Ferry Flood, Fresh Water-Living Water

We are in the midst of rainy season in South Asia. Rain falls several time each day. Sometimes heavy for long periods of  time. Our attempt to get to a village yesterday was compromised by both heavy rain and the tide schedule. We had to walk in thigh deep water to get from the ferry to land. 

We visited the village where our church has funded the installation of a tube well and the boys got to help with both pumping and drilling. Later, when the well is complete, there will be a time of celebration and teaching about Living Water. 

The trip back to our hotel required a short ride on a ferry boat in the rain. 

Food, Briefing, Shower, Adventure...

We made it to our hosts' home early this morning. Enjoyed breakfast, a trip to a local coffee shop, a trip out to exchange currency.

Along the way, there have been many briefings on culture and missions. We enjoyed a hearty lunch of rice,dol (gravy) and vegetables and even got to eat with our hands!

It felt great to take a shower and soon we will leave by overnight launch for some village areas to the south. 

Internet access will be limited so I don't know when we'll be able to post again. Please continue to pray for our team a nod our work as God brings us to mind. 

On the Ground

We've landed safely in South Asia.

About 20 hours of flying

Four airline meals

Seven suitcases

Lots of coffee

We were picked up by our friends and have already enjoyed breakfast. Here are a few travel pics.  More later. 

Take 2

We've made it to Dulles and  be boarding in about an hour. Two flights totaling over 18 hours with a 1.5 hour layover in Istanbul. Arrive in South Asia early Monday morning ready for adventure. Stacy and hannah are headed to Delaware to visit her sister.

Thanks for your prayers and support!  More to come! 

Headed Home!

Well, our blog didn't flow too well because we didn't have reliable internet access for most of the trip. But, we do have much to share and will be loading new posts and photos even after we get home. As I write this, it's 10:12 PM Tuesday and we leave for the airport at about 1 AM on Wednesday. Our flight takes off at 4 AM. We'll fly for a total of 18 hours and arrive at Dulles at about 4 PM.

That means I can kiss my wife, hug my kids, take a shower in my home and sleep in my bed beside my beautiful wife. I'm not looking forward to the trip... but I am looking forward to the result!

In the coming days, as Tim and I wrestle with jet lag, we'll post more thoughts, reactions and photos from our trip. You'll hear about how we were asked to leave one village after we had all the equipment set up, but hadn't yet started the Jesus film. We'll also tell you about showing the film under the courtyard pavilion on the grounds of a Hindu temple on the following night.

There are many stories and we'll share them all but right now we have to finish packing and get to the airport. Please pray for a safe return.

Shirts and Skins - Soccer in the Village

I arrived back at the guest house at 3 o’clock South Asia time yesterday from what has been a long four day journey. The first day we went to a village and visited a few of their little store huts.

I was then invited afterward to go play soccer with some of the kids in the village at the local high school which is nothing more than a couple run down little shacks. Our translator broke us up into teams but as soon as he did the head of the village came out and switched the teams making sure to put me on the other team.

I very quickly discovered why. This was a game of shirts and skins and they wanted to know what a white guy looked like with his shirt off. The field that we played on was nothing short of actually being a slip-in-slide covered in mud. I am not a huge fan of soccer and do not even play it back in the states but this was by far the most fun I have ever had with a soccer ball.

Afterward we presented one of the soccer balls to them as a present.

Nailing Jello to the Wall

When the children of Israel grew tired of waiting for Moses, they cried out to Aaron for a God for something to believe in… (Exodus 32:1-8) … He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. They said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When I read that verse, I have to stop. God had already shown himself powerful to the Children of Israel in so many ways. Yet they turned their worship toward created things rather than the Creator.

On Tuesday, we spend a significant amount of time visiting two Hindu temples. In each place we saw gods made by human hands that were revered, respected and worshiped by Hindus. That’s strange enough… worshiping created things. But when Tim and I sat… for an extended time with a Swami at the larger temple and tried to follow his explanation of what they believe… it was all over the place.

The swami used a logo for his temple/mission to explain that their goal is to reach a point where they no longer have any personal desires. They are all about helping others and wanting things only for others. The hope to achieve this through… dedication, meditation, selfless service and wisdom. The conversation went on for a long time… Tim asked… “So when do you know that you’ve prayed enough?”

Great question! But no great answer.

We received great hospitality and had an unforgettable experience but left there knowing that there’s no truth in their philosophy. We finished the time by going into the temple with the Swami to see the gods… a statue of a man. I was amazed that they were worshiping a statue of a man. We then had an opportunity to share a simple gospel presentation with them using the evanga-card.

Pretty crazy- to be standing in a Hindu temple, with a swami, sharing Christ. But here’s the strange part. There are many Americans whose thoughts and understanding about how they plan to get to heaven/eternal bliss is just as flimsy as the swamis’….. Their faith is without substance and when you try to figure them out and understand what they really believe…. Or compare it to Truth…. It’s like nailing Jello to a wall.