I would like to take this opportunity to update you on a recent trip to India and Sri Lanka last May and June. After visiting the summer camp in Davao, I flew from Manila to Delhi arriving in the early morning hours of May 23. Later that day I had the pleasure of meeting Eugene Kumar and his parents. Eugene and his parents have been members of the Church of God for many years and recently contacted the United Church of God. While I was trying to get a few hours of sleep on the morning of May 23, they were making a four-hour journey from their home in Moradabad to Delhi to meet with me. We were able to spend a good portion of the day discussing their experience in the church and various subjects relating to scripture. Eugene attended a summer camp that I helped coordinate in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka in the late 1980s so we had a lot to catch up on. I look forward to seeing them during future visits to India.

On Wednesday, May 24 I traveled by car to Agra to meet with George Samuel. Mr. Samuel has been receiving our literature since 2003 and had been requesting to be baptized for the past two years. After much counsel via letters and personal visits, I was able to baptize him during this visit. After our discussions and the baptism it was very inspiring to look out the window and view the Taj Mahal. Please remember to pray for George. He does not have an opportunity to gather with other brethren for Sabbath services. Thursday, I returned to Delhi and met with two Good News subscribers. We had a very profitable discussion and both are receiving sermon CDs from the Home Office.

Friday, May 26 I flew from Delhi to Pune via Mumbai. Pune is a growing city east of Mumbai. Mahatma Gandhi and his wife were interned in Pune at the Aga Khan Palace during World War II. His wife, Kasturba died during their detention and her ashes are kept in the memorial garden. Pune is also known for the Osho Meditation Resort, the famous ashram of Bhagwan Rajneesh. However I traveled to Pune to spend the Sabbath with our member, Prakash Mandora and his family. I arrived in Pune shortly before sunset and spent the evening with Mr. Mandora. On the Sabbath I held services in my hotel room with the Mandora family and we were joined by Sumeet Kumar Vaid, a Good News subscriber. Sunday morning I met with G.P. Samuel and B. Yohan from Chirala. They traveled through the night from Andra Pradesh to meet with me in Pune. Mr. Samuel was once a member of the Church of God 7th Day and we spent the morning discussing Revelation 20 and other scriptures dealing with the resurrections. It was very inspiring to help someone understand God’s plan of salvation for all of mankind. Sunday afternoon I baptized Prakash’s wife, Sara, and then visited their home at Spicer Memorial College.

Monday, I flew to Kochi on the southwestern coast of India. Vasco da Gama was buried in Kochi in 1524 and the city has a Jewish synagogue dating back to the 1500s. I spent the following day with a Good News subscriber, George Jacob Paul. I had a very enjoyable visit with Paul but the coast received some heavy monsoon rains during my visit. From my hotel window, the rain appeared to be falling in heavy waves of water. Sadly a few people were killed in the storm. Wednesday, May 31 I traveled from Kochi to Madurai via Chennai arriving late in the evening. The following day was spent with Simon Daniel, a Good News subscriber who grew up in the church. Mr. Daniel spent 1989 in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka studying English and vocational skills at the school sponsored by Ambassador Foundation. He is currently teaching English at The American College in Madurai and will be completing his doctorate in English literature in the near future. It was wonderful to reconnect with him after 16 years.

Friday, June 2 I flew from Madurai to Colombo, Sri Lanka to spend the Sabbath and Pentecost with our Sri Lankan brethren. I would like to request your prayers for our Sri Lanka brethren who are going through a difficult time and their country is experiencing an increase in the conflict between the Tamil Tigers and the government. Our members are not directly affected by the armed conflict but the economy is suffering as a result. During my visit to Sri Lanka, we were joined by Ashraf Rehmat from Karachi, Pakistan. Ashraf joined us for services on the Sabbath and Pentecost. He contacted the Home Office more than a year ago and has a keen interest in becoming a part of the United Church of God. We had some very profitable discussions during the visit.

Monday afternoon I returned to India and met more Good News subscribers in Chennai. Monday evening I had a very enjoyable meeting with Darwin and Jane Paul. They are a young couple that deeply desire to follow God’s way of life and share it with others in their school and community. It would be wonderful if we had a local congregation they could attend. We try to do our best to serve them by providing them with sermon CDs and literature. Tuesday morning, June 6 I met with Vivek Raj and his parents. They traveled from Pondicherry to meet with me. Vivek’s father has been a subscriber to the church’s literature since the 1960s. They expressed a sincere desire to have Sabbath services in their area at least once a year!

Wednesday morning I met with Good News subscribers in Hyderabad before flying to Calcutta in the evening. Thursday, June 8 I met with Tarun Ghosh in Calcutta. Tarun is a school teacher who has been studying our literature for more than a year. He is already observing the Sabbath and is beginning to observe the Holy Days. He desires to be baptized and we are beginning the counseling for baptism. Please remember Tarun in your prayers. I also met with two representatives of the Church of God Israel from Mizoram. I wanted to travel to Mizoram to meet them but my schedule just would not allow me to do so. Rather than miss the opportunity of a personal meeting, two of their representatives flew to Calcutta to meet with me. We had a very enjoyable meeting discussing their desire to be a part of UCG and I look forward to the next time I can visit with them in Mizoram.

Thursday night, I flew from Calcutta to Delhi and was supposed to continue my trip to Bangkok. Unfortunately the flight was delayed from Calcutta and even though I was supposed to have at least a three hour layover in Delhi, I arrived after the flight had already left for Bangkok. Thankfully I was able to fly to Bangkok the following night but missed the opportunity of spending the Sabbath in Mae Sot with some of our brethren in Thailand.

Each time I visit members and Good News subscribers in some of the Asian countries, I am humbled by their attitudes and sincere desire to understand and live God’s truth. Let’s ask our Father in heaven to provide for their needs as only He can and let’s ask for God’s guidance in developing ways to better serve them. —David Baker