Cornish graduate travels to India for mission work
20 June 2019
A Cornish graduate is about to embark on a two-month trip to India to work with young people in the south of the country. 23-year-old Louis Tregonning from St Austell, graduated with dual honours in Applied Theology and Performing Arts in 2018 and will be using his drama skills as part of the Methodist Church-run programme, Encounter Worldwide.
Louis was originally matched with a mission project in Sri Lanka, but after the recent terrorist attacks, was offered an alternative placement in Royapettah, Chennai, India. It won’t be his first trip to the country as he visited during a two week trip with his Bible College last summer and this is where he got a taste for mission work. He will be using his arts background to run drama workshops with young people. Louis says he’s excited about the challenge:
“It’s felt like a crazy time trying to arrange all sorts of things for this new trip and learning all these new things about the place I’m going out to. But it is at times like these that I am reminded that it isn’t through our own energies but through God and the gift of His Holy Spirit that we are sent to ‘go and make disciples’. So despite the fact that it seems like there is too much to do and not enough time, in truth all I have to do is trust and obey and God will help me to grow through the process.”
In preparation for the trip, Louis has also learnt more about mission work: “I’m sure what I’ve learnt will be of great benefit to me once I get out on there It was so inspirational to get the opportunity to find out a bit more about some of the great missionaries from the past and also , how important it is for missionaries today to look after themselves, as well as for others.”