Dearest Friends,
A Miracle
We are so blessed! Last year we did a show in a village where we had to leave quickly because some people became so angry with the story of Jesus that we were sharing. Though we finished enough of the program to be satisfied that they had heard the Gospel, we grieved that we could not do more. David, Jonlyn, and I (last year’s team) really began to pray for that village. We begged God to open a door so that these children could hear about Jesus.
Yesterday, God answered our prayers. We received an invitation to do a puppet show at their school. Though we experienced some problems and had to be very wise in our choice of words we were able to finish the entire program and share about the hope that is only found in Jesus! Praise God!
To the amazement of all, I was presented with a 4 foot long rose garland that they hung around my neck. This is a very expensive gift and an honor normally reserved for important officials or used at big celebrations. Then, I received a bouquet of flowers and the gift of a single red carnation. I cannot possibly explain to you what a great honor and great sacrifice these gifts represented.
However, this is not the end of the story. When we arrived back at our home, we were amazed to learn that all of us had been invited to dinner tonight. Our friends were stunned as this offer of friendship and welcome has never happened before. Later they cancelled the dinner because of their concern about feeding Americans, but Leila was confident that their desire was to have us come.
A Baby That Was Saved
Recently, a young mother here faced a terrible choice. Newly married, her baby was born too early in her marriage to have been her husband’s child. He sent her home to her family and demanded that she kill the child. If she did this, he would take her back. They were letting the baby starve to death. Christians here saved the child and now we are all praying for and Indian Christian family to adopt baby Grace. Pray!
God’s Gift
Small things are such blessings from our Father. Always on Wednesday, I think of it as the day Mike died, the day he saw Jesus. I rejoice for him and grieve for me. When on Wednesday, I received a gift of a single carnation, I saw the Father’s hand. Mike always had carnations on the table for me when I returned from a trip. I was comforted by the memory and reminded of the privilege that we have to share Christ in very dark places. He does turn our mourning into joy! Always, I see how God cares for me.
Morning Devotions
Each morning we have the devotional time for some of the campus workers. They are mostly Hindu, but appear to be listening with their ears and their hearts. Please pray for these 10 men and 1 lady that God would call them to Himself. The men have begun talking with our Pastor friend about the last 3 days of witnessing and he is very happy. One day I shared about Mike’s death in September. I spoke of the peace that Jesus gives and the certainty of heaven. The translator told me that these words were not spoken just with my mouth, but with my heart. Pray that I will continue to witness faithfully to His hope!
Food, Weather and Trees
Everyone is enjoying a variety of curries which our friends insist are made milder especially for us. We do not believe them! For breakfast, we were treated to dosas(flat bread) stuffed with coconut. Delicious!
This year, the weather is better and we have rarely been hot, but it is getting warmer. Keep praying! We can do a much better job when the weather is not a problem.
So many things from here that we do not see at home, Jackfruit, a football sized sweet melon, grows on a tree. The banana plants that they just planted will produce fruit in 6 months. I had never seen a cashew tree until I visited India.
Pray especially for our friends little girl who has typhoid!
Please stay on your knees!
In Jesus, Auntie Linda
Auntie Teresa
Auntie Hadia
Uncle Nathan
Uncle Josh
Juggling Uncle Sam
(our new names in India)