The Newells' Tell Their

Story of Celebration:

Saris, sacred cows, sunshine and very sweet fellowship with students, staff and faculty at India Graduate School for Missiology near Chennai/Madras are all memories of the time Bruce and I shared January 15-22, 2006.

            We went to do two things: teach for the week and be there for the January 20 dedication of the Theresa Newell Library (to which many of you contributed) and the dedication of the Dr. Sam Devadason Administration Building.

            We want to report to you some of the highlights of that trip. We were greatly honored to have been invited to participate in the entire week, especially the Dedication Ceremony. We realized that we were representing the US Board of IEET (the non-profit that raises funding for IGSM and are the American friends to the faculty and staff and students of IGSM) and many others who had contributed to this new school. The absence of the Rev. Walter and Louise Hannum was most acutely felt since their health had precluded their coming at the last minute.

Schedule

            Chapel at 8:30 AM began each day, Monday through Friday. The 18 students took turns leading the singing (in English) to open chapel and then Bruce and I brought a short Bible message.

                          Theresa leads the class                                  The students sing to the Lord

9 - 10:45 - The students had language classes some in English, some in biblical Greek and Hebrew. We usually met with Andrew or staff during this time or prepared for our next class.

11 - 1 PM   Bruce taught on "The Miracles in the Gospel of John"

1 - 2 PM      Lunch break

2 - 4 PM      Theresa taught "Jewish evangelism, history and culture"

4 PM            tea

4:30 - 5:30 PM  We met with various members of faculty and staff to discuss vision for IGSM, future expansion of campus, curriculum, budget, etc.

                   The staff ladies                                                                     The staff gents

6 PM Dinner either in our guest house, or with one of the faculty or staff.

The dedication ceremony was scheduled for 6 PM Friday (more on that below).

Saturday, Andrew and Esther Swamidoss,

 IGSM director and wife, took us into Madras

for shopping.

A sea of saris                                                                   

Vision of IGSM and the Students

            The Rev Dr Andrew Swamidoss (PhD in New Testament, Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, CA) and his brother-in-law, the Rev. Dr Sam Devadason, dreamed of having a graduate school to train indigenous pastors in the areas of mission and evangelism. This was mainly because, in the past, all pastors who wanted to get graduate level degrees had had to leave the country to do so. They felt strongly that this was an occasion of a "brain drain" to India as many did not return from the West or wherever they went to get degrees. The level of training needed to create trainers to train others was missing in India. Thus came the vision for India Graduate School for Missiology. (Sam is Esthers brother and completed a Doctor of Missiology degree at Fuller and had been a pastor and missionary for many years in the heavily Hindu Bihar State in north India. On January 4, 2004, just after the first graduation at IGSM, Sam died of a heart attack).

              Andrew Swamidoss, a man with a vision                   Sam Devadason first saw the need

The students we taught all week were from Nepal, Myanmar/Burma and several Indian states (Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, and Orissa). They lived very simply, many of them leaving their families behind in order to come to study and to be better equipped to train others in the church in their areas. Most were on at least partial scholarships. The tuition, room and board is $600 for a 10 month program, but this is more than most could dream of having at one time. Their food allowance at IGSM is $15/month which means rice 3 times a day with some vegetable curry at lunch. Several had to cross hostile borders at night to get there, but they came.

            Having said that, we were blessed to get to share just a few days with these on-fire, sold-out, committed and joyful Christians. Their singing was robust with deep harmonies, often led by "Papa" from Mizoram. They did their own washing and ironing were always neatly dressed. They were, above all, disciplined. For example, Jerubal from Orissa was "bell-ringer" for the week. This meant that right on the button he would pound a piece of metal that was tied to the tree with coconut hemp with a metal wrench to announce class or chapel or meal times. He was never off by a second though he did not own a watch! The students worked very hard all week, especially because of all the preparations that were needed for the dedication ceremony but there was never anything but smiles on their faces as they went about tasks.

             Big hearts and bright futures                                                  Sharing the workload

Time Concept

            One thing that is most shocking for Westerners when we go to new cultures is to learn that time does not carry the same meaning as for others. While class schedules were kept very precisely, time was much different when it came to social and relationship time. A chief example was the night of the dedication which was scheduled to begin at 6 PM. Bruce and I (in my new sari with fresh flowers in my hair) were ready before 6. But we realized there was a problem: the local pastor had a wedding to do and he had not arrived yet. People from the mostly Christian village across the road had been invited to the ceremony, so they began walking in dressed in their best saris, etc. The PA system was blaring with Christian music, but no pastor. Andrew was clear that the ceremony could not open until he arrived. At 7:30 he appeared and the evening program began! It had been a matter of respect and relationships, so time took a back seat. Something we Westerners could learn from.

              The villagers arrive                                              Theresa greets the children

A Great Miracle during the Week

            One morning while the students were in their language classes, Andrew walked Bruce and me around the campus which now has about six buildings. He dreamed as he walked about the needs for mens dorm, womens dorm, dining room, etc. Bruce felt this was a large dream. That night we had dinner with Andrew and Esther. Soon after our arrival, Andrew brought out a letter and handed it to Bruce. THAT DAY the letter had arrived saying that a grant that had been applied for several years ago had been awarded to IGSM: $94,000 for mens dorm, womens dorm, dining room, etc.   We wept, we thanked God, we prayed. The next day Andrew announced the grant to the faculty, staff and students more tears, praise and songs!!  What a great God we have!  In faith, the morning after the Dedication ceremony, we all gathered on the ground next to the new library and administration building and broke ground for the new mens dorm! We also dedicated and thanked God for all of the furnishings (desks, fans, electrical equipment and computers) which had been donated through gifts for the graduation of Theresa Newell for her Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania in May 2005.

         St. Stephens Chapel                        The new library and administration building

The Dedication Ceremony on January 20, 2006

            As mentioned about 300 people from the village came. The students had put up a large sign that read "India Graduate School of Missiology Welcomes You" that stretched across the entrance to the campus. We greeted each one as they arrived in the traditional folded hands and bow to each. At 7:30 we processed with Andrew, the local pastor and the faculty from the entrance to the new library and administration building which had also been decorated with palm fronds and lights. Andrew welcomed all the guests and announced the ribbon cutting ceremony. Psalm 127: 1 and Numbers 6: 24-26 were read by the Rev. Susant Kumar Jena, son-in-law of Dr. Sam Devadason and a member of faculty.  Theresa then led prayer and dedicated the Dr. Sam Devadason Administration Building, cut the ribbon and opened the door to the Directors office. Bruce prayed a prayer of dedication for the Theresa Newell Library Building, cut the ribbon, opened the double doors and all processed in for the program.    

      Bruce reads the dedication prayer                           Theresa cuts the ribbon

Inside the worship and cultural program began with opening prayer by the Pastor Jeyaraj and several songs. Dr. Swamidoss gave the welcoming address and Mr. Stanley Jeyakumar read 1 Kings 8: 23, 59-61 in Tamil, the prayer for the dedication of the Temple by King Solomon.  Pastor Jeremiah translated the passage into English.

            Dr. Swamidoss thanked all the mission partners who had made the building possible. Admiral Bruce Newell read a letter of greeting from the IEET-CSRA Board in the USA which was read in Tamil by Academic Dean, Titus Livingston.  Dr. Theresa Newell brought the message from I Kings 8 which was translated by Titus into Tamil. Theresa reflected that four years ago there had been no buildings on the property when she and Admiral Newell had made their first visit just as there had been no Temple in Jerusalem at the time of King David. But today we see a campus which is growing rapidly and for that we give thanks to God, especially for the Library and Administration Buildings. The Prayer and Benediction was given by the Rev. Immanuel Davakadatcham.

            Chairs were moved to the side and the "Cultural Program" began with traditional dances beautifully done by three troupes of young girls in lovely costumes and jewelry. The IGSM students brought several songs and skits, one telling the story of the first missionary bringing the gospel to Mizoram in 1907. The student-actors used banana leaves and coconut palm fronds to make wonderful costumes for the skit!  Today most of Mizoram is Christian and a great centenary celebration is planned for September 2007.

    Beautifully dressed village dancers perform                   The students missionary skit

Following the cultural program, everyone walked to the field and were served a dinner of rice and vegetable curry. It was a wonderful evening of celebration with all of the neighbors of India Graduate School for Missiology. 

The vision is great, but with God all things are possible!

Theresa stands in front of the new library with Sam Devadasons daughter Ruth, who serves as the librarian of IGSM, and her husband, Jena who serves as the Academic Dean.