Rockin Rooftop!!

So, here here we are back in Kolkota after a whirlwind tour of ministry in West and North Bengal. On Saturday, we met Vivek at the airport who whisked us off to his ministry in the city. It was there we were able to minister in two services to children and youth. He personally runs a ministry that reaches 350 youth and children. Each week these street children come to their home, actually their rooftop to be ministered to! All of the children come from Hindu homes. So, we shared the gospel and to get the point across this time, I talked about our Father who gives good gifts. If we ask for bread, would our earthly fathers give us a stone…so I took some stones and put them in my mouth, that got a good reaction, but more importantly hopefully we left a vivid image. Phil left clothing and we were able to give candy out! One little girl did a traditional dance for us. She was a little beauty!!

It is Sunday and we have now been here for a week and have just finished breakfast with Ashok. He is a man who puts everything in perspective and someone who you can just sit with and soak in so much from listening to him. As a pastor, I realize that there is very little difference between us in the challenges that we face as we seek to stay true to the message and continue to create new forms to wrap it in. One insight that has always stuck with him is that Jesus called fisherman to be fishers of men. There is a significant difference between the two. Fishermen catch live fish that die whereas fishers of men catch dead men that become alive! It is an awesome thing to see people come ALIVE in Christ!

The road to China through Sikkim

On our way to Kalimpong!

no ping pong in Kalimpong

Today we were off to Kalimpong. We drove on some crazy switchback up and down the mountain range, across bridges and fed the monkeys along the way! Kalimpong is the city on a hill and it build on the side of the Himilayan mountain range. There is a strong Christian foundation that has been laid here by Presbyterians from Scotland. We went on a hike to the highest point here and from that point you can look out and see Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet and China in the distance.

I would like to tell you about a man I met today,  Barbesh Simick, who is close to 80 years old. He still leads the youth here and he is the adoptive father of Nicholas. He will spend his early hours in prayer and then at 7am you will find him leading the devotions and teaching the Word of God. He is a very humble and amazing man.

It is noon on Saturday and we are the Bagdogra airport awaiting our flight out to Kolkata.

Ultimate Frisbee in Satali, North Bengal!

Today we arrived at the home and ministry of Nicholas Narjinary. They minister to people of the Boro people as well as the Garo people. The primary focus of Nicholas is over 67 cell/ church groups in North Bengal. They plant about 20 -30 churches amongst these tribes every year. We arrived by train just after 8am, had breakfast and then we were ministered to by the children in the orphanage here. There are presently 86 children that Nicholas and his wife have taken in!! I had the opportunity to speak to the children about our ‘abba Father’ and we had fun as I taught about trust by having a few children fall backwards off the podium into our arms. It is my subliminal way of teaching them how to body surf! They fed us so well and then in the afternoon Phil and I had time to be ‘jungle gyms’ for the kids. Thanks to Tarun, I was able to teach the kids ultimate Frisbee and they caught on real fast. It was a blast. We also took the opportunity to take the motorbikes for a spin. They were bought by Partners ‘Harvest Of Hope’ campaign to help the local evangelists in their ministry.

Fanci Danci in Samsi !!

After our overnight train ride in the sleeper car from Kokata, we arrived in Samsi at 5:45am. We had breakfast and then we were back in action as we began here by giving a Bible lesson to the Bible College students. There are about 15 who have come from all over West Bengal to attend here. From there, Phil and I were the guests of honor for the Compassion / Partners school. This year marks 25 years since Partners began involvement here. We met with PJ Thomas who is the visionary leader and who has done an incredible job leading the ministry. There are over 250 sponsored children by bothe ministries and they sang for us, did traditional dances and basically won over our hearts. The kids are so happy and fun to be with. We were high fiving them! Afterwards a group of pastors gathered as we was asked to give a message to them. What I am definitely realizing is that I have to always be ready on the spot to preach, teach, you name it!! Thankfully, God has been giving me passages and insights to share and reminding me of the lessons that I have learned. So many of them face incredible challenges so it is humbling and yet inspiring to be an encouragement to them. So, I challenged the pastors and leaders on the subject of not forgetting to feed their often, own forgotten soul. After, we had a time of hallelujah injected worship and we then walked through the surrounding village and met up with some of the families who have sponsored children who have come to know the Lord as well as meeting other families that still need sponsorship. As you can imagine there is still so much more that can be done!

Well, we are off to another village in the area here this afternoon before we go on another overnight train ride to a new area, Gourshanda, closer to Bangladesh, north east of here.

Thanks for your prayers. I am feeling great and health is good...love all the curry and spiced up food.

Chaulkhola sounds like chocolate!

Today we spent the day with Vivek and with his ministry, "touch the lives'. We were special guests for a day of dedication of a new facility that his ministry has just secured as a place to provide training for the students who led the children's ministries in the slums and in many of the rural areas. Some of these students have been beaten for their faith for their decision to be baptized, but what is unmistakeable is the joy of the Lord in their testimonies. Phil and I were both asked to share with the students and I was able to share about the things that really matter for eternity and to be an encouragement to them by talking about how they are 'filling God's wallet with more pictures of children' who are now found in Jesus! We then went on site to Chaulkhola where we went to see one of the children's clubs in action. They have only started it two weeks ago and there were about 30 children + mothers who listened in. Once again, I was parachuted in to share and I used a plant and a dead branch to talk about letting Christ live in us and His sacrificial love in John 15.

We arrived back at our hotel with just enough time to turn around and head to the train station to head to Samsi in the north. It was an overnight ride and we were in the sleeper car...very cool! At 5:45am we arrived here and the day is packed again with meetings with students and children.

the real reason!

Ok, so here is the real reason Phil wanted me to join him on his journey....well at least I can still train for my triathlon...truth be known, at one point I completely lost balance and almost bit it in some rice patties! The team of evangelists and missionaries said it was worth every minute having me on the trip...I'm providing the comic relief. We are on our way to see the ministry in Shibnager!

Peace, Jack

ministry in Shibnager

On Monday, Phil and I travelled to the southern islands outside of Kolkata. It was quite an experience as we travelled 4.5 hrs by vehicle, then a 45 minute boat ride followed by a 30 minute ride on a bike to where we met up with the evangelists that minister in this remote village area. The children sang for us as we were crowded into a house and they also sang inside, outside, upside, downside happy all the time! These children are sponsored thanks to the generous giving of the sponsored children of Partners. One of the evangelists that work here is Biswanath Mondal who has one lame foot due to polio and another man who lost his arm in an accident while travelling on a city bus. It was a testimony to the fact that uses those who the world might consider the weak to do his mighty work! Phil and I shared with the children that we are all part of God's family because we are all adopted into it. For lunch with ate rice, lentil, fish, sweet tomatoes and rice balls filled with sugar!

Yesterday we arrived in Kolkata after a 9.5 hr flight from London. I had the opportunity to share the Lord with a university student by the name of Radika. Pray for her that she will one day be radical for Jesus! We got to bed around 3am local time and I preached at 9am at the English speaking service at Carey Baptist Church. I felt as God was giving me the adrenaline and strength to preach as I spoke. It was truly a blessing to minister to them. In the afternoon, we visited some of the very poorest areas of the city as well as Mother Teresa's home for the dying. The one thing that you are faced here with is the mass of humanity everywhere. People come in from the villages and sleep on the streets in the city. I even saw people sleeping on roofs as well. So many are caught up in the worship of Calli, the goddess of the destruction of evil. It is so sad to see even the young going in bringing sacrifices of incense and flowers to these gods that are dead and have no life in them.

Traffic is insane and I mean insane! I have never seen anything like it. The road is a free for all for everyone to walk on, bike, drive, buses fly through. No one uses their mirrors, its all about the horn and they honk incessantly. They also believe that they must give the right of passage to anything or bad will come to them. One man told us the story how a city bus slammed its brakes to let a cat pass by at the expense of his passengers at 2:30am. One young mother's baby dropped to the floor of the bus out of her arms to cuts and bruises, but thankfully ok. It is so much of the fears and false beliefs that keep so many of them trapped.

We are 10.5 hours ahead of Ontario time and tonight, Tuesday, we take an overnight train to the north after we visit another ministry right here in the city that ministers to children. It began by simply providing meals for them and it has blossomed to over 1000 kids!

First Goal! No Goals!

Well Rylan scored his first goal in Timbits and I have to admit I was jumping out of my seat. It was a great moment. He skated over to me and gave me the thumbs up! He actually was onside and took a great shot....we've been working on that! So, that eased the pain of last night's loss in an untimely end in the playoff run for the Barley Kings. We lost 4-0. Maybe it was a timely end as I leave for India today. I will be preaching in Kolkutta on Sunday. It does seem surreal that I am going, but I know that God will change me and rearrange me! Looking forward to travelling with Phil Dempster!

GTG time to fly!

snapshots!!

So, I just celebrated Jordan's 13th BDAY with him and his friends today. After playing hockey, they decided that I should take shots at them while they built a fort out of the net. I managed to make them jump with my snapper! Imagine that eh? This was way more fun for me and I certainly obliged them...

Addi lost a front tooth today and she almost upstaged the event with her great mugshot!

So, I'm off to India in less than a week and tomorrow I will walk the church through Rosh Hashanah and finish with Ocean Floor by Audio Adrenaline which ties in well to Tashlich. Check out these Jewish celebrations that are rich in meaning for us!

2 weeks away

Well it is hard to believe that I will be heading to India in only two weeks. I will be travelling with Phil Dempster from Partners and we will be able to see the ministry being carried out by some incredible pastors and missionaries there. I hope to be able keep you updated on our adventures through our blog!

Jordan is going to be a teenager this month! Its crazy, but he is a great older brother who really is a kid at heart and takes Rylan, Bryn and Addi under his wing. However, he just received his term two report card and realizes that he actually has to do homework now. His hockey team, the Flyers have made the finals so hopefully this year his team will win it all! We are putting Addi and Bryn in gymnastics after the March break and they are getting ready by walking down the walls backwards on their hands! Rylan got a loft bed and feels like a big boy and he keeps showing me his hockey skills!

Sharon's business, www.ninabrookdesigns.com continues to fly out the kits as Heather and her continue to put their creative touch out there and even take their husbands on business trips to Anaheim!