Nagari Outdoor Revival - 2/8/2011

The team led an outdoor revival on the streets of Nagari.  In addition to communicating the salvation message, the service featured music and native Indian dance.  From streets to rooftops literally 360 degrees surrounding the event, hundreds of people enthusiastically gathered to watch and listen.

Praise the Lord!  Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!  Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!  Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!  For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.  Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.  Psalm 149:1-5



Very busy at GSM

The Pittsburgh group has been extremely busy at GSM since their arrival!  It's amazing that they even made it out of the USA February 2nd in the latest "weather" blast.  Now they are in sunny and warm Puttur--80s during the day and "chilly" 60s at night!!!!  The group has already participated in one medical camp at the hospital and is now serving some of the poorest who come to GSM!!

Showing the Love of Jesus through Giving - February 5, 2011

Sponsored by donations from the congregation at ACAC in Pittsburgh, the team distributed blankets and food to the needy. Prior to the sharing of blankets and food, they were presented with the good news of Jesus' love for them and the salvation that is available through Him.

Matthew 5:16  Let your light shine.... from God's hand through ours to the furthest reachings of the world.

The Journey Home

The team is en route to Brussels after a very busy day beginning with one final medical camp, time to say goodbyes to now dear friends, shopping in Chennai and eating at Pizza Hut and then heading to the airport where a contingent of Good Shepherd family waited with them until they went through the doors. I spoke with Dean before they were getting on the plane (1:00 this afternoon - 12:30 AM Chennai) and they were all doing well.  Scheduled arrival home to KC is 7:00 PM tomorrow evening....they cannot wait to share their stories and the joy of this trip. Please continue to pray for their safe travel.

"The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." ~Psalm 121:8 KJV

Sharing with Friends

The team gave clothes and blankets to all the children and elderly. They prepared a meal for all the children, elderly and staff at the mission and several from the area. After serving everyone they sat and ate with their friends,thanking them for their care over the past two weeks.

It is Thursday evening in Puttur and the team is in Chennai heading for the airport in a while to begin the journey home.

Mountaintop

From Dean (as I post this the team is serving a banquet to all who come from Puttur and surrounding villages):

"Well a group of six intrepid hikers (5 guys and Kelsey) arose early to hike "The Rock." I think the five guys were blessed by Kelsey's presence. We left the mission building around 6:30am and headed to the summit with several of the mission guys and a container of tea. The hike was about 30 minutes. The day is a little overcast but the views from the top were awesome. Brother Chad provided the morning repast on the top....

Snickers bars for everyone (I love that guy). What could be better, Snickers, tea, good friends and a great view. Great start to the day. We are not going to the Hindu temple (Thiramala?). We decide to stay here go to the bone setters, the HIV/AIDS center and hang with the kids while the banquet is being prepared.

Henry asked if we wanted to add another medical camp. Tomorrow morning we will be have a camp at the mission and then leave for Chennai. Again, this is possible because of the funds to buy vaccine, meds and pay for the Physician time. Thank you to all who support this trip and the mission.

The team has become very close to the kids at the mission and to the staff. There will be more than a few tears shed tonight and tomorrow as we leave. I cry every time. I know it is coming and yet it hits me like a ton of bricks. I know that we are being blessed by them as much as we are serving them. It is easy to feel the presence of God in this place. The smiles on the kids, the laughter from everyone say it all. Henry and the mission seldom miss an opportunity to share the love of Jesus in the small corner of the world. It has been an honor to share this trip with 10 other individuals. I have seen team members stop and pray for villagers on the street of Kolladam, play with children with complete abandon, and comfort a crying child at a medical camp. Our Sunday devotion was about Christ telling Peter to "feed my sheep." I have no doubt that we are indeed doing our best to fullfill that command. May God guide and protect us in the last two days. "

Church at Yanadavetu - Built in Memory of David Miller

From Kelsey Stephens:

"Last night we went to the church that was built in 2008 in honor of David Miller from Wyatt Park Christian Church.  I grew up knowing David from WPCC and was with the team when the church was dedicated.  When we arrived, I assumed that we would only be there for a few minutes; long enough for the team to look around and meet the evangelist.  But when we arrived we were ushered inside and seated at the front of the room.  The door was left open and slowly people from the village started to make their way in to sit on the floor.  Brother Dean was beckoned to give a short message, and while he was speaking I kept my eyes on the door and watched as villagers came in every few minutes to listen.  Several of the mothers in the crowd had their babies and small children with them.  As I was watching I kept thinking about the open door and how eager people were to come in and hear a message.  It is my hope that as those babies grow up and as new babies are born in that village, that the door to Brother David's church is always open and as welcoming as it was last night, and that the messages shared speak of God's open heart and his eagerness to be in relationship with his people.  It was a humbling experience to be part of the team that dedicated the church, and to be back there two years later to see the good work that is happening for the people of that village."

Faces of India

So many images of children of God whom we go to serve. These are just a few of those who came for treatment and for care.

Then Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ~Matthew 19:14

Medical Camp at Motor Vehicle Inspection Office

Picture with the Americans

Waiting to be treated

Kelsey, Ashley, Tina and Heather

School at Kolladam

School Yard

Outdoor Classroom

Indian School Room

The Kolladam medical camp was held at a rural school close to the village.  The pictures give a good visual of an Indian school.

Flex and Flow

Monday was a very long day.  The team went to Kolladam to do a short medical camp at a small rural school. After visiting in Kolladam, the team was scheduled to attend a ceremony at a seminary about three hours from the mission.  Henry has been honored with an honorary doctorate from that school.  Because of some political unrest in the area Henry decided not to and they stopped by a roadside cafe on the way back to the mission.  They were supposed to return quite late and though it was not the midnight return time, they were all still quite ready to relax.

From all reports, everyone is doing well.  It is Tuesday morning in Puttur right now and Chad made the comment that he does not think the team realizes they have two more full days at the mission before leaving for Chennai on Thursday.  That has not sunk in yet....

Pictures tomorrow!!

Saturday and Sunday

Saturday evening the team gave a meal to all the children, elderly and poor in the Puttur area and fed approximately 200 people. Gary began Sunday morning with a devotion on the following call from Christ:

" When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” "
~John 21:15

The team then spent Sunday morning at a medical camp, which was re-scheduled due to their delayed arrival.

Villagers queue to register for the medical camp

Ashley loads a syringe

Madison's turn to hold

Chad plays with the children in the village

The team also had opportunity to shop and have some down time in the afternoon on Sunday.  All the members have been measured and fitted for new Indian clothes as a gift from the mission.

Kelsey picks up a few things in K&L Textiles, downtown Puttur

Chad receives a shave

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