Time is Flying

Students enjoy the classes

They have come from all over India

I am sitting in the last session of the Servant Leadership Bible School. The time has flown by. Soon we will say goodbye to these precious people. The commitment, hard work and dedication they have brought to the school humbles us. They love the Word of God and desire to learn more and more. They are very attentive and quick to challenge the teacher with good questions. It keeps our teaching staff, Sal, Tom and Elena, on their toes.

The fellowship has been so sweet. We eat together, talk together, walk together and share our lives.  One colorful student, Monohar, is an evangelist/illusionist. We have been quite entertained by his tricks and how he uses them to share the gospel.

What blesses us so much is that these people are so content and joyful. By American standards, they are poor. Yet, they are filled with joy and contentment. What they teach us is to not worry about what we don't have, but to be thankful for what we do have.

17 year old girl

11 year old girl

Sunday afternoon Bev and Elena attended a women's outreach. Elena shared 5 Areas Women Need God. There were about 55 in attendance. It was a great time of worship, teaching and prayer. A 17 year old girl had come early in the day by bus from a small village about 7 miles away. She waited all day in the village just to attend the outreach . An invitation was given to accept Jesus and she came forward. Her name is Rohini. She was very excited to become a Christian and follow Jesus. God is touching the hearts of young people like Rohini here in India. A few weeks ago our team brought a 15 year old boy to Christ in a poor village, and an 11 year old girl also came forward in an altar call at the Ooty Women's Conference. It is exciting and encouraging to see God raising up so many young people. They truly will be the future leaders for the church in India.

This afternoon school will conclude with a time of worship, testimony and the giving of certificates. By tomorrow morning all the students will be leaving. Many of them have long trips to return home. Some have not seen their families for a long time. Bible Vision Pastor Chandran has been serving here at QCI for 48 consecutive days. His family lives south of here near the ocean, about a 16 hour bus ride. Paul Hangmi left Manipur in mid-January. He begins the 5 day journey home tomorrow. Samuel lives an hour away, but he only has gone home on weekends to see his wife and young children. The dedication and passion these families have for serving the Lord is amazing. We are so blessed to know each one of them. 

In Full Swing

The Servant Leadership Bible School concluded day 4 today. The days are rushing by with classes from 9-5 every day. The students are really enjoying the teaching. Tom and Pastor Sal are in the ZONE with teachings on the Prophets and Practical Leadership Training. Elena leads a study on the Cross of Christ. Bev is our time manager and extends hospitality to everyone.  School ends next Wednesday.

Frances & GK risk their lives to
evangelize in Orissa 

We have made many new friends and renewed old friendships with those attending the school. Philemon is here from the north along with Tashi and Paul Hangmi. This year they brought a new student named Tensin. Another pastor from Bangalore has suffered much persecution for his faith. He was preaching in Manipur and was captured by terrorists who stripped him naked and hung him in a tree for five hours. At another place, his head was beaten and split open because of his faith. P.B. Manohar is an award winning illusionist and child evangelist. He has entertained us all week with illusions that are used to tell children about Christ.

Pray for Paul

Paul Handmi from Manipur has suffered with poor health since he arrived here. We are concerned for him. He has been taken to the hospital several times for severe dehydration and fever. Paul has had many health concerns over the years. Please pray God would restore his health.

Dave and Kris Samuel left yesterday for Bangalore and will arrive home in the US on Saturday. In less then 2 weeks we also will say good-bye to our Indian friends and return home.

Servant Leadership Bible School

Setting up Mercy Corner for the school

Today we began the second year Leadership Bible School. It was a slow start since we did not have electric current coming into the building since last night. But sometime after we started the lights came on, the fans started turning and the overhead projector was in full swing. About 19 students attended today but more are coming tomorrow. We hope to have about 25 in attendance. Tom and Sal presented excellent material on leadership and on doctrine. Most of the people attending are pastors and church leaders. They find the teaching very helpful to their ministries.

Praising God for protecting Vikki amd Harold (right)

Our excitement over the start of the school was overshadowed when we received word that two of our team members, Harold and Vikki, met with a terrible accident when they returned to the states on Saturday. They were involved in a head-on collision at 50 mph. It is a miracle of God's grace that they and the other party involved escaped with minor injuries. We are so sorry that this happened yet thankful that they are going to be okay.

Please pray for Vikki and Harold in the days ahead as they process what happened and as they heal from bruises and soreness.

Also pray for the students attending the school. May God richly bless them as they serve Him. 

8 hours and 35 Minutes

Skyler and Gunnar stylin Indian .

Team B

That is how long the flight is from Frankfort to O'Hare. Team B is a little more than 3 hours into that leg of the journey home as I write this. We miss them a lot, especially the nightly light shows up on the roof. We spent the final day together visiting the sewing school, shopping and lunch in Gudalar and ending the day visiting a poor village on the elephant corridor. There were tears and hugs as we said goodbye and prayed for a safe journey home.

Bev speaks to the sewing girls

Friday afternoon, it was off to the Sewing School, where Bev shared an encouraging message with the girls. This class of girls will graduate in April. They all have converted to Christianity as a result of the time spent at the school. They all asked for prayer because their families make it difficult for them because of their new found faith.  

Today is Saturday. Right after breakfast Sal, Bev, Kris and Elena were taken up to Ooty for a women's conference. About 50 women attended and a young girl, 10 years of age, accepted Jesus as her savior at the end of the first session. Several women shared how the messages had helped them with struggles. After the conference we ate with Pastor Jacob at a Chinese Restaurant.

Now our attention will turn to the Bible School which begins Monday morning. We have no real idea how many students will attend. The registration is open and we keep hearing of people still planning to come. It will be a surprise to see how many do attend. Sunday after church will be a study day for Sal, Tom and Elena as well as getting Mercy Hall transformed into a school room.

Thanks for reading the blog and supporting us with your prayers.

Finishing Well

It is hard to believe that today we concluded the Medical/Good News Outreach. It was an amazing experience for all who participated. Villagers were pleased with the medical clinic and the good news club. One person told us it was the best medical clinic and they want us to come back again. To say we are all tired is an understatement. But it is a good tired. We are blessed and pleased at all that took place this past week. We saw 402 patients in a 6 day period. Sadly, we had to turn some away that showed up after the clinic closed its doors. However, there were happy faces and words of gratitude shared by those who received help and medicine. 

Getting Ready to Share the Good News

The Team

Our Good News Club worked hard to make sure everyone who wanted to made a salvation bracelet and heard the gospel. Cat and her crew entertained those who were waiting to see the  doctor. The stories of Daniel and David were presented in drama and everyone, young and old alike, enjoyed it. Songs were sung. Crayons and coloring pages kept the children busy during the long waits to see the doctor.

Village girl likes Elena's Sunglasses

Randy and a village girl

Last night and tonight we visited villages and brought clothes, candy and beanie babies for all the children. The level of poverty is obvious and yet these villagers all smile and are happy to have us visit with them. Lots of hugs were past around and kisses were thrown to us as the bus pulled away. 

Team B will leave us on Friday morning. The time has flown by but the memories will live on in our hearts and minds. Tomorrow will be our last full day together.  

Lord, bless these people who have given so much of their time, talent and heart to serve the people of India. Amen

R & R

Lake Country Quartet

What a great surprise it was to meet Kris and Dave Samuel on the road as we traveled to church on Sunday morning. We are thankful for the safe trip and that they are now here with us. Church was a beautiful balance of Tamil and English praise. Randy and Skyler gave testimonies while the newly formed Lake Country Quartet led in some worship songs. Sal spoke from 1 Thessalonians on the marks of a good church.

Wife wraps husband in saree

Couples enjoy Minute to Win It Games

We returned to Quiet Corner and began preparing for the Hindu outreach Sunday evening. Everyone helped get Mercy Hall ready. Before we knew it, it was time to dress up and welcome the guests. After the welcome and prayer, Mike and Jody conducted an hilarious hour of minute to win it style games for the Hindu couples. Teams competed against each other and the hall was filled with cheering and laughter. Sal and Elena shared a message regarding the importance of the Bible. Many seemed very attentive and our prayer is that a seed has been planted in the hearts of those who came. The evening ended with a great meal served to everyone.

Scenic stop on the way to Ooty

Today (Monday) was set aside for rest and recovery. We left early for Ooty and took an hour long, scenic ride on a train. We ate lunch at a Chinese Restaurant and then took auto rickshaws to a spice shop. We concluded our outing with a short stop at a tea factory before returning to Quiet Corner.

It was a long day but a good one and a needed break from the hectic pace of the medical/good news outreach. Tomorrow we pick it up the pace again with two more days of the outreach.

Four Days and Counting

Village kids help with the skit

The Medical/Good News outreach has gone beyond our expectations. Today is day four. News traveled quickly as far as Karnataka and Ooty. People came from near and far to be seen by the "American" doctor. Some have had to wait 4-5 hours to be seen. The Good News team has been working hard to keep the children and adults entertained. The skit of Daniel and the Lions was presented while Mike Koehn narrated with a Tamil translator. Many people have stopped at the salvation bracelet area to make one and hear
about God's Good News. We are running low on gifts but we tried to give each patient something before they leave.

Nurse "Babu" loves the patients

Our days are full and we are all working hard. But there is a joy and excitement about the work we are doing and the message we are sharing. Several days ago a young woman came who had a severe condition on her hands and feet. Her skin was being eaten away by something. Her fingers and toes looked like they had been chewed and the skin on her palms was blistered and peeling. She was in a lot of pain. The doctor gave her oral meds and creams and asked that she return today. Pastors Vasu and Victor prayed with her and shared with her the God of the Bible. They told her of his love for her and that he could help her and heal her. Today she returned and her condition was considerably better. She was so happy. Tomorrow she will be attending Vasu's church. She now knows that the one true God helped her through the doctor and medical clinic.

The Kids of Bocca Parrum

Last evening we visited Bocca Parrum, a small and very poor village. There were about 80 children who surrounded us and watched the skit preformed by the Good News team. Pastor Sal shared the gospel and all the children stood to pray. Even an old woman was praying for Jesus to come into her heart. It was a joy to see these poor children so anxious to hear about the one true God.

Greeting the children at the feeding program

'Unreal", "emotional", "amazing", "so glad we came here." Those are some of the comments spoken after the team made a visit to the Masanangudi feeding program. About 70 children met us with welcoming shouts. For most of the team it was their first visit to one of Quiet Corner's feeding programs. Each day poor children are given a nutritious, balanced meal along with teachings from the Bible.

We returned for a very special 50th birthday dinner for Mike Koehn. Kevin and Smitty spent most of the afternoon cooking the best pot roast dinner ever. We presented Mike with "special" gifts and topped the dinner off with ice cream. Happy birthday, Mike.

I'm off to bed now. But our younger team members, Skyler, Laura, Randy, Gunnar and Isaiah, are having some fun lighting up the jungle with flashlights from the roof top of Mercy Corner. Hard to believe a week has flown by since Team B arrived. It's been a very good week!!!

Opened for Business

Many families came

The doors of the medical clinic opened this morning at 9 AM. We were ready! We had planned, practiced and prepared. We just didn't count on large quantities of people pouring into the camp so early. The bus had not even left for the pick up and there were about 36 children who came from the local feeding program. They were not really in need of medical treatment. They came for the Good News Club and the gifts. They were closely followed by a bus load of people, and many others who lived nearby walked in. It did not take us long to get backlogged. We didn't plan on that. But the team forged forward determined to work through the crowds as best we could. Soon we settled into a rhythm and for the next 10 hours the doctor treated 126 people. Bob (Babo), an urgent care nurse, shared that a typical day at his medical clinic in the US sees 30 patients.

Laura plays with village children

The Good News Club worked with many children and adults. They were able to share the gospel with 28 individuals as well as share Bible Stories and present a drama. Everyone who attended enjoy it.

Boy colors picture for Doctor K

After dinner we had a focus meeting where team members were able to process what was done and how to make it work even better tomorrow. We are all grateful to our doctor, John Kelly. He forged through the entire day without hardly a break. Hopefully he will sleep well tonight. He earned it!

Lights, Camera, Action

Welcome Team B

What a joy it was to see the big bus turn into Quiet Corner Camp on Monday. There were smiles and cheers as the 14 weary members of Team B arrived. All totaled they traveled approximately 30 hours by buses and planes. They spent most of the day relaxing, sleeping, eating and sleeping again. All of them had a great night's rest and were up and ready for breakfast at 8:30 AM.

Putting Our Heads Together

At 9:30 AM, we gathered with the QCI staff for a joint meeting to plan and rehearse for the Medical/Good News Outreach which kicks off Wednesday morning. A strategy was laid out to conduct the event with as little confusion as possible. We worked together on a reasonable way to transport villagers to the camp, register them for medical treatment, have them see the doctor, dispense needed medications, escort them from the clinic to the Good News Outreach which will include the wordless book and bracelet making, coloring pages, reading a bible story and presenting that story in drama form.  Before boarding the bus for the trip back home, each person will be brought to a gifting area to receive an article of clothing, a toy for the children and candy. We expect about 30 people per bus. I will report how many people we see in a day once we get going.

After lunch Sal, Elena, John, Krin and Smitty traveled up to Otty to purchase supplies. The rest of the team took a guided bus tour into the jungle where they saw elephants in the wild.

All of us are excited about the Medical/Good News Outreach. We don't really know what to expect. We have worked hard and done all we could do to be ready. Our only aim is to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who come for help. Would you remember to pray for us in the days ahead? The enemy is working in full force throwing obstacles in our path. As you pray for us, he will flee. Your prayers are powerful weapons and we need them.

Awaiting the Arrival of Team B

Team B All Aboard the Bus to O'Hare

Modern technology sure is neat. Through an online flight tracker we were able to monitor Team B's arrival in Frankfort. According to Mike, they are enjoying authentic German pretzels. Soon they will board another plane for the second leg of the long journey to Bangalore. They will be taken from the airport by bus to Quiet Corner which is about a 7 hour ride.We can hardly wait to greet them sometime Monday mid-morning.  Their rooms are ready and we expect all of them to take some rest after the long flights.

Exam Rooms constructed out of sheets

Meanwhile, we have been busy constructing the medical clinic and cleaning the grounds for the Good News outreach. The medicine closet has been stocked. The exam rooms have been furnished. Right now Bev and Vikki are organizing the small prayer chapel as a dispensary for the clothing, toys and candy that will be given to the villagers.

Vikki unpacks the medicines. 

Fliers and invitations have been circulating through the surrounding villages. Announcements have been made in the Quiet Corner churches. News travels quickly in these small hamlets. We have no idea how many people will come to be seen by the doctor. All we know is that this is God's doing. All He asks of us is to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who come. The rest is up to Him.