Our Rural Visit Experience in Madurai

This is Bob... From Chennai we hopped on another plane and headed further South. (I hope you all have found a map of India by now to follow the geography of our pilgrimage journey!) Dr. Carr, a recent Common Global Ministries Board member representing Southern Asia, joined our group as our host. We took advantage of his incredible knowledge of contextual theology in the Indian context and spent much time talking about the relevant ministry in the Hindu village. Dr. Carr shared story after story of how the Hindu religious myth intersects in some ways with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus and how these contact points serve as ways to approach the sharing and living of that Good News in this context. During the afternoon we traveled to three village locations to inaugurate two wells that have recently been dug with funds supplied through Global Ministries, WOC/OGHS and Food Resources Bank. What a welcome we received in each of these locations: flower garlands, traditional cloth, fruits, candies and coconut juice. The villagers explained their agriculture projects and how the wells are providing needed water for the rice and flower fields that provide income for the village. Different villages are working together to share resources and develop sustainable income through a cooperative type association. It's a real learning experience in community development as villages that come from different casts are breaking down barriers and working together in new ways. During our visit we were able to affirm that the God of Love and Justice is the one who unites us all as children of one human family where we can share and receive God's gifts. After visiting two well projects we went to another village to meet with a women's group who is operating a cooperative program with funds from Global Ministries. The women shared with us how they are growing in self-confidence as they are able to produce goods and services through micro-credit loans that they receive through the cooperative model. We blessed them in the name of the God of Jesus Christ as well as encouraged them to continue working to improve their difficult situation in the village through education and income generating projects. As we were leaving them the electricity in the village went out, but the ligth in the eyes of those women still shined brightly as their dignity as human beings has been empowered and uplifted through these incredible mission programs in which we as Disciples and UCC have a part. To God be the Glory!