Maetae people for how to conduct ministry and show Jesus’ love. This was a collaboration effort.
The more I thought about it and observed this in action, the more I was struck by it. Man, what a beautiful picture of the Manipur Church coming together to problem-solve for the sake of seeing people come to saving faith in Jesus! These two people groups were working hand-in-hand, each with their own strengths (language, history, resources, training, location) but with a unified purpose: Jesus’ glory.
In a way, through planning and organizing the seminar, the Mar people were “reaching across the isle”, eliminating the notion of competition, the façade of having all the “right answers” and “solutions”. They were willing to honestly acknowledge where the Maetae people are strong and they are weak. And the Maetae people responded by attending, being active listeners and participating. Both recognized the depth of the importance of that time the Lord set apart for them to join forces.
I sometimes wonder why we can’t do the same, individually and corporately in the church and outside of it. Why do we feel the need to over-justify ourselves, to puff ourselves up and make us seem untouchable and irrefutable and always right, like we’ve got all the answers figured out? We let pride subtly corrupt the way in which we see each other, and eventually, the way we treat each other. In short, we build walls between people.
In truth, I do this more often than I care to admit. Ultimately, I trust Jesus desires a different reality, and I think I really do too. One where we connect with each other in humility, where we not only grow WITH each other but BY each other. And not only that but where we work ALONGSIDE each other, looking to make His name known together.
By the end of the 2 days, we had soaked in a lot of exceptional teaching on the Gospel of John (a ministry called Bibles for the World – based out of Colorado Springs – supplied the Maetae ministers with myriad copies of the Gospel of John to distribute and help teach) and had talked to so many incredible people, each with their own passion for the ministry God has called them to. I had the pleasure of chatting with daring worship leaders who are on the front lines of seeing their culture adopt new mentalities about worship, with patient pastors who have been faithfully leading churches of 20-30 members for years and longing to see growth, and with fiery evangelists whose calling (they trust) is to go door-to-door with the good news every day. I felt awed and humbled sitting next to these sincere saints. I felt like there was so much to be learned from them.
Copies of the Gospel of John (over 40,000 copies were printed for distribution)
What we witnessed at the seminar – the peoples’ teachableness, their humility in their relations to one another, and the overall lack of an attitude of absolute self-sufficiency in ministry – was a necessary reminder for me and gave me cause to rejoice; the news of Jesus is going out into the world of the Maetae people via a church that has a fierce, synchronized heartbeat. And Jesus can do a lot with people and churches like that.
Quick Fundraising Update
Hey y’all, if you’re reading this, you’ve most likely observed that I am less than $2000 away from being fully funded for this trip! (Yahoo!!!!!!) The deadline is April 29th and there’s definitely still time to pray and/or give to help me reach the financial goal. I am OVERWHELMED at how God, through you, has been confirming his calling for me to be here. Thank you to all of my supporters – you remain in my heart and mind and, for those of you who I know, I do miss and love y’all dearly!
Stay classy!
*photo blog to come
