Go Beyond

Khondhamal Hills | Orissa, India | 19 October 2010

A couple of days ago I flew from Cambodia to India to meet Doyle Lowry, our executive pastor, and Kingsland members Dr. Hall and Dr. Estes. Yesterday, we flew from Kolkata to Bhubaneswar and then drove several hours into the Khondhamal Hills of Orissa. Our drive took us from the coastal plain into hills hidden beneath lush green comforters of vegetation. When we arrived at our destination, the boys at our boarding school welcomed us with garlands of flowers – a common gesture of hospitality in this region. We have come to offer dental care for our boys and the folks of the area and to check on the progress of construction of the school campus that we are underwriting

Dormitory Under Construction

Our first order of business on Tuesday morning was to visit the campus where we are constructing a 6300 square foot dormitory plus a kitchen and dining hall. The last time that Doyle and I were here, we broke ground for the start of construction and dedicated the campus to the glory of God. I have tracked the progress of construction via e-mail and photos sent by Reverend Naik, the director of our school. Over the past several months I have been anxious to see the progress for myself. I was not disappointed when we drove to the site. Here in the middle of a region where Christians have suffered the worst persecution in India in recent years stood a symbol of hope – a place where young boys will be educated to love God and to unconditionally love and serve people.

We walked slowly around the campus and talked about how God has already used this initiative to provide employment for so many people in the area. And, standing in the unfinished dorm rooms, we envisioned what it will be like for our boys to sleep in their own bed for the very first time. Some of our boys are orphans and others are from very poor families. None have ever slept in a bed of their own. Our boys currently sleep on a concrete floor – two to a blanket. We also looked at the room that will serve as the computer room and library and where our boys will gather for their evening devotions and prayer time. This campus will be a place where young boys will be equipped to become godly men who will be able to articulate and to live according to a biblical worldview.

Our school director told us that the construction of the campus has people in the area talking. “They are expecting great things,” he said. Folks can already see that this initiative is marked by a commitment to excellence and a determination to equip a generation of young men to stand firm for their faith and to treat others with dignity and respect. The school also represents something that will have permanence in this area for generations to come. Many of the initiatives launched by British missionaries more than a hundred years ago continue to benefit the people of the area. Tomorrow we will set up our dental clinic in a hospital built by British missionaries in 1936. My personal prayer and great expectation is that our school will be a place where future generations will continue to be equipped to love God and to unconditionally love and serve others.