MISSION JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2007

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Just when you think the Lord has pulled you as far out of the box as you could go, he opens your eyes to a whole 'nother level of need. Our experience of the previous day where we toured the grass huts along the canal was so impactful that the rest of the team wanted to visit the area and meet the lovely folks who live there. I was tempted to write "exist" there, and for many that may be true, but the beautiful souls we met were believers in our Lord Jesus and do more than just exist in spite of their circumstances.

From there the team headed to the coast to view the area devastated by the tsunami several years ago. There are still telltale signs and actual water marks 30 feet above your head. It is unbelievable to imaging the natural power that swept through this region, leaving little if anything it its wake. Here in this little fishing village, Manna Ministries built 150 new homes for the victims. What a blessing to be partnered with such a wonderful organization. Overall, they have built over 3500 homes for the homeless. In the village of Sompetta. Matthe10 ministries provides shelter, clothing, food and a loving Christian education to over 100 children, orphaned by the tsunami . Click here to find out how you can make the difference by sponsoring a child who without you would have nothing.

For those of you reading this that are waiting around to see where your ministry might be, I encourage you to look around you and see where the Lord's hand is moving and jump in, either with your time, your talents or your treasures. We don't have time to wait and I believe we will be held accountable for those missed opportunities that the Lord brings our way. If the ministry of Matthew 10 is stirring your heart, click here to see how you can be involved in helping the homeless, the widows, the fatherless, or the pastors or being part of winning 100,000,000 souls.

For those of us living in the US or other developed country, it is hard to imagine that some diseases still exist. After lunch we were blessed to visit the New live Leper Colony... yes, I said Leper colony... and yes, I said blessed.

As we arrived, we were taken to a covered pavilion where men and women were seated at tables around the room.at first glance they looked pretty normal, but then on closer examination, you noticed that most had grotesquely deformed hands, with withered or missing fingers. There were bandages on their feet and one man was missing an arm and would probably soon loose a leg. Baring a divine miracle of God, these people, seemingly trapped in these decaying bodies will never get any better and most likely will continues decline, although with medical treatment the process can be slowed dramatically.

Dr. Pete greeted them in the name of Christ and reminded them that Jesus was with them regardless of their circumstances. We came to meet and inspire them, but in retrospect it was us who were blessed and encouraged. Many of assumed that these unfortunate ones would be in the pits of despair... We were wrong. They may have been missing appendages from their bodies, but they were not missing the joy of living. They didn't have fingers and toes, but they had Jesus and though their bodies seemed like prison cells they were FREE. And although we did not get to experience it this trip, we are told that when they sing and worship it is something amazing to behold. Ironically the worship leader, a man with an amazing spirit had the most bodily obvious deformities having no fingers, few toes and facial and ocular (eyes) involvement,, has the spirit of an angel and the heart to go with it. We came to minister to them, but it was them who ministered to our spirits. There are currently about 4,000,000 lepers in India. This Manna Ministries facility houses 50 full time and cares for 150 more.

From there, we went to the small hospital that Manna provides to the people of this area. Twice a week the staff goes into the city and brings the poorest of the poor who need medical care. They provide general medical treatment, general surgery and cataract surgery. They will do 7 surgeries a day, two days a week, in operating theatres that seem to date back to the 50s. The equipment they use should be in a museum and yet when we spoke to Dr. Robin, she told us that in the 12 years she has been there, they have NEVER had a patient get an infection of any kind following the surgery. I venture to say that they're is not a hospital that could boast 12 days without an infection, much less 12 years. You see, they don't put their faith in equipment or advanced technology, they put their faith in Dr. Jesus and he has not let them down.

Pastor Carl's home, where we are staying, is just down the road from the fair grounds. And as we prepared to leave for the crusade later that evening, we could hear the music rising above the roar and constant honing of Indian traffic. This would be our final night in Amalapuram and we knew God would end our trip with a bang. He did not disappoint.

Dr. Pete's message was clear and simple...JESUS IS ALIVE... He shared with them that a dead Jesus could do nothing... he could nt save the lost or heal the sick... BUT our living Jesus could do anything.

As in previous nights, when the call to accept Christ came from the stage, a multitude of hands shot into the air. An unprecedented number of people said "yes" to Jesus this trip. We try to get commitment cards with the people's contact information but we ran out of cards (20,000) before we ran out of new converts and that does not even begin to cover all those who did not fill out cards because they were illiterate or were way in the back or were just too intimidated to fill one out. We easily had well over 50,000 saved. We truly don't know the exact number, but God does. The father knows his children.

God's power was further manifested as Dr. Pete and the team extended their hands over the huge crowd and asked for a wave of healing to fall. Thousands of raised hands confessed the miraculous touch of Christ. A woman who had not heard for years had both ears opened as did a young boy who had NEVER heard... that must have been really wild for him. Praise God! Paralysis, heart pain, blindness, nothing wes too much for our God. It was absolutely incredible.

I have been asked why we see so many miracles in the third world, and I have an opinion and you know what they say about opinions. I think that ;when you have nothing, you look for spiritual solutions for your troubles. That is obvious by the countless little roadside shrines that dot the landscape. They are like little walk up prayer booths. Well when you introduce these folks to Jesus, instead of an idol with multiple heads and arms and they reach out to him for help, their faith sets them free. In the 'civilized" world when we have trouble we call every 800 number we can find until we have exhausted all options. And then as a last resort we turn to God, not in faith that manifests His healing power, but with crossed fingers in the hope that this might work. Jesus can give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and healing to the sick when you believe. The next time you face a mountain in your life, picture these picture these beautiful people, surrender your heart, raise your hands to the Lord and believe. Your miracle, like their's is already on the way. One thing we were reminded of on this trip is that if He says it, He will do it. That's a promise. (Ezk 36:36) Hallelujah!

Well we start home tomorrow. in the next few days We will post a recap of the trip, complete with closing comments from the team. Suffice it to say there was not one member of the team who will return home the same person as they left. We will also post more amazing pictures and video as soon as we get access to reliable internet service. Please check back soon and God Bless you for your prayers and gifts that enabled us to a be about our Father's business in India. Your seed, planted in this ministry all you to share in this amazing harvest. We WILL take India for Christ. Won't you help change the word and win souls for the Kingdom?

Again we thank you and so do the people of India.