Christmas this year was extra fun due to a big distribution enabled by a ministry partner. We were able to provide warm clothes, school books, backpacks and other items to needy children in many cities and villages.
Dec. 24-25th I spent with our children’s home kids including a day at the largest park in Asia which just opened up. That evening we swamped KFC with a total group of about 45 – the childrens home plus some of our core ministry team members. It was a wonderful time.
Some of the older kids by one of the many bronze animal statues
On Dec. 26th I set out for the South India vacation with my (informally) adopted son Lakshman and Dolma from our children’s home. Out of all the children I chose Dolma to come along because she has only recently recovered from a year-long battle with TB and suffered a lot during that time. Neither Dolma nor Lakshman had ever traveled beyond north India. Neither had ever seen the ocean, or experienced a different language, culture, climate or food. Dolma had never ridden on an airplane nor on the AC class train and Lakshman had only had one airplane ride previously. So the vacation posed a motley of amazing and wonderful experiences for the kids along with a welcomed opportunity to spend some time on manuscript editing and revision.
The trip afforded two precious underprivileged Indian children a chance to have amazing new, unique and life-building experiences that they may otherwise have never received. Dolma was so ecstatic she kept thanking the Lord over and over in her prayers both during and after the trip. When she got back to the children’s home she stood up during the devotional time and gave a long testimony. She said, “I had heard about airplanes and fun parks and the ocean but never dreamed I would ever get to experience them. When I was sick I almost lost hope of living. Now not only has God healed me but He has also given me experiences I could never believe I would ever have. This was really an unforgettable time in my life and I thank God for answering my prayers!”
In Kerala, coconuts are a staple food, whether drunk with a straw…
or grated for use in delectable culinary masterpieces
This and the quality time I got to spend both editing the manuscript and mentoring the kids along with the fun made it a very special trip for me. I wasn’t the only one that was writing! Each day I had Dolma and Lakshman write one page describing all the things they had done and experienced that day. Then we reviewed what they wrote and I helped them correct their grammar and we discussed the different and educational things they had seen, like how the people in South India dress differently, behave more courteously, the different vegetation, etc.
Two cool dudes standing on the tip of India at Kanyakumari
We also had good times of prayer including a powerful time of intercession while we stood on the tip of India. Many years ago I had stood high in the Himalaya mountains in Nepal and had spoken over India the promise given to me from Joshua, “Wherever the sole of your foot shall tread I have given you the land.” Since then, God has amazingly fulfilled this word as through the efforts of TellAsia and our partners, hundreds of thousands of people have come out of darkness into the light of Jesus, and thousands of children have received a brighter future. Now I have fulfilled one of the remaining prophetic actions I had wanted for a long time to do – to stand on the OPPOSITE end of the continent and make the same proclamation. I believe the years ahead hold an even greater harvest for God’s Kingdom in this populated and needy “land flowing with milk and honey.”
Now I’m back at our Central North India office in Lucknow submersed in urgent ministry work. I hope to dig out after a week or so and get back on the manuscript. Major holdup is the lack of ability to finalize the title. I must have PROFESSIONAL advice before proceeding to finalize the title “Dying to Conquer.” Only when the title is finalized can I move forward for a cover, media kit and pre-publishing promotions.
