Over 2,000 to go

Today marks our second full day in India! It has been a wild ride so far. This is my second trip to India and it has been crazy to see just how different the two experiences have been. We spent yesterday at Saint Thomas Mount. The beginning of the day was filled with shopping and crazy Indian driving and then we got to the Mount and it was as if the whole world went into slow motion. I'm not sure if it was sleep deprivation coupled with extreme heat and the onset of the Indian culture or if it was God showing up in yet another amazing fashion in India. As you may or may not know Thomas, known affectionately to most Christians as "doubting Thomas", traveled to India to spread the gospel. Raj and Anand, two of the most amazing followers of Christ I've had the opportunity to meet, explained to us yesterday that although India is affiliated today with the Hindu religion, Christianity was actually present in India first. Over time Hinduism has slowly taken over and become a thriving part of the culture. However, there was a time when Christianity was thriving as Hinduism is today. We were told yesterday that around 2000 castes in India today have NEVER heard of the good news of Jesus Christ. NEVER! 2,000 people groups struggle and worship these gods who are about as powerful as a limp noodle. They don't know the amazing power that is in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
I was nervous at the beginning of this trip because we didn't have a set "thing" we were intending to DO. In the past we have spent our time building, teaching the children in the school, planting gardens of some other amazing service to the people of Kalavai. However, this trip wasn't as concrete. We had an idea of what we wanted to happen but the vehicle to get there was a little blurry. Yet again, God has shown up huge in India. In Jeremiah there is a verse that I am sure many of you know. "For I know the plans I have for you delares the Lord." Even though we had our own plans and expectations for this trip they pale in comparison to the plans of our Lord for the people of India. Learning about the hopeless 2000 castes that still do not know of my Lord and my God, I'm sure that we will never know the exact plans or the extent to which God plans to use our trip. I do know that every person on this team is open to the plans that our Lord has for us. We are ready to be the hands and feet of the God most high!
Keep up the prayers everyone! We head off to Kalavai today. I can't express to you exactly what that sentence means to me, but I know that some of you know exactly what I mean when I say, I'm going home.
Allison Z

Day 1, Take 2

Vanakkum from India! I see Liz has beat me to the punch with blogging for the day... nonetheless I must share with you my thoughts. (feel free to reference her pictures though) :)
After arriving in Chennai in the wee hours of the morning, the team was able to get a few hours of much needed rest. At noon we reconvened and went to Spencer Plaza for some lunch and midday shopping. Since I slept right through breakfast, I couldn't wait to dine in at Pizza Hut, one of the few "American delicacies" available here in town. Happy to see a familiar friend, I downed four pieces of pepperoni pizza and a mango/banana smoothie before we hit the mall in search of authentic Indian wear.
Prema, our fearless leader, took us into each of the shops where the attendants pulled out sari upon sari in a vast array of beautiful colors: from sunset orange to emerald green to champagne chiffon- the options were endless. But mind you, Prema wants only the best for her American friends, so she wasn't afraid to haul out of the store when she deemed the fabric too "nasty" or the the service too "rude" for her taste. However, I couldn't keep my eye off a soft creme sari, bordered with pale pink, adorned in gold and strewn with glistening thread. So much so that in our sudden rush out of the shop to get to our next destination in time with Prema denouncing the poor service, I slipped the man at the counter a couple hundred rupees and ran away with my precious sari at a "10% off student discount."
Feeling sheepish for purchasing a sari from a seller that Prema deemed less than hospitable, I didn't boast too much about my stunning new addition to my wardrobe. In spite of the ordeal it was to buy this certainly overpriced 7 yards of fabric, I look forward to wearing my new outfit to tomorrow's church services and New Years Day festivities.
After the exciting rush I got from my first Indian shopping experience I couldn't wait to see what was in store for us next. Riding shotgun with Raj through the bustling streets of Chennai where the rules of the road are merely suggestions and the honk of a horn is more of a greeting than the American expression of rage - we made our way to St. Thomas Mount.
St. Thomas is my father's namesake so I was incredibly excited to go to the place that knew the presence of this Holy man. Here we were able to reflect upon why we traveled half way across the world, sacrificing our time, money, and sleep. Jen put it aptly when she said that St. Thomas, a man who timidly journeyed to India to proclaim the Resurrected Christ, was simply taking the next step that God had called for his life and that we are continuing the work that St. Thomas lived and died for long ago.
We saw the "Bleeding Cross" that St. Thomas carved, which later became the site of his martyrdom. We saw the well that St. Thomas drew life from - a rock from which water still sprouts to this day in a an otherwise dry land. Lastly, we saw the cave in which St. Thomas spent many months in solitude trying to escape the persecutors who would eventually take his life.
I am both humbled and comforted when I remember that St. Thomas was first Doubting Thomas, the man who had to touch the wounds of the Resurrected Christ before he could say "My Lord and My God." I am the first to admit that I have had my fair share of doubts in my faith journey, but God works in miraculous ways and He always reveals Himself to His people. I know and see God everyday in the rising sun, the smile of a passerby, and through all the relationships He has woven into my life. The visit to St. Thomas Mount reminded me that God used to and still continues to work through His people in a very real and tangible way. I think I speak for the Team when I say we are ready, willing, and excited to go be the Hands and Feet of Christ and show God's LOVE to the people of Kalavai!

Blessings Upon You in the New Year!
~Victoria

Our first day in India and the last day of 2012

It is hard to believe that we landed in Chennai today. Granted, it was 1 am when we landed and it is now 9pm, but it was still only today.

As you read in previous posts, we arrived safely and without incident and a cyclone went through this region yesterday evening, altering our travel plans for getting to the village.

After collecting all of our luggage (for a while it seemed like our team bags wouldn't arrive) and making our way through immigration, we were greeted with heavy humidity and heavy flowered garlands from Raj and his team. The picture below is of Sarah receiving her garland.

We were allowed a few hours to sleep in the hotel before we were up, showered and ready to go for the day.

Lunch was the traditional Indian meal of Pizza Hut and then we went to see some different St. Thomas sites. First we climbed high above Chennai to visit the St. Thomas Mount. As the story goes, Thomas was martyred praying in front of a cross that he had carved on the mount because the Gospel was radically changing the people in India. We learned that Thomas had a heart for the poor and loved them because Christ loved them first.

We also went to the cave that St. Thomas hid in when he was being pursued. The picture below is of our impromptu tour guide telling us about the spring that has been flowing since the time of Thomas.

As a team, I believe these two stops and the stories around them re-centered our focus and vision for this trip. We will love the people we are working with because Christ loved them first and He loves them so much more perfectly than we ever could dream.

Please pray as we travel out the village tomorrow and for the ministry we are planning on doing there.

We will do what we can and God will do what we cannot.

Posted by: Liz Taylor

Touch down!!!!!

Ok... so just wanted to let everyone know that we made it safe and sound to the hotel Breeze in Chennai. I am SOOO happy to be back in India. There is so much to be done and I can't wait to see my Indian family in Kalivai. I LOVED seeing all of the precious little Indian babies on the plane from London to Chennai. What I loved even more was standing in the airport holding Prema's hand. We are going to do great things on this trip! Not much to blog about yet but more will DEFINITELY be coming from the whole team. God bless & thanks for all of the prayers... keep 'em coming!

Jennifer

Auntie Em, Auntie Em, It's a Twister!!!

If you've seen (or read) The Wizard of Oz, you'll recall the "the twister" that marauds the little Kansas farm and transports Dorothy to the magical land of Oz. As a result, when I hear about such things as cyclones, tornados or hurricanes (especially having grown up in Arkansas, in the middle of so called "Tornado Alley"), my mental vision goes all black and white and I see young farm girls racing with their dogs to storm shelters in their home farms and think about wicked witches riding broom sticks in the winds.

But if you have loved ones on their way to India right now, you've probably tuned in to the fact that a Cyclone (Cyclone Thane -- see article on CNN here) hit the Southeast part of the country near the town of Pondicherry last night, and you're wondering if that's going to affect our team currently en route. I actually woke up this morning to a text from Raj (our in-country contact and Director of Life Mission) telling me that it took he and Prema 10 hours to drive to Chennai from Trichy just because of the rainfall fallout from Thane and the subsequent traffic jams that resulted. While we'll keep you posted on what happens as we go, i thought i would let you know the following so far:

Good News: The cyclone has mostly dissipated in its force. It did hit the city of Pondicherry, which is in Tamilnadu on the Southeast coast, but where our team is operating this time is (about 120 miles) farther to the northwest and in the interior of the country. We will keep everyone posted if this has an impact on where or how the team lands in Chennai, but as they are still currently in the air, we don't have any new information about that yet.

Bad News: Assuming that the cyclone has dissipated enough to not be a problem for the team landing in Chennai, they will still most likely have to contend with a ton of rain for the week as they seek to engage the community. With the addition of the new KC3 (Kalavai Colony Community Center), they'll at least have good shelter to do their activities indoors, but without the ability to go outside for many of the things planned, it will make things an interesting challenge for the week.

Commitment: We always say this when we have teams overseas, but it bears saying again. We are committed to prioritizing our team's safety at whatever the cost may be. Each of our team leaders has the authority and backing to simply extract their entire team at a moment's notice if they feel that it is wise to do so, and has the autonomy and resources (financial and otherwise) to do so as well. Raj and Prema and our team leaders are all highly experienced veterans and amazing leaders with a high bias for ensuring our teams' safety, and communicate consistently with us while they are in-country. Our team leaders carry a satellite phone (so that even if every phone line in the country went down, they could continue to communicate with us here) with solar charge system (so that even if every power grid in the country went down, they could still ensure that they could keep phones and other critical systems charged), and our staff here Stateside keep our phones on at all times in order to be responsive should an emergency arise.

We'll continue to stay vigilant over the course of the next several hours and days, and will value your prayers for the team and their mission in-country over the course of the next week.

Hopes and Dreams Team Read to Go

This team has been preparing for a trip to Kalavai, that starts next Thursday, December 27, and ends next year on January 8! It's a whole new type of trip for us, and we've dubbed it the "Hopes and Dreams" trip.

Our goal is to help the people of Kalavai Irula Colony understand that they are made in the image of God, and that He loves them as much as He loves all the rest of us.

We will do this through various activities, movies, games, bible stories, gifts, and just spending time talking with them. We even plan a trip to the zoo! The week will be like a cross between summer camp and vacation bible school!

It is the next step in bringing the kingdom of God to this small group of people, that didn't know that they mattered to Him. They're worth it. He made them like Himself, and He died for them, and we want to be sure they know that.

So, the team you are looking at has been training and planning for the last three months, trying to get our heads around this idea ourselves, and then planning ways to communicate it to our friends in Kalavai.

We think God has given us some great ideas through some very creative people. Come along and see what we're up to . . .

Jim Blechl

My View

We were in Kothiyambakkam, a small village outside Velavedu.. which is a small city just outside the big city of Chennai. The concert was well attended, over a thousand locals came out. This is my view. Everything is going fine. The first concert had rain.. this one did not. We were all rejoicing because of that. We enjoyed a rest day today to recuperate, but tomorrow we are back on track. Two more concerts in two more villages before we make our way back home. Spirits are high and everyone is having fun and experiencing God in different ways. We took some time today to talk about the many different ways God has surprised each of us on this trip already. Thanks to everyone who is continuing to support us in prayer.

Gene Ort

Very Old Painting by Luke, The Apostle

History by itself is interesting and valuable. History through art takes on added dimension. This painting was done by the Apostle Luke in 50AD.

As the team readies themselves for the first of four concert, dance and drama performances we read this passage of scripture together. It's pretty clear that Jesus wants us to love each other. One element of that is to be humbling willing to serve each other. Our prayer is that our loving each other will a louder message than our music, drama and dance !

John 13:1-17

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God.4 So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron.5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron.6 When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"

1 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end.2 It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.

7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."

8 Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet-ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."

9 "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"

10 Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you."11 (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.")

12 After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.13 You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am.14 So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet.15 I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.16 I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer.17 If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it-and live a blessed life.

Posted by Gene Ort

St. Thomas Mount

We spent part of our day visiting St. Thomas mount, the place where "doubting" Thomas was martyred. Amazing to think that we are part of the legacy that St. Thomas began here. Gene shared some scripture having us consider the way that we love each. This is how we demonstrate Christ's love to others, by loving each other well. Tomorrow, Church and then our first concert in Velavedu (outside of Chennai). Can't wait!

Beautiful Flight

It was a great flight all the way. Great weather.. nice and smooth. A beautiful view. Everybody is doing great. Sleepy.. but great !

Gene Ort

Prayer for The Team and Those Left Behind

We need your help. The arts team is sending a group of musicians, actors and dancers to India to help share the love of Christ by performing four different concerts in the area we have been working with church planters. This all starts next Monday, though we travel tomorrow.

We need prayer cover as we pierce the darkness of thousands of years of Hindu control over this region with the love and light of Christ. Pray for protection. For effectiveness. For fruit. For lasting eternal impact. That the Holy Spirit would come in power and overwhelm us and the people, revealing that He alone is the One True God amidst countless false gods. That captives are set free from bondage. That Raj, our staff member there, would have great wisdom in his words as he gives messages.

As we perform a lot, there is the concern of stamina. May our voices be strong, our bodies be healthy and our minds be focused. For continued team unity, that the people we contact would know that Jesus came, through our interactions with each other. Some prayers that I am praying over the team are Paul's from Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21. These might help guide you as well. Thank you so much!

Dan Vukmirovich

Added by Gene Ort:

Please pray also for family members and loved ones left behind with all the chores of life.

Practice Practice Practice

The " Everything " drama. Very powerful !

Caught in motion: Dancing for Jesus

We have entered the final stages of rehearsals.. Lots of work to polish a lot of music.

India Arts Team 2011

The India Arts Team 2011 is entering the last two weeks of preparation before heading to Tamil Nadu, Southern India. We will be posting as often as time and internet allow. Here is a look at this years team. Musicians, Singers, Dancers and Drama. We hope to lift up the name of Jesus and draw attention and support to the ongoing ministry of Life Mission International ( a GCC Ministry ) in Tamil Nadu. You are invited to follow along on this years adventure through this blog. Your prayers for our team are vital.

Gene Ort

Forever in front of my eyes

This morning was mixed with happy emotions so great it made my cheeks ache from smiling so much and the worst feeling of sadness I've ever experienced. I didn't know I had that many tears in my body. I literally am sick to my stomach when i think about leaving this place. After taking out all the days of travel and rest we only spent a little more than 4 days in the village. However, this is where I found that time literally slowed down to a crawling speed and gave us so much more than the short time we had. Spending time with and getting to know the people of Kalavai, India has been one of the greatest and most rewarding time of my life. I will never forget the faces of those people. As Latha stated "they will forever by in front of my eyes".

Allison Zandarski

Shanti

Anyone who knows me at all knows that when I came to Kalavai in December it was life changing for me. I never thought anything could top that experience, but this week I was proven wrong. I have never experienced such a wave of emotions in my entire life. Most of all, I have never been so humbled in my life. This week we focused on a few areas of the Bible that pertained to cleanliness and translated those verses into things that the villagers would also understand in the physical aspects of life (which will also improve their health and wellness). The message about clean hands was translated into them caring for their bodies and having a clean physical appearance. The message about a clean heart was translated into them caring better for their homes... because a person's home shows their heart. We also talked to them about cleanliness on the outside of their homes as well. All of this was very impactful, but the climax of this entire trip was this morning when we visited John 13:1-8. This is the area of the Bible that talks about Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Jesus did this to show his disciples that he did not come to this earth to be served, but to serve others. It also showed that although he was the son of God, he didn't think of himself as better than anybody else. Nothing was beneath him and he was there to serve. Today, the 12 of us from GCC had the privelage to wash the feet of the village people. I don't think I'll ever be so moved again in my life.

To put this into context, the people of Kalavai are considered to be untouchable. On the other hand, we as americans are nearly looked at as gods to these people. They hold us in such high esteem, but we are not worthy of praise like this. These people are the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. They are battered by life daily... most just trying to figure out how to survive the next day... yet they are so strong. They are shunned by everyone around them, yet they show so much love. I look at the way they have to live and it not only breaks my heart, but it makes me think about my own life and the things that I complain about... it makes me wonder if I would be so strong if I were in the same situation.

And then I look at the similarities within our completely different cultures. I saw a group of girls giggle and snicker when we talked about a boy that was visiting the village... just like teenage girls would do in America. I've met Indian women who just want to care for and love their children but struggle to do so... just like me. And this trip I was honored to become even closer to someone that I helped on the last trip. Last December, my team built houses for two widows in the village. One of them was Shanti... All I really knew of her in December was that she was a widow with two children and that she helped with a good portion of the cooking. This time was different. I learned things about Shanti on this trip that don't necessarily need to be shared with the entire internet, but I'll just say that other than the fact that she is a single mother with two children (just like me) I learned some of her struggles and was blown away by the fact that she stuggles with some of the very same things that I do. On Thursday after our community meeting in the village, Shanti came up to me and put her scarf over her head and placed my hand on her head (she wanted me to personally pray over her). This is one thing that on my first trip absolutely scared me to death - even if I'm praying in a language that the person I'm praying for doesn't understand... I'm not a pray out loud kind of person. When I realized what was happening it felt like time stopped and it was just the two of us. I stumbled for the words that I thought were best and was in tears and trembling by the time I was finished. I think God placed me on this team for many reasons, but this is by far a moment where he could use me the most. This woman who struggles, just like I do... asking ME for prayer. How humbling is that?

So, when the feet washing ceremony happened this morning, each team member had to choose 1 village person to demonstrate Christ's love for them and wash their feet... just like in John 13. There are many women in the village that I connected with, but my heart told me that if God placed me there to bless Shanti, that was who I should choose. She instantly burst into tears when I chose her and had her sit in my seat and kneeled at HER feet. I know that this completely blew her away but she deserved every bit of this attention and to be shown that she not only matters to me, she matters to God. At the end of the ceremony, I wanted to pray for Shanti again, but this time with an interpeter so she would know what I was saying. What an amazing day... what an amazing woman... WHAT AN AMAZING GOD!

Jennifer Archer

Seeing the light of Christ in Kalavai

I’m sorry for not blogging much during my time in Kalavai. Everytime I thought I was ready, something would blow me away during the evening with the people of the colony and my words seemed so useless. God has broken my heart wide open by my interaction with these beautiful people. I see the love of Christ everywhere I look, in their smiles, their eyes, the way the treat each other and us. They are so giving and they have so little. We have done so much since we've been here and God continues to blow away any prior expectations and has taken away any concerns or doubts I had leading up to this mission.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for our team and keep the people of Kalavai in your hearts as I know I will do from now on. I plan to do more posts when we get back as the process of assimilating this experience begins. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I walk into my living room for it is the size of the houses that entire families are living in sleeping on the cement floor, but they are so welcoming and giving as we toured the village. Out of time...

With God’s grace

Craig

God's will

God’ will
God ’s will and kingdom is happening here in Kalavai. The people here are full of Jesus. I believe the team and I are bringing more home than what we could give. This is our last day here without Jesus the team and Raj I would be in trouble spiritually and emotionally wise.
Frank

Come close to God and He will come close to you, (James 4:8)

Not everyone is willing to pay the price required to be close to God. Not everyone is willing to simply take the time required or make the investments needed for spiritual growth.

I believe the whole issue of imtimacy with God is a matter of time.

These past few days have shown me how awesome it is to not worry about the time and just focus on serving others. The opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of these wonderful people has been truly awesome. The blessings are just flowing.

Honoring God with your time allows Him to reveal Himself in so many ways.

Joyce Dudycha

Living in the Spirit

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” ~Psalm 24:1-4

…..okay, so Raj has been facilitating a host of “contests” (learning incentives) in the village this week between our GCC India Team and The Villagers. It was devised to help make sense of scriptural concepts as they apply to spiritual health through the use of external cleanliness initiatives. The idea is that through the context of these contest illustrations, a better understanding of physical health conditions may also come to light.

…….at least that was my understanding…..

Now I’m not so sure.

I don’t know if this is for them or for us.

I don’t know if this is for us or for you.

I don’t know what God is saying in all of this. There is just so much. I feel like He is talking/messaging a mile a minute. I hear His voice booming in stunning silence. I feel His face with my heart.

I feel the massive tenderness of His breaking heart for them and for you and for everyone I have ever known.

His power is such a gentle, yet at the same time, tremendous whisper.

I have never seen such love in any other eyes as I am seeing over and over again here. I have never encountered a purity and gentleness of Spirit like this in my life…

….completely uninhibited delight and gratitude……

I have never seen anything like it.

I've never felt so honored or humbled.

I know that God has positioned us here to bring the Word of Jesus to the people here in India. I also realize now that He has positioned us here to immerse us in an understanding that penetrates our hearts. An understanding that can't be spoken, but must be experienced. He longs for us to truly understand the heart of Jesus Christ.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” ~Matthew 5:8

~Heather Chezem

Not why, How.

Yesterday, we had our rest day in Ranipet. We woke up extra early expecting a day of relaxation so we could recharge and be ready for the rest of the week. What I got was so much better than any rest or relaxation! If you haven’t heard it yet I’ll let you in on a secret. This team is full of firsts. Just ask any of the vets on this team. Firsts for the India trip and for the members of the team. There are so many great things that happened yesterday so I’ll try to keep it to a minimum but I can’t make any promises!

I realized at the beginning of this trip that I probably wouldn’t be leaving India the same person. I realize now that I won’t come home with the same life mission either. God has some crazy ways of humbling us and showing us that our life is not our own. This break day has brought with it so many experiences! First of all, I got the opportunity to see an Indian missionary hospital and meet with one of the doctors. When I decided to become a doctor I knew I would want to do missionary work. However, being in India, standing next to an Indian missionary doctor, holding his flashlight so he could see what he was doing, in India, ON MISSION was inspiring and amazing and life changing!!! After returning, Raj and Prema invited me to come with them. When I agreed I had no idea where we were going. So I jumped into the car and away we went. After swerving through traffic, almost hitting 4 dogs and a few people on bicycles we were there, wherever there was… When I got out of the car I thought I was in some kind of “Share the Well” fantasy land. I walked into a church and found myself surrounded by the pastors that make up the backbone of the Life Mission International round table. While trying to wipe the shock off my face I was ushered into Pastor Nermal’s church where we worshiped and the pastors spoke and strengthened each other. I have never been so totally and completely honored in my entire life. While we had some down time during the meeting Raj shared with me some books that he wrote for people who have given their lives to Christ. As soon as you say Jesus is my Lord India you are challenged. Some are disowned and hated by their families, some loose all connections to their community and are forced to move just to survive. They are under extreme persecution and yet they still praise God with a joy and contentment that I have literally never seen in the States. These books that Raj wrote give a step by step lesson of what to say to an unbeliever to help them understand the way that God has commissioned us to live our lives. Even though they WILL experience discrimination and harassment for their faith these people choose to go and make disciples of the Lord. Even if that means losing their status and community and the life that they once knew. It’s truly encouraging and completely inspirational.

So now back to fantasy land. I don’t think I will ever fully understand the Indian culture. However, the little bit I have learned while being in country is centered around food. After about 2 hours of worship and prayer and a lot of Raj’s amazing translating, which he assured me we were keeping to a minimum because of all the activities, we shared a meal. Like I said the little bit I understand of Indian culture is about food and how you eat. So when a gigantic portion of Chicken Brianni was heaped onto my plate I was powerless to do anything but eat it… all of it… with a smile on my face. Because at that very moment I had all those fairy tale pastors smiling and staring at me ready for me to make a cultural faux pa. In all seriousness though, I can’t remember a time in my life that I have felt so completely privileged and fortunate. The whole car ride back to the hotel all I could think was “did this really just happen to me?” and if it did then another question rang through my head “why me?”. After getting back to the hotel and just about spontaneously combusting while attempting to divulge what just happened to me to my teammates, Greg (The construction team lead) said something so profound. He said “this experience has happened to you for a reason, God’s got a plan for you.”

Wow. As if I haven’t already felt about a thousand pounds with Gods never ending grace and love I get this kind of encouragement. Holy Haagen-Dazs as Craig would say. God is so good. He meets us right where we are. If that’s in Granger, Indiana or thousands of miles away in India. He doesn’t care. He’ll come slap a life mission on you where ever he feels it’s right. Wow. I’m not going to ask why this day happened to me anymore. I’m just going to say Nundri to the God who commissioned me and start asking “how can I be Gods hands and feet?” Where ever he has chosen for me to go.

God bless from the most inspirational, loving and life giving country of India.

Allison Zandarski

Postcard from Kalavai

Being my third trip to Kalavai, this time I’ve found myself less focused on adjusting to the foreign circumstances. I’m no longer shocked each morning when it’s close to 80 degrees at 5AM, I don’t close my eyes while in traffic, and I don’t get frustrated by the fluid concept of time and schedule (ok…maybe still a little bit on that last one). This trip more than ever I’ve been able to enjoy the moment and the beauty of the people—the amazing combination of humility and strength exhibited by Raj and Prema, the bright eyes and joyful spirits of the children, the welcoming hearts of the villagers, the thirst for knowledge and affirmation in the school children, and the openness of my teammates as they exemplify what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We came prepared to teach, but Kalavai has reminded us that we also have much to learn.

In true postcard fashion I will sign off by saying sincerely, “Kalavai is beautiful. Wish you were here!”

GCC family—As you pray for the people of Kalavai, know that they are praying for you. On behalf of the people, Latha sends this message, “I am thankful and blessed to know you. I will always remember you and your faces will always be in front of my eyes.”

Kelly VonGunten

Hearing from God

I’m sure that I am not only speaking for myself but the team as a whole that our call to India is a result of our desire to hear from God.
If we desire to hear from God, then seeking Him must be a priority in our lives. God’s presence is a vital necessity in life.
Many people want guidance from God, but don’t want to lay aside other things in order to hear His voice.
This trip to India was a “next step” in my desire to know more of God.
I believe the only thing that truly satisfies the longing within us, is to know God more intimately today than we did yesterday.
The “God moments” we have had so far this week have been absolutely amazing.
The ultimate goal of loving God and loving people is definitely at work here.
Joyce Dudycha

Rat Curry

Raj asked one of the little girls in the village what she had for dinner last night and she said, “Rat curry.” This village is known for its rat and snake catching skills. Before the government made snake catching illegal it was this village’s sole occupation. Several of us watched these children catch this rat with their bare hands. On a different day in the village several children thought it would be funny to throw a couple of rats in the car with us. I have never seen people exit a car so fast.
It is hard to describe in words what we are experiencing here in India. You have to engage all your senses to fully appreciate the extreme poverty of these people. What has shocked me more, though, is the way these people respond to their conditions. From the moment we set foot in this village we have been showered with love. There are not enough adjectives in the English language to describe how wonderful these people are. They have so little, yet they are so happy. This has to be what joy looks like in its purest form. There is no doubt God is present here.
I have experienced poverty as a tourist. I’ve left my air conditioned hotel room to see the shanties of Mexico and Bangkok, but I’ve never lived among the poor. Here, in our tents, we have the privilege of participating in community with these people on a daily basis. We work beside them. We attend their church. We sing and dance with them. We try to pour into them and they love us with an indescribable love. These people have turned this heart into puddy. I am forever changed.
Michael Darden

The Most Humbling Experience

On Tuesday night I experienced the most humbling event of our trip. During this trip we are focusing on a particular Bible passage with the villagers… Psalms 24:3-5 - which is the passage about clean hands and a pure heart. Since a person’s home shows their heart we held a contest in the village where we visited 26 homes in the village and picked the 4 which were most clean. Having been here before I have been into a few of the homes but this was nearly all of them. It was very humbling to me, to see what little these people have yet how amazingly grateful they are. Most in the village only have 1 set of clothes to wear, some pans to cook in and few other worldly possessions. It made me think of all of the things that I have and take for granted. Could I survive on so little? Apparently so… but could I survive on so little yet show such joy? That’s a harder question to answer. Most homes are roughly 10 ft x 12 ft brick structures with concrete floors and the huts are slightly smaller with dirt floors. We saw a little girl (maybe 2 years old) sleeping on the concrete floor when we entered one of the homes. In one of the huts, a baby hung from a woman’s sari (a piece of dress material) in a make-shift baby swing… seeing these things cut to my core. During the tour a few of us heard quite a few stories that really broke our hearts. People who had lost loved ones and were grieving… that reminded me of my own grief when I have lost loved ones and brought everything back full circle. These people are just like me in some ways but so much stronger in many other ways. Once again… another life changing experience for me!

Jennifer Archer

My mumty & me

My Mumty & Me

We have had so many amazing experiences so I hope this post is not to shallow, but I have to post about something that I experienced on our first work day in the village. So let me introduce you to my little friend…actually it has be become my nemesis. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of using one of these delightful devices, let me describe it for you. The mumty is one of the 3 basic tools that are used in India and fills the role of a shovel / hoe. The other two tools are a long iron pick they use to break up the hard dirt and roots and finally they have a circular metal pan to hold things in and carry (usually on their heads) As for my beloved Mumty, it does have a broad shovel type scoop, but that’s where the similarities end. Unlike our shovel’s blade which is pointed forward and connected to a long handle, the mumty’s blade is pointed backwards towards you connected to a short 18” wooden handle. Thus to utilize this tool, In the hands of an Indian worker, it is quite a versatile tool for you can scoop, chop, and dig; however one needs to get down and close to the earth.

Now those who know me know that flexibility is not one of my strong suits. Le t me tell you that little thing kicked my behind real fast. Most of the Indians use it with legs spread apart fully bent over and go to town. This option was not good for my back or my hamstrings, thus I tended to use it kneeling on the ground and pulling the dirt onto my lap… not real effective and quite dirty. 10-15 min of that was enough for me to throw in the towel and carry bricks!

This India experience totally opened my eyes to so much and I see that I take so much for granted. Regarding the mumty, I will never take my shovel for granted again, and I plan to give it a big kiss when I get back home. J

Despite any difficulties of this trip, I feel whole heartedly humbled by the people of this village. They have fantastic hearts and they are pouring love upon us. I can totally see the Love of Christ here and I’m sure there will be many posts regarding the evening we just experienced. I love you all and God bless!

Craig

Hello from India

This whole experience is amazing! So much has happened over the past 3 days that its hard to put it to words. So I’m gonna put down a blitz of thoughts and feelings and hope it makes sense. We had tons of training and preparation and our leaders and Raj, our Indian liaison, is fantastic. I had a lot of anxiety regarding the trip over hear because of my long term neck problem, but I did quite well, whenever things tightened up I would hold onto God tighter and he got me through it with minimal problems J Chennai was eye opening in many ways and we saw great regions of Christianity with sights of St Thomas (Mount St Thomas and the caves where he brought water out of rock and there is still a fresh water pool there today!)

But everything was working up to getting into the colony Irula (the place of darkness) but since GCC has been coming here spreading the Word, the colony’s name has changed to Arula (the people of Light!) And these people are full of light and life! Everyone is so happy and their eyes are full of gratitude. The children are unbelievably cute and I’ve played with so many I can’t count. (Helps me not miss little Lana bean as much I love you little girl and sissy!!)

I brought a digital voice recorder and I’ve been going around getting their names and then playing it back to them, for most have not heard their voices. I also got a few of them to sing some songs! Latha is a beautiful lady and she sang a song of Christ and You could see her love for him on her face as she sang. I hope to upload a mp3 of her singing onto the blog .

Thanks to all of you who have prayed and encouraged me. Our Lord is helping me through the challenges and opening my eyes to the beauty of these people J

More to come soon!

God bless

Craig

Freedom

From the time we stepped foot in India I’ve noticed something different about the people here. It’s not material or superficial. It’s something deeper. Something that ebbs and flows with the heartbeat of the country, something that pulses deep within every Indian. After returning to the village yesterday, a group of girls around the age of 15 who live in another village far away from Kalavai were visiting. They go to school with a group of the kids from our village and heard about us being in Kalavai and wanted to talk to us. As soon as they saw us they came running right up and introduced themselves in English. After talking for a while we started racing each `other up and down and up and down the streets. I was exhausted but they were having so much fun I couldn’t help but keep going. J As I looked over my shoulder I saw that there were a group of people watching. Immediately I wanted to stop from embarrassment. But not the girls they just wanted to go again and again. They were just kids having fun with a new friend but they expressed the very thing that I’ve been trying to pinpoint this whole trip. They were free. They didn’t think about what tomorrow might hold or what people thought of them. They were here, with a new friend, and having so much fun. In the states we have freedom of choice. Anyone can pull themselves up by their boot straps and create a new life for themselves. In India it’s a different kind of freedom. They are content. They just live!! and that is what freedom is all about!

Allison Zandarski

A generational change

When I came to India in December it was life changing. As I left the village in January, I was sure that I was coming back but also fairly sure that there was no way that I would ever experience something that intense ever again. Boy was I wrong! Yesterday was our first day of work here in Kalavai. I pretty much experienced every emotion that I possibly could experience yesterday… fear and uncertainty, peace and love and everything in between. Way too much to blog about but let me say that this team is amazing and the people here in Kalavai have once again stolen my heart. The thing that hit me the hardest (but in a good way) yesterday was when we were sitting in the community center after dinner listening to Raj talk. Raj is amazing and I LOVE listening to him talk. Someone on the team asked Raj to talk about the transformation that he had seen in the village since he had started coming here and listening to it firsthand from Raj was amazing. But the thing that really affected me was when he started talking about the children of the village. When Raj first came to this village there was one Christian in it (Miss Lilly… and AMAZING woman). Over the years, many of the villagers have come to Christ but like any adult, there are patterns that are engrained in them that aren’t easy to let go of. The children of the village truly accepting Christ are key to a complete transformation of this village. Raj talked about the vacation bible school that they held in the village and the children here who are all out for Christ. He told us about the kids who would cry and pray for their parents to change and that rocked me to the core. The children in this village are so loving. I can’t help but pray for them. This village has changed quite a bit, but I can’t even begin to imagine the change that is yet to come. Children truly are the future… and this village has a VERY bright future. God bless Kalavai!

Jennifer Archer

Raja

I met this little boy his name is Raja he fallows me all over he loves standing on my feet while I walk. Also met this lady her name is Latha this lady is all about Jesus she is a very wonderful person that loves Jesus.

Frank Zelasko

A day to move mountains!

WOW! today was one of the most exhausting, challenging, and down right AWESOME days of my life. I knew India would be challenging. I knew India would be moving. I knew India would be AMAZING! but let me tell you... It has blown my expectations out of the water! During our 29 hour travel to India, I made the comment to Greg that "this is not what I had expected". He responded with "that is going to be the saying for the whole trip!" After traveling for a whole day (literally over 24 hours) I thought all I would want would be a bed and pillow... but I was more alive than I have ever been in my life! The sounds and sights and, yes, even the smells of India are invigorating! Also, driving in India is not necessarily like a Sunday afternoon drive through the country. I was literally bouncing in my seat on the bus in anticipation of all this trip is going to hold.
After freshening up and getting some food we were off! First, we spent some time roaming around a museum here in Chennai. It was very interesting to see some of the ancient artifacts of India dating all the way back to 3 B.C. Talk about dusty! We then loaded up the van from the museum and drove to St Thomas Mount. The mount is the highest point in the very interesting about Chennai is that it stretches FOREVER! haha but really... I couldn't see where the city ended in all directions! It was awesome!
Our day was definitely not over yet... Next, we went to the place where St. Thomas, aka "Doubting Thomas" went into hiding many times to flee from his persecutors. He hid in a cave for 2-3 weeks at a time with no food or water just to stay alive. We saw the places his arms had worn into the rock where he knelled to pray for protection and strength. To say the least, I was rocked to my core. I mean we were standing on the same ground that a man who touched and learned from Jesus had spent countless hours begging God for grace and protection. Our team spent about 5 to 10 minutes taking it all in. To close our evening, still in the cave, we sang and Raj prayed over us and our trip. It was quite possibly the greatest send off onto our mission we could ever experience. Upon exiting the cave, we read about St. Thomas. Through the same hands that stilled his doubting mind by touching the wounds of our savior, God healed hundreds of Indians, brought them back from the dead and gave hope to a group of people that had never been given the time of day by any Christian before. This is our mission friends. To love these people the way that Christ loves us. To serve where no one has ever served before. Because it is when we stand on the edge of the sword of God, battling back the gates of hell that God uses us to bring his kingdom "up there, down here". WE'RE doing it friends! We are fighting for all we're worth!!! Let's show them who Christ is by the way we love!!

God Bless you all and keep praying for us!!

Allison Zandarski

Same place... different experience

Today we spent the day going to places that I've already been. Yet it was a completely different experience. GCC India teams generally spend the first day in India touring the holy places of St. Thomas in Chennai. I've done this before and it is very humbling to be reminded what people in Jesus' time had to go through in order to spread the gospel. Today was even more moving than the first time that I visited these places as I now have a heart that beats even faster for these people. St. Thomas was commissioned to preach the love of Jesus to the people of India. He was to go to India and spread the word about Jesus... just like we are. Today we visited two holy sites... the cave where St. Thomas hid when he was being pursued by those who wanted to kill him and the mount where he was actually killed. There was something very special about both places because we were able to witness services that were being conducted at both places and I have never seen that before. It was beyond humbling to be reminded that today I walked in the same footsteps of a man who actually was taught by and did life with Jesus. He doubted the resurrection... and he touched Jesus' wounds... And there I sat in a pew not 50 feet from where he was killed... praying for the strenth to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the very same country that Thomas was. And then we gathered in the cave where he hid, sang a hymn and prayed as a group. It was inspiring and humbing all at the same time. In the states to be a Christ follower the only persecution we face is being laughed at or ridiculed. In India declaring that you follow Jesus can mean that you will be beaten, alienated from your family... houses burned down. In Thomas' time, it meant death. I love the people of India with all of my heart and to be able to do my part to spread the word to these people... well, I'm not worthy. But I am definitely thankful that God uses broken people like me... and doubters like Thomas to remind people that they matter to God. Tomorrow, we go to the village... and I am DEFINITELY going to keep that in mind! God Bless!

Jennifer Archer

Had some things to tell you all about with our traval around Channai but our last visit to the cave where St Thomas hid and prayed was awesome! Raj prayed at the end there and it was very very moving.

Fank Zelasko

We just left

It's hard to believe that we are starting our trip back home already. Even though we are only 15 minutes away from the village, I miss them already. I wish I could stay longer.
The beginning of the week for me was hard. I loved the kids but I didn't think I was going to feel this way when I left. I want to go back and see their smiling faces again. Maybe I will make an excuse to go back just for a few minutes. The people there are so loving and amazing I can't put into words the love and care I felt while I spent these few short but precious days here. The kids and people of Kalavai have forever changed me for the better. I can't think of a better way to spend a week of my life. The unknowns and worries that I was nervous about at the beginning of the week are gone and seem pointless to have ever worried about in the first place.
Struggle is everywhere in Kalavai but you can't see it when you are looking at their gorgeous smiling faces. They radiate hope and life even though they have been through pain and hurt that I will probably never have to endure. I want the absolute best life for each of the wonderful people of Kalavai. If i could I would bring them all home with me.
One little boy I got the closest to. His name is Renu. He is the funniest, craziest, most loving little ball of cuteness. I had the privilege to have him in my class at the school we taught at this week and everyday after school the two of us would hang out during out village time. Since he is only 5 years old and doesn't really know much English there really isn't anything we talk about, so we just played. I love that little kid like he was my own little brother, and if I could I would bring him home with me there is no doubt.
Throughout the whole week I haven't realized how much the people of Kalavai have effected me but today when I sat down on the bus and looked out at all the people I had the chance to live with for a week, I realized I loved them and didn't want to leave. It brought me to tears, but I know I will be back. Hopefully sooner than later.

Jessica Ekema