Links to new pictures

Here is a link to a few more photos taken by other members of the team with much nicer cameras.

Trip Summary

OK, I know there will be several take aways as God is still speaking to me through memories from the trip. But here are a few things on my mind lately:
First, the gospel became more real to me this week than I can recall in a very long time. There is a reason it is called the good news. The fact that the infinitely powerful, perfectly Holy God and creator of the universe loved me so much that he continually pursues me despite my flawed belief that I make a better God than him. That is the essence of sin. We think we know better about how to live our lives than God so we try and live it our own way. So he sent his son to earth to be our substitute. That fact alone drives us to tell others. I am a flawed vessel that is prone to mistakes every day and that God chose believers like me to spread the gospel and make his glory known throughout the world is incredibly humbling to me.
Next, the scope of the job given to us by God is massive and not achievable by us. But again, that is the point. If we could do it then we get the glory not God. For those of you not Southern Baptist probably missed this but the pastor at my church spoke this week to the Southern Baptist Convention and mentioned that there are over 3800 identifiable people groups around the world that can be classified as "unreached". That means no known believers and no way of hearing the gospel. We have been charged by God to reach these people. They are going to hell otherwise. If we have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, then we don't have a choice. We must share. Both locally and globally. Because I don't know about you but I can't wait to see more of this in Heaven.

June 10th

Today is the big day. The one I had been preparing for over a month. The GEL church in India has been a vital partner with the Neverthirst Adopt a Village program. They have been providing resources to train the women in the village. They allowed us to take a large part in a conference of these workers on disciple-making. As I shared with some people before I left, there was nothing I could do to teach these people. They are already in the field evangelizing in the villages. All I could do was to encourage with God's word on sharing the gospel. My inadequacy and God's sufficiency was made even more evident as we arrived on the ground and visited the villages. I was made even made more aware after the conference. We each taught our lesson 4 different times to over 100 people. When I went to bed Thursday night, my stomach was beginning to rumble. I attributed to nerves, took a little medicine and went to bed. When I woke up Friday morning, my stomach was in full-blown meltdown. I started downing Immodium and some presciption medication. I was not the only person affected. One of our team stayed home and our team leader who was also teaching had been up all night. We prayed for God's strength to sustain us for the whole day. He did sustain us as we made it through almost 6 hours of teaching through an interpreter. Once done, we all pretty much collapsed and went back to our hotel. God gave us exactly what we needed as long as we needed it.

June 9th

Today was the day of the well visits. We traveled out the farthest away from the city today. Over 2 1/2 hours. As I was driving, I told people how much the terrain reminded me of documentaries I had seen of the African savanna. It turns out that the first village we visited did not have a well yet. Andrew wanted to take a survey for a well and since this village was so far out there, he rarely had a chance to get out there. This village had NOTHING yet they welcomed with open arms and fed us lunch. This was the 4th day of Rice and Dal but I was determined not to waste any of it. If anyone would be interested in sponsoring this village for a well, go here and get information. We left this village and visited a few more wells. The last one was for me the biggest example of God's sovereignty. First, a little background. The team was supposed to be 11 members. My friend Stephen and his wife went on a similar trip to India last year. They were planning on going this year. But Jessica got a new job and was unable to get off for the trip. We then had an extra spot open. Dale, the team leader talked about who we can take. Andrew's wife Roshni also works for Neverthirst. She was able to travel with us on the trip. She was an invaluable asset. At the last well visit, we visited a slum in the capital city of Ranchi. While Dale was interviewing the pastor, several of us noticed a group of women gathered around a few of the women for our team, Roshni was translating between our team and a couple of ladies living in the area. She was able to allow those ladies to hear the prayer of our team. I don't believe that if a male translator would have been there that the ladies would have been as open to talk with us. It was a beautiful God moment that probably wouldn't happen if Roshni is there. Praise God for being in charge of every detail.

June 8th

We went to to the last villages to do training. We did several testimonies, a couple of bible stories and played with the children. Despite the heat, God kept up my strength. It was the best day so far for the team.

June 7th

Today we went to two villages. These were projects between Neverthirst and the Lutheran church in India. We went to and Indian school run by the church that morning. If there ever was a case where I would want to adopt, it would be from this place. There were several orphans at this facility. We got to participate in their VBS for a few minutes and they made us feel very welcomed. Then it was off to the villages for teaching and training. Just like Monday, both villages were welcoming but at the 2nd village we had time for a little Q&A. We got questions like "What do you like to eat?" and "What soap do you use to make you so white?" But then a man stood up and said that it was a good teaching but they are sick and what could we do to help. Later I was able to pray for a widow. She had two sons working in the city who sent money but still they had very little. I also saw a man who was living in a lean-to attached to someone else's house. He and his wife spoke about not having anything to eat. I didn't know what to say. I have been very convicted that my time on the word is no where near where it needs to be. I ask God for forgiveness and grace to help me want time in the word.

June 6th

Before we get to the village visits, I want to mention the first thing God told me on the trip. I was reading a book my wife had gotten for me to read on. He spoke very clearly through this book on the flight from Delhi to Ranchi. It was the second book in the series and it has been over a year since I read the first one. I guess somehow God in his sovereignty decided I needed to wait to read this now. The book is When Heaven Weeps by Ted Dekker. The story picks up with a minor character from the first book. He wrote about the experiences from the first book. He has become quite famous in the Christian community and is about to get married. He is challenged by a friend about how well he does he truly understand love. Through the rest of the book, God's love for another is given to him and it sweeps him off his feet. What God began to show me through this just how passionate Jesus is for us. Once we grasp how that love, we can't help but share with others, no matter where or when. As we began to drive to the hotel, God began tell me how much he loved everyone we passed.
On Monday, we began with breakfast at the restaurant and we I ate with Andrew, our contact on the ground. We talked me doing to development work to help them capture and report on data from the villages. We went to the first two villages and were greeted extravagantly by the people in the villages. Despite the heat, I was able to dance with them. We were also given the opportunity to pray over multiple people with illnesses that could be treated easily over here. By the end of the day, my body began to be drained by the heat I had a migraine all the way back to the hotel. My prayer is that God will heal me of this tonight and give me the strength to do everything I need to the rest of the week.

June 4th and 5th

Not much to share unless you want a review of airline food or want to know what movies I watched on the plane. I am not one for sleeping on planes and it worked for the most part for my jetlag coming and going. One thing of note, however, was a conversation with a good friend who came to see us off at the airport. He truly walks with God and he told me this "God has something he wants to share with you on this trip, listen to what he has to say to you." I did hear a few things from God during this trip and I will share them over the course of the blog.
We got into Delhi Saturday night, slept in a hotel, got up and got on another plane to Ranchi, the capital of the state of Jarkhand.
We got a chance to rest before we met with the Bishop. Bishop B.B. Baski, is a Bishop in the Anglican church. They are one of the local churches we worked with while on the ground in India. They are working to help the villages learn to use clean water once a well is dug, as well as teaching leadership and entrepreneurial training. But most importantly, they bringing the Gospel to these villages. The motto was using clean water to introduce them to living water. To learn more you can go here. After dinner, it was time to rest up for the first days of visiting the villages.

June 3rd

OK, the day has finally arrived for the trip to India. Months of preparation and prayer have culminated on this day. We have a team of 10 going to teach rural Indian villages about clean water and hygeniene. This will be done in partnership with local churches in India. We will also get the opportunity to share the Gospel as part of our presentation. At the end of the week, 4 of us will be leading a disciple-making conference for pastors, evangelists and staff of the churches we have been partnering with all week.
There has already been a small hiccup. A little history first. Every trip so far that either my wife or have taken has resulted in the car going into the shop. Just a feeble attempt by the enemy to steal any peace the person staying at home would have about being a single parent for a week. So as I get the minivan, my wife tells me the brakes have been a little sluggish. That was an understatement. I nearly had to put my foot to the firewall to get the van to stop. I start thinking "do we have the money in savings to get the brakes replaced", how my wife needs to get the car to the shop, etc. I take a deep breath and remember we have some brake fluid in the van. I stop and fill up the master cylinder and start driving. About 10 minutes later, I step on the brake pedal and it is firm again. Praise God for little reminders of his sovereignty before I even step on the plane.
We get to the airport and the kids are terrific, no tantrums or anything other than my daughter not wanting to get her picture taken. After prayers and long hugs, the wife and kids leave and it is time for the two day trip to the other side of the world.