Moral Of The Story:

I am recently home from a 12-day missionary trip to India with 12 women. I finally unpacked my suitcase, but it will take much longer to unpack all my emotions, experiences, thoughts and feelings.

We worked with Colleen Redit, an amazing woman who began a ministry called CMCT (Christian Missions Charitable Trust) more than 40 years ago. Since then Colleen has started 24 ministries that include an orphanage with more than 200 girls, two schools that educate more than 1,000 slum children, soup kitchens in slums, care for lepers and AIDS patients, home building for a fishing village destroyed by the December 2004 tsunami, child sponsorship programs, as well as education, food, shelter, medical care and vocational training for countless needy people in the city of Chennai.

While we were there, we served in a soup kitchen, played with children in the fishing village, visited and prayed with many of the lepers. There is no way to adequately describe the life-saving and life-changing impact of CMCT. One snapshot is that nine years ago, Colleen rescued an abandoned two-pound baby girl, gave her medical care, prayer and lots of love. I had the privilege of having dinner with that beautiful young lady, who now speaks three languages and is positively enchanting.

Colleen is an amazing example of the exponential power of one person following God’s leading. Most of us won’t be called so far away, but all of us can do something to make a difference for someone.

And you can quote me on that.

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached at cindy@onthegrow.com or 537 Newport Center Drive, Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.