Simeon's Hope

Prayers Needed

2008-05-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of communication. Things have been busy around here and the 110 degree weather is wearing us all out. Please pray for us as everyone is passing around a sickness again. Rob was sick last week. I was sick this week and now Moriah and Ernie are sick. Pray that Moriah can stay hydrated and get better quickly. She is sleeping it off right now. Also pray for our team here in general. Things have been difficult lately and we are all struggling in some way or another. Pray that God would win the spiritual battle and that we would have His wisdom.

No More Teachers, No More Books

2008-04-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah for Rob finishing his first year at the University of Madras. Today he turned in his last paper and took his last exam. We are grateful for getting through this first year. I am grateful to have more help and time with him. Rob has done very well in his classes. The professor acctually wants to publish one of his papers in a Hindu Journal. We are not to sure about that because we really do not want to be propagating Hinduism of all things... Either way, it is exciting to see Rob excell at his school work in such a different academic setting. Now Rob is officially on leave until mid July. Probably more like August... Anyways, he still is going to teach an intensive English class in May and meet another American student coming in May to work on a doctoral project so these things are neat opportunities.

Tonight we went to eat at an actual American style restraunt!!! I had driven by it a couple of weeks ago and noticed it was named "Sparky's"... This stuck out because it is my nickname for my sissy. I told Rob we should go there. So as a special treat we went there tonight in honor of my sister Sparky. Let me tell you... the food was awesome. They happened to have a buffet tonight too which can be dangerous for a white lady that hasn't seen American food in 9 months! I realized quickly that I don't have near the appetite that I used to have. If you are ever in Chennai, please please please EAT AT SPARKY'S!!!! It is very tasty :)

On another note, keep praying for the court issues I have mentioned. The court gave a verdict favoring the bad guys. We are sure that a bribe must have been paid to get that verdict. So we just need to trust that the Lord will be the true judge.

Jesus is my Guru

2008-04-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Rob has started riding the bus to the university. He enjoys the people on the bus and seeing India from this point of view. The buses in India can be a little wild. They really can crowd on. I have seen busses with people standing in every possible spot. I have also seen people hanging from the open windows on the outside of the bus. Remember there is no AC, it is 100 degrees outside, and there are 40 too many people crowded on a bus... nice. Rob enjoys the experience though and he tries to find the least crowded buss. This also gives him a chance to get a little exercise while he walks from the buss stand. Anyway, today he sat by a man who said he is a Brahmin (highest caste) who follows Jesus. He said he does not go to church but that Jesus was his guru (teacher). He says that churches only preach prosperity gospel and that they are corrupt so he prays to Jesus but does not participate in religious organization. This makes me sad that the churches tend to be so corrupt but it also gives me a reason to continue to share the true Jesus with all I meet. I feel that even many of the Christians in India lack an understanding of the incredible love and grace that is found in Jesus. We heard today that 300,000 people reportedly converted back to Hinduism from Christianity in the southern part of the state. They said that Christianity did little too help them out of their poverty. By converting back to Hinduism they are rewarded by the government with tax breaks and things. All of this helps me realize that as we do missions it is important that we not solely emphasize the blessings of being Christian. We should not lure people to Christianity with money or promises of a better life. However, we do need to share who Christ is. We need to share that He suffered for us and that He is the giver of true life. We need to share that as a Christian we are not promised wealth, health, or status but we are promised true life. I believe revival will only come when we authentically live the life Christ called us to. Like I said, not a life of health and wealth but a life of true devotion and thanksgiving. I have included a picture of a roadside Hindu shrine which are scattered all over town. This one is out side the store we shop at.

100 degrees and Rising

2008-04-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

Yeah. It is hot. I cannot describe the heat. Rob says it is even too hot for the devil in this place:) Yesterday was over 100 degrees and we had an all day training event for all the pastors and leaders of their churches in order to prepare for VBS. Even the Chennai people were complaining about the heat. It was good to see so many of the leaders yesterday and know that they are preparing for VBS. This is a major outreach that the mission puts together and prepares each of the churches for. Children all over Chennai will be hearing the good news about Jesus Christ during the first week of May. Please pray that these children are drawn to the Lord and that their families are also saved! It is also neat because this is the first year that everything for VBS was put together by an Indian committee instead of by Western folk. We were just the support behind them. We hope that the material will be even more relevant because of the indidenous project.

We also went to a wedding Friday night. Ernie was the speaker for this event. I am still torn about how to feel about these events here. I feel that the dowry thing is extremely evil and the cause of great pain. I also fear for the bride in many of the marriages. I pray that the marriages of our leaders and pastors families will be better but I know that the cultural struggles are still there. I am hoping still and praying that God will open a door for me to help guide the Christian families into the freedom of Christ and to free them from this evil practice. I have included a picture of the dowry that was on display at this wedding. Along with these gifts I am sure there was a gift of money and gold. Pictured are a motor bike, Refrigerator, Washer, chairs, cupboard, and more.

Moriah is still being a stinker at night time so I have been sleeping when I can during the day and not getting much actual work done. I am thankful though that the Lord has been faithful to get us through these tiring days.

When your daughter offers you her pacifier...

2008-04-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

I have had a rough week with Moriah teething and things. This morning I was laying in bed next to her and she took her binki out of her mouth and tried to put it in my mouth. I thought this was extremely humorous and thought she was kind of telling me that she is handling things a little better than I am at this point.
Anyways, this week has been pretty quiet. The pastors of the conference are still scheming and fighting but we just continue to submit them to the Lord and pray that God will change their hearts. I have spent a lot of time praying and playing with little Moriah. I am dedicating this next month to prayer about our ministry here. I really want the Lord to reveal our roles here. I do not want to just start doing things that I think would be helpful. I hope that the month I spend in America will continue to reveal things about our roles here and that I am prepared to really work when I get back from the states.
Rob has been in the midst of exams this week and that has kept him very busy. Pray that he gets throught that okay. On the bright side, his rash seems to be clearing up so that is good. We are gearing up for summer here. It has been in the mid 90s all week and they say that it only gets hotter. When people told me it was hot here I never thought about the fact that so many people live in the heat 24/7. AC is a luxury few people have and when they do it is only in one room of the house. None of the churches have AC. It is so hot that some of our staff people prefer to sleep outside rather than in their homes. Yeah... I am still scared of bugs and snakes and things.

Warning: TMI

2008-04-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

Yeah Rob has a rash which is taking over his body... I decided to blog about this because it is in fact a part of our life in India... and this way I can find out if Rob ever really checks what I write on here:) It is extremely hot here now and it seems that this is causing Rob to get rashes that are spreading everywhere. He went to the doctor today which was an interesting experience. The doctor decided that he sould need gloves when examining Rob so he locked Rob in the room while he went to look for gloves (yeah, not used as much here I guess and did he think Rob was going to try and escape). Once he found some gloves he came back. After checking out the rash he wrote Rob 10 prescriptions for pills and lotions. Rob was like... ummmm I had this when I came back from India last time and I was given one pill, why do I need 10. The doctor also asked if Rob would like to have some blood work done... Rob graciously declined and left hopeful that at least one of the ten precriptions would relieve his pain and discomfort. So the moral of the story is you never really know what your getting into when you go to India:)
In all seriousness, we heard today that one of our graduates from the Bible College died suddenly in a motorbike wreck. He was 20 years old. Rob went to the hospital where he had died and the man was just laying on the floor on a blanket. Rob said it was a mess. The mans name was Ezekial. Please pray for his family as they recover from this tragedy.

The Gift of Discernment

2008-04-06T05:06:00.000-07:00

We are learning more and more how necessary the gift of discernment is necessary in this field of ministry. As we seek to do more ministry and share the love of Christ it is becoming difficult to know what the real needs are. We were told when we got here that poverty makes even good people do bad things. We find that people will lie and cheat in order to get the support of the missionaries. This is difficult when we already have the problem of not fully understanding the culture or language yet. As I have mentioned we have been having some difficulties with leaders in the Conference. Our prayer is that God would shine His light on the situation and reveal who is working for the Lord and who is working against Him. We trust that God will take care of all these things in His time.

Yesterday Rob shared God's Word at a prayer meeting for a pastor we didnt know very well. Rob tried to decline speaking because he told them that he didnt know the pastor. They said thats okay you tell us about God. So Rob shared to gospel message and at the end asked the pastors in attendance to stand up so that those who wanted to accept Jesus as Savior could go and speak to one of the pastors. He made it clear in English that the Pastors were available to pray for anyone who wanted to become a Christian. The only problem occured at the end of the service when we were eating. The translator asked Rob again what the Pastors were supposed to do:( Oh well. Thats what he gets for not knowing Tamil yet. We frequently have translation problems. We just need to work harder at understanding the language so we do not have to rely on translators!

Today we went to a service near the airport. It was a nice service with lots of people. Rob and Ernie helped dedicate two beautiful little girls. They were all dressed up in white gowns and hates and jewelry... No wonder they always think Moriah is a boy baby. I barely get a dress on her in the morning better yet jewelry and things! Anyways, we enjoyed sharing the service with the believers and praying with them.

Blogging Problems:)

2008-04-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

I have had a hard time logging in the last couple of days so that is why there has been a delay in the blog. Sorry about that. We have been pretty busy and sweaty:) Yeah it is really getting hot around here. It is about 95 degrees and humid everyday. The scary thing is "summer" has not even started yet. Last Sunday we went to a village church which was very nice but it was a little difficult with Moriah. It was extremely hot and the fans were not working very well. Moriah needed to eat and everywhere I went to feed her people were trying to play with her. I even got in the jeep to feed her and kids were climbing in the windows and pulling on her legs. I just about went crazy. Sometimes I just wish that I didnt stick out like a sore thumb here. Moriah is constantly being bombarded by people wanting to hold her and pinch her cheeks. The poor child rarely gets a break from all the attention. Anyways, there are days that I realize what a blessing Moriah is to the people here and I am thankful to be able to share her and there are other days that I just want to blend in for a change. I guess that is all pretty normal.

There have been some issues with the conference leadership and they are going to court. This all could get really ugly but we are just praying that those who are out of line will be convicted by the Holy Spirit. Please pray that we will have wisdom on how to handle these issues.

We have also spent a lot of time getting ready for VBS this week. We put together packets for all 95 churches that we work with. It was a ton of work to get it all organized but it was worth it. This is the major evangelistic outreach we take care of every year. The real victory is that this year it was competely written by our pastors! Usually the American missionaries do most of the work but that makes it less releavent. We have several meetings coming up to train the leaders and pastors on the material.

More Warfare

2008-03-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

We are experiencing even more spiritual warfare here in Chennai. Paul Sunder Raj, missionary to Bihar, was in a rickshaw accident today as he returned from Bihar. He was coming home to see his family which he has not seen since November and to take a break. He has been doing incredible ministry in the North and I think that Satan is doing all he can to snatch this worker for the kingdom away. Paul survived the wreck with a broken foot and he will need to be in the hospital for awhile. Hopefully, he can get some rest and then spend some time with his family. His wife and two children are thrilled to have him home and cannot wait for him to fully recover. They are hoping to travel to Bihar with Paul eventually. I have included a pic of my mom and I when we met with Paul Sunder the day before Moriah was born!

We also need to continue to pray for the conference and their leaders as they prepare for a big meeting on Saturday. We are currently in a spot where several people are lying to us and it is virtually impossible to discern who to trust. We need the Lord's guidance to show us how to handle the situation and even more we need the Lord to move and convict the hearts of those doing wrong. I have been praying the verse from Chronicles over our leaders, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land." I have asked the Lord to do what ever it takes to make this a reality. Only the power of God is able to truly handle some of the situations we face.

Easter Fireworks

2008-03-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

There are fireworks for every occasion in India and Easter is no exception. We went to yet another building dedication in the evening and they had firecrakers going off all over the place. I thought we were in a war zone it was so loud:)
In all seriousness, we went to a morning service at 5am. It was nice to celebrate the ressurection in a new setting but I honestly missed home very much today. We are used to Rob preaching the sunrise service and the morning service and then spending the rest of the day with our close friends and family. It was hard to celebrate without knowing the language here and without any close family or friends. Rob and I spent a lot of the weekend kind of bored and staring at each other. I am realizing that prayer is my main tool here and that I must take advantage of the down times to pour out my heart to God about my family at home and also my co workers here. I cannot do much physically to help but prayers are vital. I am able to really focus on prayer where if I was in the States I would have many things to distract me.

Oh and the picture on the left is why Rob is now a vegetarian:) These baskets are full of the chickens they cooked for our meal after the celebration. They don't quite have the same food safety concerns that we are used to in America... yummy.

Sweating to the Oldies

2008-03-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it is definately "hotting up" over here. It is soooooo hot. I just take Moriah down to the mission office for about half the day and spend the rest of the day recuperating in the AC room in our apartment. Rob came home from the University and his clothes were sopping wet with sweat. Okay maybe now I am giving a little too much info but I just want you all to know that if you need a break from the cold whether at home, India is a good spring break choice:)

Tonight we went to a Maundy Thursday service at an English speaking church. It was nice to have a break from our typical services. Moriah enjoyed trying to get everyone to look at her like usual:)

Rob has had lots of school work this week and I am plugging away at Tamil. I am learning to read childrens books now. It is kinda fun to go back and read stories about mean trees and lizards missing their tails... Tamil seems very impossible somedays and other days I feel like I am right on the verge of getting it. I can say some simple phrases but overall the pronounciation is difficult and overwhelming. I just know that I must learn the language if I am going to ever understand this country and culture.

I have included a picture of the leaders of our conference churches. This is the board that makes the major decisions effecting all the churches. The leaders are preparing for a meeting in a couple of weeks and there will be new officers soon so they are trying to get as much business done as possible. Unfortnately, church politics are as ugly in India as they are in the States and there has been a lot of bickering and things with the leaders. Some of the leaders are not very honest people so it is difficult to know who to trust. This has lead me to believe that the best thing I can do is pray. I just know that I need to spend as much time as I can submitting these men to the Lord in prayer and trusting that He will fight the necessary battles for us. I hate to always be pointing out things that are "not Christian," so I just try to display Christ in my life and pray like crazy. Ultimately, a heart change can only be brought about through a radical move by the Lord.

Death in the Camp...

2008-03-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we learned that Kumari's dad died in the hospital he was receiving treatment at. Kumari is one of the ladies that works and lives at the mission. Kumari had mentioned that her dad was sick a couple of times. Rob kept asking how he was and she kept telling us that he was better and then suddenly he died. This is a common pattern around here and I have not been able to pinpoint the problem. Just a couple of weeks ago Danny's brother died after being sick for a week. It seems like as soon as people tell us that their loved one is "better" we find out that they have passed away. The people we work with have very little medical knowledge so things that are big always seem small to them and things that are small they always think are major... So I am trying to learn what questions I can ask so that I truly understand the situation. I am tired of asking how people are and finding out way too late that they died of something treatable. Right now we are praying for the principle of the school in Bihar. His wife needs a hysterectomy but he cannot come home to help her (nurses do not take care of the patient) until May. He insists that she will be okay until May and that she can just receive blood transfusions and outpatient treatment until he gets home and can help her in the hospital. I am just so worried that I will hear bad news about this situation as well and that I should have pushed harder for him to come home now... I cannot force people though. At some point if they tell me that it is okay I have to believe them.

On the brighter side, we had a busy weekend. We went to a drama Saturday night at Stanly Foljers church. They had put signs all over the town announcing the drama but they also put our names in big letters all over the place. This is a big no no since we are supposed to be students and only students. We asked the pastor about it and he just laughed. They just love to celebrate people who support them. They love to have the "missionaries" at their churches. I also struggle with this a little because I want them to fall in love with the Lord and not us. We must continue to point to Him and only Him!

On Sunday we celebrated a 25th anniversary of one of the local churches. The fact that this church still exists is a miracle. A developer had come into the area and bought all of the surrounding buildings and they wanted the church property as well in order to complete his project. The people refused to sell because there was no other church in the area and to relocate would mean no Christian presence in that area. The developer threatened to knock down the building with a crane. The Christians did not back down though. They stayed in the church night and day fasting and praying for their building to be saved. God heard them and answered their prayers. This Hindu developed was impressed and decided to build them a new church in the same area but on the edge of the property he needed instead of the middle of it. So the church ended up being able to stay in the area and received a new building for free! If this does not prove the power of God then I do not know what does:) I have included a picture of the celebration we attended. It was so packed that there was not one free inch of space on the floor. I was sitting on the stage and when Moriah got hungry I had no where to take her to eat. I went outside and almost started feeding her on the side of the road but the pastors wife took me to a shed that I could use... Yeah. It is always an adventure!

10 hours in the kitchen....

2008-03-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling to try and reach the ladies that are a part of the ministries in Chennai. I want to learn more about their lives and their struggles. I am amazed at all they do and all they put up with but I cannot figure out how to help their situations. The women we work with are typically full time homemakers. They work tirelessly at preparing food and taking care of their familes. I learned that even a few years ago many of our mission workers were still cooking by fire because they could not afford a gas stove! Imagine 100 degree weather in Chennai and cooking all day over a fire. Indian cooking is very time consuming so ladies spend most of the day doing this. Either way, the women here have little time for relaxing and talking to the missionary... It seems I am going to need to be more creative in my approach:)

Jingles and Baldness

2008-03-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

Rani brought Moriah a gift of jingles last night. The baby girls here wear anklets with little bells on them and they make a pretty sound. Rani insisted that Moriah is an "Indian Baby" and therefore she must have jingles also. Moriah loves them. She kicks her feet and laughs when they make sounds. All the people that saw Moriah today were so excited to see the jingles. I also learned that all Indian babies get their heads shaved around 7 months old and again at a year old... I told everyone that Moriahs grandparents would be very angry if we allowed her head to be shaved. (Although she truly would be a little Rob if she was bald) They say that babies get colds when their hair gets wet... (Remember that oranges also cause head colds:)
Anyways, Rob was able to go with Neil Armstrong to visit some possible Muslim ministry sites in Chennai. Neil has struggled for months with health problems and his families health. Everyone is finally better so we are trying to find a place for him to minister to the Muslims in Chennai while he waits for proper documents to go back to Malaysia.

Apologies

2008-03-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

I must give an apology to all of my faithful blog readers for not posting lately. Time has gotten away from me this past week. I want to update everyone that the family with major problems I discussed in the last post is doing a little better. The leaders of the Fellowship got together with the family and they were able to work out some of the problems. They have all agreed to move home to the village for awhile and try to work things out. It is a huge blessing and step forward that the missionaries were able to stay out of it. I say this because we are working hard right now to help the Indian church look more Indian. We want the Indian leaders to make these big decisions and handle the big problems.

We are also grateful for the opportunities to worship with several churches over the weekend. We went to a service at Kottur in Chennai and enjoyed meeting the believers there. They were very interactive during Robs sermon and they were very nice to us. Rob also went to a parsonage dedication. This was neat because a man in the church saved money for years to help contribute to the addition of a parsonage and vestibule for the church. He was so happy to give what he had saved. I was blessed to see those with so little give so much. I hope that his spirit of giving is passed to all of those we serve.

Please pray for us this week that we always look to the Lord. I have been a little frustrated lately and I need to remember that we do this for the Lord and the Lord alone.

Marriage Troubles

2008-03-04T02:45:00.000-08:00

Today we had a meeting with the leaders of the Fellowship churches. At the end of the meeting we heard from one of our pastors wives about a serious situation. Her and her husband are having horrid problems and today he took her baby from her and has left. The cultural implications are difficult to understand but I will try to explain.
The marriage was arranged as is the custom here. Apparently the families had agreed on a dowry and on the terms of the marriage and then later the husbands family demanded a higher dowry. They wanted more gold. So the girls family rushed to come up with this so that the girls family did not lose any standing in the community. The families have always had disagreements about the alliance and the dowry. Soon after marriage the wife became pregnant. It is also custom for the wife to go and stay with her parents for the end of the pregnancy. Coincidentaly, the baby was born on the same day as Moriah. Since the baby has been born the wife has refused to go back to live with her husband. He is in ministry in a difficult village area and she wants to live in the city. Also she claims that her husband is irrational and will beat her. So the husband came and took her baby back to the village where his ministry is located. Currently the leaders of the denomination are going down to meet with the pastor and to take the baby back to the mother. The police will not be of much help so we need to pray that the leaders are successful in safely retreiving the child. We also must pray that God would intervene in the marriage and make an impossible situation better. Only He is able to bring redemption to this family and peace.
I am very much at a loss as to how to help in these situations. I want desperately to help these wives but the culture is so different that I have a hard time comprehending all the implications. I am praying that God would reveal a way for us to provide counsel to the families and support for wives who are horribly mistreated. It seems like an impossible task but we know that all things are possible with the Lord and we must put our faith in that.

When the Lizard hits the Fan:)

2008-03-03T04:49:00.001-08:00

We were meeting the other day as a group when a large lizard climbed onto the fan and was launched into Ernies lap... We love our friendly lizards that are all over our home but when the lizard hits the fan it can scare you silly:)
Lately it seems like more than a lizard is hitting the fan. We have had some struggles with knowing who to trust and who is just abusing the system. All of us at the mission seem to be getting easily agitated and annoyed. This morning Ernie mentioned that he really felt that we are coming in contact with serious spiritual warfare. We are doing many new things and trying to really move in the direction that God leads so it only makes sense that Satan would try to thwart our efforts. It is important at times like this for us to keep things in perspective. It is crucial that we take all things to the Lord in prayer and to avoid taking them into our own hands. We must not allow our anger or frustration to interfere with the wonderful works that God has for us.

Fellowship Day

2008-03-01T03:34:00.000-08:00

Friday we had our monthly fellowship meeting with the pastors. We always look forward to spending time with the pastors and hearing about their work. Neil Armstong gave a message about Jesus coming in on the donkey. It was interesting to hear what he had to say. It was somewhat of an allegorical sermon on winning souls for Christ. It seemed very good to me:)
We also had a meeting with one of the pastors from the south in the afternoon. He said he wants to plant a new church in another nearby area. He said he had been pastoring his present church for 22 years and that they need someone new to bring new life to the church. He said he has been evangelizing people in a nearby town and would like to put one of the first churches there. We are always excited about helping churches get started in areas where there are few to no churches so that was good too.

Ernie's Back

2008-02-28T04:33:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Ernie arrived back the other day from New Zealand. It is always nice to have another person from the western world here to experience India with. He is a great friend and we are excited about the ministry we will have over the next weeks.
This week has seemed pretty quiet. I have been praying about the sermon for Sunday's service and also trying to practice Tamil as much as possible. I am almost through learning all 247 letters so now I am trying to practice reading a first grade book. I am learning words daily and trying to pick up on conversations. This is taking a lot of time. It is not an easy language. I have taken many language classes: Spansih, Greek, Hebrew... and this language definately takes the cake! I hope that I can learn to communicate clearly eventually but it seems very far away. My teacher assure me that in a year I should be able to speak nicely but I am still praying for God to make that happen because it seems so far away.
Today I went to a government hospital to visit a pastors wife who just had a hysterectomy. She was in a room of many patients and the hospital was a little scary looking for me. I delivered Moriah in a small hospital which was very clean. This hospital was good for a government hospital but still lacked. Of course the family was there to help administer medications and to bring food since nurses do not do that. I brought Moriah with me so as I walked down the halls I got many stares. People just love to look at the white baby. They get such a kick out of it. Either way, I prayed with the family and let Moriah play a little. I truly believe that Moriah's work here is greater than anything I have done so far. She brings joy to everyone. They just love her. I can pray and encourage but Moriah brings smiles and joy. I believe God is using her already to make a difference here!

Bartering with Nuns...

2008-02-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

Saturday Rob went with Immanuel to a facility on St. Thomas Mount. We are trying to find a place to hold our pastors conference in May and have had some difficulty because May is such a busy month. Well we finally got a lead on this place that was run by the Catholic Church and we thought it would be easy to arrange our conference there. Not so much... Rob and Immanuel spent an hour negotiating the prices with the nuns. They kept insisting on a higher rate becuase Rob is American and Immanuel kept insisting on a lower rate because it is a mission function. Either way it goes to prove that everything is negotiable in India. It is never easy to just find the price of something and for Rob and I it is pretty impossible. They see white skin and think that we should have to pay and arm and a leg because we are American and in their eyes all Americans are rich.

On a more positive note:) We had the graduation for the Conference Bible College tonight and it was very fun to spend time with the Bible women and pastors as they celebrated their hard work. Rob had to wear a fancy robe and he gave the address to the students. I handed out the diplomas and tried to keep Moriah happy most of the night. It is great to see the students trying ro learn and grow in Christ. I pray that they continue to seek the Lord and serve Him alone!

The Struggles

2008-02-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

It has been a very quiet week this week and we have had lots of time to reflect on our work here and the future as well. We are overwhelmed at many times by all the needs. When you work in a culture that is so impoverished it is hard to focus in and find specific ways to help. It is hard to drive by the fisherman village and see hundreds of people living on the beach because their huts were recently demolished by the government. It is hard to take Moriah to the nice hospital for her doctors appointments when you pass children begging on the streets. It is heart wrenching to hear about the unecessary deaths due to lack of education, clean water, and health care. Just last week a man died of a simple illness but he was waiting to get the money for the bus fare to get to the hospital. He died the day before he had arranged to get there. It is also hard to handle the fact that a lot of times we are tempted to just throw money at the situation. The problems are deeper than the lack of money. The lack of money is just a symptom of the major spiritual warfare occuring in India. We must learn to address the major heart issues and attitudes and use our money to help those who are ultimately dependant on the Lord and not on American missionaries. Anyways, I am rambling like I do sometimes. Just please pray that we would know how to best serve the people here and how we can continue to glorify God with our lives and work in India.

Betrothal... you better not smile...

2008-02-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a fun filled time. We went to a service nearby and really enjoyed our time there. We have known the pastor quite well since coming here but have never been in his service. In person he is a very quiet person but as a pastor he is extremely dynamic. He was a good leader during the service. His church was very full and the people were very sweet. I was very encouraged to see such a great group of people.
In the evening we went to a betrothal. Since weddings are arranged they usually have several meetings between the families to decide on the marriage and what the bride will bring in the way of dowry. Once the terms of the arrangement are agreed upon they plan a formal ceremony to seal the agreement. This is the ceremony we attended. The prosepective bride and groom sit in throne like chairs and the family brings a ton of fruit, jewels, sweets, and sari's to the couples feet. It looked to me like an offering to a god or something... kind of like in Star Wars with the ewoks and Princess Leia... I digress.
Either way the prospective bride is not supposed to smile or hold her head. She is literally being sold in this process so I would think it would not be a happy experience. Also it is likely that she does not know her future groom very well so it could be scary. I have very mixed feelings about the marriage process here. I think that there could be advantages to arranged marriages but I despise the custom of dowry and how it ruins many lives. I am seeking God intensely to see how a Christian should handle this seemingly necessary custom in this culture.
I was assured that she was happy about the arrangement and that they will have a good marriage but I always worry. Plus there were over 600 people at this ceremony to celebrate! It was huge. We had some Briyani at the end of it and then waited for a good while to be able to get our jeep out of the parking lot... kind of like trying to get anywhere on campus during gameday for OSU:)

Kodaikannal Trip and Recovery!

2008-02-16T02:43:00.000-08:00

We packed our bags and went to Kodaikannal this week. Our family went with Rani and Immanuel to check on the church and ministries up the mountain. The train ride was an over night trip on a sleeper train. I was not sure how this would work with little Mo but she seemed to do just fine. She slept pretty good both ways. After getting off the train at 6 am we got in a jeep and drove 2.5 hours more up a mountain. Rob knocked himself out with Dramamine and Moriah slept most of the way as well. I enjoyed seeing the beautiful waterfalls and flowers on the way up. There are also a lot of monkeys on the mountain. They were entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the monkey that chased Rob for his snack.

We spent our time there meeting the workers in the area and also making final plans for the building that we are putting up there. It is difficult to get approval for building a church because this town does not want anymore churches so will only allow homes and businesses to be built... therefore the building looks a lot like a home with an extra large family room:) The engineer was excited to get started and seemed like a very good man. The pastor of this church also met with us. He is struggling with ministry up in the hills and would like to move. There seems to be many people called to his sort of ministry and we do not want him in a place he does not want to be so we are going to pray about trying to switch his placement a little. His wife is 5 months pregnant and a very sweet woman.

We also met with Thomas' family. There used to be missionaries acctually placed in Kodai and Thomas' family helped with everything there. His older brother was the driver for many years but he died suddenly at the age of 30. HIs wife was pregnant with their first baby when he died. He had gone to the hospital with a stomach ache. He received an injection and died from a bad reation to the injection... Another example of unnecessary death due to bad health care. Anyways, Thomas has taken over his brothers work on helping the missionaries in this area. He is also planning on marrying his deceased brothers wife and raising the little boy that was born after Sam died. This family was incredible. They loved us so much during our short time there and did everything they could to make us comfortable. They loved Moriah as well. She never cried for them:)

Overall we enjoyed our trip. It is always a blessing to meet people dedicated to serving the Lord. It was acctually cold in Kodai. Rob was not impressed with that but he survived. The thing is that the temp gets down to the 30s and 40s but there are no heaters there. The people just use lots of blankets. The people who have lots of money can afford fire wood and make a fire but most people can only use blankets and sweaters to keep warm. In the hotel I was shivering and complaining and then Rob reminded me that I can acctually afford blankets and that I was staying at a nice hotel so I should think about the people who live there all the time and cannot stay warm. He is right. Moriah was wrapped up pretty warmly so she didnt suffer. Plus everyone liked to snuggle with her.

Since we have been back Moriah is getting back into the routine here and Rob is trying to catch up on studies.

House Church Dedication

2008-02-10T22:26:00.000-08:00

On Sunday Rob tried to go to a church out in the village areas but it wasn't meant to be. First the translator got stuck in traffic and was not able to come with us so Immanuel changed his plans and tried to come. Rob had to leave late because of that. Then on the way there the jeep broke down so Rob and Immanuel got on the bus but it was the wrong bus so finally they decided that it just wasnt meant to be and found their way back to our home in Guindy. Sometimes things just dont work out like we want them to.

Once Rob recovered from his morning travels we got ready to go to a house church dedication. One of the members of the large Jacobs family that I talk about was dedicating a new building for their ministry. This ministry focuses on helping children and widows. The building looked very nice and I am excited to hear the reports of the ministry out of this group. They are not interested in status or money. They just want to help those in need around them. It is always a blessing to see this.

I shared "The God's Word" (as the call preaching here) out of Acts 9 about Dorcas being raised to life. Moriah sis very well hanging out with dad while I preached. The children loved playing with Moriah and keeping her entertained.

Monday we are going to spend resting and preparing for our trip to Kodaikanal. This is a mission station in the hills. We are working on building a church up there and some other projects. We will be meeting with some pastors. We also are going to rest a little on this trip. So just pray that Moriah sleeps well on the train rides! She did last time so all should work out:)

Baby's need love

2008-02-06T05:53:00.000-08:00

We are hearing more and more about the needs of the baby's in the villages and hills. There are so many orphans and so few with the ability and resources to care for them. We have received donations in the last couple of months and are excited about doing what we can to better equip these vital ministries. I know that the heart of God is deeply concerned for these babies and that He is calling us to change their lives. Magimadoss is one of the pastors who travels to the hills and supports these ministries. He said that they have also been successful lately finding homes for some of the babies and this is a huge plus. I even read on the front page of the paper today that the government is arresting those who kill their newborn daughters. Hopefully this will help more children to be given a chance instead of being murdered right out of the womb. At times I feel very inadequate to meet the needs of the people here but I also know that the Lord will provide and make it clear how we can best reprent Him in this land.

The Jelly Worked!!!!

2008-02-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

Today the ladies that work at the mission were showing me the food things in the pantry that the former missionaries left. They had Jello packets they brought from the states. The ladies said they tried several times to make it as a surprise for us but that is was always liquid. They couldn't get it to work right. I went through the packets and threw away the ones that were 15 years old... Scary... and showed them how to make it with a newer pack. Tonight as I was eating dinner one of the ladies called. She said, "The Jelly worked!!!" She was so happy. So tommorow they will have their first chance at eating Jello so that should be fun! The ladies have been so helpful to me in being my cultural trainers. They help me understand everything from the Indian food I am eating, to the Indian clothes, and language. Also Immanuel told them they should try and make food for us that we like so that we don't get homesick and leave. I thought that was funny. I appreciate the way they care so much for us. They also love to play with Moriah so that gives me a good break!

Mo Sickness

2008-02-01T02:52:00.000-08:00

Well we are all recovering from the flu here in Chennai. Rob was sick for a couple of days and he shared his germs with Moriah so she was sick as well. I have not been able to write because those two have kept me busy. All my Indian friends here are sure that Moriah got sick because of the "chill" which is 85 degrees and because I drink cold water... Some things I have learned just to grin and nod at. They do not understand the concept of germs and though I have tried tirelessly they just can't believe that germs cause illness so I just need to listen and love:) Most importantly, everyone seems to be getting better now and for that we are very thankful. Moriah is sleeping a little more than usual still but she is definetely back to her happy and bright personality.
We did have a visitor from the states this week which was very nice. Steve Brown is the President of Berkshire Institute for Christian Studies. He planned to come to Chennai for a class he was taking and wanted to visit the mission as well. We took him to church with us at Immanuel Ragu's church and he was able to experience a baptism in the lake by the church. It was encouraging to have a visit and to meet with Ragu's church. The people continue to be very sweet and loving.

First Aid...

2008-01-23T05:29:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned a couple of times that there is little understanding of basic first aid rules and things here. I was confronted head on with this the other day. Rob and I were in the jeep coming home from the university. On the other side of the road we saw a man lying in the middle of the road and his motorbike accross on our side. He muct have been in a wreck. Well about four people walked over and stopped traffic long enough for them to pick him up by his shoulder and legs and carry him accross to the sidewalk. They just plopped him along the side of the wall! He was unconscious when they first picked him up but he woke up when they set him down. Rob was yelling at our driver telling them that they should never move an injured person like that. They should block traffic until an ambulance comes and puts the man on a stretcher properly. Well we found out that even if an ambulance comes they most likely would pick up the person the same way and just plop them in the vehicle. Most times people just load the person in a car and drive them to the hospital. Immanuel said that when he was in a wreck a long time ago people picked him up like that and carried him to the hospital. (Side note: Immanuel has reoccuring back pain which he attributes to eating potatoes... we think it has more to do with back strain...) So the point is sometimes I just want to go crazy and make it clear how to properly care for a sick or injured person. I am not very patient on this subject because these people are very intelligent but they continue to do very unintelligent things. Ultimately I need to realize that this is a completely different culture and that small steps in health education will help this area. I also try to remember some of the crazy things about health care in our culture.

Another long Sunday

2008-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

We went on a long journey to a village church today. The church took almost two hours to get to and it was way out of town. We were told we should visit this church to give them encouragment. When we arrived they were not quite ready for church so we went to a home next to the church to visit some of the believers. The one young mother that we visited was anxious to tell us her story. I included a picture of her, her children, and friend. She introduced us to her two children. One was a boy of about 7 years and the other was a 1.5 year old girl. She said that she lost her two middle children in childbirth. I am learning that many of the village people lose children in childbirth becuase they do not go to the hospital and have very poor care. The woman was so thankful for the little girl who had been born healthy and stayed healthy. She said that she is struggling very much because her husband has left her and moved in with another woman. He is still married to her though and he comes by once a week to give her 50 rupees (1.25$) and to check on her. The mother in law still lives with the woman and the mother in law is very mean to her. It is common for the mother in law to be harsh towards the daughter in law here. This woman will live a very difficult life because of her husband. She will not be free from his family but will be somewhat of a slve to them. Eventually the mother in law came in and the woman was not allowed to talk to us any longer. The mother in law wanted to take Moriah to the church and care for her during the service. I decided that was not best. I kept Moriah on my lap. Moriah was a little fussy today during the service so I spent most of it out on the "porch" of the church, sitting on the ground rocking her. She was very tired today. She fell asleep nice outside in the shade but then all the village people wanted to come see the white baby. I was drawing quite a crowd and Indian people do not believe in letting a baby sleep. They always pinch their cheeks and try to wake them up... I dont know why... So I decided I should go back into the church building so Moriah would not get woken up. She did okay in there. Dad yelled loud once during his sermon and that scared her but other than that she recovered nicely:)
A lady in the church provided a meal for us afterwards. It is very nice of them to feed us but it is such a struggle for me in paticular. They serve so much rice and they put spicy gravy on it with chicken and vegetables. I have been eating Indian food for 5 months and I still have watery eyes and a runny nose every time. They always think I am getting a cold because I have to keep my nose from running the whole time. It is pretty amusing. Plus I am still learning to eat with my right hand... I am not as skilled at this as Rob:) The portions are huge and they are very offended if you do not eat it ravenously like it is the best thing ever. Rani helps arrange the meals during the week at the mission and she tries hard to make things that I would like. She has made me french fries a couple of times by cutting potatoes and frying them... She adds hot pepper and curry but it is still a nice treat. She also makes an interesting version of spaghetti for me which I appreciate. So all of this is to say that we are not wasting away by any means but we are definately still adjusting:)
It was 3 by the time we got home. Rob left for a memorial service for Marion Damon at 4. Moriah and mom were just too tired. Moriah and I napped and snacked the rest of the day away:)

Orphans and Prayer

2008-01-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

Kirubakkaran (he is the "baby saver")came to visit today. We wanted to talk to him about supporting his ministry in the hills more than we currently have been doing. He is currently taking care of the children he saves in a small rented building. He spends a lot of time each month just raising money for the rent and also to feed the children and other necessary things. In the past month we have had several donations specifically for orphans or general use. We realized that if we put the money together we almost have enough to purchase some land for him to build and adequate orphanage! Than we can raise money to buld the building. This would be a huge relief for him and free him up to do major things there. When he came he reported that they had Gospel meetings the previous week and that many people showed an interest in knowing God. However the local radical Hindu party also showed interest and is threatening his wife and family. We need to pray that God would protect him and the work he is doing in this least reached area of India. I believe that purchasing this land a little oout of the village would help to protect his family and the babies. God is doing some incredible things so please keep praying for this vital ministry.
We also went to a prayer meeting in the evening. Several days after a funeral the family usually holds a prayer meeting to celebrate the life of the loved one. We went to the meeting for Sarah Jacobs and it was a neat celebration. All the children were dressed so nice and a couple of the grandchildren sang to her. They asked the missionaries to sing a song in English along with their family because they view us as a part of their family. (Rob acctually has had contact with this family for a couple of years.) Moriah slept for most of the 4 hour meeting but also brought joy when she did wake up. We are learning a lot by spending time with the Indian people and seeing how they handle every situation.

Sarah Jacobs

2008-01-16T01:03:00.000-08:00

This has been a heard month for the mission as we are grieving the loss of several people close to us. Sarah Jacobs passed away yesterday morning and left beind 12 children who are grieving. Sarah was a Bible woman for 48 years and worked hard to raise her children in a manner honoring to the Lord. All of her children are in some sort of ministry. Michael is one of the younger sons and he is the pastor of the church in the slums we visited in November. Michael and Malachi have really helped Rob and I feel at home in India. We went to visit the famliy yeasterday after we heard of their mother passing away and there were hundreds of people at the home to view Sarah. This morning was the funeral and again it was very well attended. We pray for her family now that they remember all she taught them and can continue to bring glory to God through their lives. I included a picture of Michael when he came to meet Moriah.

Weekend Activities

2008-01-14T00:14:00.000-08:00

We had a restful and quiet weekend. We spent a lot of time reading and relaxing. Saturday we had Ernie over so we could play games. Rob lost twice in Yahtzee:) This was a good time for us to fellowship together without focusing on the work that needs done.
Sunday we went to worship at Manivakkam. Pastor Lawrence has been there for a little over a year. The pastor who had been at this church previously left after major sin in his life and Lawrence is struggling to help the church recover. He has had major issues with the church board and with the finances of the church. We are going to have him meet with our mission manager and national missionary in hopes that they can assist him with his current struggles. We will also continue to pray that god will provide for them.
We also heard a report from Pastor Stephen. He is a new pastor and doing an incredible job. He called to tell us that they had a twelve hour continuous prayer service in which they had seventy attend. He is very filled with joy when he talks of the ministry he is involved in at Periakulum. There have been several new families join and he is planning a baptism service for this upcoming weekend.

School Starts up Again

2008-01-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Well Rob had his first day back at the University today. He is taking a class on Islam in the West. The only other student is the girl from Iran that Rob has been praying for. Isn't God amazing. Rob was asking for away to have contact with her and her husband this semester and God put them in a class together. Rob had bought her a Bible in her language and she came back today and said it was in the worng dialect. The good news is that she is still interested in a Bible in her language. She could have just shoved it under the bed and forgotten about it. Rob will order the correct language this week.

Moriah has been going through a growth spurt or something this week so she has needed a lot of attention. I have spent a lot of time with her. I am so thankful that God gave her to us and that she can experience India with us. On days where I cannot do much ministry because I have to be home with her I am happy to intercede for the many needs we see around us. I know that God is in the midst.

Sick and Tired...

2008-01-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I am just complaining now...:) I was sick over the weekend and I am still a little worn out over the whole thing. It is hard to be at home alone with a three month old when you are sick as a dog. Rob had to go to church though because he was the speaker... It is just that days like that I wish church services in India were not four hours long... Anyways, enough complaining for now.

I am feeling better today and glad that this is a new year with new beginnings. We are making our plans for this year at the mission and it is very exciting to go over the incredible possibilities. We just pray that God would ultimately be the one making the decisions on how we proceed from here. We are also encouraged to see some of our Indian brothers and sisters respond in faith to God's call on their lives. We heard of one pastor having 26 baptisms at his church this month. Absolutely amazing. We also have one of our friends living at the mission named Joseph and though he makes a very meager salary he is going to provide a meal in a couple of weeks for the mission families and all of the hundred children at the orphanage next door. He is responding to God's call to give and I believe God will continue to provide for his needs. This man in particular is a true blessing to our family. As he works around the mission I can see that he is constantly interceding. He is a prayerful man and one who celebrates the Lord's goodness. I have included a picture of Joseph when he came to see Moriah at the hospital. I feel completely surrounded by God's presence when Joseph is around.

Visits and more rain

2008-01-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

Today we vebtured out in the pouring rain to see some friends. We had been contacted by this family that is visiting Chennai from our hometown in America. They are friends with my sisters in laws and they wanted to bring us a gift from them. It was nice to meet them and hear about the states and things going on there. It is always nice to talk to Indian families who also understand western culture.
It is still raining in Chennai. The monsoon was supposed to be over by now. They say it never rains in January here and yet it is pouring... I am not sure what to think about that. I just hate to see what such heavy rains do to people here. You do not hear of rain being a cause of death in America but here it is a huge problem. Drainage systems are not very good and rain easily floods the homes of even middle class families. The water shuts down the city in many ways.

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

Well it was a long night on new years eve as promised. Rob went to a service which lasted from 10 pm until 3 am. It was a lot of fun he said. Rob preached and they had a lot of songs and dances. They even got Rob and Ernie to dance a little with the kids. Each of the pastors spends three days fasting and praying for their congregation. They pray specifically that God would give them a Scripture for the upcoming year. They call this the promise word. It has been neat to ask each pastor what the promise word is that they have been given and to hear their vision for the upcoming year. Today was the monthly fellowship celebration for the pastors and they shared some incredible stories. I am so happy to hear how God is moving through them. One pastor spoke of his church and said that one Sunday he noticed that 5 teenage girls who usually come to the service together, did not show up. The next week when they came he asked why they could not come the previous week. They all live in an orphanage together and they said that on of the girls who lives with them was fighting an evil spirit and that this girl kept them up all night screaming and running around the orphanage. The pastor (Stanly Foljer) asked the girls to bring the girl fighting the evil spirit to him. They did and the pastor had several people pray for the girl. After a long prayer the girl was delivered of this evil spirit and became saved. Now 20 more girls from the orphanage are coming every week to church. Once they saw the change in this girl they knew that God was real. I am just amazed at the faith and the answers to prayer that we see weekly. It is much easier for me to understand some of the scriptures in the new testament because this culture seems very similar at times. God is so Good.

Vaccinations and New Years Eve!

2007-12-31T04:30:00.000-08:00

This morning we had to load Moriah in the jeep again so we could go to the doctors office. She was scheduled for more vaccinations and a weight check. I had the first appointment of the day which is good because if you have later appointments you have to wait a long time as people come in without appointments as well. I got a little worried when we were stuck in stopped traffic. I was not sure what the problem was. Finally when we started moving, I realized the main road to the hospital was closed and this was the reason for the delay. We had to take a detour through a marketplace. I had not been down this road before and was very intrigued by the sights and sounds. There were many huts made out of plastic tarp under a bridge. There were so many people walking and selling items. Although I have been here for several months now, I will never get used to seeing such poverty. It is never ending. When we finally got to the doctors office we were only 15 minutes late which was pretty impressive I thought. The nurses were all panicked and telling me I needed to hurry but there was no one else in the office yet so I do not know why they panicked:) The doctor asked if there was a traffic problem because she has so many people scheduled for 10:30 and no one had come yet. I told her about the road being closed and the detour. Traffic is always like this though so I wonder why anyone is suprised.
The doctor said Moriah is 5.8 kgs which is about 13 pounds! She is a big girl alright. The doctor was impressed that Moriah is growing well and developing well. She gave Moriah two shots in the legs. Moriah did not cry very much because she had just woke up and did not really realize what happened until it was over. She did sleep a lot the rest of the day though.
Tonight is New Years Eve and the churches usually have a late night service. The one we are going to is at 10:30 pm and should be over between 2 and 3 am. I am probably not going to take Moriah since she is already traumatized by her docs appointment today. Rob is supposed to preach so that should be good. I am continually amazed by the fact that Indian people never sleep. They have services in the middle of the night and early in the morning. I hear people moving outside all night long. I do not know how they do it. This morning I had three different visitors before 8 am! They used to come as early as 6 but then they realized we dont get up that early and have started postponing their visits until 7:30 or 8:) It is an interesting world we live in:)

Priscilla

2007-12-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Rob and Ernie went to a funeral for a woman named Priscilla. Priscilla had worked for the mission for over thirty years. She helped cook for Marion Damon who coincidentilly also passed away this week. The service occured the same day of her death as they often do in India. There is no way for people to preserve the bodies so they have funerals very quickly. Rob said it was a nice service and that she must have been a great lady. I did not go because it is not kosher for a new baby to go to a funeral. There are many things that I am not supposed to do as a new mother here but I try to choose my battles.
Saturday we relaxed a bit more. I spent a lot of time reading a book about the plight of women in India. I have not really learned anything by reading the book because I am observing the evils daily. The life of a woman in India is horrendous. I know this opinion would make some people very angry and they would think that I am judging another culture unfairly but I cannot rationalize the way women are treated. Just this week I heard of another woman who committed suicide because she suffered a third misscarriage. She was twenty four and ashamed that she had not been able to bear children. She had tried unsuccessfully for 4 years and the current pregnancies of her two younger sisters made her even more ashamed. I heard last week of another woman who set herself on fire. This is a common way to commit suicide for women in India. To Hindus there is something ceremonial about fire. This is also a common way that women are murdered by their husbands if they are not able to bring all the dowry that is promised or that the husbands families expect. These fires are difficult to investigate and it is hard to bring justice to the situation. There are many examples of the evils women here endure and someday I will write a very thorough critique but at this point all I can do is observe and pray.

Internet Slump

2007-12-27T01:59:00.000-08:00

The internet has been down the last couple of days. Someone digging on the road outside cut the phone line... This is India. Well, we are back up and running now. Christmas day was very busy. We had a 6 am service at Mambalam. The church was packed full for Christmas day service and it was very nice. Rob preached and Immanuel translated. Moriah slept most of the service and seemed happy. They wanted us to sing a special song... they just have not understood that Rob and I are not musicians despite our name:) We sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing. We realized that their style of singing is so different they would have never known we were way off key:)
We had a little rest before lunch. Then Ernie took us to a nice hotel for Christmas lunch. They had a nice buffet with some western style foods. It was nice to relax and fellowship. It was a little escape from the Indian lifestyle. Rob went to the restroom and when he came back he said I should just go in there and check it out. He said it was like going home:) It was also entertaining that they had two Indian men singing and playing the guitar. They sang Margaritaville and Hotel California. Rob and I could not stop laughing.
In the evening we went out to a village church about an hour and a half away. We just foloowed the long line of cows and water buffalo:) They were having a childrens program. We understood that we were just supposed to come watch so we did not bring a translator. When we got there they asked if Rob would bring "God's Word". Rob tried to explain that we did not have a translator but they still called on him to preach in the middle of the service! He got up there and had no idea what he was going to do. The pastor tried to translate but only got through about one sentence. He then had his wife try. SHe did an amazing job. Rob also had a young girl come up and he told the story through motions. He would do a motion and the girl would imitate it. It really worked very well. The program was outside because there was not enough room in the church. People from all over the village came to watch. The children did beautiful dances and skits. It really was a great event. By the time the service was over there were so many people that just stopped to watch. They were sitting on the dirt road and crowded in. I pray that God continues to use the church to draw people to a relationship with the Lord.
We got home around 10 pm and were pretty exhausted. We went to bed and rested most of the next day as well. We did receive a package from my parents with gifts for Moriah and some snacks. That is always exciting:)

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T21:19:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind of a holiday season. The last couple of days I was here at the mission attending several functions and Rob went South to visit some of the churches and pastors down there. I was blessed to be able to hand out gifts to all the orphanage children who live next door. They were so happy. They swarmed Moriah as well and all wanted to see her. One little girl in paticular always is watching me from a far and she came up and gave me a hug which was very sweet. I love the children and hope that in the future I can do more with them.
We also had one of the slum churches come to the mission to celebrate Christmas on Sunday. It was nice for them to have a small field to play games in and a break from slum life. We all shared a meal and rejoiced together. The children had a great time after luch when the monkeys came to visit. The monkeys were playing on the roof of the fellowhip hall and the children were throwing bananas to them. Needless to say I think the monkeys are going to have a belly ache from all of the bananas and the children will have another great memory.
On Christmas Eve we spent some time resting and visiting with mission staff. It was a quiet day gearing up for all the activities of Christmas.

Christmas Fun

2007-12-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

We had our staff Christmas party today. We had a wonderful time playing games, eating together, opening gifts, and celebrating God's love. The kids were all dressed in new clothes and looked so nice. They were able to buy new Christmas dresses with Christmas bonus money. The kids also did a couple of dances for us and that was so neat. I cried a little... not sure why but thats okay. Moriah won one of the games we played:) She was carried by Rosemary in order to participate. She also had a beautiful dress on that Rosemary and Raja bought her. It is not very practical but it is cute:) Rani bought Moriah a blow up bear that is cute. Moriah just watches it and laughs. We had pictures of the kids printed and gave them to the families. They were very excited about this. They do not own cameras or have money to have pics developed so it is a real treat to receive pics. This is another luxury I always took for granted. It never occured to me that people would not be able to afford pics of their kids. We have albums and albums of pictures.

I also wore a sari for the first time. It is a little awkward at first but it worked out okay. It was worth it to see the ladies so excited. They love that I am trying to be more "Indian." They put a flower in my hair and gave me bangles to borrow on my wrists.

Rani came up to my apartment today with her daughter and granddaughter, Ruby. Ruby was born three months before Moriah. She has got the most hair I have ever seen on a little one. Rani was really encouraging me today that God has a plan for Moriah because He wanted her born in India. We had a really good time fellowshipping.

Now I am waiting for more carolers to come... It could be a late night!:)

Wrapping Gifts

2007-12-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

Tommorow is the staff Christmas party so we have been wrapping gifts for the kids of the mission staff. The staff members would not be able to provide any gifts for their children without some help so at the party we give a little bonus to the parents and a gift for each child. I also tried to pull off stockings this year so the kids could have some little necessary things like pencils and stuff.... I had to sew the stockings and could not get them all done so we just put the little things in there packages. I am so happy about this. It makes it a lot of fun to be able to give gifts to these kids who have so little. The circumstances of the staff are improving little by little and I have hope that eventually the families will be more secure and healthy. I also wrapped a sari to give away as a prize to a Bible Quiz. That will be fun.
The last couple of days have been pretty quiet because of the rains. Everything kind of stops when it rains here because the road are pretty much just mud and the rain is horrendous.

247 letters

2007-12-18T05:09:00.000-08:00

Today was my second day of Tamil lessons with Rani as my teacher. She is a very good teacher. She says that we have to start slow and lay a good foundation. I agree with that. I also learned that there are 247 letters in the alphabet... Go figure. I am very overwhelmed by this but also confident that learning the language is possible as long as I am willing to work hard at it. I have worked on learning 9 of the main letters. Once I get the basic letters down the others are supposed to be easy... Although Ernie argued with Rani today and said there is no way this language could ever be easy. It sure sounds like it is going to be an interesting journey anyway.
We also recieved several donations from the States and New Zealand which we are very encouraged by. We received a donations for orphans, and Bihar. We also received a general donation and a donation to build a parsonage. We are so thrilled to be able to share these blessings. The needs here are endless so every donation is helpful. We also have several people donating on an ongoing basis for pastors salaries and so forth. On days where we are very homesick it is good to receive support from the States and to know that people care and are praying with us!
It also rained cats and dogs today. Overall the monsoon season has not provided the necessary rains for the year so it is good to have rain but it is also hard to function in these dramatic down pours. Many of the people who live in thatched huts and on the streets suffer during these rains. Even our staff people have to fight to keep the water out of their homes. So the rain is a bitter sweet thing around here. It is necessary but also troublesome. I have included a video of the staff people dealing with the water problem!

Moriah's First Train Trip

2007-12-17T03:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend we went on a long trip to a city called Gobi which is down south of us. We took a train for about six hours and then had an hour jeep ride to our hotel. Moriah did really well. The train was soothing to her and caused her to sleep most of the way. She did not sleep well at night becuase of it but that is okay. We went with several pastors, church leaders, and the other missionaries of course. It was nice to spend the weekend with the pastors and leaders so that we can get to know them better and form relationships.

The church was very nice. The actual church members did most of the work on the building which was a great testimony to the people of the church. This way they have ownership of their building and they care for the maintanence of it. They also built a small parsonage for the pastor. It was also nice for the family. The pastors wife was very nice to me and helpful. She showed me where I could feed Moriah when she got fussy and helped me meet the other believers. She appears to be a great partner in ministry for Peter, the pastor there.

I also learned that staying at a hotel in India is not like staying at one in the states. The water is cold. There were no sheets on the bed. Cleanliness was not the greatest. You also have to bring your own drinking water and water for brushing your teeth. I guess our hotel was pretty nice but I was still a little suspect. It did serve its purpose though and we were able to rest and clean up. This experience gives me a new perspective on what is really necessary when traveling. I realize that there are many things we can do with out.

Overall it was a nice weekend. I enjoyed the town we visited and the people at the church. I am excited to see God move in these different areas and towns. India is so diverse and it is amazing to see how God is worshipped in each setting.

Christmas Parties

2007-12-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Today we were invited to a Christmas party for the women of one of the larger churches nearby. We had a really good time celebrating with the ladies. They were so happy to have all of us there and they were really happy to see Moriah. There was a short message and some prayer but the majority of the time was spent in fellowship. We played games and ate lunch. I enjoy these kinds of days because they give me an opportunity to meet with women and learn about their culture and life. I am the only woman on the actual mission team so I get lonely for female friends sometimes. Lately I have been able to spend more time with wives of the mission workers but this was still special to me. We played hot potato which seems to be a popular party game here. They tried to explain it to me. The lady told me to sit by her and showed me the ball. Then she said, "You hold ball, you out." I was pretty sure what we were up to then:) We also played a game where you try to light as many candles as you can before the match gets to short and burns your fingers. I thought I did pretty good but I ended up getting beat by just about everyone! Rob tied me though. We also "stuck the eye on the elephant" and played a ring toss game. The ladies were so happy and it was good to see. They bought Moriah an outfit for Christmas and gave me a saree for Christmas. I thought this was very sweet of everyone. I just wish they did not feel like they had to gift us. I would like to be the one giving to them... I guess this is how you learn humility.
We also had two more sets of carolers tonight. When they come to carol they bring a keyboard and drums and go all out. We serve coffee and a treat. This is also a way the churches raise money so that is why it is more like a personal concert than just a song at your door. They also gave us a calendar for the next year... It is in Tamil but I am going to write in the English so we can still use it. At the end of the second group of carolers two different ladies came and gave me a big hug. This really blessed me because in India they do not seem to hug very often. There is not a lot of physical displays of affection. You can imagine that it would be a weird transition from working in a church where we were hugged at every service and then to move to a country where there are no hugs. Tonight was the first time I had received a hug from anyone outside of my family since I moved here. It was a real blessing. Also the first group of carolers sang in English and also helped alleviate any homesickness. Overall it was a good day but tiring. We are ready for a good nights sleep:)

Lots of Visitors

2007-12-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

We have had many visitors the last couple of days. It is always a blessing when people come to visit and share their lives with us. Raja and Rosemary came to give Moriah a beautiful dress and pray for her. It is so sweet that they do this for us. It makes me a little uncomfortable that they spend the little money they have on a dress for Moriah but I know they wanted to do this. Rosemary loves to hold Moriah. She is the mother of two young boys and she keeps telling me that she didn't have any girls so she likes to spoil Moriah. Also Rachel is the sister of our driver Thambu. She is a beautician and best friends with a Hindu seamstress. She has realized that I have not had much success shopping for Indian clothing and decided it would be easier to bring her seamstress friend Shanti over to tailor my clothes. Wow, what a blessing for me. Now I have clothes that acctually fit me correctly and look very nice. This also gives us a continued opportunity to share Christ with Shanti.
We had a visit from Malachi Jacobs as well today. He is connected with some family ministries and is helping us to connect with these. This is a continued need for the pastors families. We are grateful to be making some headway in these areas. He also brought a gift for Moriah. He brought her a feeding set with a sippy cup and even a baby spoon... Since Indians do not eat with silverwear I thought that this was a funny gift. I think that we will have to teach Moriah to use eating utensils because it will be awkward when we go back to the states if she does not know what a spoon is...
I must also make a clarification about a previous blog... I said that Amma head never seen a band aid before... Well there are in fact band aids in India and the are very cheap. However, these families make so little that even a cheap band aid is hard to afford. Also, since they rarely get medical care they would not know about band aids. So the point is basic first aid items are available and very inexpensively in my mind. But for families who only make 30 dollars a month it is difficult even to spend 50 cents on a luxury like a band aid.

Night Watch

2007-12-11T07:04:00.001-08:00

Here at the mission we have a night watchman named Thomas. He comes and sleeps on the front porch to keep an eye on things throughout the night. He is in his nineties and mostly deaf and mostly blind. He has worked with the mission most of his life. He is an incredible man with a wonderful heart for God. We do not really need a night watchman at the mission, escpecially one who can hardly see or hear... yet he is such a blessing. He decided this week to retire because he is getting so old and is not well. He asked if he could come to live at the mission until he dies. We told him it would be better for him to be with his family for this. We will not hire another watchman because it really is not necessary. We have many of these people on staff in order to provide an income and stability for them. We will continue to help Thomas financially. After he turned in his resignation we prayed for him and as he left the building he prayed a blessing on Moriah. He truly loves her dearly. He prayed very hard for her safe delivery.

We also had two baptisms done at the mission. One of the pastors named Immanuel Ragu used our baptismal and invited us to pray for the people being baptised. He said both are converts from Hinduism. They came to know the Lord through the ministry of the church. Immanuel Ragu said that he is also arranging for them to be married to each other next year. Since they have converted from Hinduism it is difficult for their marriages to be arranged by their families because their families are Hindu so Pastor Ragu will arrange for them to be married to each other.

Another interesting fact... I was taking care of Moriah up in the apartment and the door bell rang. I went to get it and it was Amma (grandmother), the grandma of the children who live below us. She had cut her hand cleaning and it was bleeding. She was very distraught. She doesnt speak any English so I just tried to be very gentle and clean it for her. I used one of Moriah's clean cloth diapers to wrap it until the bleeding stopped. Then I put some neosporin on it. She was very scared of the neosporin. I tried to tell her it would not hurt and that it would kill the germs but she was still scared. Once I applied it though she looked very relieved. I also put a band aid over it. I do not think she had ever seen a band aid before. They just do not use them here. They would cost money... So all of this just reminds me of all things from the states I took for granted. I had easy access to any first aid items I needed. I had a doctor who could always caare for me. I never imagined people who never saw a band aid...

Church

2007-12-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

We went to church this morning on the outskirts of town. It was a small cement building with a thatched roof. It was a very small church building but soon was filled with lots of children. There were a lot of ladies and a couple of men but mostly children. It was also fun to see a couple of other moms with their little babies. The children seemed to come without their families. I think that many were from Hindu families and they just came because the pastor and families care for them. The teenage girls love to see Moriah in particular. Rob preached and the service went very well. I enjoyed meeting these people and learning about their ministry.
Afterwards we went to a Arul's house because he wanted to dedicate the new room he added on. They dedicate everything to the Lord... everything. I thought it was just supposed to be a couple of people but it ended up being quite a crowd. Arul is a neat man. He is in his 70s and has been involved with the mission since he was a kid. He is able to give us a lot of history and information. He also speaks very good English and is able to understand our western ways pretty well. After the dedication we had lunch. Lunch was pretty good. I am getting used to eating rice at every meal and eating it with my hands:) They also had a corn potato mixture that was pretty good and he even served ice cream at the end. I definately enjoyed it. Speaking of food. Everyone should know that Rob gets teased a lot for his eating habits. They have learned that he doesnt eat breakfast but that he does walk down the road to a little store and get pepsi or coke every day. (THere is no Mt. Dew) Rani, one of the ladies is always teasing Rob about not eating and that he is only drinking coke. They drink a lot of coffee but not cold drinks. I cant figure that out. It is so hot here and they drink coffee or tea every other hour but they think if you drink something cold that you will get sick... Interesting.

Jesus wore a purple dress???

2007-12-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Today there was a big Christmas celebration for a large group of churches. The kids were putting on a nativity play and Moriah got to be Jesus... She had on a purple dress so it looked kind of funny but it was fun. She is a star what can I say:) We had a great time celebrating with the people and Moriah continues to bring big smiles.

Kirubakkaran came to visit again today. He is the one that saves the babies from child sacrifice. He saved four more babies this month. He hears from his believers that a child has been declared a curse and must be sacrificed to a Hindu God named Koli. When Kirubakkaran get this news he goes to the family and tries to convince them to give the baby to him instead of killing the baby. Child infanticide is a major problem in our area of India. Particulary girls are killed at birth because families cannot afford to care for a girl and pay her dowry when she gets old enough. Plus Hindus believe the son plays a part in their "salvation." Anyways, I asked Kirubakkaran how he gets the money to care for these little ones. He smiled and said by faith. He has saved over fifty children now and has 22 in his care at this time. He has a dream to have an orphanage for a thousand children. We are praying about how we can make that happen. I have included a pic of one of the babies saved this month. Kirubakkaran has a heart of gold and sacrifices so much for these children. He is also sick right now and needs surgery. He has waited 4 months for the surgery because he did not have the money. We have had a donation from New Zealand and this will pay for the surgery. He should have it next week. I cannot fathom the kind of sacrifices this man makes for the children that are at such risk.

More Pothys

2007-12-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

We spent yesterday packing all of the 102 outfits we bought for the children and organizing them. We also realized that our last pile of seven shorts didnt make it into our bage so we had to head back to Pothy's for 7 more pairs of shorts for the boys. Silly of me to think that buying 7 shorts would take less time. Rani, Grace, and Rosemary came along also and we ended up doing a little Christmas shopping as well. Rani wanted to buy dresses for her granddaughters and I bought a dress for my neice and my other "daughter" Laura. We also looked at materials for clothes and things. The ladies had a lot of fun. As we were standing outside waiting for Raja to pick us up, some one must have dumped gallons and gallons of water off the building. It looked like it started raining but just over us. I couldnt believe that they just dumped water out the window on a crowd of people! I jumped for cover pretty quickly but Rani was not as lucky. I just dont want to know what was in the water...
Anyways, Rob also had a day long meeting about education needs for the pastors. We are trying to figure out the best way to develop leaders here. A major obstacle is that there are very few resources in Tamil. There is also still a huge need for family counseling. These families have major issues to deal with. They have had their marriages arranged and the format of Indian families is complicated. It will be difficult for an American to effectively connect with these families.

Hills Ministry

2007-12-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

Magimadoss came to report today how his last trip to the hills went. He took a team for five days to do evangelism in the villages where Hindu idol worship is rampant. One group he worked with in particular focus their worship on Monkeys. They walk like monkeys and act like monkeys out of reverence for them. Magimadoss and his team decided to share a video about monkeys which showed that they are not to be worshipped. Then they showed the Jesus film. They had many people come for prayer and we are praying for more pastors to be placed in this area to assist with long term follow up. One man named Daniel is going to be sponsored by a person in the States to do ministry in the hills permenantly. Magimadoss was encouraged by the prayer times and responses he had.
We have more reports of illness. Neil Armstrong was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain. They are running tests. Kirrubakkaran is the man running the orphanage with babies he has saved and he is having chest pains. He is not well but it has been difficult to get information. Please continue to pray for Yesaw and his arm injury. Kirubans brother in law who still does not have a diagnosis and Raja's knee. We have many on going needs but these are important to take care of.

Baptisms and Parties

2007-12-03T01:42:00.000-08:00

Sunday the whole family went to worhsip at Stanely Foljers church. They had a great celebration. Rob was able to preach and perform 7 baptisms there. Many people came for prayer. Many young women were asking for prayer about their marriage arrangement. Since marriages are arranged it is difficult for Christian women to find men in their social class who are also Christians. This is a serious prayer concern for them as you can imagine. I am glad I got to pick Rob:) There will be videos of the baptism service on the you tube site.
Monday we also had a Christmas party for the pastors and their families. I loved seeing everyone so happy. We played musical chairs and hot potato. We also had Mary Soroja speak on a devotional thought. We had a good time of prayer and fellowship. Once again Moriah was a huge hit. The pastors all wanted their pictures taken with her. It was hard to keep track of her because they kept passing her. I am just glad that she brings joy to these people as she does to me. She will not be a shy child thats for sure. She is used to seeing many people.
Rob has a few more exams and then he is done for the semester. He has been studying hard. HE is looking forward to having the rest of the month to visit churches and spend time with little Mo.

First Time with Play Dough

2007-11-29T06:32:00.000-08:00

Today we had another VBS meeting. The pastors were coming up with object lessons to use in the curriculum and John Wesley brough a type of play dough that he made. He tore off pieces for each of the pastors to test out. They had never used such a thing before. They were having a great time smelling, touching, and molding the stuff. They sere excited about using something like this in their lessons. It is so interesting for me to realize that things like play dough are rare here. VBS in America tends to be very elaborate and to think that play dough would be a huge addition is mind boggling to me. The pastors are getting their materials together and will have a great program to offer the churches this year.
We are still praying for Yesaw (Raja's Dad). He had surgery on the multiple fractures in his arm and is in a lot of pain. In addition, Indian hospitals do not provide meals or help with personal care so Raja has had to go back and forth and care for his dad. This is very emotionally and physically tiring for him. Als0, Kiruban's brother in law is very sick and in the hospital. They are not sure what is wrong. The family is very worried because the other brother passed away of cancer in Septmeber. Please pray for their strength.
Two of the kids living at the mission came down with chicken pox. It has been interesting to see how they handle this. They have so many worries and superstitions about it. Ernie printed off some info on chicken pox to help educate that it is a normal thing. I guess they believe that a kid with chicken pox must wash in water heated by the sun three times a day and if it is not gone in 3 days then there is bad luck or something. These are influences of the Hindu culture and sometimes we just need to help show the people that these HIndu beliefs are contrary to Scripture. It is definately interesting.

102 new outfits

2007-11-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

Today I went to Pothy's. You think a shopping trip at Wal-Mart druing the holiday season is crazy; you haven't seen anything yet. Pothy's is a huge clothing store. The price range is large so poor people and upper class people can shop there. I think everyone in Chennai shops there acctually. I went with three ladies from the mission and the office worker so he could translate and pay for us. We had to buy 102 outfits for the children at the orphanage next to our home. These will be Christmas gifts for each of them. It was a lot of fun to know that we would be able to afford a new outfit for each child. The ladies had a great time passing Moriah around as I picked out the clothes. Which brings up another chaotic factor to the shopping trip. Indian people get really excited about seeing an American baby. I cannot do anything with her in public without a large crowd surrounding me and wanting to hold her and see her. Ultimately the only way we were ever going to get the shopping done was to pretend that she was an Indian baby. Grace wrapped her in the balnket and rocked her in a chair while I shopped. Unless Moriah's little arm popped out, nobody could tell she was my baby.
I found myself wanting to do more than just anoutfit for these kids. I would like to buy games and toys and jewelry for the girls. I realize though that these kids are very thankful to receive necessary items. I ran into a problem because they did not have enough in one price range so some of the older kids got slightly nicer outfits. I asked Deviraj if this would cause tension. He said, "No mam, these kids do not see what other kids have. They are only excited for what they receive." I think it is amazing the wonderful spirit these kids must have to survive what they have and to still be happy for such a small gift.

Lessons in Culture

2007-11-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

We were incited to go to a Christmas music festival put on by some of the churches. It is a big thing they do every year I guess. We asked Kiruban about it and he said they sing songs. He said they do not want to sit all day so it will be a short meeting of only 4 hours. Rob and I laughed. No church meeting in America lasts four hours without some complaints. I wonder what a long Indian church meeting is. Keep in mind this was the third meeting scheduled for us that day so it was a tiring day...
Anyways, today I went with Ernie to a ladies meeting where they were going to pass out sarees to the widows who need them. We showed up but no one was there. It turns out that the pastor was embarassed that he had to reschedule it and did not want to call us to tell us. We finally tracked him down and through poor communication due to a language problem we learned that he was scared we would be mad. It makes me sad that they fear us. I think we finally communicated that it is always best to call us and we will never be mad about changed times, places, cancellations and stuff. We are here to serve and bless them. If we are upsetting them then that defeats the purpose. In India it is against the culture to be blunt or straight forward so it always takes time to figure out what the problem is but I think today we were really able to find the root of the issue and address it. So we did a lot of driving and didnt really do anything but we at least learned a valuable lesson in culture:)

Death and Life

2007-11-25T05:15:00.000-08:00

Last night as I was preaparing for bed, my mom called and told me that my grandpa passed away in his sleep Friday night. This was shocking and hard to handle but I also know that God is here in the midst of our grief. I know that God is present with my family in the states and that He is here with me. I am grateful that I was able to talk to my grandpa on THanksgiving over the computer and he was bale to see MOriah through the video camera on our computer as we talked. I guess he talked all day about seeing his great granddaughter in India and how he wanted to send stuff for us. I am blessed to know that God knew the importance of this call.
Despite the giref we went to a 6am service in the slums today. The church was built out of concrete pieces and many scrap pieces of metal. The people are the most impoverished I have ever seen. They have absolutely nothing yet when I walked in with Moriah I saw their faces light up. I could see that the gift of life in Moriah brought them true joy. One older woman held her in her lap and just raised her hands and thanked God for Moriah's life. I believe it is truly amazing that in the midst of grief God can give us such gifts as this. I know that God has revealed to me that part of our ministry here is simply sharing the miracle of our little girl. It was also a blessing that the goats ate Rob's sandals and not one of the believers who cannot afford for a goat to eat their shoes:)

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Today Rob and I shared desserts with the office workers at the mission and told them that we were celebrating Thanksgiving. It was entertaining to try and explain the concept of Thanksgiving to them because it involves American history and culture. Even to explain that many people watch football and eat lots of food is kind of a strange concept to them. Hardly anyone can afford a TV or a meal with meat, so to celebrate this way is very strange to them in deed. The ladies cooking made mashed potatoes though and baked pumpkin in honey to try and help us feel at home:) I appreciated the effort and thoroughly enjoyed the potatoes. Moriah rested a lot today as she recovered from her shots she got yesterday and it was overall a very quiet day. We continue to rejoice in God's provision and pray for His guidance on how to serve Him in a better and deeper way.

All in the Timing

2007-11-21T01:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Rob was going through the mission files, books, and things that have been left by other missionaries. He found many tracts written in Tamil stored away. At the same time Magimadoss came to visit and mentioned he was going to the hills to do evangelism this weekend. Rob asked if he could use the tracts and his eyes got real big. Magimadoss said he was just praying for the money to buy some tracts for his ministry. So Rob was able to share these things with him and some other things we found which he could use. Magimadoss has a wonderful ministry in these villages and now we are praying for the resources to plant permanent churches in the area. These are previously unreached areas.
Paul Sunder Raj also came today to pick up the boxes of clothes which he will take to Bihar and distribute to the villages. He was thrilled to find over 20 boxes from America, New Zealand, and Chennai. We were blessed to see even the local churches here try to find clothes to send. These people already struggle for their own clothes but know that the destruction is immense in Bihar that the need is greater there and so they give even in their own poverty.
It is also interesting to note that it is now winter here. Winter means the high is in the low 80s and the low is in the low 70s everyday. It is amusing to me to see people wearing coats, hats, and gloves when it is 78 degrees. Kiruban asked why I did not have a sweater on Moriah and I laughed. I told him that people in America keep their Air conditioning on lower than this temperature. I was still sweating in my short sleeves. All of his kids were bundled up:) So the cultural lessons continue. Meanwhile the Indian people are sure that I am freezing my daughter in 80 degree weather:)

Motor Bike Wreck

2007-11-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

Raja's father Yesaw was in a motor bike wreck on his way home from preaching at a local church on Sunday. Raja is our driver and I have written about him and his family several times. Raja has an incredible heart for God. He is a sweet man and true servant of God. He was there with my mom as soon as they brought Moriah out of the delivery room. All of this to say he means a lot to us. His father Yesaw is a wonderful carpenter and has also worked for the mission for years. He broke his arm pretty bad and it is going to need surgery. We are thankful that God protected his life and now we pray for the healing of his arm. He is in a lot of pain and needs to find a hospital that will perfom the surgery for an amount that he is able to pay. The first hospital he went to said it would be 40,000 rupees which is about 1,000$. This is twice of what he would make in a year. So Raja's family continues to be attacked physically and financially. I believe there is a spiritual battle over this family because of Raja and his families great faith and spirit. Please pray for him. Raja fell down the steps two months ago and is still in pain. His wife has ongoing health issues which require an expensive specialist and his brother in law is having heart issues. Please pray for him.
Another worker here named Danny is going blind and this is a major concern. He is already blind in one eye and the other eye is deteriorating quickly. We are trying to send him to a specialist he cannot afford but they may not be able to anything. Please pray for Danny as well.

Another Answer to Prayer

2007-11-16T23:32:00.000-08:00

At the mission here we have been praying for Neil Armstrong and his wife Jansi. They were Indian missionaries to Malaysia but had to return to India because of visa problems. Jansi has had a very difficult pregnancy. She has been on bed rest since I arrived to India and in a lot of pain. Jansi has been in the hospital for the last couple of weeks so they could monitor her condition. Finally the did a c section and delivered a healthy baby girl! We are so thankful that God has given us so many healthy babies in the last couple of months. We truly have reasons to rejoice.
I have not written much this week because I have not felt well. I think I was trying to do a little too much after Moriah was born so I laid low the last couple of days and just focused on Moriah:) She can be tiring enough on her own. She is still growing fast and enjoying Indian life!
This week there was a VBS meeting. It was very confusing because the method of getting VBS started over here is way different than I am used to and the Tamil thing has made communication difficult. It is part of my job description to help with VBS because in America VBS is typically a womens thing but the male pastors are the ones that are on the committee here. At this point in India women are not equal in any way. Make pastors here would rather do it themselves and not consult a woman... So it has been a little crazy. I believe even the Christian view of women here is a cultural sin and does need confronted but I do not know if forcing myself as a part of their VBS thing is the way to do it. Christian men here treat their wives better than Hindu men but both are still not good. For example, Immanuel bought us chocolate on his recent trip. When Rob thanked him he said something about LIndsey being happy for the chocolate. Immanuel asked if Rob allowed me to have chocolate as a part of my diet... ummmm can you imagine an American man not allowing his wife to have chocolate. We would call that abusive! That is a very small example. The plight of the woman here goes much farther than that. Many girl babies are even murdered at birth because families only want boys. For poor families a girl is a burden because they will have to pay a large sum of money as a dowry when she gets married however a male baby brings in lots of money at a wedding. In some places there are only 900 girl babies to every 1000 boy babies. This is also why finding out the gender of the baby is illegal. Marriages are aranged and the dowry plays a large part. If the family cannot pay completely the dowry many times the wife is murdered so that the man can get married again and receive another dowry. The police force is not to great here so many times they get away with it. When the woman goes to live with her husband she usually lives with her in laws and becomes somewhat of a slave to the in laws. She is usually treated horibbly by the family. So these are some of the issues the women here face and that is what I want to deal with. I am working on meeting with pastors wives and learning how I can support and encourage them. Rob will continue to work on meeting with pastors and encouraging healthy families that way. We will continue to pray that God give us wisdom on how to handle these immense issues.

Locked in the Library:(

2007-11-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

Rob had a rough day at school today. He got there a little early so he could use the departments small library. He cant take books out of the library so he has to go and study when it is open. He was reading around 12:30 and the office worker acctually locked him in the library. They did not check to see if someone was in there or anything they just locked the door. Luckily a prof had class in there at 2 so he got out a little over an hour later. He was also informed that he has class everyday this week at 8 am and that he has missed several classes because no one informed him of the time change. For his one class they have had 4 different profs because the profs keep getting mad and quitting. The books just came in and the class is over in two weeks. The organization at this university is insane. We have tried to avoid saying things like, " This would never happen in an American University." but it is getting a little difficult. Anyways pray that we learn how to operate in this system a little better. And pray God provides an answer for me about my visa because it will be very difficult for me to make classes this randomly. It is not exactly what we signed up for:)

Sunday Naps

2007-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Paul Stenneys church about an hour away from where we live. It was a nice, small church. The people were celebrating their 7th anniversary at the church. They do this every year and it is a special time of fellowship for the church people. The service was long but very neat to be a part of. The service lasted from 9-1. Rob preached about the festival of lights they had this week and about how Jesus is the true light. It was a great message and very culturally relevant. He does great preaching with a translator... I am not nearly as smooth:) Moriah slept in between feeds at the service... She didnt want to sleep last night so church seemed to be the place to sleep:) The people loved to look at Moriah and pray for her. They are all still convinced that the acne on her face are mosquito bites but thats okay. We had a big meal of briyahni and then we came back to the house.
All three of us were ready for a big nap by the time we got home. It was great to have a break and be able to all rest together. Tonight we go to the airport to pick up the rest of the pastors from their trip to the Phillippines and Malaysia. I am excited about having everyone back and getting into a routine again:)

Study

2007-11-10T05:50:00.000-08:00

Rob has been doing lots of study this week. He is preparing to preach on sunday. We got a letter in the mail last week and the only words in English said, "Rob Musick will bring God's message." We had to have the letter translated so that we could find out when and where he was supposed to preach. I guess he is committed now:) Since many of the pastors do not speak english this is their way of asking us to visit and preach at their church. So that is what we are going to do tommorow. Rob has also had lots of school work. The semester wraps up pretty soon and since we started a month later than we were supposed to there is a lot to catch up on. Hopefully next semester will go at a better pace. Also we have been doing research on how we can set up training programs for pastors and leaders. Part of our job is to help establish a system for training. We are trying to decide whether it is better to send our people to established schools or whether we should try training through seminars which we put on. There are many things to take into account in making these decisions so we must continue to pray and research to make the best decision.

Is that really a firecracker...

2007-11-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Everything is louder in India. I can hear traffic and horns all night long... Tonight there is an added noise...or ruckus you could say. There are major firecrackers going off all over the town. we live next to government houses and they have been setting off firecrackers all night. It really sounds like we are being bombed. The first time a really loud one went off I yelled and ducked. I said, "Rob are you sure we are not being bombed?" He assured me that it is just another Hindu holiday called Diwali or festival of lights. I had heard about a big holiday coming up but I did not realize it would be soooo scary:) It does not seem to phase Moriah however. Since Moriah was born in India she seems accustomed to lots of noise. The doctor last week joked that Indian people thrive in a noisy environment. She said her husband studied in the states and while he was there he had to buy things to make noise at night because it was too quiet and he couldn't sleep. So when we bring Moriah home to the states we might need to invest in a similar set up.
Ernie is now back from the Philippines and Immanuel is coming back tonight. It sounds like the conference went really well and the pastors were able to spend lots of time together and grow closer. This is a huge blessing because the groups of pastors that went could really benefit from close fellowship with each other. Ernie said the only problem during the travel was convincing the Indian pastors that it was safe to eat at Burger King:) When they got to the Phillippines the pastors were hungry and the closest restaurant was a burger king. The pastors didn't know what to order because they didn't have rice. Finally Ernie made them all go sit down and he ordered them all chicken sandwiches, fries, and coffee. After that meal they just decided to order whatever Ernie and Immanuel ordered. Ernie reminded them that they always expect Americans and other visitors to eat their itly and Dosai (breakfast foods) and they should try to eat the food available in this country. So it was definitely a learning experience for all. I cannot wait to hear from the pastors about what they learned during their time away.
I took Moriah grocery shopping today as well. I was getting a little homesick so I went to the grocery store with some western products. Praise the Lord for stores with toilet paper and diapers:) I carried Moriah in a baby sling I brought from the states. The sling has been great because there are really not many places to put a baby here. There are not carts in the stores... (They are not that big and people cant buy that much for a cart) Other customers were amused by the sling. I have seen people use a similar thing here but mine still must have looked foreign to them. Either way it was good to get out with Moriah and get some items which remind me of home. We also received several cards from people in the states today which helped us feel loved:)

Downs Syndrome

2007-11-05T02:39:00.000-08:00

Today we met with pastor Stanley Foljer and his family for prayer. He brought his ten year old son Danny who was born with down syndrome. danny has had a difficult time because, as mentioned before, health care is severely lacking for the lower income/lower caste people. Stanely said that when they diagnosed Danny they simply told him that Danny was retarded and sent him home. Stanely looked for a special school for Danny for years. Finally after keeping Danny home for five years, he found a school which could meet Danny's need. The school cost 2000 ruppees a month which equals 50 American dollars and is 3/4ths of Stanely's monthly salary. He has found a donor to help pay for Danny's tuition for a year and is very thankful for this. He is receiving some occupational therapy as well but all of this falls short of the care Danny really needs. In America he would receive speech, physical, and occupational therapy. He would not have to pay for a special school and he would be given much more info on how to care for Danny. As it is Danny is a struggle for their family because special needs children are veiwed as a curse by Hindu's so when a Hindu meets them they think they are bad luck. This also effects their ministry because Danny can be very disruptive in church and this scares people. They do not understand his developmental delays. This has shown me that we must pray and act to help the situation of special needs folk here. There is a true need for education and medical care. We will pray for God's guidance on how to proceed from here. We will also continue to love Danny and his fmaily and learn how we can support his family and ministry.

Rains

2007-11-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

The monsoon was in full force today with major rains as people tried to go to church. The rains are so heavy that they really do shut down the city to some extent. Most people travel by motor bike, bicycle, or foot so this would be a very wet experience. All the buses even have open windows because of the other eleven months of intense heat and no access to A/C. You will find that schools even shut down because of heavy rains. Moriah and I did not go to church because of this. We are still trying to keep her in a lot to protect from mosquitos and heat and other things until she is a little bigger. Rob went to a church and preached on Psalm 147. He talked about God crying out for the plight of the poor. The pastor of the church is Gerald and he is a very happy man. He is always smiling when I see him. He loves to practice english so he calls often. His life is also an incredible answer to prayer. He and his wife literally hate each other several years ago. They were ready for divorce. He met with the missionaries here many times and through prayer God restored their marriage. God helped them to understand His heart for each other. This is a major blessing.

Saturday rest

2007-11-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

Moriah did not sleep last night so, her and I spent today resting... which of course sets us up for failure tonight:) Rob worked on his school papers which are due this week. We had several visitors from the mission today. It was Grace's birthday, she is one who helps clean and cook at the mission. She brought us breakfast and greeted us early this morning. It was also Noah's birthday today and he came to visit as well.
Does anyone have a guess as to why his name is Noah? Well his mother lived here at the mission when she was pregnant with him. He was born during monsoon season and the rains were so bad that it was impossible to leave the mission and go to the hospital. It was necessary for the missionaries here at the time to deliver the baby because the flooding was so bad. Well despite the incredible flooding, and inexperienced "doctors" Noah was born healthy. Noah seemed the appropriate name since he too survived the flood. This makes me grateful for many reasons. One reason is that my delivery was much easier!!! I am also grateful that Go has seen after His people here and met all their needs for a long time. We are new here and just begining to learn of all the incredible things the Lord has done.
We also got to play with hostel children next door today. They are very excited about Moriah. They all come and just look at her and talk to her. They love it. It is great to be able to bring a smile to their faces. They were also happy to have Rob take their pictures... They love the camera almost as much as they love Moriah! Pray for these children that God will continue to provide their needs in the absence of their families.

Deviraj's Story

2007-11-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Today we invited one of the office workers at the mission to eat lunch with us. You could see that he was incredibly nervous as he sat down. It is a huge thing for someone from the bottom cast to sit and eat at the table with us. We assured him that it was fine and he should feel free to eat lunch "Indian style." (Which is with your hands.) We also ate this way to help him feel at ease. We asked him how he came to know the Lord and he told us a great story of God's love which is most probably a typical situation for those who convert from Hinduism. Deviraj said that he had no peace in his heart when he was Hindu and raised in a Hindu family. He said his family was very hard and his dad would beat his mother. When he was a young teenager he went to a bible school program and heard a preacher share. He also saw the Jesus film there. When He saw Jesus' crucifixion story he said he wanted to know Jesus. It was then that he found peace. He also said that soon after he found the Lord, God healed him from an appendix problem. He was in so much pain and when he prayed to God the pain went away and he did not need surgery. He knew it was the Lord who healed him. We asked how his family handled his conversion and he said it was not good. He suffered a lot from his father because of his relationship with God. His dad came up to him while he was eating one day and just kicked him in the face. This makes marriage also difficult for an Indian because marriages are arranged here by the parents. He knew his parents would pick a Hindu wife for him so he did not go to them for this. He instead saw one woman at church and asked his pastor if he would arrange the marriage for him to this girl. The pastor was very happy to arrange his marriage and Deviraj and his wife are very good together. Deviraj also has a daughter named Daisy. It was good to hear his story today. He also bought us a sweater and hat for Moriah... (I know it never goes below 70 degrees here but they think 70 is really cold:) The sweater and hat are beautiful and we are so grateful for his kindness.
We also went back to the hospital I gave birth in today for a checkup. I love our doctor so much. We laughed a lot about Indian customs that Rob and I are not used to. She talked also about how when her husband went to study in the states he could not sleep because it was too quiet. He had to buy a fan and things to make noise because he could not handle the silence. We said that Moriah does not seem to be bothered by all the noise in India because she was born into it. It is good to know that the cultural struggle goes both ways. We also tried to get Moriah's Birth Certificate from the hospital today because we need it to take to the consulate to get her Americanized. The hospital had promised it would be ready in 20 days and it has been more than that. They told us it would be three more days... This is the game though. They will always say it will be three more days because they are waiting on a bribe. Rob got very frustrated because it is really not okay for hospitals to keep asking for bribes for everything they do for you. We Americans can afford the bribes but so many people cannot afford to pay every single person you run into in the hospital. So we debated about the birth certificate for an hour and then they said it would be ready later today. This is fine but it takes us almost an hour to get to the hospital so it is a huge waste of time to go back and forth but that is what we settled for. So the this afternoon we finally got Moriah's birth certificate. Now we must pray that we do not run into any more chaos at the consulate on Monday:)

It's not a rash!!!!!

2007-11-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

It has been quite educational to learn how Indians raise babies. Indians love to give advice, ecspecially to first time moms. I have heard several lectures on breastfeeding and they are very adament about it. The other topic that keeps coming up is baby acne. Moriah has a small case of baby acne and it is very apparent on her pale white face. Acne looks different on Indian babies. Every single Indian person that has seen Moriah in the last two days has asked if she has a rash or mosquito bites. One lady insisted that it must be her baby bed that is causing the rash because she has never seen a baby bed before and she has never seen acne on a white baby... so I guess they must be connected:) They dont use car seats here either. I bought one at an American baby shop but everyone who sees it is amazed at it. They call it Moriahs basket... They cannot figure out why I would need such a thing. I told Immanuel that I would be in big trouble in the states if I did not use on of these every time in the car. He was suprised. The moms here usually hold onto the baby while riding on the back of a motor bike. So the school on culture continues.
Today a woman came to the mission and asked for money to buy a train ticket for her family. Her husband is in a cancer hospital and she needs to take him back to their home village but could not afford the ticket. The mission gave her the train fare and prayed for her and her son before she left. Health care can be a horrendous ordeal for the poverty stricken here. If they cannot afford a doctor than they are sent to the government hospital where they most likely will not be treated at all. To get anything done a person must bribe the doctors, nurses, doorman, etc. There are very nice hospitals but very few can afford them. Please pray about how we can impact the situation of the sick here. We have a desire to do more social ministry but are seeking a way to best accomplish this.

Moriah goes to the doc

2007-10-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

Moriah went to have her weight checked today at the pediatricians office. We tried a different doctor than the original one she had at the hospital. We really liked this doctor and she was really easy to understand which is always a plus. Moriah weighed in at a whopping 8.1 pounds. Pretty good for starting at 6.6. She hasn't wasted any time beefing up:) She still looks tiny to me though. She was also measured at 50 cm long... I haven't converted that yet. The doctor said she is doing well. She has a case of baby acne but that should clear up on its own eventually. We will go back in a couple of weeks for more vaccinations and things.
Rob had class in the afternoon. He has learned that one of his professors is an Indian Christian who graduated from a Gospel for Asia seminary and is using his job at the university for ministry. It is neat that he and Rob both have hearts for the students and will be able to pray together for the profs and students they interact with. This profs name is Murugesan and he teaches the History of Saiva Siddhanta. It is a true gift from God to have people like this placed in our path.
Please pray for Raja (works at the mission). He fell down the stairs over a month ago and is still having pain in his leg. He has had tests done and they say it is just a deep bruise but he is in so much pain. I introduced him to Tylenol but I do not think it has done much to help. He tries not to show it and still works hard but it must be difficult for him. Also his son Marvin is sick and goes to see the doctor this week.

Monsoon

2007-10-29T04:07:00.000-07:00

Monsoon season has finally arrived. The temperatures are down into the 70's which is a huge relief from the sun and sweat. Yesterday it rained sheets all day. It never let up. The rain we get in this month of the monsoon season supplies much of the water for the year. The rainy season is necessary to sustain Chennai through the hot, dry weather the rest of the year. I kept Moriah home from church due to the immense rain and chill. Rob went to worship at one of the churches in the conference and greatly enjoyed his time there.
Moriah cried most of the afternoon... I think she missed her grandma holding and rocking her. Today she seems to be in a much better mood:) SHe goes for a check up tommorow to make sure she is gaining weight and things.
Today we are also sending some of our pastors and leaders to the Philippines for the Asia Pacific conference. Pray for this conference that the pastors will return renewed and on fire to do the Lord's will. Rob and I are not able to go of course because little Moriah is not ready to travel:) You can also pray for Rob and I as we will be without most of our co workers and english speakers. It should be an interesting week.

Busy Week

2007-10-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week and we have not been able to keep up with the daily aspect of this journal. Little Moriah is definitely keeping us on our toes. This week my mom was preparing to go back to the states so we did some shopping and sightseeing. We went to see St. Thomas Mount where St. Thomas was martyred. It is a beautiful sight and you can see a lot of the city from the mount. It is amazing to me that Thomas was here so many years ago but the Christian church in this area is still such a small minority. I believe our mission here is not only to help meet the physical needs of the hurting people around us but to intercede for this country in order to break the strongholds which holds it captive. Much of the battle fought here by Christians is a spiritual battle. I ask that you pray with us that India will be transformed and that the idol worhsip would be abandoned in order to worship the only true God.
We also had our monthly worship service with the area pastors and their families this week. The pastors brought their wives and we had a time of singing and prayer. Many of the pastors shared their concerns and struggles they have for their ministries. My mom was able to pray for these pastors and encourage them as well. I was able to introduce Moriah to the group and she was a big hit as usual:) We also had a meal afterwards to celebrate Moriah's life and also all that God is providing for us. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. As I spoke with the pastors wives I was able to learn all about how to care for a baby:) They had lots of advice on how to feed, bathe, and care for her. It was really good to see the women talking and laughing together. Women here are usually not invited to functions like this and they rarely get to speak freely. This is also one thing which we are trying to influence and it seems God is begining a great work in this area.
Finally, we went to dinner last night to celebrate my mom and her time here. The meal was nice but the fellowship was priceless. I am so thankful that my momma was able to come and experience a little of life in India and be a part of our little girl's first weeks. She was a tremendous help with Moriah and encouragement to all of us here. We will miss her presence but it reassuring to know that she will be praying for us in the States and sharing her experiences with all those back home.

Hindu Holidays

2007-10-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend Rob and I went on a walk across the road to a little general store. We passed a car dealership and saw a Hindu priest praying over the cars and decorating them and things. Apparently there was a Hindu holiday over the weekend which is celebrated by worshipping the items which provide your income. So the person who sells cars would worship the cars in their lot, a bus driver worships his bus, a cook would worship the stove and so on... The holiday was apparent everywhere because rickshaws and busses were decorated and most businesses were closed to celebrate their work. This concept just reminded me of how the Hindu people have been so deceived that they worship inanimate objects. They spend the little money they have to pay the priest to bless their occupational tools. I pray that one day God will break into this land and free people from the bondage of idolatry. I pray that God will reveal the lies which have oppressed this land.

Moriah's Big Day Out

2007-10-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

This morning we took Moriah out for the first time. We went to church at Solomon Rajan's church nearby. Moriah wore a pretty pink dress which was a gift from Magimadoss and Kirubakkaran (Two of the pastors who work hard in village ministry). Moriah was great throughout the whole service. The singing was a little loud for her at first but she slept peacefully after she adjusted to it. The kids at the church were so excited to see her. They all like to gently pinch her little toes and fingers. I was glad to share my new joy with these children. The pastor also prayed a prayer of dedication over Moriah during the service. The prayer was very powerful and I was very blessed by the time we had. There are pics and video of the service on our website.

Prayers Answered

2007-10-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today we have been praying for a man named David. He is the brother in law of one of the drivers who works at the mission named Raja. David is 35 and had symptoms of a heart attack. He was taken to a hospital and they said he had a blockage which would need treated. They also said that Davids family would not have enough money to pay for this level of care so David would have to be transfered to a government hospital. The care in a government hospital is not very good at all so this was a difficult move for the family to make. I know that I was just in one of India's nice hospitals and cannot imagine what a not so nice Indian hospital would be like. The mission spent time praying for David today and trying to find alternative ways to help him. This evening when Raja went to visit David in the hospital he seemed much better. David was talking and in much less pain. Earlier in the day he had paralysis on one side of his face and pain in his arm so it was an answer to prayer and a great blessing to see his condition improve so much. I am learning to trust God more and more through my time here because I see God move mightily and in very tangible ways. Please continue to pray for David's recovery and health.
We also had a meeting with the main workers in the mission in order to discuss our roles and responsibilities. I am very excited about what God is going to do in the next days and how our ministry will develop. Rob is going to focus on training and development of leaders in the churches. This is a major need because the pastors have little money for formal education. I will be doing children and womens ministries. The women here are very neglected. I am excied about getting to know the pastors wives and women leaders. I pray that God will show me how to be a blessing to them. We also have a meeting this week to prepare for VBS next year. This is a huge outreach project that the mission helps the churches pull off every year so it will be exciting to be involved.

Trinity

2007-10-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to participate in more of the mission activities, despite Moriah having an "American" night. (We joke that when Moriah is up all night it is because she is running on American time.) It was good to be a part of things again and meet with pastors and the other workers.
Rob had his class today and was able to have another important conversation with Ebodi, his Iranian Muslim friend. Every day Rob types the notes for his class and he helps her by sharing them with her. Today she asked Rob about how Christians could believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rob explained how Jesus was completely human and completely God. He was able to talk about the relationship between the Old and New Testament. Rob was able to share using Muslim settings and language. He used Muslim analogies to share that Jesus being God is essential to Christianity. Also during this discussion another student came and asked Rob to forge a document for him. Rob refused and said it was against his beliefs, so this was a witness for her as well. Keep praying for this relationship and that God would continue to be revealed through their studies and discussions. God is clearly answering our prayers about this relationship because she is initiating the discussion and God is providing the answers.

School continues

2007-10-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

The University of Madras has been an adventure since we even began the process of applying to school there. We keep hoping that it will become easier to understand what we need to do for class and how to navigate the system but it just seems to get more complicated. Today Rob found out that we have two ten page papers due on Monday. We did not know about these papers. The teachers never hand out any form of assignment. It is all done verbally and I have a feeling the assignments were given in Tamil and not English. When the profs slip into Tamil we have no way of knowing what they are saying. So please pray for us as we continue to try and understand exactly what we need to do for our school assignments. Also pray that I can balance my studies and new responsibilities as a mom. I know God has a plan for all this and He is using the school mightily in our time here but the details are still fuzzy:)

Routine

2007-10-15T04:21:00.000-07:00

Moriah has been home for awhile now and we are finally settling into a little bit of a routine. She had to go back to the hospital for a couple of days of phototherapy because of her jaundice but now we are all home and enjoying our new family life together. God truly has blessed us with this healthy, beautiful little girl. Sometimes during the pregnancy and in the last two weeks I have worried about little Moriah's saftey here in India but God has so blessed me with peace about our home and life here. God has shown me that He is the One that protected Moriah in the womb and helped me to have a safe delivery. God is the One who planned her birth here and has destined her to be a part of our mission. He is the One that is more than able to protect her in the US or in India.
Moriah is a great baby. She sleeps and eats and that is about it. She hardly ever cries and is as sweet as can be. We have had several of the pastors come and visit and pray for Moriah. It has been good for me to see the pastors and their wives care so much for this little girl and her safety. They always say that it is by God's grace that she is here. It always makes me smile when they praise the Lord with us for our little one. It is a cultural practice here to keep a newborn in the home for the first month of her life. We are going to follow that practice as well. It gives me time to adjust to motherhood and Moriah time to get a little stronger before taking on the world. At first I did not like the idea of staying in the house that month but now I am grateful for the opportunity to have her all to myself. We are able to pray for her and the work here and to take things slow. Rob is still attending classes and participating in services. He acctually went to class the Monday after she was born and the professor stopped the class and gave a ten minute break so Rob could wake up. I guess being a dad wore him out pretty good and the professor could see he needed a break:) Maybe being a new dad will be the thing that actually makes Rob tired:)
Meanwhile, please pray for Neil Armstrong. He is one of the Indian pastors we work with. He recently moved to Malaysia to work as a missionary in a very difficult area of unreached peoples. He had some success there but had to leave due to visa problems. Now it looks as though he will not be able to get back to Malaysia unless the Lord truly opens the door somehow. We know that God is able to provide the finances and the visa but it is difficult to wait. Also, pray for his wife Jansi because she is pregnant with their second child and experiencing some difficulty. This couple is very dear to our hearts and we believe God wants to bless them for their faith and willingness to abandon all for Him.

Moriah has come

2007-10-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Today at 7:18 am (Indian time) Moriah M arrived into this world. We went to the hospital on Thursday night at 8:15 pm to be admitted because the doctor had ordered an induction to take place. By the time the doctor came to start the process, God had broken through and answered the prayers of his people. Lindsey had started dilating and the doctor said "Let's wait until dawn before we do anything medically". By the time dawn arrived 5:15, Lindsey was ready to go to the labor room because Moriah was coming!!!! From 5:15-7:18 Lindsey had some very intense pain...only a gas for pain control, no epidural or shots in India unless really pressed for. Lindsey is my hero....The doctor, Dr. Uma Ram and her nurses were great. Moriah was completely healthy and happy...PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! Moriah is 6.6 pounds and very beautiful. Tonight Lindsey is resting with Moriah and her mother at the hospital. Either Emily or I had to come home and I decided to come home to allow more Mother, Daugther, granddaughter bonding...especially because Emily flew from America for this special time. She leaves on the 27th of this month. Dr. Ram has said that Lindsey and Moriah will come home tomorrow. Moriah will receive the standard vaccinations plus one for TB, which is common in India. We praise Jesus for such a great miracle (life and Moriah's health and safe/normal delivery)...Please thank God specifically tonight for this answer to our prayers:)

Baby Schedule:)

2007-10-03T03:55:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord that my mom arrived safely early this morning. Her flights were very easy and she even got here a little early. She was able to meet the office workers and some of our friends. She also brought a gift from her church, Northside Fellowship, for the flooding victims in Bihar. This is a great blessing and Paul, the missionary to Bihar, will be very grateful. There is a video testimony of his work in Bihar on our website if you would like to learn more.
Today we went back to the doctor and this time my mom was able to come with me. I was happy that she could meet the doctor and be a part of this. My Indian friends have all said that the baby must have been waiting for grandma to come. The tests at the doctors office went well but she decided that I need to be induced on Friday morning. She does not want to wait much longer because of the fluid levels. I trust her opinion so we are going to the hospital Thursday night and they will start a pitocin drip on Friday morning (America time it will be Thursday night). So it looks like baby Musick is scheduled to arrive on October 5th. I am happy to know that the baby will be coming but a little nervous about being induced. I am glad that I will be able to have Rob and my mom there to be with me. Thank you for your prayers regarding little Musick:)

Holidays

2007-10-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday have been holidays of some sort or another. Monday there was a city wide strike of some sort which was called by on of the leading political parties in India. This effected a lot of the travel so busses were not running and so forth. Rob's professor called it a "government sponsered holiday." We still had our monthly meeting with the pastors so those that could come still arrived and we worshipped together. We had a great time of prayer and praise. It was nice for Rob not to have to worry about school and other duties.
Tuesday is Ghandi's birthday so this too is a holiday here. The mission staff all have the day off and we can be more laid back today. Rob and Ernie are going to a Sunday school rally at one of the churches and I am going to stay back and hope for labor pains:) Having these two days to be more relazed is a blessing and gift when so many at the mission work extra frequently.
We are also preparing for my mom to come. She should arrive at 3:45 am. I am so happy that she is finally on her way and it looks like she is going to get to be there for her new grandbaby to be born... God has definately provided for us and shown us His great love for us as we have moved here. We are grateful for the way He has taken care of all of our needs.

Goodbye and Hello

2007-09-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-08T01:53:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

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.

We are still alive!!!!

2007-08-31T05:10:00.000-07:00

We have made it to India safe and sound and are now officially registered with the government. We are thanking God for all He has done to provide for our arrival. We have settled in to our new apartment and love our new place. They did a great job preparing it for us. The people at the mission have been so great in helping us adjust to the Indian culture. Rob and I now wear official Indian garb. I wear a Salwar Suit which is a long tunic with real baggy pants. Rob wears a long, colorful tunic to preach in.
I have seen my doctor here and she says everything sounds good. She is a great doctor and I am excited about having this baby this month coming up. I see her again tommorow for an ultrasound which will be good. The Indian people have always been concerned for my health and are constantly trying to get me to "take rest." I get more rest here than I did in the states:)
We had a welcome party today with all of the pastors and families in attendance. It was also a farewell party for Earl and Martha who have been here for ten years. They are leaving next month so it was good to celebrate them.
We have not acctually started school yet. Supposedly we start sometime on Monday... It seems that they were waiting for us to acctually get here to decide if they were acctually going to have class. Now that we have arrived they found two other students to join us and we will start soon. The professor has been very nice and helpful.
God is good to us all the time and we are grateful for your prayers. We will have more access to the internet in the next weeks so we will be able to update more often.