Availability – the key to mission work is availability. I have not seen anywhere in my bible nor have I been taught that any specifics skills or talents are required to serve God. However, Paul in his letter to the Corinthians tells us that we all have gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Peter says something similar, but goes on to say we have been given spiritual gifts to help each other.
Our team are particulately talented in the area of willingness and service, and talented in encouragement –our team spent yesterday visiting Freeset. Freeset is one of the “Freedom Businesses” dedicated to providing work for women rescued from the sex trade. We were privileged to have Mark as our guide and mentor on our visit. Freeset has been in business since 1999. They employee over 200 women in bag making and more than a hundred in making shirts, besides the middle management and upper management of which many are local people.
Our team arrived very early in the morning on Tuesday. The travel was long but not as difficult as could have been. We are struggling with the effect of literally being half way around the world. We have learned that when you cross 12 time zones it takes a couple of days to get where you can sleep through a good part of the night. The accommodations are comfortable at the Baptist Misssionary Society guest house. We have air conditioning and warm water inside a walled oasis in the middle of the crowded noisy very dirty city of Kolkatta, India.
Our lesson from yesterday from Mark – of Freeset – not the bible one, was the same as my message from Helmet on my first trip in 2011, and from Steve Peace in 2011 and in 2014. We go on mission for what God has planned for us, for what He can accomplish in us and has planned for us as it says in Ephesians 2:10. We hope to make a difference or rather we hope that God will use us to accomplish what He has planned for the ones we encounter even as He is doing His work in us.
Next we have a walking tour of Kolkata and orientation to serve in the missionaries of Charity homes for the most destitute of people. This work was started and administered by Mother Teresa. There are plenty of organizations actively serving the poor in Kolkata. The organizations we have participated with all live by the direction of Matthew 25:40 I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it for me.
Thanks for your prayers & stay tuned, there is no question that the Holy Spirit is here and active – active in the lives of the people serving and those being served. – mike
Proverbs 3:5,6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”