GOD's humble heroes...

WOW - God revealed Himself over and over in India 2009. We met hero after hero who work directly as His hands and feet - what a joy and blessing to serve in INDIA!

In Pune - we were introduced to the awesome ministry at Santvana (which means PEACE) where Dr. Edwards pours her heart and soul into the lives of God's precious children with AIDS/HIV. We saw firsthand the love, care and teaching of a woman following Christ through darkness and bringing the children to HOPE. These children were rescued from the red light district, where Dr. Edwards serves the commercial sex industry workers... those who so many others refuse to treat medically or acknowledge socially. Her ministry there is invaluable as it shows children and mothers a better life possibility. She, along with her staff, are breaking the cycle and allowing an alternative to a life of sin and death. The children share in community, are given a home, with beds, a courtyard, structure and love of a family... along with complete medical care and education (both academic and spiritual).

We were so blessed to share in the lives of these children... to see their hearts for Jesus, hear their prayers, touch them with love and warmth, speak hope into their world, and witness for them a taste of the eternity that awaits them. Some of these children are very sick, unable to leave their beds at times, but JOY is present nonetheless. They have stories that break hearts over and over, their abusive pasts, their abandonment, their rescue from death - both literal and spiritual. Praise be to GOD for Dr. Edwards and her staff for the GREAT SERVICES they provide - may they be extremely blessed for their efforts.

Delhi - We met another hero, in Mrs. Masih - who - alongside her husband - have multiple ministries to the children of the slums. The Muneer Welfare Society has blessed 28 girls with a home, in an orphanage in Delhi, where we were blessed to spend time. The LOVELY girls are given, not only homes and "family", but also education, spiritual discipline, structure and care... and DO THEY EVER WARM HEARTS with their beauty, creativity and passion!?! They greeted us warmly with songs of JOY! Mrs. Masih has further ministry in the slums in Loni - where Grace Academy is growing. This school serves as many children as possible (currently around 280) and is set to grow as the walls of potential buildings will expand. The school will then serve upwards of 600. She has advocated on behalf of this community for the placement of 7 deep tube wells which bring fresh water to so many in need. We were blessed to visit the site where one is in process of being dug, and where one is in use and brings fresh water to homes of many. What JOY to see the fruit of our giving across the world. AGAIN God showed his grace and mercy as we visited the "streets" of this community...

Umashankar Shankardas - who could be a greater hero to our team... the man is amazing! Personal thanks for his great care in showing us his beloved India... and teaching us of the ways God has shaped his ministry through Orphan Outreach. Uma selflessly shows God's love to every person he connects with, from members of our team, to the servants mentioned above, to the children and families in every community we visit. He is "uncle" to so many and he is a sign of the hope brought to them as he brings more teams to meet them, love on them and care for their basic needs. He coordinates so many details in order for us to serve, to get us safely from place to place, and to open doors to future ministry opportunities. PRAISE GOD for His hand upon Uma and his family... allowing him to bridge gaps SO WIDE and seemingly impassable.

My faithful Team Members - What heroes you are to me! Thanks for an incredible opportunity to serve alongside YOU - your hearts were revealed over and over as we spent time in these beloved settings. PRAISE for the overcoming of fears, the victory of Christ in YOU, and for the blessed memories we will share. CONTINUED prayer for all of you as you seek future opportunities in ministry to orphans and lost souls... YOU ARE BEING LOVED!

Things to remember

1. Delays are not inconviences but God's way of getting you where you need to be when He wants you there.
2. Once God has finished His work then he will allow people to close a city to foreigners (but not before).
3. A 6 hour bus ride + one IPod = awesome time of worship
4. Never waste a moment it may be the moment of a miracle.
5. Dance with Cinderella while she is there...
6. Love now you'll never know when you'll be back.
7. Precious children around the world are living through circumstances most of us don't want to imagine - we can make a difference if we allow God to use us.
8. I met the real heros of our world - funny not a single one wore a cape.
9. God breaks hearts only to heal them bigger and stronger.
10. Love like today is your last day, speak truth today while you have the chance, dream big dreams and give God the glory in all you do.

Lessons Learned Halfway Around the World

I haven’t gotten the chance to write anything for the blog, so I’ve chosen our last day to write some of my thoughts down. It’s kind of long, but hope you enjoy a peak into what I’ve been thinking these last 10 days.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my 2nd trip to India. After last year’s trip I fell in love with this country and got bitten by the mission bug again. My first mission trip was to Mexico when I was 13. Since then God has given me a heart for the world and lately I’ve felt Him pulling more and more on my heart. I’ve tried to keep that passion burning and not put it on the back burner like I have done in the past, which is why I was so excited this trip could be arranged this year.

From the time I heard there was a possibility of a trip I started praying about how God wanted me to be involved in missions. I’ve always had it in the back of my head that maybe someday I could do a longer trip or maybe even be a full time missionary, but didn’t know if I had the guts for it so soon. In the last few months, I have repeatedly had many of my married and single friends telling me that if they were my age and didn’t have anything to tie them to the States that they would be in another country serving as a missionary.

So I’ve had these ideas in my head that this 2nd trip to India would help me decide if I was ready to do a longer trip or maybe even do something full-time. As I’ve prepared for this trip and even as we drove from the airport in Mumbai to Pune, I kept praying that God would reveal what His plans were for me on this trip. So I kept trying to be “aware” as I worked with the kids at Santvana or the girls at the orphanage in Delhi, or even as we would walk around market shopping. Maybe there would be something that God showed me that meant I could handle being here longer.

We were blessed to be able to attend Delhi Bible Fellowship on Sunday. This was my 3rd time to go to church there and I loved it. Pastor Jeremy spoke on “God’s Cure for Your Confusion”. He talked about different kinds of stresses that distract us and how, no matter what stresses there are, they all need to be surrendered to God by letting go of control, being content, laying down plans, and leaving everything up to God. I won’t go into the entire sermon here, but this sermon helped me immensely. I have been trying so hard to prepare myself for God to descend from heaven in some way to reveal His plans for me that I haven’t just been content to be where I am right now, where HE has me right now, and wait on HIS timing, not my own for what’s going to happen in my life. This is true for more things than just how God wants me to be involved in missions, so obviously it should be true for everything in my life. His timing is perfect and He has perfect plans for me and will reveal them when it’s time. I pray for continued contentment and reliance on God as I do His will for me in the present.

Our Day at The Taj

Our henna

My friend Kushboo

Everything has an end

We said goodbye to the sweet girls at the Muneer Orphanage. We were the first team that had ever visited this orphanage. The girls were so sweet and in some you could see the shadows from the hard life they had already lived. I will miss the sweet smile of Kushboo. She would find me first thing everyday and talk to me i her VERY limited English. She was such a sweet girl. As I left I told her to be good and I would miss her, carefully picking my words so that she would understand. A big smile flew across her face and she said, "I will miss you too Renae."

Our last full day in India was spent at the Taj Mahal (or if you are in India you call it "THe Taj"). We left our YMCA Hostel at 6am and returned after 11pm. This trip is always an experience! The trip to the Taj is about 4 hours if you can drive at full speed. There are often unexpected items in the road (demonstrations, festivals, etc.). So a 4 hour trip can soon turn into a 6 or 8 hour trip (one way). We ran into several such delays but these adventures are never a waste of time. As you leave Delhi and head to Agra where the Taj is you begin to see life as most Indians live. You pass through countless small villages and see the families living under a tarp or in a mud hut or right on the side of the road with no shelter at all. I believe God uses this time to remind me of the great need in India and our world.

This will be my last blog before we leave India. Today we visited the wells and schools in the slums of Muneer. Westport Church installed 7 wells into the area to provide fresh clean drinking water to the people of the slums. We've also enjoyed a home cooked meal at Uma's house. It has been wonderful to laugh with his children and spend time with his dear wife Yaman.

I find myself in a paradox as I type. It is hard to leave beautiful India but my home is calling me also. I know for now God is saying my work is done and I pray that someday God would bring me back to India. God has been so good during our time in India. He has kept us out of danger and cleared our paths of all disasters. Not everything has been easy but everything has been God's will. The darkness is great here in India but I pray through the last 10 days there has been a spark or two of new light. Someday the nation of India will sing praises to God hand in hand. What a glorious day that will be!