LET US NOT LOSE HEART IN DOING GOOD
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”
Galatians 6:9
“Do not grow weary of doing good.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10
Dear Family & Friends,
After returning home from recent visits to five Tyrannus Halls in India and Nepal, my heart is drawn to the above encouragement the Apostle Paul gave to the churches in Galatia and Thessalonica. It is an encouragement many of us need, maybe especially the resident staff of these Tyrannus Halls. I recently had the privilege of spending time with the five men pictured to the right. In short, good is happening and it can be occasionally wearying. Communal discipleship is simply not easy. “Doing good” can bring “weariness.” Even Jesus Himself became weary in ministry. When He met the woman of Samaria, we are told, “Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well” (Jn 4:6). His appointed stop at this well was part of His Father’s plan for Him (see Jn 4:3 “He had to”). It wasn't by accident, overplanning or a wrong turn somewhere. It was a ministry opportunity the Father had planned for Him. And it caused Him to become weary. As Paul reminds all of us who find ourselves in situations of weariness, “Let us not lose heart.” This is the antidote. And so, may our hearts continually be filled afresh with Christ that we might guard against becoming “weary of doing good.”
The synopses, photos and video clip links below give a brief glimpse into the discipleship ministry of these Halls over the past month. Please remember to pray for these resident staff who daily minister “good” among students, specifically that the staff will not lose heart and grow weary in discipling university students.
Kathmandu Tyrannus Hall (Nepal) has 16 students and is seriously considering securing a permanent facility for the Kathmandu Lydia Hall. You will enjoy this 90-second video clip of the KTH guys singing: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AtAq0FuxjXNriJgBh2pQtFk5sSehGA?e=XpIWZF
Ahmedabad Tyrannus Hall (India) has 3 students. Their enrollment has not recovered since the pandemic. They are hoping to move out of a double apartment situation into a home that will be more conducive to discipling students.
Bangalore Tyrannus Hall (India) did not reopen for this academic year due to a new board and new resident staff needing a year to sell their existing property and purchase a newer facility closer to the universities.
Chennai Tyrannus Hall (India) has 19 residents, 3 of which are university students. Their demographic has shifted to older students preparing for civil service exams (1-2 year process). It is a slightly older and more mature discipleship community with its own unique challenges.
Pune Tyrannus Hall (India) has 4 students. Their enrollment also has not recovered since the pandemic when they typically had 20+ students. The bright spot in all of this is the unity and Christian commitment among the present students who are from three different tribal groups. They will be a great core for the future.
In the photo above, the Kathmandu Tyrannus Hall students are having fun making (and then eating) veg and non-veg momos from scratch. They were delicious!
As we were about to close on my first evening with the Chennai Tyrannus Hall students (photo below in pink room), the student leader asked for an impromptu talk. We spent 20-minutes on the essential Kingdom attribute of relational trust and the need to remove all masks.
In the photo below, the CTH Committee and their wives met with me to go over the present state of the ministry and discuss ways to improve.
One evening we gathered around a campfire in the courtyard for a time of student-planned, student-cooked and student-led fellowship, inclusive of good South Indian food, singing, special numbers and a devotional from Philippians 4:8.
While at the Pune Tyrannus Hall, we played hard, worked hard and ministered together. Below, you’ll see the Union Biblical Seminary Youth with the PTH guys singing at a Sunday evening worship service on the campus of Union Biblical Seminary. I was surprised to be so warmly greeted with flowers and a special shawl just prior to giving the sermon. A couple days before, we spent a fun day at a local waterpark. But we also cleaned up the PTH grounds, including tearing down overgrown vines from the back side of the building. Here you see second-year student Jomon scaling the building much to the concern of resident staff Sanjay below 😊.
Also this month, the Shillong Lydia Hall (India) has been memorizing scripture. This 15-second clip shows one of six similar SLH groups reciting Proverbs 3:5-6: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AtAq0FuxjXNriIscCgCBci5ueMeGiw?e=kVRwBy.
And Cambodia Tyrannus & Lydia Halls (Cambodia) put out a newsletter last month (see attached .pdf). You will be so encouraged to see what your gifts for a permanent Cambodia Tyrannus Hall have done!
“Let us not lose heart in doing good!”
P.S. – While I was in Asia, Julie was in San Jose, CA helping Kate & Race while they welcomed their new daughter Imogen Katharine Elliot Wright into the world (born March 8 at 8lbs and 2oz, 19.25in). Older brothers Euan, Anders and Lachlan all want to hold her!
