Goa is the land of the work of St. Francis Xavier, who baptized 50,000 Hindus in one year, and one of the settlements of Vasco da Gama, the great explorer. The Portuguese, with the Catholic Church, have ruled this land for well over three hundred years. In 1952 Pastor Colthurst, a Portuguese-speaking Adventist minister, entered Goa, and earnestly worked for a few weeks, that is, until he was given forty-eight hours' notice to leave. However, all that has now changed since the taking over of Goa by the secular government of India in 1960. Still the impress of the past is on Goa, for 300,000 Catholics now live there who have at their service more than 500 priests. One is seldom out of sight of a church or a cross. The civilization is quite Western in cleanliness, dress, and customs. For instance, almost all women wear the latest in Western dress styles, and this is unusual for the land of India.
The command to "Go" to Goa came in January, 1966. So on April 12, in the Institute Vasco da Gama, four hundred eager listeners gathered. This is one of the finest concert halls in Goa, which was made available for only Rs. 65.00 ($9.00) a night. At times we marvel at God's provision, when we step out and obey the command to "Go."
G. J. Christo, MV secretary, Southern Asia Division, was the speaker and W. H. Mattison, ministerial association secretary, Southern Asia Division, was the director of the campaign and of the field school of evangelism. Seven ministers, three ministerial workers, and eight Spicer Memorial College students joined together to learn and work. Except for one and one-half hours of classwork, the field school lived up to its name in contacting the six hundred people who asked for Pastor Christo's mimeographed lectures. One day a week was called field day, when nearby towns were visited by the team seeking VOP enrollments.
At one time the attendance at the meetings dropped to fifty because of stiff opposition. However, because of the faithful visitation which continued, and Pastor Christo's messages of hope, by the end of the seven-week campaign the adjoining hall seating two hundred was almost packed for the last week of the meetings.
One young Goan said to us, "Why don't you pack up and go? You'll never change a Goan." But we believe that many of these people will hear the call, and when many of them do, which we trust will be in the very near future, they will need a church and a school for their children because of the opposition that will be brought against them by the majority of the townspeople. To supply this future need, plans are being laid and land has been purchased. This will be the first non-Catholic Christian church and school in Goa. What a day that will be when it comes into being!
One evangelistic worker, Brother Ian Chand, is trying to follow up the interest fifty families are showing in the study of the Bible. So the light of the Holy Bible has for the first time begun to shine in the homes of the people of this land. Seventy Bibles were placed in the homes of people who had never handled or opened the Bible before to read it.
Let us look forward to the day when there will be thousands of Goan Seventh-day Adventists and scores of churches and ministers shedding the light of God's Word and the promise of a soon-coming Saviour.