Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

February 19, 2006

Charls had been gone the day before to Siliguri for taking care of ministry business. He arrived back early morning just as I was finishing bathing. We were going to check email, but the Hamiltonganj shop doesn’t have its phone line fixed. So, we got on the bus and headed to Jaigaon 45 minutes away. About 10 kilometer before reaching our destination, the bus pulled off the road and turned off the engine. With all the people standing in the bus, we cannot see what is going on until they got off. We sat for about 10 minutes waiting. Shortly word came back that some young people had blocked the road in a strike of tea workers having no work or food from the closed down plantations. We walked about 2 km when the Lord provided an auto rickshaw bus and stuffed the two of us in for the last 8 km.

The internet was soooo slow that I only was able to check part of the emails. By the time we got back to the campus, we had been on a seven hour errand!

Sunday Charls, Bill and I were up at 4:30 am to catch the 6:25 train for the 1 1/2hr ride to Nagrakata. The team jeep and breakfast of toast and noodles were waiting for us. Shortly we left the team house for the combined church service of six home groups where Bill shared the Four Hindrances to Prayer. Following the service a meal was shared, except for the team, who had to wait for more rice to be cooked…a good sign.

We decided to take the bus home. Wouldn’t you know that we are loved…the Lord provided the EXACT bus we needed to get home. At the last stop before Hamiltonganj, the bus had a puncture. We piled into another bus. These buses are so crowded that I am always glad when I can sit next to an open window. It took three hours to get back.

LCWM provided Foundations for Righteous Living for the workers with whom we worked. They were so excited to get such valuable gifts. Books are not easily accessible to these kind of leaders. The books that are in the big cities are too costly for these field ministers.

The Chuapara cottage meeting heard about love from Bill. He had them laughing over his story and the man with the false teeth. When the service was over, a ‘seeker’ came to ask us to come to pray for her mother. I sat on her bed and held her hand while I prayed. It seemed that she had a stroke of some sort and couldn’t get up, or talk. Her one side was paralyzed. I looked deep into her empty dark eyes and prayed for salvation, as well as, a miracle of healing. I kept saying, “Yisu, danyawad.” She began to utter until she softly said, “Yisu”. She began to move and wanted to get up. We held her while she moved to the side of the bed and slowly walked to the door and outside. [Charls told us later that she is talking and walking with a little assistance. They are coming to the meetings. Hallelujah!!! Thank you, Yisu!]

On Valentine’s day, at 6:30am I thought Bill was yawning and rolling over in the bed as I was coming into consciousness in my waking up process. I heard people yelling outside and suddenly, Sweety was shouting something while I put on my robe. I went to the latrine and then asked what was going on to those out in the yard. The birds sounded like they were complaining. We had an earthquake! It turns out that its epicenter was near Gangtok, Sikkim. [57 houses were affected, but no believers were impacted]

To Siliguri by train to use the internet…only three hours away. We accomplished all we needed to do, except send journal documents because their system is behind and can’t read the newer software. We did catch the right bus by the grace of God at 2 pm. The bus dropped us in Hamiltonganj at 6:30, enough time for Bill and Charls to eat and run to the Achapara meeting. The rented car broke down and they didn’t get back till after 11:30. Now that’s a full day!

Riding the local bus is nothing like we experience in our country. At the starting place, you can board the bus and find a seat. Comfort is not always a consideration. It is preferable to sit next to an open window for the benefits, but also be aware of the negatives, such as the spitting of bittlenut [Indian tobacco equivalent] juice coming back into the window, or dirt and dust, as well as, the diesel soot blowing in on you, or how about the hawkers putting their wares right in your face wanting you to buy, or the charmers, putting before you their pet cobra, sleeping nicely in the shallow basket, wanting you to take a photo for a reasonable charge…but the real reason for choosing the window is because the local bus picks up everybody, it is the school bus too.

I have been blessed more times than not to have the aisle seat. This means that I can feel the breath of those who are standing and being squeezed into the spare places. Not only are they going to school or work or whatever, they position themselves as much as possible to just look at us like we are fish in a bowl, or monkeys in the zoo. When I would look at those looking at us to make eye contact, some would continue staring, while others would move their eyes quickly and look back again. If I smiled, some would smile back, especially the children. It took a few more seconds for the ladies to smile.

In starting to pack for moving on to Delhi, Sweety and the kids have come to watch and talk. Salom (Shalom) told me that she has learned a lot from me and feels now that she wants to obey her parents and do chores. She is studying to ‘learn’ her lessons, rather than to memorize only for the tests. She is also looking forward to going to Kerala, so her cracked dry foot condition will heal. [There is something in the water in West Bengal that causes this condition.]

Deepak came by to talk to me about his being lonely and not liking the public school job for the 10th grade. He wants to have more purpose in his life, but doesn’t know what to do. I asked him why he liked me. His reply was, “Your humanity touches my heart. You care about our people.” He says he will miss me. (Thank you, Jesus. He has gotten a glimpse of You. Breakthrough his Hinduism and save his soul also with his brother, Goodu, whom I have given a Hindi Bible to read.)

Munnaseh came by. I had a chance to plant seeds to him as he shared some pain in his heart. He wants to have what we have as a family of God, but I can see there is some fear that is holding him in bondage. (We ask for his soul, Lord, for the kingdom.)

Salom and Abel had tests on Saturday morning, so we ended up leaving four hours later than planned. Goodu came with and suffered car sickness all the way to Gangtok.

It was the Lord’s grace that we had a flat tire in a village about a block from the tire shop. A man came to us to change it. Turns out the old patch on the tube came off, so they just replaced it, added air, and put it back on, for Rs 40; all for less than $1.00! Praise the Lord!

We arrived in Gangtok just as it was getting dark. People were singing praise songs since 3:00 pm and it was six. Surprise Bill, time to speak!

The privilege of preaching Sunday morning was mine and I love being in the middle of the Holy Spirit touching the hearts of people. I shared, Is The Bride Ready? It was on being prepared for the troubled days ahead that the world is going to face.

Before eating lunch, I presented, on behalf of LCWM, to the pastor, his son, and the two other ministry workers with the Foundations book to help them give the ‘doodh’ (milk) of the word for the new believers.

Goodu was filling his plate when I asked him if he was ready to come into the kingdom. He looked at me and put his plate down as he said yes. I asked Pastor Charls to lead him in the sinner’s prayer and then lay my hand on his shoulder to ask the Lord Jesus to fill him up with His Holy Spirit and fire. We spent some time explaining his questions and then told him that because he is no longer Hindu believer, he has freedom to taste the pork curry prepared for us by our hostess. We laughed when his first taste was a piece of fat that he spit out…

Later, Pastor Charls said that he didn’t want Goodu to go with us, but for some reason did not speak it out. Now he sees that he must be more sensitive to the moving of the Spirit in these things. How like God to be so gentle!!! I love you Lord.