SEND! Web Extra: A Journal from Meghalaya
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| The students pour out their hearts in worship in their discipleship groups and during chapel time. |
A Gospel for Asia field correspondent recently had the opportunity to visit the GFA women's Bible college in Meghalaya, India. He shares some of his reflections here.
The first thing I did was interview Prasela*, the Bible college principal. Prasela graduated from Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary in 1998 and has ministered in several places in Northeast India.
When the Meghalaya women's Bible college started in 2005, Prasela was asked to come and look after it. Being on the field for several years, she understands the ministry very well. And one thing I noticed about her is that she is very caring and very loving. She has a real concern and burden for the students there. She looks after these sisters like a mother and is very interested in helping them study God's Word and be equipped to go to the field.
Another thing I noticed is that Prasela maintains a godly atmosphere there. She gives importance to the power of prayer and shares that with the students. She teaches the students what it means to trust in the Lord, and this is reflected in her own life. In everything they do, they give it to the Lord. They submit to Him and depend on Him, even in times of need and difficulty.
“In everything they do,
they give it to the Lord”
They had several activities going on at the Bible college when I was there: chapel, classes and discipleship groups.
The discipleship group I attended was lively, and it was heart-touching as they prayed with tears and with great burden. The women take turns teaching from God's Word, and share prayer needs and pray for one another. There were many young women breaking down in tears as they prayed. Even the staff join the groups and talk with the students; not as teachers but as friends.
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| Staff and students go together on weekend outreach, handing out Gospel tracts and personally sharing about Christ. |
The girls at the Bible college also do manual labor duties such as mopping the floors and cutting vegetables. The students are assigned their duties on a rotating basis.
I also followed them for the outreach that they do every weekend. It begins with prayer as everybody gathers in the chapel hall. They ask the Lord to touch people's hearts as they go out and share the Gospel with them. Each student and staff member carries tracts and Christian books, as well as Bibles.
They walk to pretty far-off places to share the Gospel. They walk as far as eight to ten kilometers in one day. While distributing tracts to people, they personally share the Gospel with them.
Prasela said they do not face opposition from extremist groups like elsewhere in India, because Christianity on the whole is more accepted in the state, even though many of the Christians they encounter are spiritually lukewarm. They share the Gospel boldly and cheerfully.
They also conduct Sunday school in one of the villages, where three families gather each week for worship and to study God's Word.
*name changed for security reasons
