Tabor College India Travel Blog

Singing in the Jeep

2008-01-16T22:36:00.000-06:00

Things have been going very well in India. The students have been staying with the Indian students and sharing life together. The moments that come out of these relationships have been wonderful to see. From times in class together to singing songs at the top of their lungs in a jeep (this is a wonderful story) it has been amazing to see our students with the Indians and reach across cultural

Tabor Team 3 Journey Begins

2008-01-10T04:40:00.000-06:00

It is unusual to see 14 Tabor students so energetic at 4:30 am but here is proof that India changes people's perspective of what is important in life. You can see the excitement on their faces as they prepare to leave for an Interterm trip to India on this cold January 10, 2008 morning. The warmth they will find in India will be a welcome change.The trip will take the team to Kansas City by van

India 2008 Planning Trip - Days 2 through 7

2007-08-08T20:21:00.001-06:00

One learns quickly that while India may be a technology world leader, there is not ready access to the Internet in many parts of India, especially in rural areas like Shamshabad. Not only are there fewer computers available, but the monsoon season with its generous rains disrupts Internet service in places like MBCBC. Del and I did not have easy access to the Internet after we left Delhi so I

India 2008 Planning Trip - Day 1

2007-07-31T11:50:00.000-06:00

Our flight from Wichita, via Chicago, was uneventful. It is amazing to board a plane at 7:00 pm in Chicago and end up in Delhi 14 hours later with no stops. Del and I were fortunate to be given an exit row, which means no seats in front of you for 6 feet on a Boeing 777. As a result, the night travel was better for sleeping than is often the case.We left in the evening and arrived in the evening

Return Trip To India Scheduled

2007-07-28T19:25:00.000-06:00

The Carson Center for Mission, Service, and Global Education is sponsoring a trip to India in January, 2008. This three week trip will include opportunities to visit inspiring cultural sites in India including the Taj Mahal.The primary purpose, however, is to give students an opportunity to see the Mennonite Brethren Indian church at work. Using the Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College in

Thoughts About India

2007-04-09T21:24:00.000-06:00

I'm surrounded by this crazy beauty and hordes of people with eyes that are penetrating and hungry. As the Director of At Your Service community development organization said, "people are suffering...they need many salvations". I'm wordless, or unfortunately, it seems I'm rather wordy about my wordlessness. I'd just like to cry, but an occasional tear comes at specific sites and then the rest

Village Churches

2007-04-06T15:51:00.000-06:00

Friday, March 16, we were privileged to visit four Mennonite Brethren village churches surrounding Shamshabad, as well as the MB Junior College.Each group welcomed us by placing garlands around our necks. Sitting on white plastic chairs, wearing beautiful garlands, we faced the congregation. Men sat on the floor to the left, women sat on the right and children were in front of them.When we were

First Impressions of MBCBC

2007-04-06T15:04:00.000-06:00

It was an exciting, almost reverent, moment for me when we entered the campus of the Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College, at Shamshabad, India. It was the setting for many missionary stories I’d heard during my childhood. On our first day at MBCBC, we attended a chapel service for the student body. After lively singing, the principal introduced our team from Tabor College and mentioned

Graduation

2007-03-24T20:15:00.000-06:00

We were privileged to be at the graduation ceremony which included the first graduating class of students with the bachelor of divinity degree.Fifty students graduated.Following are photos from the graduation.

MBCBC

2007-03-24T19:28:00.000-06:00

MBCBC stands for Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College. The word Centenary was added in 1989 in celebration of the century of work by the Mennonite Brethren in the area.The Bible College was begun in 1920. It offers a number of religion degrees including bachelor of theology and a bachelor of divinity. It gets its accreditation through an association with Serampore College, founded by

Shamshabad

2007-03-24T17:58:00.000-06:00

To the south of Hyderabad 30 miles is the town of Shamshabad. I was expecting small but it is a sprawling what I would call city. Hillsboro is what they call a village. There are several important things to know about Shamshabad. This is where the Mennonite Brethren Bible College is located on 34 acres. It has been here since 1920. The offer a variety of theology degrees and certificates

Hyderabad

2007-03-18T21:26:00.000-06:00

Hyderabad is a modern and large city that is one of the large technology centers, home to such industries as Microsoft and Dell. Construction is booming. We will visit Hyderabad today and I will report on it in a later posting.For now, it is time to drive to Hyderabad to visit Tech Center and see the pearls that Hyderabad is famous for. As we go, we will once again see an amazing assortment of

Calcutta

2007-03-18T07:13:00.000-06:00

One thing you learn quickly is that just because India is a powerhouse in the world when it comes to technology does not mean it is easy to find a time or a place to connect to the internet. It is hard to believe that a week has passed by since I last wrote from Delhi.We flew to Calcutta on a 737 the way flying is supported to be...great service including a meal. It is hard to know how to

Delhi 2 and Agra

2007-03-11T10:17:00.000-06:00

Our journey for the first day kept us in Delhi. With the six of us squeezed into a minivan, we made our way through Old Delhi and New Delhi visiting sights, mostly ruins, that go back to the 8th and 9th centuries. We also visited the largest mosque in India. The highpoint of the evening was with members of the MBMSI team with a wonderful meal at the home of Saji and Bendu.Today, we took a 4

Delhi

2007-03-10T09:41:00.000-06:00

We arrived at Delhi from Chicago in an amazingly short time....14 hours. The non-stop flight was full. After a disorienting change of time that may takes days to sort out, we deplaned, walked through customs, and walked out onto the streets at 10:00 pm.The most confusing time when entering another city, not to speak of a different culture, is the first hour. The money we changed makes no sense

The Destinations

2007-03-05T07:36:00.000-06:00

The Carson Center India Iniative exploratory trip will begin on March 8 from Chicago with the first stop in Delhi where we will be introducted to the work of the Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International (MBMSI) in that region. (Google Earth was kind enough to add the YMCA where we will be staying.)After a day visit to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, the team will go to Calcutta to see

The Experience Begins

2007-03-02T20:41:00.000-06:00

While the trip does not begin for 6 days, the experience has begun already. Around the house are books that are being read with a new level of interest. By my bed is a book by my great uncle, J.A. Ressler, the first Mennonite Church missionary, entitled Stories From India published in 1916. On the end table is an unpublished book by Paul Wiebe that tell the history of the church in India.

Mission and Goals

2007-02-26T08:38:00.000-06:00

MissionThe mission of the Carson Center is to promote mission, service, and global education at Tabor College and to collaborate with individuals, organizations and churches who share the vision of the Carson Center.Goals To provide opportunities at Tabor College for students to learn about and participate in missions, service projects, and to become globally minded and skilled graduates;

History of the Carson Center

2007-02-26T08:26:00.000-06:00

The development of the Carson Center has come about through a confluence of factors. The Carson Church, Elaine Kroeker (on the left), a Tabor College board member who was a member of the church, and brothers David and Paul Wiebe (missionary children who grew up in India, David a Tabor board member, and Paul a sociologist with a passion for the church in India), and President Larry Nikkel, each

Carson Center Background

2007-02-26T08:25:00.000-06:00

Globally minded education, mission, and service are not new to Tabor College and the Mennonite Brethren denomination which owes the college. The Mennonite Brethren denomination has a global and service perspective borne both out of its theological commitments and out of necessity. The namesake of the Mennonite Brethren denomination, Menno Simons, and the “Menists” with whom he was affiliated

Carson Center Introduction

2007-02-26T07:59:00.000-06:00

In The World is Flat[1], Friedman demonstrates that world is more interdependent now than at any other time in history. At the beginning of the 21st century, he argues, civilization into a new and much different stage of interaction, Globalization 3.0. In a most compelling manner, Friedman demonstrates how small and interactive the world has become and