Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

November 12, 2005

[Tomorrow is Bill’s 69th birthday. Mrs. Pastor Florie had remembered that we had celebrated last year in Pune.]

Pastor Fern shared with the Ladies at the Bhandup church. It didn’t quite go as originally planned, but we are flexible. The ladies there all got individually prayed for by us. Even Samuel, who brought his wife, got blessed.

Saturday morning early, we left for Pune in an “air” bus. It is a bus with good shocks and the windows open. It was a dusty ride, but we arrived safely and without incident. We waited about 20 minutes for Pastor Prashant and Pranay to fetch us in their van. All were delighted to see us and renew our fellowship together.

The building is now two stories higher than when we were here last year. The church has two places to meet. Depending on the number of people who come, they can meet in the hall on the ground level, or up on the terrace (roof).

Pushpa lost her husband to a heart attack in August. She is completing the third floor as a dormitory. Renting out to college age students and working singles will help pay for the mortgage. Unfortunately, after her husband’s death, she found out that he had left her with debts for which she had nothing to show.

LCWM assisted with a gift to furnish Pranay with a bed. He is working for Travelocity and supports his mother financially. He is 20 years old.

At evening prayer, the Lord inspired me to share about waiting on the Lord. Pastor led and the time was brief. I shared again that we were to wait without speaking, to bring our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and wait for the voice of the Lord to speak to each of us. Pastor spoke a little harshly to me, but I felt insistent to be obedient to the Spirit, who wanted to speak to us individually. So he yielded and we waited for about twenty minutes before I knew that people were receiving some word from the scriptures. Pastor’s son, Graceson, who is nine heard from the Lord and I could tell from his face that he could hardly wait to share it. In the next ten minutes, everyone who was there had heard something from the Lord.

Pastor had been given Luke 11:24-28; Florie received Isaiah 61:1; Prashant heard Mark 10:17; Graceson got Jeremiah 32:37-40; Fern had Romans 12:9-21; Pushpa said Mark 12:1-12; Padmini replied that she forgot her Bible, but what came to mind was Matthew chapter 12; Kamal, also known as Ai, doesn’t read or write, but she had a vision in which Jesus was dressed in His shepherd’s outfit that goes to the knees. He had his stick. He saw Kamal and then went on like he was going somewhere. [She had asked for prayer for her granddaughter who was paralyzed and for herself since she was feeling sick.] When she felt His Presence, she began to feel “fresh”. I received Isaiah 45:1-7, 13-14, 22-25.

I had written the references down and when we went through them all, it astonished Pastor, how God had spoken to us in one accord and His words encouraged all of us. Then he right there confessed that he had used harsh words and he repented because he had never heard of such a way to pray. To pray by waiting on the Lord had opened up a totally new dimension for him. He was so excited to do this again.

The next morning I was feeling sick in my stomach. I knew that it was an attack of the enemy. He is always looking to attack especially when there is victory for the kingdom. I prayed for peace to my body and went to church. During the praise and worship songs, I felt recovered. Bill shared the message and the people received it gladly.

Again in prayer we waited on God. (Bill was resting.) All received a word from the Lord: Pastor Jeremiah 33:3; Florie Hosea 6:6; Fern had words encouraging us of Jesus’ love; Graceson Psalm 61:1-8; Pushpa Psalm 66:1; Prashant said the Lord will lead this congregation; and He spoke to me, have a quiet spirit, stand still, and watch what He will do. This is a new and fresh revelation of fellowship with God.

We had prayer and our evening meal at Prema’s brother, Anurud Kambla’s home.

Monday we went to Janwadi jugi (slum area) for prayer and lunch. Eight souls were received into the kingdom, relations restored, and many touched by the power of the Holy Spirit. The owners of the house asked for prayer to be started in their house and they will invite their neighbors to come. It was set that Sunday evening prayer would be at their home and Pastor Prashant and his wife would come.

Our next meeting was cancelled, so Pastor arranged for another one. We went to visit his cousin, Moses and Shayla, his wife, for evening service. They are all professed believers, but the Spirit fell only on those who came with us. Pranay was impacted greatly and the glory of God was so heavy on him, he later said that he could not even move.

Pastor Fern spoke and afterward was asked into the adjoining room to pray for the men who attended. She felt that women ministers are not generally accepted, but that because they saw the Holy Spirit move, they wanted prayer for this new thing. Our God is an awesome God.

Prema and Sunil invited us for lunch at their house. This is the couple who got gloriously saved last year when we were with them. This home is the miracle that we prayed for but they received after we had left Pune. We sang songs and prayed. The two ladies who asked for prayer of salvation are actually married to the same man. Perhaps life will be different now that the ladies are saved.

Sunil cooked the food that his wife prepared. He burned three fingers on his hand taking the pot off the fire. I put melaleuca oil on his fingers in the name of Jesus and the pain went immediately.

Our driver, Pastor Prashant, took us out on a country drive for an hour and half until we arrived at the property, CARVAN. They wanted Pastor Fern to see it, and for me to see it in the light of day. Sometime in the Lord’s timing, it will become a building for a school and vocational training for ladies, like a smaller version of Mukti Mission, established in the late 1800’s by a Hindu lady from the Brahman cast, who found Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. We all walked around the adjoining property claiming it for the kingdom of our Lord.

Finally, we had evening service and meal at Pushpa’s mother’s home. It was Pastor Fern’s last time to preach. A couple living there were touched by the Holy Spirit in a mighty way, when they confessed their sins.

Pastor Paul, Padmini, and Pastor Fern headed back to W. Mulund on an a/c bus. The kind of bus we came in is no longer running. They have replaced them with the Volvo a/c bus. Of course, the fares are higher too.

Meanwhile, we went to the Operation Mobilization Book sale that started that day in Pune in the Catholic church conference hall. The manager from the Bombay store was there, but didn’t recognize me with my wig on. We had a grand time going through all the books. Each one got to receive one book from LCWM and I picked up a few others for our IPH church library in other languages of our people.

On our way back to the house, we stopped at a Rs 20 shop to see what bargains they had. We all had a good time on our outing.

The main focus of the next three days would be teaching the elementary foundation doctrines to give a good strong basis to make disciples. We met from 3-5 pm and again from 7-9pm. In the six classes we only covered three basic doctrines: faith, repent and believe, and laying on of hands. Pastor and Florie have already asked me to have classes like these at IPH for the leaders. I know there is more than what I can cover in the few days they have given, but the Holy Spirit is the best Teacher I’ve ever had, so I’m not worried.

Saturday before classes, the girls were having a good time together. Pritiba had received some western clothing so she wanted to have her picture taken with them on. I got out my “Dolly Parton” wig that I had taken for the fun of it. She put it on and we all laughed with her. Then Florie, and elder Ai even was adventuresome. We roared with laughter as we played together and took photos. Later Poonam and Pushpa had their turns.

Our last Sunday there Bill shared the gospel and we were all presented with bouquets of love and appreciation. Then they asked me to get my wig and wear it for the pictures. What fun we have in fellowship together.

Whenever I was free, I spent time in individual counseling. Florie came to sit with me and share her heart, ask questions, receive counsel. She asked me if I would call to India once a month to give her “encouraging God words”. I said we could do that. Or, I would sit on the floor and cut up subji (vegetables) or even try rolling out chapati. If one of the English speaking adults weren’t around then I grabbed Graceson to translate for me to talk to the children or the adults. How my heart aches to speak to them myself. I am learning some words, but don’t send my out to the market place yet.

On our last day in Pune, we all went to the snake park. It seems that it is a fascinating place or just the place to take tourists. It was crowded. Then we went to the park where the children could play ball. The adults sat and talked. Bill and Pranay took naps on the lawn. Then Bill and Pastor Paul went for a walk. [I think they had other needs in mind.] As it got dark we headed back to the house. We had to finish packing to catch the bus in the morning.

Everyone gathered around the van as we were having our bags loaded. Tears were beginning to flow. Prema presented me with a sari and blouse material. Pushpa presented Florie with one also. Ai was crying outrightly. We had such fun together. Pritiba hugged me and tears began to show in her eyes. Pranay hugged me tightly and cried shamelessly on my shoulder, while I encouraged him to wait for the Lord to do for him what He has promised. I hugged Poonam and Kaveri with their meager smiles holding back the tears. I kissed little Aaron, who had taken his first four steps in front of us, who would lean forward so I could kiss his cheek. They were all waving goodbye as we drove away. We had promised to come see them next year to hear and see all that the Lord has done.

Our ride back on the new Volvo bus was restful…and clean…until the auto rickshaw.

Saji, Grace and the boys were not here when we arrived. They are at Grace’s parents house. They have not seen Nathan before. Saji said that they will be staying there for a week. Wow! We are alone…