And the clock keeps ticking...

Where the time has gone? I don't know! Our time in India has been flying by and is almost coming to a close...at least for this trip. Many cool things have happened in the last week so I wanted to give a brief update on them!

A little over a week ago we traveled to Chennai to pick up two pastors from RockHarbor. One of the main reasons we all went was because we knew going to Chennai brought the promise of PIZZA HUT! We were all in dire need of some western food. It was glorious. We arrived a day early so that we could spend some time at a RockHarbor home taking pictures of the kids for sponsorships and playing with them! It was also great down time of going to a movie and air conditioning as it is extremely hot and humid here in India now. One highlight for me was going to the tomb of St. Thomas (otherwise known as "doubting Thomas.") The apostle Thomas is the one credited for bringing Christianity to India. He was martyred in India as well. My dad had always told me the next time you're in Chennai you have to go see his tomb! I was finally able to do that and it was really neat just being in a place where an apostle had been. I mean, he was actually with Jesus! I haven't been anywhere else yet that apostles or Jesus had walked. Yeah, so I thought it was cool.

After welcoming our friends to India it was straight to the train station for an overnight ride back to Tenali then back into action. That morning we did a leprosy camp. There is one once a month and it basically entails giving out food, prayers, and Harvest India gives them money for the month as no one will give employment to these people. There is more for this day but I've decided I will just hit the highlights of this past week or this will get incredibly long. Last weekend we held our final event which essentially was we hosted a church service at the new church sight. The service, which was geared toward the college age people, was a definite success in my mind. People came, we worshiped God together through music (me playing english contemporary worship songs to an Indian beat!), sharing testimonies of God's faithfulness in the last week (Led by Liz), a message from Chris Ward (RH teaching pastor), and communion. At the end we were able to share the vision for the church and people were excited about taking up the call and leading it. The seed has been sown and now only God can do the growing of this church.

So much happened after that but now even Andrew and Chris have already left. Andrew went on to Uganda to visit the ministry that RH partners with there and Chris Ward is back in the states. As time continues to move forward, God will continue to show us what's next and be faithful to take care of us. I know it. We're excited to hear about our new niece being born any day now and....I'm excited that India beat Pakistan yesterday in the Semi-finals for the World Cup of Cricket!! Hopefully India can take the whole thing! We are enjoying our last few days here before we head back to the states as well as having a few more programs before we leave.

Pray for us as it is REALLY getting hot here. (I got dehydrated a couple days ago and subsequently sick. I'm better now though!!)

We love you all and can't wait to see you all soon! To God be ALL the Glory!!

Chris

The Prophetess has SPOKEN!!!

So, I came on here not even realizing that we hadn't written a blog since February 22nd?? Where did the time go? It's almost been a month! God has been so good to use us and teach us so many things!

I guess to catch up a bit, our big "Bridge" event went very well! We had a great turnout and the word of the Lord went out powerfully! It was awesome and I believe that even getting those college students to Harvest India Campus was the beginning of a relationship that will build even more between Harvest India and the youth of Tenali. One of the songs I did was Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Indian's love Michael Jackson! It was awesome!...so now I'm lovingly known as Michael Jackson to many college students here in Tenali. The day after our Bridge event, we had the opportunity to perform at Vignan University which is the biggest university in this area of Andhra Pradesh. I did "Billie Jean" there as well and the students went crazy! Being on Vignan was a break through for Harvest India because no one from Harvest India has ever been on the campus until now. There are security guards and everything as well as it being a Hindu run school. So, that was awesome!

Since then, our schedule has slowed down quite a bit and we've been able to spend time in prayer and dream for the future of this residency with Harvest India. Half of our team has been helping with getting new pictures for all the children at the various Harvest India orphan homes since the time for sponsorship is coming back around. We have still been teaching english at the Quarry school which is the school where all the orphan kids go. I love those kids! I have been teaching 9th class and we have a new sort of bond and connection. They have made some great strides in their conversational english!

I have gotten good at going into town to shop for fruit and vegetables. Most of the time we ride bicycles into town to do our shopping. Also I've gotten to know our chicken butcher fairly well. I can watch a chicken get killed, defeathered, cut up, and ready to cook back at our house in about 5 minutes. Now that, my friends, is fresh chicken! Ok....now on to what I wanted to BLOG about!!

So over the course of this trip I've really been seeking God about what I'm going to do when we get back and how to do it. I know with all my heart that God wants me to pursue music with my band for HIS GLORY. I don't know how that is going to happen and I've struggled with it over and over. In the last couple of days I've felt really restless about it and asking God for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It finally came to a point this morning when I just said, "God will you just speak to me" and I sat silent for a while during my time of devotion. Now, on saturdays a bunch of old woman and a pastor get together to pray for Harvest India, Suresh, his family, the ministries, the orphan kids...everything that Harvest India does for the Glory of God at the Harvest India Campus. I kept feeling unsettled like I had to bed there but I wanted to make sure Lizzi was taken care of before I left and had everything she needed. They usually start between 11am and Noon, then go till about 2p. Long story short, I wasn't able to get there until 1:30p. I almost didn't go but as I was making the decision in my head God clearly made me more unsettled; that I needed to be there. Prayer was awesome then around 2:15p we had lunch at Suresh's house which is on "campus." After lunch Suresh was getting prayed over by an old lady. He came out and told us that she was a prophetess and everything she has prayed and prophesied for in the past has come to pass. I immediately stood up and asked if she could pray for me. After she prayed, Suresh translated all she said to me. He looked AMAZED! This is what she had said, "Thus saith the Lord...I have given you an incredible talent to give Praise to me. You will be given an anointing and go out to the nations. You are so troubled about how any of this will get done but I have ordained the path for you already. You are worried about how you will provide for your family and worried about how you are going to do the things that I have told you to do but do not worry for I will take care of everything. Do not look to the left or to the right but look straight on the narrow path. You will be given direction a little at a time." In the middle of the prayer, Suresh told her that I'm married and my wife is pregnant. She began to pray for a boy and the power/annointing that would be given to him as well. Suresh was shocked because he had never told her about my talents in music or anything about me. I was shocked because God clearly gave me an answer to my prayers. I was also shocked because the first time I had prophetic prayer over me, one of the things that was said was that I would be given direction little bits at a time. Our God is SO BIG, AND SO REAL!! He hears our prayers! I was so excited I had to share this. I hope it encourages everyone in there faith to continue to fevently seek the Lord in prayer! God Bless you all and thank you for your continued support!! See you all in a few short weeks!!!! (ALREADY!!) And for those wondering...sorry there wasn't much about Liz but she is feeling much better now! She seems to think that the morning sickness has passed but it's still hard with it being so HOT now! BUT...she has much more strength now and is doing much much better! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your prayers for her!!! We couldn't have done this trip without your prayers!!


Chris