Dear Friends,

In January, I had the privilege of going to Assam, India, for two weeks of teaching and ministry. Dr. Simon Chan (Trinity's academic dean) organized the trip under the auspices of Trinity Theological College. Dr. Chan has been traveling to Assam for a number of years and has developed a close relationship with Eastern Theological College, which is primarily made up of students and lecturers from the hill country in Eastern Assam. Baptist and Presbyterian, the Naga, the Mizo, and Mizoram people come from the hill country that lies between Assam and Myanmar (Burma). Their Christian roots go back to the late 19th and early 20th century when Baptist and Presbyterian missionaries ventured into the hill country to witness to these tribes who were renowned as head-hunters. Now over 90 percent Christian, they populate the critical region that lies at the border of central Asia, south Asia and southeast Asia. Their missionary influence now extends into Assam, Bhutan, Nepal, Burma, and southwestern China, as they have taken up where earlier missionaries had to leave off when missionary work was curtailed in India after independence.

This trip represented the second leg of a three-part theological course for Eastern's master's of theology program. Eastern was in danger of losing this important program due to a lack of accredited lecturers in theology. Trinity was able to fill in the gap by sending three lecturers to lead a series of intensive theological courses over two months. The courses I covered were "Secularism, Modernism and Christian Response" and a seminar on selected readings of Karl Barth. Roland Chia taught theological methodology, and Simon Chan taught a course on the Trinity. I arrived at the the opening of the school year and was asked to serve as the speaker at the annual College retreat. I shared three messages on "Discipleship and the Cross in Mark's Gospel." These went well, but what students and faculty enjoyed most was the sacrament of Communion that came at the end of the retreat. They found the Presbyterian rite and how the communion summed up the message in Mark quite meaningful.

Near the end of my teaching time at ETC, my former Trinity student Kaifa Ezang invited me to speak at a celebration service in rural Assam. Kaifa hails from the Lotha tribe of the Naga people of eastern Assam. Commissioned and sent by his home church as a missionary to the lowland Assamese, Kaifa has planted over 150 churches in Assam personally over the last 10 years. I assumed this celebration would be a small gathering of leaders at a retreat. As we made our way by jeep to the conference grounds situated in a lovely valley off the beaten track, I was amazed to see so many people coming in by lorry, bus, and even by foot along the dusty country road to take part in the celebration. Between 2000 and 3000 people had come and set up camp to receive training in mission, Bible study, Sunday school, and youth work. A huge tent had been erected for the services each evening.

The service began as choirs from Nagaland joined with local Assamese choirs and musical groups. My text was Isaiah 60:1ff "Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the glory of the Lord rises upon you. . . ." I shared about how 130 years before in my own country people had come by carriage, by horse, or by foot to take part in tent meetings. It was at those tent meetings that many men and women committed themselves to leave their homes and to cross the sea to places like Nagaland and Assam to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Many never returned and their graves can now be found in Assam. Now, 130 years later, we could celebrate, praise and give thanks because of those who had come before us. One couldn't help but sense the presence of God in that tent, not because of the message, but because simple good people had gathered to share in God's presence together, in spite of many miles on hard, dusty Indian roads. That evening, around 60 people stood and came forward to commit their lives to mission and ministry. Most of them were young men and women. The Naga and Assamese pastors, church workers, and missionaries joined those who had come forward and prayed with them to encourage them in their decision. This wasn't a night of theatrics or wild displays of emotions, but the profound presence of the Holy Spirit was tangible in that tent that night. I've seen and experienced a lot of wonderful things in my life, many of them over the last three years here in Singapore. But what I felt, saw and partook of that night will stay with me all the days of my life.

Blessings,

Tom , Judy, Joseph, Paul, and Emma Harvey