On March 10th the12th class from the Discipleship and Training Center graduated. Since 2000, we have sent out 228 workers into the largest, unreached harvest field in the world.
The Graduation Procession
Exactly a year ago this month our Indian Board of Directors
decided that if we were not able to raise support for the Training School for the
2011-2012 year- it would be our last. I am not proud to say that, but we had
successfully run the school for 11 years while digging deeper and deeper
in debt with each passing year. We did not have permanent debt since we were
able to pay for the school from undesignated support, but it was eating up ALL
of it and left nothing extra for us to use for other unsupported needs. Most of all, we were very discouraged. How can it be that the focus of our
entire ministry is "planting" yet we had not been able to effectively
communicate the great need of training up people to GO?!
Class of 2012
Everything was different in 2011! God sent 26 individuals to
support this area of our ministry and it has opened a floodgate of other
blessings that have overflowed from that. Student sponsors, thank you, thank you, thank you for
your passion for the kingdom and this investment in this country.
A special dance from the Children's Home girls
The Graduation ceremony was amazing. About 600 invited
guests joined us for a time of encouraging, commissioning, worship and
thanksgiving for the year that was over, and a lifetime of service that is
beginning. It was a powerful service and I wish that each of you could
have been there.
The crowd, we fed them all!
Sunday morning our church, where the students had been
attending the past 8 months, had a sendoff for the students. A. and I washed
each of their feet as they bawled and hung onto us for a last time of prayer.
It was a very emotional day and for me personally, and time of harvesting. To
be able to see the fruit of our labor from this past year is amazing. These are
not the same people who came to us with an application in hand 8 months ago.
These are confident, spirit filled, young people will a vision ready to go and
die for the sake of reaching their people. Can there be anything more powerful?
Feet washing
Monday morning they all packed their bags, with about 3
times as many things as they came with, and headed back to the villages they
came from….where they will began to practice what they learned. Many of them
will not be welcomed, some may be beaten and all of them will want to give up
at some point.
Saying goodbyes
Our very own Kajol, who grew up in our home, also left with
another one of the female students. With 2 sewing machine, 2 young women and 5
suitcases they piled into an auto rickshaw and headed to the bus stand. It is
hard to part with your children, but this is what we have raised them to do.
Kajol at her sewing machine
Your financial gift into our ministry this year has not only
transformed their lives and possibly even their entire village, but you have
renewed my faith. You have encouraged me by your giving. You have reminded me
that what we are doing is worth it, there are people who are passionate for
the world and that we will never give up.
With certificates in hand...
Until the whole world hears... 
Dedication prayer
