Out of Ashes

by Travis Helm, Global Reach Assistant Director

IT'S BEEN ALMOST 125 YEARS since our CGGC Mission in Bangladesh was established. At the time, it was still the country of India. Many different westerners from various locations within the USA served as missionaries throughout the northwest region of what is now Bangladesh. Their hard work and sacrifice serving alongside nationals help build the various departments of what the Mission is now. A large hospital in Bogra and a smaller one in Khanjanpur. Together they treat as many as 130,000 people annually. A large portion of these patients is underprivileged. The Mission also has 22 schools at the lower primary level and a Boys and Girls Hostel. Through the faithful service of CGGC early missionaries, many Bible studies were started, which eventually grew into churches. The Bangladesh Mission now has 185 churches scattered throughout the northwest region of the country. The Mission serves the people through many community development projects, like helping provide communities with clean water, disaster relief items in times of need, and numerous other social programs.

The “People’s Republic of Bangladesh declared itself as an independent nation in March of 1971. There was guerilla-type warfare through most of the rest of 1971 in the struggle to make that independence stick. On December 16, 1971, the country won its independence. During that struggle, the USA missionaries and staff had to exit the country due to the conflict. Many national workers within the Mission had become the leaders of the Mission and worked very closely with the USA leadership. This transition has not been without its struggles, and there have been many ups and downs since then. During my tenure beginning in 2015, I began to learn about many of the fruitful ministries of the Mission, but also some deep-rooted and destructive conflicts both internally and from outside influences on the Mission. By 2017, the conflicts between different departments of the Mission, leadership, and an outside anti-Mission group had grown to a toxic level. The Mission had become very divided and was losing its effectiveness and witness. I had recently learned that several groups of people had broken away from our Mission due to a lack of connection, visits, and any form contact for years. This was both sad and hard to hear. Inside, I had grave concerns that the Mission was going to be rendered useless and become like a heap of ashes from a burned-up building. Both national and local government officials were asking the USA leadership to intervene and bring peace and unity. During the following two years, Global Reach leadership made many visits to Bangladesh and met with many

Mission leaders, staff, and government officials. During that painful process, we made numerous leadership changes, added a new leadership position, and sought help from our India Mission leadership in working through many difficulties. With much prayer, many tears, meetings, and visits to the communities the Mission serves, we began to see the Lord providing breakthroughs.

Then the pandemic hit, and travel stopped, which meant no visits and no in person relationship building meetings or times of fellowship. We tried to maintain the best communications as possible through WhatsApp and Messenger calls. It wasn’t until the summer of 2022 when sufficient travel restrictions had been lifted, that I was able to travel to Bangladesh for a much-needed visit. I planned to meet with four or five senior government officials to build rapport and a working relationship for the purpose of growing and expanding the Mission while suppressing anti-Mission activities. In meeting with key government officials, they shared some very encouraging words and aspirations for our Mission. They asked that we expand all our departments as our finances allow and promised to aid our Mission in all the “red tape” aspects and to also help eliminate any anti-Mission element. They explained that Missions have a good history and reputation in Bangladesh as helping the underprivileged with education, skills training, and disaster relief while offering quality and compassionate medical services. They especially favor our Mission because we serve all faiths. They were also very concerned that we take care of our village church communities and to be careful not to neglect what was established many years ago. Pictured below are some of the meetings between Mission leaders and government officials.

During this trip, I traveled to various village areas that were once neglected and abandoned by our Mission (some as long as 25 years ago) but are now reunited with us. It was humbling and an honor to dedicate new church structures that were recently built through funds given by generous donors in the USA. It was so encouraging to see large groups of people waiting for us in each of these areas which were forgotten and neglected but now overjoyed to be valued and part of the Mission again. One of these village areas (extremely poor) had 40-plus families who used to be part of the Mission 25 years ago. They referenced Rhoda Kauffman, and I learned this was a primary area where she established churches. Dr. John rebuilt trust with them over the past two years, and they were overjoyed by our visit. They desperately desire (and need) a church structure for worship and they announced on my visit that they have donated land to the Mission in hopes of us helping them to construct a simple church building. I estimate close to 100 people were present during our visit. Pictured below is a reunited village area we met with that donated land to the Mission in hopes of getting their own worship structure for meeting together.

I was also able to spend quality time with Bogura Christian Hospital (BCH) leaders and staff. They held a welcoming reception and a dedication service for the renovated surgery ward. Almost all of the hospital staff were present for singing, speeches, and prayer. Dr. Suprotik, BCH Medical Director, gave a detailed tour of the hospital. I was amazed at so many improvements since my last visit in January 2020. They built a new pharmacy and eye lens/frame store out in the front portion of the hospital. This gets enormous exposure and has increased their capacity to serve more people and to increase profits (which go back into the Mission in various forms, including supporting other Mission departments). They have made other improvements to the various building structures to go along with the renovated surgery ward. With the addition of the new eye surgical microscope, they have almost doubled their eye surgeries. Dr. John has been instrumental in helping them strategize for maximum efficiency and profit where opportunity exists. They have hired three new doctors and an intern is serving under Dr. John in the eye department at Khanjanpur. Dr. Suprotik has started traveling on occasion with Dr. John to some of the outlying villages near Bogura so they can soon begin to have eye camps to help the underprivileged communities. This has enabled Dr. Suprotik to interact with some of our village churches and pastors. I see a completely different attitude within BCH as they are gaining trust in the new leadership and becoming more unified under the Mission. This is a huge answer to prayer.

In conclusion, I would say this was the best all-around trip I have had to Bangladesh, and I was amazed at how much God is doing there despite the pandemic over the last 2.5 years. I am excited to spend more lengthy future trips there to help better unify the Mission and build closer relationships with the various leadership staff. Through many years of sacrifice of the pioneer missionaries, continued support through resources and prayer by CGGC churches in the USA, and God’s providence, the Bangladesh Mission is experiencing one of its most fruitful periods of growth. Thank you to so many of you who have prayed for, given to, or served in the Mission over these many years of existence. Most of all, praise and glory belong to our Lord for what He is doing through a unified effort of His body both in the USA and Bangladesh.