India's Seventh-day Adventist population increased by 710 in January when a team from Southeastern California Conference conducted meetings near Rajahmundry in the East-Central India Union.

Leading the group was Phil Jones, a conference evangelist, who was making his fourth trip to conduct meetings in India. Also in the group were Basil Bell, pastor of the San Marcos church, and Jose Garcia, pastor of the Escondido Spanish church. Each preached at his own series of meetings, assisted by other team members and by pastors and administrators of the church's North Andhra Section.

The total number baptized was 710, according to Jones during his report to conference office workers at worship on Feb. 19. Team members also gave out 1,000 Bibles and 700 pairs of glasses, dedicated churches constructed during their last trip there, spoke about health and family matters, and led spiritual activities for children.

Bell, in a phone interview, described his two-week experience in India as "life-changing."

"The people were so hungry for the gospel," he said. "My translators were excellent, and I could see the people tracking with me all the way through. They were so receptive to the word of God. Just to spend time with them was a real treat."

Bell's daughter Rachael, 15, told a story each evening to the 175 to 200 children who attended his meetings.

Garcia made his first trip to India with Jones in 2006. "Being able to preach the Word to people who have never heard of Jesus" tops his list of trip highlights, but also "awesome" to him was the people's desire to be prayed for.

Garcia went back in January to the village where he had conducted meetings two years ago. At that time, he accompanied a village elder, a Protestant but not a Seventh-day Adventist, to a piece of land the elder donated for the construction of an Adventist church. This year, Garcia participated in the dedication of that church.

When asked to name an Indian baby at a dedication ceremony, Garcia gave her the name of his own daughter, Rebecca.

Jones, Bell and Garcia all mentioned the variety of events they participated in, and the ways in which they were able to see God's work being accomplished. Bell summarized it succinctly: "You know it's not about you," he said. "It's about the Lord."