Goodbye and Hello

Today was a day of transition. Last night we all went to the airport as we sent Martha and Earl home to Georgia. It will be good for them to be able to reconnect with family and friends. It was difficult for the people here to say goodbye. The Wrights have lived and worked here for the last ten years and so they have built close relationships with the people. The workers at the mission and many of the pastors came to see them off at the airport. We lots of prayers and tears but we know that God will be with them.
This means today was a new day and that things would undoubtedly be different because of the Wrights departure. I am grateful for the past and look forward to the future. I was told by another missionary once that the missionary life is full of goodbyes and hellos. I am learning this very quickly.
We went to a neat church today. They have had tremendous growth and they are working on building a bigger building to accomodate the people. The pastor was a young man and he appeared to be a gifted leader. There were lots of little kids in the service and it was fun to watch them be kids and worship with their families.
After church I rested a long time because sleep alluded me the night before... Too much thinking about baby and stuff:) Later we were able to welcome Immanuel and Ronnie. They work at the mission and have moved in at the mission. They are a great blessing and Ronnie is another answer to prayer for me. Since Martha left for home I thought I might miss some female companionship. There are women who live here but not many who speak english. Ronnie knows a lot of english and will also be able to give me baby advice when I need questions answered. She is excited about the baby and wants to help any way she can. She will also teach us Tamil once we all get settled. So she definitely has her hands full with us:)

Doctor

Today we went to the doctor to check on the pregnancy. My due date is tommorow so she did some extra tests today to make sure everything was okay. She did an ultrasound and we could see the baby's face:) I was so happy to see the baby doing well in there. It is against the law to reveal the gender so we didn't even get a good guess. The baby was hiding that evidence anyway:) The doctor said the baby weighs around 2.8 kilos which made me panic at first because I thought that sounded way small but once it is converted to pounds it is actually 6.1 lbs. The doctor said that is a safe weight and will make delivery easier which is always a plus. They also did a non stress test on the baby to monitor the heart rate and things. This also came back very good so they sent me home to wait until the baby is ready. I will go back on Wednesday and she will make sure the baby is still doing well since it will be past my due date. The good news is that my mom will be here early Wednesday morning so she may get to be a part of everything. We have heard that there will be a government sanctioned strike on Monday and that vehicles are not allowed on the road so we are praying that I can avoid labor on Monday. They assured me that I can take an ambulance if I need to but I would rather avoid the whole situation:) So things are good and we are just waiting patiently... or not so patiently for the baby to make his/her move. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Jesus Revered

Rob is learning that in both Islam and Hinduism Jesus is highly revered. Our Shiva professor holds Jesus in the highest regard and believes he was a great man. He just cannot accept him as Lord. The same is true with the Muslim professor. Where do we go wrong in sharing Christ if people truly believe he lived as a great man but do not see Him as Savior? Rob and I are going to be studying more and more the uniqueness of Christ and how to share God's gift of grace with these people. Please pray for wisdom on how to share the truth with these seekers.
Today we also were able to meet with Kirubakkaran. He is a man who runs a ministry in a village about 6 hours from here. He saves babies which have been abandoned to die. He has been called several times to the hospital by nurses who have heard a witch doctor tell a family that they must kill their baby because the baby is cursed. Kirubakkaran comes and speaks with the family and encourages them to give the baby up for adoption rather than kill the baby like they were advised. In all he has saved over 170 children. I have been able to meet one of the little boys which was adopted by a local family. He is adorable. Kirubakkaran has a dream of opening an orphanage for over 1000 children. There are definitely this many children who need homes so this is a practical request. He struggles monthly to provide for these children but God always provides. Right now he is in the process of obtaining more land for this ministry. I am excited to see the way God will work through him. He is very humble and sweet. He does not know English so we must communicate through a translator. I hope to be able to visit his ministry and share pics when I am able to travel:) Please pray for his protection as he ministers in a tough area.
We also spent some time helping the Wrights prepare to go home. They leave tommorow evening so that will make things interesting. I will miss them a lot:( but I am glad that they get to go home with their families and rest.

Fun at the Beach

Today we had a business meeting with the area pastors. Rob was able to share out of I Samuel 15 about learning to obey God first and above all else. The pastors seemed to enjoy the discussion. I am glad for all of the opportunities we have had to learn more about the pastors and their families. Another pastor asked me today about creating support for the pastors wives and women leaders in the churches. I am very excited about this possibility for ministry. The women here have long needed some way to share about heir struggles and prayer needs. Please pray that God will continue to give discernment on how this ministry will develop.
Also, when Rob went to class today he invited Raja, the driver, and his two sons to come to the beach to play while Rob was in class. (Rob's classses are right across the street from a famous beach.) Raja was excited to be able to play with his kids and get ice cream while Rob was in class. Raja has been such a blessing to us since we came it was good to see his family have some fun as well. The kids practiced their English all the way back to the mission by telling Rob about their fun time on the beach.

Studying a Lot

The last couple of days Rob has been furiously working on his school responsibilities. He has a paper and presentation due this week and other various assignments. It is difficult because sources are hard to come by here. Many students cannot afford text boooks so students rely heavily on the internet and the school library. Rob is not able to check out books from the library and as many of you know about Rob... that is killing him:) The library also endured a lot of damage a couple of years ago in the tsunami so the it is not the best place to find what you need. The paper is finally finished though and Rob is praising God for that.
Also the last couple of days Rob has had may chances to share about Christ at school. He is in a speech class and was able to share all about the love of God. The professor asked him many questions to share with the whole class. Rob's english is so "good" that they don't mind him sharing about God because they can learn proper English. Also in his work with the students he has had some great personal conversations. One man was named Pearl and Rob shared about the pearl of great price and what his name would mean in the Bible. The man was very excited to learn about this. We continue to pray that God will keep using these things to draw many unreached peoples to Him.
I still have no baby news. I can just wait it out now:)

Sickness

Today we attended another local AC church. It was a more rough day because I have been fighting a head cold and Rob had some food poisoning or water sickness or something. He had to leave in the middle of the service because he was not well but he came back later. You can do that in a three hour service:) Despite all the inconveniences of comfort it was good to see the people at this congregation worship the Lord and to see their faith for God's provision. There was one woman there with a four month old baby that we prayed for. The baby was adorable and I felt God truly was speaking to her through the service. I am grateful that despite language differences the Holy Spirit moves the same in all countries.
After the service we ate lunch at the pastors house and played with his kids a little. We took some photos of the family and headed home. We were pretty tired from the heat and long service so we laid low for the afternoon. In the evening another church board came to say goodbye to Martha and Earl. It is always good to get to know more and more about these people. I was very blessed that they said they are praying hard for me and the baby that the delivery will go well. They asked about my doctor and about how my health is. They are so sincere and I know that they truly are concerned about my wellbeing. I am also blessed to have so many praying about this baby and delivery. My due date is this week so ready or not their prayers are needed:)

The Meaning of Grace

Rob's classes have kept him very busy but God continues to bless him with many opportunities to share about Christ and God's incredible grace. Although his class on Islam was cancelled he was still able to spend some time talking with his friends from Iran: Ebadi and Amir. Rob had a book for the class copied for her because there are no text books in India and the copyright laws are none existent. She insisted on paying for the copy but Rob kept insisting that it was a free gift and that our religion teaches us to give freely. He explained grace and how we cannot earn it or pay for it. She still kept insisting that she must pay. This also allowed them to discuss the differences between Iran and America. God appears to be setting this couple in his path intentionally and providing many moments to share His love. Please continue to pray for this couple. Rob was also able to talk to another Hindu student about seeking God and expecting Him to reveal Himself. This student is going on a pilgrimage this weekend and we are praying that the true God will make Himself known during this time.
Today we also were able to visit with Paul Sunder Raj the Indian missionary working up in Bihar. This man is soooo full of joy and passion for God. He has come from an area which is among the poorest in India. This poverty is made worse by the incessant flooding they have experienced. This area is also extremely dangerous for Christian workers. He told us today that in one of his first encounters in Bihar as a missionary he was sharing his faith with a group when a man came up and held a sword to his throat. The man told him that if Paul ever came back to share he would kill him. Paul responded by saying that he did not come to Bihar to live, he came to die... I cannot imagine having the courage and call that this man displays. We prayed for him and the Holy Spirit fell on him so powerfully. He showed us pictures of the flooding and the families. He has been passing out food with donations that have been sent and that has literally saved lives of the Christians in his churches. The money we are sending now will go towards the area Hindus as well as outreach. Paul cried as spoke of many of the families still looking for their children or spouses in the floods. He said that as the waters recede they find more and more bodies. It is interesting though that he said the Christians in his churches have all survived. The Hindu families are the ones suffering major losses. Please continue to pray for these ministries. God is doing some mighty things in this area and Paul will be going back to Bihar late next week.

Birthday Fun

Yesterday was my birthday and we were busy all day. We had a great time. The office workers and missionaries celebrated with me after our VBS meeting in the morning. We had Vidai which is like a fried donut with onions in it... it isnt sugary but it is pretty good. We also had cake and coffee. I went to a school dedication in the afternoon and that went well too. It was great to see all the kids so happy and excited. They love to practice their english with us and to give us handshakes and stuff. When we went to take their picture they just cheered like crazy. I am excited about what the future holds for these ministries with kids.
In the evening we ordered pizza with the other missionaries and it was good to have a taste of home:) We sat and talked and enjoyed celebrating. Afterwards I went to bed pretty early because I was soooo tired. I probaby will be until we have this baby and get settled.
Today I laid low and kept my feet up because I have not felt that great. I have a little head cold and my feet have swollen to greater proportions. I will survive though.
Anyways, keep praying for our work and that this baby joins us soon:)

Quiet

Today was a very quiet day at the mission. I did not have much to be a part of so I was able to rest and reflect and panic about picking a name for our baby due next week:)
Rob had class today with his Muslim friend and enjoyed his time at school. It seems that God is going to use his time in school for evangelism. We are very glad to have this opportunity to learn more about the culutre we serve and also have access to some of it's greatest minds. Please continue to pray for God to open doors and use us as we study.
The rest of this week will be pretty busy. There are many schools being dedicated this week and meetings as the Wrights prepare to go home and the transition occurs...
Plus this baby could come at any moment... We pray soon:)

Baby blessings

I was excited to find a out that a new baby was born today even though it was not mine yet:)
Paul Sunder Raj has been working up in Bihar with the flood victims. He planned on coming down by the end of the month because his wife was due to have a baby on the 29th like me. Well I guess she went into labor this morning and delivered a healthy baby girl after only an hour and a half of active labor! This is their second child and she had many problems delivering her first child so we are all praising the Lord that this delivery went so smoothly. Now Paul Sunder Raj will get on the first train home to Chennai so he can meet his new baby girl.
Paul has been working hard these past weeks to help the families in the area of major flooding. He used money that has been donated to buy food and matches for the church families and was able to distribute these just this week. He also was able to distribute the first batch of clothes which arrived just this week. We are all so glad that he is able to rejoice in his new addition to the family in the midst of such a struggle.
The flooding is still a problem in Bihar as the waters are coming down from Nepal. The road ahead for this area will be difficult so your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.
Rob and I worshipped at the Arambakkam church today. It was a very full service as they celebrated their 25th anniversary of being a church. The worship was fun to be a part of and I enjoyed watching the kids in the church ecspecially. THere were two little girls about 8 years old who knew a little english. They were very excited to come talk to me and practice their english a little. Their names are Jasmine and Rachel. It is such a blessing to have someone speak english to me:)
We really want to learn Tamil but it seems so difficult to pick up:) We will keep studying though and when I have sleepless nights with a crying baby I should be able to practice a little:)
Rob also went to a church dedication this evening which I opted out of. The Arambakkam service was from 10-2 pm and I was too tired to endure another long service with the baby anxiously kicking me in the ribs:) I only have two weeks left until my due date so I will probably be doing less and less these next days...

Sewing machines and Computers

Today we visited a church where the just added on to their building. They built a whole second floor which they could use for a computer training school and sewing school. They obtained a microloan from the mission to start these ministries and businesses. Through these small businesses they are able to generate a little income for impoverished families and also provide crucial job skills. This ministry has effectively witnessed to several Hindus in the area so far. Today at the celebration there were several former and current Hindus in attendance. I am amazed at how such a small loan was able to provide so much for both the physical and spiritual needs of the area this church serves in. They are also using the building for afterschool programs for children. Please keep praying for the Pastor Immanuel Ragu and his wife Rachel as they continue to work at this ministry.
We also had the members of another local church come visit the mission to meet Rob and I and also to say goodbye to Martha and Earl. They were very sweet people and just asked that we would always pray with them and teach the Bible. They said that Martha and Earl always taught the Bible and we must continue to do that for them. I am thankful that these people are so honest about what they expect.

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was so busy we were able to write so I will update everyone today. Rob spent most of the day at school. It was upper 90's and no air so he had a long day. God was definately in the midst though. Rob was able to talk to his Iranian friend and she and her husband would really like to get to know us more. So we really want to pray that God will open the door to sharing Christ with her family. There was also a break in the lecture in the afternoon and many of the students swarmed Rob's desk wanting to know all about America and why Rob was here. It was good for him to be able to make these connections. Two of the students would like Rob to help with their English studies. All of this is a praise because we are truly finding that God is using us at the school to develop relationships and learn more about the culture we find ourselves in.
Today we went to the doctor for another check up. We had to wait awhile to see her today but everything eventually turned out good. She is very positive about my health and the babies health. Since we were the last appointment she talked to us a little after the check up. She wanted to know why we are here and if we liked India. We shared about our studies and wanting to learn more about the culture and religions. She shared with us the great need to understand the different religions and how the Hindu and Muslim populations in the city have been more volatile towards each other lately. I appreciated her time and input. She will be out of town for a week so I am praying that we can wait to deliver the baby until she returns:)
We feel very blessed that God has given us the incredible opportunity to be here and experience His love in India. We cannot wait to see what lies ahead.

Praise the Lord

Christians in India greet each other by placing their hands together and saying Stotriyum which means praise the Lord. I enjoy giving and receiving this greeting daily from those around us. It reminds me to truly praise the Lord all the time.
Today the area pastors had a prayer meeting here at the fellowship hall. I was able to speak to one pastor named Gerald who is such a happy guy. He is very cheerful. He was one of the pastors who received a Bible handbook from Robs collection which was shipped over here a couple of years ago. When he met Rob he was so excited because he knew the book had Robs name in it and must have come from him. He shared with us today about how God has worked in his marriage in a powerful way in these past years through the missionaries at the mission. In India there is a great need for marriage help. The culture has some complicated and oppressive views on marriage which the Church needs to sanctify. Gerald told me today that he is so blessed because every time he comes to the mission, the missionaries ask specifically about his wife and kids. He said they truly want to know how to pray for his family. This has helped teach him to make his marriage a priority. It is good to see the fruit of the other missionaries in this area. I have also become aware of the incredible need for teaching on Christian marriage in India. The Hindu views on marriage are so very corrupt and there has been little training for our pastors on appropriate Christian marriage relationships. In India marriages are arranged and there are a lot of rules over who can marry who and when. Siblings must get married in order. The higher the cast the higher the dowry. Dowry is such an oppressive thing that many women cannot get married because they cannot afford a respectful husband and to remain single is very dangerous. At times wives are acctually murdered because they cannot fulfill their dowry and the husband can marry again that way and recieve another dowry. There is usually little proof of the murder and women have very few rights here anyway. Women are to serve the husband and his family. This is just a general overview of the Hindu practices which also effect the Indian Christian marriages. Please pray for more resources to confront these issues appropriately.

Nandanam Dedication

Today we went to the Nandanam church to help dedicate the new additions to their church building. In India there is a dedication prayer service for any random thing that could possibly be dedicated. Today we dedicated bathrooms, a water pump, and a baptistry. I appreciate the fact that they do indeed take the time to pray over each of these things. The church was a smaller building and the area surrounding the church appears very poverty stricken. The pastor's name is Selwyn and he is a quiet man and he seems very nice. During the service they also welcomed us as the new missionaries and honored Martha and Earl for their 10 years of service here. The church served us a meal of briyahni on bannana leaves... This is the typical Indian meal it consists of rice mixed with a bunch of random spices and some form of meat or vegetable. Today's Briyahni was vegeterian with peas and bread pieces in it. You mix this with onion curd they put on you leaf and brinjal which I have been told is eggplant???? I kind of like eating the briyahni. It definately is a unique experience.
It has been interesting for me to watch the Indian people say goodbye to Earl and Martha. I do not know what the next years hold for us but I cannot fathom being at the other end of this journey and leaving after 10 years of service and work in such a foregin land. I can't wait to see the things God will do in the next years.

Lack of Faith

Today we were able to meet with Neil Armstrong (Indian Christians like to pick famous American names:). Neil has been in Malaysia for the last 4 months working as the first Indian missionary sent from the mission here. He has a real burden for the Muslim people in Malaysia but was recently kicked out of the country. He has rejoined his wife and son here in Chennai and is preparing for the birth of their second child. He is waiting to find out if the government will allow him a different visa in order to resume his work in Malaysia. He is also praying that his wife and children will receive the approval they need to see this dream come to fruition.
As we met with him we were each concerned about the practicality of him being approved a visa again and unsure about the possibility of him resuming his work there. Neil on the other hand is positive that God has given him this vision and that God will make a way. He quoted scripture from Habakkuk 2:2-3 about waiting on God for the vision to come true. He said he will be open to being involved in ministry to Muslims in Chennai if things fall through but that his heart must remain with his original call to Malaysia. We also asked him if he was ever afraid of going to jail when he was being kicked out of Malaysia and he simply replied that he knew God would provide. So it is humbling for us missionaries to hear the stories of faith from those we have come to live among and serve with. We have a lot to learn from people like Neil who are willing to follow his call and trust the Lord.

Now connected online

We now have access to the internet at our apartment so we will be able to keep updates more frequently. We are excited about being able to use the technology to keep everyone updated and in prayer over our work here. This weekend there are several things going on. There is a prayer service for the family of Ravi Kumar. He died a couple of weeks ago and in India it is the custom to follow the time of greiving with a prayer service. Please pray for Jeeva and Grace Kiruban as they still struggle with grief. This morning Grace had to be taken to the hospital to have a breathing treatment because of asthma. This was problem was increased due to the severe grief she is suffering over the loss of her brother. Despite all of their pain these past weeks, this family has been a huge blessing to us since we moved in. They live below us with their three kids. They bring me tea when they worry about the baby and have committed to helping us learn India.
We also have been praying for the workers in Bihar where there is intense flooding. The rains just continue to come. It has been way past flood level for over 30 days now. Paul Sunder Raj is from the Chennai area but has commited to working in this difficult area. He is refusing to leave the area despite the incredible hardships. He says that the people need him there as long as possible. His wife is also due to have a baby at the end of the month so they will be coming down by then. Please keep praying for their health and safety and for the rain to end. Despite the difficult area, God is providing incredible fruit to the ministry. Many people come to the missionaries for prayer and are healed. The people come in droves to hear the Gospel. Yet there is always a danger to the missionaries from the Hindu extremists in the area.

Heat of it all

Rob and I are adjusting quickly to the culture and life in India. We have been blessed with a nice apartment which is located upstairs from the national missionary Jeeva Kiruban and his family. This week we were able to celebrate the birthday of his four year old daughter named Leema. She is a riot and a lot of fun. She is still a little shy of us Americans but is slowly learning to play with us:) We also have heard reports of the flooding in the Northern part of the country in Bihar. Our mission runs a school in this area and the flooding has put the school under 8 feet of water. This is already one of the poorest areas in India and the floods complicate the matters. We heard from the principal of the school that the the school has been crucial in reaching many lost Hindu families. Please continue to pray for this area and this work. We have also begun our classes at the university this week. We are grateful for the door this has opened to bring us to India but we are also prayerful about how we can reach the other students and professors for Christ. Rob has a class with an Iranian couple on Islam and is hopeful for an opportunity to share. Please keep these requests in prayer.