Vision
I want to build a Christian conference centre situated in foothills of Himalayas in India so that it can be like a weekend getaway place where families, youth, men and women from Delhi and nearby places can come for a long weekend to spend some time with God.
This beautiful place is called the Switzerland of India. Situated close to the hill station Dalhousie, Khajjiar has been officially recongised as being similar to Switzerland by the ambassador of Switzerland. This picturesque small tourist spot is just a night’s train journey from Delhi and can be an ideal place for Christian families, youth and single men and women to come and spend time reflecting on the word of God. They can spend time reading the Bible and mediating on his Word. It will be a place where busy people from Delhi and other places nearby can come to spend a holiday where they can slow down and spend time listening to great preachers explain the Word of God.
The centre which will be called ‘Zion : Towards a better life’ and it will conduct short courses on Bible study and on important Christian principles and teachings. Weekend courses will be from Friday to Sunday so that working people can avail of this opportunity to remain connected to Jesus’ teachings and be emriched by keeping in touch with the Bible. The cost for availing of these weekend courses will be low to enable all people to be blessed by this Christian centre.
The centre will also run vocational training courses from Monday to Thursday for the local community so that the place can be used in the week days and can enrich the local hill community. The vocational courses will teach the local people skills which will enable them to earn a better living by making jams and pickles from the fruits grown in the orchards which are plenty in the area. They can be taught sewing, bamboo crafts for making baskets and other artifacts. Courses can be run which can teach the local communities of the hills especially their womenfolk, who are normally margalised. These skills can help them improve their economic status and can also empower them.
The vision I have for this centre began after I recently visited the area in May 2009 and was told about this piece of land, about three acres which the owner wanted to sell. I don’t know why he told me since I was there on a vacation with my sisters and our children and not looking to buy any land. But then I thought about the fact that I want to serve the Lord and I thought that this is God’s way of telling me something
This centre is my first attempt to build a place where Christians can go to build their faith and to take time out of their busy lives to spend time with God and with the Bible knowing him more to build a relationship with him.
Before going for this vacation in Dalhousie and Khajjiar, I looked for a place near Delhi where I could go for a few days for a short course but I was unable to find one. Most centres offered either 10 days or 15 days courses which I felt were not suitable for working people. These courses are not even suitable for students also except during vacation times. So I felt there was an acute need for a place where people can go to take some time out, like a weekend time where they can connect with God and can also take a short vacation which would rejuvenate them both spiritually and physically.
I am looking for people who are being led by God to make a contribution to this centre. I know God is with me on this, so now I am putting this on the net for God to lead the right people who are moved by the spirit to fund this centre. I have attached pictures along with this request so that you can see the land and how picturesque it is. May God enable us to build this centre soon so that Christians hungry for the Word and those who are stressed out can be enriched and strengthen.
You can reach me at sonalkellogg@gmail.com. My name is, as you can guess, Sonal Kellogg. I am a journalist who have just given up being a full time journalist to do what Jesus is leading me to do. I live in Delhi and am 46 years old and a single mother of two daughters.
