A “Taste of India” benefit dinner and concert was held at Calvary Tabernacle on Sunday so the congregation could bid a fond farewell to Jennie Christopherson as she prepares to leave Oct. 24 from Winnipeg for a six-week missionary journey to India.
Her visit will include stops in Calcutta, New Delhi, Madras, Madurai, and Sri Lanka.
One other spaghetti dinner was held at the Salvation Army in International Falls, Mn. to help raise the necessary funds required for her food, travel, and lodging.
Christopherson will have along her faithful guitar and songs to minister the Gospel to the people of India.
She and her husband, Bruce, who is manager at KHBW Christian radio in the Falls, have been participating in KBHW musical rallies for the past few years in northern Minnesota and Ontario, especially the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River areas.
Christopherson said her involvement grew because of a visit by John and Shirley Abraham (with the Global Outreach Foundation of Canada) to Calvary Tabernacle.
Their inspirational message of the work being done in India, coupled with Christopherson’s singing, combined to make this a team endeavour.
Christopherson said she was overwhelmed by the Abrahams’ request for her to join the venture. She talked it over with her husband and the decision was “Why not?” since all the doors were open for this type of ministry.
The key to this ministry is the opening of new churches in India to encourage the people there to develop Christian unity among themselves. According to the Abrahams, a new church building rising up establishes a real presence and congregational faithfulness under a good leadership of pastors.
Christopherson said Global Outreach shares that philosophy, assisting people to know the scriptures and evangelizing them.
This is not the first mission work for Christopherson, having spent two weeks in Mexico in 1980 to provide aid to victims of Hurricane Gilbert .
Christopherson stressed she was not frightened about what the experience might be like on arrival, adding she actually was more stressed about getting lost at the Vancouver airport trying to catch her flight.
“This, to me, seems exciting. With only the Bible as my weapon and faith in the Lord to guide me, I feel quite safe,” she enthused.
Still, Christopherson also said it will be nice to get back home.
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