By Caroline Anderson
Clemson students and Crosspoint volunteers, Sage Watson* and Karli Jacksbury* share their faith with their peers in a central Indian mall.
INDIA-The American college students came to India expecting to find more traditional Indian culture than they experience in the U.S. Instead they found iPhone users, Justin Bieber lovers, a real-life example of NBC’s “Outsourced” as well as a widespread addiction to social media — not a far cry from their own U.S. culture.
Ten college students and two short-term volunteers from Crosspoint Church, Clemson, S.C., came to India as part of a six-week missions and discipleship program. They came to partner with a local house church and IMB representatives Dave and Caroline Tucker.*
The students are from Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. This is Crosspoint’s second year to serve in India. Prior to coming to India, the Tuckers worked at Crosspoint and Caroline graduated from Clemson.
The Clemson students spent many of their days in shopping malls — sharing the Good News with anyone who’d listen. Malls are where Indian youth spend their free time. Justin Bieber’s latest hits play on the mall’s playlist.
Teenagers text message each other with the day’s latest gossip.
Little did the students know, they’d be continuing conversations once they left India thanks to Facebook.
After meeting someone new, the first question many short-term teams and IMB representatives get is asked, “Are you on Facebook?”
On one of the student’s mall visits, Rose Radcliffe,* a junior nursing student at Clemson, and Mandy Barner,* a one-year volunteer from Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Durham, N.C., met Radha Behari.*
Behari is an Indian 22 year old who works at an AT&T call center that outsources to India. Behari works the night shift, so she’s awake during work hours in the U.S. She talks to Americans from Virginia to California every day but never met one before meeting the Clemson students.
Behari invited Radcliffe, Barner and several other Clemson students to her home.
“Guests are like gods for us,” Behari said, as she made sure everyone had a plentiful supply of chai.
The Clemson students shared about God and how He’s proven Himself real in their lives.
“Can I share a story?” Cali Mendel,* a junior nursing student at Clemson, asked.
When they first arrived, the Tuckers briefed the students on what stories they’ve found have gotten good responses.
Mendel shared from Mark 5 about the woman who bled for 12 years and how she found healing when she touched Jesus’ robe.
The women talked about God and other gods. Behari believes in all religions, she said, but mostly Hinduism.
Clemson students on a six-week volunteer trip to central India include a visit to the orphanage in their plans. "Simon Says" becomes a whole new experience with Aubrey Neely playing Simon.
The women also bonded over Bollywood movies and music. Behari enjoys listening to western artists like Shakira; Mendel enjoys listening to Indian music when she studies.
Though she heard the Gospel from the Clemson students, Behari didn’t believe. But, thanks to Facebook, Behari and the Clemson girls are able to keep in touch. The girls made sure to exchange contact information and now they already have a “wall-to-wall” conversation on Facebook − connecting South Carolina and central India.
Barner’s husband, Clark* met Prakash Achari* in a mall. Dressed in designer jeans and a crisp button-down shirt, Achari listened intently when Clark shared about a God who doesn’t require good works to save a soul.
Later that week, in the Barner’s hotel room, Achari brought his cousin to hear more about the Gospel from Clark and the other summer volunteers.
“I was so fascinated,” he said. Achari said he knew Clark and the college students spoke truth.
Both Achari and his cousin decided to become followers of Jesus that evening.
The Barners plugged them into a local house church. The church utilizes modern contemporary worship songs in English and most of the people read their Bibles on iPhones and Blackberrys. The church studies the Bible in a group discussion format and emphasize small group discipleship.
The house church members are all friends on Facebook. They are quick to pull new members into their social media circle. It’s how they stay in touch and up to date on the everyday happenings in their friends’ lives.
Whether it’s America or down the street, Facebook connects new friends.
“Hi Hannah, How are you hope everything is fine. Enjoyed your trip to India. Missing you. Hope to see you soon. Nice pics,” Behari posted on Hannah Kaller’s* Facebook wall. Kaller is a senior nursing student at Clemson.
“I’m good! Miss you too!” Kaller responded on Facebook.
Everyone’s on Facebook. Even in India.
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*Name changed.