Just this morning, I read in the Bible, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation” (Isa. 52:7). This verse reminded me of the majesty, the goodness, the excitement, the absolute greatness of the message we are here on earth to share! Despite the fact that people might reject this message and us for bringing it, the truth still remains that this message is the most gracious, life-changing, and joyous news there has ever been!
This verse also makes me think of Esther, a 14-year-old girl I met recently at a children's home we have been visiting for the past couple of months. She is from a rural village in Northern India and when I asked her what she wants to do when she grows up, she told me she wants to hurry up and finish school so that she can start sharing Jesus with her village! It was so encouraging to see a person so young have such a passion and fire for Jesus and His good news! Thank God for her beautiful heart to follow Him and encourage others to do the same!! Thank God for her (and her immediate family's) salvation as well, as she grew up in a Hindu home, and came to know Jesus through living at the children's home. Please pray for Esther to have the wisdom, courage, and love to share Jesus here and now wherever she is and to “not let anyone look down on her because she is young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). There are over 30 children living at Blue Haven Children's Home, from ages 8-18. It was started by Indian and American Christians to be a place where children can live and hear the gospel while they attend a good quality school in Lucknow. The kids are from all over India and Nepal and come from Hindu or Buddhist families. Praise God for using this home to bring kids to Himself! Most of them have surrendered their lives to Jesus and and are passionate about their relationship with Him! Please continue to pray for these future-world changers, that they would continally grow closer to God, be protected from the enemy, and be effective witnesses to their friends and family. My team and I originally got involved with Blue Haven to help with homework, and now we are looking forward to encouraging them in their walk with God and “spurring them on towards love and good deeds!” (Heb 10:24).
This month was filled with meeting more people and making new friends! Our apartment complex threw two parties in the past month—one for NewYears and the other for a Punjabi holiday called Loree. At the New Years party, people played bingo, musical chairs, and gave out prizes. At the end, there was a giant Indian food buffet! Loree is a celebration of the harvest and the apartment had constructed a huge bonfire to mark the festivities. A few people sang some Punjabi songs and danced around the fire. Both events were a great opportunity to meet more of the people that live around us! We had been praying for more friends around our age and stage in life, and God totally answered! Between these two nights, we met around 7 or 8 girls that live right here in our apartment complex! Pray that God would lead and guide these relationships and grow them into what He wants them to be!
Both my teammate Jessica and I celebrated our birthdays this month! For Jessica's birthday, we went to a park to fly kites and had homemade German chocolate cake! For my birthday, we explored a new mall, ate fajitas, and had fun hitting a piñata! Also this month, we visited a couple touristy places in Lucknow: the Residency and the Imam Bara. The Residency was a British settlement and the Imam Bara is a mosque/maze that is still in use today.
Our days are still filled with learning Hindi and I can definitely see the progress! Thank God for his encouragment and grace! Looking ahead to what our job will be, a few of us from the team will be going on our first story-telling trip on February 8! We will be helping lead a story-telling workshop down in Southern India, near Bangalore. Celeste, Emily, our team leaders and I will be a part of this particular trip, while Jessica and Lindsey get to go to a storying workshop in April. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of everyone who will be involved to be humble and receptive to whatever God has for us. For us and the others workshop leaders to have wisdom in what to teach and how to teach it. For the students to have understanding and boldness to share stories with their people group back home. For the Holy Spirit to stir up in everyone a greater passion and love for Jesus and for telling others about that love!
Thank you for your continued support and prayers!! I am excited to see God's work unfolding here in Northern India! May God, who has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ,” continue to reveal Himself to you this year!