Incredible Train Ride!

Well, I keep saying to myself, “I'll wait till things calm down a little and then I'll give and update, but they never do. So, I just have to buck up and do it. There's so much (have I said that before?), but here's the latest highlights.

I'll mention last Monday just because I promised it. Bottom line is prayer meeting at a house. Message, prayer and really spicy food. Spice scale: stings mouth-little spicy. Burns lips-kinda spicy. Runny nose-pretty spicy. Tears-really spicy. Good time though.

Well, this last week was super fun. Stella had to go back to college, and Sallie, Samuel, Abhi, and myself got to go with her and had a mini “vacation.” Lots of riding in buses. Bus from Eluru to Vijayawada=2 hours. Vijayawada to Chennai=13 hours. Chennai to Coimbature=12 hours. Taxi from Coimbature to Karunya (college)=1.5 hours. We stayed at the college for a couple days. It was a very nice college. It's a Christian college and fairly big (6,000) students. Good aesthetics, poor theology. In short, lots of health, wealth, spiritual feelings, material blessings and very little about sin, repentance, the cross, and Jesus' sacrifice. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” 2 Timothy 4:3-4. On the plus side, they had good coffee and it was nice meeting a couple of Stella's friends.

After two days there, we got on another bus to Ooty (forget how many hours). Ooty is like the Pagosa of India. High in the mountains and very beautiful.....and a tourist trap. I saw lots of white people there. Probably four or five every day. It's kind of funny to see them and have your mind go, “Weird, a white person.” Anyways, there was lots of good mini-adventures. Got to see botanical garden, rose garden, tea factory, waterfalls (missed my boat), hand woven flower garden, rose garden, monkeys, and lots more. I still felt weird being a tourist. It was a good time with the family though. Lots of good memories made. The coolest part, though, was one night when Abhi and I went to get food. While we were waiting for it to be made, a man came and sat down with us to eat his dinner. He spoke decent English and wanted to talk with me. We found out he grew up in Ooty and was a policeman. He asked what I did and why I was in India. So, I got to tell him. I was able to give him a little of my testimony. He asked if I was Protestant or Catholic, Abhi and I explained that it's not like a club where you just sign the card and “I'm this now” but that it's about really knowing and having a relationship with God through Jesus. We said we were simply, “Bible believing” Christians. When we asked about him, he said he was Hindu. We talked a little more, but it was off the topic. Not the best witnessing conversation, but still amazing to share a little with a Hindu policeman.

The trip home was absolutely incredible. We took the bus back to Coimbature from Ooty. Stella went back to college and we got on a train (much better) to Chennai. It was night when we arrived. We checked to see if we could catch the train back to Vijayawada. The train was full and had no room. So then we traveled around town in an auto-rickshaw to the bus stop. No room on the buses either. We checked several other spots, but all the buses were full. So, we decided to stay the night (it was already 11:30pm) and catch the early morning train (leaves at 5am). We got a couple $10/night rooms that looked like it. So we got a couple hours of sleep before walking to the train station. Train was pretty full but we were happy just to be on it and have seats. About halfway there, it started to thin out and a man named Satesh sat down with us. He spoke English and was pretty outgoing. He also asked me what I did and why I was in India. So, I got to tell him too. This was an absolutely amazing conversation. We got to talk about the gospel for over and hour and a half with him. He had some Catholic schooling mixed with Hinduism..so basically like people in Gunnison. jk. After Abhi told him I was a pastor (although I don't know if I would claim that title, but whatever), he said, “Yes, please bring Jesus to India.” I told him I can't do that because God has already given Him for the whole world and I'm here just to proclaim that. Then he said that he had been praying and meditating and asking to see Jesus face to face and that he hoped to one day. I told him that one day everyone will see Jesus. For some, it will be the most glorious thing ever, but for those who have not believed in Him, it will be the most terrifying thing ever. We talked much more about the gospel and what it means to be a Christian. I got to share my testimony with him as well. It was so exciting! What a wonderful time! Sallie gave him a Bible and I highlighted a couple key passages for him. He was very touched and kept wanting to pay for it. I told him it's like Jesus. If you pay for it, it's no longer a gift. Sallie asked him when he would start reading it. He said, “Right now” and opened it up. Praise God! It was easy to see that he was eager for it.

Then the battle became apparent. The man who was sitting next to me (across from Satesh), who had been silent nearly the entire time. Looked at him and insisted on seeing his palms. Satesh opened up his palm while the guy “read” them. They both spoke in Tamil so we couldn't say anything. We prayed while the palm reading went on. The other guy stopped for a second and Satesh went back to reading the Bible. Then the guy said something more and kept reading his palms. It was so obvious to see the spiritual battle. It was frustrating at first to see this happening right after we had just shared the gospel with him, but then I couldn't help but smile. It's funny that even though the two things are opposites, they are not by any means equal. The best thing the powers of darkness have to offer is just wish-washy speculations and guesses with the stars etc, whereas God has given us the solid truth of Jesus-a Risen Savior! God offers real, solid, forgiveness now. He gives us the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Not some wish-washy feel good guess, but a finished work. He has also given us His word. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” Hebrews 4:12. We were able to give Him the solid gospel and the word of God. I pray for him, that the Light would shine in his heart and that there would be a block to all the darkness and lies that will come across him. We also gave him a card for New Covenant Ministries and he said that he will try to come to church next Sunday. That would be great! Please pray for him!

It was so amazing. It's a great reminder that when things don't go according to our plans, it's often because God has something better in mind. It's not hard to see that God had us miss the train and buses the night before so that we could share His Good News with Satesh. It's incredible to see God's mighty hand at work in all of our circumstances. God is sooo good!

Well, I've had one day at home and tonight I leave for Hyderabad with P.D. A friend from the States is there for a couple days so we're going to go see him. More bus traveling. I'm a little weary, but still looking forward to the trip. As always, you all continue to be an overwhelming encouragement. Thank you for your faithfulness in lifting me up in prayer. I need it every day. I'm sorry I can't always respond to each of you to thank you for all the encouraging emails and comments, but I really do appreciate them. Also, this is again last minute with little review, so sorry for the typos. :)

“Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Please pray:

-Tabitha's husband-salvation
-Satesh-salvation and that he would come to church on Sunday
-Suresh (policeman)--salvation
-Wisdom in one more decision

Praise for:
-Opportunities!
-Good travels
-Guidance in one of two big decisions
-His faithfulness!