India- Arrival and Preparation

I am not too sure where to start, so I guess the beginning is as good a place as any! :D

    When I arrived in Vizag, India, I was greeted by Impact Nations founder Christina Stewart and Vijay Chris, leader of Friends Meet ministries, as well as a few members of his team.  They gave me a garland of flowers to welcome me, we loaded into the vehicle and were off to the hotel.  The traffic was the first thing I noticed.  So many vehicles on the road, sometimes 4 across on a 2 lane highway!  It was common to see a bus, a truck, a car and 2 motorbikes spanning the width..everyone seemed to fit and there were no accidents! We also saw multiple people, even whole families on one motorbike, no helmets, babies included!
     We stayed in the Best Western Ramachandra, a 6 week old hotel.  The manager is a friend of Steve and Christina and he insisted our team stay with him.  It was very nice, clean, new, good food, amazing service.  Each one of our team was paired up with a roommate.  I arrived a day early so mine was not there yet.
     The next day everyone else arrived and we met as a full team in the evening.  32 people from 5 nations: Canada, US, Holland, Australia, and UK.  We got really good at tuning our ears to all the different accents!
Our first full day together was on Monday, Jan. 15th.  We met as a team for the entire day for training, teaching, worship and to get to know everyone.  Steve taught on the Kingdom (same as he did in our church for those of you who were there in November).  He taught about healing and authority, discipleship and prayer.  I won't type out my notes here, but if you are interested in more info, let me know!
Tuesday was more teaching from RK Castillo about what causes a Jesus epidemic.  Understanding our purpose and calling, the necessity of signs and wonders.  I was so challenged and encouraged by all of this teaching!
We spent some time on Tuesday sorting meds, toys, coloring books, etc into 6 days worth for the 6 clinics we were doing. 
Tuesday evening Steve and Christina held an impartation service for us, praying for each one as we were preparing to go into the villages the next day for our first medical clinic and healing service.  It was a very special time as we were ministered to and received impartation for healing, words of knowledge and compassion!

Talk to him, tell him about Jesus

" Talk to him.  Tell him about Jesus." 

This is what I was told after handing lunch to a man who lives on the streets in Vizag, India.  We were waiting for a few more meals to be brought over to us, so this was my instruction for while we were waiting. 

My first thought was, " Talk to him about WHAT?!?  Can't you see he is HOMELESS? "  I can't exactly ask him how he is doing or how he's enjoying the weather. I had no words.  So I asked what I should talk to him about.  "Tell him about Jesus" was the reply. 

What was I to say?  "Jesus loves you?" , "He cares for you?", "He died for you?" All I could think was how angry that would make me if I were in his situation.  And so, I am ashamed to say, I looked at the pastor I was with and said, "I don't know what to say." 

Ouch. I am, after all, a Christian, have been so for many years. I KNOW Jesus!  I love Him, and love to tell others about Him.  

  I couldn't see past his situation.  I couldn't see past the hopelessness he was living in in the physical.  But I have learned something.  What was being asked of me was not to speak to his situation, but to speak to his HEART. 

 Jesus didn't come that we may live perfect lives of peaceful harmony.   He didn't come to change our physical situations.  He came to seek and save the lost! (Luke 19:10).  He came to offer us an eternity with Him so that when we are done with this cruel world we have HOPE!!

He came to set the captives free, to renew our minds, to fill us with hope, and to lift our burdens.  He came so that in our times of desperation we have someone to lean on, to find shelter in, and cast our burdens upon.

THAT is what I should have told the man on the street.  To speak to his spirit and give him hope, no matter what situation he may find himself in. To tell him that he has worth, that he has value, in a place where his life screams of worthlessness. Where even other churches in his area cannot understand why we would bother to help him. Many of these people will never even have record of their existence.

 Because the truth is, Jesus DOES love the man on the sidewalk.  He loves him the same as he loves the man in the office, the woman on the bus, the child on the playground. He died for the rich in the mansions, the poor in the shacks, and everyone in between.  He makes no distinction of class or worth- ALL are sinners, ALL have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23).  

An abundant life doesn't mean one filled with the riches of this world.  In Christ, a man on the street can live in more abundance than the rich without Christ.  

So, what would you say to this man?  What would you tell him about Jesus?  What you believe about the King will determine the way you live your life. It will determine what you say.  Who is your Jesus?  

I believe we need to have an answer. We cannot be caught off guard as I was that day. We need to know the heart of the King we serve so that we can give an accurate picture of who He is to those He died to save. 

May we never be at a loss for words.

Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

 Who is the King of glory?

The LORD, strong and mighty;

the LORD, invincible in battle.

 Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

 Who is the King of glory?

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies—

he is the King of glory.

                  Psalm 24:7-10

Making mistakes and learning,

one day at a time,

Darcie.

It is a weird thing, travelling and switching time zones.  i managed eight lovely hours of sleep last night, until nearly 6 this morning!  felt amazing after so many hours of sleepless travel.
At this point there are 9 of us who arrived a day early. We met for breakfast this morning, then left for church at 7:30
  The traffic makes me laugh here.  Stop signs that are apparently a waste of material, no helmets on motorbikes, lines that are also a waste of paint! People just honk for everything.  To warn they are coming, to get into a spot, to move out of another.  It actually seems like magic, how everyone weaves in and out, pedestrians included, and nobody gets hurt!  Not the family of 4 on a motorbike, not the women sitting sidesaddle on the motorbikes, nor the children and babies between parents on motorbikes.  It is probably the most facinating thing i have ever seen!
Anyway, i digress.  We went to church held on the top floor of a little apartment building, a congregation of about 20.  I was surprised to see electric guitar, drums and mics!  This is a group of people passionate to be Jesus for their city.  They work days and nights, feeding the poor each week, putting on concerts, prayer each morning and all are invited to come and work at the office for any time they can.  All available hands pitching in.  Such an amazing picture of the body working in unity!
The service lasted 3 hours, and we were on our way, first to the pastor's home for a visit, then back to the hotel.  Today another 20 people are arriving for our team, and training starts tonight! The anticipation of what God has in store for this week is growing...it's gonna be great!

travel so far

wow...that about sums it up.  independent travel is not difficult (until the exhaustion starts to slow brain cells) but it certainly is quiet and a little lonely.  i am currently in the Mumbai airport awaiting my final flight in a few hours!
I have managed to only make minor mistakes and am thankful for helpful people!  a little creepy that all the helpful ones here carry guns,  but at least they can be trusted to keep me safe!
one of my biggest obstacles so far was how to get out of my seat by the window over the 2 sleeping men in the seats beside me! i contemplated standing on arm rests, but ended up waking one up and stepping over both.  not my most graceful moment, but i had to go!  lol
lots of hot curry even in the airplane food!  the weather was 24C when we landed at 1 am, very humid even in the airport. Everyone speaks english, thankfully, although it is very soft-spoken!  What!?!? either i'm getting old or all this flying is affecting my hearing!
i find it interesting how we tend to label people.  When you think of what someone from India looks like, a very distinct picture likely comes to mind.  it really comes down to, people are people wherever you go!  i'm sure the picture will change when I'm in the village, but for now, it's been a good experience and erased a few stereotypes I previously had.  Looking forward to a good sleep tonight, and the beginning of team training tomorrow!! )
cheers for now,
Darcie.

Ukraine and BEYOND.....to India!!!

Do you ever wonder if there is more to life than what you are currently doing?  Work, school, finances, social life, church, eat, sleep, do it all over again?  The constant feeling of, "there MUST be more than this!" has not left me for some time.  These past few months have been very challenging for me, in that God has been stirring up in me a desire to DO something.  

Last month we had a guest speaker at our church, Steve Stewart from Impact Nations.  He spoke of the difference between believers and disciples.  One believes and will go to heaven, the other believes and brings heaven to earth!  He spoke of praying for the sick and seeing healing take place before your eyes.  He spoke of practical ways to help the poor of the world, not by sending money only, but by going and teaching certain trades, ie sewing, to help them have a start in being able to support themselves.   

Steve spoke of Journey's of Compassion that Impact Nations coordinates.  People from multiple countries meeting in one country to do dental/medical clinics, pray for the sick, feed the hungry, and to tell people about Jesus.  Their next Journey is to take place in January 2012 to India, and I AM GOING!! 

Visakhapatnam, India lies on the Southeast shores of the country.  A city of nearly 2 million people, combined with over 30 nearby villages brings the population closer to 4 million.

Visakhapatnam is home to India's navy, boasting the only natural port on the entire east coast.

A rich, ancient culture.

We will be feeding the railway people, who are born, live and die on the sidewalks.  Our team will be spending time in the village of Vizag, near the city.  We will be putting on medical clinics as well as praying for the sick and telling people of Jesus' love for them!

I anticipate many things on this trip. Joy, pain, tears, love, compassion, healing.  I am excited to see what God will do for the people of Vizag!

Impact Nations is involved in many projects worldwide.  For more information on these as well as the India Journey, please visit:

http://www.impactnations.com/

Please think about this, as I have been since I first heard Steve speak:

If not this, than what?

If not you, than who?

and

If not now, than when?

Listening and obeying, one day at a time,

Darcie.

Show me your faith

What is Faith? Many of us as Christians claim to have it. But what IS it?  What do we do with it, and how does it impact our lives, the way we live day to day?  Or DOES it impact us?

Faith, according to the dictionary, is " believing without proof".  In this sense, most of us have faith.  We belive in God, a creator.  We believe in heaven, Christ raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit.  We believe these are possible, that they exist, even though we do not see them.

How does this kind of faith affect our lives?  We may have hope, trust, expectation.  We may find happiness in knowing there is something to look forward to.  Nice and simple, neat and tidy.

Interestingly enough, this kind of faith is the least spoken of in Scripture.  The faith of the bible, according to the Greek definition, PISTIS, is more than hope.  It  means, "assurance, reliance upon Christ for salvation, the truthfulness of God."  It takes the word faith from the WHAT to the WHO.  From a noun to a verb, from the predicate to the subject. (can you tell what we have been doing in Language Arts in our homeschool? :)

Faith is not simply a noun, but seems to switch into an ACTION- RELIANCE on Christ. James 2:14-26 has this heading: FAITH WITHOUT GOOD DEEDS IS DEAD.  I encourage you to read the passage.  Here are a few highlights:

verse 14 says, " What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions?  Can that kind of faith save anyone?"

verse 17 says, " So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

verse 19: "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. (dictionary!) Good for you! Even the demons believe this and they tremble in terror."

So then, how does faith, PISTIS faith, affect our lives, taking faith beyond a belief system and into action?  The bible says in Romans 3:28 that, " ..we are made right with God through our faith.." but as we can see, faith by itself isn't enough.  The bible calls it DEAD and USELESS, no better than what demons themselves believe!

How is faith evident in your life?  Some great examples of faith are written in Hebrews chapter 11. 

" It was BY FAITH that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying....BY FAITH Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood...BY FAITH that Abraham obeyed....BY FAITH that even Sarah was able to have a child...Isaac, ...Jacob,.... Joseph, ...Moses, ...Rahab... " the list goes on!

These people made for themselves a reputation of faith.  I guess it was pretty noticeable to be put into the BIBLE!

What do people notice about YOUR life?  What do you do to put your faith into action?  Do you shut the mouths of demons and rise above their simple belief?

There is a choice: To live your life WITH faith, to have hope, expectation, even salvation! OR  To live your life BY faith (Heb.11!)  Day to day, stepping out, trusting the Lord, living, breathing, identifiable FAITH!!

I believe it is time to stand up. To read your bible, BELIEVE what is says, and to put your faith into ACTION.  We are a called people, with a very real job to do.  This will look different for each person, in each circumstance.  But we must act.  Let God say, " Well DONE my good and FAITHFUL servant" !

Working it out, one day at a time,

Darcie.

way too long...an update

Ok, i realize that it has been FOUR MONTHS since i last updated this blog!  Let's see, what's happened since April?

We finished our school year, went for a visit at my parents house for a week in May.  We came home and started packing and moved out into the country in June.  July was directing teen camp and driving to Ontario and back for our holidays. And that brings us to August! WHEW!

Some big changes happening for us.  The most important is that Gabe is now an independent contracting instructor and H2S safety hand!  We officially have our own business, Infinity Safety and Training Services.  It's a bit of a learning curve, figuring out how to do the books, etc. but as this is only our first week, i'm sure we'll learn quickly! 

With September fast approaching, our school books are ordered and on their way, gearing up for a new year, adding our youngest, Jaxon to the mix.  We will be doing Kindergarten, and Grades 2,4 and 5.  It's hard for me to believe our oldest will be 10 in a matter of weeks!  My piano students are all lined up, 11 at the moment, I am hoping for 15 this year.

The final goal for our Fall is to attend Next Level International's Eurosummit in Coventry, England in October.  The summit is a "connecting point, relational event, a sharing of effective ideas and resources so that we can achieve more together than we could separately".  During Eurosummit we will be  "exploring and sharing about transformation taking place in Europe; transformation economically, socially and spiritually.  God is certainly at work in Europe today."(taken from nlieurope.com)

We are excited to be a part of what NLI is doing in Europe!  Our purpose for going is twofold.  One is to take part in the summit, connect with people we have met and worked with over the past few years, and to see what our role may be with them in the future.  The other part of the trip is a 5-day Expo to Crimea, Ukraine, to meet and encourage "some of the most courageous believers on the planet"!  We will be travelling with some NLI staff and friends, meeting church planters in southern Ukraine.  At the end of this expo we are hoping to meet with one particular pastor in Sevestopol.  He and his church are planning to start a Christian school.  They are looking for a native English-speaking couple to come and run/facilitate the program, and have expressed interest in having us come!  We have many questions, as do they, i'm sure.  But we are going to explore the prospect of this job and ministry, to see if this is where God would have us serve!  Please pray for us as we prepare to go!  We believe God has called us to minister in Ukraine, and we are eager to see what He has in store for us on this trip!  Our travel dates are tentatively Oct. 4th-14th.  Please pray for our finances, our kids while we are away, and clear direction from the Lord as we seek to serve Him in Ukraine. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith"

Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus is our champion, He has already won!  May faith abound in all things that we may spread this truth wherever we go.

One day at a time,

Darcie.