Red Hills India

From February 1-14 I will be embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. I was asked to be part of a team of 20 to go to Chennai, India to take the Good News of Christ to this city of 1.5 million. My specific role will be to serve with the technical team in setting up audio/visual equipment and assisting with photography and videography. This is especially exciting for me because the Lord has chosen me to use the gifts he has given me to use to His glory. My background is in graphic design, but over the years have "evolved" into more of a rounded communications area. I am a photographer and graphic designer at Corban College, and, by God's grace, I have been led to many people in ministry that can benefit by what I do as I can benefit from their knowledge in the Lord and experience in ministry.

Here is a brief background: the team I am traveling with is headed up by Reid Saunders, an alum of Corban. The Reid Saunders Association (RSA) travels around the world telling the Good News through evangelistic events. I had the chance to get to know Reid through various events at the college and around the city of Salem. RSA was created under the umbrella organization Next Generation Alliance (NGA), a Luis Palau company. NGA is also associated with Livin' It, an extreme sports ministry headed up by Stephen Baldwin (yes, of the Hollywood Baldwin brothers). I also had the opportunity to meet Luis at an event in Salem and was at that time asked to go on this trip. The trip involves setting up events to share the Good News of Christ with the people of Chennai. It has been more than 15 years since the Gospel has been taken into this city, so there is expected to be at least 4000 people attending each event per day.

I am truly amazed at how God has been working in my life. This is just another step in my spiritual growth that will lead to yet another step. I am learning that, by faith, stepping out into the unknown is perhaps the most gratifying experience, because I know God's hand is in it and He is in control of everything; nothing is impossible through God! I can see how he has worked in my life and it gives me a hint of where He will lead me in the future.

For those of you who are interested in my trip, I will be logging my experience on this blog beginning soon. I leave on February 1st and will attempt to post as much as possible (wherever I have an internet connection). If you would like to help with this trip you can do so by praying for the team and I. We need specific prayer for God to prepare our hearts for this experience, for all necessary doors to be opened, for protection from harm (both physically and spiritually), to focus on Christ and strengthen our fellowship and to prepare the people of India to receive Christ into their lives. You can also help by supporting me financially. Since I didn't even know about this trip until about one month ago and it wasn't confirmed I was going until a few weeks ago, I have just a short time to do any fundraising. If this is something that is on your heart, I ask you to help send me to India on your behalf. God has blessed us all in different ways, some financially and some not. I have been blessed by being chosen to go on this trip. I honestly don't feel worthy of it, but very humbled that I can serve with the team. I know the Lord will provide financially for me through certain people and He has already selected them. By supporting me, by prayer and/or financially, you’ll have an opportunity to be a part of this trip. I am grateful for anything you can do.

If you have any questions or concerns or would like to chat about the trip, please feel free to get in touch with me at cwells@corban.edu.