NO REGRETS

{Reflections by Dr. R. Theodore Srinivasagam, former General Secretary, IEM to the Outreach}

Your life defining moments briefly (your coming to know the Lord and the call to ministry)

I grew up in a Christian family in the city of Chennai. While studying B.Sc. (Honours) Zoology in Madras Christian College in Chennai, a fellow student witnessed to me in the commuter train and later asked me to follow 1 John 1:9. Later at home, I read this word, confessed my sins and found Christ forgave my sins. That was in 1958. Then I grew in the Lord in the fellowship of the students of the Evangelical Union. 

After my Ph. D. in Marine Zoology from Madras University, the Lord led me to go and do research in the Department of Oceanography in Southampton University in the UK. While there while participating in prayer meetings of the University Christian Union the Lord confronted me about me going as a missionary. I went through a long struggle with God. Finally one night I wrote, 'Why I should go, or not go, as a missionary'. At the very end I had written, 'Any one … a Hindu, Muslim or anyone can do my research work, but only a Christian called of God can be His missionary.' That clinched my decision to opt for missionary service in Thailand. Acts 26:18 helped in this. 

Your calling to missions specifically to IEM 

My calling was to Thailand and there was no way an Indian missionary could go to Thailand then, as there were no obvious channels. However, God did not make a mistake. Unknown to me, Rev. Dr. Theodore Williams, the then General Secretary of the Indian Evangelical Mission had developed a partnership with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) for Indian missionaries to serve in East Asia through OMF. Therefore, I joined IEM, appeared before the Board of IEM in January 1971and was seconded to OMF. I then set sail to Singapore the same year en-route to Thailand. 

JEHOVAH JIREH' as you experienced 

After I returned from the United Kingdom and Joined IEM in 1971, I received my first allowance as an IEM missionary. It was Rs. 200! It looked like pocket money! Later in Thailand, OMF as a mission experienced a great short fall of finances for one 3-month period. We cut short our travels, reduced our programs, and spent the time to study the Bible and pray. During that period, we had one full meal a day. However, what a blessed time it was trusting God for all our needs! Later when I got married to Diana in 1983, we had no furniture in the house and the first guest to our home, a Westerner, had to sit on a mat and eat his food kept on wooden boxes! We had many shortfalls, but God always provided for our needs. I have no regrets.

What were those things that you set as priority and you were extremely careful about?

My priority after joining missions was God's mission. Though I liked my subject, marine science, my priority was mission work. Later when I got numerous invitations to speak in various meetings I determined only to accept invitations that are mission orientated. I have kept that priority until today. 

One Low and one high point in your life in IEM 

As General Secretary of IEM (1990-99), I had to confront and deal with the very painful episode of IEM's President Rev. Dr. Theodore Williams in 1993. The high point of my life was visiting mission fields across India, meeting with missionaries in their daily tasks and helping minister to them in whatever way I could. Further, as General Secretary, I could implement equal pay for all women missionaries in IEM. It was a revolutionary move at that time.

What bolstered your passion and faith as you served the Lord? 

The fact that we as a mission were involved in reaching the unreached peoples of our land and beyond was a great joy - a feeling that we were doing something worthwhile for God and that I had a small part in it. Further, for me, who had no formal theological education, to be involved in God's mission in a significant way is something for which I praise God. Preparation of Bible studies and messages on Mission and encouragement from my wife Diana has really helped me to serve the Lord faithfully. 

What would you say as a servant to a servant? 

To all servants of the Lord I would say the following. Know Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord, make sure of your call and be faithful to him and his call. 

- R. Theodore Srinivasagam

(From IEM Outreach March 2017; pages 28,29)