Monday

Monday morning again saw activity outside our door: our front "porch" was again a food prep area and a cooking tent was being set up across the "street." A pastor's training conference was the event: about 60 pastors were scheduled to meet and worship together, be trained by Tim in "Goal Setting" and "Finishing Strong" (sessions 10-13 in his 13 leadership development series for pastors). These sessions started in the morning and finished later in the afternoon. At one point, Tim was talking about being unable to come to India for the past 2 1/2 years and his desire to come more often and the pastors broke out in spontaneous cheers and applause. After the training was finished, Tim ordained 5 new Bishops, about 10 Pastors and a few dozen men as Reverends in El Shaddai Ministries, Pastor Victor Samuel's organization. In this organization a Reverend is in charge of one church, a Pastor serves three churches and a Bishop supervises a number of Pastors.

Pratibha has been making a few jokes at our expense, which is fun 'cause she's evidently loosening up around us. I told her we were making her into American woman and it was clear she didn't want THAT happening. She doesn't have her new clothes washer hooked up yet; I think they're waiting for a plumber and an electrician.

After dinner, after 9 PM, we left for Pastor Solomon's church, in a small viallge not too far away. I taught on the historical significance of Christ's blood and we were home at about 11 PM, early for us. I think Victor, Pratibha and the other Indians were also happy about the early night; they had had a big day with the conference.

The four of us, frankly, have been getting along too well. We've been laughing way too much for being on a (serious) mission trip. Tim and Jordan go at it so bad at times I tell them they need to be seperated. We're going to be pretty hard to bear when we get home with the plethora of private jokes we're going to impose on you.

Tuesday the plan is to spend that day, startying with travel at about 11 AM, at a church cornerstone laying service, some baptisms and an evening service, being back here after midnight.