Jesus said, “Follow me” and I will make you fishers of men.”
The BMS Ministers’ Team reflected on what it meant to be a follower of Jesus in a mission context and were later inspired by several people who shared how God had called them to work with the poor in Kolkata.
Then, after some orientation with Pastor Asis, they left to visit a project called
Freeset.
This is a business project set up by Annie and Kerry Hilton who left New Zealand ten years ago with their three young children and rented a home in a red light district of Kolkata.
They felt God was calling them to offer an alternative for many of the girls who worked in that area and were being trafficked from places as far as Nepal and Bangladesh.
So they set up Freeset to make eco-friendly bags from jute. Their first order was for just 1,000 bags so they employed a handful of women to make them.
Today, this company takes orders from across the world and employs over 150 women with the potential to make 750 bags a day.
Freeset is fully accredited by Fair Trade and offers a health and retirement fund along with training and child-care.
The plan is to expand their range to include t-shirts. Janet Witting, a BMS short-term volunteer, is shown here helping to produce the bags.
Each morning and evening there are devotions and every Wednesday two pastors from Carey Baptist Church lead a Bible study for all the staff. There is even a kids club for the children of the workers.
Annie spoke with sadness about the premature death of some of the staff from HIV and Aids.
Whilst there was some opposition in the early days, it would seem that Freeset is now appreciated by the local community. Future projects include installing powerful water filters for the local community.
This holistic ‘business-as-mission’ model is offering freedom and hope to many caught up in a world of captivity and pain.
05/11/2009
“First impressions – an old black and white film in glorious technicolour.”
After a wonderful welcome, many of the Kolkata Ministers’ Team couldn’t wait to walk the streets and experience the streets of Kolkata face-to-face.
The team expressed a mixed array of first impressions and emotions after the culture shock of a drive from the airport to south Kolkata.
That’s when the BMS centre in Kolkata (right) can feel like an oasis in a desert of urban chaos.