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.
On Tuesday Sal spoke about the Second Coming at a Pastors conference in a lovely old Anglican church at the top of the mountain (73,50 ft above sea level). Eighty nine pastors attended. Elena had a ladies conference at the same location two days later. Our greatest reward is to see the joy and excitement the attendees convey as they are being fed from the Word of God.
Sandwiched in between those conferences we had a very special and touching afternoon with Viju and Ammu. We took a ride to the little village where Ammu was born and raised. Her father worked for the electrical company that is headquartered there. Sadly, about 35 years ago, he went to collect firewood in the jungle and never returned home. It is believed he was attacked and killed by a bear but no evidence has ever been found. Ammu was only five years old at that time. Her mother was left with no pension to raise four small children. Even until now, Ammu hopes that her father is alive somewhere and will return. You could sense the sadness in her as we toured this remote and tiny village.
Today only about 30 families live there and work at the power plant. It is flanked on one side by a large coffee plantation, and the other side is open to the jungle. There are no stores or restaurants. The little schoolhouse has been closed for years. The few children who live there are bused to a bigger village for schooling. There are two places of worship – one Catholic and one Hindu. Both buildings are about the size of an average bedroom. The outer perimeter of the village is dangerous because of wild animals. Recently a woman was killed by an elephant.
We drove to the edge of the village and stood on the top of a small dam that controls the flow of river water. Ammu reminisced about her childhood. She told us how she and her friends would jump off the dam into the river below. We could only imagine this sweet little Hindu girl running through the jungle. We are so thankful that God protected her from being harmed or worse by wild animals. And we are so blessed to know her now as a grown woman who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and serves him faithfully alongside her husband. She is a great ministry partner for Viju, and together they are making an impact through Cross Angle Ministries.
We are grateful for the days of rest that have been scheduled into our time here. Today we rest. . . tomorrow begins another round of conferences. The weeks are flying by. Please pray for God’s continued favor as we travel about and minister. Our aim is to please the Lord!