INDIA / IRELAND

Today's devotional in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers is as follows:

"Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering?

“If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Philippians 2:17).

Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer—to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ”

It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased …” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket—to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted—not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity."

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE......

Tomorrow morning we leave for India.  It will take us three days to actually get there and we can hardly wait.  The anticipation of reuniting with our precious friends, Pastor Mathews Cherian and Grace, our Indian family in the Lord is extra precious.  This man of God has stayed in our home, encouraged us, prayed for our family and just been a spiritual papa to us.  To go and serve his ministry is such an extreme blessing to us.  

  

After concluding our ministry in India, we are immediately flying to Ireland.   We will be working with Pastor James and Rachel, our dear friends and family in the Lord.

Probably the most difficult thing we had to do in preparing for this trip was packing for two diverse cultures and climates.  Compare the two pictures, the first is India (dry, hot, and dessert like) and the second is Ireland (cold, wet, green and mostly raining).  You can get a small idea of this challenge.  

We are leaving tomorrow, Feb. 6th and will be gone for 3 weeks.  We earnestly covet your prayers. Thank you.

AFRICA, Sierra Leone

AH! Africa. We were invited by Rev. Sidiki and Fatmata Kamara, (pictured above), of GEM ministries to Sierra Leone, Africa, to minister at their week long conference during the day and Crusade in the evenings. They planted and oversee 24 churches. The other ministers scheduled to preach with us had their flights cancelled, so we found our preaching schedule doubled. God is so faithful a midst these circumstances. Below is Pat preaching at the daily conference.

Every evening Terry would preach at the crusade. They spoke English, but the accent was so diverse that he had an interpreter.

On Sunday, while Terry ministered at one church, Pat was sent to two different churches. Pat's first church was a new plant in a very poor neighborhood. Below is Pat's path to that church.

Below is the new church plant building, where they had one bongo drum, singers and paper bags for the offering but this group sang from their heart and danced before the Lord so passionately it brought a cloud of dust in the air.

As we visited many other churches, the children were running to us in the villages so excited yelling "opoto" which means "white man." Something they don't often see.
A school that has been established at one of the churches. These children are studying for their exams coming up.
The children running to us as we visited the villages.
Below are pictures of the neighborhood that surrounds the church where we stayed. We loved that the church was right in the middle of this neighborhood and a great witness to the community.

Here is Pat sporting an African outfit that one of the pastor's wife helped her pick out.

Another awesome opportunity was that the church had their bible students living right in the church. When we weren't preparing for our next service, they would request times of fellowship with us. It was so enriching for all of us.

Thirty years ago God planted a dream in our hearts of going to Africa. We had no idea at the time that Sierra Leone would be the first country we would visit. It was a joy to work with GEM ministries and we left with our hearts full of the love of Africa.

ISRAEL 2011 - Day 4

Day 4
The team has left the Sea of Galilee. They visited the sight on the Jordan River where they believe Jesus was baptized. They continued on their way and spent a great deal of time on the Mount of Olives. One of the most beautiful sights of the beloved JERUSALEM.

Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives and He will return to the Mount of Olives.

Acts 1:9-12 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

Can you just imagine literally walking through bible history. It doesn't get much better than this.

ISRAEL 2011 - Day 2 & 3

Day Two in Israel consisted of visiting the army base in Golan heights, Caesarea Phillipi, Tel Dan and the children's home.
Day three consisted of a boat ride on the sea of Galilee, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum and the Jordan River.




Stepping foot in Israel is something that one can only understand through experience. The team is walking and experiencing the God of Israel and walking with Him in His chosen land. 6,000 years of history and the bible becomes alive in living color. Tomorrow morning they leave the sea of Galilee and head to Jerusalem.

ISRAEL 2011

Terry is currently with a team in Israel. Wonderful first day. Here is a picture at the air force base in the valley of Armageddon.
Terry and brother Benny on top of Mt. Carmel looking down on the valley where Elijah killed the prophets of Baal.
Ceaserea, where probably in that stadium, Apostle Paul was put on trial. Also, this is the area where the gospel was first brought to the gentiles. Much, much more history here.

Sun setting on the Mediterranean Sea. I can think of many bible heroes sailing this sea, some to run away from the Lord and others to bring the gospel to other lands.

Please keep this group in your prayers, that the God of this bible land, would reveal Himself in a greater way than any have experienced.