Newsletter - India 2006

February 11, 2006 Travel to India

We are on our way to India to work with dear friends Joy and Leila George at The Asian Christian Academy. Please pray for us as we travel! Pray especially for customs as India is very unfriendly to missionaries.

February 14, 2006 Travel to India and Arrival

We are in India! Even to me these words sound unbelievable. I feel so amazed that God would give us this privilege.

Airport

As we traveled, I had 2 very interesting conversations. In the Atlanta airport, I met a young man from Italy. Within minutes, we were talking about the difference between what a person experiences on the outside and the inside. He talked with me about what things are eternal. Nearby Rick , Nathan's father stood and prayed with the team.

Appointments with strangers on a Plane

On the plane from Germany to India, I sat next to a man who was attending a big conference in Bangalore. Two million people were coming to hear a Guru named Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who teaches a course called the art of living. He teaches a false Gospel, taking the words of Jesus as his own. Many very educated people from all over the world follow this man and his deception is growing. We were surrounded by the people who were chanting and repeating mantras. As I shared Christ with their friend, many became very unhappy.

Originally from India, my friend had lived most of his adult life in Spain. Though born a Hindu, he believed in nothing until thoughts of suicide drove him to the promises of this false teacher.

He told me that he was desperate to find real peace and make his bad feelings go away. For more that 2 hours, we talked about sin, righteousness, light, darkness, the words of Jesus, everything. I have rarely seen a man who asked so many questions. Please pray that God will keep him from accepting anything at this conference. Ask God to call him to Himself.

Two days of Blessings

1.  Few people ever have the joy that God gave us today! We heard more that 100 Hindu children praying out loud, asking Jesus to be their Savior. Since they were students at a Christian school, we had the freedom to share. Awesome!

2.  Sam juggled for a school assembly and shared how he met Jesus. Teresa sang and explained how the children could trust in Christ. We have 4 more of these 15 minute programs scheduled. Pray!

3.  Each day, we are doing one or more puppet shows at the Asian Christian Academy's school. Yesterday we heard children praying in soft whispers, trusting in Jesus. Pray for each of these shows.

4.  The 3, 4 and 5 years olds at the Academy's kindergarten loved the program. They clapped for everything and I mean   everything! Most are Hindu and this was their first time to see puppets, see a Bible story drawn. They all left talking about Jesus.

5.  We sat in the "House of Joy", an orphanage run by The Asian Christian Academy, and listened to the children singing "knowing you Jesus, there is no greater thing." These children were mostly abandoned by their Hindu families, but now they are discovering God as their Father. Two want to be Pastors, one a missionary, and some nurses. Pray for all of these children to grow up deeply in love with Jesus Christ.

6.  Each night, we teach the Seminary students and they are so eager to learn. Their enthusiasm blesses all of us! Pray for us to be good teachers and give them the training that they need.

7.  Forty little boys rushed up after the program to speak to me. They wanted to say, "Thank you Auntie for the story" and shake my hand. They were all Hindu children and some had prayed with us only minutes before.

8.  Early in the morning, we met with some of the laborers on campus. They were so excited by the program, they asked us to come again tomorrow. Please pray!

We are wonderfully happy, blessed, and so grateful to Joy and Leila George for their invitation to return to India and work with them at the Asian Christian Academy.

Pray for us and be a part of God's work with the children in India!

In Jesus,

February 16, 2006 India Update

Dearest Friends,

A Miracle

We are so blessed! Last year we did a show in a village where we had to leave quickly because some people became so angry with the story of Jesus that we were sharing. Though we finished enough of the program to be satisfied that they had heard the Gospel, we grieved that we could not do more. David, Jonlyn, and I (last year's team) really began to pray for that village. We begged God to open a door so that these children could hear about Jesus.

Yesterday, God answered our prayers. We received an invitation to do a puppet show at their school. Though we experienced some problems and had to be very wise in our choice of words we were able to finish the entire program and share about the hope that is only found in Jesus! Praise God!

To the amazement of all, I was presented with a 4 foot long rose garland that they hung around my neck. This is a very expensive gift and an honor normally reserved for important officials or used at big celebrations. Then, I received a bouquet of flowers and the gift of a single red carnation. I cannot possibly explain to you what a great honor and great sacrifice these gifts represented.

However, this is not the end of the story. When we arrived back at our home, we were amazed to learn that all of us had been invited to dinner tonight. Our friends were stunned as this offer of friendship and welcome has never happened before. Later they cancelled the dinner because of their concern about feeding Americans, but Leila was confident that their desire was to have us come.

A Baby That Was Saved

Recently, a young mother here faced a terrible choice. Newly married, her baby was born too early in her marriage to have been her husband's child. He sent her home to her family and demanded that she kill the child. If she did this, he would take her back. They were letting the baby starve to death. Christians here saved the child and now we are all praying for an Indian Christian family to adopt baby Grace. Pray!

God's Gift

Small things are such blessings from our Father. Always on Wednesday, I think of it as the day Mike died, the day he saw Jesus. I rejoice for him and grieve for me. When on Wednesday, I received a gift of a single carnation, I saw the Father's hand. Mike always had carnations on the table for me when I returned from a trip. I was comforted by the memory and reminded of the privilege

Morning Devotions

Each morning we have the devotional time for some of the campus workers. They are mostly Hindu, but appear to be listening with their ears and their hearts. Please pray for these 10 men and 1 lady that God would call them to Himself. The men have begun talking with our Pastor friend about the last 3 days of witnessing and he is very happy. One day I shared about Mike's death in September. I spoke of the peace that Jesus gives and the certainty of heaven. The translator told me that these words were not spoken just with my mouth, but with my heart. Pray that I will continue to witness faithfully to His hope!

Food, Weather and Trees

Everyone is enjoying a variety of curries which our friends insist are made milder especially for us. We do not believe them! For breakfast, we were treated to dosas(flat bread) stuffed with coconut. Delicious!

This year, the weather is better and we have rarely been hot, but it is getting warmer. Keep praying! We can do a much better job when the weather is not a problem.

So many things from here that we do not see at home, Jackfruit, a football sized sweet melon, grows on a tree. The banana plants that they just planted will produce fruit in 6 months. I had never seen a cashew tree until I visited India.

Pray especially for our friends little girl who has typhoid! Please stay on your knees!

In Jesus,

Auntie Linda

for
Auntie Teresa
Auntie Hadia
Uncle Nathan
Uncle Josh
Juggling Uncle Sam
(our new names in India)

February 19, 2006 India Update

Dearest Friends,

Elephant Ride

We all rode an elephant! None of us can believe that we had this incredible opportunity. Teresa was giggling because she was so excited. The elephant also got excited and sprayed water all over Nathan, Sam, and Josh's feet. Hadia and I were thrilled that we actually touched an elephant. It was a big, big treat. The ride lasted only minutes, but we will remember it the rest of our lives.

Great India

Last year as I arrived at the airport, a beggar greeted us and said, "Welcome to Great India." This is a great country, but it also has great problems. So many people suffer in extreme poverty. The streets are full of beggars, some were even maimed and crippled by their parents to make them better beggars.

There are big piles of trash on the sides of the roads and often we see women and children digging in them. Cows roam everywhere and eat from the trash. The streets are crowded with cars, brightly decorated trucks, ox carts, motorcycles, and auto rickshaws (small covered 2 seater vehicles that run on lawn mower engines). Everywhere, people are walking, some carrying unbelievably large burdens on their heads. Smoke fills the air and the sound of car horns never stops.

Color

The streets explode with color. The Sarees and Chudiars (a long dress over pants) that the ladies wear are so colorful. They often are edged in gold patterns or shimmer with glitter or rhinestones. They are the prettiest clothes that I have ever seen. Teresa, Hadia, and I have all bought Chudiars and Sarees. When we wore them to the schools one day, all of the student were delighted that we were dressed in their national dress. Even Sam and Nathan have bought the long shirts trimmed in gold and silver called Kurthas.

Homes

Many people's homes are much like western homes except that the architecture is different. They are comfortable places and remind us of our homes. However, so many more people live in small, dirty places that look and smell like the worst slums you can imagine. They have less than nothing, but still material blessings are not their greatest need.

More food, a good home, or clean clothes, every child in every one of these places needs to know Jesus. Only Jesus can give them home in such a hopeless place. We do what we can to help, but all of us understand one big truth. This world passes away and eternity is forever. Our Indian brothers and sisters, many who have very little, also agree with this statement. Our heart's desire is to speak to these children's greatest need. We want them to spend eternity with Jesus and their terrible life here will not matter. We see an ocean of hurting children who live in darkness and cannot even imagine light. Please pray for us as we seek to share His love. Please especially pray for the children. Ask the Lord to show them mercy and call them to Himself.

Hungarian Bible School

Dave James, director of the Word of Life Hungary Bible School, is also visiting our friends Joy and Leela George. This morning he shared from John 11 about how Jesus allows his dear friends to go through one of the greatest tragedies of their lives so that Jesus could show everyone that he had the power over life and death. In revealing His power, Jesus showed who He truly was. More, in the kindness and tenderness that He showed Mary and Martha in the loss of their brother, Jesus demonstrated that he understands our grief.

As you can imagine, this sermon was close to my own heart. Every day, I praise God that the grave is not the end. Every day, I am comforted by the certain knowledge that Jesus cares for me. I ache to take every opportunity to tell these dear children that there is more to life than this life. Many will die so young. I ache for them to know that Jesus really cares. These are the same lessons that the Father sweetly writes on my own heart as I miss Mike.

Pray for India!

In Jesus,

February 22, 2006 India Update

Dearest Friends,

Jesus Changed a Rowdy

A rowdy is the Indian word for gangster. An Indian believer started a program for children in his village. The rowdy stopped and listened as he walked by. He put his trust in Jesus and God wonderfully changed him. Because he was a well known man and his life was obviously different, many followed him to the cross. Though he still bears scars on his body from many fights, he is a new man on the inside.

We are traveling and yesterday we worked with him. He helped us tell hundreds of Hindu children about Jesus Christ who changed him. Now he devotes all of his time to telling people about his Lord. Please pray for him and his family for provision and protection.

A Village's Story

Do you remember the story in the Bible of the Roman officer who came to see Jesus? He wanted Jesus to heal his servant and more, his faith was so great that he believed Jesus would only have to speak the words for it to happen. Jesus said "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all the land of Israel."

I could not stop thinking of that story last night. We met the people of a village who Jesus has changed and their faith is great. I heard so many amazing testimonies and I thought, never have I seen such faith. All of us were asking God to give us faith like our brothers and sisters.

One person believed and they loaned their land for a church building. The church is built like the people's homes; it is made of woven mats of straw stood up with a straw mat roof. It stands a little crooked. The few better homes have mud brick walls and mat roofs. These people are very poor, but very rich in faith. They are often hungry, but showed us concern asking Hadia and Teresa if they were hungry and wanted to eat.

A deaf lady gave us space to do shows for children from 3 villages. Our driver used our van to pick everyone up. They expected 50 and God sent almost 100, including adult men and women.

A few people believed and began to pray for the village's biggest need, rain. The Hindu believers had made offerings to the different gods for years and no rain. Then the few new Christians began to pray and God sent rain, so much rain. Everyone in the village said it was clearly the work of the Christian God and most believed.

A lady came one day and asked the church to pray for her husband who was a drunk. The following week, he believed, even though he had been a devout Hindu. He wore charms around his neck that he pulled off and threw in the fire to prove his faith.

Two older ladies with bad legs and twisted backs walk 2 km every Sunday to church. In the south where I live, attendance is always less on rainy or colder days. All we have to do is drive to a comfortable church. We never sit in the dirt. Such faith! Land has been bought and now they need funds for their building. Please pray!

The last day, he will go and see his brother who was a Hindu and 2 years ago trusted Christ. Pray that he will talk with him about what he is leaning as he reads his new Bible. I gave him mine and he was thrilled. He told me that he had never read the Bible and would be curious to know what Jesus said. This time I did not even get into the country before I gave my Bible away.

The Village Puppet Show

The response to the puppet show was amazing. Sam told a wonderful story and presented the Gospel so clearly. Children were shouting their prayers. They knelt in the dirt with their hands clasped together. It was precious.

They did not want to leave. We did puppets, stories, testimonies, and juggling until it was completely dark. Then all the village women gathered around me, asking me to pray for different needs. Many have health problems because of bad water. I was so overcome by the greatness of their problems and their faith, tears ran down my cheeks. I will not be able to find words to describe the privilege we were given. Finally after many, many prayers, I asked Josh to come and pray.

The ladies said that since they had come to faith, strange and evil things had begun to happen to them. Their unbelieving sons were a big problem. Remember that when millions worship false gods, there is demonic activity. This is the village's problem, so Josh asked God to protect them and deliver them.

A Church Is Burned

Of all the prayer requests I heard, one mother and grandmother's request needs your immediate attention. Immanuel loves Jesus and was working in a church in another area. Hindus came while he was there and burned down the building while he was inside. This was a week ago and no one knows if he is alive or dead. It is very likely that he died for his faith, but it is also possible that he escaped and is in hiding. Pray for answers! Pray for comfort!

I held their hands and cried with them. I told them how Mike died and how I confessed to them my struggle with the fire that followed. By God's grace, I could also encourage them with the sure knowledge I have that we live and die only by the will of our Father, not by accident, not by man's will, but by God's design. I shared with them the peace and hope that God has lovingly put in my own heart. Pray!

In Jesus,

Linda

for

Josh and Teresa Summer
Sam Shaw, assistant director (Ireland)
Nathan Light
Hadia Jackson

February 24, 2006 India Update

Dearest Friends,

We are leaving tonight February 24th for home. We stand in awe of all that we have seen God do. Yesterday, we had the privilege of sharing Christ with 1200 Hindu boys at a single show and all of their teachers loved the show. They invited us to come again next year. More we did three other shows yesterday that enabled us to share Jesus with over 600 children. Praise God!

Please pray us safely home, and rejoice with us for all we have seen God do.

In Jesus,

Linda

for

Sam Shaw - Asst Director
Hadia Jackson
Teresa Summer
Josh Summer
Nathan Light

February 25, 2006 India Update

You will Not Believe What Happened

As I write the words, we are high over the Atlantic Ocean headed for home. We almost missed our flight because Nathan and I were delayed by airport security. When they scanned my briefcase that Nathan was carrying, they became very concerned. I told them that I was a missionary coming home, but in the end they called the bomb squad and shut down that part of the airport.

Josh and Teresa were caught in the security delay. They saw us standing at the side and at first did not realize that we were being detained. As understanding dawned, Josh said, "Mom, did you cause this?" By this time all of the security people had cleared the immediate area and 200 plus aggravated people were standing in line unable to reach their gates.

Finally, they realized they had made a big mistake. I thanked them for giving Nathan and I a great story to tell. Gratefully, we boarded our plane. Thank you for remembering to pray us safely home. As yet we are unable to ascertain the identity of the questionable item because they were too embarrassed to tell us.

Prayer and Praises

We leave India with hearts full of joy, delighted by the adventure of serving in India and blessed by all that we have seen God do. Enjoy the following list of prayer and praises and just some funny things that made us smile.

1.  Praise God for the thousands and thousands of children that we were allowed to tell about the love of Jesus. Most were Hindu, some Muslim, all in need of hope. Awesome!

2.  Thank God for Joy and Leela George and their real faith, which God uses to touch people all over Asia for the Gospel. It is an honor to call them our dear friends!

3.  Praise Him for the Asian Christian Academy students that we were blessed to train in child evangelism methods. They came from all over India, Burma, Nepal, and China. Their enthusiasm for starting a student led puppet team with the equipment they received was boundless.

4.  Thank God for Sam Shaw! When we were asked to do 3 shows in full sun, Sam told the stories. The heat was simply too much for me so I opened each show introduced the beginning to the story. I am so excited to see what a great storyteller Sam has become! Mike would be very proud of his Irish son!

5.  Rejoice with me in the joy I had on this trip from having my oldest son, Josh and his wonderful wife Teresa with me! Their consistent walk with God and their desire to serve Jesus honors their father's memory. God used them to show His love to so many.

6.  Thank God for Hadia's consistently sweet spirit as well as her amazing ability with puppets. I am equally grateful for Nathan's work and hope he will join us again.

7.  In order to reach some places we had to rent vehicles. They were always owned by Hindus and decorated with Hindu gods. One even had a little plastic god that sat on the dash and flashed different colors. Imagine a Christian puppet team arriving in such a fashion!

8.  Many villages had village gods, usually a man holding a weapon standing between two brightly painted horses. He was believed to protect the village. Please ask God to show the village people who is their true strength and true refuge.

9.  Praise God for the joy of doing puppet shows in 4 different languages and even being able to tell a story while it was signed for deaf children. I am so grateful for all of the fine young men who translated for us!

10.  I am especially grateful for Manoa, a godly young man who translated many of my stories. He walks humbly with His Lord and blessed all of us. In my heart, God has given me my first Indian son. Pray for Gods provision and blessing  in his ministry.

11.  Remember to pray about the overwhelming poverty and desperate need of so many. Ask the Father to not let us  forget what we have seen and heard. May we remember that of whom much is given much is expected!

12.  The wonder of seeing children kneeling in the dirt and calling on Jesus caused all of us to praise the Lord.

13.  Praise the Lord for 10 sets of equipment that fit in backpacks for the seminary students to use on their summer  ministry trips across India. It was essential to develop a tool that could be portable and lightweight, as they will be  ministering in very difficult places.

14.  Please continue to pray for Immanuel who is believed to have died when the Hindus burned the church he was in. We  still hope that he escaped and we ask you to remember his mother and grandmother in prayer.

15.  Please begin to pray for the trip to South Africa as we leave March 15th.

In Jesus,

Linda

for

Sam Shaw, assistant director
Hadia Jackson
Nathan Light
Josh Summer
Teresa Summer