Resolved Not To Resolute

In just over an hour it will be the very last day of 2009. As usual at this time of year I decide not to make any resolutions. I resolve not to Resolute. I realize that fragment may not make sense to some of you but it's as clear as a bell to me.

No resolutions, no deciding this or that for the next year... New years make me feel sad and --- old. snif.

Every day is precious and they pass too quickly.

It's Almost All Over

I did make it through the Christmas season. I have sore knees from too much carol singing and a lot of cooking, but other than that we're all healthy.

We got back from Rajasthan yesterday where we were attending the 100 year celebration of Christianity coming to a certain area. In 1909 4 families accepted Christ for the first time in that district. The Gospel has continued to spread and several thousand people were in attendance at the celebration meetings. Our team sang and O. preached once.

I Told You So

Well, apparently I have not even turned on my computer since December 19th.

Christmas Sarees

Some people have been wanting to see the pictures of the sarees we bought for the wives of our pastors.

Caught Up In Christmas

Well folks, the Christmas season is in full swing over here with Christmas Carol Singing every night thru the 19th and then Christmas programs from the 20th onward. Please pray with us that the Gospel message will go forth with boldness and bear much fruit for the kingdom.

In light of all this, don't expect many blog posts from me til the new year. Sorry.

Skit And Dance

We organized a competition for our Bible Students that consisted of 2 skits and 2 dances. The performances were tonight. The boys and girls were split into 4 groups, girls with girls and boys with boys. Each set had one dance and one skit to perform. The boy's skit group came in first.

The reason I write all this (sadly I forgot my camera) is to describe the performance of Mary. Since the boys could only make a Christmas skit (any skit - but the theme had to be Christmas) they had to have a boy play Mary. This kid, his name is Vijay, was the best Mary I have ever seen. Every actor in the skit was as serious as could be and I felt bad, but I couldn't help bursting out laughing few times. Mary actually gave birth to baby Jesus with sound effects.

Well, they won and they deserved it. They get to perform it in our big Christmas program on December 22nd and they get prizes on Dec. 24th!!

SO Tired

I'm just tired out. I think it's the children. I'm too old to have children this small.

P.

Divine Mercy Jesus Blood Family

I was at a Christmas Celebration at someone's house tonight and it was hosted by a group of five ladies who get together regularly for prayer and worship. This is the name of their group:

Divine Mercy Jesus Blood Family

Merry Christmas to you too!

Thanksgiving Slips By Me Again

Here it is Thanksgiving night and I just remembered what day it is. Yet, I am thankful thankful thankful - even with no turkey, no stuffing and no pies. We had chicken biriyani for dinner and a longtime friend whom we haven't seen in many years turned up.

I'm thankful daily that I have a roof over my head and that we own our own home and no one can ever come and kick us out. I'm happy I have food to eat and to feed others everyday. My pantry is full. I'm thankful for healthy children and husband and self! I'm thankful that I suffer no physical pain, that I can walk and see and hear and speak. I'm thankful that I know how to read. I'm thankful for my computer and the Internet. ;)

I'm thankful most of all and always that I know the Truth and He is Jesus Christ my Savior.

Open Air Meeting Update

I left at 7AM on Monday morning to go my husband's village where we are clearing a piece of land to use for ministry purposes in the future and I got back in the middle of the night last night. So - here is the update from Sunday.

The meeting began with cultural dances to Christian songs. Then there was a Gospel message, afterwards there was about an hour of various skits that shared the Gospel. The following photo isn't that great but it shows the small stage and Jesus on the cross on the top of our school. The group putting on the meetings did a good job.
About 300 adults attended and loads of children and every time I looked behind me on the road, there were cars and motorcycles stopped and people were standing and watching the program. Thanks for praying.

Open Air Meeting Tomorrow

Sunday night in front of our school there will be an open air Gospel Meeting. It is being put on by a traveling group who share the Gospel through skit, dance, drama, etc... I saw the same program on February 15th of this year. I remember the date because it was my due date and I spent most of the night very pregnant and very uncomfortable. And P. still decided to come 2 weeks late!

Previously this event was held on the grounds of a Christian school (not ours) and I think it was attended by most (if not totally) Christian people. I remember thinking, "Wow, this would be a lot more effective for people who haven't already accepted Jesus as their Savior." The whole event has been arranged by the Pastors Association* in our city.

So, here we get another chance and we're praying for a great turnout of lost souls. The program will be performed on a stage and located right on a main road so people can stop on by. Please pray with us!

*The Pastors Association was developed last year after the Orissa persecution. It has been a great blessing for unity in the church and among God's people in our city.

Christmas Almost Already

We've been getting ready for Christmas in various ways for a few weeks, but today it really hit home that the Christmas Season is zooming in upon us...

Our December is packed tight:
Carol Singing
Four Separate Christmas programs between the 22nd and 25th
A City wide parade And then New Year's programs.
Oh, and I want to make a large Nativity Scene for my front yard

My mouth seems to be drying up...

Well, at least I have a good feeling about this year. We just want to do our best to get that Gospel Message out there.

Happy Birthday Dad!

We Love you!

Things We Saw

This is a picture of a pastor we met during our "tour" in October. I never had time to post all I wanted to on that. He was attacked one night walking home from a meeting. He lost a good portion of his ear.
There is another picture on O.'s camera that is of a man who was miraculously healed of a large hole in his lower back. The picture is kind of nasty so I'm not going to post it.

I love getting out on the field and seeing first hand how the Lord is moving and how we can pray and serve better.

10 Years

On Saturday, O. and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. Tomorrow is Eve's 9th birthday. Busy week of celebrations!

Last Week

O. arrived home in the early hours of Tuesday morning (last week) with his sister and another guest.

O. was home and rest time is over! The woman my sister-in-law brought was an old grandmotherly widow who was so sweet and loving she about wore me out.

She was widowed young and left with four small children. Her children are grown now and have their own children and Mummy (as we called her) had a great testimony to tell. Twelve years ago she came to know the Lord. Her three daughters also accepted the Lord. However, her son, whom she lives with, remains Hindu and doesn't allow his mother to read the Bible, go to church or pray openly.

While she was at my house she delighted in being able to pray and read her Bible and speak the Word of God whenever she wanted. My sister-in-law said she kept her up at night with praying. :)

She wept when she left here and wouldn't let us go. She's just starved for the things of the Lord. And we take these same things for granted.

Not Dead. Recovering.

What does happen to your blog if you die...

Thankfully, this is not a concern of mine at this time since I am still alive. No, I have not forgotten you, my beloved atld, I was just too busy to give you the time you deserve.

The Team

Here is the team that traveled together for the "Three State Tour." O. is not in it because he insisted on taking the picture. There do seem to be a few stragglers tho...

One day I will learn to check my hair before a photo.
The kids - man did they have fun together - too bad for them school starts up again tomorrow!!!

79 Baptisms

At one location there were 79 people who were baptized! They did three at a time.
Notice the color of the water in the upper photos when the baptisms began and the color of the water in the next photo when they were nearing the end...
The children watching from above.

Praise the Lord!

E.'s Reality

This picture is highly amusing to me and realistic. Once you get past looking at the cutie in the orange shirt giving bad eyes to the camera, shift your gaze over to the right of the photo where you will find G. crying and me - checking her diaper for poopoo. Yes, this is real life people. Thanks E.

But we still love each other.

This one should have gone in the previous post but was somehow deleted...

Pictures By E.

E. (my almost 9 year old) loves to take pictures, here is some of her work from our latest "tour."

I loves that she takes pictures of whatever and whoever she wants. I'm embarrased to take pictures of people I don't know, but E., E. just snaps away - and look at these great pictures!

10 Days

We returned last night from a ten day tour of three states. I was trying to think of an adjective to use in front of "ten day tour" but finally gave up.

exhausting
wonderful
action-packed
fulfilling

I couldn't really settle on one that could describe the experience in a nutshell. It was all those things and much more. We were four families (9 children) all together and a few other stragglers who set out last Tuesday to visit various areas of ministry in the North Indian states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Our families (and especially our children) are very close so it was great to travel and minister together. We stopped along the way and visited with believers from our church, pastors who work under our ministry and old friends that we haven't see in ten years.

O. is still in Rajasthan with the menfolk working out some property issues. He should be back tomorrow. I'll be writing more along with pictures later. But we're back...

Pastor Stephen's House Church

This is Pastor Stephen and some of the members in his house church. He's the skinny one smiling in the background.
There was no electricity so this photo was taken in the dark, a flash works wonders!

The Pictures Of The AP Tour

Sunset over the rice fields.
O. with Pastor Madhu and Madhu's brother in Hyderbad. (and P.)

RICE! I saw how rice grows for the first time in my life. I have always wondered...

A dead snake. It was a live snake but they smashed its head. In two places that I visisted, after leaving the house, they discovered a snake. One of the houses was a house I slept in and the snake was under the bed! - in the other room... But still!

Poor mosquito bitten P. (see other post for details)

The red parts are bites.

Pastor Madhu's sweet wife, Vijaya with P.

Pastor Madhu's believers on the land where the church building will be built.

Testimony From Pastor Madhu's Church

During the program at Pastor Madhu's church a woman gave her personal testimony, she was baptized later that day.* When Pastor Madhu planted this church over a year ago this woman was his enemy. She was outspoken against the work of the Lord and often confronted Pastor Madhu in public. In one such meeting Pastor Madhu was led by the Lord to say that she would soon be attending his church.

That week Pastor Madhu prayed and fasted for 3 days for this woman. On Sunday she came weeping to his church. She fell at his feet and cried. As he had been praying that morning the Lord revealed to him that the woman had HIV. As she wept he said I know your problem, you have HIV. The woman was amazed, it was true. Madhu was led by the Lord to tell the woman to fast and pray for seven days. The following Sunday the woman came and her face was shining. She had prayed and fasted and returned to the doctor. She was re-tested and there was no evidence of HIV.

She started to attend church regularly. She accepted the Lord as her savior. Around Easter time she wanted to be baptized. Pastor Madhu asked her to wait and grow in the Lord first. Last Wednesday I had the privilege of baptizing her in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Mosquitoes, Pastors And Village Ministry

Last Monday O. and I flew into the beautiful Hyderbad airport in South India. We were met by one of our Pastors working in that state and his brother. As we were driving to the hotel Madhu pulls out surgical masks and gives them to both Onkar and myself. "Swine Flu" he said. He was totally serious.

Thus began a highly amusing week in my life. O. stayed in Hyderbad for a conference and I traveled 6 hours south to Vijaywada to visit the places were two of our pastors are working. I stayed at Pastor Madhu's house the first night and was pleased to meet his new wife. They fed me shrimp and P. ad I went to bed since we were very tired. In the evening the electricity went out twice but came back on. At 11:30 at night it went out again and didn't come back.

I laid in bed with P. for a long while, she, at least, was asleep. I was hot and the mosquitoes had started their attack. I fanned P. and eventually, Madhu's mother came in and fanned me. Still, the mosquitoes bit. As I scratched I prayed. I said, "Lord, why did the electricity have to go out. You know how uncomfortable I am. Can't you turn it back on?"

I guess the Lord had lessons to teach me. I have been praying for a year about starting to travel around and visit and encourage our village pastors, and here at last, the door which had previously been shut to me, was now open. And what happens, I get eaten alive by mosquitoes - and not just me - my 7 month old too.

By 2:30AM the electricity came back on and we slept. P. was sick with a bad cough and runny nose and now she was covered from head to heel (literally) in red swollen bites.* Lord, afflict me, but not my baby please. The bites never seemed to bother p. And Madhu's mother did fan us for two straight hours, God bless her.

By Wednesday I was tired but it was the big day. In the morning I was teaching Madhu's small congregation about Baptism and then one sister with an amazing testimony** was baptized. We also held the groundbreaking for a church hall for that congregation.

In the evening I visited our other pastor, Stephen, in another village. At present he has a small house church and works with his father who is also a pastor. The electricity went out - again - that night and I shared from the work of God by the light of my cellphone. The meeting later that night got cancelled when there was still No Electricity and P. was really unwell. She proved this by vomiting all over me in front of everyone.

P. recovered and on Thursday we visited and prayed and ate. Man was I fed. I had three breakfasts in one day, two lunches and one dinner - not to mentioned the drinks. I was blessed.

By Friday we were heading back to Hyderbad. We missed our train. For the first it in my life I missed a train -BUT - we caught a bus. It had a bed and it was air conditioned and it was cheap, so it actually was waaay better than the train would have been, except that it took forever to reach our destination. Oh well, I slept and read and prayed.

*see photo I will eventually post

**I'll post this testimony separately

Back From AP

We got back home around 2:30AM on Sunday morning. Our flight was early, which was nice, it actually took off 2o minutes early. There were only 11 of us on the flight so I guess once we were all there they decided to go...? It was Diwali, so I suppose not many people were flying.

Today is the Hindu New Year, so lots of celebrating going on. Our family spent almost all of today visiting our Hindu friends and neighbors and strengthening our relationships with them. We ate lots of sweets.

There is so much to tell and pictures to post about our South India tour and I hope to get to it. But between the visiting and the washing of clothes I'm a little swamped. Have I mentioned that we will be leaving on Wednesday for visiting our pastors in 3 locations over the span of 6 days. We'll be taking the whole family, hence the massive washing effort.

It's vacation time.

Starting My Tour

Whenever we go anywhere for visiting our pastors or speaking engagements or whatever, they always refer to it as a "tour," which I find amusing. But that is what I am doing starting Monday. O. has a conference for several days in Hyderbad, Andhra Pradesh and I'm going with him. Not for the conference, but to visit our pastors who work south of there near Vijaywada. It will mean two long days on the train getting there and back, but I think P. and I are up to it.

I'll be visiting two pastors while I'm there and seeing their work. Encouraging them and speaking. Please pray.

This is especially exciting for me because it is part of what I've been wanting to do for a long time. I'd like to get out and travel to our pastor's places at least 3-4 times a year. I've been praying about it for a while and I'm excited to get started on this new aspect of ministry.

I Always Have An Excuse

As it was in the US, I have been without a home computer since I got back to India. Various problems existed that have hopefully now been fixed. However, I've had to come to O.'s office to work on the Internet and anytime you can't do it at home, well, it lessens the amount of things you get done. Hopefully, I'll be back on tract now. However, I'm leaving Monday for 6 days...

It's been a tough 3 months for blogging. Sorry.

Super Hot

Since we've arrived back in India it has been Really Hot and Really Humid. Like Super Hot. Unseasonably Hot. So hot, that the only thing anybody even talks about any more is how-hot-it-is.

We didn't have much of a rainy season here in our little corner of India this year and this is distressing on many levels. Just the stinkin' hot-ness is distressing, but more than even that- no rain means vegetable, grains and fruit prices go up. Way up. Inflation is in full force here in India. And let's not forget- when it's unseasonable hot, people get sick.

For me personally, my skin has decided to peal off my body in protest of the hot weather. No, not like a sunburn, I'm not at all burned, it's just been so hot for so long, my skin pealed off my elbows. See photo:

Yes, it hurts. Yes, it burns. Yes, I bump this sensitive area over and over again every day - hence why the skin pealed off of there and not, say, my nose.

Good News! It rained today. Maybe the humidity will break.

Back Home In India

It was a long Thursday - Friday- Saturday but we finally reached home on Saturday afternoon to a wild and wonderful welcome. There were so many people picking us up at the train station and putting flower garlands on us, that the spectators were asking each other,"Who are these people?" I guess we were missed.

The plane ride was 15 hours, the two youngest girls got sick and felt miserable. They still have runny noses and a cough. We got through the stuff in the Bombay airport fairly quickly although I was afraid we'd be quarantined by the swine flu people because of my sick girls, but we slipped through. - They do not have swine flu.

We got through customs and immigration so quickly that our co-workers weren't even there yet to pick us up when we got outside. (They got stuck in traffic.)

We spent the night in a hotel where G. whined and cried the entire time and kept us all up until I sent her to her father who was in with the men catching up on the last 2 1/2 months.

At 8:30AM we took a train from Bombay to our city. For some reason we were booked on the slowest train ever and the 4-5 hour trip took 8 hours. But, we made it and with all 10 suitcases intact and all 4 children.

Thanks for praying.

Our Own Little Bryn Mawr Reunion

On Saturday I met with friends from my Bryn Mawr College years. Here we are with four graduating classes represented...'92, '93, '94, '95
I was a great afternoon, thanks Luc for arraigning it.

More Shore Pictures - E.

E. at Cinderella at the shore. She had them all autograph her arm...

Apple Picking (And Peaches)

I'm taking a break from shore picture and moving into fall.

Apple picking last Saturday with the cousins.

(Yes, I realize these are peaches...)

C. At The Shore

We saw Cinderella at the Surflight Theater on LBI. My girls loved the live theater. Here's C. with the Evil Stepmother and the Stepsisters.
With Cinderella herself and cousin N.

Aye Aye Captain C.

Beach Beauty

Where We Will Be

O. and I will be at the following places this month if anyone who happens to be in those areas would like to see us.

Baltimore, MD - Sept. 12
Millville, NJ - Sept. 13
Atlantic County, NJ - Sept. 14
Chicago Area (Streamwood, IL) - Sept. 17-19
Wildwood Crest, NJ - Sept. 21

If you would like to know more information, times, etc..., just comment or email.

Priorities

It feels like I haven't really had a rest since we've been in the US. I personally think I haven't really had a rest since I started having children almost 9 years ago. Now with a 6 month old and a 2 1/2 year old - man. No rest.

I've had to make decisions this time in the US about how to use my time. I've got administrative stuff I'd like to get done; people to contact, things to get sent out, stuff to research. But I find I'm using most of my free time with my four girls and making memories. In my order of priorities, that comes first.

Beach Baby For Sure

Back At Mom And Dad's

We had maybe the best two weeks at the shore EVER. Beautiful weather, perfect ocean and I mean - perfect ocean, so much fun time with family. *

And now here it is, almost September and in 24 days we'll be heading back to India.

We had four speaking/sharing opportunities while on vacation and one yesterday as well. This week is booked with a few more and a doctor's appointment. Deep breath.

E. and C. still have lots of chapters in all their school subjects to complete before we go back to India and I have to teach E. long division. 'nuf said.

On Vacation - Again

We're leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks at the beach for our real vacation. I know, hard life. We do have 3 speaking engagements during it - so, you know, no rest for the weary - and we are pooped!

P. On A Rainy Day At The Beach

Churches

One of the things O. and I both love about traveling around to different churches are the - different churches. We had last minute 2 night speaking engagement come up this week at the Jersey Shore - not bad. It was a totally new location for us and many new faces but a great blessing.

It was at a small church - more like a fellowship - with a colorful group of brothers and sisters in the Lord, but we loved it. One of the things I loved the most about the church was their way of greeting guests. They had us come forward before the message and then whoever wanted to laid hands on us and prayed. They did it both nights and we were truly blessed. It's something I'd like us to start in home church in India.

Beach Babies

G.
O. & the girls. Couldn't keep E. out of the ocean.

C. in the ocean.

P. - First day in the sand. She LOVED it. A True Beach Baby.