The time has come once again to begin the process of packing for our next MissionIndia Trip. We leave soon after Christmas for what is looking like another exciting and jammed packed schedule of teaching and reaching others with the love of Jesus.

How can we know it will be exciting? Because every year before we leave the Devil gets in our way. Why would he even try so hard to stop us if he was not operating out of fear that our time in India would bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God? Paul understood the warfare that accompanied his ministry. He says in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Therefore we wanted to come to you — even I, Paul, time and again — but Satan hindered us. The word “hindered” suggests that plans are detoured or postponed. Last year we were hindered by several flight delays that lasted for three days.  Health problems tend to crop up within weeks of leaving causing friends and family to be concerned about our safety. The guarantee is that if you are planning to do anything for the glory of God, the Devil will tangle himself up in the details. But greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

God’s will and plans for our lives are so much bigger than the schemes of the enemy. The Devil is actually afraid of what will happen if you succeed in whatever God has called you to do. Whether you travel abroad or remain at home, dig in your heels and stay the course that God has charted for your life and ministry. The Holy Spirit is in partnership with you regardless of the opposition. In the end, the enemy loses and God wins!

As is our custom, we will journal our upcoming trip through this blog. We ask that you remember us in prayer throughout the coming months. And don’t forget to leave comments. They mean a lot to us and are a source of encouragement throughout our time in India.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Keep looking up!

Our first week home has flown by. Unpacking, jet lag and filing taxes have kept us very occupied. The highlight of the week was to return to our home church and be warmly greeted by our church family. Sunday evening our small group threw a welcome home pizza party for us. After three months of curry and rice, pizza never tasted so good! What a blessing it is to be surrounded by such loving friends who supported and prayed for us the entire time we were in India. We are grateful for all who have prayed and followed us on this blog.

As is customary, we publish a highlight video of each trip. We’re excited to share snippets of this year’s trip on the link below. It’s three months packaged into 5 minutes. We wish we could share the bigger picture, but that would be impossible.

https://youtu.be/Qn3o7TuA_v4

India needs your prayers now more than ever. Elections are happening this month. The door to religious freedom has been slowly closing over the last 10 years under the current political party. A change to a democratic government is much needed. Churches, pastors and believers have suffered many difficulties as the present government continues to enforce anti-conversion laws and restraints on Christian events. We are humbled and grateful for the protection God has granted Cross Angle Ministries so far.  Regarding the church, Jesus promises us in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell will not prevail or overpower or overcome it. We must stand on this truth for India, for the United States and for the world…..until He Returns!

 

And now it’s time to say goodbye. It’s nearly 3 months since we arrived here in India. It has been a great trip. Thank you to everyone who has followed us on the blog. Truly what I’ve shared here is just the tip of the iceberg. So much has happened it would be impossible to write about it all.We arrived here in Bangalore last Tuesday. Except for one women’s conference, we have just taken the time to rest and enjoy some city life.

Elena has been spending time working on a highlight video of the entire trip, which when finished will be published to YouTube for everyone to view. We will let you know when it’s ready. Sal has been working on new conference material for next year’s trip and the upcoming zoom meetings, which begin in June.  Of course, plans to return are tempered by the fact that God is in control. If it’s His will, we shall return. Cross Angle Ministries has been blessed by the Lord and a number of expansion plans have been put in place  including the addition of three new staff people.

• Ammu, Viju’s wife, will oversee the Widow Projects which include Joyful Weave and a literacy program to teach widows how to read and write their own language.
• Pastor Rajkumar will be assisting Ammu to register widows with the government to receive eligible financial aid. He and his wife will also be visiting widows and assisting them spiritually.
• Pastor Rajendren will assist Viju with Zoom pastor conferences. As a result, Zoom meetings can now be simulcasted in several locations. This will greatly increase the number of pastors attending.

God has been good. He has been faithful. He has done exceedingly abundantly more than we asked Him to do.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

Please pray our trip home is safe and on time. We leave Tuesday at 3:55 am (IST) and will be home Tuesday at 9:00 pm (EST). With time changes it will take nearly 24 hours.

It’s Passion Week! May you be blessed as we celebrate the most important holiday on the Christian church calendar, Resurrection Day! Here in India, there is very little commercialism surrounding Easter. There are no Easter baskets, jellybeans, chocolate bunnies, coloring of eggs, or anything else that you might associate with the commercialism of this holy season.  I walked past a small church on Palm Sunday morning, and came upon some young girls sitting on the ground. They were weaving crosses out of Palm branches. It brought back memories of my own childhood.

Sal accepted an invitation to preach at a home church on Palm Sunday. We entered the living room which had been cleared of all its furniture and lined with plastic chairs. Every chair was taken and the children were all sitting on the floor. There were maybe 40 people total. But the worship was so powerful and the people were genuinely happy to be in the house of the Lord. Hospitality followed the service as they served us a wonderful lunch, and we enjoyed the fellowship of the pastor and other church members.

On Monday, Sal and Viju traveled about 90 minutes to conduct a teaching on the rapture to a large crowd of about 170. We are always amazed at the interest and excitement the Indian brothers and sisters have on the topic of end times. There has been very little teaching here in India regarding eschatology, and so they are happy to learn and excited to tell others.

It’s always a great day when Elena gets to teach the ladies. She met twice this week with women in two villages.  It’s even a greater day when the meeting hall has AC… Hallelujah! On Tuesday and Friday she had the privilege to meet with a total of about 150 women and present a new topic especially for this season entitled , Mary Did You Know? It explains the death and resurrection of Jesus through the eyes of his mother.

Last year CAM was able to get the local government to run a waterline into a remote village that was in desperate need of clean water. The line is open and available for the village every other day. This makes it difficult to store enough water. On Wednesday we presented seven of our widows with water containment vessels. Now they can collect and store water in these drums for drinking and cooking in their tiny homes.

Tomorrow is Easter. We will attend our “home” church here in the jungle. Sal will be preaching a message on Forgiveness. May each of you be blessed as you celebrate at your “home” church.

On Tuesday we will say good bye to our friends and neighbors and head back to Bangalore for a final week before we leave for home. Are we tired? Yes, but satisfied and content. God has been good and faithful to us.

A very busy week of ministry has come and gone. We just returned from conducting a two day conference in a large city about 5 hours from the Lighthouse. Over three hundred hungry souls came to hear about the Rapture and Second Coming of Christ. At the conclusion of the conference, 86 pastors received certificates of achievement for completing the ZOOM study in 2023.

Our biggest challenge was the summer heat beating down on a church full to capacity with no AC. God must send a supernatural air conditioning on Sal. He does not seem to be bothered by the heat. Viju always tells people we left our comfort zone to serve his nation. We humbly agree but saying “yes” to Jesus is the one common response each believer must give no matter what you are led to do.

The last sermon Sal preached before we retired (in 2017) from our beloved church was Say YES To Jesus. It’s a great reminder to keep on keeping on. Here we are seven years later only to find out we’re not retired….we are refired! Whatever doors the Lord opens we must say “yes” to Jesus. He’s coming back soon!

YES, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.  Isaiah 26:8

You can listen to Say YES  To Jesus here:

https://www.crossangleministries.com/sermons/say-yes-to-jesus/

• With a little more than two weeks left before we return to the US, please pray we finish well.
• Sal will be preaching twice more and has a final conference on Monday.
• Elena has two “Easter” Conferences next week and a final conference in Bangalore.

God has been with us. Your prayers have sustained us. His grace is more than sufficient.

 

Summer has come to South India. The days are seasonably hot but the nights are beautifully cool because we are in the mountains. Daily walks are reserved for early morning or late afternoons. I’m grateful that we have air-conditioning for sleeping.

It’s been a great week of ministry. On Monday twenty area pastors gathered at the Lighthouse for a prayer meeting and fellowship lunch. The worship and praise were powerful. There prayers included praying for the nation, the churches and themselves. Sal got to share a devotion of encouragement. A delicious lunch was served. Continue reading “Our Aim is to Please the Lord!”

Hard to believe that 48 days have already passed and only about 35 days remain before we return home. The remainder of our time contains the greater amount of conferences.

On Monday Sal presented a two part teaching on The Tabernacle. He stood and spoke for nearly four hours with only a 20 minute tea break at half-time. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. (Zach 4:6) At the conclusion, we joined the attendees for a delicious Indian lunch which included chicken kabobs, grilled fish, beet salad, samba and rice.

Continue reading “Plans and Purposes”

It sure did get quiet once the team left. They are now safely home in America and I’m sure each one is processing all that they took part in and experienced. Sal, Elena, Viju and Ammu took a two day R&R in preparation for the next round of conferences. We drove on Saturday to a city about two hours away. On Sunday morning Sal preached back to back for two services. He spoke on learning from Israel’s mistakes. Continue reading “Three Great Days of Ministry”

On Saturday the team conducted the last Kids program. God seem to save the last for the best with about 75 kids attending. The team had a great time and the kids enjoyed the program very much.

Sundays always seem to be extra special in India. We love worshiping with our Indian brothers and sisters, and this Sunday was no exception. Having the team with us for one more Sunday was an added delight. The first half of the service went on without electricity, but that did not seem to dampen the spirits of those who were there. The worship was lively and joyful, even though there was no AC or fans to cool us down or lights. By the time Sal stepped up to the pulpit to present the message, the electricity was restored, and the word of God was proclaimed without interruption. Continue reading “Fruitful Labor”

Wednesday

Walking into a very poor tribal village is an experience that truly affects your senses. The sight of extreme poverty, the sounds of cows and chickens, the musty smell of fire wood burning. Some huts have electricity consisting of a single lightbulb. Others have small fires burning, filling their homes with smoke. Deep in this village is an afterschool center. It was there we conducted a kids program for about 40 tribal children. Continue reading “The Best Is Yet To Be”

After two days of rest and assimilation, the US team was ready to roll up their sleeves on Saturday and begin serving. We had a wonderful time of fellowship Saturday when the four pastors and our interpreter who completed the Zoom Academy course arrived. We listened as 

each of them gave their testimonies as to the way God used the Bible studies to improve their ministry skills and encourage their churches. Kevin gave an encouraging message to the pastors to feed the sheep. We concluded with presenting each of them with a certificate of achievement and a beautiful lunch. We were all blessed and pleased as we celebrated our first graduating class.

Continue reading “God Is In The Details”

Sunday morning church was a blessed time as we worshipped with many old friends and met new ones. The praise music was powerful and Sal’s message on Romans 12:1-2 spoke mightily as more then half the church came forward to rededicate their lives as a living sacrifice.

Monday and Tuesday were busy shopping days as we prepared for the US Team to arrive. We met with Morgan, our chef, who will be preparing all the meals for the team while they are here. He supplied us with a four page list of provisions he needed in order to cook for the team. Shopping in India for supplies is no small job. Often it involves several stores and even villages to find what you’re looking for. It took us the greater part of Monday to collect all the food items needed.  Can somebody say Costco? Continue reading “Welcome CAM Team 2024!”

The first part of this week was spent packing and unpacking as we made our way to our ministry center in the Nilgiris Mountains of South India. Our jungle home is called Lighthouse, and it is nestled in a quaint village.

We have watched this village grow from a rural area to a population of about 20,000 over the last 15 years. Progress here is obvious. In those early days there was just one doctor working at the small government outpost hospital, now, there are several private practice doctors in the village. The corner café is where we like to stop for chai and a treat called egg puff. People-watching is a favorite pastime. Being immersed in the culture has sensitized us to the spiritual needs that exist among these people. Continue reading “At the Lighthouse”

It has been a fast paced, fruitful few days in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu. We met with two pastor groups who studied online with Sal in 2023. It was good to meet and speak to these faithful servants of God in person. Sal spoke on the Second Coming and encouraged them to teach about the End Times in their churches. They happily received their certificates of achievement for completing the online session. Most, if not all, are planning to participate in the next class which will begin in June. Combined there were well over 350 in attendance. Continue reading “Chennai”

India is certainly a country of dramatic contrast. Not only are there extremes socially, politically, and economically, but the most obvious is spiritually. On Monday, the entire nation participated in a great celebration. Streets everywhere were decorated with orange streamers. People gathered on street corners where loud music, dancing, singing and fireworks commemorated the opening of a temple dedicated to one of India’s most revered gods. The cost of building the temple was $200 million and is seen as a political move to turn India away from any other religious group. It is the third largest Hindu temple in the world. Interestingly enough, the second largest Hindu temple is in New Jersey.  It is so sad to watch countless millions of precious people being led down a highway of darkness that separates them from the one true God. Continue reading “Darkness and (The) Light”

It was not for us to question God’s timing but it sure was tempting. We were packed and ready for the long journey ahead on Monday…..but God said wait. The frigid weather conditions around the country put air travel into a tailspin and literally flights fell off the schedules like dominoes. Our flight was cancelled and so we waited for Tuesday. Tuesday was not better. God said wait.  So we waited for Wednesday. After a morning of indecision, we took a step of faith and headed to the airport. We are now on our way. We are currently somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea. Continue reading “A Time of Waiting”

We continue to fine tune this blog so its operating well when we get to India. If you are reading this we would appreciate a short comment back. Continue reading “Tweaking the Blog”

It’s been about 9 months since we returned home from India and it’s only 6 weeks until we return to India.

In anticipation of the coming trip we updated our website and blog site. Please take a minute to comment so we know that the site is behaving properly. We had glitches last year that prevented many of you from leaving comments. Continue reading “Looking Ahead”

Soon (March 22), we will be back home in the USA. Please keep us in prayer for safe and hassle free travels.

We arrived back here to Bangalore on March 7. Sal did a church conference  last Saturday on End Times. He met with a house group on Sunday and a pastors meeting on Monday. His final message to the pastors was to avoid the mistakes of Israel and receive God’s blessings (1 Corinthians 10:1-12). I spoke at a women’s conference on Thursday. It was a wonderful event with over 185 ladies in attendance. A number of women responded to the gospel invitation. One Hindu woman named Tamilselvi said she had never heard of Jesus before the meeting. When she heard about who he was, she wanted to know him and follow him. Continue reading “Exceedingly, Abundantly, Above!”

This evening we will have to say goodbye to this beautiful place and move to Bangalore for the final leg of our journey. It has been a world-wind of a visit here. Every day has been filled with old friends and making new ones. Surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation has given us a time to rest and recover from the hecticness of the past month.

Our time with the widows has been wonderful. We have enrolled seven of the adult girls into tailoring school and keyboard classes. The training will enable these young women to get jobs and earn a living. Another group of widows are weaving purses for me to bring back to the states. My hope is to sell the purses for a suggested donation and use the proceeds to fund the CAM Widow Projects.

In addition to working with the widows, Sal has been busy with counseling pastors privately. Also, he had a pastors’ conference earlier in the week with about 140 men in attendance. Yesterday I traveled to Mysore for a women’s meeting, which also had about 140 women attending. Sunday Sal preached in a small church. There were about 30 people in the tiny sanctuary. But Sal had their complete attention. Every man, woman and child seem to hang on every word. We have spoken to large and small groups here in India. But the level of hunger to hear the Word of God is high no matter what the size of the gathering. Each meeting has been an honor and blessing to us.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.                                                                                                                                         1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV

 

Today will be a day of farewells and some tears. God willing we will return to our jungle home next year. We will wrap this trip up in Bangalore with three more conferences before we return to the USA! Please remember us in your prayers.

 

 

 

 

It is hard to process all that took place yesterday. Even now, I’m replaying the day over and over in my brain. Shortly after getting out of bed, we were informed of the passing’s of a dear friend, an old friend and a relative. All three men died after short battles with cancer. Our day began with sorrow and tears. Having just been through our own cancer journey, it was difficult not to question why one wins the battle while another loses it. The only answer is that God is sovereign and has ordained our time here on earth. An overwhelming sense of gratitude overcame me as I thanked Him for another day and another opportunity to serve Him here in India.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matt 10:29-30 NIV

Our day was busy and amazing. We traveled to Gudalar to get some needed items and then stopped at the government office to pick up the approved papers to begin construction on homes for 7 widows. Six of them then met us at the construction site to take a picture on the land of their future homes. Viju has worked hard to secure these papers. The government will now pay for the land and construction of the small homes. They do not pay for windows and doors. By God’s grace, Cross Angle will raise the needed funds to provide them. Six other land and home requests are still in progress.

We then travelled to a tribal community to see some of the houses we were able to help build last year. We also stopped in on three widows that we have known for many years. One of the ladies has holes in her roof caused by monkeys. The holes are right above the electric box and outlets. Soon the rains will start. This is a potential hazard. Viju is hiring an electrician and mason to make the necessary repairs.

One sweet friend named Priya lives nearby. We were told that in October her husband fell to his death. We stopped to pay our respects and to pray with her. Priya fell into my arms and sobbed for a long time. Her pain was so deep. We gathered her along with her family for a time of prayer. The grief was hard to watch. Priya has the most beautiful smile. I asked if she could show it to me before I left. Her face seem to light up as she did. And I knew at that moment, God would be faithful to her. He would make her smile again. Caring for these precious widows is not just what God does, it’s who He is.

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.  James 1:27 NASU

I’ll be sharing about the rest of this week in the next blog. This one was only about yesterday.

 

 

 

I could hardly wait for Thursday. It was time to leave Coimbatore and head for “home” . . . Masinagudi. It is there where God planted a love for this country deep within us. As we rode down the mountain from Ooty, the

familiar scenery brought back so many precious memories of years gone by. The jungle always provides a display of wildlife like peacocks, monkeys and elephants. A sense of gratitude overcame me as I thanked God for giving us another chance to visit this

 

 

 

 

 

beautiful place. Riding through the village put smiles on our faces as we watched people going about their business, children playing and cows sharing the road with vehicles.

A very exciting moment for us was when we pulled up to the new CAM Center and living quarters for Viju and his wife, Ammu. Over the past few years it became apparent that Cross Angle Ministries was growing and needed a home of its own. Through the genericity of the CAM Board of Trustees, we were able to raise the money needed to build a modest home/ministry center through donations separate from ministry money. Except for landscaping and a few aesthetics, Phase 1 of the building is completed and has been furnished. Viju and Ammu will move here permanently this summer. Sal and I were honored to be the first to actually live here. This home is dedicated to the Lord and is named, Lighthouse. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:16 NASU

The one thing that draws me here are the widows. The Widow Project has been growing strong over the last three years. We started with a few ladies but now we have grown to over 120 in 7 area villages. This is a humanitarian ministry with a gospel emphasis. We become the hands and feet of Jesus to them and over time they hear the gospel. As a result, many have given their lives to the Lord. We have been able to register these ladies with the government so they can receive welfare benefits like rations and medical cards. Because many of them are illiterate they are not able to do this for themselves. Last year we were able to get assistance for 7 of them to build small homes. Currently, forms have been submitted for 12 more widows to build homes. A number of these ladies now have government work cards and can earn a living. Plans are in the works to start extended education for others so they can learn a trade.

Sunday evening could not come soon enough for me. Seventy of the widows came to the local church where I was able to speak to them about the God of the Bible. At least 40% of these ladies never heard about Jesus. At the conclusion of the message two of the widows responded to the invitation to accept God’s free gift of salvation. One was a widow I have known for a long time. Her name is Parimala. Whenever I spoke to ladies’ groups she would come. But it was not until Sunday night that she came forward. On Sunday morning I met a new believer named Jemila. She was recently forced out of her village because she was baptized. No one in her family is Christian. On Sunday evening she attended the meeting. One of her relatives attended and came forward during the altar call. With a huge smile on her face, she gave her life to Jesus.

The rest of the week will be spent visiting the widows in their homes. Praying with them. Hugging them. Sharing hope and the Word of God with them. I’m certain I’ll have more to report in the days ahead.

Thank you for taking the time to read through the blog.

We rolled into Madurai late Saturday night.  Next morning we attended one of the larger churches in the area. Sal spoke at the third service. On Monday we conducted a pastors conference there with about 140 in attendance. These men were from 5 different fellowships in the area.

Madurai is known as the city that never sleeps. The markets are open day and night. It is also home to one of India’s most famous Hindu temples, Meenakshi Amman Temple. People make pilgrimage here. They will travel barefoot literally for weeks in hope that the gods will find favor and bless them. It is a sad reality of a belief system that holds no power or truth.               

   “….but their idols are made of gold and silver, they are made by hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.”                                                                                                          Ps 115:4-7

Upon concluding the conference in Madurai we traveled about three hours by car to Palani for a pastors and pastors’ wives conference. Palani is a highly populated Hindu area. There are many small villages here that have not yet been reached with the Gospel. The churches are badly persecuted. Pastors have a tough time and many of them suffer greatly for their faith and ministry. But the churches are strong and bold in defense of the gospel. They are tiny but mighty.

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” 1 Cor 16:13-14

On Wednesday it was a true privilege as we traveled to Coimbatore to a church that has never had a foreigner come to conduct a conference. Sal spoke on Walking Worthy in session 1 and The Return of Christ in session 2. There were over 200 inside the church and others were standing outside and watching through the windows.  A pastor shared with Viju that he has never preached on Revelation or the End Times. He said Pastor Sal awakened him to the importance of teaching his people. Our hope and prayer is that pastors like him would commit to studying and teaching their congregations the Book of Revelation.

“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”                                                                                                                              Rev 1:3 NLT

There were lots of young couples attending with little children from new born to preschool ages. I especially enjoyed playing with them. Indian churches typically do not have childcare or nursery so children are used to spending long hours at church.

We left Coimbatore this morning and made our way over the mountain (28 hairpin turns), through Ooty and down the mountain (36 hairpin turns) where we will spend time with the widows. There will be many new faces in the group since we last saw them. We have a light conference schedule while in the area. It’s a welcome break and a needed rest.

Time is going fast now. One month has flown by and one month to go.

Please pray for Sal. Though he recovered from the cough he had last month, it appears he may have strained his abdominal muscles. Tomorrow he will have a scan to rule out hernia.

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Chennai . . . the capitol of Tamil Nadu was formerly known as Madras. On Monday Viju drove the car here (8 hours) while we took a quick plane trip from Bangalore (40 minutes). The one thing that stands out to us about big cities in India is that they basically are all the same. .  . crowded and noisy. From our 5^th floor hotel room, the sounds of the city ring loud and clear.

On Tuesday Sal presented a three session conference on the Book of Daniel. Fifty pastors attended. Many of them were unfamiliar with Daniel, Revelation and the importance of prophecy in our day. It is a sad testimony to the quality of Biblical education that is available here. These men were so hungry for solid teaching. Plans are in the works to meet on a regular basis with pastors from all over India by ZOOM for Bible Study and discipleship when we return to the USA.

On Wednesday was a joy to meet with 80 women for a study from John 12 and Mark 14 entitled, Why This Waste? I wish you could have seen the sweet faces of these ladies. As I stood before them the sea of color from the beautiful saris they wore just seem to make my heart glad. At the conclusion of the study, all of them raised their hands and committed to “waste” their lives on Jesus through love, humility and service.

On Thursday we went to see the shrine of St. Thomas who was responsible for bringing the gospel to India after the diaspora in Jerusalem. He is the apostle that at first doubted the resurrection but went on to become the first missionary to India. He landed in Kerala and traveled to Madras planting churches across the land. While praying he was speared to death by local antagonists. His grave is here in Chennai. Because of his ministry, Christianity was firmly planted and is today the only light and hope. All over the memorial grounds there are signs that say, “My Lord and My God.”

Friday Sal conducted a Pastors Meeting for 190 church leaders. Our friend, Stanton, attended and gave testimony how his life was changed by attending conferences and Bible School since 2014. He is now in full time ministry teaching to rural and tribal people about the God of the Bible. In the evening I spoke to a women’s group. I was thrilled to see many young girls attending. The joy on their faces was thrillingly to see. Many are in active ministry and came forward for prayer.

It is now Saturday. We are at a church of about 80 pastors and church leaders in attendance. This is our final meeting in Chennai. We leave this afternoon for a three-city tour of conferences before we arrive at our “Indian” home and visit our beloved widows.

• Please pray for us as we have an “on-the-go” schedule this coming week.
• Pray we all stay healthy and spiritually protected.
• Pray for Viju to continue in good health. Pray for protection for Ammu as she travels ahead of us to prepare our home base in the village.

The Ups:

Ministry is going at a nice steady flow. On Saturday we traveled to the east side of the city where we conducted a meeting with 39 pastors from the area. Sal taught on the importance of doctrine and the roll of the pastor. The studies were well received. At the end of the meeting, the pastors surrounded us both and prayed for us. It was a powerful time. I don’t think we ever were prayed for by 39 pastors simultaneously.

Sunday morning Sal spoke at an all English speaking church service. Always a treat when we don’t need an interpreter. I was impressed that the average attendees were under 30 years of age. The pastor is only 33 and is a very personable guy. His leadership team was made up of about 15 young men and women who are passionate about reaching their world for Jesus. Sal gave a word of encouragement to them from Ephesians. We enjoyed a lunch with the pastor and associate pastor at a local restaurant, and we look forward to a possible conference there in the future.

Sal was invited on Monday to be the chapel speaker at a local seminary. He presented the Four Challenges of Ministry to the student body of 200 seminarians and the entire faculty. Since we arrived here, we have spoken to over 300 students and a church full of young adults. It causes us great joy to see so many young people desiring to serve in ministry. We topped off the day by meeting our friends, Gavin and Amenla for dinner. These two have served the Lord in the heart of Bangalore for many years.

Thursday another group of pastors (33) gathered for a Leadership Conference on the north side of the city. We are amazed at how hungry these pastors are for sound biblical teachings. Plans are being laid to continue teaching pastors through monthly ZOOM meetings after we return to the states.

The Downs:

Soon after arriving in India both Sal and I caught nasty colds. Both of us have been seen by doctors. I needed an antibiotic due to a fever and Sal has had a lingering cough that is very persistent. God has been gracious to us. We have not cancelled any meetings. And miraculously He has lifted the symptoms during the meetings. My cold is now gone but Sal continues to be bothered with the cough. The doctor has given him an inhaler to calm it down. We would sure appreciate your prayers for healing and health.

What a joy to meet Dr. J, a sister in Christ. Immediately she and Sal became friends. She texted me after treating him twice for the cough. She wrote, “The Lord leads his children to the right people. . . I am honored to look after Sal. . . . He is doing such an important job . . . let the Lord use him for his glory and take care of his health. . . I will uphold him in prayer.” Since she wrote to me, she has contacted Viju and volunteered to come in the fall to give free health exams to the village widows that we serve. In our times of “downs” it is powerful to remember that, “Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

I was pretty excited about a women’s meeting that was scheduled for Friday. Sadly, a 60 year old woman in the church died suddenly from a heart attack. As a result, the meeting was cancelled because the church was needed for the funeral. In India, if you die in the morning, your funeral is in the afternoon and you are buried before sun down. I felt disappointed about the lost opportunity to teach new material on Psalm 150. So what does one do when a meeting is cancelled? . . . . One takes the staff out for Chinese food!

Whether we are experiencing Ups or Downs we all must be steadfast in service and praise to our God and to be thankful for the strength to persevere. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

We will be leaving Bangalore on Monday for a busy week of conferences in Chennai. Thanks for following and praying!

 

The first half of this week has been spent in interview lunches that have lasted 3 to 4 hours. Cross Angle Ministries is hoping to hire a discipleship pastor who can pastor pastors. We are trusting God to raise up the right man. Please pray that God would grant wisdom and discernment throughout the selection process.

Yesterday we traveled two hours to Mysore on a new highway that’s been built since we were last here. What a blessing not to have to travel bumper to bumper for four hours on the former road. Something of interest that caught my eye was the construction of a very large idol on the side of the highway. The statue was more than four stories high. And it was covered with scaffolding. It was a god under construction. I was reminded of Deuteronomy 4:28, “And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.” 

The  structure is harmless in and of itself, but the force behind it holds nearly 1.20 billion people in its clutches. Only 2.3% of the population is Christian.  These believers love the Lord deeply because they understand what it means to be rescued from gods under construction.

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5

What a blessing to belong to our God, the God of the Bible, the one true God who is not and never was or will be under construction! Rather He is the architect and builder and we, as living stones, are his co-laborers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The first week here has flown by. To be honest, it has had its challenges. Jet lag was a bit rough for the first three days followed by stomach issues for Sal and Viju. Sal’s first invitation to preach at a local church was cancelled because the church leaders were concerned that the authorities would interrupt the service and stop Sal from preaching. It seems to be a growing problem here  as persecution against Christians grows. In spite of the restrictions, on Thursday we were able to meet at another local church where Sal spoke on Walking Worthy of the Call.  We have conducted two ZOOM meetings at this church and this was the first time we got to meet the pastor and congregants in person.

On Friday and Saturday Sal spoke to the student body at a seminary. There are 120 young men and women attending the school. Their passion to follow Christ was very evident in how they worshipped and prayed. They paid careful attention to the teaching presented on Leadership and The Second Coming of Christ. Many were taking notes. Meeting with these students brought a fresh sense of joy and hope. A number of these kids are from communist countries and are getting their Bible education so they can return to their homeland to further the gospel. We consider them heroes of the faith and we know that God has great plans for them.

 

All the meetings were recorded live on Facebook. You can find the videos on Cross Angle Ministries @ FB.

Next week we have meetings with pastors from 2 states to discuss plans for starting a discipleship training program for pastors. The goal is to assist pastors with limited education to develop a statement of faith for the church, train up leadership teams and develop skills in Bible study and sermon preparation. This has been Phase Four of CAM goals since the beginning of the ministry. Covid prevented any progress to take place. We pray that we can get a good foundation laid now.

Jesus said in John 9:4 ESV. “We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day;  night is coming when no one can work”. Prophecy regarding the End Times are being fulfilled like never before. Spiritual darkness has  gained ground not only here but around the world. The night is coming. The door to ministry is still open and we must do all we can before it is closed.

Please pray for continued spiritual and physical protection for us and Viju’s family.

Pray that we have no interference from authorities during our upcoming meetings.

 

 

After prayerful consideration, we made some changes to our schedule. We canceled three conferences from January 23 through February 10. We have decided to stay in Bangalore where we have many invitations to conduct conferences in the next couple of weeks. This will lessen the hectic schedule we would have needed to keep in order to travel to cities that are a far distance from here. We are staying in a lovely Airbnb in the heart of Bangalore. The sights and sounds of the city surround us, and we are completely immersed in this culture.

The apartment we’re renting is owned by Christians as is every other apartment on the floor. The apartment number is Adonai 305. Adonai literally means My Lord and is used in reference to Yahweh, the God of the Bible. It speaks of His sovereignty over all the earth.

Above our apartment is a rooftop. There is a Hindu housewarming celebration going on up there right now. Since early morning, they have been celebrating with worship, music and prayer to their Hindu gods. They are calling their gods to bless a new house that has been purchased. They blow horns, clang symbols, pots and pans, and anything to make a noise to wake up their gods to hear their prayers. I am grateful that my God never sleeps or takes a vacation. He hears us when we pray.

I am certain that there is a protective covering of angels hovering over Adonai 305. Psalm 91 promises Adonai will give His Angels charge over you. What a stark contrast to pleading with gods who can not hear or speak! Isaiah 45:22 says, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”

Today we officially begin the conference schedule at a local Baptist church followed by two days at a seminary and preaching on Sunday. Please pray for a powerful anointing upon the Word. Pray that we are spiritually and physically protected. Pray for our coordinator, Viju, who handles all the logistics that take place behind the scene. Pray that all our electronic equipment works well and there are no power outages  (a frequent occurrence in India) during the meetings.

 

 

 

 

We took a long walk this evening as we soaked in the sights and sounds of the city. It’s been three years since we were last here. Little has changed though the pandemic hit hard and many middle aged to elderly died of Covid. In spite of that, India has officially surpassed China in population by approximately 5 million. Of the 1.417 billion, half are under the age of thirty. 

The shift in demographics presents a new opportunity for evangelism and discipleship. This week we will meet the challenge as we conduct a two day conference on leadership at a local seminary. We are excited to meet with these young men and women who will be the future leaders of Christianity to their nation. 

We ask for prayer as Sal presents the essentials of leadership. Pray for the students to have open hearts and the resolve to stand firm in faith, be bold and courageous in service, and to reflect the light of Christ wherever they go.

  2019 Seminary Students  

May the Christian youth of India rise up                                                                                                     as a mighty  army for the Lord!

Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.  Psalm 2:8

I am writing the first blog of this journey from 38,000 feet. We just passed over Israel. It is stunning to see from this altitude, because it is so green and yet everything around it looks like a wasteland. Our God surely has a green thumb, and he pressed his thumbprint on this tiny little nation.

I think God has given each one of us a green thumb. And each one of us is commissioned to press that thumbprint on the world around us. In about 8 hours we will land in a  beautiful nation that is green with vegetation, and yet is a spiritual wasteland.

It will not matter how well we speak or powerfully we prayed unless we leave His thumbprint behind. Job 37:7 ESV says, “He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom He made may know it.”

Our thumbprints were sealed 2000 years ago with the precious blood of Jesus. Our aim is to leave God’s thumbprint wherever we go.

The Earth is full of spiritual wastelands. Wherever you are, leave your thumbprint behind.

 

The book of Job is an amazing collection of dialogues between the creator God and a man named Job. God asks him many questions throughout the book. One that is a standout to me is founded in Job 38:16: Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?

The Hebrew word for deep used in that verse is the same word used for oceans. How could the writer of Job know about the depth of the oceans? There was no oceanic explorations or data for him to state his claim on. It was not until 1973 that scientists were able to explore the recesses of the deep. Today we know that there are canyons in the oceans as deep as 7 miles. It was God who revealed this truth to the writer of Job.

The Bible contains God’s recesses of the deep. It contains the depth of his love and his grace and his mercy. It contains the depth of his wisdom and his knowledge. It is an ocean of joy and encouragement for those who dive in and are drenched in His living waters.

Unlike the oceans of this world, the recesses of the Word of God are bottomless, eternal and never ending. The deeper we dive the more we understand we must go deeper still. In Romans 11:33 Paul proclaims, Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!  I believe that statement took Paul’s breath away as he realized there’s no way to measure the recesses of God’s deep ocean of truth.

Simply dipping our toes into the surf is not enough. We are to walk beyond the breakers into the recesses of the deep knowledge and wisdom of God’s word.

How unsearchable are His judgments

and unfathomable are His ways!

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July marks the halfway point of this year. 2020 has not been ordinary by any means. I think of a double portion in regards to this year- 20, 20. We certainly have had a double portion of trials, afflictions, unrest, and difficult times in general. Not only is society divided on the present challenges that exist, but families are dividing also. A line has been drawn in the sand and some families are standing on one side or the other causing division and hurt feelings to replace what should never be replaced- love for one another.

Currently, there is a very popular song among contemporary Christian worship music. It is called The Blessing. I have been personally ministered to by this song because it also deals with double portions. The lyrics have been taken from the promises of scripture found in Numbers 6:24- 26, Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 7:9, and Psalm 103:17-18. The promises are double portions of blessings that God bestows on his children and their families, on their children, and their children, and their children to 1000 generations.

As we live through these times, may the words of these verses sustain us and encourage us. May the promises of God course through our faith and give us peace.

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.  Ex 20:6 NLT

Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.    Deuteronomy 7:9 NLT

But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!  Psalms 103:17-18 NLT

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.  Numbers 6:24-26 NLT

You can listen to The Blessing at

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One tiny bug, Covid-19, has brought the entire world to a screeching halt. It has inflicted fear, pain, grief and anxiety on a grand level.

Today I sat on my lanai watching the butterflies in my backyard. They are so beautiful and colorful and airy. They are whimsical as they lite from one plant to the next enjoying the sweet flavors of the various flowers that are blooming.They haven’t a care in the world. They know nothing about corona-virus or quarantines or sheltering in place. They are free to fly here and there. Having made the choice to self-quarantine since we returned home from India, I find myself wishing I was a butterfly.

There are 28,000 species of butterflies in the world. The Bible does not say anything specific about them, yet this tiny creature has been viewed by Christians as a symbol of hope and resurrection. With Easter just a few weeks away,  we can turn our hearts to the lesson of the butterfly. It begins as a worm, hibernates in a cocoon and emerges as a magnificent insect. It is truly a masterpiece of God’s creation! It is a reminder of what Christ did for us:

Psalm 22:6: But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

Acts 13:29: When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

John 11:25-26:  I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?

The life giving story of the Gospel is wrapped up in the small life of the butterfly, and it is offered to each human being who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Covid -19 will pass away but God’s promise of Eternal Life will never die.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

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On Sunday, Sal was commenting on how pleased he was about how the conferences were going. “If we didn’t do another conference, I would be fully content,” he said. Little did we know how tested that statement would be!

On Monday, the India Times posted news regarding Qatar airlines decision to suspend flights from India due to the ongoing spread of the Coronavirus. We immediately contacted our travel agent to verify the news. Within a few hours, our agent confirmed this news and encouraged us to consider returning to the USA now. We immediately reached out to prayer partners as we sought God’s wisdom. One person wrote, “A healthy team now means the probability of more ministry in the future.” Without fear or panic, we all sensed it was God’s will for us to leave India as soon as possible.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Phil. 4:11 ESV

By Monday evening our flights were rescheduled without penalties. We will arrive in the USA on March 15. The Garcia’s will land in Chicago and we will fly into Miami. The world seems to be shutting down quickly. We are trusting God to get us home before any further developments occur that might suspend flights from India to the USA. As a possibility that this may happen, we are discussing options for staying here in India until it is safe to fly.

Due to these circumstances, we sadly had to cancel 8 events scheduled through the first week of April. It is a great comfort to know that God is sovereign in all things. The outpouring of concern by our Indian friends has be very comforting to us. We are blessed by their love for us. Saying goodbye has been emotional.

We are praying for you. Please pray for us in the days ahead.

• Pray for us to make it home safely.
• Pray we do not come in contact with the virus or get sick.
• Pray that our plane does not have any passengers that have been exposed.
• Pray we are not detained at our home airports.
• Pray we can accept being home quarantined if need be.

God’s ways are not our ways. It is a great comfort to know that he is in charge of everything. We do not need to fear. Do what you can do and God will do the rest. Our conferences have been suspended but our spirits are at peace and we are content.

Blessings for the Cross Angle Ministries Team.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.  Eph. 3:20

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After a quiet few days of R&R, the team headed for Ooty to conduct a women’s conference. With Computer and technical equipment in hand, we climbed three flights of steps to where the church was located at the top of the building. The sanctuary was very small and there were only a few women there when we arrived. I quickly prayed that God would send only the women He wanted to be there. By the time the worship and praise  concluded, the room was filled completely with over 70 women. My interpreter, the pastor’s son, was fluent in English and did a fantastic job communicating the message in Tamil. At the conclusion, several women raised their hands to except Jesus and others recommitted their lives to him. It was a great day!

On Sunday, Sal preached at a local church in Masanagudi. He spoke on the sin of idolatry from the Book of Ezekiel. Almost the entire church raised hands committing to put God first before anything else. The pastor, Raj Kumar, said the sermon was a “feast to their spirits.”

We headed back to Bangalore for a women’s conference on Tuesday. It was a glorious day spending time with about 100 women’s prayer coordinators from all over Bangalore. Standing before these prayer warriors had me feeling a bit like a lion in a den of Daniels. Tomas and Barb led the worship. A good time was had by all.

Friday we travelled an hour from QCI for the third women’s conference in 7 days. Just before arriving at the church, we discovered we did not bring the wireless remote presenter. Trying to buy one was out of the question since this village was limited in selling technology products. My mind was trying to work through holding my notes while manually working the power point presentation directly from my computer. I could have saved myself the trouble because when we arrived we discovered no screen or white wall was available for projection. So the teaching was conducted the old fashioned way. . . .no computer, no presentation, no sound. Nothing but the Word of God! In spite of it all, the women were enjoying the time and 90% of them raised their hands for prayer at the conclusion.

All in all, it was an amazing week of ministry. Today we rest. Tomorrow we begin with Sal preaching at a church. We leave for Bangalore on Tuesday for a couple of ministry meetings. Thursday we fly to Vizag for a three day conference. We will return to Bangalore on March 16. Tomas and Barb will leave the next day to return to the USA and we will return to QCI for a final three weeks of conferences before we leave this nation for our beloved America.

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Every conference venue seems to have its own personality. Some places are ‘rustic’ with no modern technology. Some are better equipped, but may have dull lighting or no air conditioning. This weekend, we presented End Times and The Tabernacle conferences at the First Assembly of God in Bangalore. It’s a large, beautiful building with all the modern amenities. But no matter where we are, we find the very same hunger and passion for the Word of God.

As Sal was explaining the deeper meanings found in the Old Testament tabernacle, the pastor’s wife was deeply weeping over the beauty of the imagery of the gospel that God placed in the tabernacle approximately 1400 years before Jesus walked the earth.

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”   John 5:46

Pastor Gavin Cunningham and his wife, Amenla, were fantastic hosts. Every behind the scene detail was meticulously taken care of. The worship was powerful and really set the tone for powerful teaching. A bonus was that it is an English speaking church so no interpretation was needed. This gave Sal an added bonus in that he did not have to pause for interpretation. He definitely was on a roll!

It’s back to QCI for the remainder of this week. We would appreciate your prayers for the two women’s conferences for next Saturday in Ooty and Tuesday in Bangalore.

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On Wednesday, Barb and I gathered with the young widows. The topic was entitled Miracle Shoes. We looked at what the Bible teaches about walking as Jesus walked through suffering, witnessing and obedience. At the conclusion, 6 ladies stood to pray for God to help them. Through a generous donation, each lady was given a new pair of sandals. It is a joy and privilege to minister to these women. Their needs are great but their wants are few.  They are so grateful for the small gifts we bring them. But the greater joy is to see the spiritual growth that has taken place in many of them. Their prayers are simple as they trust God to take care of them and their children.

This week Sal and I went to meet a new widow. Milagra’s husband did not die. He left her. She is a very tiny woman who looked more like a young girl. She didn’t know how old she was. My guess is 18-20. She had been living on an abandoned lot and sleeping against a crumbling retaining wall with no shelter from the elements. A neighbor lady took pity on her and allowed a temporary lean-to to be erected on her house for Milagra. They share whatever food they have together.

Cross Angle Ministries is planning to launch a social service with a gospel emphasis for women like Milagra this year. Please pray for God to supply all that will be needed to be up and running soon.

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27

We are all excited about the upcoming End Times and Tabernacle conferences in Bangalore. We leave tomorrow and will return next Monday. Please be in prayer for us and the attendees.

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After nearly 2 weeks, 3 hotels, 2-2 day conferences, 1 women’s conference and 2 preaching invitations, we happily hopped a plane for Bangalore and then proceeded by car for 6 hours to our home base at Quiet Corner, India. After attending the conference in Vijayawada, a pastor was so excited that he planned a spontaneous outreach that very evening and 200 people attended. At the women’s conference, the pastor’s wife was in tears because she was so touched by the teaching.

On Saturday Tomas, Sal and I attended the marriage reception for our friend’s brother. Barb decided to stay back while the three of us drove to the wedding hall. Receptions in India in no way resemble receptions in the USA.

• In America, wedding plans are carefully laid out. The guest list includes only close relatives and friends. Attendees usually average 150-200. In India, hand delivered invitations are distributed near and far. The average attendance is 700-1,000.

• In America, guests seating is strategically planned and decided by the happy couple and their parents. In India, the guests are seated family style at long tables that line the wedding hall for what seems to be miles.

• In America, the dinner menu is sampled and approved by the engaged couple months before the big day arrives. In India, huge vessels of local favorites like biryani, curries and sauces ladled onto banana leaves are served family style to each guest.

• In America, the bride and groom roam freely from table to table to speak with their guests. In India, the couple stands on a decorated stage while groups of 3-10 people pose with them for a picture. Consider that there are 1,000 people standing in cue to take a picture with the newlyweds.

Sal preached Sunday at the QCI Bethel Bible Church just a half mile away. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a quiet afternoon to reflect on all that has taken place, study, read, pray and prepare for the coming weeks.

Day is done and it’s almost 10:00 PM. The jungle nights are filled with the distant sounds of barking dogs keeping wild animals away from the local farms. Just below my bedroom window is the sound of wild boar foraging for downed fruits from the trees.  The night watchmen make their rounds patrolling for signs of elephants inside the compound.

O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions.  Psalm 104:24

A new week begins. We’ve been here 6 weeks already. Barb and I will meet with the precious widows on Wednesday. Next Friday we’ll leave for another round of conferences beginning with Bangalore.

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Upon arriving at Hyderabad airport we were met by two pastors from Acts India. Shortly after that, Dr. Ratnam pulled up curbside and whisked us off to Ashirvad Global Training Center for a two day conference on Daniel and End Times. Over 200 pastors and church leaders attended. Many shared their gratitude for the teachings.

Every conference has a lot of picture taking before, during and after, but these attendees hold the record for most group poses and selfies. Our faces hurt from smiling for pictures.

Whenever we’ve brought a team to India, we are careful to emphasize the importance of staying flexible. Plans have a way of changing at a moment’s notice. The following except by Barbara proves my point:  “Our plan was to stay at Ashirvad for four days after the conclusion of the conferences. Elena went down to the front desk to see about getting some clothes washed, and the person looked very puzzled. He said he had to check with the manager. Then, the manager asked her what time we were checking out, and she told him we were staying until Monday. He got on the phone and she went to her room.

We found out shortly after that we had to vacate immediately. All the rooms on our floor had been booked for that day. The pastor who had arranged our accommodations apologized and began frantically looking for a hotel. A place close to where the women’s conference would be held was found, so we headed over there. The front desk took our passports and our money and we checked in. I knew there was going to be a problem because of the smell in the open air lobby, but it was 100x worse when they opened our rooms. Think pesticide mixed with cigarette smoke, moth balls and Hindu temple incense and you will  get close to what it smelled like. And you could write your name in the dust.  We could not stay there. It was awful and the people were rude. So we packed  our luggage back into the car and went way across town to an American hotel. We were feeling pretty optimistic with this place although the air outside smelled like sulfur. The lake across from the hotel collects sewage from the city of Hyderabad. For dinner, Sal and Tomas ordered burgers that were somewhere between meat loaf and a hockey puck! The chef came to our table and we were telling him that the texture of the burger was “off”. Then he tried to cut it and could not, so he apologized and told us to come back tomorrow and he would take care of us. Haven’t seen him since!”

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15  

On Friday we travelled to the venue for the Women’s Conference. Technology was a challenge as we encountered difficulties that delayed the start by over one hour. However, we were able to present Session One of Standing between The Wilderness and the Sea. Barbara then gave her testimony. Lunch was also delayed and time ran out. Session 2 was never presented. This was a great disappointment for me personally. It is in those moments I am reminded of my own advice . . . . Stay flexible!

Saturday we did some shopping, and spent Saturday night with a home fellowship of ministry families from Acts India. Sal taught from Ezekiel. Afterwards a home cooked meal was served to the entire fellowship. It was after 1 AM when we were dropped off at our hotel and fell into bed.

We completed our Hyderabad visit with an invitation for Sal to preach at a church on Sunday. He and Tomas left at 6:00 AM to reach the church in time for the first of two services followed by lunch at the pastor’s house. The pastor told Sal he personally needed to hear the message preached from Ezekiel, and that he was crying while listening. Barbara and I stayed back for a much needed day of rest. Monday we will pack up and move on to Vijayawada for 2 days of conferences before we head back to QCI.

Please continue to pray for the team. India is a place of spiritual activity by powers and principalities whose purpose is to prevent the spread of Christianity and sound biblical teaching. It is a war. Prayer and the word of God are our only weapons.

Thank you to all who are praying and also to all who have sent comments. It’s a great encouragement to hear from blog followers. You lift our spirits greatly.

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We have spent two days in the beautiful city of Mysore (officially Mysuru). It is located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka about 2 hours from our home base at QCI. It is known as the City of Palaces and for obvious reasons starting with the beautiful Mysore Palace. There is no longer a king living here, but the palace gives you a good idea about the opulent lifestyles of the Rajas.

Mysore is a top destination in India for yoga. There are many yoga retreat centers and schools here which attract tourists from Europe especially. As a result, there are over 129 Hindu Temples in Mysore where yoga is an important worship element to all practicing Hindus.

So here we are in Mysore presenting The Tabernacle and End Times Conferences. There were at least 20 pastors attending the sessions. They were so excited to be learning the deeper truths hidden in the scriptural material Sal presents. To see Jesus and the Gospel so clearly defined in the Tabernacle truly was a blessing to them. Nearly all of them requested copies of the workbook so they can teach these subjects to their church people.  In all 110 people attended.

 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.”  Job 11:7-9

Pray needs:

• Please pray for the upcoming trip. We will be presenting 3 conferences in eleven days. This will be the most hectic leg of our journeys.
• Pray for Sal who had to see the doctor today for a lower intestinal infection. We are trusting God for him to be restored before we fly to Hyderabad on Monday.
• Pray that all of us, Sal, Tomas, Barb and I, stay strong and healthy for the duration of our time here.

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I said goodbye to my husband as the team left for the Daniel Conference in Ooty. I was forced to stay behind because I was feeling ill with a stomach virus. God had gone before the team and planned a wonderful day of ministry and spiritual surprises. At the opening, the attendance was low with only around 12 people seated. Before long others were trickling in and the overall attendance swelled to over 140. A large group of Hindus, who had just left the temple, dropped in and remained for the entire conference. There were no empty chairs left in the room so some were forced to watch from the hallway.

During the last session, Sal was strongly convicted to weave the gospel in and out of the lesson since there were a number of unbelievers present. He gave an altar call and 30 people came forward to except Jesus as their personal savior. Ten area pastors also came forward to pray with them and take on the responsibility to follow up.

On Saturday, Sal was asked to take a session at the Standing in the Gap Prayer Summit at QCI. He spoke from Psalm 34 and challenged the people to not fear but bring everything to God in prayer.

Sunday we traveled 2 hours to conduct the Daniel Conference at a church nestled on the side of a mountain on the other side of Ooty. The trip was tough with 37 hairpin turns up one side of the mountain and 34 hairpin turns on the next mountain. I fought motion sickness while Barb had a headache. Navigating the winding roads and high elevation was not for the faint of heart, but it was all worth it. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking as we traveled through lush and green tea plantation country.

The people enjoyed the teaching on Daniel. One young man graduated from Bible College but said he never received the depth of teaching he heard at the conference. At the conclusion, Sal challenged the people to be “Daniels” and remain faithful to God. The entire church responded and came forward for prayer. Afterward, we were served a delicious lunch before we began our trip back over the winding mountain roads.

Wherever God sends us, we are blessed by the willingness we see in the people who want to grow more and know more about the God of the Bible.  The passion and spiritual hunger encourages us to stay the course and continue in the ministry God has set before us.

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. Proverbs 9:9

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It would be impossible for me to write every detail of everything that happens here in India. It seems day by day there are amazing things that occur. One of the greatest blessings is where ever we go new forever friendships are forged. Our lives are enriched and challenged by their faith, labor of love and hope in the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday we attended a church in Gudalur where Sal was invited to speak. The car could only take us so far and then we had to transfer to a smaller vehicle to navigate the narrow, winding roads. The road ended and we had to continue on foot down a dirt path to a quaint home nestled on the hillside. Attached to the home was a long narrow sanctuary. We were welcomed by Jesu Daas, senior pastor and district overseer of approximately 90 independent churches in the Niligris Mountains. He is 85 years old but does not look a day over 65! He lives with his wife, 2 sons and their wives and grandchildren. They all serve in ministry together.

Sal spoke from 1 Thessalonians 1 on what makes a good church. Most everyone at this church are former Hindus and poor coolie workers. One young mother and her children told us they are secret Christians. Her husband is not a believer and she can only attend church when he’s out of town. At the conclusion of the service, Jesu Daas confessed he was a bit nervous about giving his pulpit to someone he hardly knew and a foreigner at that. But he was happy and blessed by the message. The family served us a wonderful lunch. New forever friendships were made on Sunday!

For they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.  And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.  1Thess.1:9-10

Monday we enjoyed the first of three young widow meetings. Twenty five ladies attended. It’s been 9 months since we last met. Some shared testimonies while others recited memory verses. Spiritual growth has increased since I last saw them. I spoke to them about God’s Umbrella of Grace. At the conclusion, a new widow, Sarojah, accepted Jesus as her Savior and Lord. Another new forever friendship was born!

The monsoon season was especially hard this year. One result was many mangled and broken umbrellas. Due to the generosity of one family, we were able to provide new umbrellas for each widow. Hopefully they will remind them of God’s amazing umbrella of Grace that covers those who trust in the Lord.

Please pray:

Tomas and Barb are recovering from bad colds. Please pray for all the team to stay healthy.

Our friends, Thomas and Marykutty, are both ill and in need of healing.

This coming Friday and Sunday we’ll be in Ooty for 2 one-day conferences. Pray all goes well and the people attending are blessed.

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Two busloads of smiling men, women and children arrived at QCI on Wednesday to attend the Jesus Conference.  It is the Pongal Holiday. Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival of South India, particularly in the Tamil community. The advantage of conducting a conference over this holiday is the children have no school, making it convenient for families to attend.  

The topics being covered are The Tabernacle (3 sessions), Daniel (3 sessions), and End Times (3 sessions). These are long days, yet the attendees happily come. Many tell us they have never heard teaching like this. They all say they benefit and are excited to teach the material to their churches.

To say we are humbled by their spiritual hunger and zeal is an understatement. Our own faith is challenged by theirs. They live in the shadow of persecution. Some of them are treated harshly by relatives who are not believers. Their resolve to keep fighting the good fight is great.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

As we conclude the conference, I look forward to a day of rest especially for Sal. He’s scheduled to preach on Sunday at a church in Gudalur. On Monday, the young widows will spend the day with Barb and me. That is a special time for me personally.

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5:30 AM:  It is hard to believe that nine months have passed since we were last here at Quiet Corner. After 36 hours of travel, we arrived safely to our second home in the jungle of Tamil Nadu. We are taking it slow as we adjust to the time change and catch up on our sleep. The sun is just rising above the  Niligris Mountains. The birds, monkeys, cows, and roosters are raising their voices in harmony to herald a new day dawning.

It’s the first Sunday of the new year. We have been invited to the Moyer Bethel Bible Church. Moyer is a small village about 35 minutes away. The church is small but powerful in its passion to reach the lost. We are excited to see Pastor Victor, his wife and daughter and the congregation that he leads. Victor is the man who found Sal’s wedding ring last year after we searched an entire week.

The next few days will be spent preparing for the first conference on January 10-12. Tomas and Barb will leave the USA soon and join us on January 9. They will assist and participate in conferences and events for the next 2 ½ months. What a blessing they are to us. I look forward to having an amazing journey with them.

3:30 PM: We had a glorious morning of worship at the Moyer church followed by a beautiful lunch served Tamil style. In the Tamil homes the tradition is when the hosts invite guests for a meal they do not eat with them, but they serve them. So we were seated at a table and served by the Pastor Victor, his wife , Grace, and their daughter, Mercy. It’s a humbling experience but it is also a great honor.

• Please pray for Tomas and Barb to have a safe journey.
• Pray that God grant them supernatural rest since they will arrive early morning the first day of the conference.
• Pray for God to go before us and prepare the way.

It is the same with my word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:11 NLT

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Moving to southwest Florida has put my gardening skills back to the beginning on the learning curve. I knew a lot about annuals and perennials when I lived in the north, but since moving to the sub-tropics my green thumb has turned a pale shade of yellow. Recently, I caught site of a lovely lavender bloom spreading like a blanket across the backyard. It was pretty to look at, but I soon found out it was deadly to a healthy green lawn. PUSLEY! Even its name causes me to feel queasy. It is an aggressive creeper and will take over turf grass areas.

One way to rid the lawn of the pesky weed is to spray it with chemicals. Only problem with that is it kills the healthy grass also. Another way is to pluck it out one by one. That does not fix the problem because the root system spreads and invades elsewhere. I’m resigned to the reality that Pusley is a difficult and invasive foliage that I will just have to live with as long as I live in southwest Florida.

My weed dilemma reminds me of a parable of Jesus recorded in Matthew 12:24-30:  Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’  “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’  “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”

We live in an age where the green grass of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is constantly under invasion by the weeds of false teachers and heretical teachings. Often these enemies go undetected because they are attractive and the “theology” is easy on the ears. Unsuspecting believers can be deceived, while unbelievers trust in a false sense of eternal security.  Jesus warned that the problem will not be solved until His return. Our only defense is to remain rooted in the Word of God. Our only offense is to lovingly uphold the truth of Scripture to those who are entangled in the weeds of the enemy.

As I look out at my weed-infested lawn, I can smile at the future. There will be no weeds in the Kingdom of God. There will be no enemy. There will be no need to spray chemicals.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.  Matthew 13:43

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Today is Mother’s Day. For most of us, it is a day of honor and joy. It’s a day to celebrate the women who raised us, and enjoy the privilege we have in the raising of children. But for some, it is a hard day.

Yesterday, our friends buried their son. He died a week ago unexpectedly and unpredictably. Though we live far from them, we felt their pain and misery through text messages and phone calls. And though I prayed and shed some tears, I, in no way, could imagine the depth of their loss.

Someone said that grief is the loss of love. I don’t quite agree. I think grief is the evidence of love. As our friends work through this tragic loss, I am certain they will discover new depths of love for their family, their marriage and the memories of their son. They wont just “move on” and leave him behind. He will go with them, and all the love that his life produced will remain forever.

This young man loved God and trusted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Someday his parents will make their final journey. He’ll be waiting with open arms. They will see him face to face. All the mother’s days that have been lost will vanish forevermore.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:4

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Jet lag :  extreme tiredness and other physical effects felt by a person after a long flight across several time zones.

Generally, recovering from jet lag requires one day for every time zone. After arriving home from India, which is 12 time zones away, I’m happy to announce that we have overcome the symptoms in 10 days.

We have spent most of that time re-entering American life. We’ve unpacked, restocked our grocery inventory, caught up with family, friends and neighbors. Life as usual is slowly returning to usual, at least until next year when we begin another journey back to India.

Physical jet lag demands rest and drinking plenty of water to avoid a sense of mental fogginess. Spiritual jet lag is a real and present danger when returning from a long ministry trip. It is difficult to refocus on the present after what we’ve experienced 12 time zones away. We require spiritual rest and plenty of hydration from the water of life found in a relationship with Jesus. I’m glad there are no time zones with God except for the one made when we enter a relationship with Him through His son. In the blink of an eye, we are transported from a time zone of darkness into His time zone of light.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
Colossians 1:13

Sal and I would like to thank each one of you who followed us by way of this blog during the last three months. We are still processing the amazing things God allowed us to experience. The following video is just a small sample of what our time was like. It is the three months packaged into 6 minutes, so please take a look at it when you can.

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We have reached our final days here in India. A week from now, we will be in Bangalore locking and loading our suitcases as we prepare to return to the United States on April 4. It has been a truly amazing three months. I am grateful for all who have followed us by way of the blog. There are so many stories that I have not written about. Some of our experiences were so extraordinary, I really find it hard to put them into words.

I smile when I think about how we have traveled from one end of India to the other in these last three months. We have flown on PLANES that do not announce gate changes. They left us running through the airport with our arms full of suitcases trying to find the assigned gate before take off. The Garcia’s and Meyer’s will never forget the experience of trying to exit the TRAIN in Bangalore. We narrowly escaped being crushed by the rushing mob. AUTOMOBILES are in a unique category. There are no traffic rules here, only suggestions. Sometimes it’s 37 hairpin turns to get to Ooty. Sometimes it’s 76 speed bumps to get to Gudalur. Sometimes it’s a 6-13 hour ride to our next destination, which includes traffic jams caused by cows (I  call them cowdillacs), sheep (I call them Lamb-orghini) and ox drawn carts.

So why do I love India? It’s not the planes trains and automobiles. It is the people. Wherever we go, we are met by loving hearts and kindness and hospitality. In many ways, they do more for us than we do for them. It is a privilege to teach them about the God of the Bible, and in return they shower us with sparkling eyes filled with unspeakable joy. We have just returned from completing a three day conference in Bangalore. It was a wonderful time with people who thoroughly enjoyed the teachings on the Tabernacle and Revelation. The feedback was similar to what we hear all over India. “We have never heard teaching like this before.”

It’s been a busy and hectic three months but the peace of God is with us.  We feel we have finished well. While in Bangalore, we met three pastors all requesting conferences next year. We have 17 conference invitations for End Times and other topics and 6 events for women. Two of the six will be for Pastors’ wives only. I’m especially excited about that. I happen to know a thing or two regarding that subject!  In our wildest dreams, we could not have imagined ever doing what we are doing. This is God’s plan and it is marvelous in our sight. Though we have a plan for 2020, we are trusting God for the details.

James 4:13-15 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

The remainder of our week will be spent visiting friends, saying good-bye and soaking up our little corner of Quiet Corner, India.

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This week we celebrated Sal’s birthday. There was the usual favorite meal, cake, candles, and a small gift. But the unique and special blessings of God that came this year, we will never forget. God’s gifts are priceless.

A week ago while eating lunch, Sal realized that his wedding band was not on his finger. A thorough search of everywhere he’d been in the last 24 hours began. Literally,  we turned our room upside down. He had thrown grapes into the woods, and so a team of people were scouring the ground in the forest looking for anything shiny that could be his ring. We searched the cars. Everyone was on the lookout!

After three days of searching, we went to the village police department to file a report. The police were not completely cooperative. They wanted us to produce a bill of sale. I’m pretty sure we don’t have one, since the ring has been on Sal’s finger for 50 years. Next they wanted to come to QCI to interview everyone and make sure a robbery had not occurred. We tried to explain we only wanted to report the ring missing and receive an authorization from them, so we could submit it to our insurance company. Finally,  we were sent to the chief inspector who took pity on us and consented to give us the report. That was Monday. We resigned to the reality that the ring was probably lost forever. We both prayed to let it go and thank the Lord for His goodness to us.

On Wednesday, Sal’s  birthday, I spoke with the young widows, and during the session my husband wandered into the hall. He started waving his hand at me, and I saw the ring on his finger. I nearly flipped out in front of all the ladies. The ring was lost but now was found. On Monday, one of the pastors had spotted the ring on the road in Masinagudi (a large and busy village). He picked it up and put it in his shirt pocket. He forgot about it until Wednesday. That’s when he took a closer look at it, and he knew it was not Indian gold. He wondered if a foreigner had lost the ring. He brought it to Quiet Corner, knocked on our door and asked Sal if it was his. It was!

The incident became an immediate message illustration for me. The Topic was God’s Love. I told the ladies God’s love for us is so great he can return a tiny gold ring that we would never have found on our own. Eight women stood during the invitation to receive more of God’s love in their lives. My sweet friend, Kalpanna, stood and accepted God’s ultimate gift of love, his son Jesus Christ. This was a great joy for me. I have been praying for her salvation for two long years. She has been widowed twice and has three children. Now she is happy because she knows that God loves her and he will take care of her.

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So that was Sal’s birthday, celebrated with two priceless gifts that money could not buy.

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

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Stay flexible! Those are familiar words I have repeated over and over again as mission teams have come and gone these last 11 years. Those words are meant as much for me as they are for others. Once again they have proven that flexibility is very very much a part of the Indian experience. Let me explain.

Today our two team members, Vikki and Harold, left us because of an ongoing health issue with Vikki’s eye. The Meyers have been real troopers throughout the last three months. They have been our traveling companions, our behind the scene organizers, our prayer warriors and our friends. They have faced many personal challenges and yet continued to carry-on with us. In late January Vicky’s eye condition worsened and she had to be seen at a special clinic in Bangalore which took her away from us for 4 days. Now that condition has returned. With only two weeks left before our scheduled departure to the US, we all agreed it best they return early so she can be treated by her own doctor.

Sal and I will carry on without these two faithful servants, but their fellowship and companionship will be missed. Once again reminding me to stay flexible.

Last Saturday we conducted an End Times conference in Ooty . It was a wonderful day with over 120 delegates. Again the opportunity to stay flexible was given to me the night before the conference when I broke a tooth. By the grace of God, there was no pain. By the grace of God, I was able to see the dentist during the conference hours. By the grace of God, I’m in the process of having the tooth repaired and a crown. Once again, stay flexible!

To me, flexibility means being willing to change direction in order to cooperate with the plans of another. That is an essential character for Christians. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth,  so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Being flexible means bending under pressure while ever mindful that our Sovereign God is in control. We can go with the flow and trust God with the outcome.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

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Summer is in full swing here in South India. The average temperature is in the mid 90’s. So yesterday was a blessing of relief from the heat as we climbed the mountain to the top (36 hairpin turns) to attend a women’s conference. At 7200 feet, the temperature in Ooty was quite refreshing as it never got above 75 degrees.

The conference day was a wonderful event. The hall was donated by the owner of the Zion International Hotel. He is a wonderful Christian man. Sadly, he has received much trouble from the local authorities because he hosts Christian events. Being bold and courageous for Christ in India includes suffering and persecution. This man is truly under that cloud right now. Next Saturday he will host the End Times Conference at the same facility. Please pray that the authorities are blinded from the activities that are going on at the hotel. Pray for protection for this man, his family and his business.

Approximately 110 people attended the women’s event. Most were women but there were children and men attending also. The topic was about family relationships and building a Christ centered home. At the conclusion of the conference, many women came forward for prayer explaining that their husbands were with other women, and they were left to raise the family on their own. They were encouraged to pray for their husbands to return to them and be fully changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, Sal gave the Sunday message at the local Assembly of God Church. The worship was beautiful and the message was on loving one another. The pastor was very happy about the message and many people said they were blessed by it. Tonight the pastor and his family were our guests for dinner. Their church is currently conducting 40 days of prayer and fasting for their country and the upcoming elections. Prayer meetings happen every day at daybreak, mid-morning and evening, and they fast each day until sundown. To say we are humbled by their commitment to prayer is an understatement.

Tomorrow we will travel to Mysore to pay our respects to our friends, Francis Neurmonic and his wife. Their 34 year old daughter- in- law tragically died yesterday. She had a breathing problem but something went wrong and she was taken to the hospital. She died shortly after arriving. This is a shock and a tragic experience for the family. She leaves her husband and two small children.

Indian culture, language, and skin color is different from those in America. But trouble,  sorrow and trials are the same. Whether it is husbands who leave their wives for other women or the tragic loss of a young wife and mother, we are very much the same. We need the Lord. He is the only way to get through the trials of life.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18

The weeks seem to be flying by, but we have a number of events to go before we turn our hearts towards home.

Please pray for us this coming week.

• Sal and Harold will travel 2 hours to conduct a Leadership Seminar for pastors on Wednesday.
• Saturday we will be in Ooty for an End Times Conference.
• Sunday Sal will preach at a nearby church.

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When one thing goes wrong in the midst of your plans, you can consider it a problem. But when a series of things go wrong one after the other, you must consider that something else is going on. Spiritual warfare! Demonic activity has welcomed us to Mumbai.

Even before we boarded the plane problems were developing. First Viju had a problem verifying his boarding pass because we paid for it with our charge card. I quickly had to send the airline a copy of our charge card and Sal’s passport with an attached letter verifying that we indeed paid for his ticket. Thank God he did not miss his plane.

Next, we were waiting to board our plane, but our gate was changed and it was not announced. We did not realize this until we were ready to present our boarding passes. All four of us flew through the airport to the correct boarding gate and narrowly made it.         

Within hours after arriving in Mumbai, Vikki began to develop a cough. By the next morning she was suffering from full-blown bronchitis. Harold also became sick and also came down with bronchitis. Ammu, Viju’s wife, developed a skin rash. And I came down with what is commonly known as traveler’s diarrhea. Last evening we called for the house Doctor who treated Vikki and Harold with antibiotics and also gave me meds to quiet my stomach.

The only two left in good shape were Sal and Viju. Today is day two of the conference which is going quite well even though half the team has not been able to attend. We don’t always understand the reasons why these problems exist. We know that in spite of it, God has been greatly blessing the conference. Many of the delegates say they have never heard teaching on the end times before, and were very happy to understand the true meanings found in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

Now how do all these obstacles lead to spiritual warfare? This week is the start of the festivals in India. Yesterday was a national holiday as all Hindus celebrate and worship the high god, Siva. The Hindus believe that they must not sleep for 24 hours during this festival in homage to Siva. So throughout the country there was street dancing, loud music, and singing at all hours of the day and night. We could hear it clearly from our hotel rooms. But we know that this god that they worship could not hear them.  

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.”  Habakkuk 2:18-19 NIV

My opinion is that demonic activity increases during these festivals. The devil and his armies knew we were here to open the hearts and minds of people who are seeking truth. The warfare began the moment we stepped into Mumbai, but God has kept Sal and Viju protected and strong and victorious in preaching the Word of God – The only Truth that belongs to the One and only True God.     

Please pray for us as we travel back to QCI tomorrow. Pray that the Meyer’s will regain their strength quickly. Our next scheduled event is a Women’s Conference on March 9 in Ooty.    

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On Monday, we flew to Hyderabad for a two day End Times and Tabernacle Conference. We were picked up at the airport by our host, Dr. Ratnam, and traveled about an hour by car to the outer limits of the city. We are at a conference center known as Ashirwad (means Blessing in Hindi) Global Learning Center. It is an impressive and sprawling compound nestled in the countryside. The auditorium is a large building that can hold about 400. Our accommodations are equal to a 5- star hotel. Ashirwad is a Christian training center that was built by an American and is used by organizations from all over the world, bringing sound biblical teaching to this nation. It is also heavily involved in bringing literacy programs to villages throughout India and planting churches.

We are always humbled by the delegates who travel days by train and bus to attend the conferences. About 200 were in attendance. More than half of the attendees were pastors. Also attending were many young families with small children, the youngest being about 2 months old. Also there was a young dentist and a physical therapist. Both are bold in faith. The dentist gave me his business card which had a by-line that said, “Repentance, Forgiveness Increases Healing”.

Even more impressive are the little children who sit quietly during the sessions. There is no such thing as nursery available at conferences or church in India! Vikki and I found some of the children in the courtyard and taught them songs. Vikki also shared the gospel with them using a color bracelet.

Today was the final sessions of the conference. Early this morning, the entire group took a field trip to a life size replica of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Sal explained each piece of the Tabernacle as we moved through the exhibit. This was a great visual and greatly prepared everyone for the topic of Christ in the Tabernacle. Getting around in India is not always easy. In order to get the entire group to the exhibit at a reasonable price, we hired 3 lary trucks. This is definitely not for the weak of heart!

These days have been so special. Most of the delegates have left. We are all pretty tired but it is a good tired. Tomorrow we will spend the day sightseeing and exploring Hyderabad. Friday we fly to Mumbai for a two day conference next week.

Pray God continues to grant us strength and good health. He has been so good!

Pray the pastors attending would be filled with all wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

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Friday we completed a five-day intensive Servant Leadership Bible School. We had a class of about 35 people ranging in all ages. Some pastors, some church planters, some evangelists, some teachers and even a medical student.

The days started at 9:30 AM  with worship followed by three sessions of topics before lunch and another three sessions after lunch ending the day about 5:30 PM. Topics included the Pentateuch, How to Study the Bible, How to Develop a Sermon Outline, Pastoral Leadership, and a Study of the Book of Habakkuk.

Each night we enjoyed special activities such as karaoke, bonfire, and relay races. After a long day of intensive class time, the evenings were spent on unwinding and having fun together as a group.

About 2/3 of the class was made up of young men and women under the age of 30. It is very exciting to see the passion they have to serve the Lord in ministry. One young man is currently applying to Moody Bible Institute. Another young couple came with their one-year-old son. They currently are launching a church planting ministry in central India. It is a pleasure and joy to work with young people like them who are so hungry for God to work in their nation. These beautiful men and women represent the next generation of Christian leadership in India.

Saturday we traveled by rail road to Bangalore. We went shopping on Commercial Street and joined Thomas and Marykutty at their home for dinner. Barb and Tomas departed after dinner for the airport to make the journey back to the states. The Garcia’s have been a tremendous blessing as they assisted with worship and photography.
During their month with us, Tomas took over 1,600 pictures.

  We will go on to Hyderabad on Monday along with our sidekicks, Harold and Vikki, for our next End Times conference. From there we will travel to Mumbai for another before returning to QCI on March 7.

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel. Pray we are all protected from illness. Pray for our strength and safety as we go.

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Last Saturday was an amazing day. We traveled up to Ooty and met with a tribal group of people in a quaint little chapel. It was full to capacity with nearly 80 people. Sadly, we had to leave Harold and Vikki at Quiet Corner because she was battling an upper respiratory infection. I’m happy to report, after going to the doctor, she is much better now.

The conference topic was End Times. The people had never heard any teaching on the end times before. They were so happy to receive it. We enjoyed a great day of fellowship with them. They are known as the Bakara tribe. They are all from Hindu background and suffer much persecution for converting to Christianity. They served us an amazing lunch which was more like a feast. Three pastors served as our waiters making sure our plates were filled and seeing to every detail. They topped it off with a special Indian dessert and ice cream.

There was a wedding hall on the same grounds as the little chapel. An Indian wedding reception was in progress and I was told they were Christians. The typical Indian wedding reception hosts over 1000 people. Tomas, Barb and I crashed the wedding hoping to get a look at the happy couple. As we made our way through the crowd, I bumped right into my friend Jayce. He immediately escorted us to the front of the reception line where we greeted the bride and groom and took pictures with them. Then we were taken to the dessert buffet where we enjoyed fresh fruit, dried dates and something that looked like ice cream but tasted like marshmallows. We were treated like honored guests rather than wedding crashers! Barb was overjoyed that instead of being kicked out for crashing the wedding, we were invited to stay and enjoy the celebration.

I think the Indian people are the most hospitable I’ve ever met. Whether here at QCI or walking through the village or crashing a wedding, the gracious kindness of these people is always extended. We are humbled by their loving attitude.     

 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:8-9

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The week has truly flown by and early this morning we said good-bye to the USA Team. It is always a bit sad to see them leave. The two weeks serving together creates a strong bond of fellowship. The time spent in ministry with them was over the top amazing. One of the team members asked me which mission trip of the ten we have hosted so far was the best. My answer was that each year I wonder how we could ever top what the team shared. And every year it seems to get better and better. My opinion is the best is yet to be!

There are so many powerful moments that occurred during the two week mission trip. I have been personally blessed to see children in the villages wearing the cross necklaces that they made at one of the four Kids Clubs. At least 300 tiny crosses are being displayed around the necks of these precious children. The meaning of the cross was explained to them in a simple way. May the Lord use the necklaces to lead the children and their families to faith in the One True God.

Tuesday was a special day as we toured the mountain top city of Ooty. The team enjoyed some shopping, lunch, auto rickshaw ride and stopping at a tea and spice shop. A real treat was spotting an elephant on the ride home that was fond of having his picture taken.

A visit to the Elderly Feeding Program was a special time. Twelve women and four men are currently in the program. They are provided a healthy portion of food which covers both lunch and dinner six days a week. Two of the team members, Tim and Dave, gave their testimonies. We brought new sweaters and hats for them.

Thursday, the last full day for the team, was spent at a Women’s Conference at a nearby church. Women came from at least four nearby villages. There were about 120 in attendance. I spoke at two sessions. The topics where Building a Christ-Centered Family and Becoming a Woman of Worth. Two of the team members, Amy and Barb, gave their testimonies. Many were touched by their stories. At the end of the closing session, seven women prayed to accept the Lord.

Today is a quiet day for us and the rest of the CAM Team, Harold, Vikki, Tomas and Barb. Tomorrow we will travel to Ooty for a one day End Times Conference. Monday begins the 5-day Servant Leadership Bible School. We are told close to 50 students are registered.

Prayer Needs: Please keep us all in your prayers to stay healthy. The next six weeks is heavy loaded with conferences and invitations to speak.

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Sunday, Feb.10: I am writing this while sitting in a small church filled with 75 young children from the community. The mission team from Lake Country Bible Church is conducting their fourth kids club in three days. This year’s kids club has been a tremendous success. The attendance has doubled to nearly 300. But the joy level is over the top.

The theme for this year was Creation. The team performed a skit explaining the 6 days of creation and how sin entered the world. Then the wordless book was used to explain how God solved the sin problem for us.
The kids had a great time singing, doing a craft and ending the night with a bag of popcorn, cool aide, a new pencil, a glow bracelet and some candy. But best of all, they heard the life giving story of the Gospel.

Earlier in the week we had the awesome opportunity to visit the Mavanhalla Government School. The team sang songs, shared about life in the USA, and played games with them. We invited them all to come to the Saturday night Kid’s Club at Quiet Corner. Ninety five children attended that night. Many of them were from the school. These kids are tribal children and mostly Hindu.

I don’t think any of us will forget our visit to Patti Patti, a small rural village. It is difficult to describe the level of poverty that exists there. We had to walk into the jungle about 1/4 mile just to reach this remote village. We handed out bread buns which put smiles on many faces.

Monday, Feb. 11: We have less than a week left with this great team before they leave to return to the USA. Today the ladies took a tour to visit some of the widows who have had or are having repairs done to their houses. It was very special to visit them and pray for them.

The men stayed at the camp to get the hall ready for the Servant Leadership Bible School which starts next week. Later in the day, we visited another children’s feeding program. Our week will include a visit to the elderly feeding program and an all-day woman’s conference on Thursday. Tomorrow the team will enjoy a well-deserved day of rest to tour, eat and shop in Ooty.

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It’s hard to believe its Thursday evening. This week has literally flown by. We conducted the annual Jesus Conference at Quiet Corner from Monday through Wednesday. The three topics that were offered were The Tabernacle, The End Times and all new material on The Book of Daniel. About 70 delegates attended representing five states across India.

This was by far one of the best conference experiences we ever had. The people were so excited to receive solid and sound biblical teachings. No one seemed to mind attending four 90 minute sessions a day. Tuesday evening they all gathered around the campfire for a joyful time of singing praise songs and regional dancing.

Four of the greatest blessings to Sal and me has been Harold, Vikki, Tomas and Barb. Harold and Vikki handled all registration and behind the scene logistics, while Tomas and Barb led worship. Tomas enjoys photography and was able to cover the conference through pictures and videos.

Today was a well deserved day of rest. Sal especially earned it. If I could select one phrase to describe him it would have to be Divine Stamina. It is only by God’s grace that he can teach from morning until late afternoon, meet with individuals privately in the evening and then go elephant chasing before bed.

“Your shoes shall be iron and brass; and as your days — so shall your strength be!” Deuteronomy 33:25

Tomorrow we shall be shopping and preparing for the USA Team that will arrive on Monday.

A big praise is that our eleventh grandchild, Hayes Alexander, arrived on Sunday. Mom and baby are healthy and doing great.

Please pray for Tomas who is ill with a stomach virus.

Pray for the team as they travel. They will be pulling in on Monday (India Time), February 4.

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This blog was previously posted. This is updated with the pictures included.

Today was the monthly Young Widows Gathering at QCI. It’s always a joy to meet with these beautiful ladies, but today was exceptional. When we first met the widows about 7 years ago, there were hardly any Christians among them. Today more than half have come to put their trust in the God of the Bible.

Since the last time we saw them (March 2018), there has been an obvious spiritual growth spurt. One by one the ladies stood to recite scripture from memory. It was a joy to listen to them and see the looks on their faces as they spoke God’s word. They were intent and seriously listening as I spoke to them about  five ways to grow their faith. At the conclusion, they all stood to pray and ask God’s help to grow their faith each day. Two of the ladies came forward and Pastor Benjamin led them to the Lord.

After the program ended, the widows were given lunch. It was time for them to go home, but God was about to put an application to the message they heard on growing their faith. One of the widows, Dodda Madhavi, did not come to the gathering. We found out that her brother was sleeping when a bear attacked him. The bear took a large bite out of his calf. It was quite serious, and he was taken to a hospital for surgery where they would graft skin onto his injured leg. The family has no money to pay for the surgical costs. A collection was taken and these poor widows gave whatever they could to help a family in need. One of the widows told me it was because of the message on faith that she gave what she did. She wants to grow in faith and she knows she must obey what God tells her to do.

I think the person whose faith grew the most today was my own. Often, when I teach, I doubt that my words will make any impact at all. But then I am reminded that they are not my words. All I need to do is open my mouth and God will fill it with his words. He knows the right message that needs to be given to the right audience at the right time.

“Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” Exodus 4:12

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Three weeks have come and gone since we landed here in India. The time so far has been full. As I look back over the photos we took this week, I am stunned at just how much of India we have experienced in just the last seven days. Here is just a flyover of what this week has been like.

• Sunday, January 20, Sal preached at Bethel Bible Church in Masanagudi. It was a beautiful service and a precious time as we reunited with old friends. That evening we welcomed our new friend, Pastor Ratan, from Andhra Pradesh. We were humbled that he would travel many miles by bus to meet us. We had a wonderful time and spoke of future plans to conduct a conference in his state.

• Monday Ratan joined us for a trip to Ooty. While Sal and I went for our dental appointments, Ratan took a quick tour of the city. After lunch he departed for his long trip back to his home. The rest of the day was spent studying and preparing for the week ahead.

• Tuesday was the monthly Young Widows Gathering which I wrote about in the last blog. Our next meeting is February 6. The USA Team will be here for that.

• Wednesday was an unexpected pleasure. Our friend, Eiswar, took us and Harold and Vikki to see the villages he manages for a humanitarian organization. He drove us deep into the jungle where we visited small villages that are very poor. Through his organization they have been able to provide wells for water. We watched as the women of the village would gather at the watering hole to fill their pots and clean their dishes. They were grateful that they no longer needed to walk to a nearby pond and haul water back to the village.  We also visited the government schools that are provided with assistance by this organization. Two school buses were donated which allows the schools to pick up children in the faraway villages so that they can get an education. Our last stop was at a cottage industry where very poor village ladies make crafts that are sold In fair trade shops for a small income.  

• Thursday was a happy day as we welcomed our friends from Wisconsin, Barb and Tomas. It was great to have them join our team for one month. They are talented musicians and will assist with worship at the conference next week and the Bible school in February. Also on Thursday, many of our old friends began checking in at Quiet Corner to attend the Standing In the Gap Prayer Summit followed by the Jesus Conference.

• Friday morning Sal kicked off the Prayer Summit with a message about how to pray and overcome fear. We attended some of the teaching and prayer sessions. The summit is specific to intercessory prayer and praying for the nation of India. Much of this country is plagued by superstition, idolatry, illiteracy and poverty. It is humbling to hear the prayers of these faithful warriors as they cry out to God on behalf of the nation.

• Saturday was a national holiday, Republic Day. At 8:00 AM we gathered around the flagpole as the people sang their national anthem, read scripture and prayed once again for India. Again we were humbled at how they love their country and honor their flag

• We spent most of Saturday studying and waiting. We had been informed that the bus we raised money to buy was on the way and would be delivered by noon. But we waited all day and no bus came until 7:00 PM. The excitement in the camp was over the top as everyone came to see the brand new 20 passenger bus pull through the entry gate. The bus was a needed vehicle. It will be used to pick up visitors and guests who travel here to attend conferences, to bring the widows to the camp for special events, V BS and church functions, etc. Everyone boarded the bus and we prayed and dedicated it to be used to the glory of God. We christened her, Blessing. We are very grateful to those who donated the funds needed to buy this beautiful bus.

• Late Saturday evening we got a visit from Richard and Cristabella from Mumbai. They are old friends who serve in ministry in the north of India. We had not seen them for three years because Richard has been travelling throughout Uttar Pradesh preaching in many churches.

• Today (Sunday) Sal preached at Bethel Bible Church in Moyer. The Jesus Conference begins tomorrow morning and runs through Wednesday afternoon. Please pray for all to go well in the coming days. Pray for good health and strength for the team as they serve at the conference. Pray for the delegates to have a blessed time. On a personal note, please pray for my daughter who is scheduled to be induced Monday. Our eleventh grandchild is on the way! I’ll post an update in a few days.

That was a short description of our week. There is so much more that took place but often is too difficult to describe. As Vikki and I stood on a remote road overlooking a small village, I remarked to her, “How do we explain this to people back home?” I am reminded of the words of Thomas Samuel:

You cannot explain India. You can only experience India.

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Karela, India is fittingly known as God’s Own Country. Its coastline is a series of inlets and rivers that form an area known as the backwaters. The vegetation is green and lush. Fruit trees are heavy with tropical fruits such as papaya and Jack fruit. Small villages line the river banks. San Pan Boats are docked along the shores. You can rent one and take a leisurely ride through the backwaters and out into the Arabian Sea.

 

Kerala is God’s Own Country because it has been blessed by God. It was here that Thomas, the apostle, traveled after the diaspora in Jerusalem. He established the first Christian Church in India. Christian roots were planted nearly 2,000 years ago and has flourished throughout the state.

I wish Thomas could see the impact his ministry has had in this area of India. There are signs of Christianity everywhere. Many churches, many denominations are sprinkled throughout the region wherever you go. Other noticeable differences from the rest of India is that there are no cattle roaming the streets, no monkeys scaling the rooftops. The infrastructure is in good shape. Roads are reasonably smooth and paved and very little litter is to be found in the villages along the road sides. Every child attends school here and there is a 100% literacy rate.

Thomas, the one who once doubted, has done well in fulfilling the command that was given to him. I believe that when Thomas heard these words his entire worldview changed as so should ours:  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20

Kerala truly is God’s Own Country because The Word of God is boldly proclaimed, and Jesus is worshiped as Lord and Savior.

Jesus changes everything!

 

CAM Update: Thank you for your prayers! We had a wonderful time of worship, teaching, and fellowship the last three days at the Quiet Corner prayer hall in Kodukulonji, Kerala. The weather was perfect and we all stayed healthy. And now it’s back to Quiet Corner for a day or two of rest and preparation for the upcoming Jesus Conference at Quiet Corner, India.

Please pray that we can use the coming days wisely as we prepare and plan for conferences to be scheduled for March.

Pray for Tomas and Barb Garcia who will arrive here next Thursday to assist us with the conference and other events through February.

Pray that we all continue to stay healthy. I have a cough currently that seems to be allergy related.

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Today we are traveling to Kerala for the first End Times and Women’s conferences. We have already been on the road five hours and we have about another seven to go. We have scaled the heights of mountains and the plains of western Tamil Nadu. We have experienced the frost covered mountain top of Ooty followed by the arid flatland all in the last few hours. Road conditions vary from acceptable to challenging. Road rules are not enforced and I’m not sure if they even exist. Driving here is a challenge even for the best of drivers. Our driver’s name is Suresh. He is quite good, alert, and careful. An answer to prayer!

Billboards and road signs keep me entertained as we barrel down the highway. My favorite is the small sign that says Diversion Ahead.  It reminds me that though we are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight, we are not to walk blindly. God’s word, the Bible, is our highway to heaven. And its pages contain all the road signs to keep us going and not get lost. There are many warnings of the diversions that can sidetrack us and have us going in the wrong direction. Those diversions are riddled with sin and can lead us to a dead end.  Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” By obeying the road signs God has given to us through His word, we will avoid those diversions and make it to Heaven safely, our final and eternal destination.

Conducting conferences is always an adventure. We never know quite what to expect.  Will the meeting hall be adequate? Will the hotel accommodations be to our liking? Will we adapt quickly to the weather changes which vary in extremes from one place to another? In all these things we trust God who knows even better and has gone before us. One thing we are sure of is that for the next three days we will meet with God’s precious people who are hungry to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is a joy and a privilege to meet them, to teach them and to grow along with them.bridge media | Nike Release Dates

It happened again this week as we began our trip to India. We checked in at our local airport and our tickets were stamped TSA Pre-Check. It seems like for the last five years with every trip we’ve taken our boarding passes have been TSA Pre-Check. We never applied for that privilege. We didn’t do anything to earn it or deserve it nor did we pay for it. We really enjoy the benefits though. The security line for Pre-check is narrow. Very few people enter through that gate. You don’t need to take off your shoes or jacket. You don’t need to take your laptop out of its case.

What a contrast to the numerous lines of travelers waiting to pass the regular security check point. The stress is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Some people are anxious because they are very close to the time that their planes are leaving. Others are frantically removing items from their pockets and belts from around their waists. All electronic devices must be removed from carry cases. Everyone is required to take off shoes and jackets before walking through the X-ray detectors.

TSA Pre-Check reminds me of the words of Jesus from his Sermon on the Mount. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matthew 7:13. The difference is at the airport you will eventually get through security and catch your plane no matter which line you stand on, while the security lines that lead to eternity offer only two choices. The narrow gate is God’s very own pre-check. You don’t earn it, you don’t deserve it, and you don’t pay for it. It’s all been taken care of through Jesus and the sacrifice he made by dying to pay for our sins. All we do is accept it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India Update: we arrived safely and have had a peaceful few days to sleep and adjust to the time change. Harold and Vikki are such a blessing to us. He’s a trooper at only seven weeks out from surgery. Today, after breakfast, we will begin laying out the details needed for the coming weeks. On Monday Sal will officiate at the 60^th anniversary celebration for Thomas and Marykuddy Samuel. Wednesday we leave for a three day conference in Kerala. Please pray for all of us to stay healthy and strong. Pray also for the Lord to be glorified in all that takes place.Sports brands | Sneakers

I smile as I bring to mind the mental snap shots of Christmas past. Midnight church service was a priority when I was a child. Jesus was born and attending church at midnight was the official start of a perfectly wonderful day. My earliest recollection is waking up on Christmas morning on Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. There they were! The very things I’d hoped for – Mr. Potato Head, Play Dough and a small handheld shooting gallery. There was no assembly required and no batteries needed in those days. Mom and Grandma were up for hours already preparing the feast for what seemed an unending supply of aunts, uncles and cousins. Everything was made from scratch. And if you forgot something, it was simply omitted because every store was closed. Continue reading “It’s A Wonderful Life”

We kind of feel like we’ve run a marathon. Since returning from India in April, we have certainly been on a fast track. After recovering from some nasty infections that we brought back with us, we’ve been on several trips and have opened our home to eight sets of family and friends in five months.

In addition to that, we’ve been preparing conference and teaching materials for our upcoming three month trip. We will be spending New Years Day flying some 9600 miles to Bangalore and then another 6 hours by car to Quiet Corner. Continue reading “Merry Christmas!”

It is always a joy to attend a wedding and witness a young couple exchange their vow of love, loyalty, and commitment. As heartfelt as their words might be, I doubt either one of them truly understands the depth of it all. There will be blood, sweat and tears sprinkled throughout their marriage that will bring them back to the vow that they made on their wedding day.

To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.

Continue reading “Year of Jubilee”

Today I read a quote from CS Lewis that jolted my memory and took me back 30 years. He wrote, “Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love them.”

Her name was Mary but we called her Mean Mary.  It was a pretty fair description of her overall attitude and personality. She lived three houses away from us. She was the menace of our neighborhood managing to go nose to nose with most everyone on our block including me. I’ll never forget the day I declared war on Mean Mary.

Continue reading “Mean Mary”

It’s one year since retirement from the pastorate at Lake Country Bible Church. We enjoyed a couple of weeks in May visiting and reconnecting with our church family, our children and grandchildren, and our friends. It was a wonderful time.

It has also been a year of reflection thinking back over the last 19 years of full-time ministry. To say we learned a lot would be an understatement. I have often advised people not to get into full-time ministry unless willing to learn the hard things. Attending a beautiful church like LCBC is a good training ground for church leadership. You will learn the hard things because your congregation is spiritually mature and holds you to a higher standard. So whether you are pastoral staff, support staff, elders, deacons, or Bible teachers be prepared to learn. Continue reading “Don’t Pick Up The Sword!”

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Our last few days in India and our first week home in the USA has not been the journey ending we would have chosen. Both Sal and I became ill with compounded viral and bacterial infections soon after the last conference concluded.

With only days left to leave India, we were both bedridden with fevers. The Samuel family surrounded us with such love and care. Thomas prayed faithfully for our healing. Marykutty prepared “easy on the stomach” meals, making sure we were getting some nourishment. When I was admitted to the hospital for IV, Sister Jaya never left my side. She slept beside me and took care of me through the night. A day later, Sal was taken to a clinic for IV. Viju never left him. Even his pastor came to pray with us.

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ!

It is only by the grace of God that we were able to board the three planes that flew us home on April 10. God and God alone gets the glory for carrying us 9,000 miles. Within hours of arriving home, Sal was taken to the ER where he was diagnosed with influenza B and three strains of E. coli. It was our dear friends, Paul and June Adler and her sister, Kris, who took Sal to the hospital and stayed with him while I was sick at home. They purchased all the medications that were prescribed  and brought us a big pot of chicken soup. In the following days, Marjie Barnett dropped by with a meal, Margie Bernhardt dropped off some bakery and then stopped by with Chip to pray for us.

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ!

The prayer chain at Lake Country Bible Church stormed Heaven on our behalf. And there are those family and friends who have reached out to us through phone calls, emails and text messages. The care, the prayer, the acts of kindness and concern have all contributed to our slow and steady recoveries.  Romans 12:5 So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ!

Twila Paris wrote the following in the lyrics of How Beautiful. Sal and I have been wrapped up and carried in beauty through everyone who has reached out to us in the past few weeks. Thank you.

How beautiful the radient Bride

who waits for her Groom

with His light in her eyes.

How beautiful when humble hearts give

the fruit of pure lives

so that others may live.

How beautiful

how beautiful

how beautiful is the body of Christ.

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It seems unreal that in less than a week we will be crawling into our own bed. In many ways we feel like we’ve been gone for much longer that four months. So much has happened. The blogs have only skimmed the surface. It is always a bittersweet week for us. We are anxious to get home to our country, family and friends, and yet we are sad to say goodbye to the forever family that we leave behind in India.

The conference in Bellary went very well. There were about 200 attending. Our biggest challenge was the oppressive heat. And yet, God gave us the strength to bear up under it. In fact, I am convinced He supernaturally cooled our bodies. I discovered the benefit of walking around with a wet cloth. It is amazing how refreshing it felt on my face and neck. Sal consumed several liters of water each day which kept him fully hydrated and able to speak without any difficulty. Adjusting to the climate changed was not without its difficulties. Both Sal and I are left with dry coughs.

We have been especially blessed here in Bellary by the pastors and their families who are hosting the conference. The friendship and fellowship they share together is extraordinary. There are about 15 pastors from independent churches who worked together to plan the conference.

They share a bond of love and unity that is obvious the moment you see them together. Pastor Christopher told us that they meet at least twice a week at local coffee shops to talk, pray and share with one another. They greet one another with overflowing joy. You know the friendships are authentic and genuine.

They laugh together and they cry together. The churches come together at various times to evangelize and host events such as the End Times Conference. The wives know each other. The children know each other.  The congregations know each other. They care about each other. They are moving forward in one body, one Spirit, one glorious hope. (Ephesians 4:4) And for these few days we have been given the privilege of being a part of that fellowship.

Each night a different pastor hosted a dinner party for us at his home. The first night it was full Indian fare with three main dishes of mutton biryani, chicken curry, and roasted chicken. The hosting pastor and his family served the meal. They did not eat with us but waited on us. There were several church ladies helping in the kitchen. If our plates were empty, they were ready to fill them again. The other pastors and wives were happily talking and laughing together.

The following night it was a similar Indian “feast”. First a delicious main dish was served. Then the fruits were passed. Then an unusual after dinner soda flavored with cumin and turmeric was served followed by ice cream. Pastor Anand drove us to the dinner in his newly purchased “ministry” vehicle. He was so excited because he considered it a great honor to have us be his first passengers.

Sadly, because of this persistent cough, I did not attend the last dinner. Sal went and was greatly surprised to find pizza on the menu! The hospitality is really over the top. It put me to shame. I was not permitted to so much as clear my own plate or carry anything to the kitchen.

God saved the best for last. To be a part of that strong bond of fellowship for even these few days has blessed us beyond anything. It’s the way it was meant to be. One body working together for one cause. The glory of God is in the midst of Bellary because of these pastors and church families.

Romans 15: 5-7 Now may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus,  so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.

Post Script: This will be the last post from India. We are scheduled to leave on Tuesday, April 10, and arrive home about 7:00 PM EST. It has been a difficult few days here in Bangalore because we both came down with upper respiratory infections. The Samuel family has treated us with such patience and care during these days. We are so humbled by their sincere love and concern for us.

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It’s late Sunday night and I need to record my thoughts before I crash. Our final conference begins tomorrow in Bellary. We checked into a hotel here yesterday.

Sal has preached each Resurrection Sunday for twenty years. Today was no different except he preached four times in four different churches. We arrived at the first church which was packed with people. The crowd spilled out the side doors and literally into the street. Sal was ushered

through the crowd to the altar while I took a seat on the street and prayed I would not be struck by an auto rickshaw.

As soon as he concluded the message we were quickly chauffeured to the next church which met in a school hall. It was a full house but at least I was seated inside. After Sal ended the message and with no time to spare we made our way to church number three. We parked in a narrow alley and climbed four stories in a building that looked abandoned. We entered another packed house of happy people singing praises at the top of their lungs. Once again Sal made his way to the front while I found a place to sit in the hallway which was lined with men, women and children. After the service concluded, the entire church shared a meal. We returned to our hotel afterwards to rest.

At 6:30 PM we arrived at the fourth church. By this point I jokingly nicknamed Sal The Sermonator! But he humbly gave God the glory for giving him the strength to preach the entire day.

I want to mention here that Bellary has two seasons: hot and really hot. Currently, it is really hot with temps averaging between 95 and 103. The churches do not have AC. Sal preached his best at all four churches and never got tired. After the first church service, he literally looked like someone dumped a pail of water over him.

The message he shared was on forgiveness. At Calvary, Christ prayed for those who crucified him. What a challenging example he presents to believers. There is power in forgiveness. Whether we are doing the forgiving or asking for it, there is power to break down the walls of bitterness, anger and hatred. These Indian churches received the word with great joy. In each church there were moments where they broke out in applause in appreciation for the forgiveness of sins.  I found myself clapping along with them in gratitude for Jesus’ prayer of forgiveness that has reached across the centuries and changed my life forever.

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. . .and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matt 16:18b

I should be writing this blog from Nagpur. We were scheduled to conduct a three day End Times Conference there this week. Two weeks ago the authorities in Nagpur heard that we were coming to present Biblical teaching. We were informed that we could not teach or preach and the conference was immediately canceled.

When we were told about this, both of us felt a great peace. I knew God was protecting us and there was no need to fear or be upset. We canceled our plane tickets and hotel reservation and extended our time for another week at Quiet Corner. Soon after this, Gourab (you can read about him in the 3/15 blog entry) had the motorcycle accident and came to faith in Christ the very next day.

Since that time, we have met with him, Sonu and Guna for Bible Study and prayer every evening. Gourab’s faith is taking off. We are slowly going through the Gospel of John. We explain a passage and you can see the lights go on in his head. We are a most unusual group. We teach in English, Guna in turn translates into Tamil, Gourab then translates into Hindi for Sonu.

Two nights ago we talked about baptism. Gourab and Sonu both decided to be baptized. So we met with Pastor Benjamin to have him work with them on preparing for it. One word led to another and Sonu explains that though he was raised in a Christian home, he never asked Jesus to be his savior. After an hour of explaining the gospel, Sonu desired to pray and receive Christ. So Sal led in English, Pastor Benjamin translated into Tamil, Gourab translated into Hindi and Sonu became a Christian.

 

Just imagine, if we had gone to Nagpur we would have missed it all! From the sidelines, our cook , Shiva, has been watching all of this happening. He is a Hindu. In the past two weeks he’s begun to read the Bible. He’s asking questions and wants to know more about how to know Jesus. Sal plans to speak with him in the coming days.

God is doing something great in our midst. The authorities may think they’re in authority, but Jesus said the gates of hell cant stop the message of the cross. The church will prevail. Young men like Gourab and Sonu will know the truth and the truth will set them free. I’m so excited to see young men come to faith and genuinely desire to follow Christ.

• Would you please pray for Gourab and Sonu?
• Pray also for Guna as he mentors them through the scriptures.
• Pray Shiva will fully understand that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
• Pray for us in the coming days. We leave QCI on Thursday, March 29 for Bangalore. On March 31 we will travel by car to Bellary. Sal is scheduled to preach several times on Easter at different churches. Monday we begin a 3-day End Times Conference. We will travel back to Bangalore on April 5 where we will remain until we fly home to the USA on April 10.
• Please pray we can tolerate the heat in Bellary. Temps are topping 103 currently with no humidity. Our friends in Arizona can relate.

Our host in Bellary is a Politician so we are not expecting to be bothered by the authorities. I think the heat will be the greatest challenge. In any event, the words of Jesus strengthen us and give us courage to keep running this race and finish well.

The powers of hell will never conquer His church!

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As each year passes, this day (March 19) seems to grow sweeter and sweeter to me. It’s the day I get to celebrate the life of the man I’ve spent nearly 50 years with.

He has kept me on my toes though I must admit I can hardly keep up with him. In the past four months, he has spoken to over one thousand people on Biblical topics such as Jesus in the Tabernacle to End Times. He has preached nearly every Sunday, mentored local pastors, conducted a leadership seminar for pastors and church leaders, taught Bible School and prayed with and counseled many.

At conferences, I have watched him teach three sessions a day for three consecutive days. A session lasts anywhere from one hour to two hours

depending on whether translation is needed. I’ve watched the translators, half his age, have to sit down because their legs were giving out. But he just keeps going! To make it even more challenging, it is now summer here. The last conference was held in Mumbai with an average daily temperature of 90F and 90% humidity.  The chapel was packed with people and the roof was tin with no fans and no AC.  Except for a two hour lunch break, he stood and spoke from morning till evening.

And to top it off: he takes care of me. That in itself is sometimes a full time job. I don’t adapt easily to climate change and altitude. And here we are in the Niligris District of India where mountains climb to 7800 feet. I’m not always up to par, yet he is never too busy to attend to anything I might need.

CS Lewis said, “We are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.” My husband is living proof of it. We never did believe in retirement, however, we never imagined it would be like this either. Growing older is a blessing to him because there is so much uninterrupted time to serve the Lord and pass His wisdom on to younger people.

So today, I’m celebrating this amazing man that I get to call my husband.

Happy Birthday, Sal!

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Over the last ten years we have met many workers who have come and gone at Quiet Corner. Gourab began working here over two years ago. His parents sent him all the way from Orissa at the age of 17 to work at QCI. He is a quiet boy. He is respectful and always willing to help if you ask. His smile can brighten up a room! He lives in Staff Housing. I’m not sure if or when he gets to go home to visit his family. In a way, QCI is his family. Gourab’s parents are Christians. However, in many parts of India Christianity is a generational inheritance rather than a sincere commitment to follow Christ. That is the background Gourab is from.

On Sunday night Gourab met with a motorcycle accident. He skidded on a sandy road. The motorcycle flew one way and Gourab flew the other, landing in a ditch. He suffered bruises, cuts and skin abrasions but no head injury or broken bones. The motorcycle did not fare as well! He was taken to the government hospital to be checked out. They dressed his wounds, gave him a shot for pain and sent him back to QCI. On Monday he felt the full impact of his injuries. He was in so much pain that he could not walk without help. Guna and I took him back to the doctor to have his wounds checked and make sure there were no fractures. They redressed his wounds and gave him antibiotics and painkillers. I told him that he must rest and give it time. I also told him that the God of the Bible had spared him from serious injury.

 

Monday night after dinner he was walking near the Lake Country Patio. I told him that we were thanking God that we was not dead. I asked him, “If you had died, do you believe you would have gone to heaven?” His honest reply was, “I don’t know.” Sal and I began to explain to him that he could know for sure that when he dies he would go to heaven. We slowly and carefully explained the good news of salvation to him with the help of Guna translating. Another worker, Sonu, also joined us. Gourab fully understood the free gift God was offering him. We led him in a prayer asking Jesus to come into his life.

We charged Guna and Sonu to pray and read the Bible with him daily. Last night as we ate our dinner on the patio, Guna came and asked if we could meet with all of them before we went back to our room. We sat together, read the Scriptures, shared our thoughts and prayed together. Gourab prayed in his own language for over five minutes. We have no idea what he was saying but his words seemed to be flowing out of a heart filled with gratitude for what God has done for him. He has already called his parents and told them that he prayed to receive Jesus. Only 24 hours and he is bearing fruit already.

 

We leave QCI next Tuesday. Gourab is left in good hands with friends like Guna and Sonu. They have committed to mentoring him. Not sure what will become of Gourab. He is barely 19 years old. But one thing is for sure. God has a plan for his life. His journey is only beginning.

The motorcycle was just a vehicle God used to take Gourab from here to eternity.

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.  Rev 22:17Authentic Sneakers | Women’s Nike Air Force 1 Shadow trainers – Latest Releases , Ietp

. . . but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NASU

Well it finally has happened. I have followed my husband to the ends of the earth!  We arrived at Mumbai airport on Tuesday with excited anticipation of conducting the Jesus Conference at a small Bible College in a suburb called Bhendshil. Well, at least we thought it was a suburb. We were told the college was about an hour from the airport. We hired a driver and off we went – Sal, Viju and me. The first hour of the ride came and went and we were still in Mumbai. I thought the suburb must be close. Another hour came and went and we arrived in the outskirts of Mumbai.  Another hour came. Now we were close! We left the main road and began the last leg on a narrow, broken up road. We passed small villages that were quite primitive and remote. Finally, a small sign on the road announced Faith Bible College Campus.

Aside from the campus buildings peaking up through the tree tops, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sight of nothing as far as the eye could see. A dirt path led to a slatted walking bridge that took you over the dry river bed. As we made our way, a huge explosion happened and we watched as plumes of dust rose from a nearby mountain. You see, the Bible School’s closest neighbor is a rock quarry.

By this point, I was very aware that I far exceeded my comfort zone. I was out of the box and the lid was nailed shut! I don’t believe in divorce but I found myself thinking about murder. Sal had taken me to the ends of the earth and I was not happy. To those of you who know me well, the answer is YES! Yes, I had a headache. Yes, I was car sick.

 

To make matters worse, we were booked into a small resort about 1 Kilometer from the campus. This resort is situated under the quarry mountain and it is in dire need of upkeep and repair. The rooms are not equipped with hot water or AC. (Average temp currently is 95F)  As we opened the door to our room, cement crumbled from the ceiling as a large lizard scurried for shelter. I wasted no time announcing to everyone, I was not staying in this “resort”. They told us the nearest hotel is 50 minutes away. I was thankful that Sal and Viju agreed with my announcement. So we hired another driver and we’ve been making the trip back and forth each day from the Krishna Palace Hotel in the outskirts of Mumbai.

We could have gotten angry and hightailed it back to Bengalore.  We could have told the school this was not what we signed up for and just quit. But God got a hold of our hearts. The love these people extended to us was truly holding us together. Love does cover a multitude of sins.

If we had left, we would not have met the Bible School students who are so hungry for God’s word. We would not have met the pastors who travelled far and wide to attend the conference. We would not have met the children who are orphaned and living here on campus. We would not have met Matthew and his wife, the school directors, whose love and kindness has humbled and overwhelmed us.

This morning as I awoke in my luxurious, air conditioned hotel suite to face another hot, muggy day at the school, I was reminded of the last charge given to the disciples by Jesus in Acts 1:8. I could hear his words echoing in my heart of hearts. You go and be my witnesses. But don’t fear because the Holy Spirit will be with you. You can do this. My power will be supplied to you. Don’t worry how far you have to go. No matter where I send you, you won’t be alone. . . .Even to the ends of the earth.

 

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The people filled the hall and overflowed into the lobby at the Zion International Hotel in Ooty. They came to attend a one-day seminar on The End Times. I’m always amazed at the cross culture of people who attend. Men, women, children, young and old have gathered here to study God’s word. The conference began at 9:30 AM and closed at 5:00 PM. We enjoyed two tea breaks and lunch.  There was no childcare or nursery. Small children attended and were so well behaved. What a strong passion they have for the teaching of Scripture!

 

The most exciting thing is there were a number of unbelievers who attended. The hope only found in a relationship with Jesus was strongly communicated throughout the day. I believe these people were sent here on purpose by God. All day they sat in front of a pulpit that said Jesus Calls. All day they  heard the message – Jesus Calls.

 

 

Two young women who recently converted to Christianity asked for prayer. They are from Hindu families. While at the conference, their husbands and father called angrily suspecting that they were attending a Christian event. It was certain that they would be facing trouble when they returned home. Sal prayed for their protection and that the families would come to know Jesus.

 

This group of people was extraordinary. The love, acceptance and hospitality was over the top. They are so grateful that we come to minister to them, but the truth is they minister so much more to us.  We are humbled by the gracious kindness that is extended. We have been invited to return in 2019 for another one day seminar and a woman’s event. The hall was donated rent free by the owner of Zion Hotel. He extended a personal invitation to come again and use his facility.

The Chief Cornerstone has sent two pebbles like us to teach our brothers and sisters here in India. Go figure!

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This week has literally flown by. It is an understatement to say it was the best School of the Bible we’ve conducted here since 2013. The students were very interested in knowing all they could about how to study the Bible, how to put together an excellent message and how to handle the challenges of being a church leader. Sal has amazed me once again with his ability to teach four sessions a day. His voice has held up well and he just does not run out of steam. My part has been to teach one session at day. The topic is a Study of Psalm 1. Also, I am behind the scenes keeping things running smoothly with sound and technology.

The students are a diverse group of people from all areas of India. For instance, there are 5 young YWAM missionaries from Mysore, four pastors, several evangelists, Bible vision missionaries and lay leaders. One young man, Joshua, is a photojournalist who has a burden to produce Christian films for India. He desires to go back to Bible College to get his doctorate in Apologetics so he can produce quality films that rightly handle the word of God.   Our faithful friend, Monohar, is also here with his wife. He is a Christian illusionist who cleverly shares Biblical precepts through his magic act. The student that has touched my heart the most is a man named

Karunakara. His head is wrapped in bandages and covered with a ski cap. Just five days before the school began he underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor. He was not sure if he could attend but he prayed for God to make it possible. He is attending, participating and not missing one minute of class. He has no pain and he sleeps well all night. Thirty people in all have come from at least 6 different states to attend. We are humbled by the respect they show us, the kindness and hospitality.

Tomorrow is the last day of classes. By Saturday the students will be gone and we’ll be headed to Ooty early in the morning for a one-day End Times seminar. Next Tuesday, Sal is invited to speak at a Pastors’ Seminar in Gudalar. We’re told over 100 will be attending.  After that, we have 6 days to rest and recover before heading up to Mumbai for a three day conference on the Tabernacle and End Times. While there, Sal will also give the address to the graduating class of Faith Bible College.

Teaching through Psalm I, I’ve found it interesting that God has given us a beautiful formula for serving and producing eternal results. Verse one defines the character of the one who is blessed by God. The blessed by God take great pleasure and delight in the Scriptures (verse 2). The blessed by God can’t get enough of God’s Word. They will think and meditate on it day and night (verse 2). The blessed by God will bear good fruit and distribute it in the world (verse 3). The Blessed by God will enjoy spiritual prosperity (verse 5).

That is my heart’s desire.

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The bus pulled away last Friday and suddenly Quiet Corner was truly quiet once again. The MissionIndia 2018 Team left for home after a fantastic two week service trip. Up until the night before, this team was on the constant go and enjoying every minute.

I think the mark of a successful mission trip is that you leave good fruit behind. This team certainly delivered a bushel full in that regard. Through the widows program they reached out in love. Bev and Cari shared their testimonies. The Gospel was preached by Thomas Samuel and four ladies came forward to accept the free gift of eternal life.

At the Elderly Feeding Program, Gini and Sherri shared their testimonies and two old women came forward to pray for salvation. At the Tailoring School, Cat and Rebecca shared their stories. Each girl asked for the team to pray for their needs. There were many tears shed as they knelt before us, seeking help from the One True God.

An exciting result of the Kids Club Programs is that all three pastors are planning to hold similar events for the kids in their villages about once every three months. They are currently “brain storming” with their church leaders to come up with a plan. Thanks to Cat and the team for providing an excellent program and inspiring the pastors to continue a children’s ministry.

As for Sal and I, we had two very quiet days to rest and regroup. Last night the students starting arriving for the Servant Leadership Bible School. So far there are 25 here. They come from all over India. Most are young men. Three women are attending as well. School started this morning (Monday) and will go through Friday. Sal is teaching four sessions a day and I take one. Currently it is “siesta” time. Culturally, after lunch most of India likes to take a nap. We have found it best to provide a few hours to rest. The students will return at 4 PM ready to go another two hours.

From here on, our schedule is packed with events. I’ll post as we go since there is much happening. Time will fly and before we know it we will be heading back to the states and resume our life as “retired” people. God must have heard us say we didn’t believe in retirement because we are working full time here. The request for conferences has been amazing. We have had to turn down four invitations. They are penciled in for a return trip in 2019 if the Lord allows.

Sal’s life verse is especially meaningful these days:

 

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It has been an amazing week of ministry for the Mission India 2018 Team. The last four days have been full speed ahead.

This trip was designed with widows and children as the primary service projects. Friday, Saturday and Sunday we conducted 3 Kids Clubs in three churches. Under the gifted leadership of Miss Cat, the team greeted 191 children in all. They taught them songs, performed a skit about Daniel in the lion den, helped the kids make a lion face craft, explained the gospel using the wordless book, and made gospel bead bracelets. They were then treated to popcorn and Kool Aid. As they bid us good bye, each received a beanie baby.

I personally was blessed by watching the team pour their hearts and souls into these precious lives. Some of the kids were from the churches but many were Hindu. We may never know in this life how they were impacted. What we do know is the Word of God will not return void but will accomplish what it was sent to do!

The most emotionally impacting experience has been the time spent with young widows. These women lead very tough lives trying to raise children without a lot of help from family or society. After meeting all the widows at a gathering last week, we broke into two teams and visited 11 widows in their homes in four villages. Each widow was given a gift package of sleeping mats, blankets and other practical items. Seeing the smiles on their faces simply because we cared enough to pay a visit was a blessing to us. Upon returning to QCI, we met for a report back session where the teams shared about the visits.

I could list what was shared but that would take too long. As we drove back to camp, my team agreed there are really no adequate words to explain what it was like to visit these sweet women.

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The Lake Country Bible Church Mission India 2018 Team arrived here on Monday morning. It was such a happy time hugging old friends (Kevin, Cat, Bev, Cari, Sherri, Gini and Rebecca), and welcoming three of them to QCI for the first time.

After two days of rest and orientation, we began our first full day of mission service. The main emphasis of this mission is young widows and children. So today, the widows came to Quiet Corner for a special event. A tribal widow’s life here in India is very difficult. These women are usually very poor. There is no substantial help or support for them. Often their families are unable or unwilling to help them. Some find work as laborers for meager wages. Their homes are in ill repair. For instance, Shanti, who is in poor health, lives in a flimsy hut made of bamboo poles and rubber tarps. She has no electricity.

Shusheela’s home has one collapsed wall that needs repairs. Both women live in a squatter’s village on the elephant corridor. They have no proper protection from wild animals.

Once a month about 20 young widows are treated to a special day at Quiet Corner.  Today they were warmly welcomed by the team, sang some Tamil worship choruses and then gave their attention to Bev and Cari as each one shared how the God of the Bible had taken care of them throughout their lives.  They were very moved by what was shared as they realized that no matter where we live or who we are, we all have difficulties that only faith in the one true God can meet. Thomas Samuel shared the message of salvation and four widows stood and prayed to enter the family of God. The grace of God fell in Mercy Hall as these women committed to follow the Lord. Another widow shared that she had been to a witchdoctor who tied a magic band on her wrist. She was having much trouble and was hoping the witchdoctor would help her. We explained that the God of the Bible would help her but she needed to take off the wristband and not see the witchdoctor again. She first resisted and said she would take it off in a month. But after sharing the truth of God’s Word with her, she decided to remove the band and not return to the witchdoctor.  With tears she asked for God to help her.

This evening we visited one of the children’s feeding programs. The kids were excited to see us and entertained us with their singing and Bible memorization. Cat and Rebecca taught them some songs. Afterwards, Sherri, Cat and Rebecca helped serve the children the meal of rice and dahl. We ended our time with them by taking selfies!

All in all it was a great first day of ministry for the team. We are all very tired. But it is a good tired. I am proud of the team who put their heart and soul into serving, loving and accepting the widows and children.

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Khandhal, nestled high atop Ooty Mountain, is the oldest village in the Nilgiris District.

It is officially known as a slum. It was not hard to see why as we was drove down the narrow and broken streets. Poverty is a lifestyle here. Buildings were in bad shape and litter seemed to be sprinkled about like confetti.

I had been invited to speak at a women’s meeting at one of the small churches in Khandhal. The pastors from this area had come to the Jesus Conference and invited me to come and speak to the women. They had never had a women’s meeting before. They seemed so excited to offer such an event, that I could not refuse the invitation.

As we pulled up to the street, the pastors and church leaders were anxiously awaiting my arrival. I was warmly welcomed and escorted up about thirty steps to enter the church hall. You see, Khandhal is built on the side of the mountain, so there are many steps to climb to enter houses and shops. I found myself thanking God that my 2 year old hip replacement was a success. This tiny church was actually the second floor of the pastor’s house. It was one open space about the size of an average living room. My expectation was that no more than 15 women would attend. I was sure we could not fit much more than that. But just as Jesus fed the multitudes with 5 loaves and 3 fish, this small room seemed to swell as women, children and babies came pouring in and taking their seats on the floor. By the time I was introduced there were near 70 women. The place was packed!

What a wonderful time it was! My topic was  5 Areas Where Women Need More of God. At the conclusion, a few women gave short testimonies of how situations almost prevented them from coming. Each one said they felt God telling them to come to the meeting and not allow obstacles to stand in the way. One woman has been fighting depression. She was not going to come but felt strongly that she should. She was amazed that much of what I shared about my own struggles were similar to hers. She realized that no matter who we are, where we are from or what our lives are like, we all need God to work in us more and more. She felt God had provided the spiritual tools needed to have victory over her struggles.

I must admit that my first reaction to speaking in a small church in a place called Khandhal was not too optimistic. I thought it would be ill attended. I thought these women who live in a “slum” city would not be able to apply the message. I thought they would not be able to relate to a woman who was born and raised in the USA. But those were just my failed opinions.

This is what God’s Word says:

• Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.  Proverbs 22:2
• “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from  every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. Acts 10:34-35
• Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Col 3:11

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Never in my dreams did I ever think I would visit India. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would serve here for 10 years and live here part time. God’s plans for us are always a surprise. And his plans for us are always good plans.

I’m a planner. I like to have short-term plans and long-term plans. I like to keep calendars and schedules. And for the most part I like to stick with the plan. I know some of you blog readers totally relate.

We arrived here in India on December 7 and we did have plans. Some were set in cement like hosting 2 mission teams. One team has been here and one will be here in about 10 days. Sal planned to meet with the Quiet Corner pastors (there are four) and form a mentoring fellowship with them. They did meet two weeks ago and it was a blessed time for all of them. The planned Ooty End Times Conference has come and gone. Tomorrow The Jesus Conference begins at Quiet Corner Camp. Another upcoming plan is teaching at the Servant Leadership Bible School the week of February 19.

You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t out give God.”? Well, you can’t out plan Him either! This past week has brought an overwhelming amount of God Plans. My opinion is, He never lets you in on the plan until just the exact time. News of the pastors’ fellowship spread like wildfire. Sal has now accepted an invitation to meet with 60-70 area pastors the end of February for an all-day event. He has also been contacted by a large church in Ooty and is invited there to conduct a one day End Times seminar on February 17.

March has filled in nicely with God Plans as well. March 6-9 we will be conducting The Jesus Conference in Mumbai followed by an invitation for Sal to be the keynote speaker at Faith Bible College graduation. On March 22-28 we fly north for a back to back End Times Conference in Nagpur and Chinwalla. We return  to Bangalore, and on March 30 we will head four hours north to Bellari for another Jesus Conference. Returning to Bangalore, we will have just enough time to breathe before we return to the USA on April 10.

There is a great sense of joy and expectation knowing that God has plans for each of us. Every day is a new chance at endless opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that is desperate for hope. I would not want to miss a minute of what He has planned! His plans for each of us are so much bigger than our wildest dreams.

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Today is day two of the Ooty End Times Conference. It is being held in one of the oldest Anglican Churches, Union Church. Nearly 100 pastors and their families are in attendance. Everyone is having a blessed time. Many have shared with Sal that they have never heard any teachings on the topic of the End Times like this. Sal is in “the zone”. He is having a great time doing what he likes to do best. It was God’s will to bring the conference to Ooty. However, God had other plans for me.

We arrived in Ooty the night before the conference. Ooty’s elevation is at 7200 feet. We have been there many times to shop and experience the culture with visiting mission teams. Staying up there for 3-4 hours is no problem for me, but spending more than a short time can trigger my susceptibility to altitude sickness. That is exactly what happened. By the morning of the conference, I was terribly ill and not able to attend. Just what Sal needed-a sick wife to add to his already busy day!! Continue reading “His Thoughts – His Ways”

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again. . .

For me, the song 10,000 Reasons describes the awakening in the jungle more than any other place on earth. The jungle has its own unique sound of praise for the Creator who made it so incredibly beautiful. First the roosters begin their crowing, then the sun peaks up over the mountain tops as if it was awakened by their sound, and the birds begin to sing. There are about 32 different varieties of birds here in the jungle. Each has its own delicate sound. As they all begin to chirp at once, it is a beautiful symphony in perfect harmony. They are raising their songs of worship to the Lord, their Creator. Continue reading “10,000 Reasons”

 

2017 is finished. Today is January 1, 2018. What a year 2017 was for Sal and I! We began the year serving for six weeks in India and we ended the year also in India. It’s hard to believe we are here nearly 4 weeks, and we will continue on for another three months.

But that is only the beginning and the end. So much has happened in our lives in the year 2017. We sold our home of 25 years; we retired from full time ministry; we launched Cross Angle Ministries; we relocated to Florida; we spent the summer decorating our new home; we dodged a hurricane; we spent the best part of the fall writing and rewriting conference materials. Continue reading “If the Lord Wills!”

It has been 24 hours since the conclusion of Christmas in the Jungle. I am still in the processing mode. Some would call it writers block. But honestly, I don’t even know how to explain what the team took part in yesterday. Amazing, awesome, miraculous, life-changing and the best Christmas ever are some of the words I’ve collected from our Lake Country Team.
The day started early morning as villagers began coming into the camp. Some walked for miles just to get here. As Sal and I walked the grounds, we came upon a lady sleeping in the grass. By 11 AM the camp was bustling with hundreds of people. One thing that was very obvious was that the crowd was mainly made up of women and children. Where were the men? We don’t know except the same is true in the churches here as well. Our prayer is that God would reach these men through the faith of their women who are searching for peace and joy that only a relationship with Jesus can provide.
We were able to meet with a number of children and give them new clothes. We then taught them some gospel songs. They caught on quickly to the words and the sign language and sang at the top of their lungs. Continue reading “Christmas in the Jungle”

The first full day of ministry for the team was filled with joy and blessings. Our mornings always begin with group devotion and prayer followed by a good breakfast.

We had a special morning meeting with the young widows on Wednesday. Fifteen of them came for a time of singing, devotion and gift giving. The ladies were so comfortable and happy to have the team visit. There seemed to be no shyness toward any of the “foreigners” as there had been in the past. Their response to the life giving message based on the birth of Jesus was exciting. Their faces were bright and happy as they heard how the God of the Bible loves the widows and fatherless children. Almost all came forward to ask for prayer for themselves and their families. Continue reading “The Best Christmas Ever!”

The excitement is building with each passing day as we anticipate the arrival of the Lake Country Bible Church Team on Monday, December 18. We have been busy these last few days preparing for their arrival and for the two weeks that they will be serving at Quiet Corner, India. The calendar is filling up with daily events that make up Christmas in the Jungle.

The team will participate in Christmas Eve services at three of the five QCI churches on three consecutive days leading up to the big celebration on Christmas Day. Following worship, each church will celebrate with a cultural presentation of Christmas which will include lively dancing, music and costumes. A meal will be served at the end to everyone who attends. Please pray the team will be a blessed addition to the services as they will sing some Carols, read the Christmas story, share testimonies and serve food. Continue reading “Let Heaven and Nature Sing!”

After nearly 26 hours of travel we landed safely in Bangalore. Even though we did not arrive at the Samuel home until after 2 AM, Thomas and Maykutty happily welcomed us. It has only been 9 months since we were last here and the city seems more crowded than ever. More noise and more pollution are other obvious conditions. There is much construction and road repair going on. Unfortunately, the ever expanding population makes it impossible to reach a better standard of living. Continue reading “Our Journey Has Begun”

The reality of our soon approaching departure for a four month stay in India has struck both of us today. My carefully thought out plan was to get through a 5 day visit with dear friends, host Thanksgiving dinner for seven and then start the huge job of packing for our trip which begins next Tuesday. NEXT TUESDAY!! It is definitely time to lock and load. Continue reading “Stay With the Baggage”

We hear a lot about being privileged these days. If you are born to a particular set of parents, you are labeled privileged. If you never went hungry, you are labeled privileged.  The word includes the thoughts of owning a special right or benefit only accessible to a select few.

May I take this privileged moment to make one thing clear? If you belong to Jesus Christ you are privileged. No distinction is made based on background, family or color of skin. It is a gift not earned or deserved but bestowed through the grace of God, Our Father. Continue reading “Privileged!”

As 2017 approached, I felt the Lord was impressing on me the words “But God”. Each year I ask Him to give me a word for the new year. Something I can use as a spiritual compass to guide me through whatever lies ahead. For instance, one year the word was “servant”. I was excited thinking that God was going to use me to serve others. Instead, I fell seriously ill and was served by family, friends and church for a period of nearly nine months. Through the help of these people, I was taught the true meaning of being a servant to others. Another year the word was “run the race”. Those words got me through one of the toughest periods in our family’s history. Continue reading “But God”

One sure sign of being fully rooted in middle age is parking your car at a shopping center and forgetting where you parked it. Can you relate? While living in Wisconsin, I found it easy to scan the lot and find my car quickly. But that is not the case here in southwest Florida.

We currently own a white SUV. Apparently, so does a large majority of Floridians. I have experienced a dreaded sense of panic while standing in the middle of a large parking lot filled with white SUV’s. I frantically start pushing my remote key hoping to hear my car lock clicking. My car fits in with the crowd. I live in the land of White Car Conformity. Continue reading “White Car Conformity”

It’s been one week since we departed from all that was home to us for 25 years. As we made our three day road trip to our new home in Estero, Florida, we found it hard to process all that has taken place over a quarter century. We have been blessed!

It is a challenge to let go of life. We loved our home in Delafield. It was a refuge. I nick-named it Shalom because of the peace and serenity it offered us throughout the years. It was a retreat from the daily challenges of the pastorate. It was a place to gather with family and friends and make wonderful memories. It was a wildlife refuge that continually entertained us (sometimes annoyed us). We have been blessed! Continue reading “Abundantly Blessed”

Every second Sunday of May we honor moms all over the country. We are reminded to call our moms, take them out for lunch, send them flowers or simply remember them because they have passed on. We wish each and every mom we meet a Happy Mother’s Day. But have you ever wished yourself a happy Mother’s Day? Continue reading “Happy Mother’s Day To Me”

Our home looks like a warehouse. And today is the day we must take inventory. The moving company requires that we record every piece of furniture, every small, medium and large box that we have packed.  We have sold, donated and given away so much and yet I have 150 boxes.

I can see the value in providing the movers with an inventory list. It will help them to know how much room they need on the truck and how long it will take to load.  It also gives them a close estimate of how much it weighs and what the moving fees will be. Continue reading “Inventory”

Recently we returned from six weeks of ministry in South India. Most of the people who live there live in homes no bigger than my kitchen.  There is little if any furniture at all. Most of them sleep on mats that they roll out at night. Outside they will have an open fire where meals will be cooked in aluminum pots.  Toilets are nothing more than a hole in the ground with a bucket of water next to it. Continue reading “Sorting, Keeping, Donating, Selling, MOVING!”

In just a few hours we will be locking and loading the last of our belongings and heading to the airport. Six weeks have come and gone by so fast. The last few days have been a time of reflecting on what has happened and planning for what will happen in the future. I was asked to evaluate the current operating systems for the office technology. I am no expert but know enough to suggest needed upgrades. I will give my report to David Samuel when we get back to the US. Continue reading “Homeward Bound”

Monday was the scheduled day that 2 massive generators were to be delivered to Quiet Corner Camp. Monday came and went – no generators. Tuesday came and went -no generators. Wednesday came   . . . the generators were on their way. We waited with excitement for these 2 ton giants to arrive. In preparation, a crane was also ordered to lift and place the generators on the designated cement slabs. Continue reading “13 Men@2AM”

Thursday we will say good bye to Quiet Corner and make the journey back to Bangalore. We will return to our U.S. home on Tuesday. We have had several things to do prior to our leaving:

• Sunday we made a trip to Gudalar to pay for two cabinets for our room. In preparation for our next trip to Quiet Corner, there will be some

  

  renovations to our living space to make it more like a small apartment. We purchased 2 cabinets for the bedroom and had them delivered. The fun was getting them up the steps of Mercy Corner and into our room.

Continue reading “Running Down the “To Do” List”

After a very fast paced month of conference and school, we are winding down our time here. Quiet Corner is truly quiet. Except for  a small staff of workers and us, there is no one else here right now. Even the jungle has been very quiet. I am guessing that the drought may have forced some of the wild life to migrate to areas where there may be more water and vegetation. Continue reading “Quiet Corner is Quiet”

One thing I’ve learned by being immersed in the Indian culture is that we are all the same. Today, I had the privilege of sharing that thought with 43 village women who came to a Ladies Day Event here at the camp. I shared how even though we look and talk differently, we are all created in the image and likeness of the One True God. I explained how our souls long for a relationship with the God of the Bible. I shared 5 areas of a woman’s life that needs God’s help: our minds, our hearts, our mouths, our bodies and our emotions. Continue reading “We Are All The Same”

Today we traveled to Gudalpete in Karnataka to attend church. Gudalpete is a rough, hour long drive from Quiet Corner through the drought ravaged game preserves with about 70 speed bumps. (Thank God for Zophran!) It was established about 35 years ago, and was the first Christian church in the area.

Sal preached a challenging message about serving the Lord. After the service many people requested prayer. A long line formed and Sal prayed for each one. Continue reading “Sunday”

 

We are half way through the Bible School week. It is going so well. God has given Sal strong vocal chords.

His schedule is pretty challenging. I am teaching one class a day while Sal teaches four. We start at 9:30 AM and end at 5:30 PM. When I am not teaching, I am behind the scenes helping anyway I can. Dinner is served at 7:30 PM. After dinner we usually chat with the students and find out more about their lives and the challenges of ministry that they face. They all are excited for the tools they are learning to be better teachers and preachers. Continue reading “Reign, Lord, RAIN!”

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”  Jeremiah 31:25

Today was the first day of Servant Leadership Bible School. We plan on 6 days of classes – 5 sessions per day. It’s a tough schedule but well worth the time and effort. What a blessing it is to train this class of mostly young men who have a heart and passion to accurately teach the Word of God. Continue reading “Rest – Refuel – Resume”

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27

There are 25 women who attend a once a month get together here at the camp. They have a number of things in common. They are all mothers, they are all young (ranging in are from 23-43) and they are all widows. Fifteen of the 25 came to yesterday’s meeting. It was a great joy to meet with the Young Widows of Quiet Corner.  Continue reading “Genuine Religion”

“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.” Luke 6:30

We have all used the idiom “he’ll give you the shirt off his back.” I personally never gave much thought to its meaning until this morning during the Jesus Conference. One of our delegates came to Sal and told him that he loves the shirt that Sal was wearing and he would be honored if Sal would give it to him. I held my breathe wondering what Sal’s response would be. I thought of what I would say. I would probably think he was joking. I would probably say something like, “You’re kidding, right?”  Continue reading “The Shirt Off My Back”

Yesterday at the prayer summit some time was spent seeking God’s mercy to grant relief from the drought. Today it began to rain. Gently at first and then a hard downpour that lasted for an hour or more. Everyone was praising God for hearing our prayers. Thanks to all you who prayed with us. A few more showers like that and the jungle will be green again. Continue reading “And the Rain Came Down”

Saturday we traveled in two vehicles to Quiet Corner. As we entered Mudumalai Tiger Preserve, I was struck by the condition of the jungle landscape-dull, grey, parched, dying. Much of India is suffering from drought. South India has not seen significant rain since September. The monsoon season did not produce enough rain to resupply the rivers and streams which are so important to the wildlife and tribal people. The authorities are enforcing strict water rationing. It made me sad to see goats, sheep and cows wandering in dusty meadows looking for anything green to eat. One of QCI’s dairy cows died suddenly. Due to the drought, she began eating roadside trash. Continue reading “Drought in the Land”

There is nothing but thankfulness to God for our safe and uneventful long trip to Bangalore. Dave, Sal and I arrived early this morning with Paul and Viju present to welcome us. Everyone here is doing great. We have spent most of today talking, napping and eating. It is now nearly 10:30 PM (Thursday AM in the US) and I am just about to call it a day. Continue reading “Thanking God!”

Continue reading “A New Thing”