Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

February 24, 2005

Today is the last day in India. We have to be at the airport at 5 am, less than twelve hours now. We have everything packed, except what we are wearing. Bill and I have made our last touch-base with those we told we would talk to before we left. So I will finish up my journal.

In the evening of Gene’s birthday, I helped him to start grading the exam papers from his Galatians class at Grace Bible College. I finished up about 75 of the 120 papers by the next night. Gene finished the rest.

The next day I went with Madhabi, a lady from the V-20 church where Gene goes, to visit a Hindu lady whom she has befriended. Anupama considers Madhabi her daughter. Anupama is a hurting widow who is really longing to have a cohesive family, but her eldest son has become a Christian and relationship has been wounded. In going by auto rickshaw, we spent some time sharing our feeling that the Lord was going to touch this lady in some way. We just didn’t know what He wanted to do. He would be faithful to answer our prayers and fasting.

Anupama served us a delicious lunch and wanted us to stay overnight with her and her youngest son, Dipinu, who is having kidney problems. We prayed for both of them and for her brother. Madhabi promised that she would visit more often as she was able according to her nurse’s schedule. We went back home knowing that signs and wonders do follow those who believe. We would hear the good report later.

Bill knows his way around this area, so he comes and goes to various places and running errands. He has been good to help keep up with the laundry.

The project of getting a power point presentation is now completed. The wording that keeps it to 12-15 minutes has yet to be finished. At times I wish Brianna Lindley was here as she is so very creative and gifted in these things.

While Gene was at his class on Friday, Pastor Sam did not come in the morning, so I got to purchase a couple of subji (eggplant and sweet peppers) by myself from the vendor who comes to the door daily. I let the cleaning lady in and she liked my sari. The flower vendor left with no extra coins in his pocket because of all of Gene’s birthday gifts.

When Gene returned Pastor Sam and Elsamma followed; we took two auto rickshaws for the five of us for as far as they could take us. Sam instructed them to wait for our return. We walked the remaining distance to the only believer’s home in the Muslim community in Rangpuri Pahari. All the children gather to sing everyday. Samuel Masi’s home is the outreach and place of introducing Jesus through the children. I was challenged by Pastor Sam to tell the children a Bible story. Bill encouraged them to sing their songs wherever they go and told about our Samuel and Daniel singing, ‘Jesus loves me.’

It was dark by the time we finished our chai and walked back to where the auto rickshaws were waiting to take us home. It was too late to go to Pastor Sam’s home. So we would go in the morning.

Kapashera is not far from the international airport. The pastor’s family lives on the roof of the building in a colony that has not yet been legalized. From the rooftop we can watch the airplanes land and takeoff. There is a large room that has a divider between the large bed that the family sleeps in and the sitting/dining area. One has to go outside to go to the kitchen and the bathroom/toilet. Everyone in the building hangs their clothing on the lines on the roof.

Gene left to go home after lunch as he had other commitments to attend. We took naps and then went to visit some church families in the evening. Bill and I received 35 rupees from the joogi (slum) family. We received it with joy for their blessing and gave it to Pastor Sam for our blessing to come and his. We prayed for the mother-in-law in the house across the way.

The last family was the church secretary. They had a full meal prepared for us. We ate our token because it was so late and by the time we walked back home, it was already 10:30 pm. Elsamma presented me with a green sari as a love gift from their family.

The little native church in Kapashera was wonderful. Gene arrived late, but in time for the message Bill gave. We were privileged to be there when it was communion Sunday. Here the foot washing is done before the taking of communion, which made it a very intimate and spiritual time for all of us.

On our last Monday, the Lord gave us another opportunity to show the love of Jesus to an unbelieving neighbor. Pastor Sam and Elsamma had stopped by and ate with us. The neighbor across the hallway came to the door and asked if Gene could go get him some medicine from the clinic. As they were saying goodby, Anshuman came to the door to see if Gene had returned. He could hardly stand and began to sink to the floor. Sam grabbed him and helped him to his bed and covered him up. He called to Elsamma and me to come and pray for him. Sam asked Anshuman if he believed in God and he said yes. So Sam said for him to pray with us.

When Sam prayed, he spoke to God about the facts that the roommate was unwilling to help, his girlfriend would not be bothered, and the servant refused to come. He thanked the Lord for giving us this opportunity to show His love for Anshuman in his time of need. He asked the Lord to give salvation and healing for his body, as well as praising God for His goodness to His children and to this brother of ours. When he was finished, I got up from where I was kneeling and praying in the spirit to go make some brothy soup for him.

When I returned with the soup, Gene arrived shortly after with the medicine. Anshuman took the tablet that stopped the vomit reflex. Within ten minutes he was ready to taste the soup. He was hungry because the soup was gone in a flash. Because Pastor Sam was sharing some funny experiences, he had all of us laughing, including Anshuman and even he said he was feeling better. We all knew that the Lord had healed him when we left his apartment. The next morning gave testimony to that fact, when Gene went over to visit with him, he was there for three hours sharing the word of God and answering Anshuman’s questions. Praise the Lord for His eternal goodness!!! Hallelujah!

On Wednesday, Mammen came to spend the day visiting with us. Gene decided we needed to do some touristy things, so Pastor Sam and family, Gene, Mammen, Bill and I all head out to wait for the car we ordered to pick us up at the C-II gate. A little bit later, we were all piled into the vehicle and heading off to the Mugal Gardens behind the President’s house in Delhi. [It is the largest President’s home in the world with 120 bedrooms.] The security there is the same as if we were going inside the house, which you can’t do. We left our cameras and cellphones in the car, but Bill lost the orange in his pocket and they wanted to take my lipstick, which I refused, so they let me keep it.

The gardens were lovely and it took us about an hour to walk around and see everything. They gave free pots of thyme, disguised as wisdom plants, and free sealed cups of water to drink.

When we located the parked vehicle and driver, we piled back in and went to India Gate area. Gene saw boats and took off with Sam and the children for a boating adventure. I am sure that Gene wanted to show off his prowess of boating as he had done as a kid some forty plus years ago, but they only gave him one paddle for the square-backed boat with four seats. The camera documented his attempts to head anywhere but in the circle that he was successfully accomplishing. When they got close to the side where the rest of us were standing, Bill grabbed hold of the rope and pulled them to the one end. From there they managed to make it back to the starting place and finished the adventure.

One of the attractions Gene got on his video was a charmer showing off his cobra. From behind I snatched a photo that looks like Gene is the charmer and we are all watching standing behind him.

I got a couple shots of a bagpiper’s group entertaining the public. And some flower shots and a snap of Elsamma and Umachi sitting on the curb.

It was beginning to get dark, but Gene wanted to go over the Yamuna river bridge and then stop at the Lodhi Garden, which is actually two Mogul tombs. We walked a little ways in the Garden, but it was already too dark, so we returned home to cook supper. All the places we went, only Gene had been to the spots before. So we all were tourists for sure. Everyone had a good time.

Anshuman just stopped by to drop off Gene’s Bible. We invited him for supper, so he went over to get his special diet and joined us in fellowship. He and I discussed the English program that I was introducing to the small schools in Gurgaon and Wadli Pada. He said that he had been a journalist for education before he started writing the crime reports. He said that he knew of some schools who would welcome the training of this sort and asked for my email so he could send me the information. Afterwards, we prayed for him and for our travels in the morning before everyone going to get ready for bed.

I helped Pastor Sam and Elsamma clean up the kitchen from the special evening meal prepared especially for our last evening. Bill wanted mutton burgers and I asked for mushroom soup. We all enjoyed the meal, especially Gene, who ate four burgers [they tasted that good he said].

When I hugged Jiji (Elsamma) goodbye, I slipped her a little gift. She would need it to help pay for her two teeth that needed tending to by the dentist. She cried with no words spoken. Her English is broken and there are some things she doesn’t understand, but we have had a good time getting to know one another. Her mother, who we call Umachi, doesn’t speak English at all, but every time she sees me, grabs my face and kisses me. Precious, simple, and precious people who want us to spend a week with them when we come back again.

I have finished the customs list as far as I can remember. I have one more list to make and I have completed everything we need for home. It is a good feeling to have a job done.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us this privilege to be in India this time and for helping me to complete even my reports before we leave here. I feel such a peace that the work we have been sent to do this time is accomplished in five months. Give us Your grace to get our taxes done in the States and some rest before the road trip next month. May that assignment also accomplish Your will and be just as much of an adventure as this trip has been. We ask that You will touch people’s hearts for the work You have started here and open up new doors of opportunity to meet the needs right here in India. Please answer the prayers of those who are seeking to come with us and send us back soon is our heart’s cry, but only in Your perfect timing, in Jesus’ name. Amen.