Uncontained Crowd

“… and the crowds grew…”

We had ample time to pack and organize ourselves for the trip to Belgaum and then on to Gokak where we would be staying for the next few days. Pastor P told us the orphanage van would have a new muffler put on and we would leave for our village meeting after lunch. Around 1:00 he called to say there would be an additional hour or more delay.

We became adventurous and set off for the closest internet café. Even after we returned we still were waiting. This would affect our eventual arrival at the village but it was unavoidable. When we were finally able to load the van we had to stop in the next city for a “new K” wardrobe. It seemed the pajamas didn’t go over too well.

The van dropped us in the town center with thousands of other people crowded on the street. We made our way carefully crossing the streets making our way past pigs, cows, oxen, and hundreds of merchants selling floral offerings to the local idols.

Even now as I recount the events before I retire, firecrackers and Indian flutes and drums echo loudly outside to call for favor to some god of this land and the dark underworld they belong to!

The highway leading to Belgaum and the village was modern and well traveled, however, the turn off for the village was another all together different diversion. It looked like a dirt trail and not much else. A person would have to know where they were going to get there for certain! We bumped up and back down, around deep gulleys washed away in the road and bounced our way back into the “boonies”.

I was surprised when other vehicles actually passed us – coming from somewhere! But where?!

It was now well after dark, even as our arrival in the village was expected and awaited. When the big red orphanage van pulled up we were surrounded. A and K handed out handfuls of balloons, but it of course created chaos quicker than either could manage.

A table was brought out with our chairs set like places of honor. The halogen spotlight was strung up a light pole, high enough to illuminate our position. We began with the missionaries leading the children in song with tambourines and drums. The children learned the choruses quickly and shouted out with enthusiasm “Happiness is bubbling up in me since Jesus saved me.” It felt like an old-time camp revival meeting, as the adult crowd was expanding back into the dark streets of the village.

I shared the unequal ropes, the coloring book and the Rainbow Story using K once again as a willing drama queen. The children laughed, the adults enjoyed it and the “hook” was set as “fisher-of-men” say. After the story ended, I passed off the baton of faith, for K to carry on – she ran the race efficiently sharing her testimony with a quick and flawless passing to A.

The Gospel was proclaimed, and heard from the responses we saw in the crowd when the invitation was given. In a village of over 5000 the missionary shared there were only 20 believers. Tonight the numbers increased significantly!