I think it's Thursday; we have had difficulty keeping up with days, hours, but we survived a most interesting over night train ride from Delhi to Lucknow. An adventure to say the very least! We're learning even more meanings of "flexibility," our key word! We had a wonderful breakfast at the Subhan's house (Sheeba's family). We're resorting our bags for the car ride to Motipur, about 5-6 hours on what has been described "interesting" roads. More adventures! Then we'll begin the blanket distribution in Motipur and a number of surrounding villages.
Lucknow has been a pleasant surprise; of course, it's only one million versus 15! Does make a difference! Too bad we won't have more time to explore, but we are visiting the GA office here and enjoying just being with Daniel and the helpers here. So much to learn!
It's been rather ironic not to be able to get online when usually, if you are calling for tech help, you might very well connect with an Indian worker, but here we are.....so this may be our last chance to get anything out on the blog. Looks like we will have two more train rides, one to Agra where we will visit the Taj Mahal, and then from Agra to Delhi for our departure. Not sure we will become really adept at this train business; it's a unique art :).
Janaman, GA director in Delhi, reminded us once again the "power of presence." Everywhere a believer goes, so goes the Holy Spirit, and that light is shed. Where there is great darkness, the contrast is stark. We have already seen some of that darkness. It makes us even more grateful for the ministry here, for our Indian brothers and sisters who are faithfully, sacrificially serving in very difficult circumstances. Life here is hard, and their joy is obviously from the Lord. We are challenged!
It is still so humbling that the very fact that we, or any believer, from a far away country would come here, be with the people, enter their homes, and show care and concern for them makes such a huge impact. It's not because of us; it's just because we are tangible evidence that God cares. Again, the power of presence. And the power of touch. To hold a hand, to offer a hug is huge. Such simple things, but how they can minister. I pray that none of us take that for granted.
Please continue to pray for the team, for safety and health, for energy and strength to be His hands and feet in Motipur. This is Muslim territory; so we need spiritual reinforcement, your prayers, to stand strong and firm and loving. Pray for hearts to be softened and that eyes will be opened to the truth. These people have been held in bondage for so long. We are praying that whatever seeds we can plant will grow, multiply, and be fruitful.
If we can't post more updates, don't worry....just continue to pray!!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday In Delhi
Tuesday, our second day in the slum. After another thrilling ride to the area amid choking fumes and smog, we begin by sharing with a beautiful group of women waiting for us at the center. It's a joy to share not only blankets but also prayer with them. We split up into two teams so that we could cover two areas of the slum, and off we went with the blankets piled high on a make-shift bicycle cart. In the slum, there are clusters of papers/stick huts, units of sorts, of 5 or 6 families. As we stop in these communities, we tell them that it is because of the love of Jesus that we are there, and because He cares, we want to care for them by sharing blankets, and we pray that when they are warmed by them, that they will be reminded that Jesus loves them and is caring for them. At each stop, we are warmly greeted, surrounded by gleaming smiles, and always, dark, penetrating eyes. How we wish we could know the stories behind those eyes! At one stop, the children from the Bible class gathered first, and as we waited for the parents to arrive, they sang the songs they have learned about Jesus, and we taught them “Jesus Loves Me” with the hand motions, at the same time, sharing the Good News. They picked it up quickly, and it is always such joy to hear children sing, in whatever language, particularly this song which expresses such basic truth, the key truth. He loves us!
We did have one encounter with an older man, who apparently gives Vanitha a lot of opposition every time she comes. As we were handing out the blankets, he began to rant and rave, in Hindi of course, obviously not happy that we were there. As he continued, we prayed and did not let it deter us. As he hurled some of his rantings toward Jane, she calmly said “God bless you.” And we continued on our journey. Satan is never happy when we bring light into His darkness!
We ended our time in the slum with the children who come daily for tutoring. What an amazing group of children! We watched a five year old working on multiplication tables, others learning English, another tiny girl working on her twelve tables.....bright indeed! We praise God that the children in this outreach are having these sorts of opportunities to learn how to read, write, learn life skills, and most importantly, are introduced to Jesus.
After a late lunch at the local Pizza Hut, we returned to our hotel. Jet lag had set in for most of us, and we were fading fast. Two of our group from Singapore could only be with us for a few days and had to fly back tonight. Though our time with them was brief, we are so thankful they were able to join us in Delhi. We used the evening to regroup, refresh, and have some time to process the deluge of assaults to our minds, hearts, and senses. What a diverse place this is, such contrasts of ancient verses modern, Hindu verses Muslim, western verses eastern. Pray with us that we will be light bearers wherever we go and that the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in each of us will be released as we go.
We did have one encounter with an older man, who apparently gives Vanitha a lot of opposition every time she comes. As we were handing out the blankets, he began to rant and rave, in Hindi of course, obviously not happy that we were there. As he continued, we prayed and did not let it deter us. As he hurled some of his rantings toward Jane, she calmly said “God bless you.” And we continued on our journey. Satan is never happy when we bring light into His darkness!
We ended our time in the slum with the children who come daily for tutoring. What an amazing group of children! We watched a five year old working on multiplication tables, others learning English, another tiny girl working on her twelve tables.....bright indeed! We praise God that the children in this outreach are having these sorts of opportunities to learn how to read, write, learn life skills, and most importantly, are introduced to Jesus.
After a late lunch at the local Pizza Hut, we returned to our hotel. Jet lag had set in for most of us, and we were fading fast. Two of our group from Singapore could only be with us for a few days and had to fly back tonight. Though our time with them was brief, we are so thankful they were able to join us in Delhi. We used the evening to regroup, refresh, and have some time to process the deluge of assaults to our minds, hearts, and senses. What a diverse place this is, such contrasts of ancient verses modern, Hindu verses Muslim, western verses eastern. Pray with us that we will be light bearers wherever we go and that the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in each of us will be released as we go.
Monday in Delhi
Delhi Monday morning.
We all arrived safely in Delhi on Sunday with all of our luggage and now settled in to the hotel. It is a nice place on a main road with lots of cars, trucks, tuk-tuks (little taxis ) and lots of honking horns and major pollution this year. Most of us had a good nights rest but many were awakened around 4:45 a.m. Monday morning with a 4.5 earthquake that hit the city. It was a bit disconcerting for a bit, but everyone is ok and there was no damage.
Later Monday morning we had a quick meeting to get to know everyone, as we have folks from the U.S., U.K, Singapore and India on our team -a truly international team for this trip. Everyone is doing well and excited about the morning adventure to the slums.
Even though the slum is in Delhi proper, the intense traffic made it seem like we were going to another region entirely. The sheer number of vehicles jockeying for position is overwhelming. Cars, scooters, tuk-tuks, bicycles, rickshaws weaving in and out makes travel a dizzying and time consuming experience. We finally reached the entrance to the slum; the rest of the way we would walk to get to the small building that houses Vanitha and Allen's home and outreach center. We were greeted by the smiles of children who are now being taught at the small center. They were seated quietly, cross legged with their notebooks placed in front of them, welcoming this bunch of strangers warmly. The children sang wonderful songs about Jesus for us and recited scripture. How beautiful it sounded in Hindi! Vanitha's three year old daughter, Judith, recited the 23rd Psalm for us....amazingly precious for a three year old! But they know the importance and the power of God's Word and are faithfully implanting it in the hearts of these children, and the adults who are always nearby, listening intently.
We began our journey into the slums, carefully making our way through mud, piles of trash, an curtains of flies. Not to mention the cows and their trailings. The cows are ever present and coexist with no notice. As we stopped at hut after hut, people would instantly gather, as much to welcome Vanitha as to see these strange folk with her. They get very few outsiders here, so we are somewhat of a spectacle. Each of us were able to present a very warm, wool blanket to families, mothers, and some children so small they could barely carry the large bundle, but oh, how happy they were to receive them! If you could see their meager shelter of sticks, paper, mud, whatever they can put together, you could easily understand why these blankets are truly a Godsend. An entourage of laughing, eager children formed behind our group and escorted us through the maze of pathways. As we find everywhere we go, children love to have their picture taken and love to see themselves in the picture! The plus of digital!! The eyes of these children are so big, deep, and bright. These deep brown wells seem depthless; what stories they each could tell.
At every stop, people gather. A sea of brilliant colors emerge in the saris of the women, flowing elegantly even in such desperate conditions. The deep lines of their faces show the harshness of life, but their smiles are infectious. We communicate through smiles, holding hands, hugs, and trust that the Lord is speaking through them. We pray silently as we go, for it is dangerous to do so openly in many of these areas. Muslim backlash could be harsh for Vanitha and the ministry, so we pray and trust that Jesus' presence is felt without words. We do tell people individually as we greet them that Jesus loves them, and we're so thankful that Vanitha and Allen are continually sharing this truth with them every time they meet. It's so encouraging to see how God has opened the hearts of many of the people to offer their homes for Bibles classes, even in Hindu and Muslim homes. Amazing!
We continued visiting with the people and sharing the blankets until it began to grow dark and we would need to leave the area. I tried to imagine what this area is like once darkness falls with so very little electricity and such throngs of people. Again, we are caught up in the endless sea of traffic. It took us over an hour to get to a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be less than ten minutes from the hotel later in the evening. As we sat down to a lovely dinner, we had an enormous surprise....Jeff and Trish Ward, our friends from Austin who are ministering in Siliguri (northeast India) walked into the restaurant! They planned it as a surprise, and indeed it was!!! They are spending a few days in Delhi and will join us for some of our stay. It's a joy to see them and have them share more about what God is doing in India with our team.
It was a long, full day as we adjust to jet lag, this new, smog filled environment, and first experience for many of the team in an area of such deep poverty, but we are thankful to be here and anxious to see what the Lord has for us and for the people we meet here.
We all arrived safely in Delhi on Sunday with all of our luggage and now settled in to the hotel. It is a nice place on a main road with lots of cars, trucks, tuk-tuks (little taxis ) and lots of honking horns and major pollution this year. Most of us had a good nights rest but many were awakened around 4:45 a.m. Monday morning with a 4.5 earthquake that hit the city. It was a bit disconcerting for a bit, but everyone is ok and there was no damage.
Later Monday morning we had a quick meeting to get to know everyone, as we have folks from the U.S., U.K, Singapore and India on our team -a truly international team for this trip. Everyone is doing well and excited about the morning adventure to the slums.
Even though the slum is in Delhi proper, the intense traffic made it seem like we were going to another region entirely. The sheer number of vehicles jockeying for position is overwhelming. Cars, scooters, tuk-tuks, bicycles, rickshaws weaving in and out makes travel a dizzying and time consuming experience. We finally reached the entrance to the slum; the rest of the way we would walk to get to the small building that houses Vanitha and Allen's home and outreach center. We were greeted by the smiles of children who are now being taught at the small center. They were seated quietly, cross legged with their notebooks placed in front of them, welcoming this bunch of strangers warmly. The children sang wonderful songs about Jesus for us and recited scripture. How beautiful it sounded in Hindi! Vanitha's three year old daughter, Judith, recited the 23rd Psalm for us....amazingly precious for a three year old! But they know the importance and the power of God's Word and are faithfully implanting it in the hearts of these children, and the adults who are always nearby, listening intently.
We began our journey into the slums, carefully making our way through mud, piles of trash, an curtains of flies. Not to mention the cows and their trailings. The cows are ever present and coexist with no notice. As we stopped at hut after hut, people would instantly gather, as much to welcome Vanitha as to see these strange folk with her. They get very few outsiders here, so we are somewhat of a spectacle. Each of us were able to present a very warm, wool blanket to families, mothers, and some children so small they could barely carry the large bundle, but oh, how happy they were to receive them! If you could see their meager shelter of sticks, paper, mud, whatever they can put together, you could easily understand why these blankets are truly a Godsend. An entourage of laughing, eager children formed behind our group and escorted us through the maze of pathways. As we find everywhere we go, children love to have their picture taken and love to see themselves in the picture! The plus of digital!! The eyes of these children are so big, deep, and bright. These deep brown wells seem depthless; what stories they each could tell.
At every stop, people gather. A sea of brilliant colors emerge in the saris of the women, flowing elegantly even in such desperate conditions. The deep lines of their faces show the harshness of life, but their smiles are infectious. We communicate through smiles, holding hands, hugs, and trust that the Lord is speaking through them. We pray silently as we go, for it is dangerous to do so openly in many of these areas. Muslim backlash could be harsh for Vanitha and the ministry, so we pray and trust that Jesus' presence is felt without words. We do tell people individually as we greet them that Jesus loves them, and we're so thankful that Vanitha and Allen are continually sharing this truth with them every time they meet. It's so encouraging to see how God has opened the hearts of many of the people to offer their homes for Bibles classes, even in Hindu and Muslim homes. Amazing!
We continued visiting with the people and sharing the blankets until it began to grow dark and we would need to leave the area. I tried to imagine what this area is like once darkness falls with so very little electricity and such throngs of people. Again, we are caught up in the endless sea of traffic. It took us over an hour to get to a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be less than ten minutes from the hotel later in the evening. As we sat down to a lovely dinner, we had an enormous surprise....Jeff and Trish Ward, our friends from Austin who are ministering in Siliguri (northeast India) walked into the restaurant! They planned it as a surprise, and indeed it was!!! They are spending a few days in Delhi and will join us for some of our stay. It's a joy to see them and have them share more about what God is doing in India with our team.
It was a long, full day as we adjust to jet lag, this new, smog filled environment, and first experience for many of the team in an area of such deep poverty, but we are thankful to be here and anxious to see what the Lord has for us and for the people we meet here.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Team preparing to leave Saturday for Delhi
Please pray for our team as we head to India on Saturday Nov 24 (returning Dec 5th). Team members are: Robert, Karen, Jay, Janie, Euan, Jane, Fenny, Huay Meng, Diane and John. Safety in our very long travels, our flight to Newark is 4 hours with a 2 1/2 hour layover then 14 plus hours to Delhi, praying that we can get bumped to business class, right! Good health and a time to rest when we have the opportunity. That our team will be open and flexible to what God wants us to do, even though we have an agenda, He may have a better one for us. Working with our local partners in India who have such a heart to reach their country with the Gospel and help those who are so needy.
A lot of our trip will be in rural areas with no electricity so if you don't see any blog updates please keep this in mind, we will try our best to keep you up to date on our trip.
From our team thank you for praying. God bless.
Christian in Delhi slum
When we visited Delhi 2 years ago we met this man and his family, the only Christians living in this section of the slums. He opens his small home to Vanitha, our ministry partner, who holds many Bible classes with 6,000 children each week. We will have an opportunity to work with Vanitha again the first week we are in Delhi. Pray for us as we reach out to this area of the slums and the people that God sent His Son to die for.
Thanks for the blankets
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These 3 were so happy to receive blankets last year as we passed out hundreds to those who were freezing in the cold winter weather of India. This year we are planning on passing out 1,000 blankets in Delhi and 1,500 in and around the village of Motipur.Thanks for all of you who have helped us this year with providing all of these blankets. What a blessing it is going to be for so many.
Foster parents in Motipur
Here are two of our foster parents who have committed to 10 years to raise these orphans in a Christian home in Motipur. We can not wait to meet the 5 families and the children that they are caring for. 35 of these children are now in school and not on the streets begging. Pray with us for 9 more sets of parents. God is good! Pray for us during the week we are there.
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Motipur, the city
Here are two of the many children we will be working with in Motipur. Motipur is a village of 20,000 people, primarily Muslims, who had no school, no medical facility, few jobs or opportunities to provide for their families and no church within 40 miles of the city.Things have changed in the past 2 years since Global Action began working in this area in Northern India. There is now a school with over 100 children attending, 35 are orphans that we are caring for in special home settings with home parents who are committed Christians, medical help and very importantly, a church where all can come and learn about Jesus.
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