We are near to saying goodbye to our current home and will be making the big move this week. There are still some finishing touches to be put on the home, but overall we are so thankful for how He has provided. This building is much stronger and more secure than the current one, more rooms and washrooms to meet our needs, built as a hostel but we have been able to make improvements with the owners’ approval so that it will feel more like home for us. I will have to post updated pictures as we move in. The ugly green rooms are now bright blue (my favorite colour-mira mas parsand, Hindi men), light pink, tan, and upstairs purple (Debies’ mas parsand).
We have had more frequent and longer power outages the past 2 weeks, so we are so looking forward to having the generator soon in the new house! Thank you so much; if you could imagine how cold it does get at night in these houses with only space heaters to warm us, we really need the power to run them, so that we can all stay warm and healthy. He has been providing and we know He will continue to; thank you for being a part of that.
I wanted to post an update just to share with you before we move a small piece of the Truth He is teaching me every day here. I have been challenged, as I said before, to believe His timing and calling me for this work since I left. There are many reasons for the combination of fear, doubt and inadequacy I have felt; and I believe the enemy has been trying to deceive me since I arrived. Over the past several weeks I have been thinking of Mark 8:33 over and over “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s;” the past couple days I found this passage scribbled on a sticky note I’ve had it on since I was in nursing school. I looked it up and read this passage this morning from verse 27 to the end of the chapter in verse 38. As I read it I was reminded again of how Jesus’ own followers and closest friends on Earth, had seen many signs and wonders first-hand, and still doubted that He knew what was best and would provide it. I recalled that I have known and recognized multiple “signs” of His leading me here (from the moment I first believed until now). The problem is that I still doubt and see the picture from my human perspective.
In today’s study with Beth Moore in the “I’m Believing God” devotional I have been going through with my hosts, we dug deeper into the history of Joshua’s walk with God (as reflected from Hebrews 11:30). We were challenged to see how God made it clear, one step at a time, that the victory was God’s, long before he saw the locked city of Jericho and heard God’s promise: “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” At the close of our study, Beth Moore’s challenge to us was to see what God was showing us about our own Jericho. I could certainly hear Him saying to me, “See, Child? Would you please see this the way I do? No, not through your eyes. Through the eyes of faith!” I cannot always see the physical results of my presence here, but I know the work He is doing in my heart and mind will change me forever. Pray with me that all of us would come to believe Him more, delighting in Him and giving Thanks for His provision beyond what we can even comprehend, that we might become that sweet aroma and reflect Him in a world of darkness that is desperate for His light.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
One week and counting!
We are one week away from the Big move! Our internet and power has been the best these past couple days, right after Christmas. Christmas day we were out of power from about 9am to 730pm! That is the longest since I have been here, and changed some of our plans for the day. Even so it was a delightful celebration with our miniature tree, gifts, the Christmas story in video form with a sing-a-long and singing some Christmas songs.
A brief update on things I mentioned previously:
Saroj is with his family in Nepal, where they are originally from, and they will be returning next week! This is a blessing because it means he will continue at the same school, and we will be able to work with him and his brother. I have been working with him on some healthy eating and exercise habits, as well as studies; I am glad that I will be able to continue to work with him and his brother when they return.
My roommate, and Debbie's assistant, has decided that she is not going to stay with us and is looking for other housing and a new job. It is a difficult thing to commit to a job like this 24/7 and she has almost done it for a year. I know she is uncertain about where He is leading her and stressed right now, but she has confessed that she was not committed to continuing here 100%. Please pray for direction for her, and for another person from the US or someone local to step in and help whether for a short-term or long-term commitment. I am so glad I am here at this time to help out in the little ways I can; however, there is a need for someone who speaks English and Hindi to translate where our limited Hindi falls short.
Another exciting piece of news. For Christmas the boys received a keyboard, and I am starting to teach them lessons! This is a blessing for me to have the opportunity to use some of other gifts and to have the opportunity to play while I am here. We were able to do some Christmas carols the day after-since we did not have power the day of, and yesterday I started lessons with them. The oldest boy is eager to learn and practice, but the younger one, Tarun, who is still with us over the holidays is having a more difficult time focusing. Pray for wisdom for me to know how to motivate and encourage him, and that it could be something he could learn to enjoy and commit to practicing. There are some behavior and learning disabilities that make it difficult for the younger two (Tarun and Anmol), but we are hoping that the music will be a helpful tool as they all love music.
Praise that we have power to keep us warm-especially at night. We were so thankful that it came back just in time for us to get heaters running to warm us up for the night. We are all quite healthy for the most part; although we had beef Christmas day that tasted so good, but did not settle well with Debbie or myself. We have recovered quickly though and are focused this week on packing up and getting things ready for the move.
My time here seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and every day new things come up. You may have heard the phrase "on India time." I am learning the need to be flexible and also focused when I do have the time to get things done, because you never know what is going to distract you or interfere with your day. Pray that I would be able to accomplish what He desires for me with each day, and be flexible to step in and help in other ways when I need to and am able.
There is so much to be said about all that I am learning and understanding more each day, but I hope to share these with you in person when I return home, or in a formal letter. My roommate, Debbie and I have been doing Beth Moore's Bible study "I'm Believing God;" the timing of this study and its relevance have been such a blessing. This weeks' key verse: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8). I so often feel like I don't know where He is taking me or even what I am doing here, but He daily reminds me of the end goal, and the purpose of every day until then. Goodbye for now, blessings for the new year and I hope you can continue to remember the gift of His coming to dwell among us and what a blessing it is to know that He can relate to our every temptation, desire, and suffering. Peace be with you!
A brief update on things I mentioned previously:
Saroj is with his family in Nepal, where they are originally from, and they will be returning next week! This is a blessing because it means he will continue at the same school, and we will be able to work with him and his brother. I have been working with him on some healthy eating and exercise habits, as well as studies; I am glad that I will be able to continue to work with him and his brother when they return.
My roommate, and Debbie's assistant, has decided that she is not going to stay with us and is looking for other housing and a new job. It is a difficult thing to commit to a job like this 24/7 and she has almost done it for a year. I know she is uncertain about where He is leading her and stressed right now, but she has confessed that she was not committed to continuing here 100%. Please pray for direction for her, and for another person from the US or someone local to step in and help whether for a short-term or long-term commitment. I am so glad I am here at this time to help out in the little ways I can; however, there is a need for someone who speaks English and Hindi to translate where our limited Hindi falls short.
Another exciting piece of news. For Christmas the boys received a keyboard, and I am starting to teach them lessons! This is a blessing for me to have the opportunity to use some of other gifts and to have the opportunity to play while I am here. We were able to do some Christmas carols the day after-since we did not have power the day of, and yesterday I started lessons with them. The oldest boy is eager to learn and practice, but the younger one, Tarun, who is still with us over the holidays is having a more difficult time focusing. Pray for wisdom for me to know how to motivate and encourage him, and that it could be something he could learn to enjoy and commit to practicing. There are some behavior and learning disabilities that make it difficult for the younger two (Tarun and Anmol), but we are hoping that the music will be a helpful tool as they all love music.
Praise that we have power to keep us warm-especially at night. We were so thankful that it came back just in time for us to get heaters running to warm us up for the night. We are all quite healthy for the most part; although we had beef Christmas day that tasted so good, but did not settle well with Debbie or myself. We have recovered quickly though and are focused this week on packing up and getting things ready for the move.
My time here seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and every day new things come up. You may have heard the phrase "on India time." I am learning the need to be flexible and also focused when I do have the time to get things done, because you never know what is going to distract you or interfere with your day. Pray that I would be able to accomplish what He desires for me with each day, and be flexible to step in and help in other ways when I need to and am able.
There is so much to be said about all that I am learning and understanding more each day, but I hope to share these with you in person when I return home, or in a formal letter. My roommate, Debbie and I have been doing Beth Moore's Bible study "I'm Believing God;" the timing of this study and its relevance have been such a blessing. This weeks' key verse: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8). I so often feel like I don't know where He is taking me or even what I am doing here, but He daily reminds me of the end goal, and the purpose of every day until then. Goodbye for now, blessings for the new year and I hope you can continue to remember the gift of His coming to dwell among us and what a blessing it is to know that He can relate to our every temptation, desire, and suffering. Peace be with you!
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