Contrasts

The little boy smiled up at us as we walked, holding his grubby hand out for change. I might not have noticed him because of all the other beggars, but this boy was different.

A thick line of scarring ran from one ear to the other under his chin, with the most scars and disfiguration around his throat. He walked barefoot and stayed close to us for a couple blocks to see if we’d give him any change. Erin commented that his throat and neck were probably mutilated on purpose in order to garner sympathy and enable him to beg for more money. This was one facet of Bangalore.
As we drove through a section of the city, gleaming glass skyscrapers rose out of the rust-colored earth. Just a few feet away tents made from grimy tarps flapped in the muggy breeze. A woman cradled a little girl in the doorway of the tent.
Bangalore is a city of contrasts. The promise of technology, industry and modernization mingle with the impoverished, often in the same city block. Trash cans go unheeded, as garbage is strewn and piled in the streets.
I saw another example of contrasts when I attended an Indian Christian wedding Friday afternoon. India and the West blended in the ceremony. The bride wore a white sari and veil, and the groom presented a mangalasutra – a necklace-like object – along with a wedding ring. The organist played Wagner’s Wedding March as the couple left the church. The guests, with the women dressed in brightly-colored saris, walked to the reception, held in a tent made of tapestry-like cloth.

Another contrast is the transportation system. Vehicles in India drive on the left side of the road and all traffic lines, signs and lights (if they have them at all) are mere suggestions. There are no seatbelts and cars jockey for positions on the road, beeping the horn to alert other drivers. In fact, beeping the horn seems to be the main way of signaling. Rickshaws powered by motorcycle engines and buses crammed with people careen down the road. The rare street policeman, armed with a whistle, is disregarded. Yet there are toll booths that look exactly like the ones on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and hotels and restaurants line the roadways. In Bangalore there’s a Pizza Hut and Ruby Tuesday’s.

Pray for this country of contrasts.
Pray for the workers in this harvest field.

Ruby

The woman in the royal blue sari smiled as she welcomed us into her home. Sambar – a stew-like dish with vegetables and lentils – slowly cooked on a primus stove. A young goat bleated from behind a rusty folding chair, disturbed by the visitors. Five family members lived in the thatch-roofed house that was no bigger than a dorm room. But we were there because of the smiling woman. Ruby is one of the few believers in a remote village 100 kilometers north of Bangalore. Pregnant and with a husband who is not a believer, Ruby lives in a village where persecution at times is bad enough that believers are not permitted to get water from the community well. They’re outcasts because of their testimony to the Name.
We had the blessing of gathering in Ruby’s hut and praying for her, her husband and her baby. The sense of unity in Christ was nearly overwhelming as we stood around and prayed.
Ruby is just one of the Christians I met in that tiny village. Please pray for her and our other brothers and sisters there, and thank you for continuing to pray for us as we minister.

An unconventional life

Some people I've talked with classify Christians as boring creatures. But a friend once said that "when you're in God's will, your life will always be an adventure." I've found this to be very true in my life. It certainly hasn't turned out how I expected, but I've had so many blessings, especially in the last few months.

On Monday I leave for the next great adventure: India! I can't wait to see how Christ is working in so many lives there, and I hope I can be a help there. The Lord has blessed me so much. I'm fully supported and I've been given good counsel by folks in India and in the States.

Please pray for India. Pray for my teammates, Kyle and Marissa, a young married couple, and I as we travel and serve. Pray for that the Lord would strengthen Alan and Erin, and that the transition back to the United States would go well -- and for the baby to be healthy when s/he is born after our return. Pray for the continuing effort in India.

Thank you so much for all the prayers and support.