MR. CHISTOPHER: "Good morning, Penny!"

PENNY: "Hey Mr. Christopher! What's in the bag?"

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Oh, just some visual aids to help us today. The last time we talked about Hinduism I felt like we didn't do a really good job of VISUALIZING things for our KOM friends."

PENNY: "Ah, so what do you have in there."

MR. CHISTOPHER: "Well, let's see here…there is: a bicycle wheel, a yard stick, a mirror, some glasses, a Bible, a book called the Rig Veda, a cross, and a Hindu statue of a god named Shiva."

PENNY: "What do they all mean?"

MR. CHISTOPHER: "We'll get to that in a second. How is your research coming?"

PENNY: "Good. But, Hinduism sure is a tough topic to research. Trying to understand it is making my head spin!"

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Well, it is difficult for westerners, often times, to grasp the concepts of Eastern religions like Hinduism. There is a whole different way of thinking about the world and about life, than we are accustomed to."

PENNY: "Well, I know one thing…I will certainly need to take something for headaches by the end of today. Mr. Christopher, Surfer Bob and I have been doing continued research of the Bengali-Hindus of India. We are looking at Calcutta and Joyrampur, India…specifically. Calcutta is one of the largest cities in the world. While Joyrampur is a small little village, outside of Calcutta. The people in these two towns live totally different…city folks versus farmers…that kind of thing. But the main thing that unifies all of them is their faith in Hinduism."

MR. CHISTOPHER: "That's right. Most of the people in this part, as in most parts, of India are Hindus. Reaching people, in this region…one of the most populated and UNreached regions of our world…with the gospel, requires us first to learn a little about what they already believe."

PENNY: "And, to get us started, why don't we first check out this factoid."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Sounds great!"

click here to go to the Factoid

SURFER BOB: "No you can't borrow my surfboard, Accountant Bill! You will just damage it and that would NOT be good…if ya know what I mean AMIGO!!!"

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "But…um…Bob…I…um…just wanted to…well…um…practice…um…well…practice…um…well…my…surf technique."

SURFER BOB: "Now see, Billy-boy, that is exactly what I am talking about! Surf technique is left up ta pros like myself. You must be crazy, amigo!!!! Sunspots musta fried yer brain. And, besides I'm right in the middle of surfin' the net for Christopher and Penny. I'm roundin' up information on Hinduism!"

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "Oh…well…um…yes…Hindu…well…
Hinduism. Didn't you find…I mean…
earlier…um…didn't you already find…"

SURFER BOB: "Yes, Bill…if you're drivin' at the fact that we've researched this topic before…we have! But, it ain't like Hinduism is EXACTLY easy to explain one time around. And, besides we're lookin' specifically at the Kali Festival held in Calcutta and JoyRAMpur, India."

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "Oh…um…well…um…in that case…you…uh…well…you may…want to see…well…uh…see this file…um that…I…well…that I have in my briefcase."

SURFER BOB: "What file? Briefcase? What are you ramblin' on about Billy-boy?"

"Um…well…well…watch…I will…um…I will…show you."

to watch the Features, click here

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Nicely done, Bill. That was a wonderful piece. Good job!"

PENNY: "Yeah Accountant Bill…that is exactly what we were looking for."

SURFER BOB: "Beginner's luck…all that is. Now where did you get that little ditty anyway Billy-boy?"

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "Um…well…I…uh…just happened to slip…um…well…fall…uh…feet first…onto your…well…your board…while you…were..uh…well…out…and I…"

SURFER BOB: "I knew it!!!! You've been usin' my board without permission.Well, I oughta…come back you crazy rascal!"

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "Wait…don't…there's no need to…everything is…the board is…well…fine!"

SURFER BOB: "Come back you ole' koot!"

PENNY: "Those two might be running around for a while, Mr. Christopher. It seems like Bob's kind of particular about his board."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Perfect! While they are chasing each other around…why don't I explain the visual aids."

PENNY: "Oh yeah, I was wondering when we would find out what those are all about."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "OK, well, Hinduism is a very difficult religion to understand. But, there are a few principles that will help us to get a better grip on what they believe."

PENNY: "Cool."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "First, this wheel and this yardstick show how Hindus think of eternal life and how we think of eternal life. Hindus think that we are in a constant cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. They think that life spins around like a wheel…the wheel of birth, death, and rebirth. This is called Samsara. We, as Christians, believe that life begins, we live and choose to follow Jesus, then we die. Death leads us, as Christians, to eternal life with God. See it is much more like a straight line…like a yardstick with specific points in time. These points in time, ultimately, lead to eternal life with the Father."

PENNY: "Oh…OK, I get it. Now what are the mirror and glasses about?"

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Well, Hindus believe that we can, at some point, break out of this cycle. They think we can become part of the great…what they call…Absolute. This absolute is a force called Brahman. They have all sorts of gods and goddesses that help to reflect, or show us, what this force is like. Just like a mirror, we can look at these gods and goddesses (he holds up the statue of Shiva) and understand Brahman or the Absolute. But, we know that God is not just some force. He is the Creator…the Supreme Being and we are made in His image. All we need is Jesus to understand God." (Mr. C holds up the cross)

PENNY: "I get it. And, the glasses represent how we are spiritually blind. Becoming a Christian means giving our lives over to Jesus. This experience is like putting on glasses…we can now spiritually see the Father and understand Him."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Exactly! Nice job, Penny. Hindus try to understand the life force by looking at the reflection of their gods and goddesses…gods like Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. They have their own version of a trinity. Much like us. What they don't have, like us, is the news that all we need is Jesus Christ to see God with clear spiritual vision."

PENNY: "And, we know this because of your last item. The Bible."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "Right! The Bible is an inspired book which reveals Jesus to us. They have a variety of scriptures like this one, the Rig Veda. While their scriptures are very old, much older than even much of the Bible, they don't contain the truth about who Jesus is."

PENNY: "And, that is why we need to bring the Bible to Hindus who don't know about Jesus, like in Calcutta and Joyrampur."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "It sure is! Whew! I know that was a lot of information. But, I hope that you've been able to learn something today gang!"

PENNY: "Yeah! And, remember, if you don't already have a headache trying to pack all that info into your brain and you would like more information, write to us. Write to: Kids On Mission, International Mission Board, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, Virginia, 23230."

SURFER BOB: "Alright already. You've worn me out AB! Since when did ya get ta be so fast!?!?! OK, here's the rules about the board. You CAN use it from time to time. But, only if I'm not already surfin' the net and only if you let me show ya a thing or two about it."

ACCOUNTANT BILL: "Well…um… I've…well…um…already…well…read… and…um…well…memorized this manual on…well…on…um…surfing."

SURFER BOB: "Now Billy-boy books ain't gonna teach ya ta be a pro, like me. Here let me show you what I mean. Ooops! Yowieee!!!! WHOAA!!!!"

PENNY: "I think he should have read the instruction book first, Accountant Bill."

MR. CHRISTOPHER: "That's a good lesson to us! Here is our instruction book gang…God's Word, the Bible! Read it and become a real pro…a professional Kid On Mission. And, I think reading my Bible is just exactly what I will do now. See you next time gang!"

PENNY: "Bye!"