There are signs in India that say Enchanting India. It surely is. Someday I will write about some of the cultural things I have learned while here. There are new wonders everyday. New things that I am learning that would be hard to learn and impossible to feel without being here! Some are wonderful things and some are not. For now I will keep to recording the days for the record.
I want to first thank the Lord that He has allowed our church to begin work here in India many years ago.
I would like to thank those willing servants that have come during these years. Many have donated much to India and the needs here. I will not name names, since all Glory goes to God and I surely would forget someone, but I still say thank you for your heart and kindness. Dennis and I would not have had this wonderful trip if it were not for your groundwork and the Lords allowing.
I will also in a later post let you know some of the needs here. For now, let me just say, I have warned them our country is in a deep recession and that money is tight. They are now being funded by the FM on a month to month basis with no promises beyond one month. They would be very content if we can continue the meger support we now give. This is usually less than $30 per month per pastor in India. So please dear reader, remember the Foreign Mission. If each ALC member in the USA gave only $10 per month, this would more than cover our needs. It would keep hundreds of pastors preaching through out the world, and allow us to do pastor training and other preaching trips at least once a year to each country we work in. It does not take much, just a steady small donation from many people! Let's pray together that the Lord would provide for these needs.
Well now I have gotten long already and did not speak of yesterday. I will give a short version. Our day started by going to the river and baptizing 10 new believers. (pictured) This was done by immersion into the river. They know it is not the amount of water, but so do we, and therefore we knew it was ok to use this method. It was a wonderful experience for us, and I am sure it was one that these new believers will remember forever. They believe in infant baptism here just like we do for Christian babies, and they do not baptism people if they have already been baptized. What a joy it is when new believers are baptized! I pray we can see more of this in our USA churches. One man saw what was taking place from afar, and trudged through the sand to ask for us to pray for him.
We then had a church service in the original (first) church that was started with our group. It is not really a church, but more like a porch and a street. It was filled inside and outside. Dennis and I were feeling a bit tired from so much preaching, that we took turns and only had one sermon at each of our services yesterday. This gave us a much needed break. Our translator as well is having problems with his voice. He needs to slow down a bit also. He says the devil wants to stop the word from going forth, so our faithful translator and host keeps going forward despite it all. We have no other options for translating so we are so thankful for his attitude.
In the evening we took 2 hour ride to a village church. Again we had a totally packed church. The church was small, but as always no chairs or benches, so well over 100 people packed in tight! It was a blessed time we had together! On the way home, we found out our Hindu driver sat and listened again. This was his second sermon in a few days. The only two of his life. Let's pray that he continues to hear and one day becomes a believer!
I must close. This is too long. Blogs are supposed to be short. God's Peace! John
I want to first thank the Lord that He has allowed our church to begin work here in India many years ago.
I would like to thank those willing servants that have come during these years. Many have donated much to India and the needs here. I will not name names, since all Glory goes to God and I surely would forget someone, but I still say thank you for your heart and kindness. Dennis and I would not have had this wonderful trip if it were not for your groundwork and the Lords allowing.
I will also in a later post let you know some of the needs here. For now, let me just say, I have warned them our country is in a deep recession and that money is tight. They are now being funded by the FM on a month to month basis with no promises beyond one month. They would be very content if we can continue the meger support we now give. This is usually less than $30 per month per pastor in India. So please dear reader, remember the Foreign Mission. If each ALC member in the USA gave only $10 per month, this would more than cover our needs. It would keep hundreds of pastors preaching through out the world, and allow us to do pastor training and other preaching trips at least once a year to each country we work in. It does not take much, just a steady small donation from many people! Let's pray together that the Lord would provide for these needs.
Well now I have gotten long already and did not speak of yesterday. I will give a short version. Our day started by going to the river and baptizing 10 new believers. (pictured) This was done by immersion into the river. They know it is not the amount of water, but so do we, and therefore we knew it was ok to use this method. It was a wonderful experience for us, and I am sure it was one that these new believers will remember forever. They believe in infant baptism here just like we do for Christian babies, and they do not baptism people if they have already been baptized. What a joy it is when new believers are baptized! I pray we can see more of this in our USA churches. One man saw what was taking place from afar, and trudged through the sand to ask for us to pray for him.
We then had a church service in the original (first) church that was started with our group. It is not really a church, but more like a porch and a street. It was filled inside and outside. Dennis and I were feeling a bit tired from so much preaching, that we took turns and only had one sermon at each of our services yesterday. This gave us a much needed break. Our translator as well is having problems with his voice. He needs to slow down a bit also. He says the devil wants to stop the word from going forth, so our faithful translator and host keeps going forward despite it all. We have no other options for translating so we are so thankful for his attitude.
In the evening we took 2 hour ride to a village church. Again we had a totally packed church. The church was small, but as always no chairs or benches, so well over 100 people packed in tight! It was a blessed time we had together! On the way home, we found out our Hindu driver sat and listened again. This was his second sermon in a few days. The only two of his life. Let's pray that he continues to hear and one day becomes a believer!
I must close. This is too long. Blogs are supposed to be short. God's Peace! John
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