Monday, December 3, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
More Rice please
On the road and heading home. This time we are on a express train to Delhi -- much better than our previous experience of train transportation in India. But it's still a 13 hour train ride. We all are eager to get home.
Our day today was hard to describe. The church planting pastor here in Patna arranged for a "seeker's conference." In typical Indian style, we had a loooooonnnnggggggg service with 3 different preachers. I started the preaching, then Ken Hoke, and then Bijoy Roul, an amazing man from Orissa. All of the messages flowed together beautifully. For me, my experience preaching here was one of my highlights. It was a terrific experience.
At the end of the conference, an invitation to accept Christ was given -- over 30 young men indicated that they were beginning their life of following Jesus. Pray for these young men who will be facing family and societal pressure to renege on their decisions. It was a great way to end our trip.
We arrive in Delhi at 10 am, shop, etc. for the rest of the day, and catch our 15 hour flight at midnight.
It's been a great trip, but if I see one more plate of rice . . .
Our day today was hard to describe. The church planting pastor here in Patna arranged for a "seeker's conference." In typical Indian style, we had a loooooonnnnggggggg service with 3 different preachers. I started the preaching, then Ken Hoke, and then Bijoy Roul, an amazing man from Orissa. All of the messages flowed together beautifully. For me, my experience preaching here was one of my highlights. It was a terrific experience.
At the end of the conference, an invitation to accept Christ was given -- over 30 young men indicated that they were beginning their life of following Jesus. Pray for these young men who will be facing family and societal pressure to renege on their decisions. It was a great way to end our trip.
We arrive in Delhi at 10 am, shop, etc. for the rest of the day, and catch our 15 hour flight at midnight.
It's been a great trip, but if I see one more plate of rice . . .
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Link to another blog about our trip
Ken Hoke, our wonderful trip leader is posting eloquent writings on his blog.
Make sure you check out the post on "God's angel." It's a great story about a miraculous event a few days back.
Make sure you check out the post on "God's angel." It's a great story about a miraculous event a few days back.
Message from John
People-loving John enjoys engaging Indians in conversation. Here on the train I had an extensive conversation with an educated man, who was eager to talk about America, weather, culture, divorce and religion.
On the other hand, a sharp-looking young man (maybe age 24) is standing in the aisle two seats from me. He seems interested in me and my conversations. Our eyes often meet. I smile at him. But he never smiles back. (Ben says that maybe it's because I look to strange to the young man). I have no idea how to engage him in conversation, so I just pray for him.
And so I keep open to any divine appointments that may arise.
John
On the other hand, a sharp-looking young man (maybe age 24) is standing in the aisle two seats from me. He seems interested in me and my conversations. Our eyes often meet. I smile at him. But he never smiles back. (Ben says that maybe it's because I look to strange to the young man). I have no idea how to engage him in conversation, so I just pray for him.
And so I keep open to any divine appointments that may arise.
John
Train ride in India
We are currently on a train, in India no less. We did in fact board said train at 0800 hours this morning at are still at 0600 hours in the evening still held hostage in our prison. Our link to the outside world is this freakishly advanced wireless USB modem that allows us to use the internet at less than desirable speeds. We are grateful however.
We now have soldiers riding with us since we entered Bihar, which we are told is rather unstable. This train is unstable. There is a guy in front of us who is especially unstable. Typical or not of Indian train travel this particular car is overbooked by say 20 people. One of these people captured a seat in front of us.
More on Indian train travel...when the train stops at a station, vendors come on the train to offer you food, tea and other various sundry items. Beggars and the like also come on board. Bathrooms consist of a hole in the floor which leads to the railroad tracks. They tell us not to go potty in the station...I now know why.
I have read through three Indian magazines. Their stock market is going through the roof. They don't like Pakistan. This place called Bollywood is real and India has movie celebrities too. There is a lot of corruption and violence as well.
Mike Holland has been sleeping the whole trip...only waking up to eat. Yes, the rest of us are jealous, very jealous.
Ok...I'm getting more tea-they serve it in clay pots. Cool but weird.
Ben (from a train)
We now have soldiers riding with us since we entered Bihar, which we are told is rather unstable. This train is unstable. There is a guy in front of us who is especially unstable. Typical or not of Indian train travel this particular car is overbooked by say 20 people. One of these people captured a seat in front of us.
More on Indian train travel...when the train stops at a station, vendors come on the train to offer you food, tea and other various sundry items. Beggars and the like also come on board. Bathrooms consist of a hole in the floor which leads to the railroad tracks. They tell us not to go potty in the station...I now know why.
I have read through three Indian magazines. Their stock market is going through the roof. They don't like Pakistan. This place called Bollywood is real and India has movie celebrities too. There is a lot of corruption and violence as well.
Mike Holland has been sleeping the whole trip...only waking up to eat. Yes, the rest of us are jealous, very jealous.
Ok...I'm getting more tea-they serve it in clay pots. Cool but weird.
Ben (from a train)
Friday, November 23, 2007
Gentabani Village
This was the welcome we received upon entering the village of Gentabani
Children eating on banana leaves after the service (note: best viewed after turning computer screen 90 degrees)
The Indian people are beautiful!
Sunset in India
The local pastor's home
The location of Gentabani Village
View Larger Map
Children eating on banana leaves after the service (note: best viewed after turning computer screen 90 degrees)
The Indian people are beautiful!
Sunset in India
The local pastor's home
The location of Gentabani Village
View Larger Map
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Today's location and pictures
Here is our location for today...
View Larger Map
A view from inside the tent where we had a service today. Approximately 500 people present.
View Larger Map
A view from inside the tent where we had a service today. Approximately 500 people present.
Rice on Thanksgiving Day?
What a great day! Today we went North from Cuttack to visit a church planting in one of the distant villages. After a 5 hour ride over horrible roads, we arrived in time for a wonderful worship service. Over 450 Christians had gathered for an annual conference. Ben Newton gave a wonderful talk and then we had a dedication for their new church building -- an elaborate tin roof structure with open sides. This church is only about 60 - 70 people currently, but people had travelled from as far away as 90 km -- sacrificing their limited money for bus fare to participate in the celebration. We also discovered that the first believer in this village donated the land for the church building.
Nearby to this new church was a SPICE hostel with 118 boys and girls receiving education and clothes and food. So went to the hostel for lunch (at 5:00 p.m.!), watched them perform a program just for us with dancing and singing and now we are on our way to our hotel in Balasore, India.
Words cannot describe the joy of seeing these joyful believers -- arrayed in all of the finery of their traditional Indian dress -- and realize that they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. The stories of faith and sacrifice in the face of persecution are amazing. Their grasp of faith and understanding of the realities of the supernatural world would challenge many modern western minds.
Tomorrow we travel to another distant village in West Bengal (the state just north of Orissa) to visit another church planting. The service will be long - 2 or 3 of us will speak and the incredibly talented and professional drama team from Cuttack will be performing as well. But we expect about 500 will also show up for this celebration as well.
Today while you enjoy your pumpkin pie -- just think of us eating rice for three meals a day! While I'm really enjoying the food, I'll be glad to not eat rice for a month when I get back!
Thanks for your prayer and thoughts so far. Our time with the leaders of Nepal and India was very positive. So far, all of us have either preached or given a leadership talk and we will all have at least one more opportunity. So pray for us that we could speak with messages inspired by God.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Michael
Nearby to this new church was a SPICE hostel with 118 boys and girls receiving education and clothes and food. So went to the hostel for lunch (at 5:00 p.m.!), watched them perform a program just for us with dancing and singing and now we are on our way to our hotel in Balasore, India.
Words cannot describe the joy of seeing these joyful believers -- arrayed in all of the finery of their traditional Indian dress -- and realize that they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. The stories of faith and sacrifice in the face of persecution are amazing. Their grasp of faith and understanding of the realities of the supernatural world would challenge many modern western minds.
Tomorrow we travel to another distant village in West Bengal (the state just north of Orissa) to visit another church planting. The service will be long - 2 or 3 of us will speak and the incredibly talented and professional drama team from Cuttack will be performing as well. But we expect about 500 will also show up for this celebration as well.
Today while you enjoy your pumpkin pie -- just think of us eating rice for three meals a day! While I'm really enjoying the food, I'll be glad to not eat rice for a month when I get back!
Thanks for your prayer and thoughts so far. Our time with the leaders of Nepal and India was very positive. So far, all of us have either preached or given a leadership talk and we will all have at least one more opportunity. So pray for us that we could speak with messages inspired by God.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Michael
A BLESSED BIRTHDAY, from John Hawbaker
Wednesday was a day for relaxation.
The staff of Gospel Tide radio and the office staff of the Orissa Church joined us in a trip to Puri, a resort city on the Bay of Bengal. What a delight to wade in the Bay on my 64th birthday!
After a picnic lunch, off to visit two temples, the second being the Sun Temple at Konark - a huge structure erected in the 12th century, with intricate carvings on every surface, depicting animals and humans and Hindu gods. We arrived at dusk, and soon, with floodlights on the temple and the moon overhead, the scene was hauntingly beautiful. But sad to reflect on the vanity of worshiping idols. "Jesus - far above all gods" was much on my mind.
Next, back to Cuttack to the Church Center for a late dinner. Then off to Bijoy's house for a special treat - chocolate cake and ice cream to celebrate my birthday.
Each morning I go for a birding walk. There are ponds, a field and trees here, and great variety of birds, to my surprise and delight. Wagtails, bee-eaters, mynas, kingfisher and others.
The people of India are a joy. The warmth and love of the BIC are a special treasure. I am grateful to God for every aspect of this adventure.
My travel companions, on the other hand, are having to endure my zany humor and evaluative comments on nearly everything, so I suppose the trip seems quite long to them.
With love to all,
Happy John
The staff of Gospel Tide radio and the office staff of the Orissa Church joined us in a trip to Puri, a resort city on the Bay of Bengal. What a delight to wade in the Bay on my 64th birthday!
After a picnic lunch, off to visit two temples, the second being the Sun Temple at Konark - a huge structure erected in the 12th century, with intricate carvings on every surface, depicting animals and humans and Hindu gods. We arrived at dusk, and soon, with floodlights on the temple and the moon overhead, the scene was hauntingly beautiful. But sad to reflect on the vanity of worshiping idols. "Jesus - far above all gods" was much on my mind.
Next, back to Cuttack to the Church Center for a late dinner. Then off to Bijoy's house for a special treat - chocolate cake and ice cream to celebrate my birthday.
Each morning I go for a birding walk. There are ponds, a field and trees here, and great variety of birds, to my surprise and delight. Wagtails, bee-eaters, mynas, kingfisher and others.
The people of India are a joy. The warmth and love of the BIC are a special treasure. I am grateful to God for every aspect of this adventure.
My travel companions, on the other hand, are having to endure my zany humor and evaluative comments on nearly everything, so I suppose the trip seems quite long to them.
With love to all,
Happy John
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Wild Hawgs
First watch the video of traffic in India and then consider that M.Yoker, Mike Holland and I (Ben) borrowed motorcycles (motobike as they say) and took to the streets of Cuttack. I likely consumed fifty or so species of India's finest insect species as we drove along a river at dusk. I wish I could recreate the near misses we had with a large diesel truck, a sacred cow, a girl on a bicycle and rickshaws to numerous to count. Priceless.
The round table with church leaders has been incredible as well. Every pastor has a story...Prakash came to faith as a young worker in Cuttack and was cut off from his family. Even today he can only spend four hours with his mother in their village before he must leave. Shemlah (the standout leader of the Nepali church) as a student at bible school got his start in ministry preaching in villages with another leader at the round table Samuel (head of the Bihar area). Three out of ten leaders spent time in the SPICE program. There is a beautiful sense of community among these men as well as an anticipation to see God at work.
Tonight, we head back to each share 1 minute each about what is going on personally in our lives. (Pastors one minute? give me a break! Yeah, and Indian pastor's fit the typical stereotype as well.)
We appreciate your prayers and thoughts!
Ben, representing the dudes in India
The round table with church leaders has been incredible as well. Every pastor has a story...Prakash came to faith as a young worker in Cuttack and was cut off from his family. Even today he can only spend four hours with his mother in their village before he must leave. Shemlah (the standout leader of the Nepali church) as a student at bible school got his start in ministry preaching in villages with another leader at the round table Samuel (head of the Bihar area). Three out of ten leaders spent time in the SPICE program. There is a beautiful sense of community among these men as well as an anticipation to see God at work.
Tonight, we head back to each share 1 minute each about what is going on personally in our lives. (Pastors one minute? give me a break! Yeah, and Indian pastor's fit the typical stereotype as well.)
We appreciate your prayers and thoughts!
Ben, representing the dudes in India
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