Good Morning, although it is about 6:45 in the states. I wanted to get caught up to date in case I don't have a connection for awhile. Yesterday, we left our hotel at 6:30 and visited 3 Mercy Homes. The roads here are very poor. Lots of bouncing and jarring. It takes a long time because we have to drive slow. At the first home, they kept the kids home from school so that we could see them. They wanted to meet us very badly. The conditions in the homes vary, but all are worse than anything we could ever imagine in the states. Our worst housing is so much better. The kids again have a school uniform and another outfit, all kept in a very small carry on suitcase sized container.
When we asked the kids what they wanted to become, alot said the ministry. We asked them why and they said that they wanted to do for others as others have done for them. Many also wanted to become lawyers, doctors, engineers, policeman and mayors. They all had prepared songs for us. What a huge honor for us. When we asked them what they praid for, they said things like wisdom, pencils of their own, and one home didn't have a toilet. Now, we aren't talking about a western toilet, but a hole in the ground to a septic tank contained within a small brick shed. That way, they wouldn't have to go over the hill anymore in the rain to go in an open field. Cab u imagine? It broke our hearts. A stinkin bathroom is what they wanted. $500 us dollars. How could we say no. You should have seen and heard them. We have been asking God for a bathroom since June and He answered, He answered. They than began spontaneously praising God, shaking our hands. How do you not cry over that. How humbling is that. God used us as an answer to their prayers.
When we left the states, I felt that God wanted us here for reasons other than us just seeing the homes, but I didn't know why. Now I know one of the reasons. To provide a toilet!!!
At one of the homes, a pastor had 4 girls plus 3 of his own. There were 3 more girls, all sisters, who he had also taken in, but weren't part of the home. Just on his own, he couldn't leave them on the streets, so he took them in. He actually hid them from us. We are now trying to get them included in the home so that the pastor can get financial help. So many stories. All 3 had malnutrition. In one home, 6 boys slept on 2 twin mattresses put together. These kids were so proud of being able to go to school. Nobody had to motivate them. In one of the homes, they served us coconut juice straight from the nut. It was amazing!!!
These pastors and their wives are true heros. They give up themselves, spend themselves, to care for the orphans, yet nobody will ever know their names, but God. And that is enough for them. They are now seeking to put wells in or next to the mercy homes, so the whole village can have water without having to walk miles. The cost is $1,000. Another witnessing tool for the Gospel. In one of the homes, they had a water holding tank and they used the water, not only to drink, but also as a baptismal for the church.
The doctors from the UK have shared alot with us. Young girls being sold into prostitution is a big problem in India. Infant girls are also still being sacrificed to appease false gods. Can u believe that still happens?
44,000 kids are reported missing every year and 11,000 are never found, yet nobody cares because they are just poor village kids. They have no voice.
At the girls home, 2 of the girls didn't have complete Bibles, so we bought them at the cost of a whopping $8. I gave them the pictures I had of my girls and told them that they were now sisters. They took the photos and put them right on the wall. You should have seen their smiles.
So many thoughts swirling around my brain. Keep praying for us. Everyone is feeling well. No illnesses yet. They are running us like crazy, yet it is amazing. We are going this morning to another home and then back to the headquarters in Cochin.
We will be preaching in the church of 300 on Sunday and then again at a pastors meeting on Monday. On Tuesday, we are flying to central India to visit the rest of The Pursuit homes and then back on Friday. I will try to update if I have connections.....
Grace, Gary
Friday, October 31, 2008
Oct. 27-Oct. 31, 2008
Hey All,
How is everyone doing? I really miss everyone there! It has been an amazing trip so far. So much to tell. First, let me share with you that there has been a bombing, if you didn't know in India, but we are in the extreme South and the bombings were in the extreme North. So, we are safe. I do have friends in that area, so please be praying for that region.
I want to catch you up. We haven't had a connection to the internet until now, so that's why we haven't been on yet. The internet is different here and you never know when you can get connected.
On Wednesday, we arrived in Cochin, India. The flight was 29 hours total including layovers in the various airports; Denver, Frankfurt, Dubai, and then landing. What a mix of people we saw. $11 for a burger, fries and a drink in Germany, but that was all they had and we were hungry. A bottle of water was $3.50. I had been up since 5Am, so that made about 45 hours without any sleep. I can't sleep on airplanes, so we just dozed alot for a few minutes here and there (Danny snores). We just rested on the first day, but were gone at 5Am the next morning.
On Thursday, we drove 8 hours south to visit our first Mercy Home. They want to take us to every one that The Pursuit sponsors. Along the way, we saw beautiful green vegetation, rubber trees and even an elephant walking down the road like he owned it. We also saw wild Peacocks and even monkeys. We stopped to look at the Arabian Sea and even had a red banana. Driving here is, well shall we say different. We found ourselves praying alot. We met some UK doctors that are here working with the Mercy Homes, and they traveled with us. There were three different cultures all singing worship songs together. The Americans did their best to keep up. We also saw men working the old fashioned way with a team of oxen plowing a rice field. Really hard work! We arrived at our hotel. Lots of skeeters and other flying things that were unidentifyable. This was one of the nicer hotels. They did have western toilets (a huge deal).
We then went to a Mercy Home and met the kids. So many stories. On the wall of their home it said, "Purcute Mercy Home." The kids were so excited to see us, as we represented how they were now being cared for. The kids were so thankful. I mean, really thankful. The first words out of their mouths were, "Thank the Lord." Those were always their first words. The next were always thank you multiple times. That a church and people whom they had never met were praying for them and supporting them was overwhelming to them, and their response was overwhelming to us. And they know that we love them because of Jesus.
Most of the children had no fathers. Most had died of aids, or other illnesses, that were preventable. Some fathers just abandoned them. Some had both parents who had died and without the homes would also be dead. This home also served as the church for the village.
We went to a village meeting that night in that home and the litlle 10 by 10 room was packed with about 75 people. People brought in in wheelchairs, carried in, etc. Evidentally, they knew we were coming and were waiting for us to arrive. The smiles we received were amazing. They told us that they had been praying for The Pursuit daily. Their are 4 Mercy homes in this area and 9 church plants. Each church has about 25-40 members. Really in Acts 2 style. Lots of house churches, each with a pastor. These people were so passionate about God. Not embarassed, raisinf their hands, singing with all their heart; amens everywhere. All eyes were always completly focused on whoever was speaking. They just wantged to hear about Jesus. The 2 hours passed so quickly. And talk about prayer? These people knew the power of prayer. All they wanted to do was pray. After we shared encouragement from God's Word, I must have prayed with people for 30 minutes. They actually had to tell me it was time to go. Still, they wanted to pray more with the pastors from America. They couldn't believe that we would travel all that way to be with them. We had to really focus when sharing because Bugs, big ones, kept landing on our Bibles. I got dive bombed a couple of times by I don't know what!!! I prayed with one 28 year old woman who had just lost her husband to a heart attack 3 months ago. He was only 30. She was now alone with a child. Her name was Christina if you can believe that. Her future is so uncertain without a husband, but she has the church.
The home was so minimal. No real roof to speak of. No windows, only openings. The children and the pastor and his wife slept on the floor. They had smiles though. They were happy and content. They were materially poor, but spiritually wealthy. I wonder who needs more prayer. They are happy with food, a roof and some clothes. Most kids had a school uniform and another outfit.
Everyone was so hospitable, and of course they wanted us to eat (again we prayed alot for the food). They had said what a huge day in their lives it was to meet us. Wow....God is working and using The Pursuit in the lives of people.
More next time....Peace, Gary
How is everyone doing? I really miss everyone there! It has been an amazing trip so far. So much to tell. First, let me share with you that there has been a bombing, if you didn't know in India, but we are in the extreme South and the bombings were in the extreme North. So, we are safe. I do have friends in that area, so please be praying for that region.
I want to catch you up. We haven't had a connection to the internet until now, so that's why we haven't been on yet. The internet is different here and you never know when you can get connected.
On Wednesday, we arrived in Cochin, India. The flight was 29 hours total including layovers in the various airports; Denver, Frankfurt, Dubai, and then landing. What a mix of people we saw. $11 for a burger, fries and a drink in Germany, but that was all they had and we were hungry. A bottle of water was $3.50. I had been up since 5Am, so that made about 45 hours without any sleep. I can't sleep on airplanes, so we just dozed alot for a few minutes here and there (Danny snores). We just rested on the first day, but were gone at 5Am the next morning.
On Thursday, we drove 8 hours south to visit our first Mercy Home. They want to take us to every one that The Pursuit sponsors. Along the way, we saw beautiful green vegetation, rubber trees and even an elephant walking down the road like he owned it. We also saw wild Peacocks and even monkeys. We stopped to look at the Arabian Sea and even had a red banana. Driving here is, well shall we say different. We found ourselves praying alot. We met some UK doctors that are here working with the Mercy Homes, and they traveled with us. There were three different cultures all singing worship songs together. The Americans did their best to keep up. We also saw men working the old fashioned way with a team of oxen plowing a rice field. Really hard work! We arrived at our hotel. Lots of skeeters and other flying things that were unidentifyable. This was one of the nicer hotels. They did have western toilets (a huge deal).
We then went to a Mercy Home and met the kids. So many stories. On the wall of their home it said, "Purcute Mercy Home." The kids were so excited to see us, as we represented how they were now being cared for. The kids were so thankful. I mean, really thankful. The first words out of their mouths were, "Thank the Lord." Those were always their first words. The next were always thank you multiple times. That a church and people whom they had never met were praying for them and supporting them was overwhelming to them, and their response was overwhelming to us. And they know that we love them because of Jesus.
Most of the children had no fathers. Most had died of aids, or other illnesses, that were preventable. Some fathers just abandoned them. Some had both parents who had died and without the homes would also be dead. This home also served as the church for the village.
We went to a village meeting that night in that home and the litlle 10 by 10 room was packed with about 75 people. People brought in in wheelchairs, carried in, etc. Evidentally, they knew we were coming and were waiting for us to arrive. The smiles we received were amazing. They told us that they had been praying for The Pursuit daily. Their are 4 Mercy homes in this area and 9 church plants. Each church has about 25-40 members. Really in Acts 2 style. Lots of house churches, each with a pastor. These people were so passionate about God. Not embarassed, raisinf their hands, singing with all their heart; amens everywhere. All eyes were always completly focused on whoever was speaking. They just wantged to hear about Jesus. The 2 hours passed so quickly. And talk about prayer? These people knew the power of prayer. All they wanted to do was pray. After we shared encouragement from God's Word, I must have prayed with people for 30 minutes. They actually had to tell me it was time to go. Still, they wanted to pray more with the pastors from America. They couldn't believe that we would travel all that way to be with them. We had to really focus when sharing because Bugs, big ones, kept landing on our Bibles. I got dive bombed a couple of times by I don't know what!!! I prayed with one 28 year old woman who had just lost her husband to a heart attack 3 months ago. He was only 30. She was now alone with a child. Her name was Christina if you can believe that. Her future is so uncertain without a husband, but she has the church.
The home was so minimal. No real roof to speak of. No windows, only openings. The children and the pastor and his wife slept on the floor. They had smiles though. They were happy and content. They were materially poor, but spiritually wealthy. I wonder who needs more prayer. They are happy with food, a roof and some clothes. Most kids had a school uniform and another outfit.
Everyone was so hospitable, and of course they wanted us to eat (again we prayed alot for the food). They had said what a huge day in their lives it was to meet us. Wow....God is working and using The Pursuit in the lives of people.
More next time....Peace, Gary
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)