India & Myanmar

Today I paid the air fares for my trip to India and Myanmar (or Burma as it used to be called).

Of all the preparations for the trip so far, this has been the hardest! Not just because of the big amount of money involved, $2660, but also because it represents a commitment, a point of no backing out. I know that I could cancel the tickets but that would involve a cost and a lot of messing around.

So I'm committed!

I really know that this trip is God's plan for me. I have absolutely no desire to go, in my own natural inclinations. But God has planted in me a desire to visit India, to see what the country is like, to visit the orphanage in Chennai. Part of the deal on this occasion is the trip to Myanmar, and I know that it is God who is organising this.

The main purpose of the trip is to encourage pastors who are part of John Alley's apostolic network. I will be travelling with Michael Appleton who is the co-ordinator of the trip. We will visit Pastors Vincent Samuel and Happy Christian in Chennai and then travel to Bhimavaram where we will meet with Pastor John Christian. John Christian is well known to us- he travelled through Narrabri 3 times a couple of years ago when he was staying with John Alley- he used to call us the "Good Food People"!

The trip to Bhimavaram will be by overnight train. I'm told this is quite a cultural experience!

After a few days sharing with John we return to Chennai and then fly out to Myanmar. In Yangon (Rangoon) we will be teaching a seminar on "The Apostolic Revelation" over 4 days. This comes from an approach by a pastor there who wanted to come to Australia to attend a seminar here, but was advised by John Alley that it would be easier from an Immigration point of view for Australian pastors to get visas to go there than for him to get a visa to come to Australia.

The full itinerary is as follows:

Tuesday October 3rd. Leave Narrabri by train to Sydney

Wednesday October 4th Leave Sydney at 11.30 am
Arrive Chennai 10.05 pm (AEST)

Thursday October 5th to Sunday October 8th Chennai

Sunday October 8th. Catch overnight train to Bhimavaram

Monday October 9th to Thursday October 12th. In Bhimavaram

Thursday October 12th. Catch train back to Chennai

Friday October 13th. Fly to Myanmar via Bangkok

Saturday October 14th to Tuesday October 17th Seminar in Myanmar

Wednesday October 18th. Visit Pastor Eddie Kai

Thursday October 19th (Evening) Fly out of Yangon via Singapore

Friday October 20th. Arrive in Sydney Approx. 6 am. Catch train to Narrabri

I would certainly value your prayers over every aspect of this trip.

Blessings

Keith