The way this is going to work, is I'm going to post all of the entries in my journal with the date that it was written (So look at the ones from July 10th - August 5th, cool?) And you'll get to see what's going on inside my head each day that I'm on the mission field :)
HERE WE GO :)
PS, it might take a little while to get the whole month's entries up, so bare with me :)
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
7-20-2010
(7-19 was a free day)
All day today, I could feel God stirring something awesome up for our ministry tonight. We waited around all day for our briefing on the area we were going to. FInally, the info came...
We would be going to an untouchable village that had NEVER heard the gospel before.
My heart perked up, this is an UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP!
The pastor told us that they were called 'untouchable', because in Hinduism, everyone believes that there is a "Brahma(measure of god)" inside of everyone. This is where the caste system gets it's different classes. The untouchable cast didn't have any Brahma, and thus wasn't clean to those with Brahma. So these people didn't even really have any hope until their next life, which we know they'll never get to.
The untouchables are some of the most dear people to my heart so far on this trip. NOBODY has ever shown interest inthem Nobody has ever bothered with them. They are also stuck under the oppression of the Hindu gods. What a hopeless situation!
I love the kids here. There were two little boys that stole my heart. I only wish that I could remember Indian names...they're so complicated! haha.
These people were SO open to us & our messag, which made everything to do with ministry that much easier. When the time for the Net came near, hands shot up! My heart was jumping! I prayed for two guys to receive Christ, and a woman with a heart condition for healing, a little hirl and a deaf woman.
In the middle of the prayer for the deaf woman, Kass, our TL got everybody rounded up & in the vans as fast as she and Jared, our other TL could. It was a 'don't ask questions' moment. As soon as everybody was back on the bus safely, we heard the news. There was a group that does 'social work' and keeps an ear out for christian groups & activity. There was a mob assembling as we were there, and they were quickly approaching.
As we were driving back to our base, I got a real sense of what it is to have a part in the persecution that the church here faces daily. We asked the pastor what would have happened if we hadn't gotten tipped off, and he said, "I as the pastor would have been killed, the men in the group would have been beaten, if not murdered, and the woman would have been severely beaten as well."
Wow. My heart is continually breaking over these people!!!!
All day today, I could feel God stirring something awesome up for our ministry tonight. We waited around all day for our briefing on the area we were going to. FInally, the info came...
We would be going to an untouchable village that had NEVER heard the gospel before.
My heart perked up, this is an UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP!
The pastor told us that they were called 'untouchable', because in Hinduism, everyone believes that there is a "Brahma(measure of god)" inside of everyone. This is where the caste system gets it's different classes. The untouchable cast didn't have any Brahma, and thus wasn't clean to those with Brahma. So these people didn't even really have any hope until their next life, which we know they'll never get to.
The untouchables are some of the most dear people to my heart so far on this trip. NOBODY has ever shown interest inthem Nobody has ever bothered with them. They are also stuck under the oppression of the Hindu gods. What a hopeless situation!
I love the kids here. There were two little boys that stole my heart. I only wish that I could remember Indian names...they're so complicated! haha.
These people were SO open to us & our messag, which made everything to do with ministry that much easier. When the time for the Net came near, hands shot up! My heart was jumping! I prayed for two guys to receive Christ, and a woman with a heart condition for healing, a little hirl and a deaf woman.
In the middle of the prayer for the deaf woman, Kass, our TL got everybody rounded up & in the vans as fast as she and Jared, our other TL could. It was a 'don't ask questions' moment. As soon as everybody was back on the bus safely, we heard the news. There was a group that does 'social work' and keeps an ear out for christian groups & activity. There was a mob assembling as we were there, and they were quickly approaching.
As we were driving back to our base, I got a real sense of what it is to have a part in the persecution that the church here faces daily. We asked the pastor what would have happened if we hadn't gotten tipped off, and he said, "I as the pastor would have been killed, the men in the group would have been beaten, if not murdered, and the woman would have been severely beaten as well."
Wow. My heart is continually breaking over these people!!!!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
7-18-2010
CRAZY ministry today!
We went to a small city, and as we were walking through the city, I kept seeing images of Ganesh, the half elephant, half human god. I just felt such a heaviness throughout the entire city. Walking through the village, I smelled incense burning everywhere. Incense is usually one of my favorite smells, but just knowing that it was a sacrifice made it burn my lungs, and made me sick.
Everytime I see an idol or anything resembling an idol, it hurts my spirit. Seeing these things brings a new meaning to feeling the heart of God.
I felt like our ministry was set up for just another nominal night of ministry because the majority of our audience was children, and the rest were already Christians from the area.BUT during ministry time, there was so much that happened: A mute child spoke his first word, Jesus, a blind woman saw, a deaf person was healed and... We cast demons out of a woman.
A woman brought her sister into the courtyard and said, "We need prayer for our sister."
Here, it's important to note that the one woman was christian, thus referring to 'our sister' as the body of christ's sister (which happened to be her own sister). Because of this, we thought that they had another sister that wasn't there, so we proceeded to ask what was wrong with her, not knowing that the woman she had brought was the one we needed to pray for.
We asked the one sister what she needed prayer for, and she said that they thought she had a demon because she would disappear in the middle of the night, and when they awoke in the morning, someone would be dead.
So we started to pray, and Selvi, the woman that was brought, started manifesting demons.
The girls of the team circled her and started praying, and the battle was on. I took a place on the outside of the women, since it's not ok for men to touch women, even for prayer, in this culture. As we started praying, Selvi started convulsing and flailing, so the girls had to start holding her so no one got hurt. As we prayed, the demons would shriek & yell & try to get away.
After about an hour of praying fervently, being tossed back and forth by the attempts of the possessed woman to escape, losing my voice, and being directed by the Spirit of God, God finally set His daughter free. I feel as if there was at least 3 different demons in this woman. After it came to Selvi's point of deliverance, we lead Selvi into the church, where she fell to her knees at the altar & began praying to the One True God, Jesus Christ. Slowly, Selvi's hands folded & she said "Jesus". That's when we knew it was over.
I'm just SO in awe of the dramatic change that we saw in Selvi. Even her eyes brightened up after she was delivered and accepted the Lord.Her bindi was gone as well. The oppression of Hinduism was off of her life.
After talking to the Pastor afterwards, He said that this woman had been possessed for 3 years. He also said that the Hindu community said that if Selvi was delivered by the Christians, that they would start going to church & listening about Jesus. Guess what? She was delivered by the Almighty!!!!
God is so good & I am 100% in awe of what He can do!!!!
We went to a small city, and as we were walking through the city, I kept seeing images of Ganesh, the half elephant, half human god. I just felt such a heaviness throughout the entire city. Walking through the village, I smelled incense burning everywhere. Incense is usually one of my favorite smells, but just knowing that it was a sacrifice made it burn my lungs, and made me sick.
Everytime I see an idol or anything resembling an idol, it hurts my spirit. Seeing these things brings a new meaning to feeling the heart of God.
I felt like our ministry was set up for just another nominal night of ministry because the majority of our audience was children, and the rest were already Christians from the area.BUT during ministry time, there was so much that happened: A mute child spoke his first word, Jesus, a blind woman saw, a deaf person was healed and... We cast demons out of a woman.
A woman brought her sister into the courtyard and said, "We need prayer for our sister."
Here, it's important to note that the one woman was christian, thus referring to 'our sister' as the body of christ's sister (which happened to be her own sister). Because of this, we thought that they had another sister that wasn't there, so we proceeded to ask what was wrong with her, not knowing that the woman she had brought was the one we needed to pray for.
We asked the one sister what she needed prayer for, and she said that they thought she had a demon because she would disappear in the middle of the night, and when they awoke in the morning, someone would be dead.
So we started to pray, and Selvi, the woman that was brought, started manifesting demons.
The girls of the team circled her and started praying, and the battle was on. I took a place on the outside of the women, since it's not ok for men to touch women, even for prayer, in this culture. As we started praying, Selvi started convulsing and flailing, so the girls had to start holding her so no one got hurt. As we prayed, the demons would shriek & yell & try to get away.
After about an hour of praying fervently, being tossed back and forth by the attempts of the possessed woman to escape, losing my voice, and being directed by the Spirit of God, God finally set His daughter free. I feel as if there was at least 3 different demons in this woman. After it came to Selvi's point of deliverance, we lead Selvi into the church, where she fell to her knees at the altar & began praying to the One True God, Jesus Christ. Slowly, Selvi's hands folded & she said "Jesus". That's when we knew it was over.
I'm just SO in awe of the dramatic change that we saw in Selvi. Even her eyes brightened up after she was delivered and accepted the Lord.Her bindi was gone as well. The oppression of Hinduism was off of her life.
After talking to the Pastor afterwards, He said that this woman had been possessed for 3 years. He also said that the Hindu community said that if Selvi was delivered by the Christians, that they would start going to church & listening about Jesus. Guess what? She was delivered by the Almighty!!!!
God is so good & I am 100% in awe of what He can do!!!!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
7-17-2010
Today we had our first REAL ministry site.
We went to an area called the Umbai district. This is an area with over 300,000 people who are primarily Hindu. Many have never even heard of the gospel. I wish that I could speak Tamil. I just feel like if I had someone who could translate everything I needed, or if we had the ability to just speak tamil miraculously, that this ministry would be that much more effective. I talked to a young Hindu man tonight. He understood what we were saying about the One True God, but couldn't get past the ways of his country. "One God is America, many gods is India. That's way it is." is all he would say. It broke my heart, but I know that the seeds are planted. My prayers are with him.
We did ministry in the middle of the street in this village. This was our stage. We did our program & everybody seemed pretty entertained. As soon as the net happened though, spiritual warfare started up. All of the men started chattering, and the seamstress's shop next to us started blaring Hindu music, and cars drove through the middle of the crowd, all distracting those we were ministering to, but despite the devil's attempts, the Holy Spirit still claimed souls AND performed a healing of an old woman's eye sight. God is so faithful!!!
We went to an area called the Umbai district. This is an area with over 300,000 people who are primarily Hindu. Many have never even heard of the gospel. I wish that I could speak Tamil. I just feel like if I had someone who could translate everything I needed, or if we had the ability to just speak tamil miraculously, that this ministry would be that much more effective. I talked to a young Hindu man tonight. He understood what we were saying about the One True God, but couldn't get past the ways of his country. "One God is America, many gods is India. That's way it is." is all he would say. It broke my heart, but I know that the seeds are planted. My prayers are with him.
We did ministry in the middle of the street in this village. This was our stage. We did our program & everybody seemed pretty entertained. As soon as the net happened though, spiritual warfare started up. All of the men started chattering, and the seamstress's shop next to us started blaring Hindu music, and cars drove through the middle of the crowd, all distracting those we were ministering to, but despite the devil's attempts, the Holy Spirit still claimed souls AND performed a healing of an old woman's eye sight. God is so faithful!!!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
India Journal - 7-15 & 16
Training all day, and recuperation from jet lag. It's sucha strange thing. I'm not 100% sure what to do about it, but oh well :).
We've been preparing for our VBS all day. IT's a lot different than I was expecting it to be, but it works out. Our ministry time is also a lot different than it was in Panama. All of our ministry happens in the afternoon/evening. So mornings are free. My system is also finally adjusting to all of the food that we're eating here. AND no matter WHAT I do, I cannot get away from the bugbites!
We went to our first 2 ministry sites today. They were a great first run. We went to two different schools. I LOVE Indian children!!! They are probably some of the cutest kids I've ever met. We visited a couple of private schools & did our program. (program consists of a couple skits, song, bible story, and altar call) FOr some reason, I just couldn't shake a feeling of oppression in these areas though. This made it a little bit harder to break into a proper mindset for ministry, but I know that whatever's going on with me CANNOT interfere with the winning of sourls & the furthering of the kingdom. The gospel isn't comfortable, and when you look at these people... these beautiful, fearfully, and wonderfully made cultural people, and see them the way that God sees them, you begin to realize that your comfort doesn't matter. It's the LAST thing that I'm worried about
We've been preparing for our VBS all day. IT's a lot different than I was expecting it to be, but it works out. Our ministry time is also a lot different than it was in Panama. All of our ministry happens in the afternoon/evening. So mornings are free. My system is also finally adjusting to all of the food that we're eating here. AND no matter WHAT I do, I cannot get away from the bugbites!
We went to our first 2 ministry sites today. They were a great first run. We went to two different schools. I LOVE Indian children!!! They are probably some of the cutest kids I've ever met. We visited a couple of private schools & did our program. (program consists of a couple skits, song, bible story, and altar call) FOr some reason, I just couldn't shake a feeling of oppression in these areas though. This made it a little bit harder to break into a proper mindset for ministry, but I know that whatever's going on with me CANNOT interfere with the winning of sourls & the furthering of the kingdom. The gospel isn't comfortable, and when you look at these people... these beautiful, fearfully, and wonderfully made cultural people, and see them the way that God sees them, you begin to realize that your comfort doesn't matter. It's the LAST thing that I'm worried about
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
India Journal - 7-14
India.
My first few minutes in Asia.
Just being here, I can feel a completely different spiritual atmosphere. The darkness feels kinda like an emptiness. I feel a strong presence in the emptiness though. It's definitely a palpable feeling of something, but of what exactly? I'm not sure, but I do know that I feel the presence of God so much stronger here than I feel it in the US. I guess it's just easier to see the light in the midst of darkness, ya?
My heart is just so burdened for these people. My heart is heavy. I feel like I can't do anything but pray for this peopl, for this land and for the principalities to be broken.
I just still cannot believe that I'm here. I've ALWAYS wanted to come here, and now that it's finally here, it feels surreal.
9:34 PM
Got to campus & met the other team. God has been good to them so far. I can see it in their faces. I can't wait to see how God uses US on this trip too. The kids at the deaf school that we are staying at are adorable. I've heard a lot of the kids have cut their Hindu bracelets off after hearing the gospel, and the other team has told us stories of going into Hindu villages that have NEVER heard the gospel before. I can't wait to hear and see what God has in store for us. AND I still cannot believe that I'm FINALLY in India...Just wanted to re-iterate that :)
My first few minutes in Asia.
Just being here, I can feel a completely different spiritual atmosphere. The darkness feels kinda like an emptiness. I feel a strong presence in the emptiness though. It's definitely a palpable feeling of something, but of what exactly? I'm not sure, but I do know that I feel the presence of God so much stronger here than I feel it in the US. I guess it's just easier to see the light in the midst of darkness, ya?
My heart is just so burdened for these people. My heart is heavy. I feel like I can't do anything but pray for this peopl, for this land and for the principalities to be broken.
I just still cannot believe that I'm here. I've ALWAYS wanted to come here, and now that it's finally here, it feels surreal.
9:34 PM
Got to campus & met the other team. God has been good to them so far. I can see it in their faces. I can't wait to see how God uses US on this trip too. The kids at the deaf school that we are staying at are adorable. I've heard a lot of the kids have cut their Hindu bracelets off after hearing the gospel, and the other team has told us stories of going into Hindu villages that have NEVER heard the gospel before. I can't wait to hear and see what God has in store for us. AND I still cannot believe that I'm FINALLY in India...Just wanted to re-iterate that :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
India Journal - 7-10
The past couple of days have been crazy & great all together. God has been doing so many great things already. First, rain on arrival day which is especially awesome thanks to Zechariah 10:1, "Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for He makes the storm clouds. And He will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture." and what do you do with lush pastures? HARVEST!!!! How's that for a Rhema word? :)
THEN, one of the groups that I have been taking care of got $73 dollars more than what they needed in, when just one week ago, they were looking at the possibility of cancelling because they still needed $10,000! God is so good, and I know that my life is about to change forever.
*In the Houston airport*
Sitting doing my quiet time before we board our plane to Dubai, I'm looking out the window & praying. I just looked down, and on the ground right outside of the window, guess what number I see? 777. Right there, on the tarmac. God's number. and there's three of them in a row! That means completion!!! God is TOTALLY in this trip, and He's totally anointed us to be here!!! I honestly can't tell you how blessed I feel to be a part of this right now. As I see these Indian people (travelers back to dubai) all around me, my heart is already filled with love. I don't even know these people, but I love them all the same.
THEN, one of the groups that I have been taking care of got $73 dollars more than what they needed in, when just one week ago, they were looking at the possibility of cancelling because they still needed $10,000! God is so good, and I know that my life is about to change forever.
*In the Houston airport*
Sitting doing my quiet time before we board our plane to Dubai, I'm looking out the window & praying. I just looked down, and on the ground right outside of the window, guess what number I see? 777. Right there, on the tarmac. God's number. and there's three of them in a row! That means completion!!! God is TOTALLY in this trip, and He's totally anointed us to be here!!! I honestly can't tell you how blessed I feel to be a part of this right now. As I see these Indian people (travelers back to dubai) all around me, my heart is already filled with love. I don't even know these people, but I love them all the same.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
It's almost time... =D
This is probably one of the last Pre-India blogs that I'm going to be doing. My schedule for the next few days is going to be crazy & as training starts for me on the 8th & the trip actually leaves for India on the 12th. Needless to say, it might be pretty difficult to get to a computer very often within the next few days.
Here's a glimpse of my schedule:
Tuesday: Last day as an encouragement rep for GE Groups. Wrap things up with all of the Youth Pastors I've been helping out & pass the rest on.
Wednesday: Work Registration for Team Leaders. Meet a few of the people that I've been working with over the phone for the past year =D
Thursday: Missionary Advisor arrival day. Work Registration & start some of my own training :D
Friday: Get to know my fellow MA's and do some leadership training.
Saturday: MISSIONARIES ARRIVE :D!!!!!!!
SUNDAY-Monday = group training & team building
Tuesday - Leave for INDIA!!!!!!!!
The way that the blogging situation is going to work while I'm in India, is I'm going to be journaling everyday from the 10th of July - 5th of August. After I get home, I will post each days journal entry on the blog with the date set to the corresponding day. SO - you can kinda get a sense of what's going on while I'm in India & get a little bit of the experience too :).
Your prayers are definitely appreciated for the entirety of my trip & I can't wait to tell you guys all stories about it when I get back!!!!
Be Blessed!!!!
Here's a glimpse of my schedule:
Tuesday: Last day as an encouragement rep for GE Groups. Wrap things up with all of the Youth Pastors I've been helping out & pass the rest on.
Wednesday: Work Registration for Team Leaders. Meet a few of the people that I've been working with over the phone for the past year =D
Thursday: Missionary Advisor arrival day. Work Registration & start some of my own training :D
Friday: Get to know my fellow MA's and do some leadership training.
Saturday: MISSIONARIES ARRIVE :D!!!!!!!
SUNDAY-Monday = group training & team building
Tuesday - Leave for INDIA!!!!!!!!
The way that the blogging situation is going to work while I'm in India, is I'm going to be journaling everyday from the 10th of July - 5th of August. After I get home, I will post each days journal entry on the blog with the date set to the corresponding day. SO - you can kinda get a sense of what's going on while I'm in India & get a little bit of the experience too :).
Your prayers are definitely appreciated for the entirety of my trip & I can't wait to tell you guys all stories about it when I get back!!!!
Be Blessed!!!!
Monday, March 22, 2010
UPG
This past weekend, we had an awesome opportunity to take part in something that was a complete perspective changing opportunity The Unreached People Group LTE. This LTE (Life Transforming Event)was a simulation of global missions to unreached people groups. The campus was split into two different jobs, missionaries and tribal people. The tribes were spread all throughout the back 400 acres of the campus and had to develop their own language, do research on the tribe which they were assigned and role play as the tribe would for the entire 30+ hour LTE. The missionaries had to 'catch their flight', 'go through customs', make sure that the hostile 'government' didn't find any Bibles or Christian contraband, and minister to their tribe while constantly being harassed by the government who just wanted to keep the tribes' traditional beliefs intact. It was an interesting challenge for both sides of the spectrum, and definitely a pretty sweet experience altogether.
The role that I played in this LTE was that of a tribal person. I was the tribe leader of the Bhil tribe. The Bhil is an unreached people group native to India that has Hindu beliefs, especially in the goddess Shiva, and they are involved in ancestor worship & consequently, reincarnation. I was over a tribe of 10 other people, and we role played as if we were really the tribe. The missionaries had to find us, get accepted, and then minister to us to try to get us saved.
The whole LTE overall was great. I absolutely loved it, but on Saturday it dropped to ice cold temperatures and high winds and rain, so we had to end early. Because the weather made us end so much earlier than expected, the results weren't as positive as we would have wanted, but I still learned so much!
Biggest Lesson: Whenever I think of missions, I ALWAYS come at it from the perspective of the missionary. I mean, since we are Christians, and we are the ones with the good news... why not? right? WELL, This LTE gave me the opportunity to come at it from the opposite side of things. I got to think of missions as a native to the country of India would. I had to role play in my beliefs and really ask myself Why would I (HYPOTHETICALLY) believe in hinduism,reincarnation etc.etc., and What is holding me to this belief. Talking with my missionaries, I had to really dig deep and have the mindset of Bhil tribesman, and answer as if I were really one.
I think that this LTE was extremely beneficial because it allowed me to get into the mindset of a hindu person. Coincidentally, I'm going to India this summer! SO I believe that God completely set this up for me so that my heart would grow even BIGGER for the hindu/indian people.
Coming soon - a blog about the LTE that's happening this weekend. World Awareness. Be in prayer for all interns and that they would prepare their hearts as this LTE is about the persecuted church around the world. It's gonna be great! :)
The role that I played in this LTE was that of a tribal person. I was the tribe leader of the Bhil tribe. The Bhil is an unreached people group native to India that has Hindu beliefs, especially in the goddess Shiva, and they are involved in ancestor worship & consequently, reincarnation. I was over a tribe of 10 other people, and we role played as if we were really the tribe. The missionaries had to find us, get accepted, and then minister to us to try to get us saved.
The whole LTE overall was great. I absolutely loved it, but on Saturday it dropped to ice cold temperatures and high winds and rain, so we had to end early. Because the weather made us end so much earlier than expected, the results weren't as positive as we would have wanted, but I still learned so much!
Biggest Lesson: Whenever I think of missions, I ALWAYS come at it from the perspective of the missionary. I mean, since we are Christians, and we are the ones with the good news... why not? right? WELL, This LTE gave me the opportunity to come at it from the opposite side of things. I got to think of missions as a native to the country of India would. I had to role play in my beliefs and really ask myself Why would I (HYPOTHETICALLY) believe in hinduism,reincarnation etc.etc., and What is holding me to this belief. Talking with my missionaries, I had to really dig deep and have the mindset of Bhil tribesman, and answer as if I were really one.
I think that this LTE was extremely beneficial because it allowed me to get into the mindset of a hindu person. Coincidentally, I'm going to India this summer! SO I believe that God completely set this up for me so that my heart would grow even BIGGER for the hindu/indian people.
Coming soon - a blog about the LTE that's happening this weekend. World Awareness. Be in prayer for all interns and that they would prepare their hearts as this LTE is about the persecuted church around the world. It's gonna be great! :)
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