And It Is Still Hot In India...

Greetings from India. We have only been here since Tuesday, but we have done so much!

Yesterday the team pulled weeds and prepared two plots of land for planting vegetables which will feed the staff and students. The sun was intense and two showed symptoms of dehydration. We had them rest and gave them a “hydration drink” which perked them right back up. For dinner, everyone was required to drink the hydration drink mixed with Tang (our version of Gatorade). 

Last night, we had another “walk around”, giving out tracts and then held a presentation, literally on the street (now their streets are narrower than an average single driveway). There were over 70 in attendance. The team did songs, puppets, and a drama. They also explained and handed out the “Wordless” bracelets. The whole program was a big hit! 

This morning we were scheduled to attend THREE services, the first one beginning at 6AM! However, that one was pushed to 8AM. We had another at around 10:30 and the last one at 12 noon. Again, the team sang, did a drama and puppets at each service and we were well received. 

All of the team did their verse reviews today and we are looking forward to our first “quiz off” after dinner, before our evening devotions. Some of them have a competitive edge, so this should be fun.

The team has enjoyed interacting with the local children who tend to congregate around our “home”. The villagers are friendly, despite the language barrier, and seem to thoroughly enjoy seeing our team as we walk the streets.

Next week, we plan on whitewashing several churches in our village. We have six from the South Africa team last year and that team just painted the whole summer. They are being troopers about the possibility of doing a lot of painting again this year.

From a leader’s perspective, this team is a joy to work with. They are seeking Jesus this summer and encourage one another spiritually, they all get along, are eager to help and can make us laugh. It is never boring!

Please continue to pray for the recovery of the two girls’ bags. We have received our equipment bags, but the girls are still waiting. We have called or gone to the airport daily, but to no avail. The girls never complain!

Here are a few testimonies:

Hey Guys! I am loving it here! We have had many opportunities to interact and share the Gospel through street evangelism and at churches. I love playing with the kids and learning all of their names. We have also had a lot of fun painting and gardening with the BMW students. - Megan

Hey Everybody! I am doing great! It is so much fun here in India. We have been doing a few odd jobs around the community where we are staying. So far, we still haven’t been able to get on the base here in India, but we know that God is using us in a great way. The people are super nice and inviting and although it is really hot here, we are all doing good. Thank you for your prayers! Cheers, Elijah

Hi! India is great and the people are so nice. We helped in some gardens yesterday. Josiah and I got a bit dehydrated, and that wasn’t fun. But we got a hydration drink that wasn’t my favorite, but it helped a lot and I am much better. It is a lot of fun here. We went and did presentations at three churches today and ministered to the locals . Thanks for your prayers! Cheers, Huddy

There always seems to be a hundred things going on at once here in India, whether it’s roosters crowing, motorcycle horns honking, or Muslims calling for prayer over the loud speakers. Standing on the roof above our dorms, you can see the women washing clothes out of a bucket, the children playing barefoot in the mud and two or three men laying down steel for a cement roof. Mom and Dad, they need your skill sets here. I definitely encourage you to come and see how you can listen to, “what if I gave everything.” Cheers, Simon S.