India Trip, Day 6

Friends,

The day began with a trip to a children's hospital where ServeTrust assists with HIV/AIDS. Though ServeTrust already has its own structure and ministry to house and care for HIV/AIDS children and orphans, this additional partnership allows Leena another outpost for ministry and evangelism. Though the HIV/AIDS virus has been declining in certain areas of India recently, there are still 3,000-5,000 cases in the the district we visited today. Government officials were there as were members of the media. My picture was taken and I was briefly interviewed by a local reporter.

We headed off from there to one of Leena's early ministries, The School of Joy. This school is in a terribly impoverished area, providing opportunities for children who would not be able to attend school otherwise. Several of the former students have become teachers in the school. From there we traveled a short way to the computer and sewing centre where students have opportunity to find meaningful training and  work. Some of the women here are seeking to escape the sex trade and ServeTrust provides an avenue to do so. It is truly amazing the good and varied works that Leena envisions and carries out!

After four pm we began the hour and a half drive to a hilly region where Leena has planted three new churches. The first was in a small village where I preached. We then walked door to door, blessing new houses and praying for sick folks. These prayers were interrupted by a goat stampede through the village streets. It was really more like a parade. Speaking of goats and roads, multiple times today we waited for herds of water buffalo, Brahma Bulls, and wild dogs to clear the road, sometimes one lane roads! Good thing our bus has a reverse gear!!!

The next village was a short distance but they were an excited group. As with most of these events, we start slow with just a few children, but before long the little back building was full of children and adults. We were asked to pray for the villagers individually so we walked among the crowd, laid hands on them and prayed. We were so warmly received it was difficult to get out the door when the time came to leave. We immediately drove a few miles to a very small church, meeting in the front of one of the houses. The trick here was that the bus couldn't get through so we walked down a dark path with multiple smartphone lights illuminating the darkness. You may remember that "cobra thing" I mentioned last night.  It's a real concern in darkness...Come to think of it, it would concern me anytime! We did make it safely back to the bus for the two-hour bumpy ride home. 

As we walked among the goats and cows in the village streets today,  I couldn't help but think that in many parts of the  developing world, things aren't that much different than they were in biblical times. Gave me great appreciation for the privilege of sharing in this ServeTrust mission that reaches across time, over oceans, and ultimately changes hearts. Wonder what tomorrow will bring??

Keep praying!

Jim