Just another day...for Leena! After leaving Narasaropet at 7:30, we traveled about 5 miles to a roadside church. Literally steps from the highway stood this thatched structure with a dirt floor, and a tiny table inside with a picture of Jesus on it. 10 children with beautiful smiles awaited us inside the little hut, and there, we had church. We gave these children toothbrushes and toothpaste, but they gave us more...laughter and smiles that made the 8300 mile trip worthwhile. From there we went to a small village with a Massive tree in the center. Village may be too strong a term to use here, for there were just a few families again in thatched huts, but lots of children. They sang to us and we sang to them. A bible story was told and then I gave the children small wooden cars that Deborah Collier had given me last week from a ministry she was aware of called Toys for God's Kids. 41 small cars were quickly is the hands of 41 happy children!
We next traveled to the Rock Crushers School and sat with the children in their classroom built and staffed by ServeTrust. The children performed some of their music and memorization for us, then I gave them the kits we put together for our 5th Sunday mission project. No child could have been happier not more appreciative than these precious children. They thanked me again and again and I told them that you had put these together with love for them! Thank you Westwood!
We then went to the ServeTrust compound where there are ministries and healthcare facilities for children and adults with HIV/AIDS, TB, Leprosy, and a home for senior adults. We were greeted on both sides of the drive by residents of the facility who waved, put golden necklaces on us, and showered us with flower petals as we walked into the building. I was moved by the children who sat before me who have this terrible disease, several of whom were orphans who lost their parents to the disease. We prayed over them, toured the facilities, and talked with the patients for several hours. Leena made arrangements for us to have food delivered to us there and we ate it on the bus...chicken curry with rice. It was a late lunch at 4 pm, but much appreciated.
From there we drove to two remote villages where we sang, preached, and prayed, going door to door in one village to pray and share with people. They flocked out into the streets, even Muslims and Hindus to request prayer, so individually and also as a group we prayed for them. In this village, some of the leaders weren't too happy about our visit and made it a bit more difficult to drive, so we had to walk. I must say I am still getting used to walking past large bulls, cows, and goats just sauntering or sitting in the middle of the road. Leena told us there were no tigers in this area, but there were lots of King Cobras, so watching your step on these narrow roads was to be taken literally!
The evening ended with a brief youth service in Narasaropet. We were late getting there because of demands for prayer in the villages, but time in this environment isn't regarded as sacred like it is in Northern Virginia. One funny moment came when our team stood to sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness." We were singing unaccompanied until a few measures in when the keyboardist and drummer there for the rally decided to join us. The beat of the drum and the sitar-like sound of the keyboard was a sound and tone we westerners had trouble catching on to. Both groups kept going on their somewhat parallel tracks, but I would guess it was one of the most original renderings those young ears had ever heard.
Tomorrow will be more of the same...village after village and blessing after blessing. Pray that God will continue to guide our steps. Leena told us not to worry about the Cobras. She had already talked to God and knew he would keep us safe. I'll be walking a little closer to her tomorrow!
Keep praying!
Jim Abernathy
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