For the first time in three years I was accompanied by members of the HSI Community for a mission outside the country. Brothers Denzil, Rajan, Manjula, Joel and young sister Jovita drove/flew down to Oman to assist me with the Discipleship Program in Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi, Oman and it was a delight to have them around. The team were quite thrilled by the warmth and the love they received and I knew they couldn't wait for more.
The mission, itself, held from May 4-May 7, was wonderful. Like other missions, it got off to a relatively slow start, but by the end of it, people just wanted more. The local prayer group—a wonderfully Spirit led group that went by the name of Mary Immaculate Prayer Community headed by brothers Eugene, Philip, Roman, Freddy and Marion—had made the program possible and their hospitality and graciousness was marvellous to behold.
I got a few more insights into why people don't come for missions like this even though it was held in a parish level. One woman said her husband didn't think much of lay preachers; another said he believed I was a "Charismatic" preacher and didn't think too much of Charismatics; and a third said he didn't come because it was organized by the local prayer group and he didn't like them. C'est la vie.
