One of my favorite parts of the mission trips I've been a part of is the people I get to meet. Every time I go somewhere I am reminded that I am not bringing Christ to these people. Clearly His word tells us that He goes before us and we are to join Him in the work that He is already doing. Here in India everywhere we go we are treated as honored guests, but I feel honored to get to serve alongside the Christ followers that we have met here.
Meet Raji (center):
Sunday night we went back to the church for a "meet & greet" with the nationals who are working with us for VBS. It was a great time to get to formally introduce ourselves, share a little about what we had planned and who was going to do what, and to get to pray together over the children who would be coming. Sanji (Babu's wife) speaks very very fluent english and she prayed (in english) for us at the end of the meeting. My heart broke to hear her heart for her people and her love of God's glory. I was again reminded that I am not bringing anything special to the table just because I've been in a plane for 19 hours. How dare I feel like I have any answers because I come from America. I do not, my God does. Just as He leads me, He also leads and loves His people on the other side of the world. We are truly working together this week to accomplish a common goal.
Monday we had our first day at VBS. Close to 80 children were able to come and we had a blast! We are teaching the children the Gospel based on a color system. Today's color is gold to remind us that God is the King and that he loves us very much. The main craft is to make and decorate crowns for everyone. We had to send dad back to our hotel to pick up the extras that had been left and he got to experience India on the back of a motorcycle. When he got back he said, "That was the scariest thing I've even done! I asked Jesus into my heart three times, converted to Islam, tried Hindu and finally came back to Christ before that ride was over." Ha! Thanks for braving the traffic to save the day!
Meet Raji (center):
Raji has been a member of the church Babu started for a very long time. (Babu boasted for her that she was the 5th member to join.) Raji has a disability and many doctors told her it would be impossible for her to have children. The church they began praying with her that God would give her a child. They prayed for an entire year, and then another, and then another until Raji had been praying with her church for three whole years that God would give her a child.
Standing beside Raji are Moses and Aaron... her 17 year old twin boys. God not only gave Raji a child, He gave her two sons who are now following Christ and serving with her in the church she joined all those years ago. All three of them are leading in the VBS we are doing this week and it has been so cool to see the boys stepping up and taking on the leadership roles. They truly are servant leaders doing anything we (or anyone else) asks of them and doing so with smiles and an obvious joy. (Yes, I know they are not smiling in the picture, Indias don't smile when you first take their picture. I'll get them to smiling at some point this week.)
Sunday night we went back to the church for a "meet & greet" with the nationals who are working with us for VBS. It was a great time to get to formally introduce ourselves, share a little about what we had planned and who was going to do what, and to get to pray together over the children who would be coming. Sanji (Babu's wife) speaks very very fluent english and she prayed (in english) for us at the end of the meeting. My heart broke to hear her heart for her people and her love of God's glory. I was again reminded that I am not bringing anything special to the table just because I've been in a plane for 19 hours. How dare I feel like I have any answers because I come from America. I do not, my God does. Just as He leads me, He also leads and loves His people on the other side of the world. We are truly working together this week to accomplish a common goal.
Explaining one of the activities. Home-made snow!
Babu and Russ
Grandma Sharon has already found some "littles" to love on. :-)
I sure do love these two people!! (Mom and Dad)
Monday we had our first day at VBS. Close to 80 children were able to come and we had a blast! We are teaching the children the Gospel based on a color system. Today's color is gold to remind us that God is the King and that he loves us very much. The main craft is to make and decorate crowns for everyone. We had to send dad back to our hotel to pick up the extras that had been left and he got to experience India on the back of a motorcycle. When he got back he said, "That was the scariest thing I've even done! I asked Jesus into my heart three times, converted to Islam, tried Hindu and finally came back to Christ before that ride was over." Ha! Thanks for braving the traffic to save the day!
Dad teaching the bible lesson about how God is the King or Kings.
I love this shot! :-)
Awe... I think he needs some grandkids to play with. :-) Someday...
This little guy stole my heart. <3 p="">
After dinner tonight (Monday) we will be going to a home-prayer meeting with some of the church members. I'm excited to get to be inside someone's home and share in their prayer service tonight!
(Not sure why he has a plastic bag on his hand... but isn't he just adorable!)
12 Kilos of rice to feed everyone at Bible School!
Yeah... he needs a grand-kiddo!
After VBS some of us went out for a walk. I really enjoy just seeing the sites! Everything here is so different from what I know and I really enjoy getting the chance to explore and take it all in. For instance, sometimes there is a man walking a goat right down the middle of a busy intersection:
And sometimes you see something you've never seen before. I don't even know what this is... but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna spend half of my money on it because it is SSOOO good. 20 points to anyone who can tell me. It's not a strawberry, but it is similar in size. I would guess from the stem that it grows on a tree. The man we bought it from showed us how you peel the two layered skin and eat the "meat" inside. It is a clear, sort of jelly consistency and is very sweet and juicy. The pit is dark brown and smooth.
Thanks for the post, Karen (this is Aunt Ginger). I am praying for all of you. I especially love the shots of your dad and the story of his experience in traffic!
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