Last night

Last night we drove about 25 Kilometers (Indian kilos!) to a village that is very close to Jaideep's heart. We split into two prayer teams, Kent and I and Tim and Jordan, we went though the village praying in the Christian (and some non believing) homes. Sweating? Let's just say I showered from the inside out! This is the a village where Tim laid the cornerstone of the church some years ago, a building that is now pretty impressive and Tim also provided the pastor, Pastor Joseph with the funds needed to build a home. We're discovering some interesting bits and pieces about our Pastor's committment to this mnistry - we should be VERY proud and humbled that we have him. As Tim said, he couldn't not do something after seing the conditions in which Joseph and his family were living. We soon saw for our selves.
Some of the homes for four or more people were nothing more than small yurts; some had concrete walls, others wood or thatch but most had low, thatch roofs. Some, even the Indians couldn't stand up straight in. There were a good number of widows, happily there was also a new crop of infants and pregnancies since the last time Tim was here (there has been a common difficulty in this village for pregnancies - some women had been trying and praying for 9 years to have a child). But for the most part the homes were clean and orderly and the overwhelming issue was the lack of so many things we of course find essential. I'm not going to harp on this - we've all heard it before but we somehow have to get over this entitelment attitude we Americans have and change that into a sense of responsibillty for others, both at home and in places like this. We can't cure all the ills of the world and I don't necessarily think we need to provide these villagers with microwave ovens. But, we could easily raise $2,000 bucks so Jaideep could refurbish his well - there's a drought here, he hasn't the water to grow his mangoes and other crops which he uses to feed his family and provide necessary income. We could do something like that and not even feel it.

Enough of that - you all need to pray for Kent, he's going native. He bought this Indian loin cloth type thing called a a lingee (sp?). It;s an attractive garment on the Indians and I don't for a minute believe it's to be worn in the semi transparent manner in which Kent finds so amusing and the rest of us consider just cause for beating him senseless. Better yet, I think we're going to strangle him with it. He also tood delivery of his new, tailor made shirts and he is thinking he's some sort of sartorial example for the rest of us. It's clear he's lost it, and has forgotten who he's travelling with.
It's a little after 8 AM here and Victor Samuel is picking us up at about 10 or so, so with luck and manuvering, i"ll post from Pithapurum tonight.

Love ya big time!