Delhi to Colombo

Our time in Delhi flew by and we made two very good contacts for future training in the area. One man was a translator for me in Ahmadabad but he lives in Delhi and has many contact there. We are excited about what may come of this but unsure how we will operate the training. We will have to recruit more pastors to help us. The other contact is a very wise older man who has worked in Delhi for years and has many contacts as well. Both men are getting to work right away for us to have a pre-conference this fall or next winter. It was hot in Delhi but bearable, unlike it had been a few weeks earlier with temperatures way above 100. Many people died there over the past months. On our last day, we had some time to explore and go out for dinner in a place where there used to be an old fort. We ate in a quaint restaurant that wasn’t too good but we survived it. We then decided to look for ice cream. There was a shop down a narrow corridor so we went in. It smelled awful in there, sewer gas or something, but we ordered Dutch chocolate anyway. We were surprised at how they made it. They poured a mixture in a blender and began blending it. Then they poured what I assume was liquid nitrogen in and kept stirring, steam rolling off the blender and counter in an amazing display. Finally, after several applications they turned around and began scooping the ice cream out into bowls. I did not know what we would get, but it turned out to be this amazing dark creamy chocolate ice cream, perhaps the best I had ever eaten. Wonders never cease!

We left Delhi on July 1 and flew into Colombo, Sri Lanka, our first visit here. We travelled 5 hours to the city, Vavuniya, and did not get to bed until nearly 1 am. Then we were up and began training the next day. I was a little fatigued but the Lord enabled. We are training with one of our former students from Trichy and he is doing a fantastic job. It has been such a joy to work with him. We did the Jonah training in 2 1/2 days primarily because he didn’t need translation as I do when I am teaching. I did not know everything that was going on sometimes but got the gist of it. We just finished and have the afternoon ( Saturday) off. A friend from our days in Las Vegas is coming to visit us tonight. He is Sri Lankan and lives here part time teaching at the seminary in Colombo. Through him, I was invited to preach at a local church in town. The Bishop of the church where we are training asked if I could preach there but  I had already made the other arrangement. So he asked if Edie could preach, but we graciously declined, much to Edie’s relief. After church, we drive back to Colombo. We are looking forward to it since our trip up was all in darkness. We travel along the coast most of the time so it should be fun. 

Monday, July 6, we fly back to India and on to Ahmadabad to set up a pre-training in Songadh later this fall. Our team of Iowa pastors will conduct that training. Then on Wednesday, the 8th we head back to Bangkok for an overnight and then on to San Diego, again for an overnight, then on to Fort Dodge on the 10th. All in all the trip has gone well, although for some reason we have had a few more stomach upsets than normal and I have struggled the last several days with sleepiness in the workshops. I now think it was because of some medication I was taking for restless legs. So no more of that medication on training days. Keep praying, we are on our last lap and still need your support.

Al

From Chiang Mai to Delhi

Thursday, June 25: We have now completed the training here in Chiang Mai. We will be heading to the airport this afternoon for Bangkok and then on to Delhi tomorrow morning. I am not sure how to evaluate the training here this week. I had to adjust much of the material to fit the Lahu and I am not sure exactly how well they got it or how well they will be able to pass it on to others. But I do feel I learned a lot about how to teach this to lesser educated people in the future. The men had great attitudes and they worked hard and made improvements in their studies. I will trust the Lord to use it according to his plan for the Lahu churches. 

We cannot believe the week is already over. It seemed to fly by so quickly. We so enjoy being with the Callahans, the resident missionaries working with the Lahu training center. They are a godly delight to our souls. We are sad to go but looking forward to our time in Delhi. It will be so different not training at all there. We will spend all our time meeting with various groups explaining our training system and evaluating future potential partnerships. It will be challenging but fun at the same time. We will trust God for what this leads us to in the coming year.

So far, we have been reasonably healthy with just a few stomach upsets. We are beginning to adjust to the time difference. Please continue to pray that we will be healthy and strong for the rest of the trip. We have many miles to go before we are done.

Al

 

From West Coast to Far East

Our time in San Diego at the EFCA One conference went very well. Mike and I led the pre-conference presentation of the Pathways Bible Study Method for lay people. We covered the whole 13-week course in four - 1/2 hours so it was a race, but those attending really seemed to like it. Some said it was exactly what they needed in their ministry. We had a good cross section of pastors, missionaries and laymen who attended, about 18 in all. We hope to follow up with them over the next several months to see how they are using the study and to get feedback from them that will help us improve the course. All in all, we were very pleased with the way the day went and the outcome we received.

 

We had one other day at the conference before we left for Asia, and I spent the entire day dialoguing with lots of different people about what we do and how they might get involved. I gave about 50 copies of our lay study away so we will see how people respond. In general, we had very good responses and people were receptive to trying it out and even helping us in some way to produce or promote the ministry. My teammates all had similar experiences as well. Brad and Eric gave a commercial at the Expository Preaching pre-conference workshop and reported that Pathways is becoming much better known among pastors in the EFCA, and many people are talking about it. About a dozen or so new pastors signed up to get information about training opportunities in the future. In every way, we thought the conference was a great success for our team.

We got up on Thursday at 4 am to head to the airport and flew to Seattle, Tokyo and finally Bangkok. It was a long tiring trip made a little easier because on two of the legs we got bumped up to business class which was fun. We got to Bangkok Friday night (you lose a day on the trip due to the date line) and went to the hotel where we always stay overnight only to find we had booked the wrong hotel. We got the Thongta Residence rather than the Thongta Resort, both cheap overnight hotels. So late at night we had to get a taxi to take us over to the right hotel, and the driver couldn’t find it right off so we didn’t get to bed until midnight. Thanks to jet lag, we were up bright and early the next morning and went to the airport for breakfast and our flight on to Chiang Mai. A few perks, a few hassles, weird hours, pretty much a normal trip.

We are now in Chiang Mai and have had our first day of training. It went well. The material this time is on the Salvation Story of the Bible and is going to be difficult for the students to fully grasp. It is also my first time to teach it, and already I have lots of ideas about how it needs to be changed. One student said she thought at the beginning that the material was too hard and she could not understand it. But as she listened, she began to understand and finally thought by the end of the day that she would do okay. So for her at least we had success and I think many others felt the same way.

I am teaching alone this time and it was a tiring day. My feet were feeling like they got hammered after standing on the concrete barefoot all day. It is warm here but not unbearably hot like it was a few weeks ago so we are thankful for that. As we began yesterday the men sang some songs while waiting for one student to show up, and I was struck by what a privilege it is to be here with them and to teach them how to study the Word. I really enjoy being with them. I am looking forward to a good day today. Edie and I are both up around 3 am so are well prepared for the day by 8:30. So far, we haven’t made it past 8 pm before we crash, but gradually we will get in sync. Thanks for your prayers! 

Al

Haiti Training Trip

I am sorry that I have not been able to communicate before now about my trip to Haiti. Our internet has been down for three days. Thank you so much for praying for me as I train in here, the training has gone fantastically. The men are responding well and capturing the vision for training many others here. Tomorrow, we will discuss the next steps toward that end. Most of these guys are very well trained but love the simplicity of our approach. I think they see it as a way to train others who have less academic background. We have had many encouraging responses. One man said he had been praying for months about the desperate need to train pastors how to study the Word and preach, and had really felt the Lord calling him to do something about this. But he did not know how. He said our training is an answer to his prayers. He knows it will require sacrifice on his part, physically, spiritually and even financially to do this but he is willing. This man is very bright, teaches at the seminary and has a great reputation. We think he may be a foundation stone to build on. Another US pastor, who is with us on this trip, said he also is willing to help with the training and perhaps can come more than once a year to do so. Other top leaders are already thinking about ways to spread the training. We are thrilled.

I asked for prayer for spiritual warfare while I am here. I have sensed no opposition at all and I think it is because so many of you have been praying. Thank you so much. Please continue. We have two more days here and then travel home on Monday. Thanks for partnering with us in this battle for the Kingdom.

Al