Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

December 31, 2005

December 22nd had quickly come and we were off to the station early in order to have time to find the platform and deal with the porters to carry our luggage. They are always trying to overcharge foreigners. Probably because many don’t know what is proper and pay what they are told. So, we stand there with them negotiating down from the Rs 350, finally agreeing to Rs 130. It is part of the game, so we play. We don’t want to waste the Lord’s money.

On the train we are with local people in the non-a/c 3-tier sleeper bogie. [I am learning the difference in the different coding in booking the tickets. If we want to be more private, I have to remember to ask for the code, 2nd class A/C; then we are in 2-tier sleeper.] Our traveling companions are a family who are in the military. Sandeep, his wife, Anu, are with their son, Viwal. They are going to Dimapur and then catch the military bus to Manipur where he will be posted. It was very interesting watching this two-year old manipulate and control the parents. He even was permitted to beat on his mother and neither parent stopped him. I’m afraid to imagine what his life will be if Jesus isn’t a part of it. Otherwise, it was a quiet, peaceful trip.

I spent a lot of time looking out the window. I can’t take photos because the glass is tinted and dark. So I use the time to think and pray for the people of the states we are passing through. The more I see the places, the more I love it. The simplicity of the village life is not necessarily poverty. The poverty that they are in is spiritual and it manifests in their lives. Prosperity is relative to the person’s occupation. If a truly poor person lives next to a poor person, there is no comparison problem, they are equal to each other and a certain commaraderie exists. But if someone down the way receives more than they, a jealousy comes out and words with actions seek to destroy the one who has prospered. It is not limited to low class illiterate groups. How can we bring life to so many, Lord?

In personally interacting with some people, they truly are children who do not know their left from their right. They have been children growing up with no one there. The parents are both working to just eat and the five year old is taking care of the three month old who has been trained to sit up alone. The beggars on the street do it as their vocation, but the truly poor don’t beg. They stare at you in silence. Help me Lord to be as compassionate as You. I am needy.

We arrived in Dimapur, Nagaland, only six hours late. The reason for our delay was somewhere in Assam there was rioting and the beating of some passengers on the train before us. Our train sat at the station where Charls lives for four hours. [We had no way to call and say we were near.] So when we did proceed, we did not stop at that particular scheduled stop.

Kilang came three times to the station in the early hours of Christmas Eve morning, according to the information given to his inquiries. Being up all night, he was relieved to see us and get home for a nap.

First thing on the agenda was for Kilang, Opu (Grandpa Bill), Daniel, and Along to go shopping for a gift. They each picked a spinning top with an ejector gun. Special Forces Police Commandant and Mrs. Arenla brought a Christmas cake for us to celebrate. We spent the rest of the day unpacking the surprises and settling into our room. Amenla was right there to meet any need we had.

Kilang had informed us ahead of time what the theme of the Christmas Day message would be: He came to save us. Bill did a good job and people thanked him for touching their hearts. We ate chicken briyani with Pastor Imsu Yaden and the members of the United Baptist Mission Church in the back of the church.

Someone provided boxed meal for Kilang’s family for the Christmas day supper. It was chicken briyani! [It is rice fried with vegetables and chicken pieces usually eaten for special occasions because of the expense to make it.] We were so full; we sang, prayed and went to bed early. There is no exchange of gifts for Christmas. Gifts are lovingly given by individuals year round when visiting one another’s homes.

The next day Bill got his back tooth pulled, while I packed for us to go to Anaki village with Pastor Imsu and family. His wife, Shandi is going to cook and care for us. Somehow the day flew away and it was time for us to sing some worship songs, pray, and go to bed.

On our granddaughter’s, Elizabeth Hawkins, first birthday, we headed to the village near the Assam border for programs planned over a two night stay. Kilang had gone to a scheduled revival meeting in another place and we would connect with him in Tuli on the way back to Dimapur.

Bill spoke the first evening in the Anaki church. The next morning he went with the pastors hunting, while I held the ladies meeting. I shared about the ladies responsibilities in the family. [It was also Kilang and Amenla’s tenth wedding anniversary.] We had so much fun laughing in the meeting that the ladies told the pastor that they wished we had more time together. Before I spoke at the evening service, the ladies presented me with a tribal sepati (traditional dress) that the women’s pastor wrapped over the outfit I had on. So I preached in two outfits!

Bill and one of the pastors came home empty handed. But the other pastor came back with what they called a wild cat. To me it looked like a lemur or like a brown colored meerkat. They fixed it for supper for us, but Bill was tired and went to bed early. So I got to have some of this tasty treat. The villagers did not leave a morsel for Bill…you snooze, you lose!

In the morning before we left, village ladies came to see me and express their desire to speak more, but are limited by the language. However, in spite of this, we still communicated love via the Holy Spirit. We were invited to return soon.

We picked up Kilang at the designated meeting area just as he got off the bus. We stopped at the town halfway home and purchased some fruits and vegetables for the evening meal. I made a pork curry and also two pie crusts. We had enough apples for almost two full 8” pies, which we baked one at a time in the cast iron Dutch oven over the fire. [Bill had promised to bring one last time and he carried it as his luggage.] It was worth the wait. We all devoured that first one and they could not wait until the second one was finished the next day.

On Amy Dunn’s birthday, Bill gave the exhortation for the yearend at Teens Up Faith Church. Afterwards we walked to Dr. & Mrs. Longkumer’s house to eat the evening meal. Heading home to Kilang’s, we could hardly talk for all the firecrackers and boomings throughout the town. The noise is planned to go on all night and into the New Year. Good night 2005, see you in the morning New Year 2006!

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of being in India this past year and for the blessings of seeing some fruits of our past labors. My heart is so full of joy; I share it back with you with love. I want to ask for more fruits in the year to come that glorify You. My greatest satisfaction in life is in serving You and those you have put before me. I love You and look forward to what is in store in 2006. Amen.