Ludhiana

(All time references in the posts will be local time, which is 9 1/2 hours ahead of EST)

We arrived in Ludhiana late last night around 11:15. Our friends Jaskamal and Sonika arranged a 4th floor apartment for us and when we arrived they had already made our beds and stocked the kitchen with dishes and food! That was sweet. The apartment is quite comfortable, three bedrooms with three bathrooms and three king size beds. We all slept well (Avdon slept for 13 hours!). We awoke this morning to discover that we have a view from our living room of an entire slum. We hope that the Lord will give us wisdom and opportunity to spend some really good time in this area. Our children have spent a lot of time watching the people and what they spend their time doing. Ianna and Adoniram came in from the patio a while ago and were quite concerned for a 2 little boys, one who was quite small and naked. The littlest was crying and people were walking by paying no attention. Ianna was concerned that no one was stopping to help him and wanted us to do something. I told her that the best and only thing that we can do at the present is to lift Him before the One who heard his cry before it was uttered. So we bowed and prayed for this little boy and his need and his life. What a great honor and joy beyond what I can describe to you that we had the privilege of bringing this little one (probably the first prayer ever prayed for him) before his Creator. We rest assured in His attentive ear and that He will act according to His character, what a hope we have!

Now to the subject of our weaknesses. My difficulty in writing these posts is the fear that it will draw attention to the laborers instead of the Giver. Or perhaps I would write in such a way that would cause one to think us as having a more noble work. We are wrought with weaknesses and mistakes. We are at every moment up against the realization that we don’t have the wisdom needed for this place. The fear of man is quite oppressive at times. When speaking to our friends we are constantly wondering how to turn conversation toward the gospel and battle fear that attends that thought. We think about going to the slum and think, “Well what will we do when we get there? Maybe we shouldn’t go? Perhaps it would offend them that we came?” The enemy is real and our sin is active, but Jesus is alive! Pray for us as we pray for you to listen to the Spirit and to abide in Him and that we would whether at home or away work faithfully today in what He has set before us.

Love to you all.