Pitcha Update!

Well, Trish had surgery the week of Thanksgiving to remove her appendix.  It was crazy but she was a trooper and came home after 2 days in the Siliguri hospital.

Chokey spent Thanksgiving with us...we hosted about 30 people.  Insanity!  But so fun! 

Esther is such a great Native American!

Of course we had our annual Flour Bomb War.  Except this time the adults had all the fun with a surprise attack from the roof.  Of course I was in on the surprise attack....with my accomplice, Angamla.

The Wards' friend (and now my friend!), Ping, came to visit from Thailand!  This is the "Thai pose."  Apparently they don't smile in pictures...

Victoria couldn't stop laughing at Ping.  She's seriously a hoot!  You wouldn't be able to stop laughing either.  She's the jolliest!

Me, Chokey, and V at the Orchid...what a special and fun dinner!  Ping, the Wards, and another American family with the IMB came.

What did we do to celebrate the first day of December?!  Make red and green pancakes, OF COURSE!  (and wear the Christmas scarf.  duh)

For those of you who don't believe I have (had) ants infesting my life.  The aftermath of a slaughter.

Abe Lincoln visited our house b/c we're studying the Civil War.  Thanks for saving the Union, Abe!

Ok, so this might not look like much, but this is Kangchenjunga  (K3...3rd highest mtn in the world.  HELLO!)  And you can see it from our backyard on a clear day.  Over the past couple days it's been surprisingly clear, so it's been jolly being able to see this beautiful sight!

So, we have a pile of puppies (5 to be exact)...they're almost 4 weeks old.  Because me and Victoria are crazy, we named them after philosophers.  I know, weird.  My favorites are Augustine and Spinoza.

Victoria created an incredible, life-sized Table of Elements.  So we took crazy pictures in front of it...at midnight.  Like...

Leap Frog, of course!

ps - Menuka's wedding is this Tuesday, so get ready for some pics next week.  All the American women are wearing saree's!

Chai

My college roommate, Julie Zaloba, first got me into the habit of drinking tea...specifically green tea.  I hated the taste at first but now it is an aesthetically pleasing and jolly morning (and afternoon...and night) routine.  I love green tea (and the added health benefits don't hurt either).  Straight up, no sugar, no nothin'.  I know, weird.

When I first came to India 2 years ago, I was introduced to Masala Chai (spiced chai).  When I moved to Siliguri, I was introduced to Milk Tea.  Also delightful.  And now I welcome tea as a daily (sometimes hourly!) drinking ritual.

Although I've lived in India for almost a year and a half, I'm still thoroughly American in regards to time.  Things are fast in America, and people have schedules they HAVE to keep...or so we claim.  In India, it's the exact opposite for most.  Slower is better, even if you're late.

This week I realized more and more that Indians use chai as a lasso to reel you in for sometimes hours at a time.  On two different occasions (Sunday and Wednesday), I had been visiting friends and was getting ready to leave...when, low and behold, the chai comes.  "Oh no no, you can't leave.  Just one cup!"  Riiiiiight.

Hot chai isn't something that you can just chug.  You don't even pick it up for 10 minutes because it's so hot.  And then you have to sip.  Unless you want to leave with a burnt tongue.  Oh, AND, despite the fact that Indians drink from wee cups...they give Americans their HUGE cups!  Go figure!  Well, there goes your next hour and a half.

I love chai.  And I love Indians.  But PLEASE, give us smaller cups!

Arranged Marriage - Part 2

the engagement...

Indian engagements can be much like the wedding itself.  There were about 10 girls in a tiny room, "helping" Menuka get ready.  Doing her hair and makeup 20 different ways.

Menuka's sister's daughter-in-law is doing her make-up.  When Indians tell you that she is their "sister" or their "cousin"...make sure you ask if it's their actual sister or cousin.  Because it's usually not.  But here, everyone is family :)

Me and V tryin' to get out of the way!  I secretly like to sit back and just observe what's going on.  It was chaos fo sho!

Jeff submissively observing the "no boys allowed" rule.  No worries though, he was practicing telling the story of Jesus' baptism to himself.  We would peek out just to make fun of him.

Everyone from the girls' side inside the church, waiting for the boy and his family to knock on the door.  It's tradition for Nepali's that he and his family will knock, and a leader from the girl's side will ask why he came and what he wants.  It's really silly - the leader will accuse them of being thieves and they don't have anything for them to take.  So then, the family says they have come for a "flower."  Yeah, this is where it gets funny....

So then the leader brings in girls with veils over their faces and ask whether this is the "flower" they want.  Nope, not this one.  She's too short.

Not this one either...she has jeans on.  And well, this fellow doesn't like flowers with jeans...seriously.

Ahhh....I think this might be the right flower!

Ding ding ding!  The aunty takes off her veil and finds that this is the "original" flower - the one they saw a couple weeks ago.  haha!  And everyone laughs and claps.  It's pretty jolly.

So then the family gives a tray of snacks/food (eggs, juice, biscuits) and Rajesh and Menuka exchanged gifts.  Rajesh gave a ring and Menuka gave him a watch.

Finally, a few people speak about each one of them.  Since Menuka's parents are not alive, Jeff and Trish and one of Menuka's uncles spoke.  Because Trish started crying and wasn't able to finish (she LOVES Menuka...she's like a daughter to her...they've known her for 5 years), Jeff told Rajesh that he hoped he would love her well and care for her like a newly uprooted flower that it getting a new home.  It might take awhile for the roots to grow, but with much love and care and "watering" it will develop deep roots.  Pretty good analogy I thought!

Oh, and Rajesh's pastor said that they weren't to speak or see each other until the day of the wedding.  Well, sorry sir, but I don't think that's going to happen.  Immediately after the service, Trish asked Rajesh about that, and he whispered, "We have cell phones.  And I'll have to go with my sister to get Menuka's measurements."  (Menuka is supposed to buy his suit and he is supposed to buy her dress...yeah, how would you like your fiancee to pick out your WEDDING DRESS?!  haha!)  So anyway, although they're willing to go along with most of the traditions, the one of not speaking or seeing one another will not be followed.

Then...drum roll please...they bring in CHAI.  Yesssss!!!  I immediately said (almost shouted), "Praise the LORD!  I love chai!"  It's times like those, when you love being there but have not understood much at all because it's all in Nepali so you have a splitting headache...that chai tastes like HEAVEN.  Then, to top it off, we had a wonderful dinner of rice, dahl, cauliflower, potatoes, beans, and chicken.  Although it was a tad spicy, it was delightful to share a meal with so many sweet people, celebrating Menuka's engagement.

Yes, we were there for 5 hours.  Yes, everything in India takes 3 times as long :)

Why Do We Go Through Trials?

Life is Hard.

That's what a lot of people say...not just the cynics.  The optimists say it too.  Why?

Because it's TRUE.

We don't usually have a choice in the trials we go through.  But at the end of them, most people would say that they wouldn't trade that experience for the world.  Why?

Because the trials CHANGE us.

At our house church a couple weeks ago we talked about the possible reasons God allows us to go through trials.  Here's what we came up with:

*Test our faith - is it genuine?  To refine and sanctify us (1 Peter)
*Develop perseverance/endurance (James)
*Teach us to run to Him as our refuge (Psalm 11)
*Bring us closer to Jesus - creates more intimate relationship
*Discipline/train us (Hebrew 12)
*Grow our faith

I've been thinking about it a lot because I realized how much more I desire and love Jesus and the gospel because of my trials.  Because I've had to cling to Him, and in the clinging I learned that our God is a personal, empathetic God.  He's been here (Hebrews 4:14-16).  In pain, despair, fear, loneliness, death, disrespect, chaos, temptation.  So when I am faced with hard things, He has been teaching me that He wants me to run to Him, be in His presence, hear His voice, talk to Him.

And yet we don't serve a wimpy Savior but one who overcame evil with good, who defeated death so we could have life.  So while we're still on earth, experiencing pain and trials, be comforted by the fact that Jesus has overcome (which gives us victory and peace) and He stands beside you and says, "I know."

Puja Sacrifices

A sacrifice is something offered to a higher power in order to appease their anger, receive forgiveness for  sins, incite blessings, etc.  People all over India can be seen worshipping and offering sacrifices to idols at temples and their own homes, especially during this time (Friday is Diwali...festival of lights).  What many people outside India don't know is the cost involved (especially to the poor).

Sophie talked with a woman yesterday who said that the gods she worships are greedy...they demand many sacrifices - oil, incense, foods, flowers...often things poor people must steal in order to sacrifice.  Our night guard will now come from 8:30pm to 8:30am over the next few days in order to watch for thieves who will steal bananas, flowers, and other fruits from our yard.  Even this morning when I returned from walking with Sophie, there were two Nepali women who had buckets of flowers.  I said, "Good morning" and as soon as I passed them I realized they were taking flowers from people's yards (I'm assuming for Puja).

Sophie was able to share with the woman that our god is a Living God and desires our heart, not our physical sacrifices.  At this explanation of the gospel, the woman started to cry and asked Sophie to pray for her, as she would consider this God of mercy who BECAME the one and only sacrifice for us.  Now that is radical.

"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6)

Arranged Marriages

Ok, so yesterday I got the shock of my life...well, not my life.  Maybe just my day.

Our househelper, Menuka (May-noo-ka) found out yesterday that she's getting married...in a month.  UM...I didn't believe Victoria when she told me.  No, that's not true.  That's just not possible.  SERIOUSLY?!


I mean, I knew people had arranged marriages (and we were pretty sure that Menuka's would be arranged...she's 27...that's pretty old for an indian girl), but I never knew anyone personally who actually went through with it (because they were hoping to fall in love before it came to that).  Wow.  If Jeff and Trish told me yesterday that they had arranged my marriage and I was marrying the guy in December...I would flip out, to say the least.

Menuka said that he wasn't talking (he's 31, by the way, and a pastor) and she wasn't talking cuz she was so stinkin' nervous and overwhelmed.  She said she even had a fever because she was so nervous.  Haha!  Me and Trish laughed pretty hard about that.  But his mom was excited out of her mind to have a daughter-in-law...AKA acting like it had already happened.  WEIRD.  They asked her if she wanted to marry him (after having JUST met him!) and she said she needed a few days.  And then his mom basically pleaded with her, so she said ok.  WOW.  And Menuka didn't seem to be very attracted to him.  She said he wasn't ugly, at least.  Well, ok.

So, as you can see, this is my first true collision with arranged marriage (thankfully i'm not the one experiencing it!), so culture shock is invading. haha!  But I guess I just have to go with the flow, ask a lot of questions, and pray for Menuka!

Kitchen Dancin' and Book Quotin'

So I've become a little too uptight lately...maybe burned out, maybe stressed out, maybe thinking too much...maybe ALL OF THE ABOVE!  I'm gonna go with D.

Sometimes you just have to let loose.  I haven't been able to be by myself a lot lately, but this evening I had the house to myself for a few hours.  So after I worked on a Chemistry lesson plan, I did the dishes (this is letting loose for me...I know, weird) then danced in the kitchen to a Brooke Fraser song called "Jack Kerouac"  I imagined I was in the middle of a big dance floor wearing a beautiful, flow-y dress.  Of course there was a live band :)  Jolly times of not being self conscious.

What helps you loosen up?  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a different note...

I am an active reader, meaning I can never read a book without pen in hand.  Underlining and writing in the margins characterizes my books.  That's why it is extremely difficult for me to read other people's books.  I'm afraid I'll forget something because I can't underline, etc.

In order to further ingrain the serious truths or funny/silly/jolly lines I read in books, I compile the things I've underlined (which can end up being quite a lot) in my book of quotes.  So far in this particular little red moleskin, the books I've written from are:

*So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore? (Jake Colsen)

*A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (Donald Miller)

*Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire (Rafe Esquith)

*Jesus for President (Shane Claiborne)

I just finished the last book...it only took me 2 months.  That's ridiculous.  I want to be a more dedicated reader, but I just get so distracted sometimes.

My next read:  The Hobbit

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ps - there are ants EVERYWHERE.  they are currently crawling on my computer, my bed, the wall, and even me (i have bites to prove it, as well as the many bodies i've murdered).  i loathe these creatures. 

Pitchas from the Past Few Days

Sweet baby Esther...this was after house church on Sunday.  Chingmi was being a good big brother and toting her around on his back, acting like a horse.  She's the most fun little Indian child.

Pete showing off his new, Indian-made suit.  One of his national partners gave him the material for a wedding present.  Pete's getting married in January (after serving as a journeyman in India for 2 years) and will probably wear this nice grey suit to the rehearsal dinner.  Pretty schnazzy!

Since Jeff and Trish are both gone (Jeff at language school but now with Trish in Delhi, where she's having tests done), me and V have had lots and lots of parties :)  Just kidding!  However, we have had lots of fun.  On Monday night Adam came over to help make a Southern dinner.  Yes, Victoria's crazy in this pic, as usual.

Barbeque chicken, fried okra (next time we'll use a little less breading) and cinnamon carrots.  And a pumpkin in the background.  Jolly.

Tuesday night's sunset - a beautiful end to a surprisingly hot October day (about 101 degrees)

The fruit stands at Darjeeling More (the intersection close to our house) - what's in season, you ask?  Good ole Apples and Bananas...oh, and Pomegranates!  But they're pretty expensive so we don't buy them often

The Puja holidays have officially started and these kinds of "pandels" (places to house their gods) are everywhere, big and small.  I'll post more pics later.

Most Hindu's don't even realize what they are worshipping or why they are worshipping (besides to try and keep evil/curses from their house).  Pray that people would have eyes to see and ears to hear the gospel, and that the believers here would share with boldness the good news of Jesus.

Who is my neighbor?

Sunjeet Tamoung

My friend recently told me about this sermon:
http://www.2pc.org/resources/audio/




So I started praying.  God, how can I be a neighbor to the neighborless?  Please give me that opportunity and show me what to do.

Well, God never disappoints, and He does things in the least expected ways and times.

I was in Gangtok, Sikkim this weekend (hill station in northeast India) with some friends for a mini-vacation.  On Sunday, my friend Brittany and I and a Nepali teenager (Priyanka) went to the market to roam around.  We stopped for ice cream and sat down, when a homeless man came up to us to ask for money.  Brittany and I both had the same thought, "He's just asking us b/c we're white."  I told Priyanka to ask him if we could buy him medicine (he said he'd been to the hospital) or food, but he said no.  Then he said he wanted some ginger tea.

So we went to a nice coffee shop and bought the man a cup of tea.  We started asking him questions like, "Did you grow up in Sikkim?"  "Where is your family?"  "How were you injured?"  "What do you believe in?"

And we found out (thanks to our 16-year-old Nepali translator) that Sunjit Tamoung has lived in Gangtok all his life and was in a car accident last year, when his wife and son died.  His daughter and son-in-law (a pastor) live in Gangtok but ran him out of their house (admittedly, I don't know the whole story...a lot can get lost in translation, but it definitely made me question what had happened for them not to take care of him).

We were shocked when he told us he believes in Jesus and wanted to find a church.  He basically told us the gospel, including John 3:16 (he's read a lot of the Bible, given to him by a man in Darjeeling) and how much God loves him.  He said that Jesus spoke to him in a dream when he was still a Buddhist, telling him to follow Him.  So he's been praying for a church to go to.

He didn't realize we were believers until I said, "Jay-ma-see" (Hindi for "Praise the LORD"...Christian greeting) and his eyes got wide and he started crying.  It was like we were God's messengers.  He couldn't stop looking up and thanking God.  When we asked if was a believer, he pounded his chest and raised his hand to the sky and said, "I would die for Jesus."  Wow!  Well, there ya go!

Another sweet moment in that coffee shop (while waiting for a Nepali pastor) was when he started singing a Christian Nepali worship song.  He didn't know all the words, so Priyanka started singing it with him.  He was SO HAPPY!  It was such a jolly time of praise, thanksgiving, and laughter with God's family.

People with no neighbors.

Jesus saw those with no neighbors, like sheep without a shepherd.  So the God of the universe came to the earth to be a neighbor to the neighborless.  As Christians (little Christs), we're called to do the same.  Be neighbors to people with no neighbors. (see Luke 10 and Proverbs 19...the word "friend" is literally "neighbor")

I didn't mention this at the beginning, but the day we met Sunjeet I was having a horrible attitude b/c my "vacation" was not going as I had pictured.  I wished Priyanka was not with Brittany and I because she was getting on my nerves.  But we wouldn't have been able to speak to Sunjeet, find out about his life, connect him with a Nepali pastor, and help with a few days of his hotel and food if she hadn't been with us to translate.

I say that because God doesn't use perfect people.  He uses sinners, screw-ups, the least likely.  It's crazy.  It's ridiculous.  It's kinda dumb...to us humans.  But you see, God gets more glory like that.  If we were perfect, it would all be attributed to us.  When we love our neighbor as ourself, we reflect our Savior Jesus, who was merciful and compassionate and gave His life for the neighborless.

Who's your neighbor?  I encourage you to just start praying for God to show you and lead you to act when He does show you.

Siliguri Young Life

Last Thursday I met with a Nepali pastor in our city: Enos Simick.  He is one of the jolliest people I know (although you might not be able to tell from the picture. haha!) and is so genuine and passionate about Jesus.

I met with him to cast the vision of Young Life and its mission to reach high school kids by going where kids are...cricket fields, neighborhoods, high schools, etc.  Earning the right to be heard, to tell them the greatest news they could ever hear.

I had been praying for Siliguri YL for the past 5 months, with Enos on my heart as a potential leader.  I was a little nervous about the meeting because this kind of "incarnational" youth ministry (older people humbling themselves to become friends with high school kids) is RADICAL for a place like India...or anywhere really.  But I felt confident that God had called me to share and knew He would give me the words.

Even before I began to tell him about YL, he was telling me all about different youth who were inspiring to him and who God had allowed him to mentor and form relationships with.  They call him and text him and joke around with him.  Wow!  I was immediately put at ease, with the confidence that God had gone before me to prepare Enos' heart.

I shared this video:

In the World of Kids

And told him about Jim Rayburn, the founder of YL, and leaders in Nashville who are loving kids for Jesus...like Ross Barnes (youth pastor) and Wendy Kerr (a doctor)...

I also told him what India YL looks like and how, honestly, it's not much different from the US...because kids are kids everywhere you go.  Maybe songs in a different language or eating dinner with a kids' entire family instead of just them (b/c of the cultural importance of the family).  But ultimately, kids have the same hopes and needs and desires.

Then I told him my vision for Siliguri YL over the next 5 years:

*Oct - May: Meet with potential leaders and share what I shared with Enos

*May 2011: Vision casting meeting with representatives from different churches who are passionate about youth coming to Christ

*June or July 2011: More formal training about Young Life - leaders from Bangalore (south India) and US would help

*August - December 2011: Have at least 10 committed leaders who are assigned to local high schools going out and building relationships with students

*December 2011: First YL club in Siliguri
*By 2015: 3 clubs in Siliguri area

Finally, I asked him (an extremely busy and important pastor) a crazy question...

Enos, will you pray about being a Young Life leader?

Will you leave your rightful place and meet kids where they are?  Will you be an example to other leaders?

It was like he was already on board, though, saying things like, "This is the time."  He said he knows so many college students who are ready to share their faith; they just need the opportunity and direction to do it.  He prayed at the end of our time and asked that this seed would grow and that God would continue to reveal things to us about this ministry in Siliguri.  Will you pray with us?

*For open doors into high schools.

*For God to connect me to potential leaders.

*For softened hearts for lost teenagers in Siliguri.

May Buckri Whoo!!!

I AM A SHEEP!!!!!!
(In Hindi, literally, "I am a goat!"  This makes more sense to them because many of their families own goats.  Not many people here have sheep)

Imagine 10 Indian children screaming this in Hindi as loud as they can, in a small shack by the river.  You can only imagine the crowd they drew.  I saw almost every neighbor in the village peeking out of their house to see what was going on.

These children were hearing the gospel.

That God had come to rescue them, to save them.  Because we are lost sheep and God leaves the 99 to look for the one who is lost.

There was so much jolly laughter when Sophie (the woman I go with to share) picked up one of the little boys as if he were the lost goat she had found.  They laughed so hard.  And when we were leaving, they waved goodbye and I said, "Bye Buckri's!"  They laughter just couldn't stop.  That is the kind of joy our Father has when his little sheep are "found."

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7)

A Day in the Life...

A lot of people ask me what a normal day is like for me here in India.  Well, I'm warning you, it's not very exciting and doesn't vary much.  But here goes...at least for today...

7 am - wake up, take a cold shower to stop sweating (even if only briefly)

7:30 - read the Word, read a book, check email, eat breakfast - not always in that particularly order

9 am - start school - this means talking to Victoria for about 30-45 minutes to "help her wake up" - she claims it helps her get going.  we drink tea around 9:30...that kinda helps the process but sometimes she has lots to say :)  i share a short passage of Scripture and we pray together.

9:30 am - Menuka comes and says, "Which one?"  This means, What kind of tea...green, red, or milk tea?  I usually choose green and Victoria usually says, "I don't care"...although I remind her she would care if Menuka brought her green tea :)  I think I'm the only person in india who drinks green tea.

10 am - i check her math and other notes while she writes a short journal

10:30 am - we go over all the math problems she got wrong and then go over the next lesson (lately we've been doing 2 lessons a day, though, so it takes longer)

1 pm - lunch...rice, dahl, and Nepali-style vegetables

2 pm - usually a Worldview (her philosophy, literature, history, religion subject) discussion that lasts an hour...sometimes Chemistry discussion (usually only twice a week)

3-4 pm - lesson planning for the following week

4 pm - frisbee or soccer...today it was frisbee with Victoria, Kari, and Trish :)  so jolly.



4:30 pm - went to share the Zacchaeus story with a family I've been praying for...I met the little girl, Nedu, on an auto ride to our village.  my friend Sophie went with me to translate.  we're gonna try to go once a week to share a story about Jesus with them.  please pray for this family, especially during this time - for the next month there are Hindu festivals where they worship different things each day/week.  pray that Jesus would reveal that He is the only one worthy of worship.

5:30 pm - work out (elliptical) while listening to David Platt's new book Radical - would DEFINITELY recommend it!

6:30 pm - cool off while watching Hannah and "Aunty" Trish scare each other (they took turns).  hilarious.

7 pm - dinner...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn

7:30-9:30 - lesson planning.  woohoo!

11 - turn the fan on and hit the sack!

***more pics to come***

What's the Purpose of School? Completion, Grades or Understanding?

Every public/private school system would want with all their being for the purpose of school to be understanding.  And yet, for whatever reason - efficiency, money, student-teacher ratio - the purpose of school has become simply completion and grades.

I think at the heart of the "No Child Left Behind" was this frightening realization: that we are creating robots out of our kids and not learners.  However, the government and school systems just couldn't practically carry out our belief that understanding is more important than grades and simply getting it done - however good or bad the work is.

To understand or NOT to understand!  That is the QUESTION!!!

Today Victoria and I had a discussion on the book The Plague (by Albert Camus - 1947).  Awesome book!  Reveals so much about nihilism, existentialism and the human need for hope and meaning in a fallen world.

Yet, as I kept asking questions about the basic subplots of the characters, it seemed that she hadn't read the book.  Now, I'm not her judge and can't say with 100% confidence that she didn't read the book.  However, the evidence just didn't add up.  So I asked her mom to come in and facilitate the conversation a little more.  This led to more frustration, reinforcement that she needs to take initiative if she doesn't understand something, and ultimately that her comprehension is much more important than completion of an essay, which she could undoubtedly BS.

I'm all too familiar with BS-ing schoolwork.  And I don't want to pass that on to Victoria.  I want to engrain in her the importance of comprehension, the satisfaction of discovering truth in a novel, and ultimately of doing things with excellence, as to the LORD and not to men.

SO, all that to say, I've decided to make her read the book again and summarize each part (5 parts in all). I'll let you know how all this plays out.  Hopefully in the long run it will give the desired effects.  For now, we gotta get down to the dirty work.

(drink in hand)..."here's to you, school!  you WILL be conquered!"

Good Friends and Pizza

These are a few of my American friends who live in Siliguri...Nick and Emily Whistance and Pete.  As you can see we're all about the same age and living through lots of the same things here in India.  Trying to live as "bideshi's" (foreigners) and share the love of Christ.  Last night was a sweet night of sharing the joys, sufferings, and fears of living here.  I'm grateful for this particular part of my community because we are in similar stages of life (although Nick and Emily are married and Pete is engaged).  And we have a unified vision of wanting to see Indians come to know Jesus, whether that be through church planting or building relationships with college kids and sharing Jesus.  We all desire that God's kingdom would be made known to others, that they'd know there's a different way of living and profound meaning to life other than materialism, being "happy," or self-gratifying/self-seeking love.

As we sat drinking coffee and then eating Domino's Pizza (I know, such a luxury here!) and then praying together, I was so thankful for people to share life with.  They spur me on to keep going, toward "love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10)

"Community is the way that God confronts and redeems our desire to give up." 

(Pastor Pete from Crosspoint Community Church)

LINKS! Pics, Wards, Commonwealth Games

Here's some pics as of the past month...I need to start taking better pictures, but it's hard because I don't want to be like a tourist.

http://picasaweb.google.com/moogsmullet/BackInIndia?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPU_trUq-rmMQ&feat=directlink

Here is the Wards (Jeff, Trish, and Victoria) Blog:

http://wardswordsindia.blogspot.com/

What's going on in India?  The Commonwealth Games are supposedly going to be held in Delhi in October...we'll see if that actually happens:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11101288

Earaches and Frustrations

I finally went to an Indian doctor and got ear drops and antibiotics for my ear ache

Living in a foreign country is difficult:

I know the past month this frustration has been elevated particularly because I just got back from the US and I have also had an ear infection and cold the past week.  However, Satan uses being a foreigner in many ways, including fear.  Something as simple as fear of going out to the market or to talk to someone because we can't speak the same language or they might not fully understand my Hindi or we don't have anything to talk about.

Another recent frustration:

I am so tempted to be complacent because sometimes I think that nothing I'm doing really matters (maybe we all feel that way sometimes). I've noticed that when I'm not doing something well or I'm putting it on the backburner, it means I have come to believe that it doesn't matter.  This past week God gave me a reality check on many aspects of my life - from teaching Victoria to relationships with Indians.  I hate half-assing my life...pardon the language. Not because I want to please other people, but because it means that somewhere along the way I've come to believe the lie that "it" doesn't matter.

Victoria matters. Jeff and Trish being confident that their daughter is learning matters.  My friend Chhokey, who isn't a Christian, matters. My friend Munnu, who is a Christian, matters.  Indians knowing Jesus matters.

Your story tells everything about you...your materials, actions, and words.  I want to live my life like I really believe those things matter.

Pakistan and India floods

So it's been raining here for the past 10 days straight...literally. Good thing I love when it rains in India or I would be completely depressed! This morning, the blue skies were a welcome sight at 7am when I woke up.

However, for many people across India and Pakistan it has been more than just a depressing few days without the sun. Even just the mud that it is creating washes people's houses away and makes the roads almost impossible to drive on. The potholes are so bad that you're thankful to be on smooth road for 30 seconds.

There are daily articles from Pakistan especially regarding the flooding. Pray that God would use this time of disaster to reveal Jesus to many people, the light in the midst of utter darkness. Pray for the people of Pakistan and India. Because I know many of you know firsthand the effects of a flood. Imagine it in a third world country.

¹⁶the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned." (Matt. 4:16)

BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11060686

Young Life India

This is a little taste of the Young Life training I went to in Bangalore (south India) in May. Please pray with me for Indian leaders in Siliguri who are passionate about young people knowing Jesus. It is my hope that God raises up these people in order to start Young Life in Siliguri.

Meg's Journal from Aug 13 - BACK IN INDIA

It's Friday the 13th! AH! Haha! I'm in the Delhi domestic airport. Thankful for familiarity this morning. Being a foreigner is difficult here, so even small things like listening to Needtobreathe (an American band) or knowing my way around the airport is a blessing and a comfort. Even toilet paper in the bathrooms! Ha!

But I'm also reminded that Jesus is my anchor, my refuge, my strong tower. Oh Father, how thankful I am for your presence and your peace. I literally could not survive without it! This life would be utterly meaningless without you, without your grace!

"I have told you these things, so that in Me (Jesus) you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

Here's some pics from the last few days:

I spent a day in Delhi with some friends before returning to Siliguri. My first experience on the Delhi Metro! Crazy! It's surprisingly nice and only costs about 50 cents to ride a long way! My only complaint...it's WAY crowded. Guess I should accept that, knowing there's 17 million people in Delhi :)

This is my friend Annabel (right) with my new teenage friend, Julie. She got a kick out of the fact that my 2 roommates in college were Julie's.

These are the girls and leader (she's a believer) from a program called "Horizon." These girls came from really tough backgrounds and are being helped to get education and jobs. The organization (called Catalyst) is extremely effective but does not have proper funds to hire new staff, so they're not able to bring in more girls. I'm praying about giving to their ministry. It's cool to see how Indians are being used as the hands and feet of Jesus here.