Our Final Day

Arlene and Alice still had a number of things to see in Delhi.  Carol had been to all of the places we were going to go and so she stayed back as we set out on an adventure.

I arranged for our taxies throughout the day.  This tour of the city, our trip to the airport at 6:30 p.m. to go on to Pune, and Arlene and Alices’ trip to the airport at 8:00 p.m. to head back to the States.  Carol’s sister lives in Pune and we are spending three days with her before we return to the States as well.

Our taxi came around 10:00 a.m.  We had a wonderful driver who told us about many things, which as he said, was his job to do, but he did exactly what we wanted.  Our first destination was to Old Delhi and to see the Red Fort from the outside.  The fort is huge and seems to stretch for blocks in each direction.  This fort is from the time of the Mogul rulers.

We parked in a common parking area and hired three rickshaws for the next part of the journey.  The streets of Old Delhi are so narrow that the only way you can maneuver is by food, on a motorbike or scooter ort in a rickshaw.  It is just remarkable how much traffic winds it way through these narrow streets.  We passed gold, cloth goods of all kinds, food, and you pretty much name it kind of shop as we rode through.

At one point we stopped and they took us back another side street where we toured a Jain Temple.  It was quite interesting and began our tour of temples for this day.  After the excitement of Old Delhi we went on to the Bengali Sweet Shoppe where we had a little snack and bought a few things to take with us.

The next stop was the Lotus Temple build by the Bahais.  This is a solemn place for prayer for any who enter.   No talking is permitted or any pictures inside the large meeting hall.  This structure is now one of the most visited places in all of India.  It is shaped like a lotus flower and is covered completely with marble over a cement and rebar inner structure.

Our final temple for the day was to go to a Sikh Temple closer to the center of Delhi’s shopping district.  Here we not only removed our shoes as in the previous two places, but we also each had our heads covered with a gold bandana.  Sikh men and women cover their head in worship.  We entered the temple to hear the singing of the leaders of the temple and to see many people praying as they spend their time here as a part of their day.

Each of these experiences gave us further perspective on the religions of India and the worship experiences of these many different people.  We spoke several times about the reality that there is a measure of truth in what many of these people are doing, and there is great zeal for their faith.  Paul declares however that it is zeal without knowledge of the one and only true God, Jesus the Messiah.

We returned to the hotel by 4:30 p.m. and then finished our preparations for departure.  A light meal together at 5:30 p.m. preceded the departure of the first taxi for the airport for a 9:20 p.m. departure.  Then the second taxi left at 8:00 p.m. for the 11:55 p.m. departure of the flight for the States.

As I write we are still in Pune and we have heard from our two sisters that they are both safely back to their homes.  This has been a great trip and many wonderful experiences.  Thank-you to each one who has taken the time to follow along with these blogs!

Blessings, Ken

Wrapping Up

We completed our time in Orissa and following our good-byes we headed back to Delhi. On arrival I made arrangements for a vehicle that would take us to Dilly Hut (7th paragraph) to enjoy the evening and then on to our hotel. It was easier to go there first, rather than to our hotel and then back to this location.

We met another passenger on our flight from Belgium. She was having some trouble finding lodging and so the next thing you know she and Carol were talking. Soon we had connected her with our hotel and a place to stay as well as transportation to her destination. We knew her only as Karen. We didn’t see her again but we did here from the management that she had arrived.

We ate at Dilly Hut and then called our driver and made our way back to our hotel. Even though we had been there less than two weeks before, all of the legal papers for that stay had already been filed and so the four of us went through the process of filing another set of legal papers. These are required of all international guests in hotels within India. It is part of the process of traveling here.

We were able to settle in for the night and then had a nice breakfast together in the morning before our last day in India as a team. We recommend the Grand Godwin Hotel to anyone who may be coming to India. It is near the main railway station and the main Bazaar.

Another Perspective

For another wonderful perspecitive on this trip I encourage you to look at the blog that Bekah has been keeping.  You will also find her comments on the portion of her trip through Thailand.

http://reachintheworld.blogspot.com/

Blessings, Ken

The Beauty and Need of India

Our trip continued to the temple city of Puri.  This is also a costal city.  We arrived at our hotel mid afternoon and could hear the beating of the waves down at the beach.  It was a beautiful sight.  When we walked down there we saw large waves breaking against the shore and enjoyed the beauty of the moment.  It was like an escape from all of the other things we had seen in the midst of our travels, but this too is India.

We relaxed by the shore and interacted with the vendors that were there to give us great deals on their products.  Unfortunately none of us had brought any money with us and so we told them the same, but indicated we would be back in the morning.  There was a tea man, however, and a man who was giving massages that both gave us great interest.  Soon we had agreed upon a deal with the tea man to cover the cost of our expenses until in the morning.  We all relaxed by the bay and watched the sun go down.

Interestingly it was only 6:30 p.m. and the moon was shining brightly on the water in the midst of the darkness.  To us it seemed to be much later.  Some stayed at the beach and others returned to our rooms to clean up before we had our evening meal.  We were going to leave at 8:00 p.m. for dinner.  We went to another hotel we knew and enjoyed a great meal.  It was after 10:00 p.m. when we left.

The next day our plan was to see the temples of Puri and to push on to Konark to see the sun temple.  You may see pictures of these places in my February 2008 post, “catching up with pictures.”  The next day was an auspicious holiday for the Hindus and there were many worshippers at the Temples in Puri.  There were bamboo fences set up to help with crowd control and keeping the people in a reasonable queue. 

We went to a place on the roof of the library where we can see all that is happening away from the press of the crowd.  It is just remarkable to see the devotion of these people to gods who I believe are false.  The activities that were being done to appease the god’s are as old as the recorded religious traditions of the world.  People are seeking something that will satisfy the need of their soul.

I believe this satisfaction is found only in Jesus Christ, God among us.  The one who came and paid the price for our sin so that we can place our faith in him and by grace receive the peace and satisfaction that we all crave.  If you do not know Jesus I encourage you to find a Christian Bible and start by reading the book of John.  In the pages of God’s Word you will meet the One who can bring true satisfaction and meet your need.

The Beauty of Relationships

As we returned south to our central point of operation in Cuttack we came back to cloths that had been cleaned and pressed for us. What a wonderful sight when you have been on the road for three days! Our hosts have been caring for us in so many ways. We are very grateful.

The next day, two of our team pushed on for England. The plan was to get up and have a slightly later “brunch” and then begin the trip to the airport. We had done a little shopping in a store the night before in the capital city and as often happens a question arose: Why didn’t I get one of those? So we planned to stop at this store on the way to the airport.

It is interesting how close we become to a group of people who we only casually know when we begin a trip like this. This is true not only for the members of the team that come from another country, but also for the team members who are part of the country to which we go.

There were tears and emotional pain as we said our good-byes. One of the local team members questioned me as we walked away whether he would ever see them again.

Fortunately each of the three team members who have left early arrived safely at there intended destinations. Those of us who continue are each doing well. It is very special to develop these relationships and open our lives to one another.

Visiting a Village

The days have run one into the other with quite a bit of travel and very little time to type.  But here I am and I want to catch up with a few of the significant events of the last few days.

We traveled north to Balesore and used a hotel there as our kick-off point to head further north into West Bengal.  On Sunday past we made a trip north and into a village where Christian brothers and sisters had gathered to meet us.  They were of several different people groups but several of the greeting practices were clearly Santali.

Before we arrived at the village we were met by a group of people.  They were there with drums and several other instruments.  They also had water and special leaves in lotas being carried by young women.  The group gathered around us and we walked into the village where the meeting was to take place.

Congested traffic had made us a bit late and so instead of having our feet washed as they would normally do we had our hands washed.  Garlands were placed around our necks and many kind words of greeting were given including a traditional “welcome” song.

We were there to join with them in a time of Bible Study.  Most of the participants in the up front activity had arrived with us.  Four speakers, a vocalist, an area supervisor, and the rest of our team were some of these people.  Following some time for singing our first person spoke, then music, then the second speaker, and music, and the third speaker and music, and finally the fourth speaker who closed out the close to three hour service.

People sat on mats on the ground for the most part.  The people were very attentive.  Without having arranged it this way each of the speakers spoke about faith in the Christian life – faith for salvation, faith for daily living that stretches us to action, and faith that is lived out exactly where we are in life as God takes us where we are and calls us to live by faith.  The final speaker aptly chose to take this theme and make a significant challenge to all in attendance about the application of these truths to their own lives.  People were touched.

Following the service we had a great meal prepared by the people there for all in attendance.  It was wonderfully prepared and served to us as people again demonstrated the richness of Indian hospitality.

Following the time for eating we then were introduced to one of the customs of this community of people as they entered into a dance.  The drummers were in the center and a group of three or four people would form a line holding hands.  A person or two started to sing and there was a rhythmic step forward and back to the beat of the drums.  Further people joined in groups of four or more and eventually there was a large group of people all involved with the dance.  It was a great experience and of course the guests were pulled into the line of those who were part of the dance.  

Travel

Two large four wheel drive vehicles became our homes as we traveled north to West Bengal and then back to Cuttack.  There were seven of us in the one vehicle and five in the other on the first day.  The second day we picked up two more people as part of our group.  Part of the time the car with seven became a car with nine, and then later we balanced it out with eight and six.

Because of the concern related to our presence and it causing any distress among the local population in the cities where we were traveling; the foreign guest sat in the back seat and the rear benches, while Indian nationals rode in the front.  The cars all had dark glass windows so that no one could see in at who was passing by when we passed.  This has been a normal precaution here in this part of the world for the last six or more years that I have been visiting this area.

We left Cuttack around 10:00 a.m. for a 160 KM journey north.  It took us four hours to reach our destination.  Passing through the many towns we likely averaged around 10 to 12 miles per hour.  Out on the road we were lucky if we averaged 35 miles per hour on a four lane highway with a speed limit of 80 KM (50 mph).

As we drove we came upon goats, cows and water buffalo also sharing the road with us, or crossing it.  We came on vehicles coming the wrong way down the four lane highway because of the divide and curbing that made it next to impossible to turn off on that road you wanted to take on the opposite side of the highway.  Everyone just knows what is happening and seems to take it in stride.

A stop for gasoline and a stop to get out of the cars and stretch our legs were the two diversions from the multi-sensory experience of travel.

One other interesting experience in travel was to stop at a road side rest following our trip north and when we started to come south again.  We had had a great mid day meal, but most of us had not had tea.  For most Indians that is something that needs to be corrected.

We stopped at a thatch covered building along the road.  We walked down the side embankment of the road and they pulled out rope woven beds for us to sit on while our tea was being made over a wood fire.  It did not take to long and good hot team was being served to us in small plastic cups.  The only way you can hold them is to hold them around the top rim of the cup above the tea line.  You then just turn your hand forty five degrees and take a sip of what I consider to be wonderful Indian spiced tea – masala chai.

Changes Along The Way

Many of you may be aware that there are tensions here in Orissa with animosity being expressed toward Christians.  We were well aware of this as we came and we have not had any difficulties related to it.  There have been threats however for certain areas of ministry for those who are hosts.  Because of this they made a few changes in our activities and schedule while we are here in Orissa.  Another change also developed for a completely different reason.

The first change that was made is that while we were in Cuttack we stayed inside most of the time.  We were picked up and taken to the activity sites and we usually got out of the car after the exterior gate was closed.  We then were returned to our residence in a similar fashion.  We have stayed behind locked gates and have not had freedom to just roam around in the community.  The concern is not to create animosity within the Hindu community.  It is mainly a situation of being wise.

You need to realize that the event we are here for is a registered event for which the local church has police permission to gather and celebrate in the Prayer Conference.  That is not the issue.  Seven people from outside of this community and nation attending this event, however, calls a little more attention to the event.

There have been no calls for concern while we are here.  Our hosts are just being sure that they do not put us or themselves in a difficult situation.  We now have moved north at the time of this writing and there are no restrictions on our movement in this community.

Another change that has taken place relates to part of one of my early blogs.  I mentioned that one of our team members spouse had needed surgery since we started on this trip.  There always was a question about his needing to return home early.  Greg left for home on Friday.  We were able to change all of his tickets to accommodate this.  It was good that he could be part of so many things during the early portion of our journey.  We trust and pray a speedy recovery for his spouse.  Remember them both in prayer.

One further change relates to us going to and staying at the SPICE hostel.  Tension has mounted in that area and so our hosts made provision for us to stay in a hotel and use this as our base while we are in the northern part of Orissa.  From here we will go across the state border into West Bengal for services on Sunday and then return here before heading back to Cuttack on Monday.

Changes come in many ways.  Some we weather easily.  Some bring a bit more concern.  But through whatever the change may be the solid point of our experience in our walk and relationship with Jesus Christ.  His love and presence is constant.  We trust him in all we do, wherever we may be. 

Orissa Prayer Conference

For two days we have experienced parts of the Prayer Conference scheduled for these days.  The Rev. Dr. George Lucas was the guest speaker.  Those on our team also had opportunity to speak in several different settings.  In all of the experiences we met wonderful people and made new friends.

 Our daily schedule went something like this for each of these days. 

 8:30 – Breakfast

10:30 – Leave for the Church Center

11:00 – 2:00 – Services with usually three speakers as well as singing and testimonies

2:00 – 3:00 – The mid day meal

3:00 – 6:00 – Time on our own back at our lodging

6:00 – 10:00 – The evening service with a message and then a cultural program

10:00 – 11:00 – The evening meal and then back home to our lodging

 As you can see we have become accustomed to lengthy services and a very different eating schedule from what many of us are accustomed to in the west.  Also interspersed in this schedule are at least two times for morning and afternoon tea breaks.

 As a team we are learning a lot about each other as we live in community through-out this time.  It is exciting.

SPICE Hostel

We traveled to Orissa from Delhi, landing in Bhubaneshwar.  There are hosts were ready at the airport to meet us with beautiful garlands.  Once we had collected our luggage we piled into the two vehicles and headed north to Cuttack.  We are being housed in the Good News Hour building and guest house.  There are nice rooms here, each its own bath.  The two rooms downstairs are air-conditioned and all of the rooms have ceiling fans.

After we had settled in to our rooms and relaxed a little we were picked up to go to the Zion Boys Hostel.  This is a hostel for high school boys that is now in its third year of operation.  We drove to the hostel and were greeted by the some sixty residents of this hostel.

They live here and study in the local schools of Cuttack.  The high school hostel has opened the door for high school education for the students who come up through the other SPICE hostels.  The program in Oirssa previously only had children who were in grade school.  This hostel, and one that is planned for girls as well, provides a place where students who otherwise could not receive the same education in their own home village areas, to receive education.

They each introduced themselves to us and then shared a delightful program including singing and drama.  Following this one of our team told about what it meant for sponsors to be part of this program and how special each one of these students were to the people who are sponsoring them.

Part of the SPICE program is the opportunity for sponsors to give an extra gift for something to be purchased for each student.  We happened to be here just at the time when they had the gifts purchased for this hostel and we were able to call out each name for the student to receive a pair of jeans and a shirt.  The delight of the moment was mutual for all.

We returned to our lodging very satisfied with what we had seen and experienced.  Truly the dollars given through SPICE are dollars that are well spent and give a multiplied return in the lives of people.

A day of the Expected and Unexpected

The day started early as three of us left for Agra to see the Taj Mahal.  I tried to get on line before we left, but I had a weak signal and it did not happen.  Greg, Alice and Ken headed off for Agra.  The trip is always interesting as you see the phenomenal variety of “life on the road” in India.  We watched, talked and enjoyed the ride.

 A development that was not really expected at this time is that Greg’s wife ended up with a gall bladder attack that necessitated surgery.  It started on Sunday and by Monday she was in surgery.  Fortunately we have cell phone coverage that allows contact and a measure of support from a distance.  While on the road to Agra Greg and Amy were able to talk for a while.  Pray for them during these days.

 The road trip continued without incident and so it would seem that all was well.

 Back in Delhi a little of the unexpected was happening.  Carol went to request her car and was told there were no arrangements made for her.  She insisted that there were and so the conversation went.  Finally they made a connection – “Oh for Mr. Kenneth!”  The car was made available and she headed off to the airport to pick-up Chris and Beckah who were coming from Thailand.

 Back in Agra the arrangements were all made to go into the grounds of the Taj Mahal.  While walking to the gate Ken’s phone rang.  Carol was at the airport and there was no plane arriving from Thailand.  What am I supposed to do?  Back in Agra Ken sent a text message to Chris and soon his phone rang.  “Where are you, Chris?”  “We are still in Thailand.  Didn’t you get my message?”  Unfortunately I had not been able to get on line.

 We decided that she would come on a later plane that day.  I told her I would be there to meet her.  She was now to arrive at 10:55 p.m.  I called the number through which Carol had called me.  It happened to be the phone of the man at an Airtel Wireless booth.  Carol was still there and I was able to tell her what was happening.

 The tour of the Taj Mahal was wonderful.  It was followed by a good meal and then some opportunity to shop for some of the beautiful creations made from marble and precious and semi-precious stones.  We toured a factory and saw how they make the beautiful marble work.  It was close to 4:00 p.m. and we had a four hour drive back to Delhi so we started for home.

Back in Delhi they had done some shopping and roaming around the streets of our hotel.  Finally Carol and Arlene were just ready to go out for a bite to eat and to find a container to leave some things at the hotel when we pulled up arriving back.

It was good to catch up on the day we each had had and then there was opportunity for a little rest before taking off to the airport again.  This time Chris and Beckah were on the plane and we found our car and headed back to the hotel arriving around 12:20 a.m.

I went to the desk and asked for their room only to be told that they did not make the reservation.  What to do?  The Inn was full.  Greg had an extra single bed in his room.  We woke him up and Ken moved in with him.  they put a cot in our room and Carol, Chris and Beckah shared that room.

Even in the midst of the unexpected, we had a great day!

A Great Day in Delhi

Have you been to the main bazaar in Delhi?  It is a wonderful place to explore.  You will find one quaint shop after another as you roam the allies and small streets of this interesting part of Delhi.  There is so much of "life on the street" in this part of town.  We began the day by walking through a portion of this bazaar.

One of the exciting things to do in this type of a walk is crossing the several lane road that is one of the main streets in this area.  It means a tart out into the traffic and a willingness to keep going and trusting the traffic that they will not hit you.  It took a little doing but we each made it across and then we continued our walk to the bazaar.

We rode bicycle rickshaws back to our hotel and then proceed by car to our next destination.  Kahn market gave us opportunity to eat at the "Big Chill" restaurant.  Quite an experience.  Then after some shopping we were off to some further sites and activities.

We explored the Kuta Binar and the surrounding grounds of this Historic Site.  It was constructed between 1100 and 1350.  Just think.  It was completed about 100 years before Columbus.  The Indian government is hard at work seeking to restore the things that may be restored even as they maintain the historicity of the site itself.

We made a few more stops and found our self in the thick of Delhi evening traffic.  With it all we headed back to the hotel, but not until after seeing the India Gate at nighttime.  Truly a beautiful sight.

On the Way

Hi from Newark International Airport.

Five of our eventual group of seven members are now together.  We will be on the plane within two hours.  Things are going well.  Let me introduce our group.

Arlene Miller is from Elizabethtown, PA.  She coordinates the SPICE Program in North America.  There is always a place for more sponsors if you are interested.  

Alice Andrews comes from Ada, Michigan.  She is a doctor who is no longer active in a practice.  Her travels have taken her many places, but never to India.

Greg Starr comes from Elizabethtown, PA.  He is on his second international trip and first to India.

In a few days Chris and Bekah Sharp will join us in Delhi.  They are presently in Thailand.

The other two of us are Ken and Carol Hoke.  We help to coordinate the trip and make it happen as smoothly as possible along with our hosts in various parts of India.

The next leg of our journey will be a fourteen hour flight Newark to New Delhi.  It really isn't so bad, at least we seem to be taking these flights around twice a year.

Pray with us as we go.  We will keep you posted as we go.

Blessings to all who read our posts.

Orissa Final Schedule

November Travel to India / Pastor's Vision Trip

Nov 1              Begin our travel from various points to India, leaving from Newark, NJ

Nov 2              Arrive in New Delhi and head to our lodging 

Nov 3 & 4       Getting adjusted to our host country and the wonderful sites of Delhi and her environs.

Nov 5              On to Orissa and our hosts from the Orissa 

Nov 6              Program in Cuttack, Orissa

Nov 7              Programs with the local Staff 

Nov 8              Travel north to SPICE Hostel.  Evening program with Hostel children.   

Nov 9              Travel to local village to meet people in the village.  

Nov 10            Travel back to Cuttack.  Opportunity to explore Cuttack.

Nov 11            C and R to Bhubaneswar for return to Delhi.  Others will explore Bhubaneswar and on to Puri where we will stay for the night.

Nov 12            Exploration of Puri – the place called "The Gate Way to Heaven" by Hindus and on to Konark – the sun temple, and then back to Cuttack

Nov 13            Flight back to Delhi 

Nov 14            In Delhi and then return flight to the USA 

Nov 15            Arrival back to Newark.  Following customs the group disperses to their various home destinations.

Back tro India - Orissa 08

Plans are coming together for us to head back to India this November.  We are taking a group with us.  Originally the plan was to take a larger group to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Brethren in Christ Church in Orissa.  Unfortunately, the distress in this state made it so that these activities and celebrations were canceled.

We do have a nice group - seven in all - who are still making the trip to Orissa.  We will be flying into Delhi and after several days will head on to Orissa.  The people there are planning for some very nice opportunities for us to be involved in their lives and for us to be of mutual support to each other.

I will seek to give updates of our travels and trust you may join with us as we go through these posts.  

Blessings to all who read this blog.  Ken

I am part of the Appreciative Inquiry Process for MCC. I used a resource today to create this word cloud using words people are using to describe the mission of MCC. 

 http://wordle.net/  Check out Wordle!

Facebook | My Photos - Profile Pictures

Facebook | My Photos - Profile Pictures

Our son, Steve and his wife, Julie, just had their first baby, Alliyah Grace Hoke. She arrived Saturday, 8/23/08, and it was great to go to Philly to visit her.

Steve's art makes the News

Check out this post. Our son, Steve, made the pick of the week for his art.

Goa Pictures

This was my home away from home while in Goa. I was in Room 1 on the upper left hand corner of this guest house. It was a nice place to stay while in Goa.

There are many things that take place at the beach. Great little restaurants are found on the beach. The total structure is put up and then taken down each year for the tourist season. During the monsoon all is put away.

Fishing is also a vital part of life for people here. You have to get here pretty early in the morning to see them bring their boats back in after their night time fishing.

My hosts while in Goa.

Opportunities in Goa

My posts have gotten out of order, but I am in Goa and experiencing a great time with the people here. I have already spoken about Sunday. I also spent Monday and Tuesday in Goa and then will start my homeward journey on Wednesday.

Goa is an interesting place. It almost seems to be a culture based on the tourist industry. People live here and work here for six months of the year and then go back to their places of origin across India and across the world for the other six months. As I am here it is getting toward the end of the tourist season. The hot months will soon begin and then the monsoon will follow.

I have spent my time with the people who are working here in Goa from North America. It has been good to spend time with people individually and in groups around shared meals. It has also been a delight to be in several homes to share meals. Each setting gives opportunity to listen and to talk about things that are particularly on the mind of the people working here.

This morning (Tuesday) I am leading a session with the team. Dan has asked me to work with the group as they think about their individual gifting and the task before them. I pray it will be a good time of interaction and will continue to encourage each team member in the calling to ministry that God has given them in this place.

Blessings to each of you who have been reading my posts. Thank-you for your prayers! The Lord has answered and is at work in all that is happening through these days.

Catching Up with Pictures

The temple to Jagannath is a temple open only to Hindus. This is where the devote Hindus believe they may die and be translated immediately to Nirvana.

It was remarkable to be here and see the many people going through many ritualistic forms to give their worship to their god.

There were ritualistic washings and sprinkling your head with water that seemed to come from the temple, or at least was at the point where many would enter.

There also were clay pots that were used to receive rice that had been offered to the gods of this temple. It put me in mind of Paul and his discussion about eating meat that had been offered to idols.

We went on to the temple at Konark. This was a monument to the sun god. It was made in the year 1200 and during the three seasons of the Indian year the sun shines straight through passage ways on the opposite side of this view and into the central chamber. The ruins you see before you were at one time the base of a structure that was taller than the one you see here.

In the midst of this land the Name of Jesus is also recognized and people gather to worship the one and only God of our Universe. Thank God for his mighty work in our world and pray that more and more people will come to know the truth and the light found in Jesus Christ. The people in this picture are some of those who gather to worship at the "All Nations Centre" in Goa.

One Last Cultural Trip

Friday we had opportunity to make one further trip to experience the reality of Hinduism in the context of some major temples. We had been careful not to do much photography around other temple sites in order not to raise to many questions. Today, however, we would head to two areas that were "tourist" places and would not raise much question about our being involved with videography.

We started by stopping at the SPICE Hostel for High School boys in Cuttack. It was good to see this and get a feel for this further ministry of SPICE. The boys here all have finished up their work in one of the other hostels. Those schools only take them through the elementary grades. Through this hostel they now have opportunity to continue on into high school.

Then we headed south to Puri. This part of Orissa is known for it's many temples. We passed a Buddhist center as well as many Hindu Temples. We also were touched by the presence of Muslim mosques as we heard the calls to prayer being called out across loud speaker systems.

Puri is a major center for Hindu worship. It is believed that if you die here, at the major temple, you will go straight to heaven, avoiding the multiple stages of reincarnation. We went to the roof of a nearby building and were able to observe so much of the religious life of those who were coming to this temple. Only Hindus are allowed to enter.

People were entering the temple to worship. Others were just stopping on the street, removing their shoes and praying, and then putting them back on and continuing on their way. The scene displayed the phenomenal devotion of people to a religious system that I believe is false. Yet they give themselves totally to this worship.

We pushed on to Konark and another temple. This one was built in 1200 and took some twelve years to build. This is not an active worship site as the earlier temple, and yet it is a place where many people come to see and experience what has been part of Indian culture for these many years.

It is into this culture and great need that we come to bring the message of Jesus and his offer of salvation, not by what we do, but by receiving his saving work for us by faith. The grace of Jesus is sufficient for every situation and need.

Seeker's Conferences and more

I am sitting in an Internet Cafe in Goa. This is the first I have used public Internet access during this trip. Yesterday I had written this post and thought I had saved it, but my connection was not good through my wireless access modem. So I am writi8ng again following my first post from Goa.

We finished up with our trip to West Bengal and went as far south as Balesore. There we stayed overnight at a hotel we have used before (my third visit). It is nice to go to a place where people remember you and you remember them. Following a good nights rest we then continued south to Cuttack. It was good to be back after our several day excursion.

That afternoon the guys did some final video work in the Good News Office. It is great to see how they work with the radio ministry here and follow-up with the seekers. It was impressive to see their record keeping system so that they can track each person who writes for information and the response that has been given.

It is because of this work that they are then able to schedule regional Seekers Conferences to follow-up with people who desire more about a walk with Jesus. The Church in Orissa does this follow-up work and soon they are planting another congregation in the regions where the Gospel is being proclaimed through radio. Pray for this joint ministry of Gospel Tide Radio and the Orissa Brethren in Christ Church.

Along side of the Seeker's Conferences that grow out of the radio work are Seeker's Conferences that are a result of the direct outreach work of the Church. We were told that there may be up to fifty seeker's conferences throughout the year as they follow-up these two areas of ministry. We were part of three of them just in this time that we were here. In the Church Outreach work Brethren in Christ World Missions is pleased to partner with the Orissa BIC.

Thursday evening we made our final excursion downtown. It is quite something to experience the evening markets. For those of us from NA it is likely closest to a county fair with multiple booths set up where you can find almost anything. These are out on the street or along side of walls. In addition you have all of the regular stores. There is a lot of activity.

Sunday in Goa

We left Orissa and made our way Back to Mumbai. There our team split up with Don and Emerson going on to Zimbabwe and Ken heading for Goa. We made our good-byes in Mumbai and each headed for the planes that would take us eventually to our next destination.

I was met at the airport by Dan Deyhle. It is great to see him again and to see the others who are on the team here in Goa. An exciting development has been the creation of a Trust as a legal entity to work within as this ministry develops. It is called the West India Brethren in Christ Conference. Bijoy Roul is the "settler" for the trust and their are five trustees from within the people who are part of the fellowship here in Goa. This work is under the direction of "Everybody Ought To Know" and Dan and Karen are Missionary Associates with Brethren in Christ World Missions. It was great to be back with the team through the evening as we talked and shared a meal together.

Sunday morning we gathered for Sunday School and Church at the "All Nations Centre." There were people I remembered and there were many new faces. I am so grateful for the development of this ministry. Bijoy Roul is making regular contacts here in his role as Regional Administrator for South Asia under BICWM.

I had the privilege to open the word with the adults in attendance. It is a blessing to minister among God's people and to share the good news. We had a lady in church for the first time today. She was excited about what she found and said she will be back again next Sunday. Pray for her as she examines what she is hearing. She is a Hindu who is being called by the Spirit to follow Jesus. What a blessing!

Catching up with some pictures

A few days I was not able to post a picture or two and so the following is a gathering of pictures from the last few days.

During the cultural program it was great to see the abilities of the people of the Cuttack congregation. Here the young girl in white is singing a solo backed up by her father (blue) and another man in the congregation.

A young lady in the congregation studies classical Indian dance. Every time I see her she is better and better in her ability to dance. The beauty of her dance is seen particularly in the words she dances to - it is music that communicates the message of Jesus and his saving grace. The people here are working hard to use cultural forms that are understood by their society to help them communicate the eternal truth of Jesus. It is exciting.

These young ladies are from the SPICE Hostel. They performed some of their traditional tribal dances for us in an impromptu program for visiting guests. We loved their special make-up and so we asked them to pose for us.

People are wonderful the world around.

Blessings.

On to West Bengal

We said our good byes at the SPICE Hostel and started the journey back to the main road and then north to the State of West Bengal. Our time had a little more flexibility and so we stopped to try and capture on video something of the flavor of life in India as we experienced it in our travels.

It then became clear that we were beyond the time that we could make many more stops and so we pushed on east and then north. We came toward a small development and turned off of the main road. It had rained and so the pot holes ahead of us were filled with water. Our driver did an intricate job of negotiating his way down this country road until we reached the turn to go back to the village that was our destination.

Here the road we would turn onto was too narrow for the vehicle to negotiate and so we all got out to walk the last distance into the village. We were told to wait. Soon people were running toward us from the village. They came to greet us and to escort us into the village. It is very humbling to have people one after another bowing before you and touching your feet. I placed a simple touch of blessing on each of them as they bowed before me.

Then four men arrived with a white sari attached to four poles. there guests were to walk under this drape as we entered the village. Drums were being played and there was singing as we walked back to the site of our next series of services.
Those of you who know me would have enjoyed seeing me step off of this little roadway in order to take the accompanying picture. I lost my balance and eventually landed face down in the field below. I was fine, but I assure you our hosts were greatly concerned for my well being.

When we arrived at the meeting site our feet were washed and then coated with mustard oil. they also did the traditional giving of garlands. We felt very welcomed.

Don Shenk and I both had opportunity to speak in their afternoon service. There was also a good amount of singing and dance. The believers here have taken their traditional dances and now dance before the Lord. It is very nice to watch as they celebrate in worship.

Beside the public service they also had scheduled another Seekers' Conference. I have really enjoyed being part of these and seeing the way that they are teaching new believers and helping to establish them in the faith. Each of the seekers meetings that we attended grew out of the radio ministry they are doing. We were told that there are also many of them growing out of the regular work of the church.

This lady gave me a beautiful picture of the new seekers coming to know Jesus in West Bengal.

Praise God!

A good meal enjoyed by all.

Some lentil gravy finishes out the meal.

Young children in India eat a lot of rice.

SPICE Hostel Shots

Feeding 110 children is an undertaking that is handled each day in very good fashion.

North and to a SPICE Hostel

The 19th morning we left Cuttack for points north. It was a 4 and 1/2 hour journey to reach our destination. We arrived at Adapal and the Bethel SPICE hostel.

When we arrived in the area there were police doing various checks on one of the roads. We were met by local people and brought in by a round about way. The concern was that we were coming to observe another Seekers Conference. The Hindu population is very concerned about foreign involvement in conversion. Our hosts just wanted to avoid any type of possible confrontation.

We had a wonderful time at the hostel. There are 110 children living there. Some 28 seekers had gathered for this conference growing out of radio ministry and the follow-up of the local church pastors and leaders. It was a privilege to see people learning and all of the persons who came to this conference stood to claim Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.

It is so encouraging to see the plan the church here in Orissa has to follow-up with people whether they respond to radio ministry or to the direct evangelistic outreach of the church. They quickly enfold the people into community and help them to understand and grow in their new found faith. In these times of persecution for the church in Orissa, the radio continues to be a wonderful tool to reach people. Once they respond the church is then their to follow-up and work with the people.

Being at the SPICE hostel was very special. The children quickly prepared a program for their guests from North America and those who had come for the Seekers Conference. They did wonderfully.

We watched them as they went through all of the many things that are part of a daily routine in a hostel where each child carries responsibility for some aspect of community life. Older children were caring for younger children. All were involved in helping to clean. Studies were being conducted, and the children attended public school through the day.

The children in the SPICE Hostels are chosen from the rural and most needy BIC children within Orissa (it is also much like this in Bihar and Nepal as well). These children come and live in a hostel where they are cared for and where they are able to attend a good school. Sponsorship for these children is received from individuals who would like tyo do the same in North America. The team with me found this to be a very good expenditure of $170.00 (US or Canadian) to allow a child to come and live in a hostel for a full school year.

When I went to bed I could still hear the children taking care of things as needed. When I awoke the next day they were soon up and busy with all of the things needed to get themselves ready for another day.

A Seekers Conference

One of the reasons Don and Emerson are here is to be able to receive and record the reality of ll that is happening through the ministry of Gospel Tide Ministries in this part of the world.

The day started with a tour of the main office building and opportunity to meet the staff. We then shared a time of devotions with them as they began their day. It was an opportunity for me to practice my Hindi as I translated for Don as he spoke.

We then went to the recording studio where they were in the midst of recording music for the broadcasts. Emerson is recording many things through the medium of video. We trust the hours of recording will be able to go together in to appropriate pieces to communicate this ministry with the church in NA. A bit later he also recorded radio pastors in the midst of their recording work.

One of the exciting aspects of the day was a Radio Listeners' Seeker's Conference. As a part of this ministry they follow-up with people who are expressing an interest to come to know Jesus. These people are brought together in a common setting for instruction and challenge to declare their faith in Jesus. We were present as at least 24 of the 30 persons who came to this conference stood to declare their faith in Jesus. Praise God with us.

We finished the recording day be videoing the testimonies of some seven people. God is mightily at work. Pray for the church in this part of the world. People are coming to know Jesus.

A Cultural Program

It is great to be exposed to the wonderful world of music, acting and dance that is part of the life of people here in Orissa. The church put on a great program for us in the evening. They even invited the three of guest to participate: Don and Ken on vocals and Emerson on drums. People seemed to enjoy our efforts.

It is great to see how the church here has taken the cultural reality of Orissa and have put Christian words to the setting. So whether we were hearing songs or watching dance, the message that was being communicated was the the reality of life in Jesus. There is a great deal of talent in this congregation and they are using it to communicate for Jesus.

Following the service we were invited for a meal to some people's home close to the church center. Their daughter was having her engagement party and we were invited. It was rather late, but all of the guest stayed until we came. After greetings we were taken to eat our meal (they had all eaten). It was only then that the guest felt at liberty to start to leave.

I will try to post a few pictures from these events at another time.

A Three Hour Service

Young children sitting and participating for three hours! It is hard to imagine from our cultures in the west. But this morning that was our experience. We had a great time with the Behtel BIC congregation of God's people here in Cuttack. It was a great privilege to worship and participate with them.

Singing, sharing reports, praying, two messages - each with full translation, announcements about the life of the church, and further opportunity to pray. It was a beautiful time with God's people.
.
There still is a good amount of tension here in Orissa because of the animosity of the radical Hindus to the Christians. We have not experienced anything that would make us think we are in danger, but we are working hard not to call too much attention to the fact that we are here in town. The problem would likely be for our hosts rather than for us.

With these things in mind we were driven inside a little area where a gate could be closed behind us, before we got out of the car. Last time we were here we just got out from the car on the street in front of the worship center as in the picture below.


I noticed as well that a church sign that was on prominent display in November was missing today.


It gave me an opportunity, however, to encourage the people that although the church sign was not there, I was looking at the church. The church was and is still present.

Do pray for our brothers and sisters here in Orissa. They face severe threats for being faithful to our Lord. Even though we do not face the same threats in the west, I also asked them to pray for us that we may be found faithful in the midst of our daily walk as followers of Jesus.

We are home for a few hours. Then we ill head back for another time together with the church this evening. We are then invited to a family home from the congregation for our evening meal.

Some pictures

It is customary to be somber.


Two beautiful brides. I asked them to smile.



Bijoy Roul's mother

A beautiful Reception

We made our way to the State capital and tried to find the location of our wedding reception. Unfortunately the electricity had gone out in a given block or grid and it touched exactly the place where the reception was being held. We drove right past. Cell phones came in very handily as we found our way back and eventually the electricity came on to all our relief.

Two cousins were married earlier in the week and they were holding a single reception together, after each having their own wedding day. A great idea for saving money when you basically have the same invite list. Over 800 people were present. There was a special blessing given by their pastor and then people started to give their greetings to the two couples. This continued for the rest of the evening.

In the next room they had multiple food stations where people were served. There must have been at least eight different dishes, and then desert. People were served and those who wanted to sit down went back into the area where the program began. The rest of us just stood and held our plates, eating and talking. It was a great time.

We were there for a good three hours. More people were still coming. We finally decided it was time to make our way home. We left after 10:00 p.m. being told that things would likely continue until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. That just didn't seem to fit with our schedule.

I will try to post a picture of the two brides. It has failed once.

We are in Orissa

The wake up call came at 3:30 a.m. as planned. Things went well to get ready and to head for the airport. In big letters it said we were going on King Fisher Airlines. So off we go to terminal two. Unfortunately in small print it said "operated by Deccan Airlines." They happen to be in terminal one. A helpful airlines service person helped us to walk the distance between the two terminals and worked with us until we were checked in for our flight. We received our boarding passes after I had paid an overweight charge. Domestic never seems to want to allow the same weight limits that we are allowed on international flights.

We made our way through security and found a seat. Soon we heard our flight being referenced. It was going to be 35 minutes late because of bad weather at its origin point. A little later another 40 minutes were added to the total. In spite of this the plane arrived and we found our seats. The plane took off right on the rescheduled time.

We were to arrive at 7:35 a.m. In stead we arrived around 8:55 a.m. and then it took us a while to get away from the airport. Our hosts were planning to feed us breakfast. This still happened but around 10:00 a.m. We went to our rooms after breakfast and moved in for the next five days. It is so good to see the people here in Orissa again.

Lunch followed this time to relax. We were back at the table around 1:30 p.m. Fortunately we are now on the Orissa schedule. Our next meal will be after 8:00 p.m.

There is one more activity for today. We are headed to a wedding reception this evening. That should be an interesting experience. We are looking forward to the same.

Tomorrow begins a day filled with activity. I will try to keep you posted.

Mumbai

This has been a great day!

Breakfast on the veranda on the third floor of our hotel (4th floor at home, here it is ground, 1st, 2nd, etc.) We have internet connection through a USB modem that I have for use here in India. It is really slick. So after doing some internet work and eating we headed off to explore the city.

Ragu was standing down at the corner with his taxi. The door man and I talked with him and soon we had made arrangements for him to take us around the city. We headed for The Gateway of India. It was an hour and a half drive for us to get there. But along the way we saw many things that were part of daily life in India. It is remarkable how much of daily life and activity goes on "on the street." It seems to easily let a person with a sense of "sensory over load."

While at the Gateway we also took time to walk through the Tag Mahal Hotel that is along the water front. It is truly a luxory hotel. It was interesting to just see some of how it was built. No one seemed to mind our walking through. We did get to a court yard where we encountered a sign that told us this area was for hotel guest only, so we did not continue.

The we continued on to see Kamala Nehru Park, Malabar Hill. This was a special stop for me because I remember coming to this park when I was nine or ten. It was enjoyable to share parts of Mumbai with others today.

We then made our way back into the part of Mumbai where we are staying. There we went to a nice restaurant at the suggestion of our driver, Raju. He did very well with his recommendation.

After lunch, which started at 3:00 p.m. we took care of getting my mobile phone operational and walked around a little in that part of the market. We had a good cup of tea and then made our way back to our hotel in auto rickshaws. It wasn't a long ride, but at least it gave the experience.

Our wake-up call tomorrow comes at 3:30 a.m. We leave at 4:00 a.m. for the airport and our 5:35 a.m. flight for Orissa and our projected 7:35 a.m. arrival there.

Contrasts

We left PA and it was in the 20's with snow on the ground and ice on the branches. We arived in Mumbai at 11:20 p.m. and it was over 80 degrees warm.

The first leg of the trip from Washington Dulles to Vienna was crowded. It seemed that we could barely move and get comfortable. The second leg of the trip I had three seats to myself and actually stretched out and slept for a while.

Our wives all took us to the airport in a nice van with all of us and all of our luggage nicely inside. We were taken to our hotel in a small taxi with three of our suitcases on the roof rack, two in the trunk, and the three carry-on pieces all inside the taxi with us.

Going to the airport in VA seemed to be an easy thing to do. Several of us knew the way. Getting to our hotel was another matter. Our taxi first asked two other people at the airport and then we asked two people along the way before we arrived at the Hotel Satellite. It took us a while to get here but we are doing fine.

We are fine. Thanks for remembering us while we travel.

On the Road Again

I am on the road again to India. This time I am traveling with two men who are particularly interested in the impact of radio ministry within Orissa and other parts of South Asia. We will be observing the many ways the outreach ministry of the church ties together the tool of radio broadcasts and the work of church workers for follow-up.

We leave Feb 13 and arrive in India on the 14th. The 15th will be in Mumbai and then we head on to Orissa. Follow our schedule and be in prayer for us while we travel.

Feb 16^th 2008 ( Sat) Arr. – Bhubaneswar - 7.30 am: Cuttack – 9.00 am

Feb 17^th 2008 (Sun) Sunday Service – 10.00 am – 12.30 pm

Evening: Radio Seekers Arrive- Cultural Program

Feb 18^th 2008 (Mon) Seekers Meeting – 9.00 am – 1.00pm

Radio Seekers leave at – 2.00 pm.

3.00 pm – 6.00pm Good News Hour Office & Studio

Feb 19^th 2008 (Tue) Lv. Cuttack to Adapal ( 7.00 am )

Seekers Meeting Adapal (4.00 pm – 8.00pm)

Feb 20^th 2008 (Wed) Visit Sijua ( West Bengal) Program at Sijua

Overnight stay at Balasore, Radio Seekers Meeting

4.00 pm to 8.00pm)

Feb 21^st 2008 ( Thu) Lv. Balasore to Cuttack: Arr. Cuttack 1.00 pm

Overnight stay – Cuttack 3.00 pm – 6.00 Good News Hour Office, interview

Feb 22^nd 2008 ( Fri ) Visit Puri and Konark: Return to Cuttack 7.00 pm

Overnight stay Cuttack

Feb 23^rd 2008 (Sat) Lv. Cuttack – Bhubaneswar to Mumbai by Flight.-10:25 am

My friends, Emerson Peckman and Don Shenk will then leave for South Africa and head on to Zimbabwe. They will be in that area through March 3rd and then travel back to the States on March 4th.

I will be staying on in India for a few more days. I will head to Goa to visit with our team of people working and serving there. It is exciting to see followers of Jesus coming together in many places across the great nation of India. I will be with our friends in Goa through the 27th, and then head back to Mumbai and the journey home to the States on the 28th.

Blessings to each of you who take time to read these posts.