Super Sunday

We attend a few churches in the area, but because they are planting a church they occasionally have a community fellowship time. We are going to being hosting these in our home twice a month. Anyone is welcome to attend, members of the team and any Puerto Ricans that we know. We worship together through song, prayer and an informal time of discussing a portion of scripture. Afterward we grilled hot dogs and visited. It's a new and fun for us to experience since we're so used to participating in established churches. Please pray for the community of believers here -that they would be united and that many would be added to their number from people in the area.

The same day Jason and I had the privilege of Holland staying to play. Through this we learned how children can really help in ministry. He wanted to go and meet the children that were riding their bikes in the neighborhood. They only spoke Spanish and were somewhat hesitant at first. As usual with children though, by the end they were all riding together and talking to us. We were able to meet their parents. It's just one more relationship that we were able to build. Jovanka is their mother and speaks good English and the children are Tatiana and Jeovante.

Please pray for more opportunities to talk with these neighbors and that the Garcia's (owner's of the house we live in) would have favor in their eyes when they return through our investment in them. Jason also met a guy named Santiago that was working on his car in the driveway. They found that they had similar interests and Jason hopes to have the opportunity to talk with him again. Just a little example of how naturally we can reach out to those that God has already placed around us if we'll just be watching.

Cat/Dog Theology and Idols

We just finished a team sharing and prayer time. It was encouraging to see the transformation that God is doing within each person here. A major theme was in reference to a speaker that came this week. He spoke on "Cat/Dog Theology." It's based on a joke. "A dog says: You pet me. You feed me. You love me. You shelter me. You must be God. A cat says: You pet me. You feed me. You love me. You shelter me. I must be God." "Cat Christians" believe that everything is about and for them. They want things to work out the way they expect. "Dog Christians" understand that all of life is about God's glory and that everything is by, for and through Him. It's challenged our motives to ask ourselves why are we doing the things we do. Do we believe that everything we do is for Him? Not just the "spiritual things" like telling people about God or praying but everyday things like driving, grocery shopping or even washing dishes.

Another major them has been recognizing our idols. We normally think of idols as obviously bad things. Like if I were addicted to heroine. However, it's not the desire for some things that are bad. It's when we allow something other than God to give us what we really need that only He can fulfill. For example, food which is something we all need and are to enjoy. It becomes an idol when we run to it for our comfort.

**Also please pray for our teammate Rhonda. This week she learned that she has a detached retina and had to fly to Birmingham for emergency surgery. Please ask that details with her Puerto Rican insurance would work out and she'd be covered. Also that she would have peace and trust that God is both in control and loves her in regard to this time of suffering.

Thailand cont.

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We then visited the Rahad ministry which is a ministry that reaches out to the prostitutes. The entire country is plagued with sexual sin. It is common to see transexuals and prostitutes. Stats say 60% of all men coming into the country are there for sex. Many of the women come from the smaller areas for work and when they can't find a job b/c of their lack of skill they get into it in order to provide for their family. It is viewed as their responsibility. It is accepted in their culture for a man to have many mistresses and fathers even bring their sons so they can "know what to do." Please pray for this spiritual bondage to be broken and for protection and healing of those Christian men and women trying to break the cycle. This is a picture of their infamous street where prostitution reigns.
We went with another ministry called Mission To the World to visit slums and put on an outreach event for the children. We walked along the roads recruiting them to come. We sang songs, heard a bible story, and colored. These children's parents are raising them to be Buddhist and many have never heard the name of Jesus.
Chicken fighting in the neighborhood at 10 in the morning!
96% of the people are Buddhist. Their main thought of religion is much like Hinduism in that you have to be good in this life. If you are you will be reincarnated into a higher status. The goal is to reach "enlightenment/nirvana." Buddha is considered one who reached this level and is recognized as a teacher. Spirit ism and animistic beliefs are mixed in with it as well. They do rituals in order to please the spirits and make offerings to idols as well. Most believe that "to be Thai is to be Buddhist." That means that to denounce your religion, you're denouncing your family and heritage.
Temples are everywhere you look. They're basically on each block. That doesn't include all the little idols that each neighborhood has in order to please the idols.



The food was great! Different, of course! But it was fun to try and well just to look at!









The language is also like none that we're used to. It was really fun to hear and learn. Thai is a tonal language so you can say basically the same word in a different way and say a different thing. Here's a typical street. (fun fact:7-11's are everywhere!)
This is the church in Koen Kaen. We were there for it's dedication. They built it with a futsol court because it's such a popular sport.

Thailand

Our 2nd week was spent in Thailand. Due to our flight delay in Mumbai we arrived Thursday morning and were really tired but had to "hit the ground running." Bangkok is much more like America than India was. We connected with staff from the Campus Outreach Thailand team. (This is the college ministry that we were involved in during college.) They have been there 18 years and through sharing the Gospel of Jesus and helping people grow in their relationship with God they were able to plant 2 churches - Covenant in Bangkok and Koen Kaen.

Sign at CO "student center"


Campus Cafeteria




With some of the students we went to an orphanage to play games with the children and serve them. We worked hard (very humid, just like home!) in clearing out weeds. This was a great time of getting to know the students. Some were Christians and others weren't. It was fun to hear each one's unique story. Here are some of the ones we got to know.


There weren't as many children as we expected and it took them a while to warm up. But to watch them and think that they don't have any family to care for them was hard to imagine. Once again realizing how fortunate we are and how often we take it for granted. And being able to love on them and see them respond was a blessing to us just as much.

The next day we toured the city with students. We rode on a boat that served as a "bus on the water."

We were able to see how people lived along the rivers. Their way of living was so different than the rest of the city.

Back in San Juan

Things are in "full-swing" here. We've started classes and had 319 pages of reading to do by Thursday! Pray we're able to absorb all that we're taking in. But we really love all we're learning so it's worth the work. God's already challenging the way we view him and proving more and more that He's commanded us to GO and reach ALL nations from the beginning of time. If any of you would like to know more detail about what we're learning let us know and we'll send you a few emails about it as we go.
We've gone to campus, Inter Americana is the name. There isn't much student life but people do hang out in the student center and there are ping pong and pool tables as well as dominoes. We're doing surveys to help the long-term team here learn more about the culture and also to hopefully build some relationships while we're here. But our primary role is that of a student in seminary.


We hosted a Superbowl party at our house. (Go Steelers!!) A family we're getting close to, the Truongs, and some of the single guys came as well as 4 Puerto Rican friends they have. Hector- who recently became a Christian, Diego, Andre, Lillian and her children- a single mother that the Truong's have been getting to know well.














We also had a day of prayer and evaluation at the Grand Melia, a beautiful resort. Thought you'd enjoy looking at how beautiful it is here!!

India

India is different than anywhere we've ever been before. Mumbai, is a huge city. It has a distinct smell which I don't think we'll soon forget. The food is quite spicy. (We think we have hot food in LA, we don't have anything on these countries)


And traffic is like none other. Sure there are lanes painted but it's hard to recognize by the way the cars weave in and out. All you hear is honking while you stop and start. Surprisingly, we didn't see one wreck!

















The language in Hindi and the major religion is Hinduism. They believe in 300+ million gods. Each family may choose to worship just a few but they believe in the others. They have temples where they go to worship their idol but statues can be found over doorways of homes and in almost every car. They will even accept that Jesus is a "god" but go on worshiping their idols as well. It made us think of how often we worship other things than the one true Lord. Things like people's approval, money/possessions or relationships. It's easy to see these people as lost but really when we look into our hearts are we worshiping things other than God??



Muslims praying









Hindu woman worshiping the sun






Ganesh, popular idol in Mumbai






There's about 20 million people and it's obvious. Everywhere you turn there are masses of people, day or night.














The amount of poverty and homelessness is overwhelming. We're used to going to large cities and seeing a few people sleeping on business' steps or someone walking between cars asking for money. But there, you see family after family along the street.














There are too many slums to count. Children are running around and being sent to beg aggressively for money. Looking at their helpless faces breaks your heart. You know that the majority aren't there because of their own doing but simply because they were born into it and never acquired any skills to get themselves out and the caste system keeps them there.























On a positive note the people are very friendly and there is major growth within the Church. It was so powerful to worship alongside Christians from the other side of the world! And many of them see it as their responsibility to reach out to their neighbors. We were able to do outreach with the New Life Church. We went into homes and prayed with people, which they are very receptive to no matter what their religion. And we were even able to share with some about the love of Jesus Christ. It was amazing that some had never heard about what He has done for us all! There's much more to tell. But hopefully for now this has given you a glimpse into another part of the world. There's no doubt we will be forever changed by what we've seen and experienced in just this one week alone.
















Please pray for those we met: their health, but mainly that what we shared with them would pierce their hearts and that they'd be willing to let go of their idols and worship the One True God.

Also pray for New Life Church and those that are serving and spending themselves on behalf of the Gospel of Christ.