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Hopegivers bring care
to Indian orphans
Published Tuesday, August 18
By L.A. Story
Staff Writer
One week proved to be the experience of a lifetime for a team of local medical professionals and volunteers who recently returned from a medical mission trip to the city of Kota in Ragastan, India.
While some may argue that overseas mission trips - even medical mission trips - are not uncommon, the Corinth team was unique in the number of local physicians that left their practices to answer a plea for help with medical assistance for the Indian orphans.
Locally, four medical doctors, a dentist and an optometrist stepped forward to be a part of the week-long mission in Kota. The rest of the 21 member mission team was made up of medical professionals and other volunteers that made up one of the largest single volunteer medical mission teams that Crosswind Ministry Director, Bobby Capps, said he has ever been a part of. Members of the team were: Dr. Mat Johnson, Judy Wilbanks, Dianna Griffin, Dr. Bubba McQueen, Bobby Capps, April Clifton, Dr. Mike Weeden, Blake Weeden, Dr. Erica Noyes, Abby Noyes, Lauren Lindsey, Adam Stanford, Anna Janzen-Lancaster, Donnie Lawrence, Bonnie Mitchell, Dr. Patrick Hsu, Audie Osborn, Jeremy Osborn, Paula Devore and Steven and Jessica Eaton. Two men who did not travel to India, but were said to have also been a strong part of the team were: Tony Childs, who served a vital role as trip administrator; and Dr. Patrick Tucker, who was acknowledged by many as being instrumental in acquiring medicines and supplies needed for the trip.
"I have been so blessed to have been a small part of this outreach," said Childs. "I knew I wanted to be involved in some manner. I knew I had to do something to be a part of this mission ... I thank God for all the support from the community as well as family and friends of those who went. This was a very positive, God-inspired trip."
The journey to India began with one man's visit to Corinth - a man who is a self-described "international, professional beggar" - Samuel Thomas, Ph.D., president and CEO of Emmanuel Mission International. The American version is simply called, "Hopegivers." Thomas spoke to gathering of locals this past spring with a plea for help for the orphans in India. The children at the Kota orphanage are over 400 of the 5,000 orphans that Hopegivers has taken in and cared for.
During the week that the team was in Kota, there were times several members of the team said that caring for 400 orphans was a challenge that did not seem to have an end. One of the children, a little boy, was found to have an abdominal mass.
Among experiences that appeared to overwhelm the team members was comparing the lives of the orphans still on the streets of India to those who are being helped by Hopegivers.
In documentary footage of the trip, Anna Janzen-Lancaster, RN, made an emotional statement. The nurse, who was obviously moved by her experience in Kota, said she could not wait to get home and begin raising money so that Hopegivers could help even more children.
"Before I went, I thought I would go over there, fall in love with the children, and want to take them home. The children there were so beautiful and precious, and I wanted to care for them, but I didn't want to take them home," said Lancaster. "They have a bright future there in India. I fell in love with the mission of Hopegivers. The children that the world has tossed aside are loved and cared for, shown the Gospel of Jesus Christ, educated, and sent out to do the same for others who are in need. That is the hope of India. I caught the vision and I am excited about continuing to help Hopegivers and asking others to come along side me and do the same."
The children's gratitude and what their fate would be without the orphanage, is something that also moved Dr. Mat Johnson.
"When I hear their voices praising God ... It tears me up when I hear it because these kids would have no hope without this place," said Johnson.
Another perspective noted on film was that of Dr. Erica Noyes. The physician said she was not saddened by how poor the children in the orphanage were.
"I'm saddened by how much we have - the excess - it takes our focus off God," said Noyes. "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise [for the orphans] ... Going after the comforts of life takes away our character ... The kids who live here focus on God."
Dr. Patrick Hsu said that the trip deepened his life experience.
"Life is all about experience and makes you aware of what you've got," said Hsu. "This was a reality check. You think of the people there as 'poor' but you don't know what 'poor' means. Personally, I think everyone should go on a mission trip. It was a privilege to be able to help people and, in the meantime, I got a lot out of it and it deepened my life experience."
While the team was made up of many different local denomination, the team's experiences were centrally recorded on "Bobby's Blog" at the crosswind website. While responses to the trip, were generally positive, there were a couple of decidedly negative comments posted, which fueled the team while they worked. All comments - both good and bad - can be seen at "Bobby's Blog" located at www.crosswind.ms.
Video footage shot by team member Audie Osborn can be seen by visiting www.youtube.com and searching for "gravelroadmedia," according to Childs. He noted to search by dates. The team was in India from July 18-26.
Perhaps, among the most inclusive commentaries about the trip, was given by local dentist and team member, Dr. Bubba McQueen.
"When I was asked to go along on this trip to India, I said Œyes' without even thinking about it. Then reality set in ... I would be taking a week and a half off from my practice and I knew it would put more stress on me when I got back. But here was the rub: At Crosswind, we are constantly referring to James 1:27 as our basis for ministry. You know that really inconvenient verse where God calls us to look after the orphans and widows in their distress.
"The way I read this verse is that we are to care for the most vulnerable people in our local communities and our world at large. There was no denying that the orphaned children in Kota, India qualified as some of the most oppressed and vulnerable people in our world. I've learned a whole lot about James 1:27 from actually entering into conversation with the real flesh and blood reality of poverty and social oppression. Actually touching the children from the slums, and being touched by them, changes your outlook on life. You can't go on a trip like this and not be affected.
"I know that a lot of people didn't see the value in a trip like this. I have always been a bit skeptical of short-term missions. What's the point of spending thousands of dollars to go to the other side of the world for just a four day clinic, when that same amount of money could have put three pastors through seminary in India or something?" said McQueen. "I struggled with doubts like this before the trip, but here's the thing: God wouldn't ask us to do it if He couldn't accomplish something worthwhile. We went on this trip because we are Christians and this is one of the ways we follow our God ... by serving others. So even though we were with them for a week and basically only treated their immediate medical needs once, it did make a difference. I could have just sent money. I could have sent medicine. I could have sent Bibles. I could have sent stuffed toys. But those things are not the message. How do you show someone what God is all about? You stand in front of them and say 'I'm here for you.'"
