Ok. Finally! I want to give an update on our South Asia trip. I know it's been a long time coming, and I can't say that my reasons for the delay are very good.
So below you will find a bit of the back story why this trip came to be, what happened, and what it means for us in the "next steps" on this wild life of missions. And of course I wanted to post a few more pictures of the trip.
As Brita and I were preparing to move to Los Fresnos, TX to go to the Center for Pioneer Church Planting(CPCP), we saw that a spring trip was taking place in South Asia and we were intrigued. One of the members of the team posted about his experiences on Facebook and through that we were able to see a glimpse into their trip. If you want to read about that trip, click here. So when the opportunity to join that team on a trip to the same locations came up this past June, we jumped at the chance to see if this area might be where we would want to serve long term. The need is great in so many places. There are so many unengaged people all over the world who have no access to the gospel. We want to see where our family might be able to live and thrive.
The trip to South Asia or (SA) was a great trip for Brita and I. We were able to go with a national pastor from Delhi to see the difficult and challenging ministry he has in the slums of Delhi. These families are called the "untouchables" and as an American, we felt that there was nothing we could really do or say to help these families. We prayed for them and encouraged them to continue to listen to the pastor because he has words of life from Jesus. Later he told us that there is a caste system in SA. The system is based on the belief that people are born into a "high" caste or a "low" caste as a result of good or bad works done in a previous life. There is no way to change to a higher caste and there is no way to get away from the caste system. While high cast and low caste people do not normally associate with each other, there is a third group of people called the "untouchables" who live primarily in the slums. High caste people and low caste people will not even look at the "untouchables". So for us to look them in the eye, talk with them, and pray with them was showing that they have value- being made in the image of God.
Then we took an 11 hour overnight bus trip to the edge of the Himalayas to meet up with another national pastor that is working in that area. We were able to stay for the house church and worship with the few believers in his home. We then took a 3 hour taxi ride up a crazy steep road and hiked another hour to get to a new believer who had heard the name of Jesus and was praying, a year ago, for someone to come and tell her about Him. The team we went with were the same people who were able to share the gospel with her last year and now she is a believer! It was a joy to encourage her and be encouraged by her. She is the only Christian in the entire area where she lives and it's difficult to get to her, up in the mountains. She told of the peace and joy she now has and how hard it is to deal with Hindu priests and no other fellowship.
The other highlight was the opportunity to hike in the Himalayas to some villages that have little or no access to the gospel. We hiked for two days and proclaimed the gospel to small villages and groups of people. Some had never heard the gospel or even heard of Jesus! To see that myself was crazy. In the midst of the glory of God displayed mightily in the grand mountains, there is such spiritual darkness and a need for the Savior.
There were also challenges during the trip. As we zigzagged across the mountain roads for hours, we saw that motion sickness is just a part of life here. As a former construction engineer for a highway construction company, I thought it was incredible to see hairpin curves, no guardrail of any kind, and the lack of water drainage. I was very thankful for spiral curves in the US (connectors between straight sections of highway and arcs)! If you don't have these transition sections, you feel lateral acceleration. This is when the barf bag comes out!
The trip also brought back to Brita and me the memories of being in the Philippines for 6 months and the hardness of living in a different culture; sights, sounds, smells and seeming confusion. It was a good reminder for us of the realities of a missionary life and gave a good balance to the trip. The least reached places are unreached for a reason.
We are looking at SA as one of the potential places we could go to, long term, after our training. We really wanted to come back from the trip and say "YES! We are going by the grace of God to SA". Or we wanted to say "NO. Unless the Lord does major work in our thinking, we do not see our family in this area". But what we did come away with is a sense that yes it would be difficult to live here but we also could see our family living in the area. Please continue to pray for wisdom and direction.
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| First of many long climbs |
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| Yes, that is a road. |
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| Breakfast |
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| Almost done with the 11 hour bus ride |
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| Playing a silly game with the kids |
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| One team member taking it easy |
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| 17,000 foot peaks |
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| Bibles! |
Psalm 97
The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
2
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3
Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
4
His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!
8
Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
9
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10
O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11
Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
12
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
