Metrocrest Community Church Blog

November 19, 2008 from Vrishali Executive Hotel, Kolhapur, India

What a thoroughly pleasant day! It began with a leisurely breakfast, leaving time to sit on the balcony and watch the city awaken. Immediately in front of me was the back entry to a modest apartment home, where a man was trying to shoo a goat away from his open door. The goat moved away as the man approached. Mission accomplished, the man turned for home, at which point the goat followed him in the door! This cycle repeated itself three times, before another goat came along and the persistent one got distracted and followed his cloven-hoofed friend away down the road. As I observed this a verse came clearly to mind:

All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way….

Isaiah 53:6

I wonder if there’s a textual problem in the original Hebrew, and “sheep” should read “goats.” Here’s a goat, stubbornly pursuing “his own way,” in spite of the master’s warnings, all because he’s tempted by the mysteries inside the forbidden door. Unless and until someone comes along to lead him away he is mesmerized by his senses. Or perhaps I should get more sleep….

Today was a target day for me on this trip. After breakfast we were escorted by Subhash Dongardive to the YMCA, where a small hall was reserved for the meeting of pastors in fellowship through the Evangelical Fellowship of India. It was a great privilege to spend the morning with these great saints of our God. For the first hour – yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! – it was my task to teach about the concept of church health. Beginning with the Roman church and continuing on through the seven churches of Revelation 2-3, we observed the unhealthy attributes of almost every congregation, Smyrna being a rare exception. The conclusion? Healthy churches don’t grow on trees! We then proceeded to Ephesians 4:11-16 for a definition of a healthy church. The characteristics were these:

1.      Gifted Spiritual Leadership (4:11)

2.      Serving (4:12, 16)

3.      Unity in the Faith (4:13)

4.      Stability (4:14)

5.      Discernment (4:14)

6.      Truth delivered in love (4:15)

7.      Maturing towards Christlikeness (4:16)

Finally, we led to the purpose of my being with them, the proposal of a three-year plan and partnership for pursuing church health. This project has been put together by Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, and they are issuing invitations to the journey around the world. It’s a thrill to consider working with the believers in the Maharashtra state of India on such a trip. Following the presentation there was a straight hour of Q&A, concluding with another hour for lunch and informal visits. When we left to take the EFI regional director, Subhash, back to his vehicle, he told me the key leaders in the group had met around one of the tables. They decided that it would be good for me to return and present more details of the plan on February 3, 2009. At that meeting they would like a larger group of 70 pastors to attend. While there were numerous insightful queries, some I could answer and others that can only be answered with more counsel from Saddleback, the spirit of the group was marvelous. What a great room of Godly leaders – some young, some more mature, all loving God and one another. It was truly a band of brothers, and their esprit de corps remarkable and warm, even for a certain fair-skinned foreigner. The road continues, and Aslan is on the move….

November 18, 2008 from Pune, India

The first day without the full MCC India Team 2008 began quietly. Since I wimped out on the late-night run to the Mumbai airport to drop off our great folks, opting to try and get some rest for the remaining five days, I was up “early” relative to Salomi, Soubhagya and Sona. Noella was gone due to 7:30 AM class, and George was his usual early self, but had left the apartment to run some errands. I was up and showered in the still morning, having slept through even the early morning Muslim call to prayer. That’s something that NEVER happened in 2006!

This morning I worked on the presentation to be delivered in Pune on Wednesday. We waited on leaving until Noella could return home and give us a proper send off. She even said a prayer for us before we left. Not bad for a twenty-year-old. She may be as comfortable in her own skin as anyone I know, full-grown adults included. Everyone on our Team fell in love with her, a simply inevitable fate. The Lord knows what His plans for her might be, I only hope He leaves me around long enough to see the blossoming.

What a lovely trip to Pune! Exiting Mumbai unveiled a whole new world, with roadside beauty, rolling hills springing upwards into legitimate mountain foothills, and the lingering heat and humidity of the city giving way to more pleasant options. The crowds dissipated, the traffic receded and the roar of the city passed away. Behold, a whole new world! Even the tone of the conversation changed. Gone was the uproarious laughter of the many, replaced by the warm afterglow of the few. Not better, not worse, but different in an altogether wonderful way. I wondered if this would be awkward at all, being the first time ever I’ve been completely solo with our Indian family. Not to worry! The day could hardly have proven itself more comfortable. It seems we are sincerely at home together.

We were met late this afternoon by Subhash Dongardive, the Regional Director of The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). That wasn’t without its own comedic moment. Neither George nor I had thought to bring his contact information! So, a scramble took place to find him so we could be directed where to go! Eventually we called Noella in Mumbai, waking her from an afternoon nap to get into George’s email files to act as a directory. Mission accomplished, Subhash rendezvoused on motorcycle and led us to the EFI guest house, which is really very nice. Spacious by Indian standards, and the attention to detail is impressive. We visited with Subhash for better than an hour, then retired briefly outside to sit on the second-floor balcony, followed by a dinner that was definitively Indian, yet very sensitive to the American palette. Good humor grew as we went, and Subhash shared some wonderful examples of the Lord’s intervening work in his life and ministry. As he plied me for the purpose not only of my coming but also my philosophy of ministry, it became apparent that we have similar outlooks on the value of the Bride of Christ, the Church. We also have a great deal of harmony on the role of pastoral ministry, the value of training pastors, and respect for the Lord’s servants on the front lines. Subhash has a goal of a trained pastor in every village in Maharashtra state, some 47,000 of them! For a man with three earned theological degrees, soon to be joined by a doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, I find him incredibly sympathetic to the needs of “the least of these” Matthew 25:40 - It’s only sad that this is surprising! After all, the Lord left this as a challenge to all our professed religion!

So, tomorrow a new opportunity dawns. Where will it lead? Only the Lord really knows. I will speak with a group of Pune pastors, followed by a Q & A session and completed with a lunch. Will that be the end or the beginning?! Stay tuned….

November 16, 2008

…after Mudhol, on the road to Solapur to catch the train

Nice trip from Bijapur to Mudhol. The countryside is so radically different from the city, either the monstrously-sized Mumbai or even the smaller Bijapur and smaller yet Mudhol. Sprawling sugarcane and fields of sunflowers spice the way. Past meets present all along our trek. Cars and carts, buses and bulls, shepherds leading their herds of goats are ubiquitous. An eerie thought occurs, where are the sheep? Lots of goats, almost no sheep, a sad physical commentary on this great land.

We arrived in Mudhol to a crowded reception – imagine that! With the exception of George, who rode in with our MCC India Team, the rest of our Indian leaders left the hotel by bus earlier in the day, rendezvousing at Reuben and Aruna’s home for church at 11:00 AM. Their home was full, and there was great anticipation of our coming. Songs, skits, and dances had been prepared. Everyone was ready to go, and go they did. It was humble and exalted, much like the Savior. He would’ve been quite at home, and I suppose He was and is. Stacy’s “Dumpling” took yet another rock star turn, and George shared the Evangecube as comfortably as breathing. The makeup of this group was much more Christian in nature than all the other fellowships, excepting Matunga. George’s brother Uday Kumar Samuel traveled overnight by train to be with us, and Aruna’s brother and his wife journeyed seven hours by bus to join the celebration. Yes, these came all that way to be with the likes of us. Talk about humbling…

The children at Mudhol were incredibly well-mannered for the service, without being stiff or stifled. This stood in strong contrast to the predominantly Hindu fellowship in Bijapur. To clarify, the “church” in Bijapur is made up mostly of what we might call “seekers” – those who are open to learning more about the Lord, although they aren’t yet definitively followers of Christ. Mudhol’s fellowship is strongly Christian. One young woman asked for prayer afterwards because she was the only believer in her family. I can’t imagine, thankfully….

We had the marvelous opportunity after the service to “hang out” with Reuben, Aruna and our Hope in the Desert team for a couple hours. There were several Biblical questions that Sona, Yoba, Kannah and others had. Sona wanted to know about Ananias and Sapphira, which led to a great discussion about God’s discipline balancing God’s mercy. In the midst of the discussion Rose gave Sona her travel Bible to keep. Rose was seated behind and to the right of Sona, so couldn’t really see Sona’s face. I was right in front of her, and she was obviously and deeply moved. It was a beautiful sight, the gift doing exactly what the giver hoped, communicating the deep affection of one blood-bought child of God for another. In America we are so used to receiving gifts that their value has been sadly diluted. It was an enlightening moment. Bob gave his travel Bible to Reuben, Aruna and their daughter Rita, but not until it had been inscribed with Joshua 24:15 and signed by all our Team. Reuben shared his testimony, a “motorcycle conversion” – something David observed there probably were a lot of! We also got a chance to debrief on the land and the future plans for a church building. Reuben was able to clarify the value of this to the Team, and it was another in a rushing stream of enlightening moments, each passing by all too rapidly.

An “aha” moment occurred both coming and going in Mudhol. The reunion of our MCC party and our Indian partners was quite a sight to behold, as was our departure. You would’ve thought none of us had seen the others for months, with embraces and joy fit for a Christmas morn, the packages being of far greater worth than the usual passing fancies associated with that great celebration. That precious worth turned hard for home when Salomi asked us to pray for their safe travel to our next reunion at the Solapur train station. Just a journey of a little over 100 kilometers, but a real concern for the dangers of Indian travel. We truly can’t understand, even with the exposure we’ve received. What reward might be in store for such as these?

After arriving at Solapur, being two hours early, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. My lasting memory, other than the jockeying for position at tables, will be one of the apparent owners, running up and down the aisles with food held high, maniacally offering the tortilla-like bread “Chawpatti! Chawpatti!” Brenda called from the church, and then Pat, trying to get a link on a speaker phone that would connect us to the fellowship at MCC. There was simply too much background noise. And trust me, it wasn’t just on the speaker phone! In the interim Pat had asked if there was anything we wanted to say about the trip. In thinking of that, I had a moment of brilliant insight, but a bit crass for broadcast on the speaker phone at a church service. Here goes: “Trying to explain our India mission is like sex. I can tell you about it, but you really have to experience it!” Hopefully that’s not offensive to anyone, but it’s the best description my addled brain can come up with at this point! :O)

All the chaos carried over to the wait at the train station – people sleeping on the floor of the station, people like ants, shouting, loudspeaker announcements blaring. We were in for quite the surprise when we got on the sleeper train. On the way to Bijapur we had reserved seats in the sleeper section. On the way back we were on what passes for standby. The seats had been sold out for over a month, so there wasn’t much to be done but wait for no shows. The thought of the Team sitting up all night, spending the day in Mumbai, then boarding the plane for the 22-23 hour turn around to Dallas was a bridge too far emotionally. Thankfully, we had three berths immediately. Stacy had been quite sick on Saturday night, so we agreed to put her into bad straightaway. Rose, after some strong urging, begrudgingly took berth #2. Bob took a berth in the next car over. We didn’t want to send one of the ladies solo to another car. That left David, Kerri and me waiting for some no-shows. About 20 minutes after leaving the station a berth opened up that Kerri and I insisted David take, as the fumes that have been fueling him are about to run out as well. Kerri and I were going to go foot to foot in the fetal position, being the shortest members of the team left. That only lasted about 10 minutes before another berth was found down the way, which became mine. Eventually George got a place as well, so the moment of crisis passed. We are so grateful for a place to recline for a few hours. It also gives new richness to the words of Jesus: “The Son of Man has no where to lay His head.” He began in a feed trough, and it didn’t get much better on His 30-year via Delarosa.

We are “home” at George & Salomi’s now, Monday the 17^th. Showers have been taken, and breakfast of fried eggs, toast and jam is being served. I’m not missing this, so farewell for now! Pray God’s protection on the Team that will taking off early afternoon on your Monday, wheels on the ground mid-afternoon on your Tuesday. Bob the Great has not been alone in his greatness on this trip. You should be very, very, very proud of MCC’s ambassadors. I sure am. :O)

November 16, 2008

Well, I missed posting yesterday (Saturday), so I’m now at a deficit, with little time to tell you about many things, people and events that we saw on Friday and Saturday. However, we talked by phone Friday evening, so let me fast forward to Soubhagya’s home, where we met to go to the train station.

We had an hour-and-a-half visit with George, Salomi & Noella Friday morning, as advertised in the last post. MCC is probably more up-to-speed on the vision, hopes and aspirations of our Hope in the Desert partners than ever. David, Stacy and Bob particularly asked fabulous questions that led to a more enlightened understanding of the ministry, its past, present and future, than could have been acquired in a thousand emails. Our hearts very much beat as one, and a rich time of prayer fellowship was the climax of our time, with a healing rain of copious tears.

So much of our experience here – visual, sensual, emotional, intellectual and spiritual – echoes the New Testament. Take away all the motor vehicles and Jesus could be around the next corner. Many of our settings – both private and corporate – could have been stripped from the pages of the Gospels. It’s chaos on a stick, with a side of dust. More on that later.

After the treasured time with our partners, we were off to the races again. We returned to the same downtown church that hosted baptism in 2006, only this time the entire church was being renovated. The worship benches were stacked in front of the outside baptistery, but some of the workers graciously removed those. There was a second-story room where everyone gathered, having arrived from disparate places – Wadala, Matunga and the two fellowships in the Dhaisar area. Several shared their individual testimonies of why they wanted to receive the ordinance. There was singing and prayers, most led by Soubhagya. She is nothing if not a boiling pot of passion, and it shows especially when she leads the worship. She twice exploded into a violent clapping that I had never seen before. I will ask later what that was all about, since there was no translation for the songs or the prayers. I suspect it was a command for the Enemy that He was in the wrong room and better hurry up and leave! (That’s my one gratuitous Dylan reference, for those few out there who may care).

We had no idea how many were coming to receive baptism, but the line started and they kept coming until eighteen had been taken the plunge. And a plunge it is, most particularly in a land in the grip of darkness. However, the blessed truth is our Lord has overcome the darkness by His blood and resurrection. We, including these newly-washed brothers and sisters, have unexpectedly received the Great Gift:

(He) has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

After baptism there was, of course, more food! I am having to dial back the volume significantly, but without sacrificing the hospitality factor. It’s a tricky balance to maintain, but our hosts are unflinching in their graciousness. There’s a lesson in there somewhere for our increasingly privatized Americana…

The time at Soubhagya’s was relatively subdued as we prepared for the overnight train ride to Bijapur, interrupted mostly by intermittent eruptions of laughter. Who can begin to measure the good cheer of our trip, or rather of our fellowship?! The Lord has truly made our cup overflow.

Whew! We are just a few kilometers from Mudhol now. I’ve composed this on the hour-and-a-half drive, having to frequently edit thanks to the bumps that played out through my fingertips! The train ride to Bijapur was uneventful and pleasant for all. The morning train which took us from Solapur to Bijapur is open-window, and the cool morning air was very refreshing after our days in Mumbai. As you get away from the city you enter a whole ‘nother exotic world, as if the first wasn’t quite sufficient. I highly suspect heaven may carry that theme, only with an infinitely profound beauty that supersedes the best of earth. 1 Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” That’s the great whispered rumor! Pass it on!

Posters Note: Written by Wayne - Friday (14th) morning

My Dearest (and fellow MCC Members - (added by JR),

I just began the day with a brisk shower, which being translated is “There’s a rolling brownout going on, so no hot water”! But it isn’t as chilling as it might sound, as the water here is pretty lukewarm. At any rate, I’m clean and ready to go for today’s festivities, which include a baptism at 1:00. We – the MCC India Team 2008 – aren’t too certain of how this will play out, how many will be baptized, who or how many that we’ve met over the past days will be there, etc. However, it was a joy when Paul and I participated last time, one of the highlights of the trip. I suspect it will be the same this year. Did I mention earlier that three of Lakschiamiakka’s children are planning to take baptism? She is the woman baptized in the 2006 visit who was burned terribly a couple of weeks later, eventually passing away from her wounds. In a culture as superstitious as this, where literally tens of millions of gods and goddesses, with accompanying temples and shrines, are worshipped in order to placate any anger or offense, the natural interpretation of tragedy is that some god or another was angered by this woman’s statement of Christian faith. The family was prone that way, but over the course of the intervening two years they have returned to the path of their mother, and now seek to formally announce their desire to follow Christ as she did. This will be a moment of joy in heaven.

Kerri and Rose will retrace their steps of Wednesday later on this afternoon. Kerri had an accident with her camera, and all the photos of the people and the hutments they visited were lost. Kerri was quite upset – I even pondered for the first time ever asking the Lord to “heal” a camera’s memory card! However, it appears they will have time to compensate for the loss with a few quick “surprise” visits after baptism this afternoon. Afterwards we will go to Soubhagya’s to await the overnight train ride this evening to Bijapur. There on Saturday we will spend a few hours sight-seeing, then on to visit two fellowships and several homes. On Sunday we will go to Mudhol, where the church has helped purchase land for an eventual Mudhol church and orphanage. George estimates there are currently 20 to 30 Christian families in that city of 103,000, and upon the building of a church there will be a fine congregation to begin ministering to the city in the name of Jesus.

Just as some background to the type of place Mudhol is, a Catholic woman we met in 2006, Sister Margaret, has started a school in Mudhol. It isn’t a Christian school per se, just a school for meeting the educational needs of some portion of the community’s children. Margaret chose to have a small cross embroidered on the children’s school uniforms. A group came from the city to demand the removal of those little symbols of faith. They also began to question Margaret about her relationship to George and the fledgling fellowship there. As a result she removed the crosses from the uniforms and disavowed George. She, her mother and her son Vicki no longer attend for fear of the consequences. Margaret had previously expressed her distaste at the poor people who are attracted to the fellowship, so it may be she isn’t yet able to take up her cross and follow Christ. I don’t say this with anything other than respect for her difficult choice, one that I’m thankful we aren’t yet put into in our culture, though I fear that day isn’t a long way off. I do have pity that she hasn’t yet decided to follow Christ in any other than a formal way. In 2006 George had told me she wasn’t a born-again believer, but more of a traditionalist whose family had grown up Catholic. Christians have provided some of the better schools in the history of India, so it isn’t necessarily bad for “business” to have some Christian identification, even if only in name, or in this case an embroidered cross.

So, this is the type place we will visit on Sunday. We will keep a low profile because they don’t want to draw inordinate attention to our presence. Our meeting in Mudhol will be with the three core families of the fellowship. Reuben and Aruna will host. They are a dear pair of believers, who have three biological children and two older girls they adopted from families who couldn’t care for them. They currently have taken in several children whose families cannot get them to town regularly for school. Reuben’s heart desire is to establish a Christian church in Mudhol, and God willing to extend that ministry with an orphanage he and his lovely wife would oversee. I still carry a hand-written letter he gave me in 2006 with this vision in mind. Reuben and Aruna are profoundly Christian, both in word and deed. I fear that they will eventually receive the “beatitude” of Jesus upon those who suffer persecution:

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The “pay” is exceptional, but the work is hard! May our Father keep His mighty hand on the shoulder of these saints. I do hope we will be an encouragement to them this weekend.

Lunesta worked really well last night – for three hours! A little after 3:00 A.M. I was wide awake. I spent some time praying for various things, not the least of which was our brother David Sandlin’s operation. It was good to receive a text message that he is out of surgery and recovering well. Our friend Karen has borne many griefs, and it would be sorrow upon sorrow for her beloved to be taken from her.

After some time like this I got up and began to work on my presentation for the Maharastra state branch of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, led by Rev. Subhash Dongardive. As you know, EFI’s offices in Maharashtra are located in Pune, and next Wednesday the 19th I will meet with Subhash and several of his key pastors in the state. Could we spend a moment or two in prayer for this in Sunday’s service at MCC? Not to mention the safe return travel for our Team David, Stacy, Bob, Rose and Kerri on Tuesday. This visit to Pune could be a pivotal, strategic turn that could do great things for the Kingdom work here in India, as well as opening a door for our future work as a fellowship and my future work as a pastor-teacher-coach. Please keep my coach/mentor Ed Yates, Leila Durchholz (972-XXX-XXXX -edited out by JR), Jayme and Emily Dixon, Jose Ponmanissery, as well as MCC’s church family network, informed about this visit. George, Salomi, Soubhagya and myself arrive in Pune late afternoon on Tuesday, with the formal meeting scheduled for about three hours on Wednesday. We will leave from there to meet with Pastor Sunil for the first time, visiting the various village ministries in the Kolhapur area.

Well, I have to figure out how to check out of the hotel “Dreams Residency” in the next few minutes. After that we will be meeting at 10:30 with George to have him share his vision for Hope in the Desert, as well as spending time in prayer specifically for Hope in the Desert. David was quite driven to initiate this and plan this, which has been a lovely thing to behold. I expect God to visit us in this wonderful time together! Just got a call – George is waiting on us in the hotel lobby. I miss this place already! It has become a temporary home away from home. Quieter, and pleasant, but no substitute for the real thing! I love you all mightily, and I am yours, and His.

WayneO

Posters note: I am posting this FOR Wayne and the India Team

My Dearest Love (and fellow MCC members (added by JR),

Another day dawns! The sun truly will come out “tomorrow, tomorrow!” The power is off in the daily rolling blackout, and I’m awaiting my coffee and ice cream – yes, ice cream! It’s my personal guilty pleasure, a “vegetarian” ice cream indigenous to India (No sacred cows were harmed in the making of this ice cream!). The young man at the front desk now asks me when I call down for coffee if I want ice cream with that! I am nothing if not a creature of habit! :O)

How shall I review yesterday? It was a joy to begin the day with the sound of your voice, and my fellow-travelers in our vehicle were thoroughly amused to listen in our conversation, especially glad that Meredith made it on the line. Never mind that you had to call four times to get one visit completed! Our only regret was that Claire was already in bed.

Wednesday was a “rest” day – proving that everything is indeed relative! We ventured downtown to shop for various souvenirs and gifts, but all the sellers on the sidewalks make for a colorful festival of commerce. It was the most “Western” day we’ve had, in that there were many more fair-skinned folks than just the six of us. We didn’t feel quite so highlighted! Street vendors hawk foods I’ve never seen, and everyone is passionate about their products. There’s an intensity to their salesmanship that would make each of them a good telemarketer! Noella, (George and Salomi’s daughter), is out of school this week, so she accompanied us. In addition to the delightful flavor this twenty-year-old brings, she is a strong negotiator. She wins – every time! She even got trash-talked after a buy she made for Rose! Ah, the lonely whine of the loser! :O)

We ate at an Iranian restaurant that serves Indian cuisine, suggested by Noella. I thought that was not the best choice, as we’ve gotten quite a lot of Indian food thus far. However, she “sold” us the way she sold the street vendors, and away we went. She ordered Tandoori chicken and a special bread for the table which was like a really exquisite pizza bread, with a nice balance of light herbs and olive oil. Yum! She wouldn’t let us order dessert, instead insisting on a pastry place where we could also get coffee. Uh, DONE! She took special care of me, as others ordered various coffees and mousse cakes and pastries. I had no idea what she got, but she is to be trusted implicitly. So I waited…and waited…and waited, as others got their sweets. My cappuccino was long gone and still I waited. Finally out it came, a nifty little invention called “In Memory of Risky Rider.” At first I pigeon-holed it as a very well-presented chocolate sundae on a brownie. Lovely, delicious, but a glorified sundae. How wrong I turned out to be! It did indeed come with something akin to ice cream on top, and something that looked like chocolate sauce dripping down over some sort of mousse tart. Hershey’s wants to keep this baby an international secret! At the first bite I found a perfectly-balanced delicacy, not too heavy and not too sweet, no particular portion standing out above the other. Again, a very good dish that would sit well in any fine dining restaurant in the States. Wrong again! I had a physiological reaction that I’ve simply never had. Perfection turned on the saliva glands in what I can only describe as the body’s attempt to say “Bravo! Bravo! Encore!” I found myself in near-hysterical laughter at doing a fine, two-legged imitation of Pavlov’s legendary dog! Everyone had a great time watching me have a great time. Nearly twenty minutes after the fact the shower finally began to subside! It was a gift of Noella to her friend, and I confess to having tears in my eyes thinking about how dear a gift it was, both tangibly and intangibly. I felt very cherished. It was worth the waiting, and may provide the slightest glimpse of the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the Lord gifts His Bride with food and drink that are beyond words. All I can say is, “Bring a napkin.” :O)

When we finally finished a day’s venture into the core of Mumbai’s shopping district, we headed out to Soubhagya’s for dinner. A twenty-minute drive took an hour-and-a-half, a traffic jam to make Dallas blush. We didn’t arrive until 9:00 PM, everyone beginning to fade as we drew near the finish of another day, a “light” day but a wearying one nonetheless. We had some debate when we arrived whether to have Soubhagya share her story first and then eat, or eat and then have her share. It was decided she could tell her testimony, which would provide good dinner conversation afterward. Well, close to two hours later the food came out! Though I had heard her story before, in this very room, the level of abuse, abandonment and sorrow remained near incomprehensible. She is also having some current trials that lead her heart to whisper discouragements with the Psalmist, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Familiar words, which our Lord took upon His own lips, describing the anguish of sin-bearing.

What followed in the wake of her story was a flurry of encouraging words, all of which had to be translated to Soubhagya. First came Stacy, with an empassioned plea for hope, then Bob’s testimony of his own struggles with the age-old question “Why?” and how the Word of God has begun to clear that for him. Rose and Kerri were flipping back and forth through the Scriptures, finding their own words of counsel for a dear sister. David finally took his turn at bringing a perspective to her life of suffering and toil and cyclical disappointment. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see the Army of God on the march, all saying “The Lord is with you! You are His beloved! Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!” We prayed with her and over her after giving gifts. She has been delightful towards us all, but I had sensed a certain heaviness of spirit that I don’t recall from the 2006 visit.

Ephesians 6:12 - God’s people are at war, and our battle is “not against flesh and blood, but against… the forces of darkness.” And why wouldn’t those enemies attack one of the key, fruitful soldiers of God? Their judgment is earned….

Well, I think we are near to departing for Dhaisar, where there are two fellowships. It should involve more foot travel through areas of oblivion, and today’s groups are full of Hindu folks. So, the challenge is to speak a good word that penetrates, but that’s what the Word does. Hebrews 4:12

Have a blessed day, knowing you are loved deeply in all the right places!

WayneO

Editor’s note: There are some affections to Brenda here, but I know you guys get a perverse kick out of reading our personal mail. And I don’t have time to edit any further! With that, read on….

November 12, 2008

My Dearest and Best,
It sounds like you are one busy puppy, but what else is new?!

Coffee was just delivered from room service. The hotel coffee here is Nescafe with sugar lumps, but instead of steaming water they bring steaming milk, which makes for a rich and satisfying coffee substitute.

For the second day in a row I’ve had them send ice cream as well! It’s vegetarian ice cream – no milk products, and actually quite good. Not exactly Blue Bell, but you do get the idea. One of the benefits of having a private hotel room is getting ready with a few moments of quiet. Once we all get to George’s it’s a circus. Magnificent fun, but a circus, and you know how easily distracted I am! :O)

Unfortunately, by the time we are returning to the hotel at night I am quite exhausted. Bob is the Energizer Bunny of the group, coming back to the hotel and doing a couple hours of photo editing before bedtime! As you may have noticed from the times of my text messages, and the “Lunesta moment” from yesterday, your hubby needs to be plugged in for battery recharging almost immediately upon landing at home base! Last night was a good sleep – about six hours worth. The power is off now, part of the rolling blackouts, and so I’m waiting a bit in hopes of getting a warm shower. Only once so far have I taken a cold one.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was a full/overflowing day. We went to the Matunga Labour Camp and saw the new place where the church meets, another gift from the great saint Soubahgya. It’s a slightly larger apartment than the previous “Upper Room” that Paul and I enjoyed so much. To my dismay, we won’t get to actually worship with just Matunga on this trip. They typically meet on Sunday evenings, but this past Sunday was the mass meeting of Matunga, Wadala and Dhaisar.

This Sunday we will be on the train back from Bijapur. I could conceivably stay over one more day, flying home on Monday rather than Sunday, a sore temptation. Anyway, we began at Matunga, where we split into teams of two Americans, two Indians. Bob and I went with George and Kannah, Rose and Kerri with Salomi and Soubhagya, David and Stacy with Yoba and Sona. It’s possible this will turn out to be one of the “moments” that tattoo India on the minds and hearts of this year’s Team.

Walking to-and-from apartment buildings surrounded by unspeakable filth, garbage, stench, smoke, decay, chaos, and an absolute crush of humanity, all marinated in the heat and humidity of a Mumbai (think Houston) day, there is simply image after image after image that burn in your mind and your senses. Stepping out of the madhouse into a dwelling more surprises await. What will you walk into when you pass through the Wardrobe? Narnia this isn’t!

Amazingly, Bob and I visited one marvelously warm, comfortable apartment. Soubhagya’s brother Yeshu and his hospitable, lovely wife Leila and their son just moved in about a month ago. It is painted in warm, rich reds and yellows, with masonry tile waist high in the living area, bathroom and kitchen. Clean as a pin, with wonderful attention to detail. Yeshu is an Accountant, so more well off than most. They are a thoroughly Christian family as well. Down the hall is Soubhagya’s two sisters, the baby Maria and crippled Arutna, and her mother, a different home than we visited in 2006. A bit more space.

From there we went on foot to three other dwellings, the last of which was the home of three of Lakschmiakka’s children. Lakschmiakka is the older woman we baptized in 2006, who was horrible burned in an accident just a couple of weeks later, going to sleep just before Christmas of that year. She was a fairly recent convert, and her Hindu family stopped coming to church or having anything to do with George and Salomi’s ministry for almost a year. Earlier this year there was a re-connection and they began attending Sunday School and church, eventually serving as a sometimes-host in their home. I had Salomi point them out at the large Sunday evening meeting so that I could speak with them specifically, to express our sorrow at their loss. The response – through interpreter Salomi, of course – left me speechless. Three of Lakschmiakka’s children will be taking baptism on Friday! In the words of the oldest, “We want to follow in our mother’s path.” The Lord works in mysterious, wonderful, counter-intuitive ways, His wonders to perform. “Blessed be the name of the Lord” – it’s more than a catchy worship tune! Blessed be the name of the Lord our God indeed.

As if that weren’t enough, the last home Bob and I visited was theirs. Only the youngest child was home, as there was a mixup of days. They weren’t anticipating our being there, but this fifteen-year-old and three of her friends sat and fellowshipped with us beautifully. This child is already betrothed to be married, but not for two years yet. The families arranged the marriage, but the husband-to-be’s family insisted on one condition, that the girl be baptized as a Christian believer! We went through the evangecube and the bracelet with her and her friends. She had laser-lock on my eyes when we got to the part on the cube about the resurrection. Anticipation is the word I would use to describe what I saw in her lit face. We prayed together, using the words of Jesus as our benediction and blessing:

John 11:25-26

I believe she does!

That’s the funny thing about faith here – whether Christian faith or otherwise. There doesn’t seem to be a struggle to “convince” folks about Jesus as much as there is to help them realize that Jesus isn’t “a way” He is “THE Way.” I would love to take a crack at apologetics in an Eastern world. Perhaps in time….

Time which I’m running short on! Bob will be here in minutes to begin the “adventure” that is the 10-minute trek to George and Salomi’s apartment. I haven’t even begun to tell about the “leadership training” time we spent yesterday afternoon with the core leadership at Matunga, or the hike we took to get into the Wadala slum last night, or Rose saving Stacy from becoming a hood ornament, or Bob getting run over by George’s car (Yes, Virginia, there are guardian angels!), or the sweat-shop closet we used as a meeting place for the Wadala fellowship, where our dear little Sona does such good work with the children, or teaching them the chorus to “He Reigns” and “He Knows My Name” – while having Salomi translate each line of the verses as I sang, or the hysterical time spent at the Thai restaurant last evening, or the irony of hearing the mall playing Christmas sacred music on the second week of November. Shall I go on? And on? And on?!!!!!!!

Again, I find myself with too much to say, and way too little time. I haven’t even covered the Sunday evening large group meeting or the events of Monday! Suffice it to say that the MCC Team is in very good spirits, having the adventure of a lifetime, with the dear people of God, all in the name of Jesus. There is a Homecoming that is beyond words, and I long to drink deeply at that Fountain with all the saints. How can I describe the joy of knowing we will drink there together, my love?

Forever and gladly yours,
WayneO

Good morning

I was just reading thru my daily news sites and such and came across this article. For those of you who are Ann Rice fans and readers, you may be interested in this, as well as a newly Published memoir called Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession. It is available in hardcover, just click on the link to view at Amazon.com.

Dear India Team 2008,

Just yesterday I read ”Terror in Orissa,” an article from the most recent Christianity Today magazine on the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Orissa province, India (http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2008/november/4.17.html). As we prepare for our upcoming voyage to India it would be good to stop and consider these who face trials that we can only imagine. This brings to mind an “early warning” by the Lord Jesus Himself. In one of His earliest recorded sermons, and the most famous, Jesus began His “Sermon on the Mount” with the Beatitudes. Concluding the introduction to the great Sermon are these words of “early warning”:

Matthew 5:9  ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:10  ¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:11-12  ¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:13  ¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

Matthew 5:14-16  ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

A couple of quick observations come to mind. First, “the peacemakers” in verse 9 contrast sharply with the persecution discussed in verses 10-12. You and I, and our brothers in Orissa, are called to be peacemakers. Despite our anger, even our righteous sense of justice, the people of God are blessed when they bear the title “peacemakers.” Jesus returns to this idea of the character of His followers a few verses later in the sermon when He speaks of “turning the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39), even praying “for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44)! Jesus was quite the radical, wouldn’t you say?! After all, I have a hard time dealing with the person who is too slow in the checkout line, and he hasn’t even done anything directly to me!

The second observation has to do with good company. In Matthew 5:12 Jesus reminds us that “in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” It is somehow easier to face trials when we know others who made it through, who fought the good fight, who left a great memory of courage in the face of suffering, even death and apparent defeat. After all, we live in Texas where “Remember the Alamo!” is a sacred memory.

A third observation is the transition Jesus makes immediately following His words on persecution. “You are the salt of the earth…. You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). This is the end game for believers, even (especially!) in the face of persecution. We are called to live and respond in such a way that we do the work of salt, both seasoning and preserving our world, our particular culture. We are likewise called to live in such a way that we illuminate a better way - the Way.

You and I don’t face the types of persecution our brothers in India do – the cloud of physical danger rarely if ever passes our way. Yet we can pray for those whom the Lord alone may know, those who face the specter of homelessness, separation, and even death. Let us pray that they will possess the spirit of peacemakers, that they would be encouraged by the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before them, and that they might steadfastly serve as the salt of the earth, the light of the world. Why not stop and pray for them right now? How about I lead us?

Beloved Father, your blood-bought children in Orissa, India, are facing terrible persecutions because they are Yours. Their few small possessions are being seized, their modest homes burned, their places of worship and education destroyed. All because they call Your name. And Lord, we ask that you would take these nameless brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, grandfathers and grandmothers, and uphold them with Your righteous right hand. Father, we ask that you would give them the supernatural power to love their enemies in the name of Jesus, Who loves even His enemies, and we ourselves were such once upon a time. Thank You for loving us each and every one. May Your children be known as peacemakers. Father, encourage Your Indian children with the knowledge of the great saints of days gone by, those who fought the good fight, even to the death. Remind them of all who poured out their very lives for the sake of Your name, those who receive the Crown of Life from the very hand that was pierced for each of them. Strengthen them with the knowledge that Jesus, too, laid down His life. As our brothers in Orissa face their tormentors may they be filled with the Spirit who has filled Your martyrs for generations. And Father, may each of these Your children, from the least to the greatest, be rightly called the salt of the earth, the light of the world. May even their most hateful enemies be stunned by the love of God found in the faithfulness of His followers, and may their persecutors begin to see the Light through His lights in their torn and broken world. We ask in the name of our Brother the Lord Jesus, Who bled and died out of love and faithfulness to redeem many, even the likes of us. Amen.

If music speaks to you, I would encourage you to take a listen to “When the Saints” by Sara Groves. It speaks to this type of trouble in the lives of God’s people, and how many have historically been peacemakers, salt and light in the very midst of darkness.

Last Sunday, the Metrocrest Community Church celebrated the baptism of 4 of its members.
It was truly a touching and wonderful ceremony of welcoming these incredible folks to the family.

I Corinthians 12:13

Please enjoy the photos…