Sunday, September 11, 2011 was a beautiful morning in Salem, India! The brilliant blue sky reminisent of the fatal morning when planes became missiles in the USA and the first time since Pearl Harbor the USA was caught by surprise by enemy attack!
Unfortunately, terrorism in India is more common. Dana had wondered how India would treat the anniversary of 9-11, much as I expected, they didn't. I had been invited to share the message on the Sharon Garden campus so instead of going out to a nearby church we stayed home and shared. (Prati wanted the workers, house parents, students, teachers and children who serve us so faithfully while we are there to have an opportunity to share worship with us. The music was very inspiring! The language doesn't have to be common, the Holy Spirit interprets the praise of The Creator! In the beautiful open air Donna Thomas Chapel everyone is seated on large straw mats on the floor except for the American guests and the family of Rev. Samuel Stephens who sit in plastic chairs in the back of the chapel. The chapel is named in honor of Donna Thomas who with her husband, Chuck founded Project Partner and introduced Rev. Samuel Stephens and the India Gospel League to partnership with the USA.
With such an inspiring and encouraging environment who wouldn't thrive! Prati proudly introduced us to a young couple who presented their first child. The three month old infant is the first "grandchild" of Prati's as the young woman grew up at Sharon and now had returned to work on the campus. How exciting for Prati to see the fruit of her labor! And she is a proud grandma!
What an honor to serve these who serve us so beautifully while we are in their home! The service was beautiful with the music and words of testimony by some of the residents of what God has done in their lives this week. I thought it interesting that they passed the offering plate twice! Once for "missions" and once for the church! Honored to share the Word of God and the word God gave me, I shared the message, God Sent Jesus and Jesus Sends Us that God gave me to present in Kentucky at Christmas time. I trust that God's Word does not return void and He will do the work in the hearts of His people. Rev. Sam, Danny, Taragon and the Campus Pastor served communion. Touching. Sam asked the Women With a Mission team to come forward and they prayed for us! Very powerful and moving!
Always reluctant to leave our friends who are now more like family even to the girls who have visited Sharon for the very first time, we ate lunch and packed the van. We are grateful RaeAnn felt strong enough to travel! Sam was kind to pray for her at breakfast. She is a trooper! He supplied some medicine from the hospital that he says works better on the bacteria local to the area. It seemed to sustain her as she slept most of the nearly 6 hour drive to Pondicherry.
The hotel we were in for the one night before heading to the Regional Conference this morning and then to Chennai after our sharing is very nice! We are trusting God to speak through us this morning and throughout the day and so apprecaite your partnership in prayer! What a joy to have you as a part of the journey!
I regret that I have not been able to navigate how to send pictures from my phone to the laptop so that I can post them here! It is very frustrating! However Paula seems to have it figured out as she sends herself and her daughter her pictures from her phone and Jocelynn, her self appointed assistant drops the picture and the text Paula emails into Paula's blog and viola! You have beautiful posts! I hope that you will visit her site at www.paulajfrench.blogspot.com.
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