shawnethomas

I think perhaps Job One today was just to stay awake all day so that we could go to bed at a normal time tonight and be roughly on Indian time. We made it! It’s just after 10 now, and we just had a prayer time and are turning in. A few highlights from today include:
–a quick trip to the “Daily Needs” grocery store nearby. I just love to see the different kinds of food they have — and I got my first Real mango drink in WAY too long! Yum!
–Visiting the new “Company” HQ for the Board in Delhi which is under construction. It will be nice! It will house offices as well as have a number of guest rooms for mission teams like ours. As one M said: “That’s some of your Lottie dollars at work!”
–a trip to stretch our legs at the market (again, about half of the purpose of this was to keep us from falling asleep!) We had several opportunities to witness while we were out. This morning I had specifically prayed that God would give me opportunities that were from Him and not “forced”. While saying “no” to a young salesman for the 98th time, before I even knew it (and to this moment I cannot recall how it started!) I was sharing Christ with him. You could tell he was really listening as I shared for several minutes. We had to break it off as his “boss” came over, and he nodded his boss’ way and acted like he was selling again. But I was able to encourage him just a bit more before we left, to really follow Christ. I hope you’ll say a prayer for this young man right now please!

Tomorrow we will meet with the local pastor, Sanjay, and get briefed for the day. Then we will divide into two teams and go to two different schools. Larry Robideaux will tell the story at one school, and Clarity Thoreson at the other. Please pray for both of them, and for the students who will hear the word Friday (remember we are about 12 hours ahead of Central Time).
Do pray also for continued health. The air quality here is poor. At the market, I remember thinking: “I’ve got to get away from whoever is smoking right by me; this is suffocating.”. But when I moved, I discovered it wasn’t anyone smoking; it was the same everywhere! All that to say: please do pray for continued good health for all of us — and for God to be glorified through us as we move into the scheduled ministry portion of the trip Friday!

I am writing from my room in the guest house in Delhi; not exactly sure of the time but sure I wish I had slept longer! But the sun is up and the city alive.

We arrived last night before midnight, pretty much on schedule. Everyone was generally weary from the journey but in good spirits. Larry & Theresa sat by a young man from the business world on the last flight and had a great opportunity to share Christ with him. He does not believe in God, but they were faithful to sow some good seeds. You might remember Abbie, I believe Larry said his name was.

In the airport as we were waiting for our luggage, we heard a public address announcement: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, taxi service to the airport will not be available.” Hmmm … turns out there was a strike of sorts. As we were exiting, the strikers were gathered outside chanting — their chants were reminiscent of the movie “Gunga Din” and the cries of the Kali worshippers. It is hard to describe the ominous nature of the chants; it made one glad to be getting out of the vicinity — and also grateful not to be in Egypt!

Blessedly, the local pastor with whom we are working, Sanjay, and one of his house church pastors whom our church supports through our “Acts 1:8 Offering”, met us at the airport exit! They had a vehicle which held most of the team and all of the luggage. Just at the right moment, a stray taxi, not affiliated with the striking group, “happened ” to appear, and now James & I had a ride! God’s Providence!

After a typical Indian taxi ride that made you feel like you were in the middle of a living video game, we made it safely to the guest house. Today is supposed to be a day to sleep in, rest, and prepare for the ministry that begins tomorrow. I kind of wish I had been able to sleep longer, but really this could work out pretty well, as I will be on close to an Indian time schedule — IF I can avoid a nap later today!
One initial request: the pollution here is extremely bad. The airport last night looked like a scene from “Casablanca” — but it wasn’t fog! You can smell it even in your room, and I already have a sore throat this morning. Do pray for health, for me and for all of our team members. I will try to get some pictures up — and won’t bother trying to describe the ones I should have taken but didn’t think of it!

Before he left, our host pastor Sanjay told us that we were going to have the opportunity to minister to hundreds of people who would gather this week in the meetings. He emphasized: “When I say hundreds, I do not mean 100 or 200; I mean many hundreds!” As many as half of those attending their church groups have not yet made a commitment to Christ. As weary as we all were at about 2:30 a.m., it gave us a real sense of anticipation for what the Lord has in store for us this week! Be praying with us!

I woke up Tuesday morning feeling remarkably refreshed after four hours of sleep, went out for an earlier-than-usual prayer walk, and began marking off the last few things on my “little list”: computer AND power cord, iPhone AND charging cord, etc., etc. …
The storm certainly added some excitement this morning! Those of you in Southwest Louisiana know just what I am talking about. We didn’t get the ice and snow Oklahoma was blanketed in, but thunderstorms and a tornado warning will do! I love rain, really; I like to consider it a sign of God’s blessing — and I actually enjoy storms as well. This morning, though, I couldn’t help thinking about the storm’s symbolic nature: as a picture of the spiritual conflicts going on in our world. Hot and cold fronts collide, as do forces of good and evil — in our nation, in India where the gospel will confront darkness, and even in in my own heart, as I wrestle with my own apprehensions & weaknesses, and a sense of the weight of the mission we are embarking on today.
Mike Viator (one of our church members at FBCMB) once told me when we were making an intentional witnessing visit together that I “had my game face on” — I was quiet, pensive, and focused on the task at hand. I think Mike would say that I’ve got that “game face” on again this morning — and I am afraid I am not very good company for our group!
I do have a joy, however, in the anticipation of sharing the gospel in evangelistic services with folks who do not know Jesus; to preaching in the newborn Indian churches; and the incredible opportunity of speaking to almost 200 pastors and church leaders in the seminar next Tuesday. I’m grateful this morning to Bro. James for organizing this trip, for the prayers and support of our whole church family, my wife Cheryl for sending me off with my favorite homemade breakfast sandwich on my tummy, and Gerald Allardyce, whom the Lord used to drive us through that inclement weather to Houston. Customs cleared, “game face” on … we’re off!

Yes, I awoke this morning with my typical “Monday morning hangover” from Sunday — splitting headache, etc., etc., but no time for it today — it is the last day before we leave for India tomorrow!  As the old Gilbert & Sullivan song says, “I’ve Got A Little List”!  But getting my itinerary up here so that friends and loved ones can pray for us is actually on “the list”, so here are some things that I hope will help:

Team members include: James & Suzie Rivers, Clarity Thoreson, Larry & Theresa Robideaux, and myself.  For praying purposes, remember that India time is roughly 12 hours ahead of ours!

ITINERARY:

Tues., Feb. 1:  We leave FBC Moss Bluff at 10:00 for Houston.  The flight leaves Houston at 4:15 Tuesday on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.  We’ll stop in Amsterdam at 8:25 their time, and catch a flight to Delhi.  We’ll arrive in India on Wed., Feb. 2, at 11:30 p.m.  If all goes well, we MIGHT be in our hotel by 2:00 a.m., so ….

Thurs., Feb. 4 will be a day to recuperate and prepare for the week ahead.

Fri., Feb 4 9:00 a.m. Meet with Sanjay Charan, our Indian pastor/contact.  We will divide into 2 groups, and tell Bible stories in the Tigri and Shala Pur schools.  After lunch, we will prayer walk in the Chattarpur Temple.

Sat., Feb. 5  11:00 Evangelistic Meeting in Aali Village (the women will do a meeting for ladies in East Delhi)  6:00 Evangelistic meeting at R.K. Puram; womens meeting in soutwest Delhi.

Sun., Feb. 6 10:30 East Delhi worship service with a newer church                                    3:30  worship service with an established church in South Delhi  (women will teach Bible stories during both services)

Mon., Feb. 7 “prayer riding”  — praying for new areas; afternoon free

Tues., Feb. 8 10:30 LivingStone Leadership Conference: worship services and 3 messages for pastors and church leadership.

Wed., Feb. 9  9:30 p.m. depart for airport for 1:50 a.m. departure Feb. 10th.

Thurs., Feb. 10th 2:00 p.m., arrive in Houston, TX!

We received an e-mail from our host, excited that they have prepared for 80-100 at the leadership conference — but they now have registration forms for 179 people!  This is exciting, as it certainly appears that God is working!  Pray that He would use us to encourage and train these church for effective ministry, and that God’s word would spread greatly all over India through them.  Pray also for the evangelistic meetings that are scheduled, as well as for personal opportunities to share along the way — and everything else you can think of to pray for! 

I will do my best to keep the blog updated with daily reports, but I do not yet know what kind of internet availability we are going to have.  I am going to try to download the WordPress app for my iPhone, so that I can at least update this blog over my phone — but that is a little further down the list for today!  Counting on your prayers!