Hello again,
Today was a very busy and blessed day again. Going into people's homes, sharing stories, and being able to pray together has been a great highlight for our trip so far.
Today we visited four villages: 1. Janga-nad-napuram 2. Akky-palem 3. Bah-varaju-tholta 4. New Konkid-palem. I tried to spell them phonectically in the hopes you could sound them out...good luck :)
Please keep these villages and the congregations in your prayers as they all face many different challenges that come from sharing the Gospel!
Today, Dustin Behr volunteered to share his insights from the last couple of days on the trip. Please read and enjoy his observations concerning the similarities we have with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ over in India
Day 4
In the course of a mission trip, you are bound to find things that are very different beween you and the people with whom you are going to see. Things like family dynamics, personality types, income levels, and living arrangements are just some of the ways there are differences between us and the people of India. But, over the last couple of days I've noticed something. That even though there are differences between us, we actually have a lot more in common than we think...that even though there are 8000+ miles between Minnesota and India, there appears to be a common core between us.
Let me explain.
Over the past couple of days as we've been visiting congregations and visiting people's homes, we've had the blessing of being able to pray with them and for them. Prayers for spiritual growth. Prayers for health. Prayers for jobs. Prayers for family. Prayers for finances.
Do any of these prayer requests sound familiar?
I'm willing to bet that they do because we often find ourselves praying for the exact same thing. Is it just a coincidence? Could it be fate? Or could it be that we are not all that different from our brothers and sisters in India?
Now granted, the United States is very different from India and our living conditions/siuations are arguably better. But is that how we want to define ourselves? Are we defined by how we live or where we live? Or is it something else that defines us...someone else who defines us?
You see, this is where we find that common core because we all are aflicted with the same issue: brokeness in it's many different forms. But rather than even being defined by that brokeness, we are defined by the one who did something about it...Jesus.
That is where we find our common core.
We find it in Jesus. That is what makes us the same although we are different. He is what makes us brothers and sisters rather than complete strangers. The same Jesus who loves us, loves them. The same Jesus who saves us, saves them. The same Jesus who has a plan for us, has a plan for them and it can be found in Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
Same God. Same plan. Same salvation because of our common core....because of Jesus.
And so while there may be things that make us completely different, we actually see that in the important things we have everything in common because, whether we are American or Indian, our everything is in Jesus.
Thank you for reading and keep praying with us and for us as we continue our trip!''
Dustin Behr.
Today was a very busy and blessed day again. Going into people's homes, sharing stories, and being able to pray together has been a great highlight for our trip so far.
Today we visited four villages: 1. Janga-nad-napuram 2. Akky-palem 3. Bah-varaju-tholta 4. New Konkid-palem. I tried to spell them phonectically in the hopes you could sound them out...good luck :)
Please keep these villages and the congregations in your prayers as they all face many different challenges that come from sharing the Gospel!
Today, Dustin Behr volunteered to share his insights from the last couple of days on the trip. Please read and enjoy his observations concerning the similarities we have with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ over in India
Day 4
In the course of a mission trip, you are bound to find things that are very different beween you and the people with whom you are going to see. Things like family dynamics, personality types, income levels, and living arrangements are just some of the ways there are differences between us and the people of India. But, over the last couple of days I've noticed something. That even though there are differences between us, we actually have a lot more in common than we think...that even though there are 8000+ miles between Minnesota and India, there appears to be a common core between us.
Let me explain.
Over the past couple of days as we've been visiting congregations and visiting people's homes, we've had the blessing of being able to pray with them and for them. Prayers for spiritual growth. Prayers for health. Prayers for jobs. Prayers for family. Prayers for finances.
Do any of these prayer requests sound familiar?
I'm willing to bet that they do because we often find ourselves praying for the exact same thing. Is it just a coincidence? Could it be fate? Or could it be that we are not all that different from our brothers and sisters in India?
Now granted, the United States is very different from India and our living conditions/siuations are arguably better. But is that how we want to define ourselves? Are we defined by how we live or where we live? Or is it something else that defines us...someone else who defines us?
You see, this is where we find that common core because we all are aflicted with the same issue: brokeness in it's many different forms. But rather than even being defined by that brokeness, we are defined by the one who did something about it...Jesus.
That is where we find our common core.
We find it in Jesus. That is what makes us the same although we are different. He is what makes us brothers and sisters rather than complete strangers. The same Jesus who loves us, loves them. The same Jesus who saves us, saves them. The same Jesus who has a plan for us, has a plan for them and it can be found in Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
Same God. Same plan. Same salvation because of our common core....because of Jesus.
And so while there may be things that make us completely different, we actually see that in the important things we have everything in common because, whether we are American or Indian, our everything is in Jesus.
Thank you for reading and keep praying with us and for us as we continue our trip!''
Dustin Behr.
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