Thanks for your prayers for the Outlook training last Thursday. It went well and now we're slowly training the rest of the office. We had a 30 minute training session Monday morning with about 23 users and another training session this morning with about 10 users. There will be a 5 minute training tomorrow morning to help the many users who don't yet have their software. Between 6-10 people are getting the new software each day, so I've been running around the office answering questions and trying to keep people excited and productive.
As we train the users here, my thoughts wander back to my time in India. We were at the Asian Biblical Seminary talking with one of the leaders. Computers are becoming more and more common and we're having a hard time finding qualified computer people who have a heart to work with the ministry. One of the team members asked if we were training IT (computer) people for the regional offices. The leader replied, "Many of the library materials and the concordances and Bibles and resources for the seminary students are here in these computer labs. By giving them experience using a computer, we're training the future leaders."
Many of the students who are at the seminary have never touched a computer before. They don't know what a keyboard is or have any ideas how to type on one. But they will learn during their three years at the seminary and then those students become the leaders of Bible Colleges and overseers in district and regional offices. And they will know how to use a computer.
Pray... that they will learn quickly. When was your first time on a computer?
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Office at the Office
Thanks for all your prayers! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with supporters in Lawrence, even though I was unable to make time to visit a few more special people (J and L). The icing on the cake that day was the plane flight out of KC. The man I was sitting next to was a retired professional orchestra conductor. We coversed about his family and occupation, but not really the ministry. When I offered him a free book at the end of the trip and included my recent newsletter, he took a book and asked a few simple questions. "So you raise your own support?" "So what address does the money get sent to?" "Who does the check get made out to?" "We'll be sending in a check." And we deplaned.
This week at the office is busy as we are getting ready to deploy Microsoft Office 2003 software. Tomorrow I'm coordinating advanced Outlook training for 12 people. I'll be at the office about 6:30am or so. As soon as I get these cookies out of the oven, I'll be off to bed.
This week at the office is busy as we are getting ready to deploy Microsoft Office 2003 software. Tomorrow I'm coordinating advanced Outlook training for 12 people. I'll be at the office about 6:30am or so. As soon as I get these cookies out of the oven, I'll be off to bed.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
In KC at ATF
I just finished two intense days at Acquire the Fire - Kansas City. My fingers aren't typing, but I'm trying to put together the powerpoint for my church presentation tomorrow morning. Praise the Lord for the 77 potential sponsors from this weekend. Pray for the youth groups and young adults that have made a decision to sponsor a Bridge of Hope child.
The ATF event was a little crazy as all my worlds collided. I saw: my brother, my brother's youth group, people from my high school youth group, the daughter of one our GFA staff members, soda jerks from my favorite store, the girls I used to baby sit when I was 16, a student I attended SC with in 1998, and a childhood friend I hadn't seen since he got married.
I get to share with Christ Covenant Church in Lawrence, KS tomorrow morning. I'm so looking forward to it, but a little nervous. And tired. You can pray for me.
The ATF event was a little crazy as all my worlds collided. I saw: my brother, my brother's youth group, people from my high school youth group, the daughter of one our GFA staff members, soda jerks from my favorite store, the girls I used to baby sit when I was 16, a student I attended SC with in 1998, and a childhood friend I hadn't seen since he got married.
I get to share with Christ Covenant Church in Lawrence, KS tomorrow morning. I'm so looking forward to it, but a little nervous. And tired. You can pray for me.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
On the way to [Ahdra] Girls Bible College
Here's a few more notes from my Palm. These were taken on our way to [Ahdra] Girls Bible College .
3/15/05
from the back of a small var/suv in [Ahdra]. we jsut arrived by train and now eare zippign at 70kmph or so down a do=wo lane road...currently straddling the center line3. Bro. A is in the passenger seat and is greeting us and asking quesations. There are 8 of us and the driver and Bro. A.. I keep having t o pause my typing and grab on to my PDA so we don't go flying out of the way. We honk and swerve, avoidin one vehicles just intime avoid the next vehicle. It's a good thing we trust our driver...I think. Atleast there are only 10 of us inthis "large" vehicle as compared to the 8 people that were squeezed in the threre wheeledrichshaw we just passsed. This road we are on now haas no center land. people go everyth which way and the roads are domplicatd by the cows that stand blocking one of the lanes. Horns blaredf, a sieh cathes a ride on a p private motorcycle vehind us. and we pass yet another cow. And three more. and a young calf going throrugh the trash. A man on a bike with his wifes behind him and two kids in front of him.. IT is crazy here in [Ahdra].
3/15/05
from the back of a small var/suv in [Ahdra]. we jsut arrived by train and now eare zippign at 70kmph or so down a do=wo lane road...currently straddling the center line3. Bro. A is in the passenger seat and is greeting us and asking quesations. There are 8 of us and the driver and Bro. A.. I keep having t o pause my typing and grab on to my PDA so we don't go flying out of the way. We honk and swerve, avoidin one vehicles just intime avoid the next vehicle. It's a good thing we trust our driver...I think. Atleast there are only 10 of us inthis "large" vehicle as compared to the 8 people that were squeezed in the threre wheeledrichshaw we just passsed. This road we are on now haas no center land. people go everyth which way and the roads are domplicatd by the cows that stand blocking one of the lanes. Horns blaredf, a sieh cathes a ride on a p private motorcycle vehind us. and we pass yet another cow. And three more. and a young calf going throrugh the trash. A man on a bike with his wifes behind him and two kids in front of him.. IT is crazy here in [Ahdra].
Monday, April 11, 2005
Notes from Delhi
As we were being introduced to Delhi, I pulled out my Palm and keyboard and began to type as I stared out the windows. Let's see if you can figure out my typing...
Monday- 3:51pm
sitting in traffic between new dehli and old dehli. Traffic has just increased and the people are ...we ll, almost eveywhere. There could be a few more. A back and while billboard reads "Ahead of the Times - Hindustan Times." We pass a large red 30' idol on the right. On our left we pass an auto ricskshaw taht has been turned over in the traffice. We are slowiing dwn for an intesectiona nd people are walking in andb wetweeen the vehicles and climbing up on running boards to catch a rdie. Newspaper peddlars race inside the stopped transporation busses to sell their wares and the horns honk constatly. Bro V says "you have no hrn in AMeraica, no? Here, we can drive without brake, but we cannot drive without horn." There were two children, unwqashed, playingon the streert. 5 feet away fromm them sat a grape merchant with his wagon of green grapes. "This is old dehli and these are Muslim women hiding their faces. " We are at a stolight and everyone is looking at the bus of Americas... We pass through the interviesw, and then slow down and move around an mox cart. But was a horse of types, ,not a ox. We're on a vbuasy stgreet filled with signs--advertising everything from flipslops to Noka cell phones. Readymade garments in Gauurav Fashion and the lcoal cinema. KEvin, the electrician of our group winces as Bro. V explains that all of these are live wires strung inches from everywhere. Auto rickshawas are numerous (all running on CNG fuel), but the bike rickshawas are becoming just as commonas we enter this district. The auto rickshaw sits next to us and I see a father movther, little girl, and toddler son on a wooden seat about 3' across. The Rang MAhal Hotel advertises an economicand comforabal stay, but something warns me that it definately isn't the place for naive American tourists to stay.
Bro. V is pointing out sites along the way. The Red Fort on oru right stretching farther than I can see through the conjestion. Bro. V lets us kow that the [slam on brakes for rickshaw] Red Palace was built by a Muslim king to defend the nation. HE also points out that we are russounded by mosques. On our left with golden spires, on our right wtih white spires, a brick mosque farther up weith square towers, farther in the distance with only their sillouettes available through the light costing of city smog. A parkingis to our right,--with 200+ motorbycycles. We pass a bike richshaw with it's driver laboring to power himself, the vehicle, and five young men down the street.
kI've taken quite a fewe pictures from the window today--some with flash and some without. It will be interesting to see which, if any, turn out. Bro. V explains that most people are Dehli for a job, but the caste system is not as strongly here. But still, you can gtell caste by people's names and you can aboid taht person. You will not haave a relationshjp with a person. So it is here. Bro. V tells that there people who hear the Gospel or rerad the Bible or hear about on TV, but they will not go to the church because they will be foreced to leagve their fillage or flee for their lives. Sometimes when our missionaries go into new areas, these people will come and say, I too belive in your God.
A little school boy, not more than 8, in his red checcked shirt and gray slacks runs down the road in front of us, dodging between cars, hi s packcpack boucing. He findss the bus that he wants and jumps on to the running board as it drives away.
I just passed a sign for the Linux competency cneter. The familiar penquin smiled at me from the sign. We change lanes to avoid five cows going the wrong way on our one day street. My typihng wass interruupted by a little girl banging on out window and begging for moneyh. Her right sleeve dangled empty by her side. Bro. V calls ou tht window to her--I don't understand the Hindi by I hear the word "school" school:"--and she runs back to a man on the sidewalk who is hawking cantelope. Bro. V explains taht her right arm is simply tucked inside her dress. Begging is her job. He offered to take her with jim,take her to a school, but she turned and ran back to the man who pays her to beg for him.
John turned to Tracy with the video camera and asked "What's youur thoughts, bro?" With eyes that threatened to tear, Tracy simply responded "I'm not sure yet."
We've left downtown and the street sellerss and are now surrounded by yet more cars (more of them private) and little green and yellow auto rickshaws.The horns, however, continue to blare.
Monday- 3:51pm
sitting in traffic between new dehli and old dehli. Traffic has just increased and the people are ...we ll, almost eveywhere. There could be a few more. A back and while billboard reads "Ahead of the Times - Hindustan Times." We pass a large red 30' idol on the right. On our left we pass an auto ricskshaw taht has been turned over in the traffice. We are slowiing dwn for an intesectiona nd people are walking in andb wetweeen the vehicles and climbing up on running boards to catch a rdie. Newspaper peddlars race inside the stopped transporation busses to sell their wares and the horns honk constatly. Bro V says "you have no hrn in AMeraica, no? Here, we can drive without brake, but we cannot drive without horn." There were two children, unwqashed, playingon the streert. 5 feet away fromm them sat a grape merchant with his wagon of green grapes. "This is old dehli and these are Muslim women hiding their faces. " We are at a stolight and everyone is looking at the bus of Americas... We pass through the interviesw, and then slow down and move around an mox cart. But was a horse of types, ,not a ox. We're on a vbuasy stgreet filled with signs--advertising everything from flipslops to Noka cell phones. Readymade garments in Gauurav Fashion and the lcoal cinema. KEvin, the electrician of our group winces as Bro. V explains that all of these are live wires strung inches from everywhere. Auto rickshawas are numerous (all running on CNG fuel), but the bike rickshawas are becoming just as commonas we enter this district. The auto rickshaw sits next to us and I see a father movther, little girl, and toddler son on a wooden seat about 3' across. The Rang MAhal Hotel advertises an economicand comforabal stay, but something warns me that it definately isn't the place for naive American tourists to stay.
Bro. V is pointing out sites along the way. The Red Fort on oru right stretching farther than I can see through the conjestion. Bro. V lets us kow that the [slam on brakes for rickshaw] Red Palace was built by a Muslim king to defend the nation. HE also points out that we are russounded by mosques. On our left with golden spires, on our right wtih white spires, a brick mosque farther up weith square towers, farther in the distance with only their sillouettes available through the light costing of city smog. A parkingis to our right,--with 200+ motorbycycles. We pass a bike richshaw with it's driver laboring to power himself, the vehicle, and five young men down the street.
kI've taken quite a fewe pictures from the window today--some with flash and some without. It will be interesting to see which, if any, turn out. Bro. V explains that most people are Dehli for a job, but the caste system is not as strongly here. But still, you can gtell caste by people's names and you can aboid taht person. You will not haave a relationshjp with a person. So it is here. Bro. V tells that there people who hear the Gospel or rerad the Bible or hear about on TV, but they will not go to the church because they will be foreced to leagve their fillage or flee for their lives. Sometimes when our missionaries go into new areas, these people will come and say, I too belive in your God.
A little school boy, not more than 8, in his red checcked shirt and gray slacks runs down the road in front of us, dodging between cars, hi s packcpack boucing. He findss the bus that he wants and jumps on to the running board as it drives away.
I just passed a sign for the Linux competency cneter. The familiar penquin smiled at me from the sign. We change lanes to avoid five cows going the wrong way on our one day street. My typihng wass interruupted by a little girl banging on out window and begging for moneyh. Her right sleeve dangled empty by her side. Bro. V calls ou tht window to her--I don't understand the Hindi by I hear the word "school" school:"--and she runs back to a man on the sidewalk who is hawking cantelope. Bro. V explains taht her right arm is simply tucked inside her dress. Begging is her job. He offered to take her with jim,take her to a school, but she turned and ran back to the man who pays her to beg for him.
John turned to Tracy with the video camera and asked "What's youur thoughts, bro?" With eyes that threatened to tear, Tracy simply responded "I'm not sure yet."
We've left downtown and the street sellerss and are now surrounded by yet more cars (more of them private) and little green and yellow auto rickshaws.The horns, however, continue to blare.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Thoughts in order
The last few days have seen me sorting through the digital photos taken by my India team members and deciding which ones I wanted to print and add to my collection. I finally made time today to place my 250+ pictures in a photo albumn as a visual story of my trip. Hopefully, this will help me sort things out and pass the stories on to you as well. Please know that as I type these stories, I have to be careful about places and names. Forgive the generalities.
Story for the night: Girls Bible College in North India.
We stopped by the [Ahdra] Girls Bible College at the very beginning of the trip. They have about 70 students at this 3 year Bible College. We only met the first and second year students because the third year students are doing their "practical ministry." (Imagine six month internship.) As our vehicles arrived at the school, we were greeted by singing and dancing and... two chairs? They motioned our leader and another team member into the chairs and began to wash their feet. Removing the sandals, they bathed the dirty feet in scented water and flower petals before carefully drying them. With the other girls continuing to sing and dance, the girls with the basins continued their job of washing each team member's feet.
For my readers from Sterling College, foot washing is not an unfamiliar practice. Yet this was different. Many of these students had been cast out of their families for following Christ and were now preparing to give their lives on the mission field if necessary--and they were the ones washing my feet? I wanted to take them when they were finished, seat them in their own chairs, and wash their feet. Unsure of the culture, I didn't. But those precious sisters will not be forgotten.
Story for the night: Girls Bible College in North India.
We stopped by the [Ahdra] Girls Bible College at the very beginning of the trip. They have about 70 students at this 3 year Bible College. We only met the first and second year students because the third year students are doing their "practical ministry." (Imagine six month internship.) As our vehicles arrived at the school, we were greeted by singing and dancing and... two chairs? They motioned our leader and another team member into the chairs and began to wash their feet. Removing the sandals, they bathed the dirty feet in scented water and flower petals before carefully drying them. With the other girls continuing to sing and dance, the girls with the basins continued their job of washing each team member's feet.
For my readers from Sterling College, foot washing is not an unfamiliar practice. Yet this was different. Many of these students had been cast out of their families for following Christ and were now preparing to give their lives on the mission field if necessary--and they were the ones washing my feet? I wanted to take them when they were finished, seat them in their own chairs, and wash their feet. Unsure of the culture, I didn't. But those precious sisters will not be forgotten.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Continuing the Journey
Please forgive me for not blogging... I've been fighting with Blogger to get the picture from last Saturday to show up. I'm getting ready to upload the rest of my photos to Snapfish and I'll let you know how you can view them then.
My family came down to visit me on Friday and left Sunday afternoon. We talked about saris and salwar kameez and mahogany cooking utensils and slums and churches and Terri Schaivo and leadership and villages and printing presses and Ireland and much more. It was a good time of fellowship.
I went to bed about 7:45 last night "to rest." I remember my roommates throwing pillows at me about 8:15 as they headed for Starbucks, but other than that I slept until about 5 when I turned over and slept until 7 this morning. Praise God!
My family came down to visit me on Friday and left Sunday afternoon. We talked about saris and salwar kameez and mahogany cooking utensils and slums and churches and Terri Schaivo and leadership and villages and printing presses and Ireland and much more. It was a good time of fellowship.
I went to bed about 7:45 last night "to rest." I remember my roommates throwing pillows at me about 8:15 as they headed for Starbucks, but other than that I slept until about 5 when I turned over and slept until 7 this morning. Praise God!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Hope in the Slums
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