HRC Mission Trip to India-February 14-24, 2008 Start slideshow

 

From February 15th-24th Kevin Phillips led a trip to Metropolitan Missions and Teen Missions India.  Both are located in and around Vijaywada India in the state of Andre Pradesh in Southeast India.  Kevin was joined by Shireen Gilbert, Bob Merillat and Scott Quimby. 

 

The purpose of the trip was:

·         To install a computer lab for the Metropolitan Missions Orphanage School outside of Vijaywada

·         Bob Merillat provided two days of continuing education in Bible prophesy for over 100 pastors and staff from the 125 Metropolitan Missions member churches.

·         To visit Teen Missions India and see how HRC can further support their ministry.   (There are more teenagers in India than there are people in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Africa, and South America!)

·         To see the ministry of Metropolitan Missions and Teen Missions India firsthand.

 

The conditions of the trip were at times harsh.  It took 37 hours for the team to get from Hopewell’s parking lot to Metropolitan Missions.  Despite the challenges what we found was a vibrant church and a wonderful Christian community.  In the last (20) years Metropolitan Missions has planted 125 churches bringing an estimated 60,000 Indians to know Jesus Christ.   Hopewell Reformed Church has been a partner in this effort to share the Good News to this part of India.

 

We provided (3) laptops to directly support the administrative work of the mission.  We then provided (12) laptops for a computer lab complete with a dial up internet connection and a computer projector.  Metropolitan Missions will be hiring a computer teacher to work with the children in the lab.

 

Then Bob taught his two day pastor’s class at the main mission location.

 

Once that project was done,  Shireen and Scott traveled over to Teen Missions India.  There they spent two days repairing and rejuvenating their existing computer lab and their office computers.  We also provided (5) additional laptops to expand their lab.  Then we toured the Teen Missions facilities.   After the conference they were joined by the rest of the team to listen firsthand to the teenagers involved in the Teen Missions India outreach programs.

 

Once that project was completed we traveled to various Metropolitan Missions churches out in the countryside as well as visiting pastors and Christians in their homes.  We learned firsthand of the hardships of many Christians in India that go far beyond the poverty we saw everywhere.   In many places in India Christians are persecuted and even killed for their faith.  

 

Our 41 hour trip home was broken up by half a day in Amsterdam where we were privileged to visit Ann Frank’s “Hiding Place” and learn about the horrors of the holocaust as told by Ann’s diary.   That dark story was contrasted with a visit to a year thriving old newly formed church that meets in a room in the back of a restaurant.   Kevin did a brief, but excellent training on disciple making for small, but enthusiastic group of church leaders.

 

Thank you for your support and prayers through this challenging trip.  Please pray for the churches and people of Metropolitan Missions and Teen Missions India.

 

The Hopewell India Team – Kevin Phillips, Shireen Gilbert, Bob Merillat, and Scott Quimby