Making Friends

Sharing some images of what happens outside of the medical camps and worship services at Good Shepherd.  While the medical camps are concentrated work and the pace can be hectic, the children at Good Shepherd Mission - 150 mission children who either are orphans or whose parents are unable to support them - capture our hearts and give much joy in just being together for a short time and part of their lives.

Chad and friends

Cammie and girls

Madison and friends

Tina and girls

Andrew - boys will be boys

Happy New Year!

The team is ready to celebrate the New Year!

Complete with a sermon.....and Santa

Puttur is 11.5 hours ahead of Central Standard Time so they have already rung in the New Year Good Shepherd style with worship at the ashram at the mission. 

Dean with Praveen Kumar (on the right) whom we sponsor. Chirangeevi had to join in too!

Camp at Karvetinagar

Duke, Cammie, Tina and Heather along with mom help give the vaccine

The children are so tiny sometimes the leg is best!

This morning the team travelled to a small village about 15 K from the mission to offer a free medical camp and vaccines for the people of the village.  As in the states, children do not like shots and many hands help the process.  The parents are extremely grateful for the opportunity.  Hepititis B shots cost approx. $10 for the series of three.  The Good Shepherd staff will follow up with the additional two vaccines, paid for by donations raised in St. Joseph for the medical camps.  A field worker's salary is about $1.50 per day so these parents are unable to provide the vaccine for their children.

A Note on the Worship from Ashley

Ashley wrote to share her experience of village worship.  As Americans, we are sometimes the only foreign faces that the Indian villagers ever see.  Combine that with the excitement of the New Year and quite a crowd gathers.  We still share the gospel and pray with them but culture clash is sometimes a bit overwhelming even for a second time traveler.


"Last night our group traveled into a village where a church had been build by funds generated through VBS at Wyatt Park Christian Church to attend a worship service. This particular worship service was different from any other that I've been to in India. The audience was especially excited for our arrival and was growing more and more rowdy as the night went on. Upon arriving at the village we were met by lots of people all crowded into an allyway where the service would be held. The space was too small to accommodate seating for everyone so children began crawling up on roofs and walls so they could get a good look at us and see everything that was going on. People from the village continued to gather pushing as close to us as possible attempting to touch us and shake our hands and greet us. No matter how many hands we shook there were always more reaching out through the crowd so we were continually surrounded; it began to get extremely overwhelming. Seeing this, Henry immediately placed men from Good Shepherd who had accompanied us to the worship service behind where we were seated for the purpose of controling the crowd. Even as the numbers increased behind us they kept the curious villagers a safe distance away.

Soon after we arrived the sun went down and the allyway was lit completely by hanging strings of lights. The service carried on as always with lots of dancing and singing and noise and people. Suddenly without warning we lost electricity and were left sitting completely in the dark. It was impossible to see even the person next to us as we sat and waited for the lights to come back on.

It was unnerving to sit in the dark surrounded by a crowd we could not see, but I knew that we were safe because of the men from Good Shepherd who were keeping the crowd back and quickly working to fix the electrical problem. Within minutes the lights came back on and the service continued on as if nothing had happend!

I am extremly thankful to be hosted by such good people here. With everthing from food, to rest, to transportation to security we couldn't be better taken care of. "

Ashley Slawson

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." ~John 8:12 NIV

Worship with Our Indian Brothers and Sisters

Waiting on the porch to leave for Kakavedu

 After a long day the team headed off to Kakavedu, a small village served by Good Shepherd with a church built by WPCC vacation bible school children 10 years ago.  Brother Paradise is the evangelist who shepherds the Christian flock in Kakavedu but also serves whatever needs any of the villagers have...for example getting rice rations for the lepers who are unable to use public transportation and helping to care for the elderly. Village worship begins with music and someone brings the word...in this case, Dean.  The team then prays for whomever comes forward. 

The team listens as worship begins

Bringing the word

"For when two or three gather in my name, there I am with them."~ Matthew 18:20 NIV

Thursday Medical Camp at GSM Hospital

First Medical Camp - Andrew, Tina and Kelsey loading syringes, Duke and Ashley vaccinating, Dean and friend

After a night of rest the team conducted the first medical camp at Good Shepherd Hospital on the mission complex.  336 general patients were given free medical care for various ailments. The team vaccinated 100 children for Hepititis B. After resting this afternoon they will worship this evening in Kadavedu - the church built by WPCC bible school children and served by Brother Paradise.

Duke and Ashley vaccinating, Heather and Madison prepping

A Good Shepherd Welcome

The Good Shepherd Mission welcomes the team with a band and procession through the mission complex.  Despite the weariness of travel all team members are ready to go....medical camp beginning as this is posted, Thursday morning in Puttur.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands..." Psalms 100:1 

In Puttur

The team is sleeping at the mission as I write this note.  I spoke with Dean and Henry this morning and all is well.  The computer situation is tenuous so we are hoping to get pictures soon but they arrived to a band and welcome from all the children, elderly and staff.  Medical camp tomorrow.

Safe Arrival!

The team has arrived safely in Puttur. After an 8 hour delay in the Brussels airport they landed in Chennai at 10:30 PM last evening (our time) and are now finishing their first day at the mission. Pictures to come soon!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will direct your paths." ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Travel Update

The team is in Brussels but delayed several hours as their Jet Airways flight is arriving from Newark. Flight is now scheduled to depart at 5:20 Brussels time (10:20 AM here). Henry called this morning and he is aware of the change. Please continue to pray for their safe travel on the final leg of the journey to Puttur.

India Mission Team 2011

Team members (left to right): Heather Slawson, Madison Herrington, Cammie Herrington, Ashley Slawson, Duke Koerperich (behind Ashley) Tina Reynolds, Andy Zeiler (in the hat), Dean Mausolf, Chad Gaddie, Kelsey Stephens and Gary Reynolds.

Our team made it safely to Chicago and the flight to Brussels was on time. They flew over the storm on the east coast and will arrive in Brussels to connect to Chennai. They were excited and ready to go. Be sure to scroll through the pictures in the five prior posts from 12/26 accessed onthe left side of the blog page....all the support and prayers are deeply appreciated. They will feel God's presence through your intercession for His light to shine through them at Good Shepherd in Puttur.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you..." ~Matthew 28:19

At the airport...

And is ready to go....

and packs......

The Team Prepares

With prayer and dedication