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The town of Kakinada has a population of 750 000 and is situated 650km to the north-east of Chennai (Madras). It is a port on the Bay of Bengal and is the 4th largest town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, where Telugu is the dominant language amongst its 75 mln inhabitants.
Representatives from CTMI visited there last April, as a result of a contact on its website. A conference planning visit took place in November and a regional pastors' conference was fixed for February 2004. After a journey of over 24 hours, the team arrived on the spot on Tuesday 10th February for 5 days. This team of 11 consisted of brothers and sisters from Mauritius, Kenya, and Paris. More importantly however, is that after being for many years on the hearts of the Elders working with CTMI, a conference was actually taking place in India. Once again, we see evidence that God does things in His time!
The overwhelming experience of the team travelling the 160 km road journey to Kakinada from the nearest airport at Visakhapatnam was one of immense beauty as well as crowded roads where everything is tolerated. This includes never giving way or stopping for oncoming traffic; white lines that are totally ignored; bright lights and hooters (horns) that are used non-stop, to little effect it would appear, by everyone else on the road; the total freedom of buffaloes and cows to wander, eat and sit wherever they like.
Speakers at the 11 sessions were Miki Hardy, Stephen Gachengo and Roland La Hausse, all ably translated by Bro. Emmanuel Raj Kumar of CFGA, who had been the principal coordinator and organiser on the spot for the conference. A slightly different pre-registration procedure had been put in place for this conference and on the first day we had almost 500 delegates, made up of pastors and about 100 wives. Average numbers throughout the 5 days were just over 400 daily.
Pastors travelled some long distances to get to Kakinada with delegations coming from Hyderabad, the state capital and India's 5th largest city, Chennai, Mysore, Bangalore. A small group even travelled over 28 hours by train from Kanyakumari at the southern tip of the sub-continent. Every delegate had his/her transport reimbursed in full and in addition to the provision of 3 meals a day and accommodation for sleeping. An entire local team was mobilised to cook delicious looking, hot, spicy and tasty meals for the delegates. About 450 servings of rice, curries and sambars were prepared in massive pots for each sitting. Every night some 350 delegates slept on mats in the auditorium, while others returned home on bicycles, motorbikes, and the delightful 3-wheel auto-taxis. Even CTMI got into the swing of things by having its own auto-taxi to take members back and forth between the hall, hotel and Bro. Emmanuel's house.
For many, the message of the Cross, denying oneself, wanting to be like Jesus, having His heart for the Church in their role as pastors, came as revelation to their hearts. The idea of being a servant at home and in the church was totally new to those attending. Interpreting and different cultural ways meant that it was not often clear what the reaction to the speakers were. However, in one on one meetings after each session, many pastors came up to make positive comments and express their gratitude about what had been brought to them from so far away.
An indication of the positive impact of this conference was the clear comments received from 150 pastors asking for some concrete follow-up contact. As a result, a one month program has already been arranged for early April in 10 localities across 3 districts of Andhra Pradesh, as well as in Chennai. Brothers Oumesh and Kishna, from Mauritius, will be travelling for this follow-up mission.
The time of CTMI in India was something quite different and unique for most of the team. One cannot visit India and not comment on the gentleness of its people, their work ethic, despite the most trying circumstances, as well as their hospitality. At the same time, the evidence of idol worship on every street corner was also a reminder of the fact that only 3% of Indians call themselves Christians
Finally, CTMI must thank Emmanuel and Jessie for their hospitality given and to the welcome and openness with which they received a number of the team in their home over such a long period. Food was always on offer and everyone thoroughly enjoyed discovering new tastes along with new eating habits. We now know that the CTMI family has found a new set of relatives in India.
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