Painting & Proselytizing

These past few weeks have flown by. Last week was probably the most intense week we have had during outreach. We literally left by 9am each day and wouldn't return until after 8pm. During the mornings, we worked at a day care center which was actually the home of some Indian Christians. We were asked by our contact Josh to paint it so that it feels like a kindergarten. I was not expecting too much from myself in terms of artistic ability, but I was so happy with the result. We have so many talented painters on this team. Unfortunately not everyone was that great at cleaning brushes:) The paint was oil based and a nightmare to clean up. Nonetheless, I was amazed at the result as was our contact Josh.

At night, we would drive a long ways out to a farming village and share the gospel message using skits, songs, & testimonies. The area was known for having many drunk men. We had so many distractions during our time there including passing vehicles and motorcycles, screaming children, drunk men, and animals! Despite all the distractions, we saw people come forward to ask how they can have a life in relationship with this God we were describing. Many people described never having peace in their life and not knowing why.

This week, we have enjoyed some time off from ministry and have been spending time together reflecting on what has gone well on outreach and what has not. It has been a restful time. Monday we enjoyed going to the mall and eating at an American themed restaurant called "Sparky's". The food was great! On Tuesday, we took the team to a theme park and rode on some fun rides and not-so-fun rides. Wednesday, we are giving everyone a day to do whatever they want. We are looking forward to spending the rest of the week working at an adoption agency. We get to take care of some of the babies & children that are in need of a family. Most of them are girls as boys are preferred by families because of the way marriages are arranged. Parents literally have to start saving up for their daughter to get married off. They usually have to pay a dowry to the groom to take the woman as a wife. Sons are preferred because they receive money from the bride and her family. It's sad but here it is a reality that we Westerners have a hard time understanding.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support while I have been outreach. Please pray that the next few weeks go well for our team as we leave November 14th.

The Halfway Point

We have now been in Chennai for about a month of our two month outreach. I can't say it has been easy although we have had many blessings. This past week, we taught english twice a day. In the morning, we would meet up with about 10-15 college age students looking for help with conversational english. Some of them were good english speakers and others struggled. But it was still fun and exciting to interact with them and help them out. Most of them have never been out of India, so to get a chance to speak with people who use English as a first language is rare. In the evening, we went to a girl's hostel where there is an all girls school. Since there were about 60 or so girls, our team split up into pairs to teach different grades. I was fortunate to get the 10th year girls who spoke and understood english well. It was challenging to come up with new lessons each day that were fun and interesting for everyone. Some activities worked well and others did not, but the students gave a good effort. On the last day, we brought snacks for them to eat. I noticed as I handed them out that nearly all 60+ girls made eye contact and said "thank you" as they received the food. It was good to know they really appreciated the gesture.

We have endured much as a team this week. On Friday, we played soccer with the college age students in the morning group. Despite winning the game, we suffered two injuries: a black eye and a injured knee. Then all through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, a holiday called "Diwali", which is the Hindu festival of lights, is celebrated. To celebrate, firecrackers are set off all through the night and day. I'm not talking about little ones either. It literally sounds like we are in the middle of a war zone. It is annoying to say the least. Our team did not get much sleep, but we will be thankful for its conclusion. As we press on for towards the next half of outreach, please pray that our team will find the energy and motivation to keep going and to continue in unity.

In the thick of it...

I have now been in India for nearly 3 weeks. It had been so incredibly different than anything I have ever done. By now, we have visited numerous orphanages, churches, and participated in other ministries. There is literally so much going on here it is hard to comprehend. I'm amazed at how many people we have met and seen on a daily basis.

Currently, we are working all week at a place that takes in gypsy children during the day. Gypsies are people who live in communities of tents or shacks on the outskirts of villages. They don't actually belong to a caste and they make their living selling beads and jewelry. We literally go into the gypsy camp, pick the kids up, and take them to the house. There we teach them about english, give them baths, help feed them, and play with them. It has been in interesting experience especially since they don't even speak the native language here called "Tamil". They have their own gypsy language. Most of them have lice and don't ever get taught about hygiene. Once again I am reminded that I have no idea what it is like to grow up in their world, but I do know God loves these kids and these people.

Thank you again to everyone who is supporting me and my team in prayer. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue on these next few weeks. Outreach seems long at the beginning but them flies by quickly.

Isaiah 55: 10-11 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."