A Couple More Days’ Events

Here’s a couple more days’ notes from Kim Vass:

Not just any day in Kolkata. (2/19)

We had such a very powerful day yesterday. I keep saying that I don’t have enough words in my vocabulary to describe and express what we saw and felt while ministering to the women and children of the slums. The God that spread the stars across the sky and designed the mountains and valleys has a special plan for these wonderful people and to be in the midst of such power and grace overwhelms me with emotions. I admire the willing hearts of so many to build a Kingdom of God in a city teeming with religious rules and tradition. I have felt the Holy Spirit many times in my life and I have seen God’s faithful hand glide across the lives of many, including myself…..but what I felt yesterday I could not contain. All day, from the moment I found out our house had been robbed until the moment that I stood before the women to speak from my heart on “The Beauty of a Woman”, I had been shaking. Not in fear, but almost as if the Holy Spirit was ready to do mighty, powerful things through this time in the slums. I don’t know that it was at all the words that I spoke, but more the fact that they could see my heart was breaking and knowing that I was finding strength in a God they don’t know yet, but were now interested in finding out about. I can’t say that I believe that God planned to allow my house to be invaded….but I do know that from the time I felt that God had called me to India I knew He was going to do immeasurable things on this trip and because of Satan’s attempt to bring it down it only magnified God ability through us, and won many hearts for God.
There is something profound in sharing tears and emotions with each other. When you are faced with language and cultural barriers, it’s in those common emotions you find a ground to build on. I know God has begun to pour a foundation that the ministers here have sacrificed their lives for, and to be a part of the construction process is both an honor and a fear that I have enjoyed balancing. I’m being stretched for God and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Women’s Conference (2/20)

Today Melanie, Stace and I spoke to the women at the pastor’s wives conference. It was an exciting teaching time as Melanie spoke about “The True Heart of a Woman”, Stace shared her personal testimony, and I spoke on “The Pains of Life”. We bonded as women, finding common ground in the shared struggles of worry, fear and pain that hold us back from God’s divine purpose. The feedback was all positive as many women are dealing with the very subjects we spoke on, confirming for many of us that God has had his hand on this journey for a long time. Over and over we have experience the awesome power of God as He confirms His purpose in bringing each one of us here and to be in that kind of love and presence of God is both exciting and slightly frightening for me personally. It’s intense to right size this God we serve, but in doing so we are able to achieve so much more than we thought imaginable.

After the conference was over, we took a short walk down the street to visit the Mother House (The home of Mother Teresa). This was a reflective and quiet time for each on of us. Mother’s life was lived with such purpose and desire to know the heart of God the Father and to live a life that strived for perfect unity with him. I know that this was memorable for many of us. After leaving Mother Teresa’s house, we drove to an outdoor market to shop and take in the city scene. We had a blast shopping (well, us girls did) and finding special gifts for our familys while experiencing the active environment. Kevin even took a ride on a bike down the street, which I thought was nerve racking considering the luck that our pastors have had on bikes and the street insanity that is Kolkata, but he made it safe, thank God! We laughed (which was nice) and enjoyed each other’s company into the evening until we had to get back for dinner. It’s night now and I’m going to head off to bed like the rest of the team. Tomorrow is church (which I’m looking forward to) and it’s a bit early, so good night NorthPointe we’ll see you soon!!