All That is Within

ओं माय मंद वी

2007-12-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

That title should say: "On My Mind VI". For some reason completely foreign to me, it's switching to what I believe is Hindi script (no pun intended).

These were passed on to me at my last birthday and I felt they would be helpful to review on this New Year's Eve. (You can see the full article and further questions here. Having not read or heard any of the author's other works I don't "recommend" him; however, I do appreciate his thoughtfulness in these particular questions.) And so without further ado...

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It's so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we're going and where we should be going.

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

In addition to these ten questions, here are twenty-one more to help you "Consider your ways." Think on the entire list at one sitting, or answer one question each day for a month.
11. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?

12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area?

13. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?

15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?

16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?

17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?

18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?

19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?

20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?

23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?

24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?

25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?

26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?

27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?

28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?

29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?

30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?

31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

The value of many of these questions is not in their profundity, but in the simple fact that they bring an issue or commitment into focus. For example, just by articulating which person you most want to encourage this year is more likely to help you remember to encourage that person than if you hadn't considered the question.

If you've found these questions helpful, you might want to put them someplace—in a day planner, PDA, calendar, bulletin board, etc.—where you can review them more frequently than once a year.

So let's evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence, remembering that, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage" (Proverbs 21:5). But in all things let's also remember our dependence on our King who said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

- end of article -

It's Thursday

2007-11-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

I have new pictures posted, friends! The Mollet wedding/ roommate reunion, my triathlon, and our Grace Group retreat are the newest photos on display! Click HERE.

I just finished reading the blog entries of a beautiful, courageous, suffering family who just lost their dear little 2-year-old boy, JUD. I was "introduced" to the family by fellow church members who asked for prayer on their behalf. Their honestly, pleading, hope-filled, trusting hearts were an encouragement and conviction to me as I read their faith working itself out in such heart-wrenching ways. My heart is full of praise for our glorious God... strength will come as we wait upon the Lord, our hope and strong deliverer!

Pass Me My Specs...

2007-10-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please...
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.
Isaiah 46:10b, 11b

Read that and rejoice! This evening I've been preparing a Sunday school lesson for my precious 2nd & 3rd graders. In a humbling and wonderful way, preparing for Sunday school is always a convicting and growing experience. Tomorrow's lesson is on faith in God's sovereign plan as exemplified in the life of Abraham. I love how teaching something makes you savor it - as a result of tonight's preparation I am enjoying the results of savoring the sweet reminder of God's faithfulness, purposefulness, and sovereignty. The difficult circumstances that sometimes threaten to overwhelm me with their seeming impassibility can be readily entrusted to God's purposes.

Late September I completed my second triathlon. It was cold and difficult, but also wonderful and worshipful. Yes, worshipful. There is something satisfying in working my body that hard. There is a peculiar joy I feel at realizing that every foot forward is a beautiful testimony to God's intricate design. The deep breath of life-giving air is never more obvious than when I'm sucking it after coming out of the water at the swim. There is also a sweet joy experienced throughout the race as you are receiving the encouragement of community. Not only are there hundreds of people cheering, it's also not unusual for someone to offer words of encouragement as they run alongside (or past, as the case may be). When that person is a friend the result is a tangible surge of adrenalin and emotion - spurring one another on exemplified. My mind becomes, in a triathlon, a sermon illustration mill. Truly, I feel like there are an endless number of "oh, goodness, I understand Philippians better right at this moment" moments, and, as a result, I usually end the race feeling encouraged and convicted. Of course, those semi-intelligent moments come fewer and farther between towards the end of the race. The foremost motivating factor in me putting one foot in front of the other during the bits were the rhythmic strains of "Great is Thy Faithfulness" in my head. I love that I'm unable to think of anything else but that over and over and over as I plod along...and often look back and wish that my daily life was that clearly focused: pain, fatigue? Great is Thy Faithfulness!

My one-year anniversary of leaving for India came and went. Its passing has spurred a host of "this day last year I was...(insert random, adventurous, challenging, wonderful time/lesson here)". I needed that milestone reminder. As a result I've been reading my India journal and memorializing what God was doing/has done in my life. How disappointing it is to see how quickly I forget the lessons learned; how wonderful it is to see how God worked. This time last year I went to one of the WINN village centers for a computer graduation program. I was lonely and my journal was filled with frustration and sadness. At the end I wrote: "A dear girl, whose name I never got, but who was my age – 23 or 24 -- and was Christopher’s sister came and sat beside me. Her English was limited, but I felt instantly connected with her – I wanted to love her and pray for her and laugh with her and share with her – but she had to leave quickly. I am praying for an opportunity to meet her again: when she left she said “sister, please see me soon”. Father, could this be my friend? Even if I don’t see her on a daily (or weekly, or monthly) basis, I pray that the connection I made will spur me on to love her through prayer, be compassionate to her through thought, be encouraging to her through words." I did get chances, though very few, to spend time with her. God answered that prayer. It also marked a change in my heart toward loving people even though I felt isolated. It was a hard time, but reading that portion of my journal I remember that God not only answered my prayer, he increased my ability to love people through prayer, deepening my trust of him as I entrusted them (and myself in my need for fellowship) to him.

Also in October I started my new, full time job. The position, which had been something I'd considered before I left for India, opened up again at the exact time I began my job search. The interview process - though difficult - was affirming, and I got to see God hand me a job that was beautifully fitted to both my gifts and my areas of desired growth, that paid me more than I could have made if I'd stayed the whole year previous and gotten incremental raises (someone, a wise person, thought India experience constituted some serious "job experience"), and that provided me with a stable, wholesome working environment alongside dear friends. How graciously - and clearly - God has provided for me.

When I started this post I had tentatively listed the title as "Eclectic". It had been so long since I'd posted that I assumed this could be nothing more than a collection of random tid-bits and updates. It's turned out to be a much needed reminder for myself that I need to press on in faith. Should the above have sounded uber-rosy, I wish I could pass you my (figurative) glasses. They're not rose colored -- people hurt and disappoint; I am weak and prone to wander; and, ashamedly, the praise of my Savior that should so obviously rise from my lips is sometimes held back in frustration and fatigue. And yet, as I read back through this "eclectic" collection of my last two months, how can I do anything but recognize God's perfect plan there...and be reassured to continue to hope, trust, and rejoice?

My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please...
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.
Isaiah 46:10b, 11b

Beauty is...

2007-09-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

... seeing the prickly, caustic desert warm to wondrous purples, blues, and oranges in the wake of the setting sun:

Which reminds me, delightfully and gratefully, of the natural dryness of my own soul and the overwhelming beauty and satisfaction found in God alone.

Psalm 63.

... an orphan becoming a daughter:

Watching the joyful preparation, reveling in the sweetness of Romans 8 being exemplified, and expectantly waiting for a toothless-7-year-old grin to, one day, smile with the joy of her salvation.

... worshipping with the body:

During corporate worship, hearing a five-year-old answer the question, “What’s heaven like?” with: “Be(ing) with God. And we won’t want to do things we wanted to do on earth.”

Being reminded via the sermon that the promise of eternal life is this: fellowship with God. That our greatest, trial-enduring, joy and righteousness-producing HOPE now is that sweet promise of eternal life.

Being pulled along by my fellow believers. One dear, faithful servant displaying his longing, yearning desire for heaven and it spurring me on to plead that my heart might become more disengaged from this world and, like this believer, inclined toward the hope of heaven…unadulterated fellowship with God alone. Felling inadaqute and stumped in my prayer life, only to be rushed along in the Spirit’s work during a prayer meeting. To experience the joy of prayer and have my heart stimulated in worship, adoration, and wisdom by the heartfelt, Spirit-induced, Word-based, God-centered cries of the body. To be able to then join in prayer with renewed hope, joy, and eager trust in God’s sovereign work because of the dear saints praying around me.

Beautiful!

Loving (and Leaving) India

2007-08-29T11:54:00.001-07:00

My heart and mind have been ruminating on this post for a while. In fact, I've had the body of it written since April -- almost 3 months before I left India. I started writing it at a time in India when things clicked... when I realized that, despite some hard things, many frustrating things, lots of sweat, and general confusion, I loved India. I wouldn't say that before that time I didn't love India... I just hadn't experienced that un-doing, heart-produced compassion for India that I'd been longing for.

I got busy with my visiting brother and saying goodbye and before I knew it was busy back here in the states. But the last three weeks the services at church have been reinforcing the lessons learned and "ah ha!" moments I experienced towards the end of my India time that led me to leave in love. I thought it was worth revisiting and sharing with you as a type of wrap-up on my time there.

"One of the most important things the Holy Spirit prompted me to do as I came to India was to read through His Word – in it’s entirety – while I am here. I’ve been obedient in that; it’s been one of my biggest sources of blessing, comfort, and strength.

Using D.A. Carson’s For the Love of God as a guide and built in thought provoker, I’ve learned much – and been reminded of much – simply by tracing God’s sovereign plan. But one thing has particularly stood out; namely, God is holy, and the only, God. Put another way, my awe for God – His worthiness as the only and most holy God, worthy to be worshipped – has increased.

As this has happened my awareness of the profound weight of the gospel of grace in my life has deepened. My recognition of my need of God’s mercy has grown as my absolute astonishment of His sheer greatness has grown.

And this has freed me to love India.

To be heartbroken at poverty and abuse because it demonstrates injustice and sin, both contrary to God’s nature. To be enchanted by the unique beauty of the people and the culture, because it displays God’s creativity and image. To desire to worship God boldly and confidently, encouraging others to do the same, because he is worthy. To earnestly proclaim and defend God as the only true God, while weeping at the rampant and bonding creation and service of idols. To love self-sacrificially, even when it’s not received, because He did.

My growing understanding of His holiness is so freeing. My hatred of sin displayed here and my broken heart and care are not feelings setting me apart or above from everyone else. Freedom comes in the compassion I have in light of my own comparable state. I’m more concerned that the gospel should be joyfully and freely offered… because that display of God’s merciful, faithful, redemptive work in view of His holiness and our sin is ultimately glorifying. And this is all freeing and produces love for India because my growing understanding of his holiness is increasing my awareness of my own sin, God’s right wrath and fearsomeness conjoined with his sweet mercy and loving grace. I want that for India, for His namesake.

As I’ve thought about this, I’ve realized that I probably haven’t loved America rightly. It’s comfortable and known so I like it. But now I want to love it like God’s taught me to love India. How, in fact, God loves the whole world.

I’ve left India and returned to America worshiping God for His holiness. I’m deeply grateful for my time in India, namely that the experience led to these reminders and awakenings in my heart toward loving God rightly and, in turn, loving people – even nations."

”For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever should believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”

On My Mind V

2007-08-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

God, be merciful to me,
On Thy grace I rest my plea;
Plenteous in compassion Thou,
Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within,
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against Thy grace
And provoked Thee to Thy face;
I confess Thy judgment just,
Speechless, I Thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art,
Teach Thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, Thy grace bestow,
Wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judgment just,
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.

Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation’s joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.

Sinners then shall learn from me
And return, O God, to Thee;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
And my tongue shall sing Thy love;
Touch my silent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise accord.

Is. 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Two SERMONS: The Terrible God of Mercy (Daniel 10) and The Gracious Condescension of the Glorious One (Daniel 10)

Better Late Than Never

2007-08-17T00:34:00.001-07:00

Though the last blog post would make you think I've been back for the past 28 days, don't let the calendar fool you. I've actually been here, there, and everywhere. Certainly I've been most every place possible without feeling really "back". But, two weddings, two road trips, one fantastic hike, some family time, and lots lunches and coffee times later, and I'm finally settling down. I'm back.

Almost. Trying, at least.

Nice side effect of my "I'm back" feeling week is that I've finally (hence the post title) updated my pictures site. Not only do I have my last weeks in India duly documented, but I've also posted photo evidence of Ry and I's remaining India time and Russian jaunt. Plus, I've added my photos of the recent California/Idaho shin digs, outdoor adventures, etc.

I do have some "leaving India" thoughts I'll be posting (hopefully) in the not-to-distant future. For now it's working in my favor that a picture's worth a thousand words. Saves me a lot of typing.

As usual, just click on my pictures link on the right of this page.

With love,

Duffy

I'm Back

2007-07-21T22:44:00.001-07:00

I'll Fly Away

2007-07-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Many of you have written to ask the details on my arrival to Cali... if you'd like flight info, location, timing, etc for Ry and I's July 21st arrival, contact Anna.

Thanks, friends!

The Times They Are A Changing

2007-07-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

Time flies.

How cliche. But what else to say? I'm entering my last week in India and the, albiet cliche, thought seems most appropriate.

Time flies when you're having fun.

Cliche again. But again, what else to say? Ryan and I have been having incredible fun tipping, tripping, and trekking about Nepal and India the last two weeks. During his first week here I gave him a two day introduction to Indian culture via a trip to Delhi and Agra. Agra was a highlight, as we saw God provide three traveling companions -- Jonathan, Jamie, and Hudson. They were our ages, believers, and they had just come from an interior village in south India where they had been doing medical relief, English lessons, and a host of other activities. Besides the blessing of good company, the dynamic weather and aggressive clouds provided near perfect pictures of the Taj, which made picture happy Ryan nearly giddy. The Taj, by the way, was recently confirmed as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

One of our major Delhi site-seeing ventures was a foray into crowded Old Delhi. Ryan's comment: "I think this might be the onlky place the term 'mass humanity' technically applies'". After climbing a windy, spindly tower at the largest mosque in Delhi, we got some amazing ariel views (and more pictures) of the crammed Capital.

The youth group has been planning to have a summer retreat for some time, but I'd opted out as their return date conflicted with Ryan and I's departure for Nepal. At the last minute we were "convinced" that we could both enjoy and participate in camp and make it back in time for our flight. So off we went to Sattal, a small mountain getaway an overnight train ride from Delhi. There were about 30 in all from our group and in the end both Ryan and I were thankful we went. I was especially thankful for some sweet time with the girls I've come to know and love and for the chance to participate in amazing worship. It was also a joy for me to watch Ryan minister through his kind and friendly personality. I have loved and been encouraged, as a big sister, by his easy way with people. It's made it seem quite effortless to introduce him to my life and friends here. I'm thankful for God's gifting and maturing him in this way. The point being -- it was fun to have him a long and fun for him to be along. It gave him a heart for the local church here, something I'd been praying for. Secretly though, I think Ry's favorite part of camp was the rap that he preformed for his team. I have it on video. I do accept bribes. :)

Time at camp was too short (there's that pesky time again!) and after only two days we were back on an overnight train and directly to the airport for our July 8th morning flight to Kathmandu, Nepal. I think it took only the flight in for Ryan and I to look at each other and declare our love for Nepal. It's beautiful. Gorgeous. Amazing! Kathmandu itself, though we were only there for a day, was a refreshing, free city, with much to do and see. We spent most of our time seeing the sites and shopping in and around the Tamil section (read: tourist section). It was an artsy, alive place with great culture, food, and music. After our afternoon and evening there, complete with a meal at the "famous with trekkers" Rum Doodle, we met up the next morning with our trekking guide and porter -- the funny, knowledgable, and sweet duo of Dorje and Bam. Our flight in a tiny, rickity plane into the Himalaya's was breathtaking and would have, in and of itself, made the trip worth it. I got choked up viewing the spread -- including Mt. Everest -- as I recognized and praised God for the awesome display of his beauty, power, and majesty. God is beautiful!

I'll let Ry describe our trek:

"In terms of trekking, Karisa and I have both found our ideal vacation. Flying into a cloudy mass in the sky we suddenly dip and drop nose sniffing for the runway. Then a mountain appeared right in and we settled into the small village of Lukla, Nepal. Our guide Dorje quickly assembled our porter Bam and us and a few minutes after touchdown we were officially trekking in the Himilayan region. The first day we an easy trek filled with beautiful waterfalls and vast crevases the were crossed by rickety bridges. Words fail in describing the vast expanse of God's handywork. The second day was quite the adventure. Karisa had become a bit ill from the day before's helping of Dhal Bhat (rice, lintle stew, and veggies) and a trek directly up the side of a mountain with only clouds for a finishline became quite a labor. Even still we made good time and reached our final destination of Namche Bazar, a small villiage pearched on the side of the mountian we had just ascended. As we arrived the storm that had followed us up the mountain settled in as well. Though the cloud cover was too much for us to see the Himalaya's from the village or trails the cloud cover allowed us to appreciate the beauty around rather than just focusing on the jutting peaks above. The next morning - after a restfull relaxing time of reading and talking with Dorje, Bam, and a few Sherpa - we headed back down the mountain dissapointed that our time in one of God's most beautiful patches of creation would be leaving us soon. Too bad we can't make time stand still! Our time in Nepal was a short and sweet little oasis from the hustle and bustle of India. Words don't describe what its like waking up among the clouds but we'll be home soon and maybe some pictures will."

Time didn't stand still and we're back in Delhi, something we're both thankful for even though we left the beauty and simplicity of Nepal with more than a twinge of desire to stay forever. Anyone want to hike to Everest Base Camp with us in a year or so?

I had prayed that these last couple weeks away from my normal life here in India would be my "debrief" time. I truly have been able to spend so much time thinking and praying and processing. It's also been an unexpected blessing to have Ry here. Of course, I knew it would be fun and in many ways a blessing, but what I hadn't expected was that his fresh eyes on India would help me process and pray through what I've learned. I've been able to see so many areas of growth in my life as I've looked back on what it was like when I first came. God has been, and continues to be, good and patient with me through this incredible growth process. Please continue to pray for both Ry and I as we enter this next, final week of our time in India. I have a lot of goodbye's to say, a lot to still process, and a lot to do before I leave. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed today about all that will happen in these next 4 days. Poor Sibu and Tannu especially have already been privy to my buckets of tears as I'm trying to grab some precious last times with them.

Time to go... (I couldn't resist).

With love,

Duffy

Pictures from our travels the past two weeks are up! Just click on the link on the right (as usual) and check out the new tab: O Brother!

He's Here!

2007-07-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

My brother is coming! My brother is coming!

2007-07-01T10:04:00.001-07:00

From Russia, ironically enough.

Ok, perhaps it is only the McDuff family who will get the ingenious irony of the post title, but...

My brother IS coming. In less than 4 hours I'll be giving him a big (no doubt sweaty) hug and helping him lug his enormous suitcases (filled with all odd items, from curtains to Cinnamon Crunch) back home. That is, to my India home.

I'm excited; I just thought I'd share.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel around, encourage one another, and encourage my dear brothers and sisters here. I hope and pray Ry will walk away with a heart and burden for my dear India!

... Duffy

Update, July 2nd: Poor Ryan got stuck in Russia for an additional 24 hours. He'll be making his appearance on July 3rd instead.

Like Elivs and His Mom

2007-06-29T00:28:00.000-07:00

I did two things yesterday. Two and only two.

I sat in front of my computer furiously editing, transcribing interview notes, and going through page after page of reports and meeting notes from the inception of Aunty's Jowai ministry in 1990 until now. I also went through old journals, prayer letters, and e-mails. It was a productive, work-ahohlic day.

But it means that I'm done with my information gathering and rough (rough, rough, rough) draft editing of Aunty's memories. I've done what I can and should on it while here in India! (Before you get too excited, it's nowhere near book form. Sparing you the details of what's left, I'll just say that the rest is slated to be accomplished when I'm in California and Aunty is settled in Faridabad -- giving us both some time to think, process, and remember.)

I'm just so thankful for yesterday especially and all that I was able to extract from the piles of information I was going through. I'm thankful for God's faithfulness through the process... I've gotten to see the clear evidence of his long-term faithfulness and miraculous working in Aunty's life; I've also gotten to experience it myself in new and unique ways as I've waded through this process. One of the things that's been impressed upon me is the necessity and value of making memorials/reminders/records of God's work in my life so that I can regularly look back, see what He's done, and praise Him for His character and the outworkings of the gospel in my life. Praise the Lord for his work and for the ability to remember and record his faithfulness!

Thing number two I did today was eat mangos; or, to be more precise, variations of Magnifera Indica L.,. There are 24 different kinds of mangos here in India and I think in eating 10 specimins today I was tapping into 4 of those varieties. So little time left; so many varieties to go!

Believe it or not, I'd never eaten a fresh mango before coming to India. Was I ever missing out! Mangos are, for lack of a better, more descriptive word... yummy! And ooey and gooey and sweet and cool and tangy and refreshing. They are also a fixture in our daily, mandatory, after-meal fruit eating sprees.

I haven't often posted on my "day". But I was rejoicing so in the accomplishment on the book that I wanted to share with you all. I know many of you have prayed earnestly for me in that area -- thank you! And mangos... well... just trying to give you a taste of my life in India.

With love,

Your Duffy

On My Mind IV

2007-06-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

We Choose to Bow
Walt Harrah

Though a million voices choose to deny You,

We choose to bow

Though a thousand thoughts seek to rise above You,

We choose to bow.

Though they deny that we all are sinful,

Though they proclaim God is in us all,

Though we are told we don't need a Savior,

Humbly now at Your feet we fall.

We choose to bow,

We choose to sing,

We choose to crown You the King of Kings.

We are not God,

We say out loud,

Only to You to we choose to bow

Do we choose to bow.

Though the powers of darkness rage all around us,

We choose to bow.

Though trials come and temptations surround us,

We choose to bow.

Though we may stumble or we may falter,

Though we have wandered and gone astray

Mercy is given to all who call You,

Mercy is given to all who say:

We choose to bow,

We choose to sing,

We choose to crown You the King of Kings.

We are not God,

We say out loud,

Only to You to we choose to bow

Do we choose to bow.

Though the cost is great to the call set before us,

We choose to bow.

Though the world may hate us our God if for us,

We choose to bow.

Though we may struggle or we may prosper,

Though we have little or many things,

You are our God and there is no other

Worthy now of the song we sing.

We choose to bow,

We choose to sing,

We choose to crown You the King of Kings.

We are not God,

We say out loud,

Only to You to we choose to bow

Do we choose to bow.

...in light of reading Daniel...

"'What is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures and conversations?'"

2007-06-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

... Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

Indeed. In this case, my blog is the book and conversation. But still pretty useless without the pictures, eh?

So, announcement: the pictures from my Northeast trip are up for viewing, along with a few choice pictures of Tannu and I rejoicing over our new inverter (yay for no more sweaty, sleepless nights with no fans!). Just click on the link on the right.

As a side note, I suppose I don't fully agree with little Alice. I like books just fine without any pictures. But books without conversations attached (be it internal or external) leaves the book lifeless, in my humble opinion.

Now that my internet is working again, more to come later.

With love,

Alice in Wonderland
(randomly enough, Aunty's nickname for me...)

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...

2007-06-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

… who is the fairest of them all?

Well if by “fair” you mean white, translucent, or snowy, I think, especially in my present context, that I fit the bill, win the prize, take the cake… you get the picture.

Unlike California – where summer is indicative of shed clothing and laying-out or tanning sessions, all to achieve that perfect, make-your-teeth-look-glow-in-the-dark tone – India’s darker skinned population equates lightness with perfection. So instead of bikinis you’ve got elbow length gloves; instead of tanning beds, broad brimmed hats; instead of lounging in the sun, umbrella covered forays to the great outdoors; and finally, instead of tanning oils, a whole line of lightening & whitening skin products.

In fact, any product remotely related to skin care – from acne cream to hand lotion – has a proud “whitening product” stamp emblazoned on the side. Aside from causing me to take note of the ironic cultural differences, recall mum’s childhood maxims about the grass always being greener on the other side, and momentarily rehas soul-ish questions about the true nature of beauty, I hadn’t really taken much notice of said products.

But the other day during a routine trip to the local market, I spotted a new product. An herbal facemask. In my sweaty, dirty state I was intrigued. A face-mask; sort of a skin self-help, if you will. Acknowledging the product’s purported whitening tendencies, the thoughts flittering through my head were along the lines of, “how could I get any whiter? It certainly can’t do me any harm…” Plunk went the rupees 50 and my fate was sealed.

What ensued was lesson #1,327 of life in India. I’ll bypass the multiple lessons learned from trying to use a drying, peeling product in 100+ heat with no electricity (read: lots of sweat) and get right to the primary revelation: I can’t get any whiter, but I can get redder.

The genius plot to lighten skin – at least in the case of this product – was to painfully peal layer upon layer off. Perhaps it works for some people. In my case the desired pearly affect was eradicated by the nubbins of blood dotting my face and nose. Piqued, I’m sure, by the painful pull, my skin rebelled and turned a rosy, someone-just-slapped-me red. And I have yet to discover a culture that gives red the foremost place in its skin beauty rubric.

Since the beaches of California and horsemanship summers at Ironwood had previously instilled in me a similar lesson, namely, I can’t get any darker, but I can get redder, I feel I’ve effectively covered my bases in lessons learned about my personal skin color.

There really is nowhere for me to go but "redder".

Success!

2007-06-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

I’ve returned from my trip to the Northeast! What an adventure (in more ways than one). Besides experiencing a very different culture, nearly dying on a foggy mountain road drive in a 16-year-old barely functional car, escaping from my first bahnd, rejoicing in the monsoon season 20 C temperatures, wind, and rain… besides all that… interviewing 23 people in 3 days, sharing with three groups, and getting to know and love the people and ministry of *****. Like I said, adventure!

I was so pleased and encouraged with the interviews I was able to conduct. I got exactly what I needed; I got a much better understanding of the nature and impact of the ministry of *****. I got to see the exact places that Aunty has been telling me about all these months – the land that was in a vision God gave her, the people she discipled, the jungle they built in – even the gargantuan bugs that I had thought must be exaggerated!

As I’ve gotten to hear Aunty's story of God’s leading over the past couple months, I’ve been continually convicted and encouraged by her example of consistent quick obedience. My trip just confirmed this. I was rejoicing as, in Jowai, I got to see the fruit of Aunty’s obedience. She went to a place that had a very real need (and still does) to hear truth and see Christian living consistently displayed. She provided that by her own life example and by establishing such things as a Basic Bible School and Bible study projects. As I interviewed person after person I realized that even though many had been born in “Christian” families, they didn’t even know the basics of who Christ was until they were involved in these programs. So many people gave testimony to their changed lives because of Aunty's example and the ministry's stand on God's Word.

My two favorite interviews were with people who, after getting basic training at *****, have gone to villages. I can’t wait to come home and share their actual stories with you. My heart was broken and touched as I heard about their front line work. They are sharing where it’s never been shared before and they, and those who believe, suffer. Jim Elliot's classic quote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose” kept coming to mind as they talked. They were two interviews that I will not soon forget. Heart-changing.

There are so many more stories and joys from my trip, but that will have to do for now. Pictures are forthcoming, it’s just taking me forever to label them all so you’ll actually know what you’re looking at. Hopefully they’ll give you some more insight into my adventures.

Coming back has meant a hit-the-ground-running return to “normal life”. Tannu’s English lessons continue and we’re both pleased with her progress. She starts her school early next month. Aunty and I are trying to put concentrated effort into the book during this upcoming week. I’ve got notes to type, old reports to go through, pictures to scan, and letters to read. Also (I’ve not mentioned this before), I’m about a month into a Bible study with a neighbor friend, A. We are using a great study titled, Following Jesus: Navigating the Narrow Path written by friend, Grace Cabalka. Our bi-weekly Bible study has been an India-time highlight for me as I’ve seen how lessons I learned at the front end (cultural lessons, openness to the Spirit’s leading, sensitivity to spiritual battle issues, increased knowledge of the Word) were the Spirit’s preparation for this particular study with this particular friend. It’s been fruitful, encouraging, and amazing to lead and care for her in this way! Add to all these “normalities” Brajen’s upcoming engagement ceremony (this Saturday!) and you’ve got a very busy Karisa & Co.

As side notes in my little update-fest, Aunty’s health is greatly improved, though the health of two of her dear sisters is not good. Please pray for continued health for Aunty, strength during this busy time, and health for her two sisters. Also, the Faridabad property continues to move forward – today Aunty picked out the flooring, bathroom fixtures, etc. Please pray for further finances to be raised, as there has been an unexpected cost increase of $10,000 to complete the ministry portion of the building.

More later, friends!

With love,
Duffy.

Jet Plane...

2007-06-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning (June 8th) I'm leaving bright and early for a 6 day trip to Goharti, Shillong, and then Jowai, all cities in the Northeast state of Meghalaya. Click HERE. for description, maps, info, etc. If you don't want to wade through an encyclopedia article, here's my shortlist of interesting things about the area:

1. Meghalaya means "Abode of the Clouds"
2. The % of Christians is 64
3. The "Wettest Place on Planet Earth" is the town of Cherrapunji... which I'll be visiting
4. The tribal people of Meghalaya are part of the "world's largest surviving matrilineal culture"

The cities I'll be visiting are Aunty's old stomping grounds -- a place where she spent years caring for the tribal people and establishing a strong, Biblically based, discipleship focused ministry. She went when there was nothing but jungle; the result is thriving ministry center, the Basic Bible School, Bible Studies, counseling projects and sewing centers.

I'm going to do interviews and "research" (read: take pictures and see the place I'm to describe) for the book Aunty and I are putting together on how God has directed, provided, and blessed her during her years of service. I'm looking forward to meeting the people that I've heard so much about. Please be praying that I'll have wisdom in what questions to ask. Please also pray for the time to meet everyone I need to, particularly that my schedule and theirs will conenct. In addition, I'll be doing some "encouraging", so please pray as I prepare for those times. Finally, pray for me as I've been hit with a wave of exhaustion the last two days-- pray for physical strength and endurance.

It's a "whirlwind" trip -- I'll be back June 13th.

Until then...

ESL SOS

2007-06-06T01:14:00.001-07:00

“Kh – now.”

“Know.”

“Now.”

“No, know.”

“No now?”

“Yes… er… no…er… nay… know!”

“No?”

“Yes, know.”

“Huh?”

I’ve always had a fairly amicable relationship with my mother tongue. A few random “oot” and “aboots”, one frightening junior college English teacher (Mr. Roundy called the class “a pile of stinkweeds”), and a propensity toward verbose written creations are the only aspects of the relationship that could be termed “negative”. And even those experiences I prefer to see as quirks or anomalies. (In retrospect, I have had one truly negative experience: my inability to consistently and correctly use “nauseous” vs. “nauseated” in their respective “right ways” has led to sometimes violent remonstrations from a roommate who will remain nameless.)

The point being: I like English. I speak it. I write it. I read it. I’d say it’s been pretty good to me.

Then I tried teaching it.

Who came up with English? What were they thinking? How are student and teacher supposed to keep their sanity when every time you finish teaching a “rule” the very next word to be read breaks that rule? Homonyms, homographs, and homophones…is there a specific phobia for these kinds of terrors? Grammar? Eek.

It is not my student’s fault. My student – also my dear friend – is19-year-old Tannu. Tannu is one of Aunty’s adopted daughters and has been living with us for the past month. This past May she received her certificate in Bible from the local Christian college. She did that course via their Hindi medium program. This fall she will begin studying at what they call “Open University” in a bid to complete her 10th standard (code word for high school diploma). Her long-term goal is to go back to Bible college and obtain her BTh. Both the high school diploma and her future Bible studies will require English proficiency. I have never seen such an eager, motivated student. She is constantly reading – signs, brochures, books, and receipts. Anything with English she wants to decipher. She is bold in striking up conversations with me and we role-play phone conversations and shopping trips multiple times a day to help her practice. She diligently writes chapters of the Bible and has memorized a plethora of verses in English. She is a model student.

(And on a side note, I am so thankful for Tannu! Her cheerful spirit, amazing and quick laughter, and affectionate friendship have all been a true blessing to me. Her story, which I will have to share in person, is an amazing testimony to God's miraculous, saving power, and sovereign work. Even her desire and ability to learn after, as a girl, having been kept from educational opportunities most of her life, is an example and reminder to me of God providing wisdom to those the world would deem foolish. I love Tannu so much!)

But English is still difficult! I watched My Fair Lady the other night and was fairly (see!?!) oozing sympathy for heroine Eliza Doolittle. That poor thing had to contend not only with the irascible Henry Higgins but also the uppity pronunciation and finicky rules of the English’s English!

To add insult to injury, I've barely been able to write this post. I was agonizing over each dot and tiddle (or is it dot and tittle?) because of my new, painful, language-aware state. (If you couldn't tell already, I just gave up and wrote the post anyway...crimes against the "Mothertongue" and all.)

My unexpected foray into teaching English as a second language needs to have a storybook ending. So I’m on the lookout for any advice or resources all you practiced teachers might have on hand. Pronunciation is a key difficulty; how do you help a non-native speaker “hear” the difference in what you are saying and what is coming out of their mouth? Have you ever had students who really struggle with consonant blends and combinations (i.e., they always put a vowel sound in-between any two consonants at the beginning of a word – “paress” or “puress” instead of “press”)? What about a student who seems to consistently mix up seemingly unconnected letters (o and v, f and s, p and r)… any idea what might be going on there? What combination of phonics, memorization, etc, should be used in teaching someone to read? Another difficulty – bringing together the three aspects of language learning (reading, writing, conversation) when the student is at different “levels” in each. Ideas? Helpful hints? I've been using several on-line ESL resources/curriculums that have been helpful, but I'd welcome any tried and true recommendations.

Just to clarify, English and I now have a love/hate relationship. I'm sure once we work on our communication the relationship will improve.

(In the space of time it has taken me to write this blog Tannu and I are both seeing the brigher side of English. It's beginning to make sense to her, my ability to convey meaning and explination in Hindi/English is improving, and we are having so much fun reading missionary stories, doing Bible study, and acting out conversations. Today we both saw a marked improvement in her reading comprehension. Don’t let that stop you from any suggestions, though. I could use all the help I can get!)

On My Mind III

2007-06-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

"The key to humility is not merely feeling the absence of merit..., but feeling the presence of free grace." - John Piper, What Jesus Demands of the World, Demand #17, p.130

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matt. 5:3

Humility: Five Implications for Bold Truth-Telling
1. "...humility begins with a sense of subordination to God in Jesus." (Matt. 10:24)
2. "(Humility) is not a life based on perceived rights. It is a life of sacrifice." (Matt. 10:25)
3. "(Humility) speaks truth as a service to Christ and as love to the adversary." (Matt. 10:27-28)
4. "...humility knows it is dependent on grace for all knowing and believing and speaking." (John. 15:5)
5. "...humility knows it is fallible, and so considers criticism and learns from it, but also knows that God has made provision for human conviction and that he calls us to persuade others." (Matt. 18:15-17 & 28:19-20)

"Is not the most effective way of bridling my delight in being made much of, to focus on making much of God? Self-denial and crucifixion of the flesh are essential, but O how easy it is to be made much of even for my self-denial! How shall this insidious motive of pleasure in being made much of be broken except through bending all my faculties to delight in the pleasure of making much of God!...You have to go down deeper into the grave of the flesh to find the truly freeing stream of miracle water that ravishes you with the taste of God's glory. Only in that speechless, all-satisfying admiration is the end of self." (John Piper, What Jesus Demands of the World, p. 135-7)

Have I Mentioned...

2007-06-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

...that I've posted new pictures? The majority are from VBS (under the "India Adventures" heading, but the rest (under "The Happenings" heading) provide some photo documentary updates on the Faridabad building project, the DBF church building project, visitors, a random McDonald's trip, a birthday celebration, and family!

Click HERE.

WINN Window

2007-06-02T00:52:00.000-07:00

The ministry that Aunty directs and that I am here serving was recently featured in their larger, international newsletter. I thought I'd display it here so you can see how the ministry is moving along, the prayer & praise points from Aunty's perspective, and a taste of the other WINN cells around the world.

June 2007
Welcome to the new format of the combined monthly prayer letter and WINN Window newsletter. The aim is to give a fuller picture of one of the IN Network women’s ministries which you can refer to again and again. We will include other important prayer requests which need special attention during the month of publication. For those on email you may still receive urgent prayer requests as they arise.

This month we feature the ministry of WINN India, ably directed by Miss S. M.. The WINN Ministry works primarily with womenfolk and includes retreats, seminars, conferences, workshops, teaching, discipling, Church ministries, counseling, equipping to be witnesses and computer and sewing centres.

WINN India’s work takes place in Delhi , Jabulpur in Madya Pradesh State , Noida and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, Gurgaon in Haryana, Pune and Mumbai in Maharasthra, and a strong work in North East India. With over 50 women and men paid staff or volunteers, S. M. has a large workload overseeing the various aspects of the work. S. M. also ministers overseas each year.

The Pune Counselling Centre, which last year reached over 7,400 people as a result of its various outreach ministries and prayer groups, provides friendship, fellowship, counseling and supportive help, guidance and encouragement for women to grow to spiritual maturity and shares the love of Jesus with many.

The Jabulpur Sewing Project trains disadvantaged and disabled girls in employable skills. The computer training programmes see their graduates into well paying jobs. The Meerut sewing project reaches girls from Hindu backgrounds, many coming to know Jesus. The Women of the Word Bible Study groups cause women to grow in their relationships with the Lord and the WINN Watch Prayer groups are full of powerful prayer warriors.

In her annual report S. M. tells how April 2006 – March 2007 year was a remarkable one for WINN-INDIA. The “Rastriya Sathwavana Gaurav Sanhman” (National Award) honoured WINN-INDIA with an award for its involvement in social works. “We praise God for His help among the poor society who come to us to learn computer, for awareness programmes, English spoken classes and sewing classes.”

Some testimonies and success stories

From Pune:
"P" came to the Centre very depressed and discouraged, nursing a broken heart. She also had a lot of unforgiveness and bitterness in her heart towards her family, particularly her mother. She surrendered it all to the Lord. Over a period of time she has been able to deal with it all. She has understood what is expected of her and is working on it with the Lord. She trusts Jesus and loves Him and with Him hopes to overcome all her battles.

"S", a 14 year old, was admitted to the hospital as she was vomiting blood. We met her sister who wanted us to pray for her. They had done all kinds of tests but could not diagnose the reason for her condition. They even did an angiograph after which the girl has been unable to move the right leg. She was having asthma and was using an oxygen mask. Her condition was serious and the family was desperate. The doctors said they could do nothing more and they should take her back home. We shared with her and her 3 sisters, the love of Jesus with the gospel message. All of them accepted the Lord. Sarita began to recover. She is still in hospital but the doctors themselves speak of a change in her condition. She continues to look to Jesus to heal her completely. She is able to sit up now. There has been no more blood vomit. She had spoken of a demon telling her and even threatening her to go with it, but now as we prayed in the name of Jesus and told her to claim victory in the Name and blood of Jesus, even that has gone. Praise God

From the Computer Education Centre, Delhi
"S" is a girl who comes from a Punjabi background but she accepted the Lord as her personal Saviour. She has completed the Basic computer course. She shared a prayer request about marriage because for a long time she was praying to be married. We prayed and God answered with a good proposal from a man who works as a Hardware engineer. They got married and on 22nd of March God blessed them with a baby girl. She is enjoying one blessing after the other. "S" wants to support her family financially.

From the WINN Sewing centre, Jabulpur
"S J" -I come from a very poor family. It is very difficult for my parents to make both ends meet. I have decided to help my parents in the running of the house. Since I am a girl therefore I was very keen in learning to adopt a vocation, which would help me to earn my livelihood. I came to know of WINN Sewing Centre at Sneh Niketan through the survey work conducted in my slum area. I came here with no knowledge, with no experience about tailoring work. The teachers are very patient with me and taught me every thing step by step .I have completed almost six months and can now do my own cutting and tailoring work. My parents feel happy seeing me learn to do things independently for myself. I wish to continue and learn more. Last but not least we wish to thank the WINN Team for Coming and ministering to us and for giving us your valuable suggestion for the upliftment of the WINN class. May God bless you all.

PRAYER POINTS
• For the extension of the WINN India ministry into Faridabad . S. M. will move there once construction on the house is completed.
• For the provision of finance for a hall for training ladies in leadership and for retreats on the Faridabad land.
• For a good response from Christian doctors and teachers to come and hold medical and adult literacy camps at the new location.
• For S. M.’s friendship and outreach to the village people
• For more young women to disciple
• For the conferences, retreats, seminars, workshops and camps for women.
• For an increase in the number of prayer cell groups (WINN Watch) and Bible study groups (WOW) into more areas.
• For the ministries to the poor and underprivileged to help them to have a source of income and raise their economic standard.
• To expose those who come to the projects to the gospel.
• To increase the effectiveness of the counseling centres
• For daily strength for Sheila and all her paid and voluntary staff.
• For the Vacation Bible School for street children, 18 - 21st June 2007.
• For B and K (pictured) engagement day on 23rd June 2007 that it will be a day of rejoicing and glorifying God.

PRAISE POINTS
• For the wonderful time WINN ladies spent in prayer on the global day of prayer.
• For Lakhi who passed her 10+2 with high marks.
• That Ms. Sheila Massey's sister tumor is benign.
• For Ms. Sheila Massey's health. She is recovering slowly. Continue to pray for complete recovery.
• For the Faridabad Building construction - it has reached the plastering stage.
• For the wonderful VBS organized by Brajen and Karisa. 240 children attended; all churches of Gurgaon were brought together due to the event.

IMPORTANT PRAYER REQUESTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
• Thanks be to God for those who have prayed for Rosemary Kisandu of Tanzania , who is schooling in Kenya . She is completely restored and set free from the evil spirit that was troubling her.
• Praise the Lord that Mrs. Dipa Adhikary, Bangladesh , had a good medical treatment in Singapore and arrived safely. However, her heart valve activity has deteriorated and may need a replacement. Kindly pray for Dipa who is suffering from a high fever from last week and has some chest complications. The fever is not responding to paracetamol and antibiotics. These has been some slight change since her son McDonald laid hands on her and prayed in the Name of Jesus Christ. Please pray that our Lord restores her health and relieves all the pain and discomfort she is having now.
• Pray for Ms. Hazeline Tripura the Assistant Matron of Savar Village in Bangladesh who lost her niece in a tragic drowning accident. Pray for the bereaved family.

On My Mind II

2007-05-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

THE RESOLUTIONS
of
Jonathan Edwards

Being Sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake.

Remember to read these resolutions over once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

(Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)

(And some of the other 49 he wrote that especially stuck out to me...)

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God' s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

43. Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God' s; agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. June 9, and July 13 1723.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 11, and July 13.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton' s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. August 17, 1723.

VBS Survived

2007-05-28T12:43:00.001-07:00

Brajen and I have been working for the past several months on planning, directing, and finally executing a citywide Vacation Bible School. Of course we didn’t do it alone – the VBS was planned through the combined effort of pastors and ministry leaders from all over Gurgaon. In addition to the 50 teachers and handful of volunteers, almost 250 kids (ages 4 to 16) came each day during VBS week, May 14th – 18th.

Phew. It was a lot of kids! But I can joyfully (and with a huge, contended sigh of relief) say, mission accomplished!

At times it didn't feel that way, namely when it seemed to melt into pure chaos. And, of course, there were the unforeseen bumps – no electricity on days 1 and 3, not enough classrooms or workbooks, undelivered craft materials, etc. The resulting blessing was seeing God work all those things together (tangibly by providing uncomplaining children and spurts of creativity to meander through the mess) and marvelously accomplishing what we had prayed would be the end result. Viz., to clearly and simply have the gospel proclaimed, children led to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and all encouraged in their young faith by the teaching of God’s Word. And by God's grace and power this happened! A large group of kids made a profession of faith and an even larger group of un-churched kids asked for (and received) their first Bibles (more on that below).

My role was mainly all the “fun” administrative type stuff leading up to VBS, for example, the accounts. I even tried my hand at a bit of the publicity, designing the posters and registration materials around a main theme, “Come Sing a New Song”. During VBS I coordinated registration (disastrous but we all survived with full heads of hair), teachers & volunteers (we had morning meetings and prayer times), and crafts (who knew my two Martha Stewart magazines and collections of ribbon and scrap paper would be my “two loaves and five fish” when there were no craft supplies delivered on Monday morning?).

It was my coordination vantage point that allowed me to see a blessing that will go beyond just our VBS week. I walked away fairly encouraged by the efforts that all these pastors and churches made to work together. Despite some challenging differences, these pastors demonstrated that they are ultimately committed to furthering the gospel in their city, specifically in the lives of their young people. VBS and the joint effort committee seems to have paved the way for other collective efforts – a citywide day of prayer, a “transformation network”, and a renewed interest in Pastor prayer meetings.

Please pray with me that this team effort attitude for the sake of the gospel will continue among Gurgaon leaders and that their efforts will lead not only to growth of local churches, but also to increased accountability and encouragement among Pastors and fellow believers.

Another blessing that will go beyond VBS week was a point of personal growth. My whole involvement in the committee, planning, and VBS week itself was a humbling lesson in cross-cultural communication. And by humbling I mean sometimes embarrassing (those stories will be archived for another day) but mostly just revealing. Revealing of the fact that dying to self is hard. Living for Christ, i.e., putting into practice the type of love so clearly demonstrated to us by Christ’s example, is hard. Daily, “keep at it”, press on, wearisome type of hard. And for whatever reason (perhaps all the miscommunication frustrations) VBS planning and VBS week chaos just brought out my need to work on listening lovingly, relinquishing my idea of the “right way” to the ideas of others if the end goal is being accomplished, and being patient – even affirming and adapting – with others’ differences (cultural or otherwise).

Please continue to pray with me that I will love sacrificially, that I will kill my pride, that I will communicate love, and that I will daily recall my own position in grace and so joyfully extend that attitude towards others. Pray that I will increase in brotherly (sisterly) love and affection for India.

So good, lasting blessings. Out of the actual VBS week itself my favorite blessing “snap shots” involved (not surprisingly) my interactions with the kids.

During the week I got to give a few devotionals to the junior group, kids ages 10-12. The given theme for one of the days was “Do Not Fear”. After making a list of things the kids feared (top of which were: exams, snakes, and big dogs), we looked up some passages that highlighted God’s power and sovereignty. I was about to spend some time making the connection between God’s character and why we don’t have to fear when one of the boys raised his hand. My heart did a little jig as I quickly realized he’d made the connection. I let him explain to the rest of the class why we don’t have to fear – in his terms, God is “the biggest and best” and also loves us, so we can trust him. He was afraid of the scary dog because it was “bigger” than him, but the dog can’t even compare to God, so he doesn’t have to fear. Three cheers for kids better understanding God’s character.

Please pray for these dear kids, specifically that they will continue to grow in their faith and knowledge of God. Pray that truths about who God is, how He works, and what He’s done will touch their hearts and that this new generation of Christian Indians will be desperately in love with Christ, ready to radically and unequivocally stand for Him!

My absolute favorite snap shot, or VBS memory, was from the last day. We had purchased 100 English/Hindi Bibles to give away to children who had none. My friend and I were organizing them while waiting for the closing ceremonies to end when word began to spread that Bibles were in the back. Despite the ongoing program, kids began to rush back to the table. My friend and I were pushed, crushed, pinched, pulled, yelled at… we were mobbed. Literally, mobbed. For Bibles. By kids. Some of them were mobbing me because they wanted something free, but there were those that had, all week long, been asking for a Bible because they truly wanted to read it themselves. Several of those shouted at me: “Ma’am, please give me a Jesus book”. Precious. I’ll get mobbed for that any day of the week.

Thank the Lord with me for His precious, alive Word and for the reminder these young ones provided of cherishing it and desiring it. Pray specifically that those who took Bibles for the first time will get opportunity to read it and that it would be read not only by them, but also by their parents. Also, praise the Lord for his marvelous work in orchestrating the details, bringing children, sustaining us through the program, etc, and for the ultimate example of his power in the group of children that responded to His offer of salvation. For the group that heard the gospel and responded, please be pray for their spiritual protection and growth.

5-Day Forecast for Gurgaon

2007-05-06T03:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday
116° F | 87° F
47° C | 31° C

Monday
118° F | 84° F
48° C | 29° C

Tuesday
120° F | 82° F
49° C | 28° C

Wednesday
118° F | 84° F
48° C | 29° C

Thursday
116° F | 86° F
47° C | 30° C

Easter Reflections

2007-05-03T23:07:00.000-07:00

I know that it’s a little late for Easter reflections, considering Easter happened about a month ago, and as a result you'll be tempted to chortle at my sporadic and futile attempts to keep this blog updated... but resist that little indulgent laugh! At least I'm posting...

One of my favorite things about Easter was the fact that my church intentionally and thoughtfully took action to reach out to the community. It’s an area of growth for our church to think of widely and boldly placing themselves in the paths of people they don’t know in order to further the gospel and build up our body – me included! I’m loving growing alongside them in this area.

I read a statistic this morning that the greater Delhi area (including Gurgaon) has 100 malls and 300 malls proposed or in progress. One soon to be completed mall near our home boasts 1 km of shopping per floor with at least 8 floors. (Honestly the only benefit I see to that complex – and I’ve thought long and hard about this, believe me – is that one could have an indoor, air-conditioned training area for a marathon. But don’t tell any shopping fanatics I said so.) Before you think I’m digressing, the point: loads of people come to a strip of road in Gurgaon that boasts the 5 most popular malls, international eateries, and upscale shops, facilitating a perfect meet & greet with the greater Gurgaon population.

So on the Saturday before Easter a group of us spread out on that mall permeated road armed with 4,000 invitations to our Easter service the next morning. The sheer mass of people, the way they took the invite without looking or cut me off mid- “I’d like to invite you to…” made me a little wary of hoping for any real results from our “campaign”. That and the fact that the people who did stop and talk to me usually said something to the effect of, “what is Easter?” It both broke my heart and exhilarated me to answer their question and hand them an invitation; broke my heart because I was reminded of how lost people are, exhilarated me to introduce them to the idea of Christ’s resurrection and to a church.

The next morning, after a sweet sunrise service with a smaller bit of our body, we crowded into our church basement (the only portion completed in our current building project). And crowded is a good way to put it – the church was packed to the brim! Imagine my joy when the first two people I saw coming down the stairs were a husband and wife that I had handed an invitation to! I was able to welcome them and get to know them. But they weren’t the only ones: almost 40 guests inundated our church service that morning; as a result of the clear, compelling gospel message several professed faith or wanted to know more. God, make me more quick to trust in your power and sovereignty to work and bring people to places and to believers that you will then use to share your Word!

The song that has been running through my head since Easter (a most likely cause being that I’ve had Kenny’s Music of the Spheres CD on repeat since then) has been the simple, “Thank You For Saving Me”. Here are the words:

Thank You For Saving Me

Thank you for saving me, what can I say?
You are my everything, I will sing your praise.
You shed your blood for me, what can I say?
You took my sin and shame,
a sinner called by name.

Great is the Lord,
Great is the Lord,
For we know your truth has set us free,
You've set your hope in me.

Mercy and grace are mine, forgiven is my sin,
Jesus my only hope, the Saviour of the world.
"Great is the Lord" we cry,
God let your kingdom come,
Your word has let me see,
thank you for saving me!

Pretty simple song; profound truth. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I walked away from Easter so excited, as I said above, that the church was mobilizing to share the gospel with the very needy neighborhood. I also walked away from Easter encouraged by the gospel itself and the fact that I’ve experienced/ am experiencing the power of salvation by faith in Christ. What joy!

“In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” As I focused on the greatness of God in salvation and my own relationship with the Lord, I was struck by the number of areas in my life where I don’t seem to apply the gospel truth. Meaning, I’m an adopted child who sometimes acts as if I’m still an orphan. How silly it would seem if an adopted child, provided with three meals a day, was to continue to hoard or steal food. But often that does happen because the child – who in some ways has been transported to a whole new way of life – doesn’t understand the full ramifications of their sonship.

In light of this I’ve been trying to meditate on and think more intentionally about what it looks like for me to live a life worthy of the calling of the gospel, viz., living under the gospel and in the power of the gospel. It’s been a good reminder time for me, and has been stirring in me an even greater desire to share the joy, significance, and grace of the gospel with others.

Please pray with me that many more will come to our church and be introduced to Christ; praise God with me for the blessing of our salvation!

With love,
Your sister through Christ’s blood,

Karisa…

(P.S. I’ve got some pictures posted of Easter and other recent events under “The Happenings” section of my picture blog. Just click on the link on the right).

Food

2007-04-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

The number one question I’m asked in India is: “so, how do you like the food?” If I had a rupee for every time someone asked me…let’s just say there would be a large dent in the problem of world poverty. My answer is always the same: I love Indian food. Really, I do. Now I can’t deny that when I arrive back in the U.S. I will eagerly (and hopefully instantaneously) indulge in a juicy flank steak a la mom, a huge, fresh, garden salad, an In-N-Out hamburger, a warm loaf of sourdough bread, a Jamba juice concoction, and a warm brownie with a big glass of milk. But in the meantime typical Indian fare is something that I’ve come to love. This is hard for most people here to believe and so I find that, even after 4-6 months of consistently answering the question, people I see on a weekly basis still pose it and appear astounded by my answer.

And I’m telling you all of this because in the “five top questions Karisa is asked in e-mails from the US”– you guessed it – “how’s the food?” ranks pretty high.

So for the record, both here and there, I really like Indian food. Really.

Now when people from the US ask, they typically have two things in mind: Delhi Belly and Spice.

Since I’ve only been sick once (and that only a minor incident) despite many indiscretions (read: eating at roadside stands) Delhi Belly does not strike fear in my tummy or deter me from general enjoyment of the food. I think God graciously granted me a stomach of iron for the length of this trip.

And spice, both the taste and temperature of the food, has been a quickly acquired taste. One might argue that my tongue was burned, fried, and generally rendered useless within the first three days, leaving me an incompetent judge. (It was a bit of a “bang, bang, pow” experience at first given that my previous exposure to “hot food” had largely consisted of mild sauce packets from Taco Bell.) I like to look at it positively and think that I’ve become something of a spice connoisseur. I even chomped down on my first chili the other day – as a side dish. My nose was the only causality; I liked it! Another indicator that I’m truly OK with the spice factor was my recent attempt to enjoy “American food” in Bangkok. “That was your first mistake”, you might say, but give me a break! It sounded like a good treat. Halfway through the meal I realized something wasn’t quite right. What was it? Right! No taste! Bland. Blech. A chili sauce packet later I had something worthy of being called a meal.

Like I said, I honestly like Indian food, spice, Delhi belly, and uniqueness all considered.

Now, in case you are wondering, a typical meal consists of dal (a type of lentil soup typically poured over rice and always present at every meal), rice, chapattis (warm, tortilla-like “bread”), subzee (any vegetable, typically prepared in the pressure cooker with large helpings of oil and spice), and, about three times a week, chicken (also a pressure cooker specialty). Occasionally “salad” is added to the mix, which is code word for sliced cucumbers and carrots arranged artistically on a plate and sprinkled with salt and lemon juice. My favorite in our daily array is dal and I’ve been known to make “dessert” out of my chippate by adding butter and honey or butter and mango jam. Yummy!

In our household we eat with the standard fork, spoon, and knife. But in other parts of India eating is accomplished with your right hand and a chapatti. I got the chance to acquire that cultural skill during utensil-less YFC camp in January. Although it took me a while to perfect the “four finger scoop and drop”, in the end it makes much more sense to me than some other methods of moving food from plate to mouth; for instance, chopsticks, which I still fail to grasp (no pun intended).

If you ever want a crash course in cooking, come to a country that typically doesn’t use an oven (we don’t have one; there is no point, as there is never electricity with which to run one), has no pre-packaged, frozen, or instant foods, and where you are laughed at if you request a written recipe or measuring cups. These sorts of “trials” tend to either produce the golden chef extraordinaire or reduce one to an Amelia Bedelia-like state. In our house Sibu is the chef extraordinaire and I… Amelia Bedelia is my new middle name. On the up side, my true cooking (as opposed to baking, which is, I now realize, what my abilities heretofore had consisted of) repertoire has increased exponentially – I’m getting the “dash here, dash there” skill down pat and am convinced I could come up with a whole new line of recipes (Indian Mexican food, Indian Italian food, etc) given the concoctions I’ve invented. Thankfully there have been no dates required in any of my recipes.

The one bane of my cooking-in-India existence is chicken.

One day at the beginning of my time here I had prepared a lunch menu that required chicken. To obtain said item I accompanied Sibu to the farm to pick it up. It didn’t dawn on me until I saw the clucking, feathery masses that the chicken I was going to be purchasing would have so recently been alive and well. I tried to appear nonchalant and surreptitiously asked Sibu if there was a store with “pre-dead ones” nearby. When he looked at me as if I was the one missing a head I decided to drop the matter.

At that point I began an argument with myself. A frozen dead chicken is the same as a newly dead chicken…both are dead. Right?

Unfortunately that day I was a bit slow on the up take. The flat block, decorated with loose feathers and unidentifiable red “stuff”, should have been my clue that they really, truly were going to kill “my chicken” right then and there. (I say “my” because I was feeling a bit responsible for the scrawny-necked thing that Sibu had pointed out as the ones we wanted.) But it wasn’t until I saw the ax come down in a guillotine-like motion that I got wise. I looked away about 3 seconds to late.

By that point I had a headache and had stopped arguing with myself.

I had (casually and calmly) headed back to the car, missing out on the rest of the process, which Sibu said was “really cool” (apparently they fairly deftly chop the thing into manageable bits using a knife between their toes). On the ride home I asked a few cautious questions and came to understand that before an edible or even cookable chicken dish could appear my chore that afternoon would be to remove fat and bones and clean off the blood and stray feathers of Mary Antoinette (so it was a mistake to name it, what can I say?). In theory I accepted the task. Arriving home Sibu handed me our purchase in a tightly tied black plastic bag. Still warm.

That day we had pasta.

Pictures!

2007-04-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've got my PICS site updated. I've added pictures of my Jabalpur and Rajastan trips, my Bangkok adventure, and recent events (Easter, visitors, announcements, etc). Click HERE to enjoy!

Praising God for His goodness to us...

Duffy

Quick Update

2007-04-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you for praying for Aunty after last week's post! I am excited to update you with the news that she is doing much better! A change of doctor and a complete change of her battery of medicines has led to daily, exponentially increasing improvement. Of course, the challenge now is to encourage her to continue to rest on days she's feeling especially great, simply because, despite the improvement, there is still reason to be cautious and ease into things. Please continue to pray for her health and for the stresses of work, ministry, Faridabad, etc to be lessened.

Speaking of Faridabad, thank you all who have been faithfully praying since my post around the time of our groundbreaking ceremony. The work has been going along at quite a merry speed... the roof will be placed on sometime next week. However, the process has been anything but smooth as there have been several instances of cheating that Aunty/Brejan discovered. They are still almost daily wrestling with the contractor and workers to ensure a safe, well-built home will be the final product. Continue to pray for wisdom in dealing with the workers, spotting cheating and shoddy work, and for patience!

More to come later, as usual, I just wanted to get these immediate prayer updates posted!

Love,
Kar

Please Pray

2007-04-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Praying friends...

Would you all please be praying for Aunty Sheila? She has been not feeling herself for some time now and this last week it escalted and she is quite ill and very weak. At this point it's not really certain what is going on, though they believe it is tied to the heart surgery she had about one month before I arrived in India last year. Please pray for her complete recovery, especially the return of her strength; pray for her to have the ability to rest, as she's not used to "laying low"; pray for wisdom in what doctors and hospitals to consult (health care here is VERY different than in the States); and pray for encouragement, peace, and joy to come on her during this time.

I'll keep you posted!

Love you,
Kar

25

2007-03-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

Just a quick thank you to each of you who either sent me an e-mail, card, package, or (attempted to) phone on my birthday. Your kindness meant the world to me... I had such fun celebrating "with" you and felt quite loved and cared for. Thanks for making my international birthday a very homey, friend and family filled one too! You all were so creative and intentional, I just want to say THANK YOU!

And for everyone who asked... I celebrated my birthday laying on a sandy white, palm tree filled beach and swimming in a clear turquoise ocean cove on the island of Ko Samet in Thailand... sipping coconut milk and eating fresh pinapple.

It was a perfect day in paradise.

That is, for the 4 hours we were on that sweet beach.

The rest of the hours of my birthday were spent in buses, tuk-tuks, trains, and a taxi; they were spent getting lost, missing "the last bus home", and realizing that driving can get crazier than India; they were also spent realizing coconut juice is sort of gross, I sunburn in about 10 minutes flat in the Thailand sun, and that you need more than one bottle of water to conteract the dehydration that comes from the 95+ and humid Thailand weather.

In otherwords, it was a very adventure filled day! At one point (while riding on a ferry), I realized Amanda and I hadn't spoken a word to eachother for half an hour and so I asked her what she was thinking... and discovered we had been doing the same thing: at any given point we were determining which way we would swim when the boat sank. The Lord cared for us and it didn't sink, but we had a game plan if it did!

I had a great birthday... a little bit of paradise... a lot of adventure... and I shared it all with a wonderful, amazing friend who was able to laugh at it with me. It's great to be 25! Since I survived day one, I think the rest of this year will be a piece of cake!

Making up for lost time...

2007-03-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

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.

World Cup 2007

2007-03-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

I'm living in India. And in case I'd forgotten that, the Cricket World Cup Craze is here to remind me.

In America (as I'm sure you'll all agree) a World Cup (of any variety) doesn't stir our hearts, rouse national fervor, or occupy the time, energy, and money of the upper echelons of government.

But here...well, let me put it this way: We recently had a bomb scare in our little market and, contrary to the police's efforts to clear the area, a crowd of curious onlookers swarmed on in (I didn't quite understand the attraction). Suggestion: next time they want people to vacate the premises they should broadcast a cricket match… because tonight I went to the market and there was not a soul in sight. I'm not kidding. Not a rickshaw driver to hail, not an ice cream cart man loitering about, not a single person honking by on their scooter (no honking? That’s a miracle!). Tonight is the match between India and Sri Lanka, a crucial match for India’s continued World Cup hopes.

I like cricket. I really do. I'll admit that I used to think it was a sissy sport, and my time in Oxford didn't help that impression. I think it was the white uniforms that turned me off. White? Playing a sport? You've got to be kidding me. And matches that spanned days at a time? That sort of takes the adrenalin rush out of it for me. Pick up the pace guys! End it!

But Sibu loves cricket. And Brejan loves cricket. And Aunty Molly loves cricket. And Uncle Sonny loves (and plays) cricket. And just about every Indian I've met (except Aunty Sheila) loves cricket. While in Rome, do as the Romans do? Yup, in the absence of a good ol’ Dodger game with the fam or a tumultuous Laker season to break my heart, I decided adopting a love for the unofficial national sport of India would be an excellent idea. One or two batting lessons from Uncle, a church picnic pickup game, and some afternoons with Sibu later, I felt pretty confident about my general mastery of (and growing love for) the game of cricket.

Pretty simple: Someone – looking like a wild windmill – throws the ball and another someone wields the thick bat in a swing that keeps me guessing between baseball, tennis, and hockey. Then the batting someone runs back and forth between the lines (unfortunately reminding me of a really awful drill from high school volleyball team days).

Right.

When I watched my first televised cricket game and heard terms like wicket, partnership, maiden, and golden duck thrown around, I knew I was in serious trouble. So in preparation for the World Cup I went HERE and got an education. Interesting, tricky sport this cricket, and catching that nice little ball barehanded or bowling at the speed they do definitely helps pull them out of the sissy category. Add to that the fact that I watched a few amazing, intense games with the excitable fan Sibu and the fact that I finally got a handle on how to properly hold the bat and get a good hit… I was hooked.

Good thing too because on this side of the world (I use that term loosely) they take their sport pretty seriously. Any sport whose most famous competition centers around two teams vying for “a small urn containing ‘the ashes of English cricket’ (in reality the ashes of a set of bails), which ``died'' in a match in 1882 when Australia beat England for the first time” is on the slightly intense (or perhaps fanatical) side. Should you doubt that present day cricket players, fans, and countries are this “die-hard” about their sport, look at the coverage of the World Cup HERE. or HERE. Typical sports coverage fare you say? Well, besides the ads urging the Indian population to pray to the gods for Indian victory (and most of them are) check out the fact that, after Pakistan shockingly lost their bid in the first round (they were ranked #3 in the world and heavily favored to win), their coach was murdered.

Oops?

I think someone forgot this was just a game. Or someone didn’t tell them the rules.

Given that, no further comments. I think I’ll stick to park cricket with the family and root for Indian team victory from the comfort of my own home and with the relatively sane company of Brejan and Sibu.

I thought you would enjoy this slice of life from my side… the cricket craze is just part of living here. Go India!

* * * * *

Update:

There is great mourning and a spirit of dejectedness in India today. Last night India played poorly against Sri Lanka and lost...they are out of the World Cup. (There is some small, say 1%, chance that they might pass through to the next round but that depends on the performance of other teams.)

The Indian team is advised not to return home anytime soon – apparently eggs are waiting for them, among other things.

Anger management, anyone?

Just kidding. I should clarify that only a small group, i.e., very few, are actually crazy (in the insane fashion) about cricket; the rest of the country has a very healthy, normal love for the game that only occupies their every thought, most conversations (at one time or another), all TV ads, and just about every spare moment.

So, while India is out (sob sob) there is still good cricket left to watch. Pass the cracker jac... er... tea and crumpets...

On My Mind

2007-03-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

PSALM 96

1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;*
tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Daily Life

2007-03-04T23:07:00.000-08:00

I realized yesterday as I was preparing another post for this blog that it has been some time since I’ve updated you on what my day to day work looks like. At the beginning of my time I was involved in Bible Studies, conferences, and workshops, but since January I’ve been focused more on working here at home or in the nearby office. I’ve been busy with three main things.

First, I had the chance to become more involved in office work. For three weeks in February I spent every morning with the WINN office staff, particularly Brejan, covering topics such as workplace communication, e-mail etiquette, filing and general organizational tips, weekly planning, and excel training. It was a blessing to be able to tangibly help in the office and an even greater blessing to see how the things I’d learned during my time at ECCU were being put into practice. It was a challenge to try to first understand what Brejan (and the office’s) needs were, what was culturally different and what their requirements were, and then finally adapt and express my ideas in a helpful way. We’ve ended the day-to-day class in favor of a twice a month staff seminar. I’ll have my first one next week and will be focusing on how to organize, prioritize, and complete projects.

Second, I’ve had the unexpected blessing of becoming a teacher – a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants teacher, but a teacher none-the-less. One day two weeks ago Aunty brought home a little girl named Poonam. Poonam is 7 years old and the daughter of the maid who cleans our office. Poonam, like many girls in her social class, is not being educated. The main reason is that because she works odd jobs with her mother she brings the family some much needed extra income; the second reason is that she’s a girl -- the little money the family has for education is going to their sons. But when Aunty offered me as a teacher for Poonam, the mother jumped at the chance! (Yay!)

The challenge in this has been that besides “Goodmorning, ma’am”, she speaks only Hindi and I, obviously, speak only English. My Hindi has been rapidly improving, though, as every night before class I ask Sibu to help me with phrases I’ll need for my lesson the next day. Poonam and I have been working on making an Alphabet book, learning colors (in both Hindi and English), shapes, basic English conversation and vocabulary, addition, telling time, and patterns. Poonam’s favorite “subject” is coloring, though to be more specific I think her favorite thing is cutting to little bits the papers she’s colored.

If any of you amazing teachers have tips on how to teach English or on how to teach the basics in such a way that reading comes more easily and naturally later on, please let me know!

The third thing I’m currently working on is gathering the material for Aunty’s book. At this point that means spending afternoons with Aunty jotting down the stories that come to her mind. I’ve also begun the process of taking testimonies that she’s gathered over the years and transferring them to the computer. The challenge of beginning this process has been that, at times, I’ve felt a bit overwhelmed with the amount of stories and information that needs to be sorted out and pieced together. At the same time it’s been a great blessing; I’ve grown in the depth of my love for Aunty as I’ve gotten to hear first hand her stories of God’s guidance and her obedience, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. I’ve been struck anew with the beauty of a life dedicated to following Christ, and the fact that such sacrifice is clearly worth it. I’ve also been blessed by the daily reminder of God’s sovereignty. I’m confronted with example after example in Aunty’s testimonies of God orchestrating events and working in people’s hearts to bring about His purposes and bringing glory to His name. I’m excited for the time when I’ll be able to share with you these “memorial stones” reminding us of God’s faithfulness.

Pray for me to continue to be obedient and faithful, even in the small things.

Karisa

Pictures are HERE

2007-03-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

The Faridabad Groundbreaking (the topic of my last post) Pictures are HERE.

A few new pictures have been added to "Things You See", check them HERE.

And, to top it all off, I've "published" an entirely new "issue" of "The Happenings" HERE.

Faridabad Groundbreaking!

2007-03-01T01:46:00.000-08:00

I won’t keep you hanging. I didn’t actually eat that big chili in yesterday’s picture. Though I’ve gotten used to chilies while living here, I’m not crazy! At the time the picture was taken I was so amazed at the chili that I just had to record what I was convinced was a world record size… only to find out we had about 10 bigger ones in the fridge.

Now on to the really important things! On Saturday the 24th of February we had a groundbreaking ceremony at our Faridabad property. The ceremony was a momentous occasion because Faridabad is the next big step (and change) in Aunty’s ministry. Her vision is to have a house and meeting hall where she can spend her new found quiet time studying, resting, and reflecting, as well as hosting on-site training, seminars, and retreats for women, leaders, and churches. This will mean a complete pullout from the current, Gurgaon ministry.

We were having the ceremony at this particular time because the money for the project had recently arrived and the contractor had been chosen. Aunty wanted to dedicate the land by breaking the first ground with prayer. The important men of the village came, as well as the entire local WINN staff and a dear young couple from church, the Benjamin’s. Besides physically breaking ground (with a pick ax), praying for the property, and sharing the project vision with the village elders, I also had the opportunity to encourage the guests and challenge the staff using Aunty’s theme verse for the year, Isaiah 41:8-10 as well as Joshua 1:9 and 24:15.

It wasn’t until after the ceremony that the village women joined us (in their mostly Muslim society women typically do not come out in public when men are present). They represent what will be the other aspect of Aunty’s Faridabad project. They flock to Aunty each time she visits and there is huge potential for her to teach, provide health basics (Basic medical needs are unmet in this village of farmers and day laborers), and enrich their lives on many levels. The women are eager for advice and friendship, which means Aunty might not have as much quiet and rest as she hopes!

Since the ceremony the contractor has started digging the foundation to what will be Aunty’s home. We’ve had to visit daily to ensure the foundation is properly laid (I’m learning a lot about construction in India). The contractor “guarantees” that the entire project will be completed by late July or early August, right before I leave. As much as I long for the chance to move out there, albeit briefly, I’ll believe it when I see it – I think he’s being a little optimistic. Good thing God is in control!

Here are some specific ways you can pray for the Faridabad project:

…Pray for wisdom to oversee the building, especially during the initial, “babysitting” phase.

…Pray for our relationship with our neighbors in the local village, especially the women and children. Their language is slightly different than Hindi (Haryani or something like that), so that proves a challenge, as do other cultural differences. Also, having wisdom in how to answer their medical questions and how to befriend them at more than a “how are you” level are two things to be prayerful about.

…Pray also for a good watchman – we need to choose one by March 6.

…Pray for Aunty’s continued health issues (general weariness, heart stress) during this especially intense time.

More blogging to come soon. I’m making up for lost time, but trying to keep these short and sweet. (Ha!)

Karisa

Blocked Blog Back...

2007-02-28T06:31:00.000-08:00

…say that 10x fast!

My blog’s been blocked but now is back. Perhaps it wasn’t blocked for you happy ones, but I haven’t been able to view blogger.com or other such web sites since around the time of my last post. Chalk it up to an adventure in India. Mike Burbidge experienced a similar “phenomenon” while here, so I guess it happens every once in a while.

But I’m back and better than ever. Just kidding; I’m still the same, and so is my blog. I’m working on updating the pictures and writing “informative and exciting” blog entries. I’ll post them tomorrow!

In other words, if you’d like to know what on earth I’m doing with a gargantuan chili that close to my poor little mouth, check back tomorrow.

Duffster

New and Improved

2007-02-07T05:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Faithful Friends and Fam...

I've done it! I've finally updated my pictures site (cheer, cheer!). I'm excited about the new and improved format and the huge amount of pictures I've uploaded for you to see. I'm most excited for you to get a fresh peek at my life here in India. Check it out by clicking HERE , by going to http://web.mac.com/duffygirl, or by clicking on the link at the right of this page.

Don't worry, the next thing on my "To Do" List (yes, I still have "to do" lists... just much more malleable ones now) is to update this blog. I wouldn't recomend holding your breath, but I do hope to post by the end of this week.

I continue to be grateful for your prayers, your notes of encouragement, and your support.

Your Little Indian,

Duffy

Friends!

2007-01-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

I am writing this post from my first "India Home", the YWCA in New Delhi. As usual, the weeks since Christmas has been extremely busy. I left on Christmas day for YFC Camp -- a gathering of over 1,200 Indian Christian young people in a southern beach town for a week of meetings, music, and fellowship. Being the only white person in a sea of 1,000+ people was an adventure (as was sleeping on floors, learning to eat entirely with my hands, trying to navigate the 100+ languages represented there, etc)...but it was a blessing for me to get to meet young women from all over India, to worship alongside them, to counsel them, and to be counseled by them. I had the privledge of being a group discussion leader and was able to dive into the lives of several girls, encouraging them, crying with them, and praying with them. (When I return home to Aunty Sheila's, I'll post pictures of some of my new friends.)I walked away from the conference encouraged by the dedication and enthusiasm of young Indian Christians. I also walked away with a stronger sense of the unity of the body of believers around the world; they are my brothers and sisters!

The day I returned home from Vizag and the YFC conference, Erik, Donna, and Anna arrived! I don't think I can fully communicate my joy at their coming! Perhaps it was just that I had been in the train for 36 hours, but when I got off and was coming home to meet up with them, I was downright giddy and goofy!

Erik, Donna, and Anna have been joined by the remainder of the team, Tim (Muelhof) and Jessy as of January 7th. They are here for the purpose of ministry, encouragement, and academic research. I will be tagging along during their three week stay, primarily to take advantage of the encouragement that comes from their visit, but also to help with the academic research. While they are here we will be updating their blog with details of the trip. I encourage you to check out the site, not only for updates on our life the next three weeks, but also because it contains posts from the original Grace trip to India two years ago... the trip that awakened my heart for India and that God used to draw me here. It's such a precious reminder to me to look back on God's faithful leading! The site is: www.xanga/indiateam

So, I'll let that site do the talking for me the next few weeks. Much love to you all, and I'll "see" you when I get back to Aunty Sheila's!

Oops, wait, one more blessing I MUST share. On my Monday morning, your Sunday night,Aunty, Erik, Donna, Anna, Uncle, and myself got to video conference via Skype with Grace's communion service. We essentially got to sit in and be a part of the service... seeing dear Grace people take communion, hearing Dr. Talley's exhortation, and then answering questions (as best we could through the feedback) and being prayed for. I'll freely admit that there was not a dry eye in our little room as the Grace family turned, faced us, lifted their hands and prayed for us. Beyond being amazed at the technology that allowed us to almost physically be part of the body, I was amazed, strengthened, and joyfully thankful for the support, care, and thoughtfulness of my dear church body. It reminded me of the fact that I've been sent here, that I'm being upheld in prayer, and that believers in California care deeply for the work of God in India. Thank you Grace church body for your intentionality in being part of God's work in India, in my life, and in Aunty's ministry. All those who stuck their faces in front of the camera after the service... we could see you and loved it! Eat more guavas... :)

Merry Christmas

2006-12-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

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.

Odds and Ends, Exciting Tid-Bits, and What's To Come...

2006-12-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

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...

Internet and Pictures

2006-11-28T04:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends -

The title tells it all: we now have internet at our home AND I've managed to post pictures of my first months in India. Though I have lots of other pictures to sort through and show you all, I hope the few I've chosen will give you a taste for the family I've found, the people I've met, and the places I've been. Just click HERE or go to http://web.mac.com/duffygirl. I'll also make it a permanent link on my blog, so that you don't have to find this post to access it.

In other, internet related news, I've got Skype: DuffynIndia.

Disclaimer: as with everything else, internet access is subject to electricty and (probably) a multitude of other unforseen issues. Don't get sad or scared if I'm still not able to be a consistent, faithful blogger/writer.

I am thankful for this incredible, instant connection called internet. I hope you all enjoy my pictures...

More to come soon regarding our lives lately, I just wanted to get this "business" out of the way.

With love,
Kar

Thankful!

2006-11-20T02:43:00.000-08:00

Friends -

It is almost Thanksgiving, but I'd nearly forgotten! I do have so much to be thankful for, though I must admit that at this moment the two things I'm thankful for are you and the internet!

I’m so thankful to be posting these updates! I hope that, though long, they will be an encouragement to you. I wish that I had had the opportunity to post on a more regular basis so that I could share the daily details of what God is doing…and the random experiences of living in India. For now, I’ll be content to share my thoughts from early November and thank you for your continued prayers and notes (or calls) of encouragement. Your prayers and support have strengthened me so much through this first month!

So you have some insight into my current heart, here is the passage I'm in the process of memorizing:
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23

Pray that this would be true of me; I trust His faithfulness!

With thankfulness,
Duffy

Pell-Mell

2006-11-20T02:42:00.000-08:00

Written November 15: Aunty says India is like this – you come zealous to “get things done” and God slows you down. Then, when you’ve had some “ah-ha” moments in connection with the snail pace and your far from world-changing existence, the pace quickens as He provides opportunities for you to share and serve, beyond what you would have been able to bear before your forced rejuvenation period. Here’s a rundown on our current activities…

We’ve moved! We spent our first night at our new residence on November 15th. This move has taken all of our time and energy for the past several weeks, and we’ll probably continue to finish up various projects. We moved all the furniture by rickshaw or our van. The big things came by rickshaw. Yes, I have pictures, and I hope to show them soon. My favorite is of our dining room table and 6 chairs perched precariously; you’ll have to see it to believe it. Our move means I have my own room on the 2nd floor. I love the 2nd floor, as it has a large balcony that gets the morning and afternoon sun. It will be so lovely to sit out there in the wintertime. It’s not quite winter yet, though it is getting cooler in the mornings.

“Ek, dos, teen, char, paunch, dus”… Beginning next week, I will join 10-12 slum children (ranging in age from 6 to 10) for Hindi lessons. Mrs. George, a kind, retired teacher and principal who runs a Hindi/English school for the purpose of educating slum children, has agreed to allow me to sit in on the Hindi portion in exchange for my help teaching the English portion. An 8-year-old girl named Lahlti, who lives near Aunty and I will hopefully be attending with me. She is a curious girl who would love to study but has never been given the opportunity. I must admit I’m a bit nervous for my first day of “school” and look forward to having a friend!! 

Life seems to be piling up fast! Specifically, I’m sharing with some of Aunty's friends on November 25th. Please pray for me. Then again on December 2nd I am sharing about self-worth. And a few days later, I get to travel to Pune and visit with with more of our friends at the counseling center. In addition to sharing, I have begun interacting with some of the young nationals. There are about 150,000 young people coming to our neighborhood to work in the call centers. (Yes, the young people who call you during the dinner hour). The call center industry is rapidly growing and, because of the high pay and prestige of the position, drawing many in. However, the suicide rate among these people is skyrocketing. It’s a social dynamic that I don’t yet understand, but I definitely know it is a group that needs hope.

Please pray for us!

edited as of 11/22/06

Culture and Theology 101

2006-11-20T02:41:00.000-08:00

(So I’m finally posting! As you can tell, my access to internet has been limited ever since I moved in with Aunty Sheila. As of December 1 that should change a bit, with us having an internet connection at our home. I look forward to being able to update you all more regularly about what God is doing in my heart while I’m here in India. For now, I’m going to post a couple of things that I’ve written over the last month to catch you up on what’s been going on!)

Written November 1: Everyone has stereotypes about Americans. It’s entirely fair, seeing that Americans have stereotypes about everyone else. In the game of pinning labels on one another, U.S. residents get tagged with characteristics centering around being task-oriented, driven, a go-getter, and being busy. It’s not really a label I would have stuck to myself, though. Oh, I know I love tasks and the lists that accompany them, and I’ll admit I relish the thought of checking a check box and charting my progress. I’ll even admit that I’ve been known to add things to my checklist, after doing them, just so I can check them off. But the real “drive” to accomplish anything and everything, being fanatical about accomplishing tasks…well, I just didn’t see that as me. Until now.

You see, I don’t think it would be possible to maintain sanity and a checklist here in India. Reason number one: electricity. During our day (7 AM until 10 PM), we typically don’t have electricity for 4-8 hours of that time. When inverters (back up power) only will last for 2-4 hours, well, you can see how that might pose a problem to one’s typical working day. Reason number two: things take time. Getting from point A to point B is a difficult proposition in the congestion of Delhi traffic, and the petrol prices discourage long journeys. National holidays, strikes, and problems caused from lack of electricity all contribute to simple tasks (such as running errands, visiting a ministry, etc) take a whole day’s time.

People here are not lacking in character – Brejan, Sibu, and Aunty Sheila are all amazing examples of diligent workers, highly capable, creative, and organized. But when you can’t determine how long a task will take, whether you have the resources (equipment, electricity, information, people) to accomplish it, and you don’t know how you might be asked to serve on a given day, you simply can’t have a checklist. Well, you can have one, but you’ll end up being frustrated at the end of the day.

It’s also not the case that you don’t accomplish anything; it’s that you most likely won’t accomplish what you “planned” to accomplish that day. As an example, some days we get up preparing to go into the office for the morning, run errands in Delhi in the afternoon, then work on the house in the evening. Instead we’ll spend the morning preparing for last minute lunch guests, take a series of counseling phone calls, visit with the guests, work on house projects because the painter came today instead of tomorrow, etc, etc, etc.

The point being – I’ve realized I love my checklists! In this India world I felt list-less (that was for you, Molls). I like being able to accomplish things; I like feeling organized, empowered, and, frankly, in control of my life. The question that came out over and over in my first weeks in India was “What am I doing here?” (emphasis on the doing). Since I wasn’t going pell-mell 24-7, I felt perhaps my ticket had been wasted. What good am I if I can’t be checking off lists? What good am I if I can’t even make the list because I am that clueless about what’s going on and what’s needed? I felt like 100 times a day I was going to Aunty and saying, “Is there anything I can do for you?” “What would you like me to do?” Then I realized that she was grinning every time I used the word “do”.

So, my first weeks with Aunty I sat and rested and thought and read and I began to realize my checklist mentality had affected my spiritual life as well. I like going to God and waving my checklist around. “See what I’ve accomplished. Come on, I really deserve a pat on the back for everything I’ve done!” But in all honesty, one of the reasons I love my checklists is because it helps prove my worth, right? It helps establish my maturity in Christ, my level of spirituality, my commitment to my faith. It’s evidence of obedience and hard work, those little check marks. Right?

Clearly not a good way to be thinking; as I examined my own heart I realized that, though part of my anxiousness to fit in and be serving was born out of an honest desire to love people well and serve Him, the other part of my anxiousness was a desire to simply get something big accomplished for the sake of accomplishment… and my checklist.

So when I sat down to write this blog update, I at first was quite beside myself. What am I going to say I’ve done, I thought. I haven’t really done anything, and (horror of all horrors) I don’t even know if I’m being helpful! But God did something beautiful with my time and with my heart. As I realized my own silly motivations, I began to enjoy the rest time I’d been given and began learning from the different pace of life.

I stopped fretting at our daily interruptions and began to delight in the visits and phone calls we get on a daily basis, a cultural and spiritual lesson. People who are involved in other ministries and churches frequently come into our home to share what God is doing in their ministry, hear what God is going in our ministry, then pray for India and ministry as a whole. It’s not unusual for someone to stop by to say “did you hear what God is doing in the North?” or “I wanted to rejoice with you over God’s protection during your surgery” (to Aunty Sheila). I feel like I’m living in the book of Acts, with intentional Christians who are encouraging one another, praying for one another, and strengthening each others’ faith. How beautiful these believers are!

In the midst of many unknowns, I’ve also seen Christian Indians demonstrate a sweet reliance on prayer and a hearty recognition of the work of the Holy Spirit. Daily plans, cares, worries, and needs are brought before the Lord in prayer; they beseech him for answers and guidance and then quietly wait on Him until He directs. When any opportunity – whether it is what was in mind or not – comes into the picture, they respond with willing obedience.

Personally, I began spending more time in the Word and realized that my appetite for it has increased since I’ve been here. I love God’s Word! I’ve struggled with memorization the past few years but that struggle has been completely taken away. As it’s become more precious to me, I’ve found it easier to hide it in my heart. I’m saddened that my checklist mentality in the past has hindered my time in (and my love for) God’s word; I’m excited that my renewed love for the Word is making me more passionate about obediently and boldly serving Him.

I guess my conclusion is that God’s done a lot; I haven’t crossed off what I thought would be my checklist, but I have visited various ministries and began to gain a more informed compassion for the people here; I’ve dusted and packed and learned to make proper Chai tea; I’ve grown accustomed to a mosquito net on my bed, to chilies in my food, and to military showers; I’ve ridden in rickshaws, seen the Taj Mahal and been to a famous cultural event, the Flower Festival of Delhi (as a VIP… accidentally). I’ve gardened and learned Hindi; I’ve read lots of books, especially biographies; I’ve made a few new friends. I’ve learned I should have brought less clothes for winter, that lunch is the biggest meal, that it can take up to 3 hours to get out of Delhi, and that it takes 3 months to recover from an angioplasty. I’ve been interviewed on national television, fallen down a flight of stairs, learned the intricacies of cricket, and made a cake from scratch in a pressure cooker. I’ve learned to love my India family, Aunty Sheila, Sibu, and Brejan and to speak a smattering of Hindi. I’ve also re-learned that the Word is precious, salvation is astounding, and that it is a necessary understatement to daily declare “to God be the glory, great things he has done!”

Loving India!

2006-10-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Cademon's Call, but they have an excellent album entitled, Share the Well. The album is a compilation of songs inspired by their trips to India and South America. While I've always loved the CD, it is quickly acquiring a more significant place in my heart as the lyrics ring true to my experiences. In many ways, the lyrics are an outlet for my daily increasing love for this country; they not only describe the culture, but convey a serious desire to see God known and glorified by the Indian people -- from the little beggar girl to the wealthy business man, from the modern Hindu to the strict Buddhist.

One thing that is helping me increase my love for this culture is just being in it. Specifically, I got the chance to explore New Delhi on my own today and really relished the experience. I will admit that walking the streets alone was a bit of an... "adventure", but the people watching and cultural observation was worth it! I set off from the YWCA and walked past a monument that is on all the maps. To be honest, I don't quite understand what it is, but I was told it helped to tell time in ancient days. Again, I didn't quite get it, but was pleased that I'd found and checked off an historical, tourist landmark. I walked down a street (the wrong one, it turned out) that was full of people who are paid to protest various political bills. Between noon and 3 on various days they gather and demonstrate.After walking down this street twice (like I said, it was the wrong one), I finally made it to the Imperial Hotel, one of the oldest and most beautiful hotels in all of India (according to their brochure). I was asked for my autograph there (I don't know why; I guess we can chalk it up to a "Karisa Experience"); no, I didn't give it! I then went to the Januper Market area, a place with many outdoor shops and ended up at a McDonalds for my ice cream fudge Sunday fix. I completed my time with a walk in a "park", where I sat on a bench and observed people in the outdoor market, before hiring a rickshaw to take me home. During this ride I learned the valuable lesson that rickshaw drivers are paid commission to take you to shop locations, as my driver tried to take me to several before taking me home. I believe that in the future I should be firm about my destination before I hop in!

The Indian people, as a culture, are so friendly and helpful! I have been most impressed and encouraged by how readily they extend themselves into conversation with me. It has allowed me to ask lots of questions about individuals and about the culture. It has also allowed me to share easily about why I am here in India -- they are always amazed I am staying so long. I have been presented with numerous opportunities to share openly, albiet briefly at times, the gospel, and I am encouraged, challenged, and joyful for it! Please continue to pray for these opportunities -- that I would be obedient to willingly & readily share my faith.

On a more humorous note (and to return to Cademon's Call lyrics) I spent the day with a certain phrase of their song running through my head. It became an almost anthem, actually, as I "puttered" (that word has not nearly enough action packed into it to be an adequate adjective)around in my autorickshaw. Although I'm forgetting the first words, it goes something like this... "...rickshaws beg the question, 'Are all these red lights just suggestions?' Oh, it's gonna be OK, they know dead men can't pay..." That, my friends, is driving in India.

I'm here!

2006-10-13T04:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Ones,

After a 21-hour trip, I arrived safely in Delhi, India! I was greeted at the airport by my new friends, Brejun (Sheila's assistant) and Simu (Sheila's adopted son). Since I arrived at 6:15 in the morning (to early to check into the YWCA, where I am staying for 4 days) they took me on a walking tour of the block and showed me the YMCA book store down the street. We hit the ground running, with Brejun heading up us sharing the gospel with a man we met there. Brejun just LOVES talking about the Lord; he gets giddy about it. His joy had an infectious impact on Bruno, the French man we were sharing with, and Brejun will be following up with him again. The rest of the day was spent sleeping off my jet lag and sleeping through the night (yay!).

I have felt fine all day, no touch of jet lag at all and have taken no naps... I will sleep well tonight, though! After a leisurely morning in my room, reading and journaling and overlooking the city (I have a small balcony overlooking a busy street), two co-workers of Sheila's, Christopher and Solomon came to show me more of India. So for the past three hours I've been puttering around in an autorickshaw (they describe it as a gasoline trike... I'll have pictures soon), stopping at the local indoor and outdoor markets to get a feel for Delhi and the culture. One thing I will surely have to get used to is being stared at. Everything about me is odd, from my white skin to my red hair. It makes wandering through the marketplace even more interesting, to say the least.

This afternoon's experience confirmed my fist impression of India... "whoa". Everyone and everything is so unique, busy, different, poor, beautiful, colorful, cacophonous... I hope to be able to give you more specific descriptions soon, but I think I need to process it a bit more. What a combination of life there is here; it's so incongruent, I both appreciate it and am confounded by it.

I am anxious to end my time here at the YWCA (relaxing as it has been) and be with Sheila. I have not seen her yet, as her home is quite a distance from this part of Delhi, and she is not feeling well and has been ordered to rest as much as possible. I will be with her soon, probably on Sunday.

Please continue to pray for me as I settle in here. I've had moments of being overwhelmed, confused, and lonely, but also wonderful times of rest, adventure, and peace. Please pray for my time in God's Word, as today I started a plan to read through the Bible in my 10 months here. Please pray for Aunty (Sheila), as she needs to be resting. Please pray that I would know my place and what it looks like for me to live here and serve here. Please pray that I would love this place and these dear people, and that I would long for God to be glorified more than I would long for the comfort of home or friends and family.

I love you all!

In case you wondered, India is 13 hours ahead of California time. So, if it's 2PM on a Wednesday for you, it's 3AM on Thursday for me. Hope that helps!

7...6...5...

2006-10-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

...the countdown has begun! Exactly one week from today I will be boarding a plane for my new life in India; I can't believe how quickly my departure date has crept up on me!

First things first, I survived the triathlon, ankle and all! I met my goal of finishing in under 2 and a half hours (I did 2:01:48) AND of not being the last person in my age group (it should be noted that I was the next to the last person. It was difficult, but exhilarating, and a beautiful time of fellowship, actually, with my "teammates". We all can't wait to do it next year. I hope to post pictures soon, but haven't figured out that aspect of my blogging life.

I have felt very supported -- through individual visits with family and friends to my church's prayer time for me on Sunday -- these past several weeks. I am so sad to be leaving home, but so joyful to be moving forward with what I am confident is God's gracious plan for me. I've appreciated everyone's prayers and expressions of love.

Please continue to pray for me as I plow through details... here are some specific items:

* I'm sick, and need to see my doctor, but am having trouble with insurance
* Financial concerns: It looks like I'm just under $1,000 short of my budget
* Saying goodbye... and saying it well. I want to say goodbye in a loving, encouraging, excited way, NOT a stressful, selfish way
* Packing: Jessy knows I'm the world's most optimistic packer, and I usually make it work, but fitting everything in my 2 suitcases is going to be a test for even the mighty optimist packer. Please pray that things like medicine and books will fit in easily without adding too much weight
* My computer: I'm currently in Biola's deep dungeon, waiting for the outcome of a computer test. Please pray that it will be fixed easily so that I can take my computer to India.
* Spiritual preparedness... as I prepare to leave, I want to be ever mindful of the blessings of the Lord and of his faithful, continuous work and hand in my life. Pray that I will daily rejoice in my salvation and that I will be motivated to leave for India based on a desire to proclaim his name.

Thanks for your prayers...I love you all!

...and in non-India related news...

2006-09-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

September 24th (countdown: 4 days) about 8 friends, my brother Ryan, and I are all participating in the Long Beach Triathlon Sprint. You can check out the course at this site. If I don't die in the ocean, am able to finish before the sun sets, and keep from falling on my face, I'll consider this a highly successful event! :)

October 10, 2006

2006-09-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

I've got a fun announcement! I've confirmed my plane ticket; I'm leaving for India on Tuesday, October 10th at 9:30 PM from LAX.I'll have only one stop over, in London, England (where I hope to get out, stretch my legs, and visit some of my "old" haunts) before arriving on October 11th in New Delhi, India.

Since it's been a while since I last posted, let me catch you up on some of the blessings I've experienced in the past month...

... I received my long awaited visa!
... financial support and thoughtful gifts (such as a sleeping bag, backpack, and theological resources) have all been kindly given to me
... I am finishing well at work --my last day is Friday, September 22-- and have been extremely supported by my company as a whole; not only are they offering me substantial financial support, but they've allowed me to share my heart with the entire staff
...I have spent sweet times with friends (camping in San Luis); I'm looking forward to more of those before I leave

Thanks for your continued prayers. I'm incredibly thankful for them!

Oh, and thank you SO MUCH for the comments on the last post, Jerilyn, Steve, and Grace! They made my day. :)

Namaste!

2006-08-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

I suppose to "have" a blog, one must actually post on said blog. Voila! My first post, for your viewing pleasure!

Most everyone checking out this humble little posting abode are most likely friends interested in my upcoming India adventures - thank you for doing so. I am extremely appreciative of your interest in my plans, your prayers, and your support.

In this first post, I hope to answer some questions I get consistently regarding my upcoming trip. Let me know if you have others!

Q: Uhm, I missed something. You're going somewhere?
A: Yup, I'm going to India. Delhi, India to be specific.

Q: When are you leaving? Oh, and how long will you be gone?
A: Great question. So glad you asked... I'm leaving the week of September 24th, most likely the 28th or 29th. I will be living in India for 9-10 months.

Q: What organization are you going with?
A: I'm actually going to serve with an individual, a woman named Sheila Massey. Sheila, a native of India, works with Women's International Needs Network - India (WINN-INDIA).

Q: Why are you going to India, anyway?
A: Sorry friends, but this is going to be a long answer...
...Let me give you a little background: upon graduating from Biola in 2004, I was provided with a position at ECCU (www.eccu.org). I quickly realized that I had been blessed with a salary that, if I lived carefully, would allow me to repay my school and other debt within one year. Through God’s graciousness I was able to meet that goal. As a result, I began to pray about how I – single and unencumbered by debt or other obligations -- might best use the “free time” in my life for God’s glory and greater purpose before pursuing what I believe is His next step for me – graduate school in preparation for full time mission work. I began praying specifically that God would provide an opportunity to serve overseas. I had grown up being involved with overseas missions, specifically missions to Romanian orphans, and my long term goals had always encompassed returning to ministry. At the same time that I began praying in these ways, my home church, Grace EV Free of La Mirada was in the midst of studying Acts. Instead of getting too comfortable with (and dependent on) my community, my home, and my salary (something I was in danger of), our time in Acts each week meant I felt continually convicted and encouraged to pursue praying about boldly sharing God’s word with the nations.

Then, when a team of my dearest friends from Grace went to India in early January of last year, I committed to pray for them daily. As I heard their updates my heart began to grow in love for the Indian people, as well as for Sheila and her ministry. When the team came back and I heard specifically from Erik and Donna about their work, Sheila’s ministry, and the continued needs, I began to see how God might use me there. Through Erik and Donna’s encouragement and God directing my heart, I began to see how my time at ECCU, a place where I’d developed certain administrative and organizational skills, might aid Sheila in setting up and maintaining an “office”. Also, as I learned that some of the other areas in which Sheila could be supported were hospitality, teaching, and gathering stories for the purpose of writing a biography on her life, I saw even more ways that God has been particularly preparing me for this type of service. Discussions with Sheila, Sonny, Erik, and Donna followed, and out of those conversations I watched God faithfully answer my prayers for an opportunity to serve Him with my “free time”.

Q: So what exactly will you be doing?
A: Like it says above, I'll be working with Sheila in her already established ministry. My primarily goal will be to serve Sheila in whatever ways she desires (be it cooking or speaking or cleaning or studying the Word) so that she is freed up for even more effective service. So far it looks like the ways that will most help Sheila are: working with her assistant to help him better establish her office, providing a study partner as she spends time in the Word and prepares for conferences, providing discipleship and hospitality to people in Sheila's life, and writing Sheila's biography. I'll be busy!

Q: What is left for you to do before you go?
A: So MUCH! I'll continue to work at ECCU up until September 22. Meanwhile I've got to be working on the myriads of details that will need to be in place before I leave. The most pressing at the moment are (1) getting my visa, (2) finishing raising support (i.e., sending out a support letter!), and (3) buying my plane ticket.

Thanks again for your interest in my trip. In the future I'll use this blog to keep you updated on my progress towards leaving, and, once in India, hopefully "take you along" on my trip by using comments on this blog as a window from which you can view God's work in my heart and in India.

With love for all of you dear ones,