聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The St. Andrews United Church in Arcola welcomed Rev. Koshy David and family to the community on Dec. 26.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rev. David, his wife Nithya, and children, Amar (gr. 11) and David (gr.9) recently arrived in the cold, which they are enjoying as a new life experience. Coming from India via working in the Soloman Islands and Jamaica the family is excited for their rural Canadian experience.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e call ourselves nomads,鈥� Rev. David said. 鈥淭here is so much in the world, so we decided to move around and see different people and cultures.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎s a minister or a missionary it is our policy to go wherever there is a need. The reason we went to the Soloman Islands was because nobody was willing to go there. They had no basic facilities, so no water or electricity. Our call takes us to where we are needed. Jamaica, too, and Arcola, too, is in need of a minister.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rev. David was ordained in 1991 to the ministry of the Church of 麻豆视频 India. Here he worked in the ministry, but also completed studies in history and philosophy, while teaching seminaries in universities.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 By 2000 he and his family found their calling of travelling to locations around the world where a minister is needed. Thus began their travels, which now includes a change of pace with their first winter.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐anada is different [than where we鈥檝e lived before],鈥� Rev. David explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a new culture and of course a new climate, we鈥檝e never seen ice and snow like this in our life before. We thank God for the ability to meet the people here and to live in the country.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The idea of working as a travelling minister is well suited to Rev. David: 鈥淏eing with people is the best thing to share in life, it鈥檚 not as easy as sharing other things like money, it鈥檚 very different to share your time and your life.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 been our calling to share our life with different people and cultures.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The family is enjoying their time in rural Saskatchewan and are enjoying the small town atmosphere.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎rcola is a wonderful place, it鈥檚 a good community,鈥� stated Rev. David. 鈥淓veryone knows each other, we don鈥檛 know everyone yet, but people know each other here and it鈥檚 a good environment.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rev. David and his family are looking forward to getting to know the community better.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 invite everybody to come out,鈥� Rev. David said of attending the St. Andrews. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e welcome: whoever you are, we respect your beliefs, your life, and your space.鈥�
