India

My New Friends

2009-02-27T05:34:00.001-08:00

Asha and Shahim

I have made some new friends, and I will never forget them as long as I live.

Asha is Hindu. Shahin is Muslim. Not only did I befriend them, but they befriended each other. They were both translators for our "Pearl of Great Price" cancer awareness program.

Shahin has been friends with missionaries that live here full time. She lives near the compound where we stayed. She worked two days with us.

Asha is best friends with one of the other translators. She had never met any of us before, including the missionaries that live here. She would take a bus to our part of town both days to work. She was so very bubbly and enthusiastic. Just a joy to be around. We were under the impression that she was a believer, but told us she was Hindu. She believes in Jesus, as well as many other gods. Which is not uncommon among for her religion. Asha invited us to her house. Shahin told us that is was a tour hour bus ride, so naturally i thought she lived away from the city. Not the case at all. She just lived closer to the center of the city.

There is no zoning here. There are very few roads that go straight through for a long distance. We took one of the auto rickshaws to the bus station. Then a bus onto her house. It did not take two hours, but it did take a while. She was so excited about us coming that she took a bus to meet us at the bus station, and then paid for our bus fare.

When we got to her house her grandmother and mother were cooking for us and it smelled so good! I am glad that I had been to the slums, so I could appreciate what a nice home she had. It was not much bigger than my den, but it had a living area, bedroom & kitchen. And honestly, what more do you really need. Asha showed us her collection of teddy bears. She also had a collection of coins. Thank the Lord I somehow had a quarter with me even though I had emptied my coin purse before I left the states. She now has an American quarter among her collection.

Lunch was probably one of the best meals I have ever had. I mean it was AMAZING. So good!! We ate with our hands, well our right hand. They kept wanting us to eat more and more. I am thinking it is probably the only time they have served Americans. When we were done they told us it was fine if we wanted to take a nap. We declined. We left around 2:30, but not before Asha taught me some dance moves. When we were done, her mother complimented me by saying she was surprised how well I moved being as I was so plump. LOL.

We started our long journey back. I have to say, no matter what part of town you are in, there is no zoning. None. I would get lost rather easy, as it all looks the same.

2009-02-25T17:44:00.001-08:00

This is just a roaming cow eating some garbage on the street.

I saw this little boy running around in front of the hospital. He is so cute. From what I have been told, people don't like to have "cute" children. They think that the evil spirits will attach their children, so try to make them ugly by putting dark spots on their faces. They will even put earrings on the boys to make them look like girls. Since the girls are not considered worth much.

Some local boys we encounter while prayer walking.

Some of the women on the team. In the back: Daneida, Alex, Erin. In the front: Moi, Sheridan

I was trying to take a picture of the cows walking the streets. When I looked at this I was thinking "What in the world got all over the lens?" So I took three more after I wiped off the lens and they all looked that way. Then I figured out that the specs are the dust in the air. It is INCREDIBLY dusty here.

Today!

2009-02-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I have not been able to post on here everyday like I had intended. The first two nights we did not have Internet where we stayed, and since we have been in a place with the Internet it has been sporadic. I have been told that the problem is called i-n-d-i-a. hehe
WOW. I have so much to say at this point. The team has had an amazing 4 days so far.
Right now it is 7:30 on Thursday morning. Today me and a couple of team members are going to one of our translators house. Asha is 19 and just the most bubbly girl. She invited the entire team over, but since this is the Holy Spirit day, they have other divine appointments.
I am going to grab some notes to give the complete story since we arrived.

The Body of Christ

2009-02-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

I just have to say how blessed I am!!
Thank you to all of my friends and family that have sent in Support Funds! Your obedience is inspiring! My airfare and room & board have been covered, and then some! God is good! (I need to stop using explanation points, but I am just so excited!!!)
Thank you also to my dear friends from small group that came and prayer over me last night. I feel very blessed to have you in my life, and praying for me!
Well it is time for me and Mr Der to go and Bella out of school and drop me off at the airport. My next post should include some pics... of INDIA!!
xoxo

Spiritual Buffalo

2009-02-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

I have nothing of greatness to say today... so far. However I did come across this and thougth it was worth sharing.

"There is a scene in the movie Dances with Wolves where the Sioux are on a much anticipated buffalo hunt. As they come up over a hill, they are shocked to see a field full of buffalo carcasses. The tragedy of that moment is that where the Sioux use every piece of the buffalo—the bladder holds water, the bone makes a tool, the skin is a covering for a tent- whoever has done this has taken the best part of the buffalo for himself and has left everything else to waste. There is no way to make good use of all that is lying in this field.

I was so convicted when I went to Africa that I am not using all of my spiritual buffalo. I have developed this one side of my personal relationship with God. I go to church, I have incredible worship, and I listen to incredible speakers. I have money to buy devotionals, and leisure time to do those devotionals. I have spent a lifetime grooming a personal faith in Christ, but have I been taking the best piece of the buffalo for myself? There has been a joy in discovering the good use of my life. There is a reciprocal redemption that happens when we enter into stories of helping our neighbor—not just around the world, but in our own communities. When I came home from Africa, instead of feeling guilty for my life, I began to hear God in a very clear way say, ‘that thing carries water, that thing makes a tool, that is covering for a tent.’ There is a beauty to the good use of a life, and to the acknowledgment that everything you have and do has a Kingdom purpose. "

Written by Sara Groves

Add to the Beauty

2009-02-04T08:30:00.001-08:00

There is song sung by Sara Groves called 'add to the beauty.' It completely sums up how i feel at this point. this is the chorus

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

I could not have penned it better myself. I am so excited about having my own story to tell. And I have to say that since i have been drawing myself closer to the Lord in preparation for my mission trip, I CAN feel His light inside of me and it is burning!!

And as a little shout out, the entire album, Add to the Beauty, is wonderful!! She is a wonderful song writer and follower of Christ.

woopsie

2009-02-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to retract a thing or two from last night's post.
First of all Qur'an is the correct spelling. (most of y'all know I am a TERRIBLE speller) It sounds like "Coron."
Second, as a read more in the book I found out that when the Muslims are converted, they do not get rid of the Qur'an. They keep them to testify to their families. They no longer "believe" the Qur'an, but turn around to use it as a tool to reach the lost. I find that amazing. They are likely to be prosecuted, beaten by their own families for choosing Christ. Still they go out and share the gospel. I dont think i am that strong, YET!!
The thing that is so cool is that we (the missionaries) are not the ones reaching these people. we are starting the fire, but it is the natives doing most of the work, reaching their peers. We are just the firestarters!

Here is a little excerpt from the book
- One brother who had been beaten repeatedly declared "They can cut my body into a thousand pieces and each piece will cry out ' Jesus Christ is Lord!'"

Letters

2009-02-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

I was told by out mission leader to send out a letter. So I wrote that tonight. It basically gives my schedule and prayer request. When y'all get it, put on it the fridge! I am sending these mostly so everyone will know my specific prayer request.

I am getting really excited about what is going to happen.

Last night at our missions meeting i was give the book "the camel." It is about using the QuRan(muslim bible) to reach the Muslims. The QuRan does have Jesus and some bible versus in it. Muslims believe that Jesus was a profit. So this book is training me on how to use the QuRan as a bridge to the bible. Once they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they will get rid of the QuRan.

Pretty cool!

Preparation

2009-01-29T08:31:00.000-08:00

I thought it might be a good idea for me to blog about my journey. I am leaving for India in just over three weeks. I am going on a mission trip with my church, First Baptist Church Colleyville. We are going to speak to the Muslim women about breast cancer awareness and most importantly the gospel.
Please pray for me, that I will be willing to go outside of my comfort zone for His glory!