Lynnfield Church Members Traveling To India

Senior associate pastor Guy Miller of Beverly has traveled to India twice, and he's going back to lead a team from Calvary Christian Church, a Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) congregration, in Lynnfield this year.

"We're going to a two-week festival in Kolkatta, formerly called Calcutta, and surrounding regions (that honors the goddess Kali) to join with other Christian churches, not to protest or carry signs around, but to show the love of God -- that they don't have to worship a god, a statue," Miller said.

He, and a team of four others from the church, will work with missionaries, or American Christians who moved to India to do ministry there, and local pastors to have one-on-one conversations, as well as meetings with church planters in an effort to evangelize to the predominantly Hindu/Muslim nation.

Since Nov. 2010, Miller announced the $3,000 trip twice from the pulpit, which will run from Wednesday, Sept. 28 to Saturday, Oct. 8.

He believes the cost and timing leaves high school and college students out of the picture, which accounts for a relatively low trip attendance. Compared to local churches, Calvary has a fairly young membership.

Mark Gillis of Malden was originally scheduled to travel to Zimbawe, Africa with the church last year, but couldn't due to an inner ear infection that prevented him from flying an airplane. After surgery, he is confident that balance will no longer be an issue.

For Gillis, the hardest parts will be: being away from his wife for 10 days, culture shock, and having to pick up some of their Hindi language. Church staff will translate.

"I'm going on this trip, because I have a passion to give back for what God has blessed me with, " Gillis mentioned, "It's our chance to show people what my life was like before His grace and mercy came into my life, and how awesome He is."

Although this missions trip will be his first one, he said he is excited, not nervous, because not much can scare him with his religious faith. He has attended Calvary since 1996.

Peggy Lentini, of Lynnfield, along with Miller and Gillis, will also attend this service project.

Like Gillis, she was originally scheduled to participate in her first service project with the church in May, but Israel was postponed to 2012 due to a low turn-out and a high cost.

She redirected her funds for this trip.

Lentini said, "We're so blessed in this country. We have poor people, but they have some convenience. The difficult part will be seeing children living in these conditions, because we only read about in magazines or see it on the news."

She never even thought of going on a missions trip a few years ago, but is excited, and like Gillis, not nervous, for her new direction in life.

"I felt prompted -- inside -- that this was the one," she stated.

Lentini believes the cost, especially in these economic times, and a 10-day stay away from the comforts of home are factors in a low trip turn-out. She has attended Calvary since 2008.

Gillis has saved up $3,000 over five years, but realizes that cost can prevent others from taking this trip, as Miller and Lentini mentioned.

A group meeting will take place this Sunday, April 10, and ocassionally up until departure.