Life Changing Words Ministry
Missionary Journal
November 10, 2005
About 20 ladies and children came to the seminar on Monday evening. Some seemed tired after a full day of work, but their spirits were receiving the word of the Lord. We trust them into the Father’s hand to perfect what He has begun in them, especially for those who do not read or write.
Afterward we went to Joseph’s house to welcome him home from the hospital and to wish him a happy birthday with cake. When I arrived lastly, the little place was packed with people and they pulled him up to a sitting position to give me a place to sit. I begged his forgiveness for the behavior of his family to give me a place to sit, but they all laughed at me.
The tradition of birthday here is a small cake the size of a salad plate is cut and the birthday person takes a piece and gives a bite (much like at our weddings) to each person who is there. Any other person can come up and cut a piece and feed it to the birthday person with loving words. A birthday song is done and all leave. Since Joseph was still weak, we left quickly to return for our evening meal at the church. It was almost 11pm when we got back to Silver Oaks ISD to call home. I had to leave my message.
Lily and I went to do some errands in the morning. My sweetheart called to Padmini’s home and I was so glad to hear from him. Tim and Amy had come down to Aloha to get his license renewed before he and the family would be moving to McGuire AFB in New Jersey. Bill said that they heard my message on the recorder and send their love back. I’m glad. Thy will be done, Lord, for all of our children.
The second evening of the Ladies Seminar went well for Pastor Fern. The ladies are pleased that she, too, has come to them in her old age. Somehow it makes the people feel special. They are in God’s eyes too.
Because of some conflict in schedule and personal things to take care of, Padmini would not be able to receive my husband when he comes. This means that Bill and I will need to be lodged in another location. Pastor helped me shift my belongings to Saji and Grace’s house next to Wadli Pada. We are on the fifth floor in a two bedroom apartment that overlooks the jungle, quite literally. Grace said that last week a leopard was inside the compound. Saji and grace have two little boys, Ezekiel and Nathan. They are four and one. Saji and Grace come from Kerala and a Catholic background but have become born again and filled with the Spirit of God. It is clear that the Lord is moving on their behalf to teach them to be godly in business. His vision is very kingdom oriented. I can hardly wait to see how the Lord unfolds it for him.
Next, Pastor and I needed to go to Bombay Postal Customs to receive the packages that were shipped from Riggs Institute with the English training materials. The shipment was costly to send because of the lateness and the need to have it when I was still in W. Mulund. I say it was a real unique experience to say the least. This was Pastor’s second attempt to get the packages. He had gone the day before and they refused to give them to him unless he had an importers license. They made every excuse for them. They wanted him to give them money under the table. I got angry and said I would go with him, since it is my shipment.
It took over two hours of waiting, running here and there with paperwork, getting this one’s signature, that one’s stamp, etc. Pastor told me to sit in one place and wait for him. I chose to sit where I could see the packages. The ones I had shipped were still on the floor where they were the last few days. [It had been at least three days since we received the arrival notice.] I watched postal people open up packages that had already been opened by the customs inspectors. The postal handlers were pulling out items and using them on themselves, i.e. spraying cologne and perfume on themselves before putting them back into the packages. They did not appear to be searching for anything in particular, just pulling out things, waving them at one another, talking over and item then setting it aside from the box. [Perhaps this is why three times I tried to send a baby gift and the receiver never got it.] I wanted so badly to take out my camera and get a picture of this, but I had a second thought not to do so. I didn’t want to jeopardize my camera. But a camera phone would have done a dandy job of exposing the corruption to the news. I guess I will let the vindication be the Lord’s as He knows how to do it so effectively.
The customs officer and I came to a mutual agreement after we went through the Indian customs tariff book. The duties were reasonable. However, the postal authorities said that we had to pay duties, therefore, we had to pay them a fee per box. If there were no duties, then there are no fees. But they levied another Rs 100 per box. Two managers wanted us to pay them each Rs 200 for just doing their job. Nahi, no! Finally, I saw that it was not good to continue in this manner and we had to get back to IPH for the evening meeting. So I paid the almost Rs 600 to get our boxes, now locked inside a cage, out to go.
As we were leaving two men at a table near the door stopped us to ask how much was our customs duties. I told them it wasn’t their business. (Nicely, I might add.) Above them was a sign reading, Bombay Municipal Corporation. They wanted Rs 91. When I said, “Nahi”, he readjusted his calculator to read Rs 52. I said, “Nahi, no, zero” and showed my fingers together as a zero, we were not going to be robbed of anymore rupees! The one man said something to Pastor. I told Pastor we were leaving and not giving anything. Pastor said that the man told him that we would not get out of the building without paying. We walked right down the stairs and out the door. No one stopped us.
The evening meeting on Marriage went great and we had a lot of fun learning about God’s version of marriage. The ladies told Mrs. Pastor Florie that they want more teaching, so Florie asked me for a copy of my notes, which I did.
On the day that Bill was arriving, we went to a prophetic prayer meeting held by a man by the name of Dr. Bernard Blessing from Ghana, Africa. It was held in Sion in a conference hall named Shanmukhananda Hall. There were two other long names that went behind this name, but it was sufficient for me. The meeting went from 9am to 4pm with no chai break and no lunch. There was a visiting pastor from Australia who had a burden for his homeland, Greece. He shared his vision. Then there was praise and worship before Dr. Blessing’s message.
During the worship, the Spirit guided me to shoot arrows in every direction like I was moving as the hand of the clock, shoot, move slightly, shoot. I wondered in my mind what was going on in the spirit realm as I was doing this thing while praying in the Spirit. Later in the service, the Lord revealed that I was shooting forth the arrows of deliverance for this area. Thank you, Holy Spirit.
Dr. Blessing’s message started out with a call to pray against: 1. slander in the church; 2. a spirit of competition; 3. a spirit of jealousy; 4. a spirit of greed; 5. a power of terrorism; 6. a spirit of selfishness; 7. a spirit of hatred.
Then he shared on Luke 22:19 comparing the actions of Jesus, took – blessed – broke – gave, to leadership. First level, leader is called, chosen, changed, challenged, and his heart is full of Jesus and souls are won daily. Second level, the leader’s blessing period: healings, favor, souls won without effort. Third level, the leader experiences brokenness, changing for other’s benefit, problems come after the Anointing in order to shape heavenly attitudes along with other testings. Fourth level, is the leader’s season of release, given as food to the hungry; become hope for the hopeless; burden-lifters; moving forward in God’s will; the work is not in vain. Finally, the three enemies of leaders are: 1. food, 2. TV, 3. the bed/sleep. [This is why there were no refreshments at the meeting.]
The only disappointing aspect of the message where all the areas in which this man slandered ministries he named in the US and clearly blamed the US for all the church corruption and his negative encounters with the former President and our current President. How sad. His sharing would have had a greater impact if he had not gone out in the flesh to say these things. Pastor commented to me about these things as they troubled him when he heard them.
Bill arrived to Saji’s home safe and sound, but clearly dragging his tail behind him. He would look forward to a soft place to stretch out his tired body. He was still a handsome sight to see.