Why Calcutta

Well it’s been a while since I’ve updated so I’m going to do a couple of posts so as to split of the different topics.
I’m going to start with more details as to how Calcutta came to be the destination. Let’s begin back when I was still a young lad. I remember hearing a story about a man who travelled to Calcutta India to volunteer at Mother Teresa’s house of the Dying destitute. The story that he told was that of a dyeing baby who would not stop crying no matter what they did for it. The baby was taken in by the lepers who were used to the wailing of people in agony. WOW! I remember even that that this would be a place worth visiting. From there the desire to go to India would not surface for some years. During the DTS that I did I read a book about a guy and his prayer life. During his walk he felt prompted to pray for a country that he had no connection with, Bulgaria I believe it was. Eventually that man smuggled bibles into that same country. In response to reading about this I asked God if there was a country that he wanted me to pray for. I felt that if there was one then it was India. A few days after I got this impression I received an e-mail from my mother regarding someone she had heard speaking about India. Furthermore, she mentioned that although she’d never had a desire to go there she now thought that it might be a place of interest for her. “hmmmm” I thought, “Interesting how God works. Could this be coincidence? I THINK NOT!”
Next, I was reading the book Irresistible Revolution in which the author describes his experience in Calcutta living with the poorest of the poor alongside the lepers. From this I could not help but desire once again to go and experience it myself. And so, as I had this desire I climbed Mt Iron in Wanaka NZ. During the climb I would stop both to rest and to take in the view knowing that it would be even better from the top.
At last I arrived at the summit of the mountain and was sad to see the clouds rolling in as fog to obscure the view. As sad as that was not to be able to see the view, I felt that it was symbolic of my life. I was unable to see what direction that I was supposed to go in. At this time I began to sing and worship God as Lord and King. I knew that I was not wearing enough layers to stay warm without moving around vigorously, and with the fog, the added moisture would make me cold even faster. Despite this, I persisted to wait for instruction and heard this. “Take off your sandals for the ground you are on his holy ground.” That’s what Moses heard when he first encountered the burning bush. SO I decided to obey, and I took off my socks and boots and kept praying and worshiping. Which, when I already felt unprotected from the elements seems stupid to take off what protection I was wearing. However during the entire experience I neither felt cold no wet. And then BAM! I felt the impression “How about Calcutta?” So I replied with “How about Calcutta!” and so I am on my way to Calcutta!

On his way to Calcutta,
Matt Clarke
Go Big or Go Home!