Thank you for your prayers these past few days. Due to the lack of good internet, I was unable to send you thoughts and pictures. Nevertheless, God was at work and I have to believe it is because so many Wooddaler’s are praying.
We arrived in Siliguri where, along with the team, I had the opportunity to speak to about 35 pastors who are part of our initiative through TTI to plant 4,000 churches in the next seven years. The class I spoke to represents about 500 churches that will be planted in the next year. Each Pastor is committed to train between 15-25 church planters.
I heard many powerful stories of God at work through the lives of courageous and faithful men and women who put their lives on the line for the gospel. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I had a chance to meet a man whose father served the Dalai Lama as his transport secretary. The gentleman’s name is Nima. His eldest daughter Karmu translated his story for me.
When the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1962, his entourage fled with him including his Transport Secretary, Nima’s father. The Lama’s and their families along with many other Buddhists settled in an area of India in the north east called Tawang located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located alongside the Tibetan border. The Dalai Lama moved from there to a location which is kept secret. Nima’s father was left in Tawang and put in charge of all the Buddhists.
After his father’s death in 1995, Nima was given his father’s position; he was now the Lama in charge. He was wealthy, powerful and a respected man. Soon, however, things changed as Nima became very sick. He went to the hospital where he was diagnosed with liver cancer. “None of the Buddhists came to see me,” he said. But a Christian friend did. The friend asked if his pastor could come and pray for Nima. He gave the man permission to bring his pastor. Nima did not believe that the pastor’s prayers would accomplish anything. Meanwhile the doctor told Nima that he was going to die soon and should go home.
Stay tuned for more,
Pastor Dale