6 months of being in India (Journal Entry)

Today is Robin’s and my 6 month anniversary of being in this great country! Wow! In a way when we think of all that we’ve done, it seems that it must have been that long or longer. But then when I think of what we have to show for it, I feel we’ve only been here a few weeks.

How will we celebrate? By burning our trash! Haha! We’ve actually had some trash building up for a little while (A small bag full) and Jyoti said she would take us today to show us where to burn it. Great anniversary celebration, huh? Maybe we’ll dance around it. Oh, but that may be considered demon worship or something.

In addition to today being our anniversary, the monkeys also decided to raid the village. They were all over the place, perhaps 50 of them or so, all through the fields and in people’s gardens. Bicky chased them around the fields for about 20 minutes, then came back to the house. We watched as the monkeys came into the fields again. They didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that people were throwing rocks at them and chasing them. It continued most of the day- people would be yelling and shouting from one house, as the monkeys left their house and went to another one, those people at that house would start yelling and shouting. The monkeys went around and around- people kept running around and around…It was quite a sight!

I also decided to begin fasting on Thursday- which is typically a day when Hindus fast. Since today is Thursday, I am fasting. This morning I continued my regular Bible readings and am now in Job. Chapter 12 seemed to be very fitting for me, one who was/is having doubts about this work…I was reminded who my God is…Below is the New Living Translation..

Taken from verses 7-23
“…Ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish of the sea speak to you. They all know that the Lord has done this. For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of all humanity….(vs 13)- But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his. What he destroys cannot be rebuilt. When he closes in on someone, there is no escape. If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert. If he releases the waters, they flood the earth. Yes, strength and wisdom are with him; deceivers and deceived are both in his power. He leads the counselors away stripped of good judgment; he drives judges to madness. He removes the royal robe of kings. With ropes around their waist, they are led away. He leads priest away stripped of status; he overthrows the mighty. He silences the trusted adviser, and he removes the insight of the elders. He pours disgrace upon princes and confiscates weapons from the strong. He floods the darkness with light; he brings light to the deepest gloom. He raises up nations, and he destroys them. He makes nations expand, and he abandons them…

I’d like to add a short verse:
“He breaks down the barriers of the caste system and draws those following other gods to Himself.”
He has done that, he does do that, he can do it- He’s God! I pray and hope that He will do that here, and that we might be witness of it!!!

In addition to Job, I also read chapter 19 in Psalms and Proverbs. Again I was truly blessed…
Psalm 19:1-4 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day the pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Proverbs 19:21- “Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

While I sit beneath a calendar with a picture of Ganesh on it (one of their gods), God has made his glory known even here…these people haven't seen it and instead are following what has been passed down generation after generation.