http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php Westview Church of Christ Minister Terry Newton heads to India. 2007, Westview Church of Christ en-us PHP/5.2.5 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=74 It's good to be writing this final entry from my house! As we arrived in Chicago yesterday, about 30 minutes late, it was snowing and blowing. We couldn't see the ground until pretty much when the wheels touched down. My flight, scheduled to leave for Denver at 2:45 Chicago time didn't lift off until about 6 p.m. We were one of the last planes out of O'Hare as is shut down now because of weather. It appears that I came within a few minutes of spending a couple of days in the windy city. So it is good to be home. I am taking a couple of days to get my body back in synch as much as possible with the time change difference. I slept about 16 hours last night and today as I was pretty tired. From when I arrived in Chennai Monday morning on the train to when I went to be in my house last night, I only slept about 6-7 hours total over a 60 hour stretch. I did not sleep well on the flights back home. It is good to see my family and be in familiar territory. I look forward to seeing you all over the next several days. It will probably be about a month before I get everything sorted out and ready for a presentation concerning the trip. We hope to post some pictures on the website sooner than that. Thank you for the prayers and encouragement during my time away. I was very aware of your spiritual support. Pray for the believers in India. In my last sermon there, on Sunday morning at the church in Kovvur, I asked them to also pray for us. We were so busy always praying for them that we failed to remind them that we, too, need the prayers of others. I then asked Brother V to lead that congregation in a prayer strictly for the American Christians. I hope these reports helped you "experience" this trip with me. It'll be interesting for me to go back and read what was written. I love being back and with you - Terry Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:51:45 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=73 Hello from Chennai, India. I arrived here at midnight two weeks ago. We processed customs, changed money, got our bags, and arrived at the Blue Diamond Hotel for about 3 hours of sleep before starting our trek. Last night I slept on the top bunk of a first class on an "Express Train" from Kovvur to Chennai. First class means that I had a small bunk with a thin vinyl covered mattress, but I probably slept more than any other night here - about eight hours. We left Kovvur on our "Express Train" at 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon and arrived in Chennai, a trip of about 400 miles, at 6:30 a.m. Monday morning. A fourteen hour ride. We are now back at the Blue Diamond Hotel for the day. We ran several errands with Brother V and his wife, Shakhina, and I am at the hotel now about 4 p.m. and will be here until we leave for the airport, somewhere between 9 and 10 p.m. Our flight leaves at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday morning for Frankfurt, which his 1:20 p.m. Monday afternoon. This will begin 27 hours of travel time from Chennai to Frankfurt to Chicago to Denver, arriving at 4:20 at DIA. Once my thoughts have finally turned towards home, it is all that matters. I am not interested in seeing any more sights, sounds, or local interests. Home is where I want to be. It should be that way for all believers - our time here is brief, and we have work to do. But our interests should be heaven directed. We all need to set our sights towards that ultimate home. It will change how we feel about our current location. This is definitely the last report I will file before getting home. The hotel manager very kindly offered me the use of the hotel computer. Pray that there will be no complications for these last three plane rides. I am anxious to be home. My love to you all - Terry Mon, 12 Feb 2007 04:22:06 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=72 I have about 30 minutes here in Kovvur and the chance to send another report. Since my last report, we have had a Saturday evening outdoor service at the children's home in Arikirevula and also enjoyed our Sunday morning worship here with the Kovvur church. Last night in Arikirevula we had about 250 people. Bill preached on the strength and courage of Jonathan while I preached from Luke 19 and the story of Zacchaeus, culminating with Jesus' statement that his purpose is to look for those who are lost and save them. We had seven commit and be baptized last night, another glorious night in India. We concluded about 11 p.m. and then were fed another meal before getting some sleep. This morning (Sunday) we worshiped with the church that meets in a room that is attached to Brother V's house. They are constructing a building across the street and doing most of the financing and work themselves. This group was a more typical representation of the church than what we have seen. In every place, word gets out that the western preachers are coming and a large crowd will gather. Sometimes 80 to 90% of the crowd are not church members. Most churches are small, perhaps 20-30 people. This morning with the Kovvur church we worshiped with about 50 folks, most of whom are either believers and members or people who have been coming regularly. I spoke. Bill did not. I spoke from Galatians 3 and the blessing God gives us in making us one. After the lessons and Lord's Supper, eight people asked to be baptized! We went down to the Godavari River and witnessed their rebirth. In the last 12 hours we've seen 15 baptisms, now 68 for this trip. There will be many people for the local ministers to work with. We will leave Kovvur and head back to Arikirevula about 1 p.m., which is in 20 minutes. I will do some last minute packing and then we worship at 1:30 with that church. This church is much larger, but it also includes the children's home. The building is a part of the children's home work. After finishing this afternoon we will share a quick meal and then leave on a train at 4 p.m. for Chennai. I am finished preaching in India. I am excited to soon be home with my family, my church family, and in a familiar environment. I am anxious to worship again in my native tongue. I appreciate the opportunity Westview has given me to come on this trip and look forward to sharing with you about the works in Vijayawada (M. Jacob's work) and the works in Arikirevula and Kovvur (Brother V's work). The countdown is on. I do not anticipate sending another report, though I thought that last night as well. Pray for our safety as we have an overnight train ride and three flights to make. See you in cool (maybe even cold) Colorado. Love you all and looking forward to seeing you, Terry Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:14:36 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=71 One last thing - I am praying that Westview will be greatly blessed by the faith message Kimball Matkins will share with you. I was thrilled to find out he could come and speak to Westview while I am gone, but I regret not being there. God will bless you through him. TN Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:57:10 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=70 The 2007 version of our forty days has come and gone. I pray that you have been blessed and that God has led you to a greater servant heart for him, thus proving your love for Him. My forty days ended on a rooftop in Arikirevula, India. When your forty days ended, I was meeting with a family in the village and praying with them. God has shown me again that we need to be servants, doing what we can to represent him through good deeds, forgiveness, and serving. I look forward to hearing how your forty days went. Love to my church family - Terry Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:56:07 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=69 This may be my last chance to post some reports here. We will be busy from now through Sunday afternon and then head to Chennai. We will be in Chennai for the day, resting and also doing a little looking around (something I've been able to do very little of). I will arrive late afternoon in Denver. I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday, but I do ask that you give me the time between Tuesday evening and Sunday to rest, catch up with my family, and begin catching up with work. Starting the next week I will be in a much better position to tell you about this trip. This time has been overwhelming. I know that by tomorrow afternoon I will be completely drained. We have gone pretty steadily. This has been a trip for all of Westview to experience through me. I hope, within a couple of weeks, to get many pictures on their own page on our website. We will leave the India link up for a while on the website. If I have the chance on Monday to send a report from Chennai, I will. But that may not happen. God has blessed me with good health, excellent energy, and great companions in Bill Paxton and Brother V. I will also see M. Jacob, briefly, as we journey by train from Kovvur to Chennai as we will make a 20 minute stop in Vijayawada about 9 p.m. and Jacob and his family will have some food waiting for us. I especially am excited to see my family and spend time with them. I need to spend time with LaNelle as we catch up on the last 16 days. What a way to end the forty days! Love you - Terry Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:54:00 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=68 Things are winding down on our schedule here in India. Yesterday, Friday, we made our last trip to the east side of the Godavari River. We journeyed to a small village about 18 miles northeast of Rajahmundry, a village called Odisuleru. The church there has a small open air "building." It is a cement slab with walls that go up three feet. There are some posts that come out of the walls that hold up a thatch roof. The floor space is probably no more than 18' x 28' in size. And yet we had about 90 in the "building" sitting on the floor to hear two sermons. Another ten were outside the building and probably 20 more wandered up during the meeting. We had one more baptism, bringing the total to 53 during out time here. It is in East Godavari that there has been some unrest among churches - disrupted meetings by the police. Before we came here from Vijayawada, we had learned of western preachers being barred from preaching. God took care of us and we had no such incidents. The rest of our work is in the two villages of Kovvur and Arikirevula - the area in which Brother V works with two churches. Last night we held a meeting at the Children's Home and had about 250 for an open air meeting. We will have another one this evening (Saturday night). We have been visiting church members and neighbors today, going from house to house to pray and encourage. I do not know for sure how many families we visited. We would go into a house (often times a hut) and several neighbors would also come in for prayer. Tremendous need - an overwhelming need by nearly everyone we meet. Tomorrow, Sunday, I will speak at the church in Kovvur in the morning. Bill will speak in the church at Arikirevula in the early afternoon. And our preaching time will end. We will catch an "Express" train from Kovvur to Chennai, about 400 miles. This will be a sleeper car and we will leave about 4:00 p.m. We will arrive Monday morning in Chennai somewhere between 5 and 7 a.m. "Express" has a different meaning here than in the U.S. I am anxious now to come home. After our last journey to a village to speak, it feels as if our work is done, even though we have three more meetings. Your prayers have been a tremendous strength to us. Pray for our safe travel as on Tuesday, the 13th, I will stand on three different continents as I head home. Love you and looking forward to seeing you, Terry Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:47:25 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=67 It is odd, but I am actually gaining some energy here towards the end of my time here. Don't get me wrong. I am very tired. I sleep soundly every night - all five to six hours of it. But there is less mental exhaustion. I realized this about two days ago and also figured out why this is. The first week I was here, I literally had to give mental effort to EVERYTHING I was doing. Nothing was normal or taken for granted. The food, the cities, the beds, the bathrooms, the water, the language, etc. Everything is an effort. Something as simple as brushing your teeth becomes a mental process as I must remember to use only bottled water and not use tap water out of habit. But in the last couple or three days, I have grown accustomed to some Indian custom. I am comfortable eating with my hand at every meal. I am used to the INSANE traffic - and it comes from the right instead of the left when I cross the street. Or sometimes from both directions. I am used to the crowding somewhat. So that energy is not as needed now. We still are very, very busy, but we also sit and talk longer and visit more and there is less distraction. To this point, with three preaching days to go, I have spoken 16 times. It has been a thrill every time. When I finish my last lesson here, I will have a two-edged emotion as I will be glad to come home and see you all, especially my family; but I will also miss what has been going on here for two weeks. I get the chance to see M. Jacob again, briefly, tomorrow morning as he will be in Kovvur. We will be able to discuss a couple of things about his ministry. A couple of items: I still have only seen one other Westerner other than Bill Paxton. He was in a hotel lobby in Vijayawada. There is every kind of animal you can imagine that roam the neighborhoods...with one exception. I have seen only two cats in my time here. I know they are here, but they stay hidden. Hmmm...... How has India accomplished that? Everyone still seems to have cell phones. Get this - we have even made the announcement at the beginning of our worship to have people turn them off! The India entertainment industry is booming. It is called BollyWood. And it is interesting. Here's what I have learned in India: when someone says, "it's not much further" it may be; when they say "it isn't that spicy" it may be; when they say "i'll pick you up at 7 a.m.," it may be 8:30. We have seen temples to idols in every city and village. The saying in India is this: "India is the land of one billion people and one million gods." But there are millions here who are discovering the One True God. And I must constantly remember that this is why I came. See you next week. Love you - Terry Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:18:22 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=66 I have not forgotten that Westview is still in its forty days of seeking the will of God. Because I am in India I will conclude my forty days about 12-1/2 hours sooner than you. God has certainly challenged me at times during this trip, and I have trusted him more than ever before. We are in the Godavari district right now. We had heard reports that western preachers were being barred from preaching in many of the cities and villages in this region. No reports of arrests or expulsions, just not allowed to enter a building or preach. We have had no such troubles. Today we journeyed to a region that is known for its insurgency and unrest - the Khamom district. But it is mainly a political climate of unrest as the communist party has violently opposed the government. Their issue is not with the people. We were never in harm's way, but it is still an unsettling feeling to be in such a place. It is also a place that we made sure we put behind us before dark on our journey home. We drove 100 miles or so today to Beerapalli in the Khamom district. At first I thought this was to be a preachers' gathering, but it was much more. The trip can be described in two words - IN SANE!! The traffic can't be described - truly incredible. There are no rules. There are cars, trucks, buses, motorcyles, bicycles, people, carts, goats, cows, water buffalo. All trying to navigate the same space. Our trip took about 3-1/2 hours each way. The roads, at times, look as if they have been bombed by mortars in a major war. The people do not believe in using headlights unless absolutely necessary..and then they only use the brights. Our driver is exceptional and got us there and back safely. In Beerapalli, it was a gathering of Christians from about 10 churches in that area. Preachers from much further came as well. We probably had about 35 preachers and more than 300 people. We pulled off the road and into a very large mango tree orchard. There under the trees we worshiped, preached, and shared a meal. Both Bill Paxton and I spoke twice. There were very few non-believers there, but we still had one baptism, bringing the total to 51 for the trip. The hospitality of these folks continues to overwhelm me. They have so little but give so much. The total cost of this event - including all the food - was about $125. They had covered about $50 of that to this point. Both Bill & I gave them 1000 rupees, which left them with about a $25 balance on expenses. We also feel they must be challenged to meet those needs whenever possible. A dollar goes a long ways here. Our long journeys are done. We will stay around Kovvur, Arikirevula, and Rajahmundry through Sunday afternoon. We will preach twice each day. On Sunday afternoon we will take an overnight sleeper train from Kovvur to Chennai, arriving Monday morning. Our plane leaves late that night. Continue to pray. Another blog is coming. Love to you from India - Terry Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:07:11 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=65 I have just a few moments here before we head out again. It's about 8 a.m. Thursday morning. Yesterday (Wednesday) was a very busy day for us. We spent the morning visiting families who are with the Kovvur church, one of the two churches Brother V works with. We visited his neighbors who are believers. Their daughter, about 13-years-old, has seizures and we prayed over her. We then visited with a family who is seeking the truth. They are hindu, but heard the singing one night and came into the building. They will become believers soon. We then visited a family whose dad/husband is HIV positive. He works for the railroad as a linesman, checking the tracks ahead of the train to make sure it is safe. We prayed with him and his family. We then drove about two hours to a village called Ramachandrapuram. About 125 there for our meeting. No power so the ceiling fans didn't work. Very hot. We ate again there - we eat everywhere since our hosts show hospitality to the visiting preachers. My stomach and system is hanging in there. Much of the food is very tasty, but can sabatoge me when I least expect it! We then went to Kakinada and looked at a ministry that works with Bible correspondence courses and also has a tv show. They reach hundreds of thousands of people who are seeking the truth. A very large operation. We went last night to V.Savaram - the most remote place we'll be during this trip. It is a village quite a ways from any large city. The road over the last few miles reminded me of the roads I drive when I want to go fishing up North Cottonwood Creek at Buena Vista. Very rough. After arriving, we ate again - that's a given. We then met with about 75 believers. We didn't begin until 9 p.m. About two minutes after I began preaching, the power went out again. So we lit some candles and continued. A very special service. Three baptisms. The baptistry is up on the roof. A neat moment for me - as we walked up the steps to the roof top, I looked up and saw the dark outline of a coconut tree against the charcoal sky of India. We have a half moon so there was some light. The stars were clearly visible. It was a stirring, simple sight as I again reflected on the fact that I am in India, a truly strange land for me, but God is thrilled that we are about to see these baptized - as thrilled as when anyone makes this commitment, anywhere. We got home very late and very tired and very grimy from the day. We have had 50 baptisms to this point on this trip. Our journey today is the furthest we will go. We will be at a meeting that will be attended by about ten churches in a particular region. I am excited to be a part of this. Then the next three days will all be in this area right around Arikirevula. On Friday I will spend some more time with M. Jacob, the minister we support in Vijayawada. He will come here. It will be a chance for us to visit one more time before I leave. Brother V sends his greetings to everyone in America, especially the Elders and brethren of the Westview church. I am looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you for your ongoing prayers! Love to you all - Terry Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:43:03 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=63 I looked at my last couple of posting and laughed out loud at the many typing errors. When in the little internet service, time is very limited. Plus the last time I wrote to you, I was on a keyboard on which several key would stick (like the "a" key, which you probably noticed) and others would not always work. I don't always type great, but I did have an excuse for that mess! At some point I will get back into that one and correct some of those mistakes. We are still on the go, but it is a different kind of busy here in the Kovvur/Arikirevula/Rajahmandry area. While still crowded - there are people everywhere! - it is not as frenetic as Vijayawada was. Bill & I are staying in a small upstairs apartment that is maintained at the Children's home - used for guests and by the Paxtons when they come. It is very comfortable. It does not have a kitchen, but does have some space and we can climb up on the roof to sit and relax when we have time. I was able to be at Brother V's house yesterday. We had a meal of rice with curry and beef. That's right - beef. We ate the neighbors' god. I chased it down with curds and rice and bananas. My system is still yelling at me for indulging in the spicy food again, but it is difficult not to. Last night we worshiped with a small house church that meets in a poor neighborhood about a mile from the children's home. The ladies sat in the road while the men sat on the porch of this house. The open sewer ran down both sides of the road. Because of schedule necessities, we did not meet until 9 p.m. There were about 60 there. We had only one baptism, but there were many, many requests for prayer and assistance. This morning (Tuesday) I woke up about 6:30 to the sounds of birds and children instead of the incessant sound of traffic and city noise like previous mornings. The home is a wonderful operation. I look forward to sharing more with you about it. Right next to the home is the government run school that the children of the home attend. We met the principal and he invited us in and we spent about 30 minutes with the children. Very smart. Very disciplined. Very energetic. We then drove to Raghavapuram, a small village about 20 miles from Rajahmundry. About 100 people were there and we worshiped and preached for about 2 hours. Afterwards we had seven baptisms (right next to several water buffalo) including an older couple who have been hindu all their life! This was a real blessing! It doen't happen often. They put off their life of idolatry and came to the one true God. Amazing. We then went with another preacher to the little thatch village he preaches in. He is building a cement building - very small. He has about 25 in his church. We prayed at the site for their future. All of these churches are fairly small and neighborhood/village bound. No one travels a great distance to be a part of a church. So every church completely reflects its immediate neighborhood. After that prayer time, we went and visited the family of a man named Abraham Lincoln Raj. He began a church in a neighborhood that we were to meet with this evening. However, sadly, Abraham died three days ago and the meeting was cancelled. We spent some time with his family and his widow, giving her some financial assistance as well. So we will visit some individual households this evening since our meeting has been cancelled. We have two meeting scheduled tomorrow afternoon. On Thursday there is a very larger preachers' meeting we will speak at. Friday will be our longest drive this week to a church that has invited us. We still stay around the Kovvur area then through Sunday. I am getting adjusted to the immediate surroundings and the first level of peculiarities of this culture. I am fairly comfortable now as we move about and work. We have seen God bless this series of meeting with 43 baptisms to this point. Pray that God will equip the local ministers to adequately teach these new believers. It is now a little less than a week until our departure. I know the time will go quickly. Keep praying for our safety. I love you all - Terry Tue, 06 Feb 2007 07:43:38 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=62 One more thing - the weather. It is winter here just like it is back home. LaNelle told me in an e-mail that the official Greeley low the other night was 20 below zero. We have not been below 68-70 degrees here in the nighttime and it is in the mid to high 80's every day. The church buildings are very, very hot and stuffy. As I preached last night in Vijayawada, the sweat literally poured off me. But it was a great experience to be with people who didn't seem to mind, The just want to hear the truth - no matter the temperature. It may be reverse culture shock for me to come back to Colorado weather! Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:45:56 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=61 We are now in the Kovvur area. This is where Brother V lives and operates his ministry. We arrived here this morning (Monday) after a 100 mile drive from Vijayawada. We are about 25-30 miles from the coast and the Bay of Bengal (Indian Ocean). We will be staying in Arikirevula, which is where the children's home is operated by Brother V. It is a fantastic ministry! I will share more with you about it either on this blog or when I get home. We also will travel each day to the major city of the region, which is only a few miles away - it is Rajahmundry. It sits on the Godavarii River. To enter the city, we cross the longest bridge in all Asia, about 5 kms long (three miles or so). Yesterday - Sunday - was a challenging and humbling experience. I spoke four times at two different churches. Bill Paxton and Brother V went to two other churches. On the day we had 22 baptisms! The challenge for me was that I parted ways with my traveling companions and was with M. Jacob the entire day, along with our translator, John Balasundarem. The people here are so eager to hear preaching and they are fascinated by the presence of a Western preacher. The women will sit on the floor for a couple of hours in a small, hot room. It is very crowded. We have about 100 at the first church, which is located in a very poor part of Vijaywada, and about 175 at the the main church M. Jacob works with, which is very near his home. The hospitality is overwhelming! They want to please and honor their guest. I have received gifts, been showered with flowers (literally), and have laid hands on scores of widows, sick, children, and men. I also named a child last night. M. Jacob has a granddaughter who is about 5-6 months old. The family asked me to choose a Biblical name to bestow on her that she will use the rest of her life. After some thought and a brief discussion, we settled on Deborah - the only woman judge. They were very pleased. I was floored! And honored. There are so many details i can't get in to these reports. We get by on about 5 hours of sleep a night. Our arrival at Arikirevula will slow things down somewhat, but we will still preach every day. Last week from Wednesday night (the first chance I had to speak) through last night (Sunday night), I spoke ten times. I will probably speak another 8-10 times this week. It can be an energy drain. Health - I am dealing, for the first time, with my stomach reacting to the food here. The spicy curry food we have been eaten is great! But it is every meal and can be very, very strong. Plus there is such an outpouring of hospitality and generosity at the meals that one feels obligated to try to eat, even when not hungry. I have not felt very well the last two days, but it has not been serious enough to stop me from any activity or been disruptive in any way. God is taking very good care of me. M. Jacob's work is very solid and sound. Our congregation is doing a good thing by supporting him and occasionaly helping these congregations. The work Brother V does is also a tremendous spiritual investment for a small amount of money. God really blesses these works. I look forward to sharing more with you. You may be curious about the cost of things - very inexpensive, with just a few exceptions. We stayed at a slightly above average (for India) hotel for four nights in Vijayawada. We had two rooms, one for Bill and me and one for Brother V. Our total bill was about 4,500 rupees, which is about $115 for four nights. We also rented a driver and car for the stay in Vijaywada - the only way to ensure timely and successful transportation to so many places. The total cost for the four-day rental, including driver and fuel, was about $100. A small banana on the street is about 2-1/2 cents. Five of us ate lunch in Ongole on Wednesday and the total bill was just under $3. Other items, especially electronics, are more normally priced to what we expect. I missed worshiping with my church family on Sunday and will miss you again this next Sunday. But I was blessed by my experience of worship here. I appreciate your prayers so much. I can FEEL them at times. I do not want to present myself as something I am not. This has been, many times, very hard and demanding, but also very rewarding. Keep praying for us and our safety and good work. I am scheduled to fly out of India next Tuesday morning at 1:50 a.m., which is 1:20 Monday afternoon in Colorado. I will arrive at DIA on Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. One more thing - I made a mistake on my typing when I sent that message to Brian. I meant to say the Colts won 29-17, but accidently typed 27-16. My mistake! Yeah, right! The Super Bowl was nowhere in the Indian news. But the latest cricket scores are everywhere. I will try to post another report to you tomorrow. Serve one another. Love to you all - Terry P.S. - I am sorry that I am not sending pictures, but the process is complicated here and my time at the computer terminal is limited. I will get them on the web page when I return. Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:41:23 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=60 Terry called me today (Saturday) at about 11 a.m. our time. It was 11:30 p.m. there in India and he had just had another busy but wonderful day. He was very excited about the special time he was getting to have with brother M. Jacob. He is also very excited to worship on Sunday with and preach for the two churches that M. Jacob works with. Terry wanted me to post this quick note to let you know that his next opportunity to post something on this blog will likely be Monday night or Tuesday morning our time. So stay tuned for more news from India. Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:47:12 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=59 I have two traveling companions. The first is Brother V, a man familiar to us at Westview. He is a wonderful man. He takes good care of us and translates for us. We will be in his home next week. The other is Bill Paxton, the preacher from Springtown, Texas. Bill has been to India seventeen times now! He has been such a blessing, a true safety blanket for me. He understands the culture, the people, the needs. He constantly advises me and helps me. Bill's heart is amazing for the Indian people. The children's home that Brother V operates is called the Bill & Sharon Paxton Children's home (over Bill's protests). The building we dedicated on Wednesday night in Uppurgundur had two plaques dedictated to the Paxtons. He is truly a wonderful servant of the Lord. I am in good hands. Tomorrow, Sunday, will be the first time I fly solo as I will spend the day with Brother M. Jacob and the two churches he serves while Bill and Brother V go to other churches. I am confident that all will go well, but there is a nervous excitement about being "on my on" in that regard. Pray that God will continue to bless our trip! TN Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:50:04 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=58 Every church is thrilled to have the outside American speakers in their presence. They perceive us, with good reason, as coming from the land of abundance. We have abundant, limitless resources, but it is more than just possessions. We are perceived to be infinitely more wise and intelligent when it comes to scripture as well. (Those of you who know me know better than that! But why spoil a good thing by letting that secret out?) In all seriousness, at times it reminds me of the story of Paul and Barnabas in Lystra in Acts 14 when they were called gods and treated as such. It is very uncomortable. There is usually a large banner at the front of the building or open air area with our names, not always spelled correctly. We sit in the places of honor. Every church gives us a garland (or several garlands) - a heavy flower neck ornment as a show of honor. After a couple of songs, the speakers are introduced - sometimes Bill Paxton speaks first. Sometimes I do. We each go close to an hour. They cannot get enough. The women sit on the floor while the men sit on the sides and back of the room in chairs. They will sit for as long as is necessary. We do not offer an official "invitation" but allow the local minister to do that. This is for two reasons. One is that we feel it is important that he develops that relationship with the people. Secondly, we are being very careful as there is more scrutiny being given by the government about visiting preachers. So we try to stay low-key. Which is difficult when two loud speakers are set up outside the meeting place so that everything is broadcast to the entire neighborhood! A the end of my lesson I pause, slightly bow, place my hands together and say "Wandanamalu", which is a way of saying "thank you" and that I am done that I hope God blesses these words. They all answer in kind. Following the service we are crushed by people who want to touch us, have us lay hands on them, pray over them, etc. We are taken to their huts to pray for sick family members, asked to pray over childern, etc. We cannot understand their request and they cannot understand our prayers, but they come. It is very humbling. I look forward to heaven when we will all speak the same language. We then spend time with the preacher and his family and eat a meal. The preacher and his family do not eat with us. They serve us only. More than we can eat. This is done twice a day, every day right now. We were not able to have our first preaching meeting until Wednesday here. By the time we leave Vijayawada on Monday morning to go to Kovvur, I will have spoken ten times. It is good to be used by God. Thank you for your prayers. We have not been able to get the pictures out yet, but are working on it. God bless you as you worship Sunday - remember to pray for Christians the world over! Their faith is very great and their risk can be intense. My love to you all, Terry Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:46:02 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=57 To this point, since we left the Chennai airport at 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, I have not seen another westerner. That thought has struck me several times at what it means to truly be an alien in a strange land. I went for a walk with young Vijay Okmar in Uppugundur following our daytime meeting there Thursday. This young man, about 16 years old, took me around his neighborhood. He could not speak English and I certainly can't speak Telugu, so we just walked and attracted crowds. It is hard to get used to, the focus we receive just by walking down some streets or neighborhoods. But God is so good in that he shows me how gentle they are and how much I am protected. I have not felt any danger on this trip. Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:35:10 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=56 I can't describe this. It has been totally scary and amazing! There are so many bikes, motorcycles, pedestrians, three-wheeled "taxis", rickshaws, cars, buses, trucks, cows, water buffalo, goat herds, dogs - it is hard to believe. And we go fast! There is an expectation that people will move. On an uncrowded road, the two vehicles approaching each other play a game of chicken, both claiming the middle for as long as possible. At first I thought that these drivers were the worst I've ever seen, but then I realized that they are actually the best drivers I've ever seen. I've not seen a single accident. But I have put a hole in the floor where my imaginery brake is - it's like when your teen first begins to drive. Now picture them doing that blindfolded and see how you'd stiffen up and hit that imaginary brake! But we are surviving easily. We go so fast it has been nearly impossible to take pictures or video from the car. I may never complain about Colorado drivers again. TN Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:32:30 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=55 It is difficult to explain the poverty here. There are people everywhere. There is grime everywhere. There is the need for more everywhere. This is a place where most people earn today's wages so they can eat tomorrow. But the Indian is still very prouyd, being very careful about personal hygiene, even though the environment is difficult. It is a grimy place in the city - exhaust, sewage, trash, etc. But the individual houses, though as small as a large work shed for us, are kept clean and neat. The weather is warm and humid. In the mid to upper 80's every day, both in temperature and humidity. We go to bed sweaty and wake up sweaty. But it is forgotten as the day progresses. We looked at several Hindu temples and historical sites yesterday. It was both fascinating and frightening. It is an overwhelming presence. I was able to walk around the courtyard of a Hindu temple, which is kept very clean and quiet. I didn't stay long, but felt it important to see this. There are several hindus in our audience at each preaching service. More to come. I love you all, Terry Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:28:53 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=54 Several of you were curious about the food I would eat. The meals are pretty simple, but very tasty. Every meal has rice that is then mixed with the entree, which is usually, thought not always, chicken. Everything is cooked with curry - it has been pretty mild to this point. Chipotti is a type of tortilla that I have enjoyed eating with these meals. Breakfast has been chipotti with pudi, a potato dish cooked in curry and onions. I have had various forms of chicken and also curry spiced chicken liver. M. Jacob served us mutton in his home two days ago. There are vegetables available, but we are avoiding uncooked vegetables for health reasons. We drink only bottled water or soft drinks. I have had no problems health wise to this point. At the end of the meal I make a rice and curds and banana mash that is a type of dessert. It is also said that this "puts the curry to sleep" - no heartburn. While the hosts provide tableware, it is more proper to eat everything with fingers - the right hand only. They are very hospitable. To say "wadu" (no more) after two spoons of food is placed on your plate is interpreted as, "Just two more spoonfuls, please." It is virtually impossible to stop their intent to please. Several of our hosts have spent at leat half of their entire month's grocery allowance to feed us a special meal. Bill & I always give them a financial gift in some way to make sure there is no strain. And I continue each day to drink several cups of India tea brewed in water buffalo milk. Some of you said I would lose weight on this trip - I don't think so! Bon appetit. Terry Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:24:25 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=53 Today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) will constitute the heart of my trip with regard to M. Jacob's work. We have supported Jacob since 1990. He works with two churches here in Vijaywada. Vijayawada is a "medium sized" city in India, about 1.1 million in population. Today I will speak at a gathering for the area preachers and then share a meal with M. Jacob and some of his congregation's folks. This evening we will have another meeting at one of the churches he works with. We'll get done around midnight probably. This afternoon I will spend a long time with Jacob and a translator as we discuss in detail his work and future plans and goals. He is very appreciative of the support Westview provides from him and the churches. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will speak four times - three times in the morning/early afternoon and then again tomrrow evening. This is also an important time for these churches as I represent the church that has assisted them so much the past few years. Their hospitality and sweetness has been overwhelming. It is impossible not to see God in them. On Monday, Bill Paxton, Brother V, and I will head to Kovvur and the work done in that region by Brother V. Keep praying for us! Terry Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:18:06 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=52 Hello on Saturday morning in India, which is Friday night at home. We have been so busy. I will fill you in briefly on our activities and then post several more messages concerning different aspects of the trip. We spoke to a neighborhood church on Friday noon - the church in the Krishna Lankaa neighborhood. There were about 50 there. The building is maybe 12 x 25 feet in size. The women sat on the floor while the men sat in chairs outside and listened on speakers. They were very sweet and appreciative people. We then ate a meal with M. Jacob and his family and also went to several Hindu sites. It is an extremely disconcerting experience to enter the heart of such a religion. Overwhelming at times. Last night (Friday night here) we went to a small village about 5 miles outside of Vijayawada to speak to a church that M. Jacob arranged. There are only about 18-20 believers there, but nearly 200 showed up to the outside meeting. After nearly two hours of preaching, a meal for everyone, and time spent in prayer, we had three baptisms in the dark in the river. The preacher in this village (the village name is Gudavalli) lives on less than $20/month. We dedicated their church building last night - a grass thatch hut that is about 12 x 20 in size. Truly amazing in seeing their appreciation. God is good to these people and the courage they show in their faith is amazing. More reports are coming. I miss you all and look forward to being home and sharing with you. I love you all. TN Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:13:00 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=51 I can't begin to adequately describe the sensory experience of India to this point. There are people everywhere! There is noise all the time. There are odors that never leave. I have seen the abject poverty of Asia that is familiar to us only through television images and news reports. It is warm and humid. But it is easily adjusted to. Once I accept that this is the way it is, then everything becomes normal. Our hotel room is very basic - two single beds and a bathroom. Toilet paper optional! And that's all I have to say about that. There may be hot water. There may not be hot water. I have eaten some delicious food! Rice with chicken cooked with curry is a staple product. There are also various types of flat bread and the such. We eat with our right hand, not with silverware, although the tableware has been offered to me. But I am using my hand like everyone else. Only the right hand. I drink nothing but bottled water and soft drink. I am also becoming very fond of the hot tea. It is an India tea brewed in water buffalo milk. Very rich and sweet. Raw sewage is common in the cities, which creates a dominant odor. It runs under the sidewalks, with several openings along the way. The people we have been with treat us like royalty! They are so gracious. I will take another time to describe it in detail. I will try to send pictures soon, but not today as we are about to leave here to join Brother M. Jacob for a noon time meeting. There is a political rally right now in Vijayawada for the radical Muslim party, so we are keeping a low profile. There is no real danger, but we will still be cautious. I will try to send more tomorow. My love to you all - Terry Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:19:16 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=50 What a four days it has been! We have, for the first time, gotten to an internet service store and I can give you a report. So much has happened these first four days that I don't think I can adequately cover everything...but I'll give it a try. I arrived in Chennai, India right at midnight Tuesday night, India time. It was almost, to the minute, 24 hours from when the wheels lifted off at DIA and the wheels touched down at the Chennai, India airport. We were met there by Brother V and some local brethren. It took about 1-1/2 hours to claim baggage, clear customs, and exchange American currency for Indian rupees. We reached the hotel in Chennai at about 2 a.m. and slept for 2-1/2 hours. The next day began my time of being India. On Wednesday we took a train to Ongole, where we checked into another very spartan hotel and then journeyed to Uppugundur, a "village" of about 25,000 people. The drive was about 45 minutes. We spent time there both Wednesday and Thursday. We preached to about 300 people Wednesday evening, spending time with the preacher and his wife and family. We were also a part of a dedication of their new building, a 22' x 30' structure that they are very thankful for. We then returned on Thursday and preached during the day to about 400 people, resulting in 13 baptisms! God is good. We returned to Ongole and then boarded a train and headed to Vijayawada, the home of M. Jacob. We arrived Thursday night (last night) at the train station in Vijayawada at about 10 p.m. We were met by M. Jacob and some of the Christians there with much fanfare. We checked into our hotel and then went to Jacob's house and had a late meal. We went to bed about 12:30 a.m. last night. It is now 10:30 a.m. Friday morning. We are about to speak twice today - once at noon and again this evening. We will then speak to a gathering of preachers tomorrow during the day and speak to the church tomorrow night. On Sunday, we will preach at two different churches here in Vijayawada. Every other moment will be spent visiting with M. Jacob and gaining a better understanding of this work. We will leave Monday morning to head to Kovvur and the work that Brother V does in that region. That is a summary of what I am doing. I will post another message soon about my experiences. Thank you for your prayers! They are being received and realized constantly. Love to you all - Terry Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:12:21 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=49 Terry called and left me a voice message at about 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. He arrived safely and has been very busy since his arrival, preaching at some villages. He told me to report that "amazing things" are happening, and that he will have much to tell you, in this blog, as soon as he can get internet access. Soon (maybe today) they will be headed to Vijayawada where brother M. Jacob lives. I know he is excited to meet M. Jacob and see his work for the Lord up close and personal. Hopefully he will get to some place with internet access soon, so we can all read what he will write first hand from India. Wed, 31 Jan 2007 23:25:59 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=47 It's been great today! My church family prayed over me. My own family tonight laid hands on me and prayed for me and over me. It's a great way to begin such a journey. You may not hear from me for these first 2-3 days. The first two days are travel and our first location may not have an easily accessible internet. But I will post something the first chance I get. I expect my next communication with you will be from halfway around the world. Wow! Sun, 28 Jan 2007 22:57:36 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=46 Today was so great to spend time with my Westview church family before leaving for India tomorrow. So many prayers and so much encouragement. One of the things I truly love about Westview is that we are a praying church. I feel refreshed and calm because of so many prayers. I am truly going on a trip that is taking me to a totally different place and different experience. I am not really nervous, but am anxious to go and get started. Your generosity of gifts to take to India has been fantastic! If I am unable to take everything that has been given, we will distribute these goods to the needy here in Greeley. This church is amazing! It is down to hours. If everything is on schedule, the wheels will go up on my flight to Chicago in about 20 hours. That will start a 24 hour trek that will land me in Chennai at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday night (India time). I am honored to represent Westview to the believers of India. Sun, 28 Jan 2007 16:19:30 -0600 http://www.westviewcoc.org/india_blog.php?entry_id=43 Isn't technology cool!? As long as I am able to find web access I'll be be able to keep you updated on what is going on each day on my trip through India. There are a lot of details for a trip like this. Every time I think I'm about ready, I generate an entire new list of things to do - either for the trip or for things here while I am gone. This is not just my trip. It belongs to Westview. You are sending me as your representative to work with and encourage both M. Jacob and Brother V in their works. Thank you for your generosity, your prayers, and your commitment. I look forward to being able to share with you these experiences that God will lead me through. Pray right now that winter weather doesn't create havoc with travel on Monday. I fly out of Denver to Chicago late morning and then have about an hour to catch my flight to Frankfurt, Germany. There's not much room for weather delays in either place. It is an 8-1/2 hour flight to Frankfurt. There I will meet my travel partner and guide, Bill Paxton of the Springtown, Texas Church of Christ. This is his 17th trip to India. He has been deeply involved in the past with both works we will be visiting. It is a great blessing for me to have him along. After a couple of hours in Frankfurt we will fly to Chennai, India - another 8-1/2 flight. I will literally be halfway around the world, twelve time zones away. I'm in a countdown mode and I am excited! Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:32:00 -0600