India 2005

Posted February 25, 2005

Dearest Friends,

THE LAST DAY

Our last two shows in India were especially sweet! God wonderfully answered your prayers and gave us our hearts desire! He gave us children who are hungry to hear.

"dalit" - OUTCAST

Outside the Bangalore city limits, there is a little church that shines as a bright light for Jesus in a dark place. Beacon Baptist Church reaches out to very poor children, those labeled "dalit", which means outcast. There is a caste system in India, but by law employers are required not to consider that information in hiring. However, it still rules in the hearts and minds of many people, unfortunately even Christians struggle with this unscriptural prejudice.

We were so blessed as we saw the way these Christians were loving these dear little ones. There are no words to touch the depth of poverty that some people experience in India. There are also no words to describe the joy on the children's faces as they watched the puppets, saw David juggle, and listened to Jonlyn's violin. They followed every word of the Bible story, especially the parts where I talked about Jesus and His great love.

All of the children were Hindus and their religion never speaks of love. As they continue to come to the weekly programs in this place, please ask God to call these little ones to faith! In this life, they will have nothing, but in the life that is to come; they can live with the King. The more pain and deep suffering that I see, the sweeter the promise of heaven becomes. Pray for many Indian children to share in that beautiful place. Ask God to abolish the caste system in the hearts and minds of Indian believers so that they can show the servant hood of Jesus to a lost Indian people.

"KING COBRA" and "LORD OF THE DUST"

After a 7-hour journey by car, we arrived at our last puppet show. Pastor Nagarajan (his name means "King Cobra") and pastor Kuppusamy (his name means "Lord of the Dust") both work with pastor Paul Arnold, who has been our host for this last week. Both men were former Hindus, they were named to honor different gods and they were disowned by their families when they put their faith in Jesus Christ. Their families consider them dead. Against this rebuke, loss of family, and against all odds, they stand secure in their faith. Both chose to keep their Hindu names, using them as a witness to their new faith. Just yesterday, as Kuppusamy while out shopping in preparation for last night's program, a man found out that he was a pastor. He shared with the man, "once I had no peace. Then I asked Jesus to be my Savior and He gave me peace." Pray for these two men and their work.

UP ON THE ROOF

Our last show was on the roof of one of their houses. Surrounded by a Hindu village, 130 children, teenagers, and adults gathered and heard about how they could put their trust in Jesus. Some of the children waited an hour and a half; sitting on a grass mat in the sun, just to see a puppet show. I later found out that none of them had ever seen a puppet before, and none of them knew what a puppet show was, but they thought it sounded great! So, they waited, excited to see what would happen.

WHO AM I THAT ....?

These dear people, who have so little, gave to Jonlyn and I garlands of jasmine and a rose each for our hair. They got fresh coconuts to make juice for us. One little boy shook my hand and then said, "Who am I that you should shake my hand? Now my hand is precious!" I was so overcome that I wanted to cry. All I could think was, "Who am I that God should honor me with such a privilege? These children are truly precious." From the rooftop, we shared that God is the only god and that His son Jesus is the only hope. Praise God!

PRAYER REQUEST

Tonight, Friday, we start our journey home please pray for us but pray most of all for the children of India!

In Jesus, Linda for Jonlyn and David

Posted February 23, 2005

Dearest Friends,

This is the email that I have been praying to be able to write to you from Bangalore. Rejoice! Because you prayed, God touched many different peoples hearts and we are excited about the opportunities that God has given us! Read every wonderful story and thank God!

HINDU SCHOOL

Yesterday, some thing happened that amazed all of our Indian friends that we have been training, when they saw what God did! We went to a Hindu owned school with a Hindu principal in charge. They knew we were Christians before we came, but as we set up for the show they began to ask me a series of difficult questions. God gave me wisdom as I silently prayed and He calmed their fears. I thought they might tell us that we could not do the show, but God was gracious.

We began the program and the children's response was incredible! They absolutely loved everything that was done and participated in making all of the sound effects for the story. They "rocked the boats", made storm sounds, laughed, and even the teachers participated, and remember, most of these teachers are Hindu!

Afterward, we were all invited for coffee and cookies with the principal. She gave me a thank you note, her business card, and an invitation to return to the school whenever we could come. This was unbelievable! Also, a Hindu lady with tears in her eyes profusely thanked me for telling her and the children about Jesus. All of the Indians that were with us said that they felt God's holy spirit moving in the program, it was a very special time!

MERCY EVENIN MISTAKES

God is so good to us! Even in our mistakes, He shows us mercy. Yesterday I dropped my digital camera and damaged it. It is broken. I thought, "Oh no, there will be no pictures of this part of the trip in Bangalore. "Graciously, another young man here has a digital camera and has been making pictures for us!

OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN UNSUSAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Many times, the Catholics groups here have proved to be our best friends. They have many programs and schools and welcome us to share the Gospel! Today, one Catholic lady who runs a school that is largely full of Muslims invited us to come. What a wonderful blessing! We did shared in two programs for mostly Muslim and even some Hindu children. She even wrote us a thank you note and invited us to her home for juice and home made biscuits (cookies). She did one other thing that no one else in India has done. She gave us a donation for our puppet ministry! It was the equivalent of one child's monthly tuition fee for her school.

INTERNATION SCHOOL

At one of the many schools that caters to the business community and the sons and daughters of foreign nationals, we were invited to share with a puppet show. After we were had set up and the children were in the room, two teachers came and said "You know that we are a secular school, so do not mention anything about God. Do not say the name of Jesus. I smiled, took off my microphone and said "Thank you so much for inviting us to your school. We do not want to be difficult, but we can not do a program with out saying the name of Jesus, so we will be happy to leave."

The teachers stared at me in a state of shock. The room was full of children expecting a puppet show. She offered to let me mention the name of God, but I would have to agree not to say Jesus' name. I smiled again and said, "I will not do a show unless I can say the name of Jesus. I'm going to be telling a Bible story about Jesus and His name is in all the songs that he puppets sing, so we will be happy to leave." Again she stared and decided to ask the principal's permission.

Jonlyn and David were inside the stage praying. God answered their prayers! We did the show! The children enjoyed every part, and three teachers asked us to do show for them. I love Jesus.

MISSION SCHOOL

We also shared in a program that was very well received by 900 plus students and teachers at Clarence High school. This school was begun 90 years ago by missionaries and continues to teach the students real truth!

INTERESTING THOUGHTS and things we have learned

1. All of us enjoy riding in the autorickshaws, a small 3 seat motorized vehicle.
2. We have learned that all food comes with peppers, even eggs.
3. If you want to catch a mouse, roast coconut over an open flame and then put it on the trap.

TOMORROW - PLEASE PRAY

Tomorrow we travel to a remote area, 8 hours away from here. In the evening we are planning a big puppet show. Please pray that many children and adults will come! We are following a medical team that has a free clinic in the area. We hope that the good will they generated will cause people to come to the puppet show and hear more about Jesus.

We plan to return back to Bangalore on Friday and then 12 hours later we will leave for home.

Pray for strength wisdom love and mercy as we travel.

In Jesus,

Linda for David and Jonlyn

Posted February 22, 2005

Dearest Friends,

SUNDAY MORNING IN BANGALORE

Sunday morning, we gathered with a small group of believers for worship. We met on the second floor of a building, but we could still hear the sounds of the busy city outside. Even the sound of many ceiling fans could not drown out the car horns and the traffic below. Inside, we sang, "Jesus is the Lord, forever His truth shall reign." Outside, they do not know the truth and worship evil looking idols that are physically grotesque. Inside, we are only a few, but outside is where Bangalore's eight million people live. Less than 4% of them even claim to know Christ. Inside, His light is bright, but outside there is so much evil and darkness.

This has not been the easiest trip. I write this not because I became so sick, but because there is so much attack. It is very difficult to get access to the children so that we can share with them. Physically, we are all feeling better, but it has become very hot here and Bangalore is one of the worst polluted cities in India, its air is terrible.

There is a very tense atmosphere here in Bangalore between the Hindus and the Christians. Hindus are very angry with the small Christian population, desperate to stop conversions. Christians are forced to return to their first beliefs and again become Hindus. Some whole churches have walked away from the gospel, reconverting as a group to Hinduism. A recent foreign pastor's visit so angered some Hindus that they stole cars and burned them.

Last week, we were in the country with many believers, lots of farmland, and scattered Hindu villages. Now we are in a big city surrounded by temples, traffic, and millions of people who do not know God and many of them hate the name of Jesus. Please pray for God to show us His mercy and great blessing.

CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR SCHEDULE

The schedule has improved as you have prayed. Today, we trained people from three different areas of India, who all work with pastor Paul Arnold in church planting. They enthusiastically tried making balloon animals and learned how to tell stories. Then, all of us shared in a program at a children's, home run by Mother Teresa's nuns where the children were physically and/or mentally handicapped. Every one was amazed at how they listened, laughed, and enjoyed the program. We had to share in two languages, English and Tamil, and they still were able to listened! Praise God!

Later, we returned to Pastor Arnold's house for more training sessions. As we entered the room, Cupa said, " This morning, I listened (to the training), but now that I have seen a program and I really want to learn these things. I see! I see!" Ask God to help Cupa, Na, and Joshua, learn these things, so that they can share with the children after we are gone.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Please pray for the remaining four days of ministry.
2. Please ask God to open the hearts of the seven hundred children and teenagers at Clarence School tomorrow. Many are Hindus but this is a Christian school.
3. Please pray for the two other programs that we have tomorrow, one is at a Baptist Church and one with another group of believers. Every program will be filled with mostly Hindu children! Please pray!

In Jesus Linda, Jonlyn and David

Posted February 19, 2005

Dearest Friends,

A BOY NAMED AMOS (very graphic)

India is full of children who are hurting and have no hope. Amos was six years old when he came to live at the Asian Christian Academy. His parents were dead and his grandfather had been caring for him. He was a very old, poor farmer and he was not really interested in the boy. The little boys head was covered with infected ulcers and so the first things the doctors did was to shave his head. Then, they put coconut oil on his head and told Amos to stand in the sun. Before too long, the maggots began crawling out of his scalp. I know that this is really hard to read, but remember, you only have to read it; you don't have to live his life. God was so good to Amos! He came to live at the "House of Joy" orphanage, on campus and is receiving a good education at the Christian School on the campus. Now, he is in the sixth grade, leads the children's choir, and plays guitar. Most important, Amos put his trust in Jesus Christ. Today, his heart is full of hope and Amos has a father who loves and cares for him. God his father! Pray for Amos to grow strong and deep in his faith!

JOY AND LEELA GEORGE

If you want to learn more about the ministry of the Asian Christian Academy and hear awesome stories about what God is doing in India, please contact Joy and Leela George at joyleela@bgl.vsnl.net.in and ask them to come and share at your church. They will be in the United States from April 15th to June 15th this year. For almost thirty years, they have faithfully served in this work. Praise God!

WE MOVE TO BANGELOR

India is full of little boys like Amos. He would have died a slow horrible death if God had not showed him mercy through the George's love for Jesus. At this moment, David, Jonlyn and I have a big request to ask of you. We want to use our remaining time in India to share with the children, to tell them about Jesus who is the hope for the hopeless. Please, we have time to do many more shows here in Bangalore, but there are many difficulties in scheduling.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Please pray for God to open more doors for us to share with the children. This is an urgent need, as we only have six days left!
2. Please pray for pastor Paul Arnold at the Bangalore Presbyterian Church as he seeks to find the right places to minister.
3. Please ask our Father to give us, more work, more strength, and more wisdom.

Please Pray!

In Jesus, Linda for Jonlyn and David

Posted February 17, 2005

Dearest Friends,

I received a phone call this morning from India. They had to cancel yesterday's outreaches because Linda, David, and Jonlyn are all sick with various levels of severity with dysentery, probably from something that they all had to eat.

David and Jonlyn have responded well to oral medication and oral fluids. Linda is the most sick and had to have medication and fluids administered by IV, because she could not keep the oral medication and fluids down.

I talked to Linda and David by phone this morning and both sounded well and in good spirits. they both wanted you to know that they are on the mend. The team completes their work at this location today and they are traveling back to Bangelor tomorrow to begin work with another group.

Please pray for strength and a quick recovery as they begin the second part of this trip.

In Christ, Mike Summer

Posted February 16, 2005

Dearest Friends,

IN THE VILLAGE

We just returned from a Hindu village. It was awesome! When we arrived an older lady put out a grass mat for me to sit on. Because she showed us such hospitality, we made her a balloon flower to thank her and she loved it! The children sat on the dirt street and listened to the story of Jonah. Many adults gathered.

At one point three cows coming down the road forced the children to move but they quickly gathered again to hear the rest of the story. We made balloons, David juggled, and Jonlyn played her violin. We were warmly welcomed and will return tomorrow to share about the miracles of Jesus and more of the Gospel. Please devote yourself to prayer for these people. They live in some of the worst homes that I have ever seen. Still, in their great poverty they hunger for Someone whose name they do not know; not one god among many, but the only God! Pray.

SEMINARY STUDENTS

The work that God has given us to do here is especially sweet. The seminary students are eager to learn and 50 of them gathered at 8:30 last night to learn how to tie balloons and use them to share Christ with the children. You should have seen their faces, full of joy and excitement. We had so much fun teaching them! They came from all over India, Burma, Nepal, and even China.

This summer, seven teams of students will spread out across India to share Christ and all of them want to use balloons in their programs. Since they do not sell balloons and pumps in India, we will have to have them brought in. Please pray for God's providence for twenty-four pumps and a case of balloons that must be delivered by late March.

CURRY AND JACKFRUIT

We have enjoyed wonderful curry, heavily spiced and very tasty. Jonlyn and David are becoming skilled at eating with their fingers. I still use a fork. This evening we enjoyed a jack fruit which tastes like a banana crossed with a mango.

BEAUTIFUL COLORS OF THE LADIES CLOTHES

When I look at any group of ladies, I see the most incredible colors. The sarees, that the ladies wear, are so beautiful and flowing, in reds, oranges, bright greens, deep purples, and vivid blues. Jonlyn and I have both bought sarees!

FROG MOSQUITO CATCHER

I almost stepped on a frog in the shower today. Joy warned us that the frog likes to hide in the commode and jump out. A gecko lives in the den, but that's OK with us, because he eats so many mosquitoes.

PRAY FOR TOMORROW - SHOWS, SEMINARS AND BACK TO THE VILLAGE

Tomorrow we will have three puppet shows on campus, sharing with many Hindu and orphan children. Three times, during the day, we will teach the seminary students and in the afternoon, we will have the joy of returning to the village. Please pray for strength, wisdom, and a great out pouring of Gods spirit!

In Jesus, Linda for Jonlyn and David

Posted February 15, 2005

Dearest Friends,

THE ASIAN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Yesterday, early on Monday morning, we traveled to another state, Tamil Nadu, where The Asian Christian Academy is located. This is the same state where the Tsunami hit.

We are enjoying the beauty of the countryside and have seen many wonderful things. Bananas are growing everywhere, along with cashews and jackfruit, a strange fruit that can swell to over 50 pounds. Many of the professor's families have small vegetable gardens on the campus. They all work together to make this a place that honors God.

Sunday night, the school suffered a great loss. Someone stole their three best milk cows. Since there is an orphanage, a seminary, a clinic, and a school for 600 children, located on this property depends on the milk, everyone really felt the loss. Still, as soon as we were told, our team prayed with Joy, the seminary President, asking God to bring the thieves to repentance and call them to faith. Please pray for God's provision for three new cows and a large wall that must be built around the compound. Especially pray for the thieves to trust Jesus.

HINDU GODS

Hindu gods are very different from all of the false gods that we saw in Taiwan. They are difficult to look at because they are very sexual in appearance. I cannot find the words to explain to you how dark this religion is. It binds people with superstition and holds them with fear and offers them nothing. Only a few hope to achieve godhood and join the other 3 million plus gods that Hinduism boasts (an earlier statement of 500 was incorrect) and some worship snakes or elephants.

Directly across from The Asian Christian Academy, the Hindus built a temple. They choose to build a temple to a false god that is particularly offensive to Christians. This temple honors a fertility cult where they worship the sexual organs of Shiva and his consort, Barbathy. The new temple is easily recognized as a place for fertility worship because of the shape of the building.

About three years ago, they began to build this temple and usually construction proceeds very quickly. However, God's people began to pray and suddenly the work stopped. They have not returned to finish it, Leela, Joy's wife, feels that God allowed this terrible temple for a specific purpose. It is a constant visual reminder to all the Christians of the darkness and evil that most people in the area suffer. She sees it as a call to prayer. Pray for God to preserve and enlarge this work!

SCHEDULE FOR TODAY

Today, we will share in three puppet shows for Hindu children, teach a story-telling class to seminary students, and have a late evening puppet training seminar. Continue to ask God to pour His spirit on these programs!

PRAY!

In Jesus,

Linda for David and Jonlyn

Posted February 13, 2005

Dearest Friends,

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As we landed, the lights of the city sparkled in every direction, an endless carpet of light. Today, as we drove around the city and saw so many people and so many temples, we began to realize something of the size of this place and the great need of the children.

Our hearts are broken by all that we are learning about Hinduism. This religion boasts over five hundred gods, and none of them show love to people. We have been told that we need to stress to the children that God is the one true God and that He is the only God. Hindus are willing to except Him as one of many, but not the only one. Pray for the children who watch our programs to see the difference. Pray for them to see Jesus as a Savior who comes to give life. This hope is not found in Hinduism.

POVERTY -

Poverty is how most people live. Even though Bangalore has many good jobs, there are oceans of people here who work at very hard manual labor jobs. Near where we are staying, migrant workers live in make-shift tents, digging new sewage ditches. They will stay here till the job is done and then move to another place, just the type of job. They live under a tarp without any of the comforts we require. What is it like for these children who are always camping out?

BANGALORE

Bangalore, the city that we are in, allegedly got its name after an old women living nearby served a simple dish of boiled beans to a lost Hoysala king. A local ruler, Kempegowda, later founded Bangalore, literally " the town of boiled beans". Nicknamed "the Garden City" and called India's "Silicon Valley", it also has many slums. Beggars with twisted legs and broken bodies are common. There is so much need. Still, the greatest need of those who are rich or poor is Jesus! Pray!

OUR HOSTS

Joy George, President of the Asian Christian Academy, and his wife, Leela, are our hosts for the first week. They have a deep faith and have already been so very kind to us. This morning, after we convinced them that we did not want to rest, they arranged for us to share Jesus with a Sunday School full of mostly Hindu children and many orphans. It was a joy! We also brought a mission's report to the church and begged them to focus on reaching their children for Christ. The pastor preached on the importance of knowing God, who He is and understanding what He does. We met a lady, who a year ago worshipped many Gods as a Hindu, but now she puts her trust only in Jesus. Praise God! A place changes one life at a time.

INDIA - A GREAT COUNTRY WITH MANY NEEDS

A man greeted me at the airport last night. He said, " Welcome to great India." This is a great country, with great needs that only Jesus can satisfy. Already we want to come again. Pray!

In Jesus,

Linda for David and Jonlyn

Posted February 12, 2005

Dearest Friends,

We are in India!!!!!!!

All of our bags arrived safely and even though we were stopped and had to open suitcases with sound equipment, the custom's official showed us favor. After a lot of questions, he finally released us with no charges. Praise God! Thanks for all your prayers..

All of us are so very excited. We arrived here at almost 1 in the morning and slept for just a few hours. Our host woke us up asking if we wanted to share at a Sunday school. Our answer was yes! So within hours of arriving, we will be sharing with orphans and neighborhood children. God is so good!

Please pray for us!

In Jesus, Linda...for Jonlyn and David

(Note: Immediately after returning from Taiwan, Sam Shaw had to have surgery to remove a large inflamed cyst removed from his lower back. He had been in great pain before and during Taiwan (actually off and on for over a year). He thought that he had injured his back severely and had no idea of the cyst.

Pray for his quick recovery and give thanks that it was not actually a lower back injury and that now it should heal completely. Mike)