Starting our venture from Sharon Gardens is a relaxing, low key way to commence a strategic couple of weeks living out the love of Christ by encouraging His beloved daughters as they equip and encourage others to follow His call to encourage others to know Him! However, it also means that after Friday, tomorrow, it will be like toping the first hill of the roller coaster—the view is breathtaking, however the speed is mind boggling and before you know it, you arrive breathless at the other end of the track—ride over! We are desperately trying to squeeze as much out of and into these days as is possible! We know that they will be over far too quickly and we will find ourselves boarding the plane for Newark wondering where the two weeks went and then landing in our home places, surreal, wondering if maybe we did just dream of being in a land of billinos of people half a globe away!
Each time I come to Sharon Gardens I learn something new! Today Daniel was the lucky duck to give us the tour. Our first unscheduled stop was to the brandnew or nearly new production center, Sharon Enterprises. It is housed where the old Nursing College was once crammed. I thought that Paula French was going to dissolve into a puddle (oh, how I missed and thought of you, Judy Sturman) when we stepped into a room with mounds of exquisite, one-of-a-kind sari material; some in scraps, some in finished product and some being swept up as trash! Certainly, we had to rescue some of the material and product for grandchildren and children of friends. Paula was happy as a lark or should I say, tickled pink, since that is the color of one of the outfits she purchased! I won’t say who because that would all but ruin the surprise!
Next stop was the New Nursing College which houses hundreds of students who are rescued from nonproductive lives and given the opportunity often to be the first one in their family to go to college! The India Gospel League does not just see the individual but they also see the generation and long to influence it and empower it for Good! The students are pleasantly surprised and relieved to learn that it only costs $300 to complete a two year program of nursing! I took the picture of a young woman who attended the Children’s Home at Sharon Gardens. (I will post as soon as I can figure it out.) She grew up in the incredibly positive and safe environment and upon graduation opted to take advantage of the Nursing College’s two year program. Once she completed that successfully she applied to work at Sharon and is excited continue her education with higher learning while she works! Hers is just one of the countless transformation stories that are the result of investing a little love and help to those less fortunate!
The Cancer Hospital was next on our less than ten stop agenda. Daniel introduced us to one of the administrators of the hospital and she took the tour from there! (IGL turns up apprentices everywhere!) Sitting outside of the Pediatric Ward (It is sad that a cancer hospital has to have one of these, but then again maybe it is something to be thankful for!) was a young girl with beautiful big round dark eyes that were bright but timid as we approached. Her mother was with her so we stopped to inquire why they were waiting there. The mother told us that her daughter had bone cancer and was preparing to have radiation treatment. A group of five mothers that yanked our heartstrings taut and we asked if we could pause and pray for her. It was welcome so we gathered around the girl, much too young to face such uncertain precarious times. Paula led the prayer as we all agreed. When she looked up to gaze into our eyes hers weren't the only ones filed to the brim but she wore a smile of relief and peace that wasn't there earlier! Thank You, God for loving your precious daughter through your other precious daughters! We finished touring the wing and turned to trace our steps back down the same hallway. Of course she was still there so we asked her name and took pictures so that we could remember to pray for her when we were back in the USA.
The Stephens' faithful driver who has chauffeured us on many conference ventures as well as shopping escapades was at the doorway of the hospital to transport us to the remaining stops past the concrete production site where the blocks for the Life Center churches IGL plants are made, (we did skip the dairy farm, shhhh, the new girls don't know what they don't know. :) Time was getting short and we had a 30 minute drive to an adopt-a-village site. Since we were planning to return in time to attend the Children's Program at Sharon tonight we refrained from going inside either the primary or high schools, Anderson Schools that were nestled under the massive mountain! On the way we drove past the laundry facility for the children's uniforms and that of the various workers as well as the vo-tech facility where about young men gained hope after their families were swept away in 2004 during the Tsunami. We also passed a variety of equipment exercise for the children in mostly primary colors that were bright and inviting and had been produced right there on the site!
My heart always beats fast as we head up the narrow roadway to the Convention Center that hosts thousands of pastors, women and leaders of all kinds! I will never forget the story of the anguish prayer that persisted prior to that decision of whether or not that was the best venture. God answered that prayer with a Muslim businessman who contacted Sam to come to see him because he wanted to contribute! That was the first significant gift for the center and Rev. Stephens knew that that was confirmation from God! I have a warm memory of the time when Sam's daughter, Becky, a vibrant young leader was assigned to give us the tour and we walked up the roadway to the land that was set aside. As we held hands and hearts as we strolled along, she talked of her dad's counting the cost prior to beginning and she said, "Money always follows vision." Truly, a daughter after her father (and The Fahter's) own heart she is an incredible leader of the entire Children's Minsitry of IGL and holds a place on the board. Walking on the grounds of the Convention Center I could see the women from the National Convention in 2008 seated enjoying lunch prepared in the large kitchen. Entering the auditorium of the center, triggered a flood gate of warm memories! I remember standing in the middle of the room when it was filled floor to ceiling with bamboo scaffolding! And then the year of its near completion when Cassandra Dickerson, a member of one of the WWAM teams with a powerful voice took the chance to stand on the stage and anoint the room with a song that raised Holy Spirit goose bumps! How my heart longed to participate in another powerful gathering there!
And then I saw it! Something new! The banner that stretched across the entire front of the stage that declared SENT to the World! It took my breath away to try to wrap my mind around the idea that God was prompting and moving our hearts to create a book by the same name, SENT! God is amazing! He is always up to producing a plan to include HIs children at His table! I am so grateful and excited and humbled to even be around! Why not ask God what He is up to in your area and family?
Next stop the Adopt-a-VIllage in Kotty where the pastor is also the cook for the teams that come to Sharon Gardens! He was busy preparing our lunch that we would return for late in the afternoon so he was unable to meet us at the LIfe Center. However we were greeted by the teachers and parents of the childcare center that meets in the Life Center as well as a host of the believers that worship there on Sundays. They greeted us with plastic floral creations made in the LIfe Center. They invited us to introduce ourselves. The joy and smiles on their faces were evidence of the life transformation of the community of that village! One village affects and impacts ten other villages surrounding it!
Traveling in the van on the return to Sharon I learned that there were 37 villages around Salem! The India Gospel League has established four Life Centers so they are feeling like that it is only a matter of time before their influence is felt throughout Salem! They are intentional and strategic about reaching every last one of God's children with His Love!
Thrilled to see and hear so much good news, we rode back to Sharon in anticipation of more to come in the evening when nearly 300 children of Sharon would demonstrate the joy and testify to the difference Christ has made in their lives through His love expressed by His servants at Sharon!
After lunch we had about 2 hours of free time...hmmmmm....what should we do? Shop? Why of course we had loved ones and prayer partners for whom we needed to obtain treasures to take home to remember. And of course, we must fulfill our tourist visa!
Oh, Belinda... I can see it all!!! I can sit here with my eyes closed and see and feel everything you describe! How I long to be back there again. I so desire to teach and encourage God's beautiful Indian daughters.
I am so blessed and honored to pray for you and your team. May you each find a new nugget to hold close to your heart. May you each have an experience that will fill your souls to overflowing and that you will let it flow out to everyone you encounter. May God's light shine from each of you so brightly that it causes darkness to tremble everywhere you go. And may that light attract people to you who are hungry for truth and freedom. I pray that even in your times shopping or touring that you would each have the opportunity to be a blessing and assist God in setting the captives free. May the illnesses lurking be immediately replaced by strength and power! I pray these things in Jesus' holy name. Amen (and a big Hallelujah!)
Posted by: Jennifer Teetzen | September 09, 2011 at 06:21 PM