A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words.

Thought the best way to end this blog was to post a few pictures. Hope you enjoy them. Thanks for reading about our mission trip. Words really can not express how this trip has impacted our lives.                                                                  

Elena is reunited with Bandama. She had the privilege of leading her to the Lord last year. 

At the feeding program, this elderly lady just wanted to be held.



Here we are with our beloved hosts, Thomas and Marykutty Samuel. We found it challenging to keep up with Thomas who is a mere 80 years old. His energy and enthusiasm are amazing. And Marykutty is a fabulous cook. If you can't find her, just go to the kitchen.

Tribal poverty is the norm for life in the jungle.
And yet we find these simple people to be quite resourceful in living off the land.

Women will venture into the jungle to spend the day collecting firewood to sell for about $1 a bundle.












This dwelling is situated on the farm land right next to Quiet Corner. As we took walks down this road, we would be met by a little boy waving to us from the door way.

Meet Gundama, the first convert to Christianity in the village of Mavanalla. She thinks she is 90 years old but her spirit is forever young. She is spunky and delightful and willing to carry on a full conversation with us even though we do not speak the language. But she always ends her conversation with a word we all understand. "Alleluia!"

Bangalore

Thanks for all who prayed for Tom. He was all better and ready for the 7 hour ride to Bangalore. We arrived here on Sunday afternoon and reunited with Marykutty and David. Thomas arrived a few hours later.

Leaving our friends at QC was sad. We all have built friendships there and we take them home with us in our hearts. Saturday we went to visit some of the village people. One couple, Boron and Neela, are a Hindu couple. We got to share our faith with them. Sal shared the gospel and they decided to accept the Lord. We put them into the care of Pastor Wausu who will disciple them and help them. We then visited a women named Annama and her two sons. We shared the gospel with her and her sons. She was very agreeable, but is not ready to give up all the idols. She believes in Jesus and all the Hindu gods as well.

Viju took us for one more jungle safari looking for elephants. It was a trip we will never forget. We came upon a mama elephant and her baby. We watched them for a while and then decided to move on because the mama looked to be a bit agitated at our presence. As Viju began to pull away we heard a hissing sound coming from the front wheel. We blew a tire! Viju is a jungle boy and a quick thinker. He slowly pulled the jeep up about 50 feet from the elephants. He jumped out of the jeep to look at the damage. No flashlight. Thank God Bev had a flashlight app on her phone. Sal and Bev jumped out to help and Elena kept watch for any wild animals that might be hungry. The tire was changed in 5 minutes and we were headed back to QC safe and sound.

Today is Monday and we hope to do some shopping in the city. Tomorrow we will do the final lock and load and head for the airport about midnight. Our plane leaving at 3:40 AM and we will be home on Wednesday at about 2:00 PM. We are grateful to God for all He has accomplished through us. We are grateful to God's people for the prayers and kind comments that have been left on the blog.

A Day Delay

Please pray for Tom who has been sick with the flu. Our plan was to leave today for Bangalore, but he is not well enough to travel. He woke up in better shape today. Did not have a fever and is able to eat some bread and fluids. We are praying for him to get stronger and able to travel back to Bangalore tomorrow. We are so grateful to the Lord that he did not get sick during the conferences. God has really protected us and we are so sure of the importance of the prayer covering that has kept us safe.

Yesterday, Viju took Sal, Bev and Elena to visit a Hindu Temple that was setting up for a large festival. They expect 200,000 worshippers to show up today. A bazaar like atmosphere was being consturcted around the temple. Around 400 police were being bused in from neighboring cities. Often, these festivals become a problem due to the wild dancing and drinking. We stopped to talk to one woman who was building an altar out of cow dung with her bare hands. It will be used for worship of the "god" of the temple. We asked her if she had ever heard of Jesus. She said no. We told her he was the one true God and he loved her. She told us all her gods love her. It was very sad to see all these precious people looking to dumb idles that can not hear or see or answer. 

Last night Sal, Bev and Elena attended the medical outreach. We visited a small, very poor village. The parents are mostly government workers and many of the children do not go to school. The parents do not get home from work until after sun down so the children are on their own. As we set up the medical outreach the children lined up to be treated for coughs, ring worm, scabies, infected cuts, etc. More then that, they really enjoyed to be touched, hugged. Some of them had been playing in mud and were covered with dried dirt. Their clothes were torn and tattered. Bev wanted to set up a car wash for kids. Wausau (a local pastor) told us he was going to come on Saturdays and take them to the river and scrub them down. Elena taught them a scripture verse from 3 John _ I have no greater joy then to know my children are walking in truth. She told them the truth was that God loved them and Jesus died for them.

Another day at QC is no sacrifice. It is a slice of heaven to us. This morning we watched a wild boar strolling by near our room. The dogs at the nearby farm were barking like mad but the boar paid them no mind.

We have been enjoying the Indian food. Our breakfast today was somba, doce, eggs and toast. And of course freshly picked bananas from the QC farm. Elena is quite fond of the cuisine and hopes to practice Indian cooking at home.

If all goes well with Tom we will be in Bangalore by Sunday evening. We are looking forward to spending a few days with Paul, Jaaya, their children, Thomas and Marykutty before we take off for home.

Our last day at Quiet Corner

The sun came up over the mountains this morning at 7:00. It is a wonderful sight as the jungle comes to life with chirping birds and crowing roosters. Standing on the balcony of Mercy Corner, we tried to drink it all in knowing that this is our last full day at the camp. Thomas has decided that we leave on Saturday for Bangalore. Dave left us yesterday for there so he could spend some time with his mother, Marykutty. Dave will leave on Monday for Haberdad (sp. ??) where he has some business to take care of.

There is so much to process regarding the activities of the past month. We have spoken to many pastors and their wives and heard of the tremendous sacrifices and hardships they endure for the sake of the gospel. Sal and Elena have had opportunities to build relationships with the villagers in Mavanlla. Yesterday, they stopped for Chai at a roadside cafe and were soon invited to the house of the owner. The house was a mud hut where he lived with his sister and mother. The hut was no bigger then a small bedroom. In it was a bed for the mother, a metal closet and a gas stove top run on propane. The father died 8 years ago. The mother was rummaging through the closet and brought out pictures of her husband lying on the ground. He was dead and had been crushed by an elephant. We prayed with the mom and sister.

Bev and Elena are hoping to hit the shopping markets on Monday with Jaaya on Bangalore. We have already purchased some tea, herbs, spices and essential oils to bring home.

Currently, Tom is down with a bug. Please pray he feels better before we start the 6 hour ride to Bangalore. We are grateful he did not get sick during the conferences.

We will send another blog before we depart on Wednesday. Please pray for safety while we travel and no delays in the airports. 

Mysore

It's been a while since we posted. The hotel we are staying at did not have the wi-fi working. Today is the last day of the conference here. We have been amazed at the popularity of The End Times teachings. Over 265 people crowd into the church each day to hear the teaching. The worship has been wonderful and the people are so hospitable. We are humbled to be here with them.

There is such a contrast of life here in Mysore. This is the home of the king's palace. It is over the top in terms of opulence. There are many elaborate structures, buildings and architecture sprinkled throughout the city that speaks of the royal presence here. However, poverty is seen everywhere you go. The conference is being hosted at a very nice church building in a section of Mysore known as Bamboo City. Flanking the road to the church are branches of bamboo that are fashioned into ladders and fences and other useful items. The street the church is on is a slum. The poverty is hard to imagine. The homes are flimsy and many are slanted. They are made of all sorts of materials including hay and straw. The street is a bumpy dirt road. Traveled by people, auto rickshaws, motorbikes, pigs and chickens.We are grateful that it is the dry season.

After the last session today we will leave for a three day rest at Quiet Corner before returning to Bangalore and preparation for returning to the US. We all miss our families, friends and church. However, it will be sad to say good bye to these precious saints. The gospel of truth is being spread here through them in very powerful ways. We count it a privileged to be a part of it.

Thanks to all of you who have supported us and prayed for us. Your prayers are answered. We have so much to share with you.

Pastors Conference Update

Much excitement is occuring at QC as we are in the middle of day three of the pastors conference. There are nearly 100 men here and many brought thier wives. Tom and Sal are teaching up at storm and all the pastors are intending to take the material back to thier own states and teach the people. We could not be happier with the results. Sadly, the womens conference was cancelled. At first it was a disappointment. But there has been much opportunity for Bev and Elena to build relationships with the women. (Bev is an amazing relationship builder as many of you know). We are going with the flow and feel the women will be taught at another time.

Elena has battled an upper resperiatory infection. Aside from that we are all in good health. Tonight will be the final session of the conference. Tomorrow morning is the closing session. Sal will encourage them all to be true to the ministry God has called them to. Bev and Elena will be meeting with the Tailoring School girls. Some have converted to Christianity as a result of the training. By the time they graduate next year,our hope is all of them will know the Lord. We will bring a salvation message to share with them.

By Thursday afternoon, the camp will become a quiet corner once again. There has been much activity these past two weeks. We hope to rest and restore on Friday and Saturday. Sunday we will leave for Mysore, about 3 hours from here. Mysore is a large city. We have only visited the Kings Palace there but now hope to see more of the city. Next Monday the conference will begin there at a large church. There are 200 pastors registered. We will leave Mysore on Thursday and spend a couple more days at Quiet Corner to lay the plans for next year's conference. We hope to take it to two or three new areas. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our sight!

On a lighter note: to all our WIS. bros and sisters. We understand as I write that you are under a heavy blizzard condition. We are very sorry to hear that. Just wondering if it is some sort of retribution for the Packer victory. . . . .just saying!  The weather here: about 85 today. . . .just saying.

Blessings to all our followers.

A Special Lesson

Thursday was a difficult day. Elena woke with a killer headache and vomiting. Within a few hours she was dehydrated and was in trouble. Sal ran to get Joice, the local village nurse. Within minutes the bedroom was busy with people running to help. Pastor Wasau decided the best thing would be to take her to the hospital. So she was wrapped in a blanket and ushered into a jeep along with Sal, Joice, Wauau, Benji, and Victor. We arrived at the Government Medical Hospital in Masnangudi. It was amazing to be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ who dropped everything they were doing to help and to pray all the way there. Joice cradle Elena in her arms as if she were a child. The hospital was a far cry from anything in the US. A crudely built cement structure. No sanitary conditions. The doctor was a young man who took his notes on a post it pad. The diagnosis was migraine and dehydration. Elena was taken to a room set up like a ward. The smell of cattle was waifing through the open windows. The nurse was a Hindu girl who wore a white uniform and nurses cap on her head. They gave Elena an IV drip and two pain killer injections. Two hours later we were headed back to Quiet Corner where she rested the rest of the day.  When Sal went to pay the bill, he was told no charge because it was a government hospital.

It was not a pleasant experience, however, we are glad it happened. We saw the love of Jesus in action through our jungle sisters and brothers. The prayer request went out for Elena across India. We will never forget the lesson in caring they taught us. Elena is fine now and back to normal.

AND, the greatest surprise was that Tom and Bev arrived at Quiet Corner two days earlier then we originally expected. David and Paul will arrive on Saturday. Sal is speaking tonight and tomorrow night at the staff training meetings. Tomorrow morning at 5:50 AM Sal, Elena and Bev will be taking a 2 mile hike into the jungle with the hopes of seeing some elephants. Tom opted out. We will report about that later on.

Please pray now as the conferences are beginning on Monday. There is much to do in preparation. Delegates are arriving and they expect over 100 at the campsite. I'll report on that in a few more days. Bless you for reading and praying.