Last Day of Our Trip

The Team flies out today from Kolkata, Russ & I tomorrow.  The blessings will continue, the seeds we and our national brothers/sisters have sown will be watered, and God will give the increase. 

Unfortunately, as most missionary prayer partners are aware, opposition can be violent and life-threatening or at least ministry-threatening, and so we have been asked not to post all those cute and wonderful photos from the village VBS.  Soooo, if you want more details, sign up for our email updates on our website   www.aimission.org    We will send out an email synopsis of our 3+ month trip by the end of June. 

God has opened many new doors to ministries that have invited us to join their evangelism outreach this trip—from the mountains to the sea, from tiny rural villages to inner cities.  Some leaders only knew us from hearsay…and we have become brothers and sisters in Christ.  The journey was very hard and often primitive, but we are not here for a vacation. 

End of this Chapter, but not of The Book!

Since I’m an artist, it is painful to not be able to tell the story with photos!  Well, maybe just one that can’t be pinpointed…to symbolize the sun setting on this trip to India.  We pray that God will keep using us in the days ahead.

This year’s Team thoroughly enjoyed the ministry here and we had a great time together.  India is not easy: Russ and I often had no electricity or internet; we were hot and sweaty and tired; showers and laundry were done with a bucket from the local hand pump, but the blessings are worth it:  To see a hungry child’s face light up, to hug an elderly widow, to give a fresh water well to a thirsty village, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and see hands raised in acceptance…May His Name continue to be glorified among the nations!

 

--Alice Sharrock

Healing Bodies and Souls

For two years, Dr. Sujatha and her husband, Pastor Babu Prasad, had been praying about opening a clinic in the poor neighborhood surrounding their Mizpah Christian Assembly church.  

On a chance, Pastor Babu emailed Asia International Mission about their vision.  Among the hundreds of requests for partnership, this one touched Russ’ heart.  Healing the poor, and bringing them the love of Jesus… 

 One May 31, 2013, we and the Team were honored to be part of the official Dedication.  For Dr. Suji, it was a dream come true!  (Plus it was her birthday…)  We joined their church members in a small tent for the ceremony.  A new sign sparkled above us, proclaiming “Sunshine Clinic” and the ribbon across the door was draped with fragrant jasmine.

Dedication Prayer by Albert May

Albert May opened with prayer; Pastor Babu told their story—he and Dr. Suji shed some tears of joy with us.  Dr. Sujatha and Russ spoke.  The ribbon was cut with the appropriate confetti and firecrackers (required for any Indian celebration…) and the first patient walked in after hearing the festivities out on the street.  Church members lined up to offer congratulations and get their sugar levels and blood pressure checked.  What a day!

Ribbon Cutting

 
God is at work in India…and AIM is proud to join Him.  Dr. Suji’s goal is to heal the physical ailments of the poor who cannot afford the other more costly doctors.  They will be charged a nominal fee so that value will be perceived; the Nile Project children (who have already been screened for need) and their families will get vouchers for totally free medical care. 

 But, Dr. Suji’s primary goal is spiritual healing.  There are so many living in bondage to a million demon gods and burdensome superstitions.  She will pray for her patients, counsel them, and witness to them about Jesus Christ as opportunities arise.  Sickness is debilitating, but lost souls need so much more than medicine.

Russ Presents Dr. Sujatha a new Stethoscope

We thank all of our generous donors for making this new Medical Clinic a reality!  Each of you is a vital part of reaching the lost multitudes of India for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  May His Name be glorified among the nations!

 As we left Bangalore,  there was an outbreak of Dengue Fever, a dreaded tropical disease spread by the Aedes Egypti mosquito.  The government admits to almost 90 cases originating within the city, with another 80+ cases coming in from the surrounding areas for treatment.  Another article said there were almost 2000 suspected cases in the state of Karnataka with over 800 testing positive.  This will worsen as the monsoon rains continue and pools of water collect where mosquitoes can breed.  Please pray for the poor who live along stagnant canals with no screens or mosquito netting.  Also please pray for healthcare to be available to those who need it--seldom the case for poverty stricken areas.  God brought Sunshine Clinic into reality just as it was needed most.

Checking Blood Sugar

 

Len Walker makes a new friend.

---Alice Sharrock

Alone Above the City

Leviticus 13:46 All the days wherein the plague [of leprosy] shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (KJV)

Up and Up to the Leper Colony

It stands in the middle of Bangalore, perched on an island of rock above one of the most modern, high tech cities of India.  An island that took us back four thousand years…an island of lepers.

Russ and the Team climbed higher and higher on unsteady slabs of stone, across tilted landings between the stairways, and then into sloping, narrow passageways.  Tiny concrete row-houses lined the dark alleys.  Children spilled out to stare, then trooped after us.  Adults gazed from the doorways in curiosity.  We were definitely strangers, entering a closed community that most of society shuns.

At first glance, it seemed just another poor Indian village.  Women swept the spaces in front of their brightly curtained doorways; children played; grandmas sat on the steps with their friends in the evening.  Men in lungis strolled by…then we realized that some were stick-thin, with discolored skin and missing 

Alone....

toes.  Some of the women had no fingers.  Eyes were failing due to lack of blinking reflex.  Leprosy is a slow and silent disease.  A lonely disease… 

Extended families live together—a blessing to the victims who otherwise would be totally cut off from human contact.  But, it is a curse to the children.  They are the offspring of lepers—unclean—and the stigma follows them.  The little school on top of the hill is for them, apart, alone—together—above the city.

We brought a little song and sunshine to the dark alleyways and lives of the outcasts.  God is speaking to Pastor Babu Prasad and to us.  His nearby church began with one leper seventeen years ago.  How can we bring the Gospel of Christ to them in a meaningful way?  The Lord will lead us.  Meanwhile, our hearts were broken with a reality the world seldom sees.  And they were touched briefly by our Team and the love of Christ. 

Russ and the Lepers' Children

Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"  

When Jesus touched that leper, it was probably the first human touch he had in many years --yet it was also the touch of God.  May the Lord use us in the same way.  Please pray for these outcast families living alone above the city.  

Leper Grandma

Spreading some Sweets and Sunshine

---Alice Sharrock

VBS Part 2

VBS was four days of pure joy, bringing Jesus and happiness to the children from the neighborhood around Mizpah Christian Fellowship.  We’d like to share more images and experiences (Yes there are a lot of photos, but a lot happened!):

Sharon Kinzie and Dr. Sujatha lead "Father Abraham"

The Mizpah Children’s Ministry Team had their own familiar fun songs from the ongoing Nile Project.  Their dedicated people tutor and feed 75 children for five days a week and have 
developed a tremendous 

Fun Songs led by the Mizpah Team

rapport with them.  The children and their friends--Hindu, Muslim and Christian--flocked to the church.  We had about 100 total who heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  A Muslim mother and her co-workers in the garment factory next door stood out on their balcony during lunch break and listened....

Through stories, songs, crafts and games—all keyed to colors—we presented the Gospel in a memorable way, giving children the tools to witness to their peers by the fourth day.

God want to give us Crowns of Gold

Day One was Gold Day—teaching about the One True God, the King of Heaven, and how He wants us to be His children.

Albert Helping to Fit the Crowns

Day Two was Black Day—explaining about how our sin separated us from God.  But He loves us even when we are bad, and He had a plan…

Stomping Out Sin in our Lives

 

Scratching Off Sin to Reveal the Beauty Jesus has given us...

Day Three was Red and White Day—God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to bring us back to God through His shed blood.  We are made pure from sin if we ask Him into our hearts, and can live with God in heaven.

Free Gifts Symbolizing the Free Gift of Christ's Salvation

 

Cindy May passing out Light Sticks--Jesus is the Light of the World

Day Four was Green Day—Growing in Christ by obeying God, praying to Him, reading His Word, and going to church.  Albert's compelling presentation of the story of Jonah taught 

Alice Stringing Gospel Beads with Uma and Sweeti

the principles of obedience to God and Christian love for your enemies.  The craft was stringing bead bracelets and necklaces--in the color sequence. They knew it perfectly by now!  So, each child can answer questions about their beads and present the story of Jesus to their friends.

Pastor Babu and Dr Sujatha

The children of India are always a blessing to us, and so were the people of Mizpah Christian Fellowship.  Pastor Babu, Dr. Suji and their Team have become dear friends.  God willing, we will be back with them next year.  God's heart yearns for His children.  We are here to help them know Him.

More random images to enjoy:

Cooweesta always connects with the children!

Mattie and Len Walker Serving Lunch--We all shared rice and curry--even eating with our hands!!  (Most of us...)

Mattie with a Child--Len was taking photos...

Karen May sharing Christ's Love

And as a Grand Finale, the women of the Mizpah Team did an Interpretive Dance for us, complete with a huge silky Indian flag.  The haunting melody moved me to tears....

"Pray for India!  Pray for India!  Pray for Indiaaaah!'

The Women of Mizpah Interpretive Dance:  "Pray for India!"

Just a taste of what God is doing across His world!  Pray about how YOU can be an integral part of it!  Dare to do it...    

(Then we visited a Leper Colony to see where some of our VBS children lived...check out our next blog.)

---Alice Sharrock