Run Around

Bethany Christian held their annual Jog-a-thon last Friday, and both of my kids gave stellar performances running around the track.

Down time in Dubai

The desert air welcomed us mercifully with a cooling trend around 35 C. Dubai is a concrete, commercialized masterpiece and after 2 days of tourism we were satisfied to leave.

Our cab driver from the airport, Sam, became a fast friend and he gave us a personalized night tour of the city. Our first stop was to witness the marvelous water show at the Dubai Fountain. Then we snapped photos in front of the Jumeirah hotel, the Dubai Marina and a few other famous landmarks.There are 2 very large malls in Dubai. One is home to the entrance of the worlds tallest building, as well as a gigantic aquarium that you can scuba-dive in. The other mall is famous for the Ski Dubai resort. We were able to spend 4 amazing hours on the slopes; the first time we've ever skied together! Marty has been many times over the course of our marriage but I've been pregnant or nursing on each of our winter treks to Big Bear so I've missed out on the fun.

In our travels we enjoyed delicious coffee both in India and the UAE. However, it appears these countries have not been affected by the 'super-size' and 'venti' movements, so we collected many strange looks each morning as we ordered pot after pot of coffee.

Saying Goodbye

Sitting in the luxury of our hotel room in Dubai it is difficult to summon the emotions we had just one day ago. It's as if the hot showers and breakfast buffet have re-booted our Western wiring and our cravings for comfort have been reborn.

So I've decided to attempt a post about our final moments in Bangalore in an effort to rekindle the embers of change, calling, and purpose that burned with in us for 14 days.

I hope that soon enough the LORD will empower me to post about the rest of our journey. But for now those days are tightly sealed in order that my words and pictures will accurately convey the truth of what was seen. Proverbs 12:18 "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."Our goodbye was short, too short. Esther had slept sitting up in a chair in the main room so she could be sure to see us before our 12:30 a.m. ride swept us away. When our bags had been loaded into the car, Roni nudged her and she awoke with a smile. I held her hand and she asked about the particulars of our flight. Then I told her it was time for us to go. I bent down and wrapped my arms around her frailty, not wanting to ever let go. She turned to my ear, and said "I'll meet you on the other side." She was joy-filled, but I began to weep.

Marty hugged her next and Eshter thanked him for coming to India. She said she was so very very glad about our visit because we had become Trustees of the mission. She said "now I can die with peace that the work will go on because the Mission is in good hands."

I don't know where to go from here. We believed God was calling us to India and still believe that we went in obedience to His voice. But the clarity we were desiring regarding the purpose of our visit has become even muddier that before. All we still know is what I expressed in the post before we left: We believe in the one true God and his son Jesus Christ who has saved us from our sins. We are in love with Him, and long to bring him much glory with our lives.

Esther is famous amongst the LMC for a particular speech she delivered at one of the gatherings with all the pastors years ago. When it was her turn to speak, she said that she had a very brief message to deliver so they'd better listen up.

She said, "Jesus came yesterday, He left today, and He's coming tomorrow."

So the message I'm bringing home from India is Esther's messages. Its all about Jesus. The details will be sorted out in eternity.

John 3:16-17 (amp)

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He even gave up His only begotten unique Son, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to and relies on Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal, everlasting life.

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge, to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."

Pictures

Yesterday we endured a 10 hour journey by car into Bangalore from Kotagiri.

The sights were diverse: A wild elephant, spotted deer, monkeys, motorcycles loaded with entire families (including newborn babies with only their mother's arms to shield from oncoming traffic), intense noise from honking horns and diesel engines, heart-wrenching crippling and poverty. And then our eyes are startled by God's creation: majestic rocky mountains above lush fields of green life.

India is a place of contrast, juxtaposition, the old and the new mingling; each oddly unaware of the other.

Our visits with the Literacy centers/Churches have ended and now our hearts and minds are beginning to process all that the LORD has done.

Each day we had a very limited general idea of what was expected of us. So very often we were called on to do something (pray, speak, preach, eat, sit) that took us off-gaurd and out of the fortress of our American comforts.

And these are the moments in which the Holy Spirit has changed us...our hearts are soft clay and he is shaping in us a newness so we may be useful tools in His able hands.

Here is a collection of photos from our travels. They are in random order due to time constraints :)

Outside a Believer's home in Kotagiri.
Vellelapatti scorpion sighting. We had no fear until we learned that this was a rare Black Scorpion sighting whose bite can kill within minutes. This was a baby and it will grow to the size of a man's hand.
A little tourism at the Falls.

Pennagarum Believer and her home.

Pastor Jusutus' and Asha's school in Pennagarum. Preschool nap-time.

Worship service and prayer in Pennagaram.

Baptism in Palacode

Worship service and lunch in Rayakottal.

Prayer Meeting in Bangalore.

Mountain Retreat

Hello loved ones,

The Kotagiri Mountains are laced with elegant rows of tea trees. And the air that surrounds is crisp and refreshing, especially in contrast with the sticky Salem heat we left this morning. We will stay here through Monday and join the church service tomorrow morning where we will dedicate Pastor Gideon's 3 month old daughter, Queen.

An hour ago we made our way into the village to a believer's home where literacy classes take place during the week. About 20 children huddled on the floor to meet us and they sang a couple of songs they have learned in Sunday school. I shared with them a short message that I am teaching my 3 children based on Exodus 23:2 -- "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong."

We had a great time learning each other's names and they giggled as I failed to pronounce theirs. A small boy was brought to me by a young girl so I could pray for him because he is deaf and mute. Then ALL of them latched onto my arms, legs, jacket-- whatever could be grabbed-- and showed me the well where they get drinking water and the Rooster coop and vegetable garden nearby.

If only I could add a picture now because I think my words are desperately inadequate to convey the joy that we had together! Unfortunately I am in an Internet cafe and don't have the ability to upload any photos. :(

The journey that led us to our Mountain Retreat in Kotagiri has been incredible. I feel at peace here; oddly at home. Only when I catch a glimpse of my ivory skin do I remember how different my world is at home.

Esther says that she and the pastors are 'gleaners'. They gather the people that the other missions and churches leave behind: the poor, the un-loved, the Outcasts. And it is these people that have shown us the most love and kindness.

I can't wait to share detailed stories and photos, but know that your prayers for us are literally being answered before our eyes!!! We are blown away by the testimonies of our Christian brothers and sisters -- so many miracles--, and by their sacrifice.

Yesterday in Sarvoy Pudir, a group of the believers traveled over 20 kilometers on 2 buses to come to church. And all of them left their jobs and much needed income to worship the LORD with us. One man shared that he had tied up his cattle and had faith that God would take care of them!

We are missing you all, but don't want to leave yet as we know that God still has much reveal to us.

Lots of love!

Adrienne and Marty

Arrival

Emirates Air carried us safely through the skies and we landed in Bangalore at 4 am on the 10th. (we are 12 1/2 hours ahead of California time). We were greeted with beautiful fragrant garlands and by familiar faces. Pastor Ashok whom I spent many days with in Salem on my first trip, Subash who was Marty's travel companion, D-raj who is a guard in Kotagiri, and Shghi who cooks for Esther and also helps lead the Worship services.

There is now a large highway in Banglore now so our road trip to Faith Chapel was smooth and eventless. Aunt Esther had been awake since 3 am in anticipation of our arrival so after hugs and kisses we shared a cup of tea and long awaited conversation.
Esther is feeling well and her only troubles remain difficulty hearing, seeing, and severe scoliosis. But her spirits are high and she is so excited that we are here.

We had planned to catch up on sleep before the 10 am church service but literally the hairs on our head brushed the pillow and the windows began clamoring to the beat of the terribly loud sounds of base and singing from the street below. A celebration had begun by a local Catholic sect that worships Mary...it would be an entire day and night of worshiping her with this strange mix of "church" and Bollywood music. I got out of bed immediately and figured it could be amazing to journey to the streets and observe the scene. On our way downstairs Roni, who helps care for and clean the Faith Chapel, invited us to go to her home. It was her Son-in-law who was running the loud-speaker celebration.

We slipped off our shoes and stepped onto the concrete floor of the dwelling she shares with her daughter, son-in-law, and 2 grandsons. The house was the size of my walk-in-closet. the beds were lofts that lined the ceiling. in spite of the lack of square feet, room had been made for a television and a 5 foot tall statue (dare I say idol) of Mary. Even the Christians and Catholics in India have great difficulty departing from pracitce of idolatry...it is so deeply rooted in custom and tradition. Roni's daughter stood so we could sit. And then she transparently shared that this day was a day of remembrance in their home. 15 years ago her brother died at the age of 12. The sadness was still ripe. Not having a word to offer for the grief I asked if we could pray for her. she said yes. Marty and I placed hands on her and as the LORD to make himself known in their home by bringing His Peace and comfort. She thanked us greatly and we left.
Across the street a man named Dos came out of his house to great us. He has been attending church at the Faith chapel for over 20 years and I had met him in 98. We met his wife, Queenie, and his beautiful daughter named Josephine.
This is what I love. Being in homes. Being with people. Praying for real needs. Knowing the that God Almighty is present and hears us even through the deafening fog of base drums and searing vocals in worship of lifeless gods. This will be just the beginning.

india pastor pix

Travel Plans

We are heading back to India!!

I want to write the whole story. But words don't seem adequate as my heart is bursting. Tears come easily because the hugeness of what's happened to bring us to this point, and the ginormity of what we feel, sense, perceive, KNOW that God will do in the next 2 weeks and in our lifetime.

Marty and I are standing together with open arms.
Willing to let go of our 'present reality'.
Asking God to chose US!

And yet if we pause long enough to think what this could mean for our day to day lives, we sense that the "letting go" will more likely entail the Holy Spirit prying open our clenched fists and ripping out of our hands all the worldliness we cling to.

But that's okay.
We want to live transformed lives.
We are weary of just being 'Christians'.
I know that God's grace is enough; all we ever need.
We are N.O.T. saved by works.

But we've been hanging out with Jesus for a LONG time.
We love Him.

And it's about time we gave some of our life back to him.
It's time we got our hands dirty, our knees caked with muddy soil.
It's time we start laboring for the harvest of souls (Luke 10:2).
We've loved Jesus with our hearts and minds and now we want to love him our actions; with our sacrifice.

What does this look like?
We're not sure. And we don't care to know the details in advance.
We trust that our Creator has a plan.....
"to prosper us and not to harm us" (Jeremiah 29:11)
And that he has a work for us to do....
"that he prepared in advance" (Ephesians 2:10).

But for now it means that this Friday Marty and I will depart for Southern India (leaving behind our 3 amazing beautiful children) to spend 2 weeks with the Literacy Mission Center and my Great Aunt Esther. (I hope to write more about her when we return -- there is also a documentary in the works about her life) .

We **plan to become Trustees of the mission.
We have **plans to create a website.
And we have 10 year visas and **plan to return very soon.

But we know what the LORD says about our plans...

"In his heart a man plans his course,

but the LORD determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) and "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21)

We would be honored if you would pray for this trip.
For all the basic details that accompany a trip abroad and leaving behind small children.
But most importantly pray that we would be "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1), bringing with us the aroma of Christ (2 Cor. 2:15); the truth of our Salvation in Jesus to the lost (Ephesians 1:13), and encouragement of fellowship to my Great Aunt, the Pastors and their families.

The scripture that God has stamped on our hearts as a theme for this trip is Philipians 2:3-5
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..."