Love Unfailing. Overtaking My Heart.

“I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.” – John Keith Falconer

“This bus has a history,” local Indian pastor and visionary, Robert Mophet, declared with a triumphant grin across his face. “It’s come all the way from Adelaide, Australia. Donated to us by a church there. Thirty years old… and not a single problem yet!” It was a reassuring fact for the twelve members of the team as we sat there nervously gripping our seats; feeling the shockwaves from every bump and groove in the road amplified a hundred-fold against our backsides as the vehicle hurtled through dark, windy roads en route to our hotel. And so, this was our first introduction to Trivandrum, capital of the Kerala state in South India.

In many ways that first, late-night bus ride was quite surreal: with windows open and the cool evening air blasting against our faces, we watched the whole city flash by. We saw hundreds of cramped street-side stalls, some still open for business. Brightly lit billboard advertisements oozing with the influence of Western culture. Construction workers chatting noisily whilst on a cigarette break. Row upon row of coconut trees. Rickshaws. Oddly-shaped white taxis. Our curiosity was piqued.

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“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16

On our first day, a Sunday, we had the pleasure of attending a very loud and animated church service at the Harvest Mission Centre. Upon arrival we were presented with coconut drinks by a procession of adorable little girls in sparkling dresses. It was a very warm and fitting welcome, given that during our bus ride the previous evening, the pastor had explained to us how the word “Kerala” literally means “land of coconut”. And if anything were to be gained from that service, it was this: Indians are very passionate people. During worship over a hundred members clapped and danced fervently to well-versed songs, whilst a lone pair of traditional drums provided the beat. There was no other instrument in sight. No multimedia. Not even a hint of modern technology, save for a single microphone plugged into a small, battered amplifier. The congregation sat in neat rows, on rugs placed across the hard and grimy floor. Males on the left side, females on the right. Light flooded in through open spaces between the pillars; there were no walls or windows. These young men and women were there for one purpose only: to seek God. And they did it with all the passion, will and vigor their bodies could contain.

Over the next ten days, we would visit several other churches, some larger, some smaller. All of them throbbed with the same warmth and zeal which we had experienced during that first Sunday service at Harvest. The hearts of these Indian people beat so intensely and sincerely with what can only be described as the heartbeat of God.

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“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” – Isaiah 58:7

The Harvest Mission Centre is a large complex situated upon a hill, in a remote area called Kudappanakunnu, approximately 30 kilometres from Trivandrum city. It serves as the headquarters for Harvest Ministries International, an organization that aids the poor and persecuted in India. The Centre comprises an orphanage – the Rose of Sharon Children’s home – which houses, feeds and educates around 60 children, all of whom have emerged from situations of devastating poverty, domestic turmoil or tragedy. On campus is also the Harvest Mission Bible College, where over 40 young men from all across India have assembled to study the Word of God and train for ministry. Quite perilous is the task that awaits these men after they graduate: to venture into North India and plant churches, amidst a climate of escalating religious tensions, violence and persecution. All in the hope of shedding light on a nation cloaked in spiritual darkness.

Pastor Robert Mophet is a visionary. A man whom God has imbued with many a dream and prophecy. Along with his wife Mini, Pastor Mophet founded Harvest Ministries International ten years ago, after God placed on them a compelling “burden to serve our brothers and sisters who… came under persecution.” Moreover, the Lord bestowed on them a vision; one that would require a tremendous amount of love, toil and sacrifice over the years: they were to be “parents” to thousands of children. Hence the Rose of Sharon Children’s Home was birthed, named after the Mophets’ daughter, Sharon. The couple vowed to look after the orphans in their care with the same fondness and devotion they had for their own daughter.

Today, the Mophets are deeply thankful for the mighty work God has done through Harvest, and have many bold, new projects in their sights: a hospital, a vocational skills training centre for the poor, and a twenty-four-hour prayer centre. “We are continually praising God for the doors that are being opened to us in India for the opportunities to present the Gospel,” they declare emphatically. “We also praise God that we are linked with partners across the world as God has given us all His great commission…the harvest is plentiful, but workers are few.”

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“Sympathy is no substitute for action.” – David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

Medical camp. It lasted four tough days, and formed the greater part of our practical work in India. We did not arrive with the authority or healing power that Jesus so brilliantly commanded in the gospels. Nor did we expect to be able to provide remedy or relief for every single ailment, every weary body that came our way. However, something extraordinary happened over those four days. Something so beautiful that it offered a glimpse into what it must have been like working amongst Jesus and his disciples back in their days of glory. It was the sight of twelve ordinary people, with nothing but their two humble hands and two feet, laying down their own needs and imperfect lives, and mustering every single ounce of their heart, soul and strength to tend to the sick.

Spearheaded by Drs. Eugene and Olivia Ek, our medical team was indeed a body with many different parts unified for the one cause. Uncle Raymond and William asserted their muscle-power and managerial skills as crowd-controllers, whilst Kathleen and Audrey swiftly registered every single patient who presented to the clinic. It was then onto Auntie Julie, who administered de-worming medication and Vitamin A to every child, with the loving kindness of a mother. A team comprising the two doctors, three medical students – Rebecca, Andrew, and David – and several interpreters saw to the patients in two separate consulting rooms: one for women and children, the other for men. Ling-Earn, our graduate dentist, pried the teeth out of young ones with little force and much patience; whilst Rodney, an engineer by trade, ran the pharmacy and dispensed medications with such diligence that it seemed as though he’d been doing it all his life.

In 1 Corinthians 12:18, Paul describes how “God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” This was indeed the case during those four hot, exhausting days at the medical camp. Twelve individuals of different giftings converged to form a tight, cohesive unit that worked so efficiently and fruitfully for God’s glory. Just as Jesus had twelve disciples, our team had twelve dedicated members who gave it their all.

Over the four days we saw a total of 400 patients at the Harvest Mission Centre; including the children and bible college students who lived on campus, and over 300 members of the public who came from far and wide to access free medical care. Most patients presented with common conditions befitting their age groups: back pain, joint aches and deteriorating vision in the elderly; headache, chest pain and abdominal pain in the middle-aged; and upper respiratory tract infections and swollen lymph nodes in children. Diseases endemic to India – and most tropical regions, at that – included fungal infections of the skin, scabies, and hookworms infections of the gut. Malnutrition, anaemia and vitamin deficiencies were also classic presentations.

A few interesting cases to note: patients with cardiac murmurs due to aortic stenoses and mitral valve prolapses; an elderly woman with hemorrhoids and a vaginal prolapse; a young man with a gigantic haematocele following blunt testicular trauma; a boy with a 4 x 4cm, rock-solid submandibular lymph node; and another boy who had his right forearm completely severed in an accident, later grafted back using a free flap from his thigh.

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“You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving.” – Amy Carmichael, missionary to India

The children of the orphanage were an absolute delight. Everyday they would greet us with frenzied waves and squeals of joy as the bus pulled into Harvest Mission Centre. With broad grins and eyes sparkling with excitement, they would approach and circle every team member, tugging at our clothes and begging for attention. And sooner or later, they’d erupt into fits of elation every time a camera was produced. “Unc-le, unc-le! Photo, photo! Please, please!” they’d plead, squirming with anticipation. They would pose gleefully as the photos were snapped, then crowd eagerly around the tiny LCD screen on the digital camera, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the image. Then they’d beg for another: “Photo! One more! One photo! Please, unc-le, please!” There was so much pleasure in seeing how enthralled these children were over a few brightly coloured pixels produced by a tiny metallic gadget that hung around one’s neck.

The team spent many precious and rewarding hours with the orphans whilst at Harvest. We ran their Sunday school programs, introducing an exciting variety of songs and games. We kicked a ball around with them in rough, dusty plains strewn with construction materials. We performed health checks on every child; our hearts deeply stirred as we grasped their warm and petite hands, shone light into their wide and curious eyes, and listened to their delicate heartbeats and tranquil breath sounds. We washed their feet, following the example Jesus set before his disciples. We cleaned and combed every single strand of hair on their heads, forcing out hideous, black clumps of lice. In performing these humble acts of service, we demonstrated a love that was raw and selfless, a love that was unconditional. We showed these children the love of Christ.

And herein lies the heartbreak. The great paradox. The how and the why. Tragic as it is, these beautiful orphans have all emerged from backgrounds of deep poverty and strife. Many of them have lost one or both parents. However there are a significant number who have been abandoned by their parents, due to divorce, family turmoil, or overwhelming poverty. How could anyone desert such beautiful, precious beings? Why? – is the more important question. Despite being under the shelter and guidance of the orphanage and its carers, these orphans are being raised in an environment devoid of any familial love, devoid of that raw personal human connection, and of physical touch. For there is no substitute for the warmth and loving kindness of a mother or father. Hence these children squeal and squirm for attention. For photos to be taken. For hugs and handshakes. They clamour desperately for empty plastic bottles. Pieces of trash. So that they can wash them, refill them, and then take them to school the next day as their own water bottles. Empty plastic bottles.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

There is little solace in the fact that these orphans are perhaps the more fortunate ones. Scattered across the India are millions more, many of whom do not have access to the same standard of care and learning opportunities. Only by God's grace, and the compassion of visionaries like Pastor Mophet and his wife, were these children we befriended lifted above and beyond their demoralising circumstances. To a place where they are being instilled with pure values and a firm sense of discipline; where they are being spiritually fed. Most of them have accepted Christ into their lives.

Every single member of the mission team was so deeply moved by the affection, unpretentiousness and sweet smiles of the children. For many years to come, we'll marvel at how it is that these young ones had so little, yet loved so much...


“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”
– 1 Corinthians 13:13