Jumping back a little, from the time I was in Mumbai with my friends wife Ann.  She is a Roman Catholic and a nice humble lady.  We were talking of the fairh and in paticular The Alpha course, she has great love of Mother Mary and Jesus but only in the very basics. To my suprise and with I feel the blessing of The Holy Spirit she asked, if on my return to Mumbai I would spend some time in teaching her and her friends more about the bible and how to read especially about the Gospels.  She said she would give me a room and so I humbly accepted.  The Lord is so graciously and using my time well.
 So back to Goa.  When I got off the coach I got a Rickshaw and travelled to Colva Beach (about 5km) cost was about 2 $.  The temperature was about 36degrees and very humid. When I got to the Sivler Sands hotel, I phone to Alcino Fernandes who is a part-time Pastor, also my contact albeit had never met him before.  He had been
called away but would meet with me to take me to the Villa that was to be my home whilst in Goa.  Alcino arrived at 7pm we greeted one another warmlly and set off for the Villa, I was full of excitement of where I would be spending the next 3 months and what the Lord had intall for me.  Alcino is about 5'8" about 50 years old, medium in build with greyish hair and a goaty type beard, wears glasses, friedly with a wide smile. Alcino (Part-time Pastor) has got me safely to the Villa where I will be staying for the next three months or so. 
The location is approximately 4 kms from Colva Beach.  Somewhat off the beaten track and fairly isolated. There is no TV or Radio so a great opportunity for catching up on reading and meditation, and of course preparation for the Alpha course, and home group bible study. 
The villa is set in about a third of an acre of land, a single story building (portuguese style), with roof top access.  It has a wonderful veranda and many potted plants.  In the grounds are coconut trees, grapefruit, guava fruit, mangos, bananas, curry leaf bush, vanilla vines, cardoman. In the grounds were a few out buildings and there is a double iron gate at the entrance.  The surrounding area is quite dense with trees and undergrowth.  There is one other person staying in the Villa, his name  is Rajesh he is a young (25) Christian (converted from Hinduism) and is a very pleasant guy with a beaming smile.  Audry who is the sister of the owner of the property and who had kindly prepared my room, she is a charming Indian lady and made me feel very welcome,  her husband Keith also Indian turned up later.  We all got on well together.  When Audrey and Keith left we  pray together with Alcino and Rajesh. 
The owner of the buidling is Glenville who lives in Dubai, he is a full time pastor and has designated the villa for Christian works, I have never met him but first impressions is that he is a very humble and dedicated Christian man. The furnishings are sparse but certainly adequate, there is certainly a wonderful peaceful spiritualness about the place. Quite a few bibles were laying around, in English, Konkani and HIndi.  In a few weeks it is intended to start giving sunday afternoon services from the Villa.  No hot water is available but thats ok.  A table top gas 2 ring burner is available for cooking.  All in all it is a great place to live a humble and simple life that will be based on prayer and learning.  My ministry is to conduct the Alpha course by script and not DVD, to help in house group activities and be involved in sunday services, and of course spread the Good News where ever we can.  Rajesh is eager to learn more and we have decided that starting Monday our days willl start with early morning prayer (6am) and a 15 minute bidle study.
So this concludes the journey, the intial settling in and introductions to the small support group. I am now well fed (curry meal of course) tired, very happy.  There is no air conditioners but there is ceiling fans. So I retire armed with water, misquito repellent my bible and a closing prayer with Alcino and Rajesh.  I feel so full of Joy and humbled by the wonderful people I have met. I pray that God will put me to good use
My first 10 days in Goa - Margao & Colva, has been one of acclimatising and establising the basics to live, integrating with a new culture and preparing to teach the Alpha Course by script.
 After the first night and being fresh blood for the mosquito,s and other undesirables, it was obvious that I had forgotten some of the basics that I need to do in tropical climates. I quickly realised that I was not in a hotel being looked after and pampered, but was on my own and I needed to take care. It was amusing really as one morning I awoke and found I was sharing a bedroom and being looked and targeted by two frogs, a Ghiko (Chit Chat Lizard - Friendly, as they eat insects) two cockroaches playing on the floor, a few mosquitos.  Action was called for so the first thing was to have a cup of tea, sit back, stroke my chin and say, 'now isnt life interesting.