Part
5. Southern Asia Division
When we returned to the Southern Asia Division office, we had
one major thing to do. Leave the
funding which we had received from kind donors in both Georgia and Alberta, and
from others who had mailed in donations for the special “Discretionary Fund” to
take to India. We praise God that
in total we took with us $1,150 from Canada and $1,100 from the US - in US
funds. This enabled us to do many
things which we have already listed. While
there a little more was added to the funding to bring it to $2,334.
And, we will be adding more for two sets of the “Keeper’s
of the Flame” videos to be mailed from our Australian SDA Media Center.
These are an open captioned
presentation of the story of the Reformation, the events around 1844 and the
story of Ellen White. All the
taping is done live on location with much of it acted out in story form.
New Asian Aid SDA Deaf School near Kollegal that we were unable to visit because of nearby riots
Monday we were
concerned, for it appeared more and more unlikely that we would be able to
go on the last leg of our trip - to visit the new SDA deaf school near Kollegal.
A sort of India ‘Robin Hood’ had made a demand that had not been met,
and had murdered a kidnapped government official and Monday night much damage
was done in Kollegal by rioting. We
were not allowed to go to visit the deaf school.
So, Tuesday the
Bankhead family kindly took us to Bangalore with the vehicle and driver from
the Division - so we could have a last day for shopping. We had a lovely day getting a few curios and an Indian dress
or two for our wives, etc. It
was a day we will not soon forget, nor the kindness of Dr. and Mrs. Don Bankhead.
Nor will we forget the
lovely meals provided for us by both the Bankheads and the Robinsons, who fed us
while at the Division headquarters at Hosur.
On right is pioneer deaf worker Meshak in his living room where the Deaf have so often met for studies - next is Sumathi, who after being put out of her home for her faith, has been helping in Meshak's home after his wife died some month's ago
Before leaving, I needed
to spend some time with Dorothy Watts. As we
discussed the past and future of Deaf work in India with both Dorothy and her
husband Ron, it became apparent that it would be wonderful if we could have a
supervisor to be able to actually go out and visit around all the Division
providing help and supervision to the lay volunteers, direction and leadership
and resources for beginning Deaf Ministry all around India and Nepal.
I asked if the Division would be willing to have a full time Division
level supervisor of Deaf Ministry IF
all the founds could be found to pay for a worker for a period of five years.
Elder Ron Watts said “yes”, if the funds were provided for five
years.
We had seen so much
need in the Andhra Pradesh area, that it was felt that we should have three
volunteer lay workers in that area to follow up on all the new work just
starting. Since returning,
funding has been sent for these three workers and we praise God for providing
the funds. Dorothy Watts has now
informed us that the funds have been stretched, and that four Lay Bible Workers
are in place, “or getting in place within the next few days.” (Jan. 3/03)