Team B - Almost Here

Today was spent in preparation of Team B's arrival. They will be landing in Bangalore at 2:30 AM (India Time - Feb 1). They will be boarding a large and comfortable touring bus for the 6 hour ride to Quiet Corner. They should be arriving here sometime before lunch.

Sal gets last minute invitation to preach

We started our day with going to church. Tom was asked to preach at Bethel Bible Church in Mavanhalla with only a day's notice. Sal was glad not to be asked and was excited to have a Sunday off. So he, Elena and Cat went to the Masanagudi Church. As we entered the building the pastor
welcomed Sal and asked him to please bring the message. So dressed in casual dockers and a plaid shirt, Sal whipped out a sermon in a New York minute.

We spent the entire afternoon planning for the medical/good news outreach. Drugs were inventoried, rooms were prepared for the team, cases of bottled water were bought and delivered to each room, signs and schedules were hung.

We can hardly wait to see what this week will bring. Proverbs 19:21 says, "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."  We wait with great anticipation and expectation of what that all will mean. 

The Jesus Conference - A Great Time!

As we sat and talked at dinner last night, we all agreed that this week flew by incredibly fast. The Jesus Conference ended after three days of fine teaching by Tom and Sal. Delegates numbered around 125. Some of these people traveled over 24 hours by bus and train to attend. They were all very happy to receive such solid teachings on the Old Testament Tabernacle and the End Times. A number of them are returning on February 15 to attend the Leadership Bible School.

We have received many invitations to bring the conference to places like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kerala. Many pastors and church leaders are not trained formally in the scriptures and this type of teaching is very valuable to them.

Today our attention will turn to welcoming Dave Samuel and Team B. They are 14 in all and will arrive here around noon on Monday. It will be a busy day as we convert Mercy Corner from a conference center into a medical clinic. Bev and Cat will be sorting the inventory for our drug cabinet and we will travel to Ooty to shop for items needed.

Thank you so much for remembering us in your prayers. God is faithful and has answered faithfully. Please continue to pray for our health, safety and strength. 

The Jesus Conference

Yesterday was a day of preparation for the Jesus Conference which kicked off today with over 95 in attendance and more delegates expected tomorrow. In order to prepare we spent Tuesday taking care of details, having meetings with QCI staff and giving Tom and Sal enough quiet time to center in on the session studies.

Tushura, Cat and Benny

Cat found delight in spending time with Benny and Tushura, Paul and Jaya Samuel's children. Cat is truly blessed with an enormous love for little people. Even at church on Sunday a small child found his way into her arms.

Our Neighbors

We have been especially entertained by the population of monkeys that have taken up residence in the trees surrounding Mercy Corner where we are staying. QCI has employed a young man whose job is to scare the monkeys away. It is quite humorous to watch the monkeys leap from tree to tree while the "monkey man" attempts to lure them farther into the jungle.

Visiting the Tailoring School

Cat, Bev and Elena were able to visit the Tailoring School today and meet 7 of the 8 girls who are learning a trade while attending Bible class. Cat shared her faith journey with the girls.

Tom kicked off the start of the Jesus Conference this morning. He spoke on the Jesus of Forever and Sal followed with the Tabernacle. Everyone was excited to hear and learn more about how God has worked in history and is working now and into eternity.

We are so blessed by the hunger these precious people have to grow in faith and learn more and more. Please pray for them. Many have tough lives and hardships. Pray for the next few days of the conference to go well. Today we lost power for most of the afternoon. We ran the conference on a generator. No one seemed to mind though.

Sunday in Mavanhalla

The Lake Country Patio

The New Kitchen

Leaving Bangalore before sun-up on Saturday, we arrived just in time for lunch at beautiful Quiet Corner. We were amazed at the improvements and new construction that have taken place since we were last here. The paved walk ways and enlarged dining patio are a pleasant site as you make your way through the iron gates. The newly constructed kitchen is a huge upgrade. We all marveled at the modern equipment that now occupies a space four times the size of the original kitchen.

The winter here in the mountains experienced an over abundance of rain which has resulted in much greenery and flowering trees.

After unpacking and settling in, we all retired quite early in anticipation of attending Mavanhalla Bible Church on Sunday morning. Pastor Benji told everyone to turn to Psalm 130 for the responsive reading and that Pastor Sal would then give a message based on the Psalm. This was the first Pastor Sal was hearing of it. The poor man had all of three minutes to prepare his message. All things considered, he did a fine job.

After lunch we visited the village and stopped in to chat with some old friends. Annama is a Hindu woman who has been a friend for years. She and her husband faithfully attend the Couples Outreach that we offer each year. They are looking forward to the event on February 7. We enjoyed a very happy reunion when we visited Pastor Vasu and Joyce and son, Jonathon. They are now living in a new home in the village. It took 10 years for them to slowly build the house as funds became available. Now they

Joyce is happy in her new home

are living in a solidly built home with lots of room, much different from the small rundown home they formerly occupied.

Delegates for the Standing In The Gap Prayer Summit trickled in all day from all over India. Others are due to arrive tomorrow morning. The sessions will kick off at 10:30 AM. The Jesus Conference led by Sal and Tom will begin on the 27th. It will be a busy week as we prepare for the conference and the medical outreach. Team B departs next Saturday and arrives just in time for breakfast on February 1.

We are honored and humbled to work in partnership with the ministry of Quiet Corner, India. Please pray for us to do what we can and trust God to do what we can not. 

We Are Here!

A huge thank you to all who prayed for Team A to have safe and healthy travels. God heard and answered faithfully. After an uneventful flight, we landed safely in Bangalore thanks to the great crew at QATAR Airlines. I would not ordinarily promote an airline, however, the service and comfort on Qatar is amazing. We highly recommend flying with them.

Our first day was spent resting and preparing for the days ahead. We will head for Quiet Corner tomorrow morning. Bev, Cat and Elena visited the local Himalaya Outlet where we stocked up on soap, shampoo, toothpaste and other toiletry items. Sal, Tom and Paul spent the day shopping for IT equipment needed to run the medical clinic and Bible school. They also went to exchange US money for rupees. There was quite a bit of money being exchanged since we carried spending money for the entire team.

Cat allots rupees for dollars.

Cat was designated the "banker" and spent a part of the evening counting money and sorting it for the team arriving on February 1. Bev helped recount and make sure the proper amounts of money were exchanged for each team member. When they arrive, they will have rupees waiting for them.

We all are adjusting to the 12 hour time change. We are anxious to head out to Quiet Corner. The Prayer Summit begins on Sunday followed by The Jesus Conference on Wednesday. We are anticipating an exciting week ahead.

Keep praying. And keep tuning in to this blog for updates.

Parkalaam! (see you later!)

And The Walls Came Tumbling Down!

Our last team meeting took place today prior to Team A departing for India this coming Tuesday, January 19. One of the benefits of working with a mission team is the building of friendships. Today's orientation meeting truly was a time of building camaraderie and a shared sense of excitement.
       

The Good News Players!

Our Good News Team leader, Kat, directed the skit Joshua and the Walls of Jericho while her husband, Chef Kevin, fed us a wonderful lunch. We will be presenting the skit as we visit villages and conduct the medical clinic.

Freddie, who plays Joshua, also will organize games for the kids.

Nehemiah 4:6 says: At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.

Today's meeting was a great demonstration of team effort and cooperation. It's a privilege to serve alongside them.

Please keep Team A in prayer as they travel this week. Watch for updates. Next stop. . . .Bangalore!