PETER SHARMA
MINISTRY REPORT AND OVERVIEW OF MISSION WORK
Serving the Communities of Mathuline, Kariline, and Premnagar
Carron Tea Garden Area, Nagrakata Block
Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal, India
The area where I carry out ministry work is located in a tea garden region. The tea garden company does not provide stable employment, and many workers do not receive adequate wages. As a result, many young men and women migrate to cities such as Bangalore and Chennai in search of better job opportunities.
This is a small tea garden community within the Loksan Gram Panchayat area. Serving in this region is a significant challenge for me. The local social environment often creates obstacles to ministry work. Transportation facilities are very limited, and there is no hospital nearby, making life difficult for the residents.
Because of these circumstances, church members are not always able to participate fully in church activities. At times, the tea garden management requires workers to work even on Sundays. In such situations, we conduct worship services in the evening or at night so that believers can still gather for fellowship and worship.
Our worship schedule is as follows:
Mathuline Methodist Church - Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Kariline Methodist Church - Sunday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Premnagar Methodist Church - Usually: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The worship schedule at Premnagar is flexible because there is no permanent worship place. Services are sometimes held on Sunday evenings and, on certain occasions, on Monday, depending on the availability of the host family and the local situation.
I have been serving in Mathuline Church since 1996. Gradually, with the combined efforts and contributions of all the church members, we were able to construct this church building in 2001.
People belonging to the Asur community live in this village. In addition to this church, ministry work is also carried out at two other separate locations. Mathuline Church serves as the central church for all these ministry activities.