Project India
March 27—April 7, 2008
A group of NCCers will be traveling to Calcutta India to partner with Calcutta Mercy Ministries.
Calcutta Mercy Ministries was founded on the work of missionaries Mark and Huldah Buntain. For over 53 years, they established a network of ministries to holistically serve the spiritual and physical needs of others. Today, Calcutta Mercy Ministries has grown to include more than 700 churches, 50 schools, a hospital, Bible Schools, Vocational Schools, Teacher’s Training College, School of Nursing, children’s home, rural medical clinics, village Mercy Centers and a daily feeding program for more than 25,000 people.
The team from NCC will have the immense privilege to serve alongside the ministry's staff and volunteers at its daily feeding program, rural medical clinics and schools by serving meals, leading daily devotionals and arts programs, and producing promotional photos and materials for the hospital. We will also assist in remodeling a new volunteer building by providing resources and manpower for painting and landscaping.
Please join us in supporting the team financially and prayerfully as we prepare for what God is doing in India.
Latest From the Journal
Surveying the Hospital for a Fire Evacuation Plan
Juliet Main · April 04, 2008 · 11:05 AM
When we left the States, we thought we’d measure and paint a few rooms, then move on to other tasks, such as staffing the feeding program, assisting at a rural clinic or working with some of the children’s programs. When we were asked to survey the entire hospital as built, we were a bit surprised but were excited that they had a specific and urgent need that we could fulfill.
The reason we were given this task is because the hospital does not have a fire plan or evacuation plan. This is not out of the ordinary for Calcutta, where most old buildings have buckets of sand rather than fire extinguishers. The lack of an evacuation plan is also a concern because the city does not have great firefighting capabilities. If a fire were to occur at the hospital, it would be devastating not only from a loss of life and injury standpoint, but also could wipe out decades of trust and goodwill that the ministry has built.
The idea of surveying an entire building is daunting enough. But we haven’t been surveying empty rooms. We’ve had to climb over numerous objects – bedpans (sometimes used), wastebaskets full of syringes, nasty toilets, and patients, to measure grubby walls and grimy floors.
Architecture and engineering are not skills listed on any of our resumes, nor is math or interior design. But we’ve rolled with the punches. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
That’s how we’ve managed to get our work done, while taking the time to show compassion to suffering patients and overworked nurses. And not throw up in our mouths too much.
Savonne
Jesus Loves Calcutta
Juliet Main · April 04, 2008 · 10:55 AM
I could explain what we have seen through our own human eyes, but it wouldn’t do justice to the people of Kolkata. I have to explain what we have seen through the eyes of Christ. There is a common thread throughout everything we have experienced, everyone we have met or heard about. Jesus wants to remind us what it’s like to be lonely, what it’s like to be unwanted, what it’s like to be forgotten.
Whether we were meeting villagers outside of the rural clinic in Chakdha, playing with children at the school for the blind or listening about the stories of orphaned children or abused women ministered to by missionaries of charity, we were reminded of Matthew 25:40. Truly I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
From the time we first began telling others about going to Kolkata everyone seemed to be confused. Why Calcutta? Even Indians we met on the way inquiring about our travel seemed surprised to hear that eleven Americans were traveling half way around the world simply to end up in the middle of a city that is best known for its poverty. It was not poverty that God was trying to show us, but so much more than that.
We go about our daily lives forgetting Jesus words and often forgetting Jesus. We walk past opportunities to do great things for him everyday. He wants us to not only desire those divine appointments to care for the lonely, the hungry, and the sick, but to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to equip us to do these things in Jesus name. The trip isn’t over when we step off the plane. Maybe our divine appointment has just begun. Jesus wants Kolkata. Jesus loves Kolkata. He wants us to never forget.
Krystal
Last Day in Calcutta
Steph Modder · April 04, 2008 · 2:16 AM
Today is our last day in Calcutta. The skies have opened and rain is washing the streets of their refuse, debris and filth. We arrived at the hospital with a few more floors to measure in hopes of completing our task before our departure tomorrow morning for New Delhi.
Amanda and I started on the Pediatric floor. She had been allowed entrance into the N.I.C.U. to observe treatment for a couple failing infants. One, belly distended and every rib countable, expired in her presence. The baby in the bed next to the other was being treated for sepsis and was in serious condition. As we were measuring this morning, we were told that the child had expired. The room we were in had one female patient laying with eyes closed and being comforted by her newlywed husband and a friend. The men tried to explain what happened but the heavy accent and hush with which they spoke made it hard to distinguish exactly what she was suffering from. As we measured the wall next to her she began to weep, a deep soul severed weep. Amanda and I felt helpless and intrusive as we tried to accomplish our task, but we felt like we needed to at least offer to pray for her. We spoke to the friend and he ushered us into the corridor and proceeded to explain what happened. As it turns out, the baby was who was being treated for sepsis was her little boy and he died this morning. She was in such distress that her husband hasn’t told her their baby is dead. She cannot get control of herself, we will tell her in two or three days
, his friend said. She keeps asking, Bring me my baby. I want to see my baby.
A mother’s heart knows when something is wrong. I can only assume she is thinking the worst but no one will confirm that for her. We offered again to pray with her but the friend wouldn’t allow it. We told him we would pray to Jesus, who we believe can heal her heart. That was the best we could do in the moment. We then went next door and tried to start measuring that room, but couldn’t. The heaviness of the previous room was too much. So we did the only thing we could do—we prayed, cried, and prayed.
Our First Four Days
Steph Modder · April 01, 2008 · 9:17 AM
It’s a quiet night in Calcutta—think Broadway in New York City, at rush hour, times two. We are finishing up our fifth day here. It has been a long but productive one. Let me back up a little though first to fill you in on the previous four days.
Day 1
We arrived and made our way to the Baptist Missionary guesthouse. We were greeted warmly by the director of the house, Anu. We have three dormitory style rooms. Cameron, our one and only male team member, gets to hold down the male quarters, solo. After a bit of a rest (one can use a rest after 33 hours of cross-continental travel) we were given a tour of what is to become the new nursing school for Calcutta Mercy Ministries. The spacious building, once an orphanage, now abandoned, had become prime real estate in overcrowded Calcutta. But God had a plan for it. The fact that CMM was able to acquire it was nothing short of a miracle. It is an enormous building with plenty of space to house and educate the nursing students who are presently cramped in a small building next to Mercy Hospital. Renovation began in December and has progressed rapidly. The scheduled date of opening is for May 2008. Listening to Surojit, CMM’s project manager, speak of the vision they have for this new school and how God has provided for that vision was inspiring. One thing we have learned so far: Christian Indians live by faith. That faith, in and through Christ, has brought about amazing things in Calcutta.
Day 2
We visited a Hindi Christian church. The small chapel seated about 150 people. The people there welcomed us with open arms extending the love they so expressively have for Christ. The pastor and his wife, a couple of hand drums and a synthesizer led the worship time. The congregation was in full participation singing, praising, clapping and tambourine shaking. They saturated the air with petitions, prayers and praises all in Hindi. It’s so unifying to worship in a service that is led in another language. The awareness of the Spirit of God is so much more crucial because you aren’t distracted by the lingual content. You have to move with and listen to the voice of the Spirit. One of our own, Sarah Eian, was asked to preach the sermon which was interpreted in Hindi. “Sister” Sarah brought it! It was a great experience to worship with brothers and sisters from the other side of the world.
After service we had lunch with Huldah and Bonnie Buntain and then boarded our trusty bus and headed to Divine Fellowship, a blind school for children, about 30 minutes from Mercy Hospital. Upon arrival we entered a room full of 125 children ages 4 to 16 years old, sitting perfectly aligned on hard wooden benches, quietly and respectfully awaiting the afternoon devotion with us. They began, accompanied by a Harmonium and hand drums, by singing a number of praise songs in both English and Bengali including “Rejoice in the Lord Always” and “God’s Not Dead”. The sound of their unified voices and the sight of the fervor with which they were praising Jesus were so beautiful. Cameron was asked to share from the Word with them. We sang a few more songs together including “Jesus loves Me”, “He’s Got the Whole World”, and “I Give You My Heart”. They closed out the devotion by lining up 11 little girls dressed in pretty, colorful dresses. One by one they walked over to each of us and handing us a delicate rose. Half the team spent the next hour or two playing and engaging the kids while the other half spent it meeting, photographing and interviewing 8 children who are still in need of the support required for them to be cared for. Some are candidates for surgery, which could restore their sight. Others are children who have been abandoned by their parents because the stigma of having a disabled child is too daunting to keep them at home (in Indian culture, having a disabled child is seen as a curse). Still others have loving families who are unable to care for the child so they send them to the school where they’ll be better cared for. The blind school then becomes home, school, and playground. They are taught mobility and trade skills so as to become self-sufficient when they graduate. The director, Jabesh Dutt, started the school by taking one, then eight blind children into his home. By God’s call and providence 125 students are now educated, fed, medically treated, discipled and loved on the grounds of the blind school. We each found our time with these precious children to pull on our hearts. The joy they exude is remarkable. As Iris interviewed one little girl, Manjum, she asked her how much do you love Jesus?
Manjum spontaneously popped to her feet and opened her arms to the fullest breadth she could. It’s apparent where their joy comes from. We were humbled and thankful for our time with them.
Day 3
Krystal led the nursing school devotion for 75 of the nursing students. Savonne led the devotion for the hospital staff of doctors and administrators. Many of those who attend are not Christian, but rather, Hindu or Muslim. Nevertheless, they are faithful to attend each morning as the hospital chaplain, Pastor Joshua has heard many say, I feel good when I come here and find strength for my day.
Pastor Joshua is an amazingly anointed man who left a well paying job in the engineering field when God called him into ministry. He has been with the hospital 6 years and is speaking the love of Christ to the sick, the dying, the mourning and those who care for them on a daily basis. He has been an inspiration to us.
After lunching with Dr. Huldah Buntain, the founder of CMM, we took a tour of all the hospital grounds and the location of the first tent meeting she and her husband, D. Mark Buntain held over 50 years ago. We were shown the CMM printing department where brochures, pamphlets, tracts, books, etc. are all manually cut, bound, typeset, and printed for distribution.
Then, we braved the streets once more and headed to the ministry Mother Theresa founded, Missionaries of Charity for our volunteer orientation. Upon entering, one could sense the divine reverence that is observed there. Before the orientation we had a chance to see Mother Theresa’s tomb and go through the exhibit that chronicles her journey of ministry and service. I couldn’t help but cry as I read of her life, her dedication, and her sacrificial love for humanity but most of all for Jesus and realizing how much more of myself I need to die to. Christ calls us to love so much more than we do on a regular basis.
Our final stop of the day was to one of the many feeding programs CMM organizes in the city where over 25,000 people are fed daily. The line of hungry people went all the way down the street. Fathers and mothers, elderly and babies all making thier way up to receive their ration of food for a day. It was hard to look into the hollow eyes of those that hungered so much.
Day 4
We led both the hospital devotion at Mercy Hospital. Amy Foley spoke on being created uniquely for God’s glory. After devotions we began our main duty of taking measurements of all the rooms of the hospital. This is something the hospital is in dire need of. Presently, there are no accurate building plans that indicate points of exit or entry for evacuation in case of a fire. Without these measurements the fire brigade will have no building plans to reference. The hospital, its staff, patients and years of service to this city are at serious risk. Armed with our 10 ft. tape measures, we started measuring- one uneven room at a time. Only seven floors and a basement to go!
The crew is finishing up measurements of the operating theaters right now. Iris and I are working on the stories for the blind school. In about an hour we’ll head to the Queen Victory memorial. We’ll also be connecting with a fellow NCCer who has been living in Calcutta for the past six months working with victims of human trafficking.
Tomorrow we will lead devotions again and then head out to Chakdha, one of the rural medical clinics CMM supports.
As I write the sound of the Islamic call to prayer is seasoning the airwaves. It’s hard to believe our time is already coming to a close. We only have two more full days in Calcutta. There is still much to do and will call on God ourselves for our sustenance. Thank you for all the prayers you are praying for us. Everyone is invaluable.
Across the Globe in 33 Hours
Steph Modder · March 31, 2008 · 8:30 AM
After 33 hours of airplanes, layovers, Bollywood, smells of curry, airplane lavatories, and Indian airline food, we have arrived! All 11 of the team arrived Saturday morning to Kolkata, India. We were greeted by a representative from Calcutta Mercy Ministries and quickly were whisked away into the chaos that is common on the roads of Kolkata. Foot rickshaws, moto-rickshaws, bike rickshaws, mini taxis, pedestrians, goats, cows, and buses were all heading different directions simultaneously while joining in a constant chorus of horns.
Finally, we made it to our accommodations at the Baptist Mission Society guest house. It is an amazing piece of architectural and spiritual history in the heart of Calcutta. The church where legendary missionary William Carey once held services is on these grounds.
Today we went back to the place where Calcutta Mercy Ministries began - the grounds where the first tent services Rev. Mark Buntain started over 50 years ago. A church stands there now.
There is much more happening, but I just wanted to let you all know we have made it safely. We are looking forward to diving into the rest of this week. There is thunder rolling in the distance, horns honking, air conditioners struggling and an anticipation in the air that there is so much more to come.
The Baptist Mission House
Calcutta Bound!
Juliet Main · March 27, 2008 · 9:11 AM
In a few short hours 11 NCCers will be boarding a plane bound for Calcutta (or Kolkata) and we are so excited and fulled with anticipation for what God has in store for us there. We are absolutely expecting the unexpected!
Thank you, thank you to the numerous people who have so generously and graciously partnered with the team in prayers and financial giving. From eating chili with us at the Super Bowl game, to rockin’ out with us at the Rock Band™ Tournament, thank you so much for coming alongside us, being a part of Team India and supporting Calcutta Mercy Ministries in this way. Upon arriving in Calcutta, we will post as soon as we’re able. Until then, I will leave you with some beautiful words from Mother Teresa:
I believe in person to person contact. Every person is Christ for me and since there is only one Jesus, the person I am meeting is the one person in the world at that moment.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
—Romans 15:5-6