To all of the good folks around the world,
Team India/Nepal has arrived back in Australia.
It’s amazing how a place that once felt so foreign can feel
so much like home. Familiar beds. Familiar toilets. Familiar food. Familiar
Faces.
Home.
It has been a huge blessing to be back on the Coast, to meet
all of the other teams, to share stories, and to share memories. God used us in
mighty ways to bless the nations, and it has been a joy to celebrate what He
has done together.
Team India/Nepal has much to rejoice about. The last two
weeks of ministry flew by in a fury and was such a blessing for us.
With that, I present to you highlights of the last few
weeks.
One of the evening ministries was an invitation to speak at
Seven Hills College of Nursing. The school is a nursing specific, girls’
college in the middle of the city. We
had the privilege to share at one of their prayer meetings. There were 70-80
students who were able to attend. We performed many of our dramas, and Naomi
and Line shared testimonies and stories.
The night really set itself up well to see a response, but we weren’t
sure what to expect. But God had much bigger expectations. Soon one girl was
standing. Then another. Then another. And another. By the end of the night,
around 15 accepted Christ, many recommitted their lives to Christ, and lots
came forward for prayer. We were so richly blessed by the way God moved through
the students and the fruit that we were able to see.
The team had the special privilege to visit an orphanage in
Kakinada, which was a two hour train ride from Vizag, for a couple days. This
orphanage was especially special because Kyle’s sister Shannon is a supporter
of the orphanage and regularly visits.
We weren’t really sure what to expect, as we weren’t told
much. So even as we walked up the four flights of stairs, we didn’t know what
we were in store for; thirty, forty kids maybe, do some dramas, play a couple
games. Easy stuff.
Boy were we wrong.
We rocked up to the top floor to 600 kids welcoming us by
song and throwing flower petals. 600 KIDS!!! It was so overwhelming to see all
of them, but such a huge blessing as well. Most of the ministry at the
orphanage consisted of helping feed the children. All 600 would sit lined up on
the floor, and we would come around with buckets of rice, curry, and dal (We
soon found this to be quite the workout. Hold a bucket. Squat. Spoon. Repeat
600x).
This was such a great time for us to help the staff (who we
found out were all volunteers and change every week) and to personally interact
with kids.
One of the evenings we had the opportunity to do a program.
We shared skits, songs, and games. One of the things we found that Indians love
to do is dance. So we danced, danced, danced. So much fun to just laugh, play,
and be a kid with the kids.
Before and throughout outreach, we have been praying for a
prision. We prayed for an opportunity, an open door, and open hearts. The
opportunity was never a sure thing, as it is usually very difficult to get in.
Yet we prayed with great expectancy. God heard our prayer!!!
The last Saturday of outreach, we had the privilege to visit
and share at a prison nearly 40 km from the base. This was again another
instance where we weren’t at all sure what to expect. We didn’t know conditions.
We didn’t know how long we would get. We didn’t know how open they would be. We
knew nothing.
Our expectations were blown out of the water. We had open
doors (We were the first ministry to be allowed in). Clean, open conditions. An
hour and a half to speak. Nearly 50 captive listeners. And 60 mangoes for
gifts. It was so sick.
This was a ministry that was laid heavily on Kyle’s heart,
and he did a great job preparing and sharing his testimony (a story not unlike
their own). We also shared Savior, Liquid, and Set Me Free dramas. After, we
got the opportunity to pray and speak with the prisoners. It was such an
amazing time. An amazing time to just listen. To love. And to care. They were
so appreciative of us taking the time to visit them. So freaking cool.
Some sweet sidenotes (They weren’t actually sidenotes. More
like freaking awesome exclamation points):
FLEUR CAME TO VISIT. The last week of outreach, Fleur, one
of our DTS staff who now serves in Chennai, and one of our friends from the
Coast, Brittany Cash, who has been doing medical missions in the north of
India, surprised us the last week. It was such a pleasure to catch up and also
have them along for ministry. They really brought a lot of energy for that last
week.
The last week, God really invited us along for a journey. In
one of the government villages that we visited, Phil, Fredrik, and Kyle visited
a man in his home. The elderly man had previously suffered a stroke and it left
the left side of his body paralyzed. Our
team had the chance to pray and bless the man and his family. After, the man
shared some of his story.
The man has been a believer for some time and wanted to be
baptized. But the day he was to be baptized, he suffered the stroke. Boom….Enter Team India/Nepal. It was such a
sweet opportunity for some of our team to be involved in. They were able to
speak and share, baptize, and celebrate with this man who was so evidently in
love with Jesus. His face was immediately washed with joy. Glory to God!!!
And that brings us back to Oz.
God has been so good to us over the last 2 months.
He personally met each of us, teaching us more about
Himself. That He is the first and the last. The beginning and the end. The
future and the past.
He invited us along for an adventure with Him. Using us in
mighty and beautiful ways to bless the nations of India and Nepal.
I think we would all agree that this has been the hardest
and most challenging experience of our life. But I don’t think any of us would
change a thing.
There are so many stories. So many memories. And so many
things to celebrate.
God has been good. And always will be.
Thanks for following along with us as we pursued and shared
Christ in the nations of India and Nepal. This adventure would not have been
possible without all of your support and prayer.
It has been a wild ride.
Cheers,
Team India/Nepal 2014
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