I am doing some things that I never would have imagined.
1. Taking a 4 week vacation.
2. Spending Christmas away from home and either set of parental units.
3. Teaching a seminary course.
4. Traveling internationally with 2 families.
About a year or so ago, we started talking with Abe and Blessy Philip about traveling with them to visit India. At the time, it was going to be 2 weeks. Literally the next day, both Abe and I had a letter from our church asking us to teach at Mano Daniel’s Leadership In Obscurity seminary. Does God have to speak any louder? We have been planning since…
This December, my family will be traveling with the Philip family to India. Each of us have 3 children – mine as you know range in age from 8-14. Abe and Blessy’s kids are 1.5-9. We will get to visit Blessy’s extended family in Dubai, Bangalor, and Kerala.
Our trip will take us to Dubai for several days to visit Blessy’s sister and her family. We then fly to Bangalore to catch a 12-hour train to Chennai.
December 15-19 will find Abe and I teaching Indian pastors. Abe will teach Apologetics, and I will be teaching Bible study methods. Our church has been partnered with Mano Daniel’s Leadership In Obscurity by providing teachers for several years. We are excited to have the privilege to teach God’s Word to men and women who are on the front-lines of ministry in India.
Esther and Blessy will get to do some touring while we teach, and will probably have some opportunites to minister to women there with Sheila’s wife.
From there we will travel by train to Kerala to visit Blessy’s parents. We will spend Christmas there, preach at their church, and do some side-trips to tour the area. While only 2.3% of the population is Christian, Christmas is still celebrated as a national holiday. As Abe has commented, it will be different celebrating in a different area where we will not be focused on having to run out at the last minute for another gift. We have stocking stuffers for the kids, no big gifts (they get a trip to India!) this year.
The last part of our trip will take us by train back to Bangalore, where we will visit with Blessy’s brothers and ring in the New Year. Abe and I will get the opportunity to preach in churches in Bangalore.
We have packed a bunch of J316 balls to take over. They have the colors of the wordless book to help share the gospel. We have been partnered with this ministry through OnGoal Ministries for several years. Josh is unsure about where and how they play, but everybody we have talked to tells him to just go juggle a ball and he will have two full teams in no time flat. I have been excited to see him take ownership of a ministry opportunity.
So pray for us:
- Safe travel, including the ability to sleep on planes (especially children), and clear-sailing through customs.
- Wisdom for Abe and Ed as we teach at the seminary, as well as opportunities to preach in various churches while we are there.
- Opportunities for Esther and Blessy to minister to women
- Chances for Joshua to play soccer and share his faith with kids
- Willingness to roll with whatever God has in store for us
- Personally, a chance to relax from the hectic pace of business, relax with family, and have some solid time to actually think and reflect and listen for God’s still small voice
Keep your eyes here and on my twitter. As I can, I will journal our travels and link to pictures.
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