Greetings all -this will show as being entered by Annabel but it is Andrew here.
We are still at the Mission Compound at Ikkadu and have finally managed to get some serious painting done. The majority of walls are painted in a 'whitewash' to which is added appropriate dye. They really go for decent colours here and we are doing the boys' hostel dining room in a bright green top two thirds in whitewash and the lower third in bright blue paint. We have a painter to assist us with the mixing (thank goodness) and he has been very helpful. Also 'helping' are a number of the boys from the hostel who are delighting in missing out on classwork because of their assistance. They are so willing to get into the painting that we often have to take a brush off them so that we can paint ourselves. They are great kids and great workers - will do absolutely anything to assist and just keep on going as long as we want them to - even the lad who fell off the ladder today and spilt his paint everywhere. When I say ladder I speak pretty loosely - none of us are game to climb it!!
We are all still keeping in pretty good health apart from a number with colds which are making them a bit miserable and a few with slight doses of diarrhoea which is again making them a bit flat. Yesterday a couple slept all morning and we had one again this morning. Sleep is a great cure!! Our only major casualty so far is Josh who managed to break a bone in his hand after an accident with a wall. He has his right hand in a cast for 4 weeks which is rather frustrating for him. Stuart tried to knock over a cement wall with his head but, apart from the bruise and lump, is okay.
Benji, Andrea and Helen went into Chennai today with Rev Immanuel to attend a Healing Worship seminar conducted by the Bishop of Carlisle and enjoyed the day.
Prayer points:
- For continuing good health and for Josh as he copes with one hand - For the local pastorate (parish) as it prepares for the confirmation of 265 people in a service on Sunday. The Bishop of the Diocese of Madras will be taking the service with the confirmees coming from the 12 churches in this pastorate. - For patience for the team members as our programme continues to change and as we prepare ourselves for a 2 and a half hour service on Sunday!! - For Rev Immanuel as he continues his ministry and leadership of his missionaries, catechists, bible women and congregations. He seems to get his first visit from one of the local people by about 7.30 in the morning and often has people queuing up still at 10.00 at night. - For Rev Immanuel's niece who is to be married next Friday (lucky us have been invited to the wedding and reception).
Thank you for your continuing prayers and support.
Andrew
We are still at the Mission Compound at Ikkadu and have finally managed to get some serious painting done. The majority of walls are painted in a 'whitewash' to which is added appropriate dye. They really go for decent colours here and we are doing the boys' hostel dining room in a bright green top two thirds in whitewash and the lower third in bright blue paint. We have a painter to assist us with the mixing (thank goodness) and he has been very helpful. Also 'helping' are a number of the boys from the hostel who are delighting in missing out on classwork because of their assistance. They are so willing to get into the painting that we often have to take a brush off them so that we can paint ourselves. They are great kids and great workers - will do absolutely anything to assist and just keep on going as long as we want them to - even the lad who fell off the ladder today and spilt his paint everywhere. When I say ladder I speak pretty loosely - none of us are game to climb it!!
We are all still keeping in pretty good health apart from a number with colds which are making them a bit miserable and a few with slight doses of diarrhoea which is again making them a bit flat. Yesterday a couple slept all morning and we had one again this morning. Sleep is a great cure!! Our only major casualty so far is Josh who managed to break a bone in his hand after an accident with a wall. He has his right hand in a cast for 4 weeks which is rather frustrating for him. Stuart tried to knock over a cement wall with his head but, apart from the bruise and lump, is okay.
Benji, Andrea and Helen went into Chennai today with Rev Immanuel to attend a Healing Worship seminar conducted by the Bishop of Carlisle and enjoyed the day.
Prayer points:
- For continuing good health and for Josh as he copes with one hand - For the local pastorate (parish) as it prepares for the confirmation of 265 people in a service on Sunday. The Bishop of the Diocese of Madras will be taking the service with the confirmees coming from the 12 churches in this pastorate. - For patience for the team members as our programme continues to change and as we prepare ourselves for a 2 and a half hour service on Sunday!! - For Rev Immanuel as he continues his ministry and leadership of his missionaries, catechists, bible women and congregations. He seems to get his first visit from one of the local people by about 7.30 in the morning and often has people queuing up still at 10.00 at night. - For Rev Immanuel's niece who is to be married next Friday (lucky us have been invited to the wedding and reception).
Thank you for your continuing prayers and support.
Andrew
13 comments:
Great to get your news. We are very interested and praying for you all.
Luv you, Andrea's mum and dad
Hi all
Was Josh trying to knock the wall over as well? Couldn't Stuart find somthing other than his head to use on the wall? After all the incounters with the wall, did it actually get knocked over?
prayers and best wishes to all
Hi
Is Lauren's cold better?
Have fun at the wedding on Friday. Don't eat too many strage new foods before you come home.
Thanks for the great email as well
love from Helen, Mel & Bella
Blast, I just blogged a whole lot of stuff & lost it. To precis:
Wise of you to pace yourselves a bit, glad some of you are getting the chance to rest a bit.
The confirmation service sounds impressive - imagine Phil & Jonno trying to process 265 confirmees. Bless you - next! Bless you - Next!
But then India has more Christians than Australia has people.
Its wash-in -the -Ganges season, and some jounalist estimated the daily river traffic is equivalent to the whole population of New York City going for an early morning dip in Hudson Bay (only more polluted)
Speasking of rivers, it's rainning here. Bucketing down. Floods even. Flinders ranges got 150 points in a morning, as compared to 120 points all 2006. Girls; you can have as long a hot shower as you like when you get back.
Ran out of things to say.
Shalom,
Cecily
Hi All!
good to hear your news and adventures. glad to hear that it really is a 'hands on' experience (but i didn't mean it like you took it Josh!). its gonna be hard landing back here in Adelaide... although the halls do need painting...
ok well many blessings and daily prayers
Jonathan
Yay! Now that cecily taught me how to use this thing i can say hello to every one and that i hope you all are doing well. I honestly don't know how you can do it... getting up early, going to bed late at night, having cold showers (for the girls)... I'd be booking a flight back to adelaide within a few days! you've done well to get this far! Well, i'll keep praying for you guys and i hope josh's hand gets better and don't let stuart go hitting anymore walls, ok? One bruise is enough!
See ya soon!
God Bless
Hayley
Hi all just wondering how Mark is going? We hope no news is good news! St John's Lutheran prayed for your work and good health today.
love to you all.
Rob and Ann
(Mark Paul says hi too-we spent the last 4 days with him in Perth. The Kays also ay hi and best wishes too.)
Hi all, hope that things are continuing on well, now that you have had a couple of mishaps (well, accidents...) I hope you are learning to cope Josh, is it the right or the left? Things is oz are continuing on as you would expect, Australia thrashing everyone in the cricket, no Aussies left in the singles at the Aust Open, weather unpredictable, and everyone one complaining, either it is too dry or too wet! We are all well in the Davidson household, and are looking forward to the Australia Day long weekend. Love and Prayers are with you all.
Margaret xx
Hey guys, glad to hear you are having a life-changing experience in India, it sounds like what you are doing is going to make a world of difference to the community you are working in. Sorry, I havent replied as of yet, I've been really busy with my own holiday. Since the 26th december, I've been travelling in Canada and America. I spent a couple of days with relatives in Toronto and seeing Niagara falls before going to Vancouver before meeting up with mum and dad in Vancouver. As I know you are pressed for time and there is no doubt I will speak to you all in a couple of weeks, I will just say briefly where I've been in the last three weeks: After Vancouver, skiing for four days in whistler, Kamloops and Revelstoke in the Rocky Mountains, Banff, Waterton, Yellowstone, Buffalo, Mt Rushmore, George Town, Glenwood Springs and Cortez. Along the way we have seen plenty of wildlife including elk, deer, bison (which just dwadled in front of our car when we were driving in Yellowstone lol),Prairie dogs, long horned sheep, wolves, coyotes and moose (didnt see any black bears though). The mountains and different landscapes we have seen have been absolutely awesome, really beautiful, will show pictures when I see you all. Right now Im in Cortez, where it is relatively warm at about minus 5. About a week ago, it was minus 30 during the day, which was the coldest I have ever been in.
Next stop for me is the Grand Canyon, then Las Vegas the adult amusement park and Disneyland to cap off a really busy two and a half months.
wow, that turned out to be longer than expected! My thoughts are with you all
Liz
Hi to Annie and to Loz!!! I'm gonna comment for the two girls, i hope your both coping alright, you've had a fair bit of time to adjust. Most of all i hope your having fun, enjoy it while it lasts. Adelaide is so quiet without you Annie :P hehe can't wait for you to get back... we have SO much catching up to do. In the mean time, keep safe the both of you and take care of each other. Lots of love, Loz K xoxo
S'me again. Wanting to encourage you girls.I've just been reading the biography of the (Australian)Young Women's Mentoring Network of the Lausanne Network - if you don't know what that is, don't worry - and I'm full of it.
This lady's job is to encourage wonem to develop and use their Christian gifts, especially in male-dominated countries and churches.
One Pakistani Bishoptold her. "Our culture is male-dominated, and I struggle.My own daughter has the gift of preaching - what can she do with it?"
Another woman told her ta popular proverb in her country is "chickens are not birds, and women are not people"
Go girls. Just by being there as part of the team, you're helping to give the lie to such assumptions.
(I need hardly point out that you blokes, by the way you treat the women are reinforcing or contradicting the stereotypes.)
So be encouraged that your very presence is an example. Each one of you is already educated to a level the average Indian woman can only dream about.
And while you're about it, do your best to make your presence a good example.
I noticed Andrwew mentioned Bible Women in the Rev Immanuel's responsibilities. What do they do? Are they good at it? how are they trained?
So many questions, so little time.
Thinking of you all as you come to the end of your time. So much for you to process and reflect upon. Promise dinner on Tuesday night, Stuart, (should your stomach be willing) will not include curry or rice.
Our prayers are with you as you farewell your hosts and adjust to being home. Looking forward very much to seeing you.
Love to you all,
Alison, Colin & Imogen
Lots of Love to you all as we look forward to your reeturn.
We have a famous Phil now OAM-
Happy Australia day
Much love to you all and prayers have continued and will continue for your safe return.
XXX
Margie and Jordan
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