Community Defined

After two days of prayer and fasting, we had the exciting opportunity to share a meal with the people of Ryan's home church here in Mussoorie. His church is called F.O.G (Friends of Garhwal), and the BBQ was held at Ryan's pastor Edwin's home. We had what Ryan would describe as a "very proper" Indian BBQ, complete with a chicken liver appetizer and yellow curry chicken and rice. After two days of fasting, the team attacked the meal with different levels of enthusiasm, but all were satisfied.

After dinner, we all joined together in the living room to share in a time of worship, testimony, and sharing. It was quite fun to sing (or at least clap) along with the people of F.O.G., and we even got roped into some Garhwali dancing. Many of the members of the church shared their testimonies with us (translated through Edwin, or at times his Wife, Nivedit. Ryan tells us that most of the members of the church have been believers for 2 years or less, so it was exciting to see such vibrancy and excitement in their faces as they listened to both Dave and Jared share some thoughts.

The sense of close-knit community we experienced at Edwin's home was a fitting conclusion to our days of prayer and fasting. I found myself imagining a room similarly packed with new believers in the days of the early church, and I am sure this is exactly what it must have looked like (though I doubt they were drinking chai and eating ice cream with pancakes and syrup in the bottom of the cup). Seeing the people of F.O.G. thriving as a community reinforced in my mind the necessity of such community in my own life, and I found myself deeply thankful that I am blessed in that way. Best of all, it was wonderful to know that from an eternal perspective, the community I share at TNL and the community Ryan has with F.O.G are all part of the same community we share in Christ.
[Simeon Turner]