Update- The First Meeting of the 14

14 men were at our first meeting, most of whom we know from the last year of training. My team member has been doing training all over our state to fish for obedient men and/or women to take on the task of reaching the lost peoples of the state and ultimately this country. As Jesus began His ministry, basically, His first year he spent speaking to the multitudes. In His second year, Jesus chose 12 to come and be with Him, where He also sent them out for training. The final year of Jesus' ministry was devoted completely to the 12 he chose. He poured Himself into these 12, knowing that He was leaving them soon, and that they needed to be ready to take over for Jesus after His death, resurrection and ascention.


In the same way, our strategy here has been very similar. For the first year and a half, we have held meetings with many believers to come and see. We then held training sessions in different districts of our state. This was not only to help people understand better the path they chose to follow, but also to fish for obedient men and women who would ultimately become a small group that we could train in our final year on this field. This would then free us up for God to use us elsewhere, and give final responsibility to the national believers to reach their brothers, sisters, parents, friends and everyone in their state.


The 14 assembled this weekend, where we basically told them who we are, what company we work for and how we can help them. We will be going to where they are, once a month, one at a time. We committed to having integrity in all things, providing them the best training in CPM from our company, equip them for the task ahead and ultimately leave them next summer, like Jesus left the 12. They committed to using the best practices of CPM, to being accountable to each other, to working with thier own hands to be self supportive and not coveting anyone else's money, and many other things. We had a covenant drawn up where both my team member and I signed as well as each of the men. 13 of the 14 have signed. The last needed time to think to commit to what we have proposed.

This is a great start. We know that God has chosen this place at this time to begin to reach people and turn them to follow Him. We have the vision that this place, which is the lowest of the low in our region, is going to be used by God in a mighty way. If this place begins to change for the better, many people will begin to wonder what is going on, and slowly they will begin to realize that God is working here and will want what this place has. We are witness to a beginning of a great change right here.

Pray for the14, that they will believe in the things we are doing and follow them. Pray for us, as we go to them that we go with wisdom given from God, and that we remain teachable by them as well. We know that tough times are coming for the entire group, including us. We have counted the cost together, and the eternal reward greatly outweighs the troubles we will all face in the coming year. But we have the promise from our Heavenly Father- "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." ~Matthew 28:20(b)

First Meeting of The 12

We actually will be meeting with between 12 and 15 obedient followers of Christ. We will be spending Friday and Saturday with these CP's from all over our state to map out the next year of ministry together. My team member and I along with this evangelistic force will go over a covenant and then commit to to co-labor together to have the Gospel, as well as teachings of Jesus reach an enormous population. Just as Jesus chose to pour into just a small group of disciples for the last year or so of His ministry, so we have also found an obedient group of men and women to lead out for God and reach this place for Him. Pray for these two days coming up this weekend, that we speak with wisdom and are able to explain, with God's Word, the task that is ahead of us. I will update after the weekend on how the meeting goes.

Bad Water or Bad Manners?

Yesterday, my team member, our driver, our translator and two CP's went to a village for a short visit to help with their water problem. The only source of water this poor farming village has is an open well that is probably 50 to 100 years old. This is a common problem in the villages here. The water is OK for washing, but it is also their source of drinking water, which is not OK. Many more wealthy villages have hand pumps for each home. Last year, a church team came through and did some surveying of villages that they could help with their water problem. They donated money and told us to handle putting the hand pump in for this village. This helps them, and also opens a door for the local CP to visit frequently and share the Gospel with the people.

We wanted to meet the village leader, but he was not there. As we waited, we were all offered some home-made lemonade to cool off. 1st warning- One of the ladies comes in with a well bucket full of water. She then goes and begins to mix fresh lemons and sugar with the water for us to drink. (little voice is saying "caution") 2ND WARNING- She brings out a couple glasses for us, and we are to drink and give back so it can be refilled for the next person. The glasses were not clear, probably to hide the fact that the water was not all that clear. (little voice getting louder - "politely refuse it if offered") They offered, which I politely refused. One refusal is not enough here. You must say no 3 times for them to leave you be. I looked at our driver, who calmly gulped the water down. (little voice is saying "he's from here, you're not. Just say NO"). The little voice lost. I couldn't turn it down. I gulped it down, (Lord I'll put it down if you keep it down -or IN) as did the wife of my team member and the CP's and our translator. (little voice says "I warned ya! You're on your own dude!")

Then we walked out to take a look at where would be a good place to put the hand pump in the village. As we walked, we saw the open well they used. We looked down inside. A nice film covered the water. WARNING 3- My team member leans over to me (who, by the way has learned listen to his little voice and did not partake) and says "Dude, you probably didn't want to see that is what you drank." I'm a little nervous now. 4th AND FINAL WARNING- Our translator walks up beside me, looks in the well and says to me in a shocked/concerned voice, "We drank this water?" UH-OH. Out came a nervous laugh. After we got in the car, we prayed that none of us would get sick. Well, live and learn. Pray with us that we don't get too sick!

This whole journey is an adventure. If you can't have fun on an adventure, it gets boring or you get bitter.

Lord I'll Put It Down If You Keep It Down!

All right, a little humor in the midst of our lives is a good thing. If we didn't laugh at some of the stuff here, we would go crazy pretty quick. All cultures are different, and we just happen to be on the other side of the world from our own. That being said, there are many times we are challenged in our patience and taste buds by being offered something to eat or drink by the people of the house we are visiting. We have tried to coach the kids to eat what is put in front of them without making faces or saying stuff like "EEEEEWWW, that's NAAAASTY!" (Easier said than done with a 5 year old independent thinker!) We have eaten a lot of things that are delicious while here, all the while trying to practice what we preach. But there are a few things that have made the list of stuff I would not want to experience again. Some of this stuff looks appetizing, until it hits your tongue! Hence forth the prayer (in the title) before we taste something new in front of a host.

SPICED BUTTERMILK-

Made with curd, salt and pepper, and served in a glass with an ice cube. (More ice, less drink, please!) This drink looks much like a yogurt drink served here called Lassi, which is very sweet/sour and cool to drink on a hot day. We were served this at a house where my wife has her outfits stitched, and imagine our surprise when the taste of it hit our tongues. We choked it down, with a smile, all except for our 5 year old who made faces like he was going to gag and die- much to the amusement of the ladies of the house. I was also offered it by one of the local restaurant owners who I sit and talk with from time to time. I politely said no thank you, and was given the lassi drink instead.

DAHI VADA-

Served during some of the national festival celebrations here. Looks like a nice sweet cake in cream, right? Pretty much, spiced buttermilk with some soggy bread in a dish. Again, tastebuds expecting sweet, and we get EEEWWW! Our hosts realized that there was something wrong as we ate. Maybe we reverted back to being 5 years old with our own facial expression! We tried to finish, but just could not. There was too much, and no where to hide it. Our hosts were amused, and thankfully not offended. They told us they would protect us if served it again anywhere else, as it was too taxing on us!

THUMS UP COLA-

Yes, the spelling is right, just look at the bottle in the picture! Big Coca Cola product here, but nowhere near the taste of Coke or Pepsi, which we can get here also. I tasted this on one of my earlier trips here, and likened it to drinking Coke out of a dirty shoe, or filtered through a dirty smelly sock. Some have also called it Curry Coke. I try to avoid drinking it as much as possible, but when offered by a host... Our driver "N" doesn't like it either. He was visiting another house with my family and I, and were brought out glasses that looked like coke. As soon as I pulled the glass to my mouth, I knew it was Thums Up, and watched "N's" reaction when he tasted it, to which he looked over at me, smiled and then poured the drink into his friends glass. I followed his lead and poured mine into my wifes glass. Don't worry, she doesn't mind the taste. My new name for this drink is, you guessed it, Thums Down.

I know we'll have many many other opportunities to sample some more of the local tastes while here. So, in the mean time, we'll just have to learn by doing and keep uttering the prayer, "Lord I'll put it down if you keep it down!"

Sowing the Seed- Part II

So, getting back to the team that visited us from our home church-

Previously, I had been part of and lead a couple teams here on short term trips to teach new believers and encourage them as they go out to plant churches and proclaim God's kingdom on Earth. Important, but our strategy for volunteer teams when they come is for Gospel saturation. Nothing draws a crowd here quicker than a few foreign faces and some stories to share. The team did a great job the first two days, sharing with close to 400-some people who had never heard before. It was good for them to see how they fit into our strategy of reaching an unimaginable population who have never heard of Jesus. They said it would be much more of a draw for people to come on a trip to be sharing their testimony and the Gospel of Jesus rather than try to teach at a conference or seminar. Some of the members of this team have been on other international trips, and one of them said that this was the best one they had been on. They got to see fruit, and life change in front of their eyes. I thank God for their obedience to come and be part of our work here, and know much more about how to partner with us.

Anyways, the last day our team was in the field we planned to walk through a village area. On the way, we were invited into the house of one of the neighbors of our local CP. We shared who we were and we all drank tea (in 100+ degree heat mind you). One of our team shared his story with the whole family, and then we shared the Gospel of Jesus. The leader of the family said that this was a big decision and to ask him to make this decision now is difficult. He said that what we shared was good, but for him to make a decision would not only affect him but the entire family would be affected also. We told him that it was ok that he thinks about these things. It is better than him saying flat out "no". He is a wise man and a good family leader. Our local CP is going to continue to build this relationship further to be available for any questions that might come up.

We then left and walked through a local village, again drawing quite the excitement. A young man asked us to sit down under his small covering for shade and he offered us water. We offered to share a story. We actually acted out a skit about 3 people on their way to heaven- A priest who talks to God for the people; A person whose parents were religious; and a person who gives much time and money helping the poor. All these people thought that they would go to heaven and have no problem. On the way, they come across a man who wants to go with them. They ask what he does, and he tells them that he is just a man with sin in his life. The three tell him that he will probably not get into heaven, but he can come along only if he walks behind them a ways. When they get to the door of heaven (another of the team stands there as Jesus) all try to get in by knocking, but there is no answer, even when all three bang and yell. Just as the three are discussing why the door won't open, the sinner gets on his knees before the door, confesses that he is a sinner and asks Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus opens the door and welcomes him in with a hug, to the astonishment of the three (and many of the audience). We then explain to them about each person and then give the Gospel. There were people everywhere, about 200, and we were in the middle of the village road. People were climbing onto walls, into trees and pushing in close to see us and hear what we had to say. The young man who first invited us to sit accepted the salvation as did about 4 others- right in front of the entire village!! Our CP said that many times people are too shy to come forward in front of large amount of people as that, so the ones that did must have really been feeling the call from Jesus. We asked them how they all felt, and they said they felt peace. What a blessing to see eternal life change right in front of us like that! We moved on after some time and were invited into a house that was newly built and they were celebrating the opening. They counted it good luck for foreigners to come in to the house. When a house is new, before Hindus move in they have the local pundit come and do puja (hindu worship) in the house for a whole day while neighbors and family and friends come by. We were able to come in and witness some of this. We know that when they do this, they are inviting many kinds of evil into their home. This day, however, the Lord had us there. They actually asked us to pray a special blessing on the house! We all did, so Jesus' name has been proclaimed in this house. We prayed that they find peace when hearing the name of Jesus and that prosperity will come to this family and house in His name!

All in all, the trip was great! Thank you FBC for a great visit and for proclaiming the name of the Lord to the ends of the Earth! You may never know how many lives you actually affected, but the results and the glory belong to the One True God, and He will bless you for your obedience and faithful service!