R2D2 Battles the Forces of Evil

I am affectionately known here as R2 among the other Americans because one of my roommates/teammates and I share the same name. Katelyn likes to call me R2D2. I find this kind of funny since I have never seen Star Wars...though I did play Star Wars Monopoly!

Over the past two weeks I have been battling viruses on my computer. It seems the Enemy has chosen to leave my health alone and attack my computer instead. It is so annoying and completely wastes my time as I try to remedy the situation. After many hours of researching and downloading programs to heal my computer, I think I have come out victorious. Computer viruses are proof of our sinful nature. Mankind is bent on destruction (Romans 3:15). Why else would someone create ways to destroy the computers of people they don't know and will never meet? It's just evil. But praise be to God for Jesus Christ who is the Great Remedy for all mankind and for His grace in helping me to endure such trying times!  

Letters from Abroad

This past week has been quite eventful. It started off with a package from the States. My friend's elementary class have partnered with me here in South Asia. They along with my awesome boss sent me and the girls all kinds of goodies - brownie mixes, band-aids, vitamins, floss (as I seriously underestimated the amount I needed) - along with letters from each kid in my friend's class. I translated and read out loud the letters to the girls. The girls really enjoyed them.

 I told the story of Zacchaeus this week in the national language. The Father was so gracious in helping me to memorize it in a very short amount of time. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I could not have done it without His grace.

The two girls who moved in with us went home this week. I am thankful for the opportunity I had to strengthen my relationship with them as well as to practice the language. I am even more thankful, though, that things have settled down in their community for them to go home. I believe that the Lord has only just begun His work there!

Yesterday, my roommates and I went to the Hill Tracks area to visit some other Americans who work with the tribal people there. We went to the local market where you can buy fresh fish, veggies, spices and the like. It was much different from the grocery store I go to here in the city.

We then took a boat ride on the river. The scenery was beautiful and I was reminded of God's greatness. All creation sings of His glory!

Today, a friend and I went to visit the World Vision station here. One of the national ladies from our house church used to work there so she made arrangements for us to meet the director. We had the opportunity to ask him lots of questions about the work WV does here and then he and his wife took us to see the area. They introduced us to a woman who used to have nothing but who now owns her own business making and selling clothes. Her business is doing very well and she is training other woman to do the same thing. WV is doing a great work here, but because this is considered a closed country, they do not share the Good News of JC. That means that they have helped this woman and others for this short lifetime only. :(

Since WV is by the Sea Beach, we took a trip there. It is not exactly what I think of when I think "beach," but it was worth seeing nonetheless.

Happy New Year (1417)

This past Wednesday was the South Asian New Year (based on the Hindu calendar). My teammate and I made a new friend last week who invited us to spend the day with her. She helped us pick out the appropriate sarees and jewelry over the weekend. When the day arrived, she helped us get dressed in said sarees (which are a little involved). Then we traveled to the major university here to join the festivities. There were lots of people there and many of the women were dressed up in the New Year colors (red and white). There were booths set up with a wide array of items for sale and random parades of men with drums marching through the streets. The day was pretty uncomfortable for me personally, though. My teammate and I were the only foreigners there and we received a lot of unwanted attention. People (mostly men) kept trying to take our pictures or talk to us. It was quite annoying. Our friend, however, is pretty bold and she would either yell at them not take our picture or grab their camera/phone if she didn't catch them in time and delete the picture. She stole one guy's memory card from his phone because she had trouble finding the picture he took on it. :) The highlight of my day was when I got to share the story from the Word that I memorized in the national language. I shared it at the train station (with no small crowd) while waiting on the train and then again with our friend's mother. It is so exciting to be able to share the Word in the local langauge!

Also this week, because of certain events that took place in the slums, two of the girls from the Center came to live with us. We have turned the living room into their bedroom. I think we are all still adjusting (for us, it is mainly the lack of privacy we now have), but I have no doubt that we'll all fall into some kind of rhythm in time. They will definitely be of great assistance in learning the langauge!

My Easter Address: Retain Values Among Pluralism, Tolerance & Relativism

This past weekend proved to be an eventful one with lots of new experiences. On Friday, my teammate and I joined one of our national friends and her family for a trip to the village. It was not as I expected. I expected to visit a hut or something, but her family owns a fairly large home on some land there. The area was beautiful. It was nice to spent time with her family and watch them interact. We played cricket, ate lots of food (which included BBQ chicken), flew a kite, waded through a muddy pond and drank fresh coconut milk (not my favorite).

Saturday, I tried my hand at fried chicken Chick-fil-A style. It was a little salty in my opinion, but my roommates liked it. Later, we all went to Sea World, the local water park (not to be confused with the one with whales and dolphins that is probably coming to your mind). We took a boat to get there. It was interesting wearing a three-piece outfit into the water (like the one above), but lots of fun. Unlike amusement parks in America, this one did not have very many people.

Resurrection Sunday, I rose early and attended the sunrise service with hundreds of other believers. It took place outdoors in a local cemetary (the most beautiful place in this city) and brought believers of different denominations and churches together. Afterward, I attended another service at a local fellowship. Both of these services were in the local language. The before mentioned friend who is Muslim attended the sunrise service with me. I was so excited to have her join me. Later that evening, I attended my regular house church where we shared the Lord's Supper together. The Lord was pleased to overwhelm me with His presence throughout the day as I remembered His sacrificial death on the cross. The most horrendous thing ever done in history is now celebrated by millions of believers as the defining moment of their lives. It will continue to be so through all eternity as we sing about the Lamb Who was slain (Revelation 5:9). Jesus Christ is the one and only "rock upon which are lives are built." Let us remember the "shared spirit of humanity that inhabits us all" for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and look to Christ who was crushed for our sins so that He might make a way for us to be forgiven by God. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (quotes, including the title of this post, taken and twisted from http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-03-obama-easter-address_N.htm?csp=34).

Today, we celebrated the resurrection of Christ at the Center (we were closed yesterday). I had the privelege of telling the Passion story, beginning with Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and ending with the empty tomb.

I have started memorizing my first Bible story in the local langauge (the story of the bleeding woman). By God's grace, I hope to tell it on Wednesday!

Worth Noting

1. This morning, I registered for my final three classes.
2. Yesterday and today it rained for the first time since I have been here. There was even some thunder. :)

The Power of the Word

I just got back a few hours ago from my monthly visa run. This one was much shorter and easier than the last one for which I am very thankful. The Father was so gracious to open doors for His Word to be shared. I went with my teammate and another guy from our group. He is more advanced in the language so he was able to share the Good News with several of the men God placed in our path. While we were waiting for our train at the train station, he shared the story of Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-9). A large crowd gathered while he was telling the story. It was quite the scene and drew the attention of the guards who came and chased everyone away...but not before he finished telling the story and handing out tracts. :)

Yesterday, marked the ninth year since I came to know Christ. You can read about it here: http://livinlifeinromans7.blogspot.com/2008/03/o-praise-one-who-paid-my-debt.html.

The Lord has been so gracious in helping me adjust to the culture and language. Getting used to a completely different culture should be a lot harder than it has been, but like I said, God is so gracious. My ability to communicate continues to grow by God's grace. I still cannot say much in regards to the Good News but I am working toward that goal. I thought of a few ways today how I can learn a short way to present the Way to others and I am so excited to talk to my language teacher about them.

Jesus has also been gracious in allowing me to sense His presence and nearness. When I hear about and see the things He is doing, it is like watching the Scriptures come to life. A few weeks ago, we had a volunteer team visit us at the Center. We invited the girls' moms to hear them talk about health as well as share the Good News. Several of the mothers came. As the volunteers shared the Way, the air was thick with God's presence. He was working mightily through His Word! A few of the women said they believed what they heard and all of them said that they would ask God to give them wisdom about what they heard. Some of them have been attending the weekly fellowship at the Center to learn more. Please lift up these women and ask the Father to open their eyes to the glory of Christ!

God's Word has been working mightily in me personally as well. The Holy Spirit has helped me see things and make connections in Scripture that I never had before...and it is so exciting! Most of all, the Father is helping me to grow in my love for Christ more and more. Anything I might have to endure here is nothing compared to knowing Him. Oh how I want my life to display His glory!

Selections Since the Last Post

A lot has happened since my last post. My visa run did not go according to plan (well, our plan anyway) - two of my three flights were cancelled, I had a little trouble with immigration leaving the country and my plans of engaging the culture fell through - BUT God is so gracious and His fingerprints were all over my trip. He gave me grace with officials, provided me with women to hang around and gave me some time with Him. One of the highlights from the trip was meeting a girl from Sweden who was doing a visa run like me. I hope to see her again soon.

I am now safely and happily back "home." Yesterday, I received a package from my mom. The post office in itself was a cultural experience but I was so excited to get a package. She sent me some chocolate (mmm...American chocolate!), bug lotion, make-up (a few thoughts on that below), a Valentine's gift and a few other things. My mom is so sweet. She wrapped everything in newspaper so I got to catch up on my hometown news as well. hehe

Beauty: My mom is big into Avon and is always buying me a little something from their magazine. I am very thankful for this. I wear make-up (though not so much here) and like to do so, but it is not high enough on my priority list to buy myself. So you can thank my mom for making the world a better place by providing her daughter with make-up (because there are some days when it is a necessity!). The ladies here wear make-up as well, although, in my opinion, I don't think they need it. Below is a picture of one of the ladies God has brought into my path. We had her over for tea (or at least our poor attempt to make it the national way). When she saw this picture, her reaction was: "I'm so dark," which is the opposite of my reaction: "I'm so white." It's all about perspective. The idea of beauty is all about perspective as well. In this county, the lighter you are, the prettier you are. In America, the opposite is true: the darker you are, the prettier you are (proven by our tanning beds and fake-tan products). I am convinced that the standard of beauty for a culture is based on what is hardest for that culture to achieve.

Health: Eating healthy is so hard here. Most things are fried or cooked in oil and whole grain food is virtually nonexistant, so today I tried my hand at making homemade granola from a recipe I found online. It was a little bit of a challenge finding the things the recipe called for at the store, but after some tweaking, I made my first batch. It turned out pretty good if I don't say so myself.