Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

November 24, 2005

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the States. Kylie has celebrated her 3rd birthday last Sunday and Alex will celebrate his 2nd this Sunday. We certainly have many reasons to be thankful. The most precious things are eternal.

I am catching up on the journal as I am waiting for Florie to come for me, so I can spend about an hour on this project. In a way it is nice to have a place that we can have some time for privacy and quiet rest, yet at the same time, the distance makes it inconvenient for Pastor and Florie to come to bring our food in and take the laundry out.

I think about the IPH church building. Its ceiling and roof need repaired badly. It would take some adjustments to reinforce the roof to put another floor above as a guest room, possibly with a toilet. Then we could stay at the church and participate with little travel expense. The construction prices have increased as they do when there is a boon. A couple of years ago this idea would have only cost about $4000, but now it seems that to do the same project costs $6500.

Also, the church is in need of repairs from the flooding it suffered in July. The tiles on the floor have come up and it is not clearly known if the walls are strong anymore with the water damage. I pray for the Lord’s protection for Pastor and his family. Even if they could afford to tear the building down and rebuilt it strong, there is no guarantee and where shall the people meet for church during this time? Frankly, I can hardly wait to go to the place that is being prepared for us. It will never need repair.

The other night I could not sleep well. But in the morning the Spirit of the Lord had given me a plan for the painting of the inside walls of the Ghatkopar building. I spent my first hour drawing out the designs in my little notebook and then on some plain paper I had with me.

Later when Pastor and Florie got back from their first day of fasting at Ghatkopar, they shared that while they were praying and waiting on the Lord as we did in Pune, He gave them Ez 3:1-20, Ch 10; and Is 21:1-10. In reading them revealed a strong hand of the Lord to give souls to this place. This they felt that the Lord had already begun to do. When they were there, some community people came to ask when prayer would start in this place. So Pastor said that if they prayed too, then perhaps this next Sunday evening he and Mrs. Pastor Florie would come.

After this good report, I showed them the designs. We prayed over the paper and they said they would take it with them for the next two days for prayer. They would return by lunch time (2pm) to drop our lunch on the way to Ghatkopar.

Bill has started work done to get his two teeth fixed. The dentist is only a five minute walk from the church. So since the appointments are in the evening, Bill speaks and leaves for the dental appointment.

The second day of fasting report: the people came again to ask when will prayer begin. While in prayer Pastor said that the Spirit spoke clearly to him saying that He had given this place to him to minister. Before he sent this one and that one, but that was not God’s plan. Pastor must come here. Pastor was very encouraged.

I have had one “house dress day.” I have not had to go anywhere. I took advantage of reading, praying, and studying. Pastor dropped off our damp laundry to hang out our window and I sent the dirty clothes back with him.

The three fasting days at Ghatkopar that Pastor and his wife committed to are clearly the Lord’s plan. They got two more instructions from the word: Jas 2:14-26 and Titus 2. Also, the building will need to be painted, since nothing has been done to the building in the last three years. And, four families had committed to coming for prayer that began the Sunday evening of Bill’s birthday.

We felt led to pay for the painting project which was projected to be only a little more than $100. The painting would begin on Monday.

Bill’s birthday (Nov 13th) was a full day. In the Communion Service we dedicated two babies. Abishek, son of Ravi and Shalan; and Mahima, daughter of Vinod and Sumitra. Both babies cried through their dedication.

Following the service, Bill was honored with flowers and a birthday cake. The parents of the dedicated babies also provided cake to celebrate the occasion. Special chicken-fry was provided for Bill for lunch. It was almost three when the festivities were finished.

We went back to our lodging place and Pastor and Florie went to Ghatkopar to hold the first evening prayer service. They said that they did not have to go around to announce the meeting. When they opened the doors, the people came and filled the building. They were excited to see that the Lord had begun to fulfill His promise to them.

Monday Pastor went to Ghatkopar to purchase the paints and oversee the beginning of the project and making sure it would be finished by Friday, he would need to go everyday. It was not just a project to paint a building, but the uniqueness of it is the number of colors and how they are designed for the walls. Ultimately, the walls on the inside will speak of the gospel. The colors on the outside are green and accent in orange. “Life in glory” the colors say to the world. Inside, the colors are the same as the “wordless” books, but the abstract designs allow for the believers to tell the gospel to those who cannot read giving them a picture and color to remember.

Each day that Pastor came back to tell of the progress of the painting, he was touched and amazed at how it was unique and different from anything he had ever seen. Each day the walls became more beautiful in his eyes. Even though he did not fully understand the meanings yet, he knew it was special. [I remembered how the church in Legnica, Poland, was so much different from the other architecture that it stood out unique in its place too.]

We participated in the official opening of Immanuel Prayer House Ghatkopar on the evening of the 20th. Although Bill did most of it while Florie and I were with the lady next door who was in labor, I was fetched to speak briefly explaining the meanings of the walls followed by praying for souls to come from the four directions to come, hear and see the gospel story.

Saji and his friend came late, but when we were back to his house, he asked us to sit and explain the prophetic meanings of the designs and colors. They had never seen such as these.

Pastor said that his own prayer style has changed and he has begun being more thankful for the love of the Father and Jesus to give so willingly to us so we could be His children.

We had our Leaders meeting on Tuesday the 15th when each house church leader gave their reports. We started the meeting off first with prayer and waiting on the Lord. He spoke to each one of us and we shared what He spoke to us. This was the first experience that many of them have had in waiting for the Lord to speak. All were blessed and encouraged that the unity in the Spirit can be experienced in this way.