Making up for lost time...

My lovely and loved pals...

I am writing this post from a Starbucks in Bangkok. Yup, I said a Starbucks. And I also said Bangkok. As in Bangkok, Thailand.

I've been in Bangkok since Sunday the 25th of March and will be leaving tomorrow, March 31st to head back to Delhi. I had to leave the country (India) in order to renew/validate my visa and, as a result, came here for a week's vacation. My dearest friend Amanda graciously agreed to join me and we've had a week of Bangkok adventure. I honestly don't think I can travel in foreign countries without meeting some kind of adventure. Especially with buses... But our adventures will be the topic of another post.

One of my hopes was that during this week I'd be able to fill you in on some of the happenings in India that I'm not normally able to write about. Unfortunately, internet (like in India) was quite a challenge here, and this has been my first opportunity to post. I'll try to make the best of it without writing a novel!

In India it is illegal to share your faith for the purpose of converting. For that reason Aunty has asked me to be cautious about the things I write in e-mails and on this blog. That means that many times I've said things like "I'm meeting Aunty's friends", which really meant that I was speaking at a women's retreat! And I've had to avoid sharing the hard but wonderfully encouraging testimonies of the believers here. This has been hard for me because I feel that I've had a block in communicating what is actually going on... and I want you to know! But now that I'm posting from Bangkok, Aunty said it would be OK to share some of that stuff. Unfortunately it would take more time than I have (and more blog space than possible) to catch you up, so I thought I'd share some of the more recent exciting things.

First, about two weeks ago I went with Brejan, Solomon, and Solomon's wife Lovely on a 24 hour train trip to Jabalpur, a city in the dead center of India known most for it's beautiful marble works. Our purpose in going was to visit a school for mentally and physically handicapped children. The school is run by two beautiful women, one who has served at the school for over 47 years and the other, my age, who, after serving the children as a teacher’s aide, felt the call to teach and serve full time at the school. The school has about 52 children, all of whom were dear, sweet little things. There are both boys and girls, ranging in age from 4 to 18. They are t different intellectual levels also, with some in classes to train them on basic life skills and trade skills, and others in classes specialized to help them eventually matriculate into (and succeed in) normal school. This school is connected with WINN because WINN sponsors a small sewing center within the school that trains some of the older girls and some village women the sewing skills they need to earn a living. We spent three days of concentrated time at the school, mainly playing with the kids. I taught them Simon Says (and made a valiant attempt to do it in Hindi!), which was a huge hit! I also ran a story time with them, sharing one of my favorite books, Three Trees by Luccado. I wanted to encourage them that God, in His sovereignty, has a faithful and loving plan to use each of them. I had a hard time sharing without being teary, but it was worth it to present the gospel and encouragement to such eager, receptive children. The experience reminded me so much of my time in Romania and I was reminded, for the hundredth time since I’ve been here, how much joy I take in caring for and loving these orphaned kids. We’ll see what God is telling me through this… I should add that most of these kids in the school aren’t orphaned, but are, as one of the teacher’s said, emotionally orphaned. Society is not very accepting of children with disabilities, especially mental disabilities, and most of the children hate going home as they face abuse and rejection from their families. This had lead to many behavioral and emotional difficulties for the children and the teachers at the school are faced with the difficult task of caring for them through the deep hurts that they have experienced. I spent some time with the teachers, praying for them and asking them how I (and all of you) could partner with them. They specifically requested pray for wisdom, patience, and endurance. They are weary and often un-encouraged by those around them. They also don’t often see great progress, but instead slow, painful progress in the children. Pray that they will trust in God’s work in these kid’s hearts and minds. Pray also for the kids, for their protection, growth, and, most of all, their salvation.

I’m just realizing this is getting ridiculously long and I haven’t even shared the half of Jabalpur… but let me move on.

Less than 12 hours after I got home from Jabalpur I joined up with my church (DBF) youth group and boarded a small bus bound for Rajasthan -- the land of tattooed camels, gorgeous sunsets over desert-like brush, colorful half-saris and pointy shoes. Where in Rajasthan is beyond me as I never quite understood where we were, but suffice to say it was in the middle of no where!

It was fun to be participating in a youth group missions trip… I was reminded of my time just last summer to Mexico with the Grace youth group. On the 5 hour drive there we sang Hindi chorus, played “Would You Rather”, talked theology, and snacked on cookies. Pretty standard missions trip drive fare. Our purpose was to join up with some DBF supported missionaries and see their work with the villagers. As we were only going to be there one full day it was quite a whirlwind trip. Once we met up with the missionaries at their base, we heard from them about their work. The thing that stood out to all of us was their patience and endurance. They had begun working in the area in 1989, but hadn’t seen fruit until the year 2000. That is a long time of caring for and witnessing to the village people. That is also a long time of enduring persecution (beatings, being reviled, and some poverty) for the sake of the gospel. The missionaries shared that there were many times they felt like giving up since the staunch Hindu communities seemed impenetrable. But then God changed the heart of one woman…a woman who ended up bringing her whole family to Christ. One of the most important things to her was seeing the persistent testimony and the evidence (over time) of God’s work in the missionary’s lives. Wow!

We got a chance to visit this woman and her family, but first we had to get to her village. It required a 1 hour drive that seemed suspiciously like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland (except instead of that big ball coming towards you it was a big truck… and instead of dropping down a secret passage way, like in the ride, we dropped down into a ditch). When the bus could go no further we walked about 45 minutes to a wheat field. There we met with a family of believers and a few of their neighbors to share the gospel. That family is the only Christian family in their village but is enthusiastically committed to coming alongside the missionaries and spreading the gospel. It was neat to see their enthusiasm. That night we visiting another family and had a similar experience – hearing their testimonies, worshiping together with Hindi chorus’, and encouraging them to press on.

But it was the next day that was the absolute highlight for me… and the thing I need to share while not writing from India. We took a two and a half hour bus ride into the real middle of know-where, to a village on the Rajastan/Haryana border. The village itself was fairly developed, with lots of clay brick buildings, farming, etc, but they don’t have much contact with the “outside” world. The missionaries had been going to the village and building relationships for some time – about 6 months – and were going to use our visit to host their first true meeting. About 70 villagers showed up… and those were just the ones in our meeting area. About 60 others were sitting in windows and on top of the roofs of surrounding buildings, staying there the entire 3 hours! On one side of our meeting area (which was just a wide, flat patch of dirt under a large tree in the center of town) sat all the men; on the other side were the women and children, dressed in their decorative, fringe covered sari’s. They – as well as I – were fully covered, including their faces, especially in front of the men. Here comes my favorite part…

One of the youth group girls, my friend Artini, became a Christian out of a Hindu family. They had asked if she would share her testimony with this Hindu community. She got up and clearly, beautifully, and sweetly shared how Jesus had saved her. It was the first time she has ever, as a Hindu convert, shared her testimony with Hindu people. Though she was so nervous she was almost terrified that quickly changed to joy and excitement and an eagerness to share again. I think she will be sharing again, and again, and again, after this experience. What joy it was for me to see this dear believer be so bold! And it gets even better. After Arthini shared Pastor Arvind followed up with a clear, solid presentation of the gospel and call to faith in Jesus Christ. This was the first time (that they know of) that the gospel had been preached in that village. Did you read that? It was the first time that Jesus Christ has been declared and salvation offered to that village. After the message we all spent time talking with the men and women who had many questions. None became believers, but what a privilege to be part of the gospel going forth. It was beautiful, an absolutely beautiful work of the Holy Spirit.

Praise the Lord! Bless His Holy Name!

I often get discouraged about the state of the church here in India, and about the overwhelming number of people who continue to worship idols and reject Jesus. But my time in Jabalpur encouraged and reminded me that believers are taking seriously the call to care for the poor and needy through patient, enduring love; my time in Rajastan encouraged and reminded me that the gospel is going forth in India and that the Holy Spirit is providing opportunities, boldness, and heart change. Both times convicted me that what is required (and what a joyful requirement!) of me is that faithful, persistent, bold declaring, humble serving attitude that is given to us in the example of Christ (Philippians 2)…

I hope this has encouraged you. I love you all… you are so dear to me and play a huge role in encouraging my heart to press on in this strange land.

Duffy.