Nalgonda, India. Located approximately a long ways away from my home. Over the ocean and through the forest to our ministry contact.
If I am being honest, this month has been hard. It’s only the beginning of week two and it feels like we have been here for much longer. We don’t ever get a break from
the heat. And while it sounds like all I am doing is complaining, please stick with me to hear all the things I am thankful for. SLeep some nights doesn’t visit
because we are sweating so much in our tents. We spend the mornings here on campus and are not allowed to leave unless it is for ministry. Due to safety concerns for ourselves and our hosts we must stay in our gated church walls. Generally at 4:30PM we leave to villages that are usually an hour from our home. We walk around the villages handing out tracks and pray for the residents of the area. Then we have a gathering, share our testimonies, sing them American worship songs, and they feed us dinner. Some nights we are blessed to have dance worship parties before we speak. We return home around 12AM. And repeat Tuesday-Saturday.
The last few days have been so hard on my heart. Baby Jaden was born and my heart aches to be with my family. I long to see my Mama and Daddy be grandparetns. I long to see Desi and Juan be parents, I long to see my sibilings be aunties and uncle. I long to hold that precious cute boy and have silly songs with Auntie Nana time. My heart is sad, but my trust in Jesus grows each day. Yesterday as I cried over my family, the long gave me a vision of Him standing over baby Jadens crib petting his head. He leaned over and kissed Baby J and said that it was from Auntie Nana. God told me that He would tell my precious nephew all about his Jesus loving Auntie Nana. As I continued to cry and pray for my family the Lord showed me that He was with my daddy. I couldn’t help but giggle as Jesus showed me Himself in wranglers, a zimmatic shirt, and a baseball cap. Needless to say, the Lord knows how to fill me with joy. So, while I am sad and weak, the Lord continues to be my stronghold.
Ministry has been both hard and filling. The first night we were out God was performing miricales. He restored sight to a blind woman and healed my teammate of Celiacs. Did you catch that? God healed my teammate from a disease she has been suffering from for many years. She is now eating gluten, eggs, and peanuts and no longer suffering. God never fails to amaze me. The last few days I have felt a little purposeless. It is so hard to be in different villages every night because we
don’t get to see the fruit of our labor. The Lord is teaching me to trust in His promises and in His character. He will accomplish the purposes which He set out to
accomplish no matter what I say, no matter what I pray. He is so much bigger than my lack.
I am so proud of my team. They are pressing into Jesus and seeking His will for our month. We have, as a team, decided to have attitudes of grattitude. When we are
tempted to complain about how hot it is or how tired we are, we say something we are thankful for. The following list is only a small glimpse into our hearts. We have
so so many things to be thankful for!
We are thankful that we have tents that protect us from bugs.
We are thankful for the hospitality we have recieved from our kind hosts.
We are thankful for each other.
We are thankful for the fans in our home.
We are thankful for our families.
We are thankful for the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.
We are thankful for clean water.
We are thankful for bucket showers.
We are thankful for community.
We are thankful for the card games.
We are thankful for safety.
We are thanfkul for safety.
I am thankful baby Jaden is healthy.
I am thankful he has so many people to love him.
I am thankful God is faithful.
I am thankful to be weak.
I am thankful that God is my strength.
I am thankful for the heat because it pushes to towards Jesus.
I am thankful for my brothers and sisters in India sacraficing their lives to spread the love of Jesus.
Please be praying that we would continue to see the things we have to be grateful for. Pray that we would continue to lift one another up. Pray that the Lord would use
us in mighty ways. Pray that though we are confined, we would make the best of our time. Pray that the sadness in my heart would be filled by the Lord. Pray for the
people of India to recieve the love of the one true God!
Our internet access is very limited so we won’t be posting much. until next time. May God bless you and allow you to dwell in His presence.
