Merry Christmas! (Or Merry Christmas Eve, depending on when you read this…)
In light of Christmas I’ve posted some new pictures, mainly of all the Christmas programs we’ve attended recently. (Click on the link on the right of the blog). You’ll be able to see pictures from our Noida ladies retreat that was conducted at the beginning of December. We had the opportunity to visit one of Aunty’s adopted daughters, Tannu, at her college, so there are pictures of her… and no, I’m not a giant, she’s just tiny! We also recently attended the grand opening of a Career Center in Delhi, so you will see pictures of the women and children I met there. Another program WINN hosted took place at the local Chrystalia – I’ve included pictures of their Christmas pageant and Philip distributing gifts. My favorite Christmas program thus far was the program for the slum children in my neighborhood. I’ve included tons of pictures of their sweet faces! I had the privilege of telling them the Christmas story, handing out presents, and playing games. The last round is from Aunty Janet’s Christmas program – she wrote and directed about 27 neighborhood children in a Christmas play put on for the entire block – about 100 people attended. It was marvelous! And I’ve included some of the family and church as well.
I hope that you are all enjoying a blessed Christmas celebration. I pray that the magnitude the of incarnation will hit you afresh, and that as a result you will magnify the Lord and experience renewed joy at your salvation. With love for you…! Duffy
Ephesians 1:1-14
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful* in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us* for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known* to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee* of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,* to the praise of his glory.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Odds and Ends, Exciting Tid-Bits, and What's To Come...
Greetings from frigid Gurgaon, India! I apologize for taking so long to update you on life here; though we now have an internet connection at home, we’ve been very busy in the past few weeks combined with the fact that most times I determined to post something, the electricity had other ideas!
What a whirlwind of opportunities we’ve had in the past weeks! I’ve met and shared with Aunty’s various friends so often in the past three weeks. We’ve attended retreats, Bible Studies, youth groups, and programs in different parts of Delhi meeting with all types of people – from those in a drug rehabilitation center to a group of young call center workers. My favorite foray, however, was our week-long trip to Pune. Not only did I get exposure to a different side of India (geographically and culturally), but I also got to meet the last of the Massey sisters – Aunty Dolly. As there are 5 sisters total (and one brother – Uncle Sonny), I consider that quite a feat. As with all the other family, Aunty Dolly, her son (Arun) and daugher-in-law (Serena), and her grandchildren (Neha and Natasha), were lovely, warm, welcoming, and all together delightful.
So why was Pune my favorite? If you visited Pune you might accuse me of liking it only for the balmy weather. Or perhaps, if you experienced the feel of the city, you might be tempted to say that I obviously liked Pune for its safe, college-town atmosphere—Pune is considered to be an academic center in India; some of their most prestigious colleges, universities, and seminaries located there. Unlike Delhi, it’s quite safe to meander around – even for a girl. And if you visited Naturals (a delectable ice cream shop that uses fresh fruits to make their flavors) or one of the two Baskin Robbins locations (“hip hip hooray” for chocolate and fudge), you’d be convinced you’d identified my reason for liking Pune.
Although I appreciated all of those things (who wouldn’t?), what I liked – no, loved – about Pune was the fellowship of the believers and the ministry going on in the WINN Pune Counseling Center. The center ministers to all types of women – some of my favorite ministry moments at the center were praying earnestly with three women from the slums, feeding some street children at the center, worshiping and sharing with a group of counselors and ministers (each one works hard in different ministries, but they come together to encourage and learn from one another), and diving into the Word with a group of retired women, self-labeled the Naomi group. Serena, who runs the counseling center, was also a treat for me as she unconsciously modeled servant leadership by hospitably welcoming, wisely counseling, and graciously loving each woman who walked through the door. She and I had some sweet times of conversation and I was blessed and strengthened by her openness and care for me. I haven’t even mentioned another amazing part of the Pune time – the church! I had an opportunity to spend Sunday morning with the most robust youth fellowship group I’ve seen since I arrived. To make my day completely satisfying, I ended Sunday by participating in the church’s equivalent to Grace Groups… something they call cottage worship. We squeezed 40+ families, youth, retired people, etc into Arun and Serena’s living room for a time of energetic worship, small group prayer, a short message, and discussion, all followed by family dinner time. What an ALIVE body of believers. I get so disappointed with this medium of sharing with you all because I find I can’t adequately express feelings, lessons learned, etc, nor can I give you all the details of testimonies I heard, encouraging conversations, etc. I hope I’m at least conveying that what I ran across in Pune was a unique set of believers who love the Lord, each other, and their neighbor. Seeing their practiced faith and participating in ministering to them and with them made me so excited – God is doing great things; His Spirit is at work!
I’ve posted just a few pictures of my time in Pune (apologies for my lack of photography skills). I think you’ll enjoy the ones of just a few of the groups I met with. There are also pictures of a day-long adventure Serena, Neha, Natasha and I took to Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. We saw such sites as the Gateway to India, the Hanging Gardens, Juhu beach, and we took a boat ride in the Arabian Ocean. But no, we didn’t go to Bollywood,; I’d say we paid our dues it by watching a Hindi movie titled Ramji Londonwale later that night.
It’s almost Christmas time and many people have asked me what it’s like here in India. It’s not celebrated as voraciously as it is in the US, but there are some evidences, everywhere. Divalli, a Hindu festival celebrated in October, is a much bigger celebration. My two favorite evidences of Christmas in India have been the special programs we’ve attended and the Christmas caroling. Only two nights ago we attended a Christmas program put on by the Bible Society of India. It combined the traditional Indian dance Bharatnatyam with Christian Christmas Carols to retell the story of the night of Jesus’ birth in a culturally appealing way. Caroling is another staple of celebrating the season. Beginning at around 10PM, groups of people go to various homes and sing a set of carols (I should say “exuberantly sing” – their enthusiasm is evident in the one picture I’ve included). Everyone then comes into the home for tea and food before moving on to the next house on the list – sometimes they don’t end until 6 AM. Yes, that means that they are descending on homes at 2 or 3 in the morning and waking up the occupants (and probably their neighbors)...but believe it or not, it’s sort of a fun, random, middle of the night event.
Up until Christmas I’ll continue on in much the same way as the last month – meeting lots of Aunty’s friends, working a bit in the office, helping settle the house (it’s amazing how long it takes to get details in place after a move), but after Christmas my life in India will shift gears again. On December 26 I will join my dear friend Lahki for a 2 day train ride down to the south of India. We are attending the country wide Youth For Christ conference, DIVE. When we get back on January 3rd, I’ll join Erik, Donna, Anna, and Jessy (a team from my church) for a 3 week stay at the YWCA. They’ll be here to encourage others and do some academic work and I get the opportunity to tag along and be encouraged by a visit from friends. It will be a busy but blessed next month or so!
You can be praying…
… for the Christmas programs we are hosting, as well as the various WINN ministries
… for my health, as I’ve caught a tenacious cold
… for safety as Lahki and I travel… and also that I will be intentional, loving, and encouraging to Lahki during my time with her
... pray for the dear women in Pune; pray particularly for the Dalits in their community (read more about the currently explosive situation here: the Christians need real wisdom and true love to respond to these happenings)
… for my continued spiritual health*
… for relationships that I’m seeking to deepen, particularly with four women: one of the staff members, one of the youth from church, Lahki, and Aunty Sheila
* Each time I’ve met with Aunty’s friends I’ve learned to rely more heavily on my savior. It has been a stretching, growing time, and one that I would not have gracefully survived were it not for my renewed dependence on and knowledge of the Word. (I can't wait to tell more details when I'm home.) You can be praying that I will love, pray for, encourage, and speak wisely to all the women I encounter. Please also pray that I'll be daily renewed in my thankfulness for my salvation... that I will be bold and discerning... and that I will continue to love and serve Aunty Sheila well.
I'll try to post again before I'm off on my late Dec/January adventures. I love you all dearly! Thanks for your encouragement and prayers.
Duffy...
What a whirlwind of opportunities we’ve had in the past weeks! I’ve met and shared with Aunty’s various friends so often in the past three weeks. We’ve attended retreats, Bible Studies, youth groups, and programs in different parts of Delhi meeting with all types of people – from those in a drug rehabilitation center to a group of young call center workers. My favorite foray, however, was our week-long trip to Pune. Not only did I get exposure to a different side of India (geographically and culturally), but I also got to meet the last of the Massey sisters – Aunty Dolly. As there are 5 sisters total (and one brother – Uncle Sonny), I consider that quite a feat. As with all the other family, Aunty Dolly, her son (Arun) and daugher-in-law (Serena), and her grandchildren (Neha and Natasha), were lovely, warm, welcoming, and all together delightful.
So why was Pune my favorite? If you visited Pune you might accuse me of liking it only for the balmy weather. Or perhaps, if you experienced the feel of the city, you might be tempted to say that I obviously liked Pune for its safe, college-town atmosphere—Pune is considered to be an academic center in India; some of their most prestigious colleges, universities, and seminaries located there. Unlike Delhi, it’s quite safe to meander around – even for a girl. And if you visited Naturals (a delectable ice cream shop that uses fresh fruits to make their flavors) or one of the two Baskin Robbins locations (“hip hip hooray” for chocolate and fudge), you’d be convinced you’d identified my reason for liking Pune.
Although I appreciated all of those things (who wouldn’t?), what I liked – no, loved – about Pune was the fellowship of the believers and the ministry going on in the WINN Pune Counseling Center. The center ministers to all types of women – some of my favorite ministry moments at the center were praying earnestly with three women from the slums, feeding some street children at the center, worshiping and sharing with a group of counselors and ministers (each one works hard in different ministries, but they come together to encourage and learn from one another), and diving into the Word with a group of retired women, self-labeled the Naomi group. Serena, who runs the counseling center, was also a treat for me as she unconsciously modeled servant leadership by hospitably welcoming, wisely counseling, and graciously loving each woman who walked through the door. She and I had some sweet times of conversation and I was blessed and strengthened by her openness and care for me. I haven’t even mentioned another amazing part of the Pune time – the church! I had an opportunity to spend Sunday morning with the most robust youth fellowship group I’ve seen since I arrived. To make my day completely satisfying, I ended Sunday by participating in the church’s equivalent to Grace Groups… something they call cottage worship. We squeezed 40+ families, youth, retired people, etc into Arun and Serena’s living room for a time of energetic worship, small group prayer, a short message, and discussion, all followed by family dinner time. What an ALIVE body of believers. I get so disappointed with this medium of sharing with you all because I find I can’t adequately express feelings, lessons learned, etc, nor can I give you all the details of testimonies I heard, encouraging conversations, etc. I hope I’m at least conveying that what I ran across in Pune was a unique set of believers who love the Lord, each other, and their neighbor. Seeing their practiced faith and participating in ministering to them and with them made me so excited – God is doing great things; His Spirit is at work!
I’ve posted just a few pictures of my time in Pune (apologies for my lack of photography skills). I think you’ll enjoy the ones of just a few of the groups I met with. There are also pictures of a day-long adventure Serena, Neha, Natasha and I took to Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. We saw such sites as the Gateway to India, the Hanging Gardens, Juhu beach, and we took a boat ride in the Arabian Ocean. But no, we didn’t go to Bollywood,; I’d say we paid our dues it by watching a Hindi movie titled Ramji Londonwale later that night.
It’s almost Christmas time and many people have asked me what it’s like here in India. It’s not celebrated as voraciously as it is in the US, but there are some evidences, everywhere. Divalli, a Hindu festival celebrated in October, is a much bigger celebration. My two favorite evidences of Christmas in India have been the special programs we’ve attended and the Christmas caroling. Only two nights ago we attended a Christmas program put on by the Bible Society of India. It combined the traditional Indian dance Bharatnatyam with Christian Christmas Carols to retell the story of the night of Jesus’ birth in a culturally appealing way. Caroling is another staple of celebrating the season. Beginning at around 10PM, groups of people go to various homes and sing a set of carols (I should say “exuberantly sing” – their enthusiasm is evident in the one picture I’ve included). Everyone then comes into the home for tea and food before moving on to the next house on the list – sometimes they don’t end until 6 AM. Yes, that means that they are descending on homes at 2 or 3 in the morning and waking up the occupants (and probably their neighbors)...but believe it or not, it’s sort of a fun, random, middle of the night event.
Up until Christmas I’ll continue on in much the same way as the last month – meeting lots of Aunty’s friends, working a bit in the office, helping settle the house (it’s amazing how long it takes to get details in place after a move), but after Christmas my life in India will shift gears again. On December 26 I will join my dear friend Lahki for a 2 day train ride down to the south of India. We are attending the country wide Youth For Christ conference, DIVE. When we get back on January 3rd, I’ll join Erik, Donna, Anna, and Jessy (a team from my church) for a 3 week stay at the YWCA. They’ll be here to encourage others and do some academic work and I get the opportunity to tag along and be encouraged by a visit from friends. It will be a busy but blessed next month or so!
You can be praying…
… for the Christmas programs we are hosting, as well as the various WINN ministries
… for my health, as I’ve caught a tenacious cold
… for safety as Lahki and I travel… and also that I will be intentional, loving, and encouraging to Lahki during my time with her
... pray for the dear women in Pune; pray particularly for the Dalits in their community (read more about the currently explosive situation here: the Christians need real wisdom and true love to respond to these happenings)
… for my continued spiritual health*
… for relationships that I’m seeking to deepen, particularly with four women: one of the staff members, one of the youth from church, Lahki, and Aunty Sheila
* Each time I’ve met with Aunty’s friends I’ve learned to rely more heavily on my savior. It has been a stretching, growing time, and one that I would not have gracefully survived were it not for my renewed dependence on and knowledge of the Word. (I can't wait to tell more details when I'm home.) You can be praying that I will love, pray for, encourage, and speak wisely to all the women I encounter. Please also pray that I'll be daily renewed in my thankfulness for my salvation... that I will be bold and discerning... and that I will continue to love and serve Aunty Sheila well.
I'll try to post again before I'm off on my late Dec/January adventures. I love you all dearly! Thanks for your encouragement and prayers.
Duffy...
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