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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Les Lions Violets du College Sainte-Therese

	My internet has been amazingly fast this week so I thought I would get some more pictures up. Meet my soccer team at the college! The Violet Lions! They came up with their name all by themselves, pretty fitting for wildly independent girls who wear violet skirts. The actual practicing has been canceled because of the heat, and because there is nowhere for them to access water during practice but also because I'm too tired (it's HOT). Rainy season has just barely begun which means rain once every one or two weeks. It's a little hard on this Seattleite, but if I may say so myself when it does rain the storms here are AMAZING! I would also like to give a special thanks to Cross of Christ Lutheran in Bellevue, WA for being so generous and sending the team jerseys, balls, pumps and cones. From all the girls and myself here in Banfora, thank you!

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Eshinee's 2008 2008 Advent Calendar

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Recent Entries from Eshinee's Blog

After the first service, we met Margaret, one of the smaller choir's members. Turns out she's a neighbor of ours, lives just around the corner from us. She said that some women from the church were going this evening to visit some of the sick women who couldn't make it to church. She asked if I wanted to come along. I said yes so she came by our place to get me in the afternoon. While we waited for the taxi to pick us up, she told me about her family and what she does for a living. Her husband is a nurse at the hospital nearby and she makes African women's clothing. Given that I discovered this morning that the only clothing I have that is suitable for local church is a single spaghetti-strap dress that I have to wear a linen shirt over to make appropriate, I asked if she could make me something to wear. I'm hoping to get over to her house some time this week to talk patterns and material. I'm so excited! Rob did accuse me of coming to Africa for the clothes. Margaret is actually from Tanzania (a whopping portion of the local Lutheran church is, interestingly enough) but she's been living here in Botswana for 4 years.

We ended up having to walk to the nearby taxi stand but eventually made it to the church, where the women were meeting to carpool for visiting. We only went to one woman's place, which is really all we would have had time for. It was quite a party-like event. We had a time of singing, prayer, and a short message from Rev. Titus. Then, the food and drink. I had some more of that fabulous African Coca-cola along with deep-fried bready things and a stir-fry pepper steak type of dish. In fact, on my way out, I made what was probably my first Botswanan social gaffe. While I was thanking the woman's children for the wonderful food, I commented on how tasty the bready things were. They immediately offered me some to take home. I said, "Well, just one, for my husband to try." They said that I would have to take more and, between the 3 of them, got a baggie and filled it with half of what was left (about 7 balls). Not that I was unhappy with that; they were durned tasty. It occurred to me on the way out, however, that I may have unwittingly made a request for some by commenting on how tasty they were. I haven't confirmed that this is the case, though. I'm just paranoid. Ah well. Rob certainly appreciated those bready things. They had a wonderful, delicately spicy flavor.

September 18, 2007: Tonight, I got to sit in on my first translation check. Rev. Michael Megahan called around 4:05PM and asked if I'd like to come to a check at 5PM. So, I freshened up and off I went.

We arrived at the Bible Society of Botswana office and hung around until enough people were there to start looking at the passages. The checkers ranged in age from 9 years old to senior citizen. Tonight, they were checking the recently translated Psalms 79-81, from 5PM until about 6:30PM. Most of the conversation was in Kalanga so I was pretty much out of the loop for most of it. Occasionally, Rev. Megahan would lean over and point out what the issue was, make a few notes on my paper.

As was inevitable in the process of translating the Psalms, the whole Hebrew instruments thing came up and questions were asked about the words chosen to represent those instruments. It was one thing for me to discuss in the abstract during those Sunday school and chapel sessions last fall how translation of instruments in Psalm 150 has been done. It's yet another thing to see people really wrestling in reality with the issues at hand before the Psalms hit the presses.

They're trying to teach me Kalanga, little bit by little bit. I don't know if I have the spelling right but I was taught a couple of greeting forms:

Ma muka tjini? - "How was your wake-up?"
Nda muka. - "I woke up well."
A basic "How are you? I am fine."

Ma shwa tjini? - "How did you spend?"
Nda shwa. - "I spent well."
The thing that you spent could be your time, your energy. Basically, how was your day spent.

Their tone is pretty cool. Not only do the words have individual tone but the clauses, dependent and independent, have tone as well. It kind of messes with the tone of each word, morphs it into an overall tonal contour (for lack of a better word at this hour of night). Like, everything rises a bit, falls a bit back but further, rises a bit again, falls a bit further, repeat to end of clause. And depending on the type of clause, the last 3 syllables (or so) seem to have the same tonal melody as all other clauses of that type. At least, that's how it sounded to me, just sitting there in the room while the Psalms were being read in a language I don't understand yet. It was a bit like listening to someone scatting in jazz; I could pick out the tune because the words didn't get in the way.

September 21, 2007: When I turned on the tap this morning, nothing came out. So, no shower. I had a scarf so I threw it on and went with Rob to the Bible Society office. We talked this morning about what we might do at the upcoming Domboshaba festival, a Kalanga cultural celebration. It looks like Rob will be doing audio recording, as much as he can get with whatever electricity is available, and I will probably do still and video photography. We're going to try to get photos and info on indigenous instruments, for work on the Psalms and also for local worship development. Rev. Moteto and Thuso gave us an impromptu demonstration of a local board game, mmili, played only by men. I recognized the game, though. When Rob worked for Edmark, they had a package of strategy games of the world that we installed and played. One of the games was called, if I remember correctly, Nine Men's Morris. Rob and I played that for a while. So, I was able to follow mmili quite well.

This afternoon, we walked downtown for lunch at a local cafe. The following video is an anecdote from that lunch.

We had water back after lunch. I went to visit Margaret in the afternoon for a short while. She's having cataract surgery on Tuesday.

September 23, 2007: This morning, Rev. Megahan took us to a house church on the outskirts of Francistown. The congregation was much smaller than in the main church in town, about 12 people in attendance, not counting the slew of tiny children. Also, the service was conducted in Kalanga, Rev. Megahan preaching and officiating. The young women behind me led the singing portions. Some singing was done in Kalanga, some in Setswana. After the service, we hung around a bit while Rev. Megahan took care of some paperwork. I finally learned to say "goodbye" in Kalanga: kwakalulwaba. I had been feeling weird every time I left a gathering, waving and saying "bye" when my greeting had been Kalanga.

I bought a skirt after church (all my skirts are in Namibia and I've been wearing the same dress whenever the occasion calls for a skirt or dress) and a trash can for the kitchen (no more ants!).

In the afternoon, I tackled the washing machine. The clothes got clean, all right, and dried on the line in about an hour and a half. However, there was a weird bark-like substance in the water that I never did figure out where it came from. I shook it off before hanging the clothes on the line and again after the clothes had dried. Weird.

September 25, 2007: It's actually chilly and cloudy out there today! I had to go back into the flat to put on a sweater. When we left the flat this morning to wait out front for our ride to the Bible Society office, there were a lot of people on the streets, walking to wherever they were going. I greeted one man and he returned my greeting. I commented on the weather and he said, "You don't hear in America about this [gesturing at the sky] happening in Africa, do you?" We laughed.

They're working on Psalm 102:2 right now, as I type this. Rev. Mothetho was explaining what the idiom "do not hide your face from me" means in Kalanga. He explained that it is as if he loved a woman very much and always wanted her to be in his life, to be with him always, he would say that to her. A beautiful image.

October 4, 2007: A break in the recent spell of rain yesterday afternoon had us scrabbling to get laundry done before the sun went away again. I had forgotten what it's like to be dependent on the weather to get your clothing dry. Even with a couple of hours on the line, we still had to hang some things up in the house to finish the job. It was all dry by today.

This afternoon, after we got back from the office, we got our sheets washed and put out to dry. It was pretty hot and dry out there today. After the wash was out, I got suddenly lethargic. I've been dragging myself around all day since then. Most of the time, I just lay on a chair in the living room. I don't know what the problem is. My muscles are all weak and I feel hot, though I don't have a fever. I'm lethargic but I can't sleep. Hopefully a bunch of water and vitamin C will fix me up before the weekend. We're driving to Gaborone with the Megahans on Sunday to meet with Reteng, the local vernacular language promotion committee, on Monday morning.

October 5, 2007: I slept for a while this afternoon, kind of crashing at 1PM after a hot bath. Woke up at 2PM feeling much better so agreed to walk to the post office and grocery store. It was quite windy out and I thought the negative ions might do me some good. After mailing some letters and picking up stamps, Rob asked if I would mind walking to a music shop he had seen last week on our jaunt at that time, to check out what kind of recording gear would be available locally for setting up a studio for Rev. Mothetho. I said I was OK to do so. When we got closer, we could hear music and were pleasantly surprised to find a local band playing live to a crowd outside the shop. We listened for a few songs before squeezing through to get into the shop and actually do some shopping. When inside, the owner welcomed us and explained that the band was not supposed to have set up in such a way that they blocked the entrance. He had allowed them to play there as a promotion and was disappointed that they had actually prohibited business on that particular day, rather than attracting it. I understood his frustration. We'll have to check with him when we go back, see how he did after the band finished their set and packed up.

Interesting things that we noticed; none of the people watching the band were grooving, at all. I mean, there were 3 people dancing right in front of the band, sort of free form. But everyone else standing around, close to a hundred people, were doing just that – standing and watching. No bouncing or even head-bobbing and toe-tapping to the beat. And it was a rocking beat. I remembered that at the festival last weekend it had been the same way. People just watched, they didn't dance a little bit on the spot. I actually asked Portia about that, the non-dancing along thing. She said that it wasn't appropriate to dance along, that "you just have to watch what they are doing." The proper form of expressing appreciation for their art is close, silent observance.

October 8, 2007: When we sat down to breakfast this morning, I overhead one of the managers encouraging people to have everything in order as the president was coming. Then, I heard her telling people to hurry and bring the snacks as some of the ministers were already there. I commented to Rob that I wondered if she meant the President, as in Festus Mogae, president of Botswana. On the way out, I thought I'd ask. So, I asked a lady who appeared to be in charge if the President was here. She said that, yes, he was. Well, I must have overreacted excitedly (if you can imagine that) because she said, "Would you like to meet him?" I said, "Would I!" She pointed to the lady she was talking to and said that she was the one I'd need to talk to. So I asked if I could meet him and she said that she could make it happen, asked how long I'd be around. I said that I was on my way out. She said that if I came back at lunchtime, she'd introduce me. I was so excited! So, we ran our errands in the morning (visited the Bible Society office, found the Reteng meeting place) and returned at lunchtime.

When we got back to the eating area, I looked around for the President but didn't see him or the lady who told us to come back at that time. Another lady saw us (Michael introduced her as Shelly later) and asked if she could help me. I told her about the lady who said she'd introduce us and she knew who I meant, brought me to her. The lady from earlier told me to go get Rob and Michael, that he'd meet us there in the room where he would be having lunch with the ministers. So, I got them and came back. When we got back, we were stopped by security but Shelly talked us back into the room. There, we sat and waited for just a few minutes. He actually shook our hands twice; once on his way to the bathroom, not knowing we were there to meet him, and again when we were introduced when he got back. First, he met Michael, who explained who we were an who we were with. When I was introduced to him, he commented on my name and asked what kind of name it was. I said that it was Inuit and he got a thoughtful look on his face, said he'd been reading something about the Inuit recently [more on that later]. Then, he met Rob. He welcomed us to Botswana and hoped we were enjoying the country.

At least, that's how I remember it. He may have said other things too but, frankly, I was a little overawed. I mean, this was Festus Mogae, the President of Botswana! He's on the 10 pula bill! It was so exciting! I'd been watching a lot of him on BTV news, including a Talk Back Africa episode where he took live calls. Live calls. Can you imagine? And I really like the way he interacts with people. He gives off an air of quiet, sensible confidence that any leader would envy. Yup, I'm a huge fan.

So, on he went with his day and we went on with ours. A bigger day for us, I would imagine. I realized later why he had probably been reading about the Inuit when I remembered Botswana's recent input at the UN conference drafting of a resolution on indigenous peoples. Like I said, definitely a fan.

October 26, 2007: It was a long drive today but exciting enough to keep me awake. The sky was cloudy and we even had rain for part of the way so it didn't get too hot in the car. Part of the trip was through game parks and we did see some zebra and ostrich on the sides of the road. Most of the animals that we saw actually on the road were cows, goats, and donkeys. We grabbed some snacks at Nata and drove on through, arriving in Maun around 3PM. Michael checked into his hotel (Maun Lodge) and we checked into ours (Riley's Hotel). Nice hotel, beautiful grounds. There's a pool (which we didn't get around to using) and a restaurant. Breakfast is included.

After we settled in and relaxed a bit from the trip, I started going over the back translations of some Bible stories in a local language, making notes where I had questions. We were hoping to meet with a local teacher who had done back translations of these Bible stories and to get some word glosses.

Dinner was interesting. I ordered seswaa, which I split with Rob. It came with papa (cooked cornmeal, almost identical to plain, unseasoned grits) and shredded spinach. Seswaa is pounded beef. Mine had the bones left in it when it was pounded so I had to be diligent about finding bone shards before swallowing. Flavor was good though; it was just tricky to eat.

"Sigrid's" India Team

I know I'm very behind on my email update, but this has plenty to pray for to make up for it. Here's the answer to the question many have been asking: "What's going on?"

The Bad News
I mentioned before that two new people are joining our India team. Sarah is from the U.S, and Jose is from Brazil. After much preparation and training, Jose had planned to finally arrive in India this summer to begin language learning.

However, several weeks ago a tragedy occurred in Jose's family. His family—grandmother, mother, sister, and one niece—were murdered by his brother-in-law. The brother-in-law has confessed and led the authorities to where he'd put the bodies in a trash dump. One niece who survived the attack was found walking around, badly wounded.

I don't know what more to say about this other than please pray for him in the midst of such a horrific trauma. Jose still plans to go to India, but his support system in Brazil is working with him through the grief and healing which could take some time. Please pray for the many missionaries like him who are called and preparing to minister among the urban poor, who are under incredible spiritual attack.

The India News
Right now, Jason and Jen are back in Mumbai for Feb-April, meeting with future ministry partners and setting things up for teammates to come later on. Please pray for their protection, for good conversations with leaders.

Marcia will return to India in April to continue her Hindi studies (much of her first term was devoted to learning English), and Sarah may come later in the year. Please pray for the preparations needed for them to arrive.

Ministry Update
As I mentioned, I'm still ministering with Servant Partners, but based from home here in Seattle. The beginning of this year has been full with following up with potential missionaries who expressed interest at the Urbana convention. I've had some extremely encouraging conversations, getting to hear the stories of how God has prepared and called people to work among the urban poor. There are many people trying to make decisions about what country, team, and organization they should join. Please pray for their decisions!

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to speak at the UW InterVarsity worship gathering. It was very encouraging to return to the place I'd been a student and on staff with IV for several years, and even more fun to see the ways that God continues to speak to and work through students.

I had a strong sense that I should speak on the first chapter of Jeremiah, but as I was preparing the talk, I was really having trouble putting it together. I considered chucking it for a different scripture, but sensed I should keep with it. I thought to myself, the good thing about doing this passage is it's pretty far off the beaten path, in my whole life I can only remember hearing a sermon on it once before, so there's little risk of repeating a previous talk!

After the talk, a young woman came up and asked me how I'd picked that particular scripture. As it turned out, she needed to make a decision that evening about joining a summer mission trip to Calcutta. Although she'd been to another part of India before, for multiple reasons going to Calcutta was intimidating to her. On her last trip to India, a woman with prophetic giftings had prayed for each of her teammates, and gave many of them specific words of scripture. The woman had said to her, "I believe that you will come back to India.", and gave her Jeremiah 1:5. Right before my talk (on Jeremiah 1) she had been re-reading this very scripture and asking God to make clear his will for her. "So… that couldn't be God, or anything could it?" she asked with a wry smile. I, and several students listening to the story, just laughed. "Yeah, I would say that I'm supposed to go to India this summer," She concluded, laughing at the crazy way that God knows us through and through, and is eager to speak to us.

Peace to all of you,
"Sigrid"

"Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.'"
- Jeremiah 1:4-5

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more."
- Psalm 10:17-18

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

I'm back from a month in Alaska catching up with all of my people from the 4 years I lived up there. I had such a great time! These past few weeks, I began my stateside ministry role with Servant Partners, and am enjoying getting settled into that.

Culture Shock
It's a bit bewildering, trying to catch up on what I've missed in just 2 years. What exactly is MySpace? An Ipod port? Organic produce at Wal-mart? Gas suddenly at the every grocery store?

The number one question I've gotten: Are you having culture shock?

The answer is yes, and no. I don't feel the intense rage against American consumerism and excess like the first few times I came home from overseas. (Although a top nausea-inducing moment was seeing a huge new after-hours emergency pet hospital.) It's not that it makes me less angry, but maybe what has changed is a sense of judgementalism. Physically living in a slum was not a guarantee that my heart was always in the right place concerning justice. So my prayer these days is that I and others will have the courage to listen and then obey God in however he wants them to do to confront injustice, wherever and whatever that means.

I do sometimes feel like an alien though. Like the reality and experiences of my life in India are so beyond words, so different from every day life here, it's like I was propelled from another galaxy. Its strange to realize how much I am different and will never be the same, how those experiences are so much a part of me now that I carry them with me wherever I go.

I wrote this poem a while ago, but I feel like it captures my feeling of dwelling in two realities simultaneously, all the stories and experiences co-existing beneath a "normal" life in the States.

As you stepped off the bus on Sixteenth Street,
I hardly noticed you.
The hair peppered with gray, softness on top of your hips, glasses.
But as you turned, and flashed the empty arm of your suit, neatly pinned to your shoulder
I saw the jungle, tangling you up in muggy green.
As you snapped open the Times, and crunched it down to the Dow Jones,
I heard the machine guns rattling,
Rattling.
As you stumbled over the manhole cover on Maple, under the skyscrapers,
I felt the bomb explode, I saw the whites of your eyes match the white of bone.
As you slipped around the corner, a breeze shivered the folded flap.

Swearing like a Sailor
Right before I left India, my friend Sunita pulled me aside with an embarrassed laugh. "You know when you say the word small?"
"Yes," I replied with an ominous feeling.
"Well. Well… you're using the wrong T (There are four T sounds in Hindi). You're saying a really bad word." She was so embarrassed, she wouldn't even tell me what it was, I had to wrangle it out of the hair cutter.

Yup, basically every time I went to the vegetable guy, asking for the baby eggplants, or the numerous times I asked about the tiny grapes that didn't ever appear this past season, and basically every situation where you would use the very important word small or little about things like children, I was in effect saying, "Give me the F**n eggplants." "Go call your F**n brother." I'd say running around cursing out the neighborhood wouldn't be an ideal missionary tactic, but I guess I'll have to just rely on Jesus' grace for that one!

India Recipes
A number of you requested recipes for some things like chai, so check out the linked document!

Thanks so much for your ongoing prayers for my healing process, and my transition to a new role with Servant Partner helping to send new missionaries out to serve the urban poor.

Peace,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Mumbai Bombings
As you've read, on July 11, seven bombs exploded through the trains of Mumbai. Two of the bombs went off just north and just south of my local train stop in Mumbai, the same train that I used to take several times a week, and 4.5 million commuters travel on each day. Fortunately, none of my friends in Mumbai were hurt, but there were many close calls. Some of our pastor friends had just finished teaching an Alpha course, but they were loaded up with musical instruments and babies. Instead of heading directly north, they took the train a few stops south to the end terminus in order to get a seat for the hour long ride. Meanwhile, bombs exploded all along the line north of them.

Please pray for the families of hundreds of victims who were killed, that they will experience God's presence and comfort. Pray that God will work in the midst of this horrific situation, that through an awakened sense of mortality, people will end up drawing nearer to God and His truth.

Learning from an 8-Month-Old
It's been great being back in the U.S., getting to spend time with family and friends, and taking time to listen to God and reflect. I love watching my brother and sister-in-law with Jack; they are awesome parents. I'm also learning some great things about my own interactions with God by watching Jack. Jack is a lean, mean, crawling machine, and man, is he fast! The problem is, sometimes Jack gets hungry. And that is bad news, because Jack likes to keep on the move. If he had his way, they would figure out how to strap a baby camelback with feeding tube so that he could just swallow and play in one seamless movement.

So when he does the grumpy-hungry cry, I watch as mom or dad pick him up and strap him into the high chair. At this point, you can almost see a thought bubble form over his head, as he begins to out-and-out scream with big, juicy, full-drama tears.

"What!?! Are you kidding me? Can't mooooove!! There's no food here. I was hungry down there, and that wasn't cool, but this is actually WORSE! You are the WORST mom and dad in the whole world!!!! AAAAAAAA—oh, yams!"

The fact is, they've put his yummy homemade baby food in the microwave to heat for all of like, a minute, but as far as he's concerned it might as well be eternity. And in those few moments, it really does feel like his parents are not good but instead unique instruments of torture. The same pattern repeats as Jack's poopy diaper makes him uncomfortable, but the moment mom and dad try to corral him onto the changing table, they engage in what they call their new Olympic level sport, "baby-wrangling."

I realize that I'm not that different than Jack. God just doesn't do things as quickly as I would hope, and from my perspective it's like eternity! He often does things in a way that just doesn't make much sense to me, what feels totally backwards. I'm feeling stretched to believe that God really knows what He is doing, and that His actions are ultimately for my good. I'm feeling stretched to learn how to wait with trusting anticipation. And to find ways to lean into what God is doing rather that wrestling and fighting against it.

Next Steps
As you've probably gleaned from my letters, living in the slum in India has been challenging! Now, I expected to encounter stress from adjusting to a new culture and living in extreme physical and emotional conditions. What I didn't expect, was that in the midst of this God would bring to the surface healing issues which made everyday life ten times more difficult. During the time when my mom was terminally ill, as a young teenager I internalized a lot of distorted ideas about how to act in situations of intense need, how valid my own needs were, and what I could and should say no to.

So when I first thought about needing to take time out to deal with these things, I admit I was pretty mad. I know that some of you can't believe I want to return to India after some of my stories! But in comparison to the excitement of what God is doing and is going to do in India in the future, knowing with certainty that I am called to participate in a big work He is doing among the poor, all the crazy stuff, rats and all, just seems small. So like Jack, I'm in a hurry to get moving forward and I just don't like missing out on anything cool.

As I reflect, I more and more see God's grace to me. The healing issues just wouldn't have come up in normal life in the U.S. like they did in India, and I could have gone on a long time thinking I was "fine", while God really is eager to do what it takes to make me whole. I know that God doesn't want me to rush back to life in the slum and burn out; He wants to help equip me to live and thrive long term. I also hear Him promising me that as I submit to His process of healing me, it is what I need to become an instrument of healing myself, and to ultimately fulfill the purpose he gave me, for my life to contribute to the "healing of the nations."

I'm not exactly sure how much time this process of healing will take, it may be quick, it may unfold more slowly. In order to leave room for things in whatever timeframe God wants to do it, I won't return right away with my team (likely in January) for its next term. Instead I will stay in the U.S. and plan to return to India and rejoin my team in 1½ to 2 years.

New Role
I will transition to a stateside ministry position with Servant Partners starting in September. My role will include communications and recruiting, connecting with new people hoping to go overseas, facilitating the process of them getting out onto the field.

I'm excited by this role because I will still be able to contribute to ministry to the urban poor by helping to send out workers. I will need to travel some, but I'll be able to do much of the work over phone and email which enables me to live in the Seattle area near family and friends.

For this role with Servant Partners, I do need to continue raising funds. I will connect with you about your desire to support me in this next season of ministry.

I'm so grateful for your faithful support and prayers during these past 2 incredible years in India.

A beautiful baby girl, Lily Grace Palmer, was born to Dave and Mini on June 11, 2006.

Peace to you!
"Sigrid"

Many years back, Maneesha had been an active member of the church, but then her husband abandoned her. In desperation to support her young son, and the lure of "easy" money, she fell into beer bar work including its seedy underbelly of prostitution.

This past year, Sita (the beautician) and other women who have continued friendship with Maneesha urged her to return to church, despite her feelings of shame over her life choices. She began to come to service as well as the Bible study training. With joy, she has soaked in the truths of scripture and feels she is understanding it for the first time.

She shared about how God is transforming her through His word: "People look and say we have nothing, we have poor clothes, we don't know anything, but the Bible says that we are kings and queens in His kingdom. We have everything!"

This past year she has been working making pressed flower greeting cards and paper bags for a Christian organization called Kalpana that serves marginalized women; those with AIDS, coming out of prostitution, domestic violence. She makes 1200 rupees a month ($30), and her son is attending a good boarding school in the village.

Maneesha is one of the women I love to spend time with, asking questions, sharing joys and sorrows, praying for and with them to grow in faith. In particular I love to laugh with Maneesha, because she has a hilarious deadpan sense of humor.

The other day she told me that she thinks God wants to use her to lead her family to Jesus. "And there other 80 other houses in my mom's slum after that to reach. In this Hindu culture, women without a husband like me are considered nothing. But I think God will use me." She also said that God asked her to report that she has a gas canister, which will probably result in losing her kerosene ration. It's a huge temptation to fudge on the rules, as her current job is only enough to live very, very simply. "But I really feel in my heart that it's not right, and God said, so I will do."

Although she had never fasted more than a day before, she felt God calling her to fast for 40 days (one meal at night). This was a sweet time of God drawing her closer to himself, as well as showing his faithfulness in supernaturally meeting her hunger and energy needs. She is currently one of the most faithful partners in the house group ministry, and is taking risks in teaching and sharing her faith.

God is raising up people of OBEDIENCE, who have been TRANSFORMED BY HIS GRACE.

"Let us eat and celebrate; for this (daughter) of mine was dead and is alive again; (she) was lost and is found!" --Luke 15:24

• Pray that God will continue to bring healing to Maneesha's heart surrounding abandonment and abuse.
• Pray for her to grow in holiness, discipleship, and for God to especially use her as a minister of his grace to others who have fallen into sin.
• Pray for God to break the spiritual powers that keep people like her in poverty.
• Pray for the Hindi language retreat we are going on this May 11-13, for good closure with people who we've invested time with.

Your Role
You can participate by buying products from Kalpana as well as other organizations that are seeking to provide employment and job training for marginalized people. I will bring order forms and samples back with me.

Funny Thoughts on Marriage
"You're not married yet?" asks 12 year old Leeza, scrunching her nose at me.
"No." I said.
"Hmm." I can almost see Leeza stretching back into the archives of her brain, and pulling out something that I told her a year ago when we talked about Easter. "But Jesus can do ANYTHING, right?"
"Well, yes, that's right." I reply, since I can't argue with her logic.
Then, 5 year old Anu pipes in. "Hey, hey, wanna know when my marriage will be?"
"Sure!" I reply, very curious how developed her plan could be.
"When I'm 14!" confidently shouts Anu.

What Next?
I will see you all soon! I'll be back May 18 for a month and a half of rest, vacation, and family time. After that I'll be sharing with churches, spending more time catching up with people, and discerning next steps. Team members hope to return to India within 4-6 months. I'm planning to come to Alaska in the end of August-September.

I'll let you know when I know more.

Love, "Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

House Groups
I wanted to share some of the great things happening in one of the house groups that I've attended with "Sarita." A believing family agreed to host a group in their flat (government relocation housing for slum dwellers) about 2 years ago, and currently people from almost every flat on the floor have regularly attended.

"Sarita" evangelized to one family who said that they couldn't possibly consider changing their culture. As they saw God do some miraculous things, every member but the family patriarch became believers and they are growing rapidly. Last year we prayed for the patriarch who suffered from TB, and he was healed but he still doubted God. Just last month he has turned his heart to Jesus and is reading the Bible regularly.

In this same family, there is a little 6-year old girl called Nikita who is paralyzed from the waist down after a poorly-done back surgery. As we prayed for her, I saw a vision of her dancing on the bed. I have the sense that God will do this healing when this house group has grown up in maturity and faith, and some leaders are raised up, so that they can sustain the impact that such a dramatic miracle would have.

Right now there is a group of young 12-14 year old boys who come regularly and are very quick learners. These boys have been sharing with their friends what they have learned about Jesus, and recently brought a friend to the group. He is a young Muslim boy who astonished us all with his boldness in asking and answering questions and praying during his very first time attending.

These past two months, the fathers of two attending families died suddenly (one only 24, the other 32 years old). Please pray for God's protection over the men, young to old, that God would raise up godly men in this group.

Please pray for God to raise up disciples and leaders from this house group.

Pray for the widows of these men, that God will encourage them in their faith, and that God will do a redeeming and powerful work through their lives in the midst of a context that views God primarily as a tool to get what you want in life.

Funny Food
Here's the label from a box "taste energy drink" mix that I thought was just too hilarious:

• Glucose-D (NO.1) is most effective nutrition.
• Glucose-D (NO.1) is a soon and suitable energy food for Children, Young & Old man, Teenager, Housewives, Office Man, Industrial Workers, Farmers, Traders, Professional & Sportsman.
• Ready to serve instant energy.

Transitions: Coming Home
Can you even believe that 2 years are almost over? Dave and Mini, due to being 6 months pregnant, are leaving March 5 for the States.

Jen, Jason, Marcia and I are all returning mid-May. I'll reach Seattle on May 18th!

Each of us will spend 3-6 months at home discerning next steps.

I'll plan to mostly stay in the Seattle area, but will also visit Alaska. I'll let you know when I know my schedule more clearly.

Peace to all of you!
– "Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas. While this Christmas I was really feeling how far away I am from home, I was at the same time filled with awe at Jesus' goodness in this place. It was joyful to share the Christmas message to fresh ears. My little neighbors were fascinated by our Indian nativity set, with Punjabi Joseph and sari-clad Mary. They kept calling out to Mary, "Didi! Didi!" which is "Sister, sister!" and making sure she was paying enough attention to the baby in her lap.

Some of the stories of God's provision:

• The church was able to find a large hall for the Christmas service that normally goes for 6,000 rupees, for only 2,000.
• The man hired to cook for the expected 100 people backed out the day of, but a non-believer ended up cooking everything for free.
• Over 200 people showed up! There was amazingly enough food to feed everybody dinner anyway, except for the main leaders who had served. One of the leaders invited them all to his house to eat so that they wouldn't have to return home late at night to cook or go hungry, but on the way home, a neighbor invited the whole group to a Muslim wedding so they feasted!
• As Sarita was paying the hall bill, the church funds collected were 260 rupees short, so she paid it from her own pocket. The next day walking in the road in our slum she found a gold earring on the ground (I can't even begin to explain how unlikely that would be in this place with thousands of people traveling every square foot). Sarita took it to sell to a jeweler, who gave her exactly 260 rupees!

I see so clearly how God is expanding the faith of the leaders in the church here, encouraging them to undertake big things that are beyond their abilities or capacity and then watching God come through for them. They are experiencing the limitlessness of God!

It is very encouraging to see them growing in maturity, character, and in taking risks in ministry.

There have been a lot of changes in the past few months. The pastor we've been working with has been taken out of leadership because of sin issues, and young Sarita is now functioning as pastor. There have been a lot of challenging tasks for her to wade through in this transition. We do really see the hand of God in the midst of this, and are thankful for God's provision in placing us here to support her personally and in leadership.

Stuff to pray for:

• That God will continue to give wisdom and strength to Sarita as pastor, and that she will learn to partner well with Sunita.
• That people in the church will respond well as God confronts them with their sin issues.
• Ongoing preparation and training for new house groups
• Much of December I felt pretty low and discouraged, that I will hear truth and perspective from Jesus.
• Marcia and I are headed to Goa February 3-10 for vacation, rest, and reflection.

Funny Shirts
Some of the T-shirts here are an entertaining mixture of thrift store rejects shipped from the West and India-produced, non-spell-checked words of wisdom like:

• Meerkatz Cheerleading (worn by a 40ish balding man)
• Seniors Class of '91 Rules—Deal With It
• 10 Reasons that Beer is Better than Women (We weren't sure which was more disturbing, the fact that the shirt was created, or that a 7-year old was wearing it.)
• Bootiful Birds
• I am the #1

The other day I saw two goats in the back of a taxi, on their way to slaughter for Id, a Muslim festival. Just when you think you've seen it all…

Peace to all of you,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Rob & Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

These past few weeks, God is doing a lot, and saying a lot to all of us here. Prayer times have been intense, with a sense of urgency. God has been asking us to give over our hearts to Him, unreservedly. To not participate in idolatry in any shape or form, even with good-seeming things that can slyly steal away our worship or focus on Him. Please pray for us, and all of the believers here, to really lean in to God right now.

Saying No to Brad Pitt

I would like you to meet some of the women I hang out with.

Sita, 22, runs a beauty parlor in our slum, and is mom to a 1-year-old gorgeous baby girl. Recently, she got an offer to go to Goa (the Hawaii of India) to be a make up artist for dancers in a Salman Khan (the Brad Pitt of India) film. Three weeks of work, for 15,000 rupees (over $300, about half a years salary for her). Her husband quit his job 3 months ago since they had failed to pay him for 4 months, so they've been without his income for quite a while, and no new job in sight in Mumbai's tough job market.

Although she was clearly giddy with the offer, she decided to spend a day fasting and praying. God said NO. So she said NO. I asked her later if she was sad, she said that she was not sad to do God's will. Although a naturally light hearted young women who likes to giggle and tease her friends, at a recent outreach time, Sita found herself weeping and praying for the people who don't know God.

God is raising up people of RADICAL OBEDIENCE here, who are HUNGRY FOR HIS HEART.

If At First You Don't Succeed…

As things were moving forward with plans for new house groups, it became clear that the local pastor here did not have full ownership over the strategy ideas we'd proposed, which we had thought he was excited about and agreed with. (We had spent quite a bit of time, energy, and meetings up to this point.) However, as the whole goal is not just to do something, but do something sustainable that will empower the local leadership, we are currently in a waiting mode. The ball is currently in his court, when we hear his hopes and plans for how he would like house group ministry to go, we will see how we can best partner and serve in that. Our hope is that the very best of our ideas and the very best of his ideas will combine to create a Spirit-led and inspired strategy. God is doing amazing things, stirring up passion to serve among the church folks to serve through house groups, as well as bringing new and potential new leaders.

Please keep praying for our partnership, for God's will to be achieved in full in the house group ministry in homes.

Mumbai Book and Movie Club

I haven't given you one for a while now, and here's a light one to follow up A Fine Balance. Mississippi Masala is Denzel Washington's acting debut. It's a romantic dramedy that tells the story of Indian immigrants to the Deep South, and the racial tension that ensues from Denzel's growing relationship with an Indian girl. It's fun, if you can track it down at the local video store.

Baby!!!

I'm no longer just an auntie to the kids here, but I'm the genuine article! My brother Bjorn and sister-in-law Jen had a healthy, 9 lb 5 oz baby. (You can say whoah, the people here are basically speechless when I give the poundage.) He is wonderful, and his name is Jack Anders.

Bye for now,
"Sigrid"

Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteouness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause
righteousness to sprout up also.
– Isaiah 45:8

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Janeth's previous letter.)

(Click here for Rob & Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

My favorite memory of this past month is hearing about the neighborhood kids' response when people were fleeing their homes and they couldn't find us during the false tsunami rumor.

"And, and, well, we were so scared. And then we didn't see you or Marcia or Jen anywhere, and I said we have to find them, and then Sneha's brother and these girls here started shouting WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM!!!" –told by Preiti, age 11.

After the Flood
The week after the big flood, we had a second round of sewer water flooding our kitchen. Since our notoriously elusive landlord has never responded to previous pleas for repairs in the past, we called on a gutter cleaner ourselves. After cleaning failed to drain out the water, he started pulling out random pieces of pipe, destroying the concrete floor of our "bathroom", tromping in and out for half a day leaving mud 'n poop prints, getting tanked on a "chai break", and finally arguing that a good solution would be to just drill a new hole in our wall to drain the still standing water.

At this point, Jen hunted down our landlord at his house, but it took the help of our neighbor who tracked him in the street the next day and pleaded with him to come to get him here. He eyed the handiwork, and started screaming, "Oh my God! Oh. My. God!!!"

Apparently, the guy had ripped out the entire plumbing system. As repairs resumed, we were nonchalantly informed: "OK. So just don't use the water or toilet for 3 days."

Here is the amazing thing about all of the flood and post-flood craziness. Our across-the-way neighbors have actually stopped making fun of us (they were the ones who witnessed our mess first-hand, said they felt really bad for us and tracked down our landlord) and have even been kind. We are bonding with neighbors in a new way, as they realize that we are not in fact immune from difficulties. We too are vulnerable and in need, in need from God, and in need of their help and relationship with them.

Jesus sent out the disciples with what seems like a perfectly nutty strategy: "See, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals." –Luke 10:3

Instead of power and self-sufficiency, he called them to minister out of a place of dependence and vulnerability. Complete dependence on God, as well as dependence on other people to meet their needs. We are seeing the way God's grace and presence is made visible in the very midst of our weakness here. Where there is less of us, our independence, our "I've got it all together"-ness, there is more room for the extraordinary power of God to work.

Community Organizing
These next three weeks, an African minister will be visiting us to teach and share his experience in community organizing (to bring the gospel in both word and deeds by empowering the community itself to respond to its own needs) as a strategy to minister and church-plant in poor communities.

He'll be meeting with our team for a few days, then with leaders from our local community, and then with city-wide leaders.

Pray for God to equip our team and leaders here through his time, for God to speak to us about how we can have a greater impact in the slum communities of Mumbai.

Leadership Training
"I feel like I understand how to read the Bible myself, and can answer people's questions. I don't need to just send them to the pastor." –comment from our final scripture training meeting

We've completed 6 months of scripture training with folks from the local church here. It has been so encouraging! God is teaching folks how to understand and teach scripture, but most importantly the importance of obeying his word.

One very new believer studied the passage on reconciliation, and the very next day had reconciliation conversations with two neighbors. The little she knew of scripture, she was willing to put directly into action.

Pray for the next few weeks as leaders and hosts are selected from the group that attended the scripture training, who will launch new house groups.

Pray for our team as we'll be doing a combination of house group leadership meetings and mentorship to help equip this group of leaders.

Thanks!

Love,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Rob & Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

Last Tuesday afternoon, it started raining. And raining. And raining some more. So far, normal monsoon behavior. Folks were running around playing, sliding on their bellies down the gulley. Even the cry "Rat!", as one floated by didn't stop the fun for long. Pretty soon, though we noticed nasty overflowed sewer-gutter water coming into the kitchen, and the water creeping close to the door level in front. We makeshifted a dike out of newspaper and plastic bags under the door, and kept poking out heads out the window to check the progress. Power abruptly cut off. As I caught my neighbors' eyes, we could only laugh, it was so ridiculous. As the water reached 2 inches above our door, it started seeping in. For about 5 hours we bailed the foul water out the window by candlelight, hoping the rain would stop soon. Soon we were exhausted and decided to just give up and let the water flow in, stow away and prop up what we could, and sleep upstairs. We heard that other folks further down the gulley were waist deep in water.

The next day we heard the news about what had happened around town. Many folks spent a night or two stranded at work, then trudged home through waist to neck deep water for 8-12 hours. All over town there were abandoned vehicles, fallen trees, and debris. The buses and trains were out of commission for a few days. The death count is estimated at over 200. In our neighborhood, a few children drowned at school and 15 people were electrocuted when a wire fell. As of yet, 5 days later, we still don't have electricity and little water.

What a mess. The biggest rainfall in recorded Indian history, 96 cm [38 inches?!!] in less than 24 hours. And to add to it, two days later a rumor started involving a tsunami/broken dam that led to apocalyptic mass hysteria, people packing bags and taking flight. Another 15 people were trampled in the chaos.

In the midst of this, there were many courageous stories of people risking their own safety to save others. One of my favorites involved a family pooling its resouces (20 sarees tied into rope from the women, an inflatable pool idea from the 17 year old) to save a busload of people crouching on top of a rapidly submerging bus.

During this past year, I feel God challenging me in my simplistic understanding of Him. Good circumstances = He loves, helps, and provides for me. Bad things, challenges, tragedy = He is absent, doesn't really love.

As we sloshed and scooped that funk nasty water, we sang worship songs. Jesus is redefining my picture of authentic worship. That in the midst of any circumstance, I can trust Him, and expect His presence alongside me. I can trust that He knows the right timing to put an end to suffering for the last time. His saving work is not taking away the difficulties, but saving my heart from bitterness, anger, and doubt of His goodness. I can say yes to an invitation to not sulk around in self pity, but to get up and see how i can be God's hands of healing even in the midst of my brokenness and imperfection. I can live without fear of not having "enough", of being hurt, stolen from, or even killed, because I know that my soul is safely stowed away in Jesus' care.

Please pray for me to learn and live these lessons, and for others to be drawn to the One Who Conqueres All Fear.

Love, "Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Rob & Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

Shower My Brain

There's nothing quite like learning a new language and culture to utterly humble you.

When I first came, I figured that since there was a general tolerance of English mistakes everywhere, even on public billboards, there would be some grace for my Hindi mistakes. My favorite examples:

• Fresh Homely Meals Served (Some really ugly food?)
• English Beast School (Where animals go to learn English? I think it's supposed to be English Best School.)
• Horn OK Please (Written on the back of most trucks.)

But I was wrong.

Day after day, I encountered what felt like merciless mocking each and every time I opened my mouth. Granted, I'm sure it was funny. My sentences were about like this: "I we is-ing that. Take-take shower my brain." Plus the sentences I had memorized from a book to get a head start, I found out were hopelessly high Hindi. So while Sunita and I were picking our way over some thin planks that are the only thing between us and open sewer, I'm saying "Most kindly be cognizant of your appendages."

Anyway, it was that nagging sense that people aren't good-naturedly laughing with me, they're laughing at me. And they feel compelled to tell me that Hindi only takes a month to learn. Over and over and over. Everything inside me rises up, wants to justify and say: "Hey, I'm not stupid! I know some things!" But the fact is that I am a baby. I can hardly talk or communicate, and unlike any child on the block, I don't even know which store to go to find the things I need.

One day, I decided to exercise giving the benefit of the doubt that people are not deliberately malicious, they are just blunt or trying to connect with me. I was hacking my way through a conversation with a neighbor, when a women I've never seen before walked up, and replied to my statement that I'm trying to learn Hindi, in perfect English "Well, trying is not succeeding, is it." Ouch! Many days, after the eighth difficult comment or interaction of the day, I would just be done and not want to try to interact with anybody at all.

But Jesus teaches that it is essential to become like a child, otherwise we don't receive the kingdom. I've realized just how difficult it is to stay in that place of humility, to be dependent and "small." How much I want to cling to all of my knowledge and independence, and find ways to prove I'm someone, I'm competent! To have my value come from nothing I can accomplish, but to throw myself freely into my Father's arms is very difficult. To deliberately put myself in situations where I must depend on him alone goes against every grain in me, but Jesus promises that I will receive the kingdom.

These days, I sometimes even get compliments on my Hindi, but there are still plenty of ways I'm called to die to my pride and independence, to not resist the process of becoming like a child.

Please pray that I will choose well, that I will welcome opportunities to learn this lesson rather than becoming prideful, or avoiding certain people or situations.

Please pray for the people here, who hear a hundred times a day the message: "You are nothing. You have no proper education, no proper home, no proper job." Pray that they will receive the love of the Father, who looks at none of the things the world does, but simply loves them. Pray for them to step fully into the confidence and authority that they have as children of a King.

Train-Spotting
It was a particularly difficult week. I had helped a neighbor who was throwing up and sick while her two naughty children ran wild. They rewarded me by spitting on me and throwing cucumbers at my head while my hands were tied up on the steep stairs. Then I electrocuted myself with our oven, and puked all over my new outfit. My bankcard got sucked into the ATM because I didn't pick it up within 10 seconds, to which the guard replied, don't worry; you might get it back in a month. What next? Wrong question!

The train was just starting to move, so I jumped on. When I looked back I saw that my friends didn't jump on, so I figured I'd just hop back off. However, the laws of physics do not bend for me, though I may momentarily forget them. The train was going forwards, rather quickly at this point, but I was looking back at my friends, so as I jumped I ended up twisting and kissing the concrete. Right in a pile of wet goo. Luckily, two young cops were right there, so they came over and stared down me, and offered the helpful advice: "You shouldn't do that." Everyone on the platform got involved, a chai vender told me "Hey, take it easy, take it easy." An eccentric man with wild hair shouted "God is good! God is watching for you!" Which is exactly true, since I escaped with nothing other than some pulled muscles, massive purple bruises, and bruised ego.

Thanks for following my adventures and thick-headed learning,

"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a happy Easter! What a strange transition to go from America—where everyone knows at very least about the Easter Bunny—to India. Unlike Christmas, when folks had the general idea of the importance, after I decorated my door with flowers people kept asking what Easter was and what it meant.

My small neighbor Kavita had grasped some basics of the story, but the day after had more questions. "So, Jesus rose from the grave." (The word in Hindi for grave sounds like cupboard, giving me a lot of confusion at first!) "But, but, where is God now?" Kavita asked me, shaking her hand in typical Indian exclamation style, kind of a flipped-up hang-loose sign. I explained that we know that wind is real even though we can't see it because we can see it blowing the leaves on the trees, and we can know God is near the same way. "Ooooh!" she seemed delighted, and spent the rest of the day blowing on her hand to remind herself. Pray that people who have not heard the message that Jesus rose, and conquered all sin and death and alienation from God for good will hear this here!

Dear God, I thought. What kind of god asks for this?

The week before Easter, the streets of my neighborhood flooded with worshippers of a south Indian God, and their onlookers. These worshippers had driven 5 foot long poles through their cheeks, some had pierced their backs with large bloody hooks and were dragging several pounds of coconuts behind them. Even others joined together to pull taxis by the hooks and skin on their backs. Children as young as seven years old wore pierced face rods in the gruesome procession, and I watched women place their tiny babies on the filthy ground in front of the participants for "blessing."

And yet, the same horror and revulsion I felt watching this, others have asked me about the crucifixion. Why would the God of love allow such horror happen to his Son? How could God possibly be worshipped and glorified in all that blood and pain?

In this place, I see the evidence of deep evil at work in the world. Neighbors who don't have enough to eat each day. Broken men, unable to find work to provide for their families who drink and beat their wives. Vulnerable women abandoned by their husbands and families, tricked into selling their bodies. In the midst of this, I thank God over and over and over.

Thank you God for saying - ENOUGH of this pain and suffering for good. That when the only way to conquer evil for good meant sacrificing your only Son on the cross, you were willing to do it. And Jesus, your Son, was willing to endure that for our sake. You did not desire the suffering of your only Son, the evil of the world nailed him to the cross. Thank you for your mercy God, that there are others who don't understand your love yet, who you are giving a little more time to respond to you, until you come back and we experience and live in the finality of the defeat of evil.

Thank you that you not a god that delights in the pain, suffering, and destruction of your followers, but that you are a God willing to do whatever it took to end all the evil.

Please pray that the spiritual forces at work in this place, actively trying to keep people under oppression and preventing people from understanding that there is a God that loves them, will be silenced. That people will be freed to worship him in joy and truth.

India Book and Movie Club

A Fine Balance: an official Oprah book, this beautifully and thoughtfully written book chronicles the lives of people of various backgrounds trying to survive and find meaning in the big city in India. A middle class woman, suddenly trying to support herself, finds her life entwined with the poor tailors over which she is "boss". This book heart wrenchingly highlights the vulenerabilities of the poor. P.S. Have you seen Bride and Prejudice yet? I read that it is doing very well in the U.S. theatres.

Love,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

(Click here for Eshinee's previous dispatch.)

Each week, I walk with Sunita to one of the housegroups she is leading. In the midst of her packed schedule, I treasure these 30 minutes squeezed from the day to talk with her about her faith, about leadership, and vision for ministry. What a far cry from discipleship conversations with college students over cozy mugs of coffee. Sunita and I struggle to walk side by side as we dodge speeding, honking taxis and buses on the narrow road, as well as cows, carts, kids, and piles of dung.

We have just begun our leadership training with members of the congregation, to teach them to understand scripture and to lead out in ministry in this place. The passage we are studying is about how the kingdom of God is like a man finding treasure, and a man searching for fine pearls. When they find it, joyfully they liquidate everything they have in order to gain it. I've studied this a million times as an introduction Bible study with college students, but it is coming alive for me in new ways.

There are many daily injustices and stressors here, things to get frustrated, to feel harassed and angry about. The last few days have been a water shortage, so the 5 am water filling time is full of even more screaming and day-long grumpy people to name just one.

God is exposing some pretty nasty stuff inside of me—a complaining spirit, a stubbornness and resistance to hard things. A hidden lie that difficult things happening mean that God is not looking out for me. In this passage I have been so convicted by the joyfulness with which the two men treasure their new acquisition. They do not focus on what they lost, what they had to sell. They are giddy with the deal they scored, the treasure they gained is so worth it. I am stretched to really, truly believe here both for myself and for others that the kingdom of God is that worth it—it is everything I need or want. That in the midst of whatever happens in this life from small annoyances, to major disasters, my core joy and security cannot be shaken because I still possess the only thing that matters. That although Sunita's house is crushed to rubble, she is still a deeded owner to the treasures of the God of the universe.

Please pray for Sunita's situation, that her family will find affordable, closer housing. Pray for God to use her faith in the situation to speak to others who live constantly under fear.

In addition, Sunita's Christian younger sister finally caved under intense familial pressure and abuse to marry a Hindu man a few weeks ago. It is likely they will turn up the heat on Sunita as well, even though she plans to marry a believer in the church (he currently does not have a well paying job that would allow them to marry, and it looks like they could have even more years to wait if that doesn't change).

Please pray that I will submit joyfully to the lessons God is teaching me, that he will fill me with peace, endurance, and a servant heart. Thank God for rest, renewal, and wonderful time with my friend Donna who visited for a week.

Love,
"Sigrid"

Postscript 3/5/2005:

Hi Friends,

Just wanted to send a quick note to tell you about some amazing answers.

First of all, Sunita's house is still standing!! A few days after I wrote to you, I saw a tiny article in the paper stating that there had been a local government meeting near our neighborhoods, in which there was a lot of political pressure being put on the government to actually do something more humane that just bulldozing without doing anything to help folks or give assistence to find new housing. So… for the time being we haven't heard anything more.

The other answer is that Sunita's sister, who is completely on fire in her faith, has been reading scripture with her new husband every day. He is spiritually open, and has even begun singing his own songs to Jesus in their Nepali language! She lives very far away now, but they just came together for a visit last week. He is clearly in love with his vibrant, beautiful wife. We are so thankful for the ways God has taken care of her, since many of the other forced marriages we know of here have turned out dismally. Pray for God to completely capture this man's heart, and to work through this couple powerfully.

And the third answer… Both Sunita and her sister have faced constant physical and verbal abuse from their 3 brothers in the whole marriage thing. Last week, two of Sunita's brothers in a huge about-face said that they are willing to support her and go with her for a court marriage even if the rest of the family will not agree to her marrying her chosen believing partner. So, the wheels are in motion for them to have a court marriage and small celebration in the church in the next few months. (The financial thing is still a huge concern for their long-term sustainability though.)

Thanks for joining with us in this—these are huge monumental answers, and I am convinced the result of so much concerted prayer about these things.

Love,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Far Trekking… February 2005

Just an informal update to let y'all know where we're at in the Lutheran Bible Translators adventure:

• We were accepted into LBT as of the end of January—woohoo! It's official!
• We just moved to Waxhaw, NC to continue training. I'm doing a 4 week course in program planning for vernacular media and Rob is doing a 14 week course in vernacular media, both the program planning part and the hands-on technical stuff (audio and video). As to what I'll be doing for the last 10 weeks, we're still working that out. There's talk of flying me (solo) to one of our potential assignment locations for a chance to see how we'd mesh with the national teams already in place there.
• Our first official newsletter will be coming out this month. It's passed approval and LBT hopes to print before the end of February. Most of the information it contains won't be news to most of you. It's sort of a baseline for those who may have gotten snippets of info over the years but who may have missed out on recent key developments in our lives.
• LBT is now ready for our supporters. So, any and all who are interested in being financially involved in our new ministry are officially (and gratefully) invited to do so. Here's where checks can be sent:

  In Canada:
  LBT of Canada
  Box 934
  Kitchener, Ontario
  N2G 4E3

  In the U.S.A.:
  Lutheran Bible Translators
  303 North Lake Street
  PO Box 2050
  Aurora, IL 60507-2050

  Designate (in memo line): Veith ministry

  LBT can also set up an EFT (electronic funds transfer) for automatic monthly contributions, from a bank account or a credit card (for all the airmiles collectors out there). You can set this up by contacting Rick Allmon at Rick@LBT.org or by calling 1-800-532-4253. Or you can do it online: https://www.gospelcom.net/lbt/involve/giftsec.htm - designate: "Veith ministry" in the "other preference" category (we're too fresh to have our own name in the drop-down menu yet).

Thank you so much for praying for us and encouraging us over these years as we pursued this dream. It feels like so much of what we'd hoped and prayed for is coming into view. I know we still have more training and preparation to come before we hop on a plane, kiss North America a temporary "goodbye" and start using some of our new, fun skills but at least we're finally plugged into an organization that can direct and place us where we can be happily used on this "yittle" planet. [sigh]. God is good.

Revelling with you in His blessing,

Eshinee (&, therefore, Rob) Veith

(Click here for Rob and Eshinee's previous update.)

MY OWN PRIVATE JUNGLE
On the last day of Awapum's (the south Indian god) 40 day puja festival, I opened my door very grumpy and groggy eyed (they had spent all night shouting, banging pots) to the sight of 5 half naked men stirring a HUGE waist high pot. At this point, grumpiness surrendered to hysterical laughter. As I squished myself around the pot to get out, I saw that they had also transformed the place into a jungle! Huge banana leaves and vines covered everything, including the stairs down, and they'd tied a nifty jungle rope.

About 5 hours later, what I believe was the entire South Indian population of the area showed up to eat the meal cooked. You've seen the pictures of our narrow alleyways, now picture a constant flow of 200 people in them. Crazy. Wild. And absolutely mindblowing to imagine the power of a group of people this creative, this dedicated, this devoted—to Jesus. Please pray for the release of these people to the arms of the God who created them.

TSUNAMI
I'm not sure what news coverage you're getting over there, but here the news has been full of Indian companies, government worker segments, medical workers, and individuals donating time and service to relief efforts. The other day, my 8-year-old neighbor came by collecting donations for relief along with his other classmates, from families here who live on about $2 a day. And they were giving.

"Within hours of the tsunami, Australian Prime Minister offered to send naval help to India. Manmohan Singh politely told him that India was managing just fine. Next came a dollar offer from the US—described as stingy by the UN. By the time the offer came, New Delhi had already committed a lot more than that to Sri Lanka. Later, Colin Powell called to offer to take India into the loop of donor countries, not as an Oliver Twist begging for more." – The Week, Jan 9, 2005

MUMBAI'S CHOICE BOOK AND MOVIE CLUB
Bend it Like Beckham. A very fun family movie. The story is about an Indian girl in London who struggles with a gift for playing soccer, and desire to honor the wishes of her traditional Indian family. Bride and Prejudice. This should be hitting theatres near you soon. An Indian version of Pride and Prejudice, witty and fun. Stars a former Miss World with much beauty and less acting skill, nonetheless an excellent and hilarious movie.

Please pray as my close friend Donna is coming to visit me! Marcia will be joining us for a week long break the end of January in Goa, south of Mumbai. I'm very excited to see her and to take a break!

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Thanks for those who emailed about the earthquake. I'm fine; if Mumbai sits in the northwest like Portland, Oregon, the quake hit the lower east coast, like Florida area. Please pray for all those folks, some of my friends here have family they can't get a hold of down there.

Merry Christmas! Folks here are putting sweaters on, as it is a balmy 88 degrees, and many things remind me that I'm not in Kansas, anymore, Toto. Here's the biggest festival in my neck of the woods these days.

40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS
Here's the gist of it. A long time ago, two men got together and had a baby god. (Please don't ask me to explain this, it's what I've been told) For 40 days, primarily Malayalam (south Indian) folks worship this god. They walk around barefoot, wear black clothes with sashes, eat one meal a day, no drinking, smoking, or touching women. The puja/worship goes from 8-10 pm every night and 4 am every morning. Loud drums, cymbals, chanting, and all out primal screaming in an effort to appease this strict god. Thirty to sixty people cram into the tiny sweatshop room directly diagonal from us for this.

Needless to say, we haven't been sleeping much. One morning, Marcia was drawn into intercession from 4 to 7am. She saw a vision of a huge, nasty man leering and mocking the people caught up in worship of him, laughing at his control over them and success in deception. Sometimes you can feel the evil, impurity, and oppression in the air. The other night, I found myself just crying and crying, feeling a tiny bit of God's pain of the deception of his beloved people, the spirits of darkness and blindness on the move in this place.

In the midst, I keep remembering Jesus, the baby King. The servant King, who came to bring life to the full to his beloved and chosen people. How I want people to see Him, to receive Him here.

"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did receive him. Yet to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:9-12.

SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT, ALL IS CALM.
Well, not exactly!!! To celebrate Christmas, the church here found a hall at an affordable rate (because the nearby public bathrooms stinks it up) since the normal church room is too tiny. It still wasn't enough to fit the nearly 180 folks that showed up. Imagine about a million squirrily children, folks crowded into every nook and cranny, hanging inside from the doorframes and windows. Basically the type of situation I imagine surrounding Jesus wherever he went!

The women performed two traditional Indian style dances, and the men did a fantastic drama of the gospel message. Despite a brief power outage, and what I would call constant chaos, everyone seemed to have a great time. Many neighbors, parents of the pack of Sunday school kids doing a dance presentation, and seeking members from various house groups came.

CHECK YOUR TURKEY, MADAM?
For Christmas, we found an oven to borrow, but the frozen turkey place was way across town. Jen bought the thing, then had to run a bunch of other errands. When she got to the bookstore, where they make you check in all bags, she plopped the thing on the counter, and could only manage one word, "Thanda" which means "Cold" before falling into hysterics. A very confused guard poked it, and handed her a bag check number.

Peace,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

As the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons approach, we give thanks to God for His grace in our lives and for your support of the ministry of Lutheran Bible Translators. We have sent prayer letters for over twenty years of ministry, and many of you have received every one. One dear friend actually sent us an envelope filled with all of the prayer letters she has received since the very first one in 1982. Our hearts are filled with thankfulness for the loving prayer support you have offered during those many years of ministry.

We received an interesting request recently from a missionary who served with us in Ecuador and is now located in Minneapolis. There is a large number of Quichua Indians from Cañar living in Minneapolis, and this missionary had met with some of them who expressed an interest in having the Bible to read in their own language. Copies of the New Testament in Quichua, published in 1997, were at LBT headquarters in Aurora, Ill., and several copies were mailed to them right away. Our prayer is that these people will feed on the Scripture in their own, heart language and share what they learn with others in Minneapolis. The foreign mission field has landed on our own shores, in many ways! Pray for many to be impacted by God's Word now available to them. God's Kingdom truly grows one heart at a time, and it makes no difference where in the world those people are located.

The team in Ecuador has told us that the Genesis video was shown at a recent evangelistic campaign, where many were impacted by the Gospel and by the clear message presented in the video. They continue to work on Old Testament passages in their language and send us verses to look at from time to time via the Internet. Please pray for Manuel, the project administrator, who has not written to us for a long time. We understand that his father passed away. Reinaldo continues to have a real heart for his people and for the Word, and he is filling the shoes of translator and administrator at this time.

I have plans to make a trip to Ecuador in the summer of 2005, but I have had a recent setback with my health that makes any travel tentative at this point, so I ask for your continued prayers. While on a family camping trip in late summer, I was hobbled by the same herniated disk problem that affected me last year. I had been making progress over the course of several months and I was living almost pain-free, so it was discouraging to be struck again by the same ailment. Physical therapy and chiropractic care have been helping to restore my back since this latest relapse, but it is a long process. Overseas travel can be a challenging experience, and I want to be physically capable of making the trip if indeed I am to do so. Please pray that my strength will be completely restored before I finalize plans for another trip to Ecuador.

Thanks be to God for all of his riches given to us through Christ! No matter what circumstances life may send our way, whether in pain or in health, may we learn to have hearts full of thankfulness, through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. May God bless and keep you in his care.

In Christ,

Dale and Lillian, Maia, Angela, Sonia and Gloria Nesse

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving crept up on our team this year… seems like there are so many festivals always happening here, and with the heat, Thanksgiving has an otherworldly feel.

We just finished Diwali, the festival of lights aka excuse for 5-50 year old boys to set off firecrackers for a week straight from morning until late, late, late night. The completion of the 40 day Ramadan fast with Id celebration also just passed. Now another 40 day festival to a South Indian god is going on, I'll tell you more about that next time. At any rate, since all these festivals run 9-40 days long, you can see why our little ol' Thanksgiving felt a little puny and insignificant in comparison! And maybe I'm a little ready for it to be non-celebration which means non-noise time!

Rost-afarrian Turkey?!?!

So… since we don't have an oven, and turkey is very hard to find, my team found a restaurant that serves "Rost Chicken" and mashed potatoes. I was very glad to find that this was plain old roast chicken, and not in fact stuffed with weed.

We then played cards, ate "apple pie" that was some strange mixture of fake fruit and raisins, chilled out, and shared the many, many things we are thankful for, giving Marcia her first, albeit a slightly bizarre introduction to Thanksgiving.

My partially blind friend

Will you please pray for my friend "Priya". As she was coming to the computer training school the church started here in the hood, (which we are teaching English in), she also started coming to church and dedicated her life to Jesus! She has been growing quickly and is a very fun and sassy 19 year old. Her mother is also starting to follow, and they've just begun to host a house group at her place.

Every year at this time in the past she took part in a fasting festival dedicated to a regional god. This year she prayed and declared that she belongs to Jesus, and she renounces her participation in these festivals.

Right in this time, she has become blind in one eye, and 3 seperate doctors confirm that she needs a 5,000 rupee eye surgery, with a 3-day hospital stay and 2-month recovery. This is a huge financial hardship as she just recently found a job for 2,000 rupees a month and there are many other unemployed family members who've often been going hungry lately.

It is very possible this is a spiritual attack, and even if not, I'm praying that God will stretch my faith to believe in her healing, and that we will see His glory through this. So please pray with me.

Thanks friends,
"Sigrid"

P.S. Two BIG things I forgot to write!

ANSWERED PRAYER FOR RETREAT

Had a blast at the retreat I mentioned we were off too. God did huge, huge things in the heart of the pastor's wife and I've heard folks here talk about a change that has happened in her. The retreat was about forgiveness and identifying ungodly beliefs that we have, and receiving pry for these things. each of us had significant homework to do, identifying situations in our lives where we began to take in these beliefs, and to find scripture that corresponds to actual truth.

I won't go into details, right after we came back there was an incident that made it clear that Satan is angry about the potential freedom God wants to bring in the pastor's life. God brought some breakthrough reconciliation in some hurtful things that were happening. I heard some significant things too, and realized that I'd begun to take in some ungodly beliefs in the midst of cultural and personal space stress of the first months, and I'm still praying with God through those but so encouraged by God's perseverance to make us whole.

NEW BABY!!!!!!

My friend Sheryl is coming to Mumbai for the adoption of a beautiful Indian baby girl this Tuesday! I will travel with her and her family members about 4 hours out of Mumbai to go to the orphanage. She'll just be in Mumbai for a few days, then off to finish paperwork in another part of India. Pray for our travels on the road and the significant transition for this wonderful, miraculous answer-to-prayer baby.

Love,
"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Dear friends,

I'm doing well! We had a great time with our SP supervisor Will as he came for a short visit at the end of October, and realized we are at a key juncture in our time here and in need of prayer from all of you folks. Here are some specifics:

HOUSE GROUPS
There are two women who serve as paid staff for the church, and their roles include community AIDS education, co-leading services, community and church member visits, daily intercession, and prison min. Right now these women also lead about 3 seperate house groups each, to which Jen, Mini, and I also go.

In the same week that our team decided to focus our energy on training and empowering these women as well as other leaders from the church to lead house groups, one of these women minsters,"Saritha" had a major ministry insight in which she realized that she is called to raise up leaders. (Up until now her perception was limited to just doing all the ministry, versus looking to train up leaders to multiply the ministry) A few weeks ago, one of her house group members, "Mary", asked to be able to help lead the teaching, and she is investing in her relationally and in ministry training in order for her to someday take over.

MEN'S BIBLE STUDY
As well, starting next week Dave and Jason will start leading a men's bible study with the core male leaders in the church and the pastor. Their dual goals are to train the men to study and teach scripture, and to begin sowing the vision for community organizing (a way of applying the gospel by identifiying the needs closest to the hearts of the people within the community, and mobilizing the people to bring change in it). The women hope to begin a similar bible study soon as well.

PASTOR PARTNERSHIP
The pastor has extended huge trust to us as we meet with his core leaders every two weeks, and has asked us to spend time with them to disciple and influence.

However, there are significant arenas where we have different ideas about things. The pastor is very much a man of action, and through his influence a wave of head start preschools are influencing children in the area. He is transforming the jail system as he has brought computer training in as well as weekly services. When I asked Saritha how often they talk together as leaders about their vision, goals, or purpose though, she replied "Never." Finally I was understanding some of the pastor's impatience when we try to have anything over a 10-minute conversation with him. I don't think reflection is much part of his personality, and I think in this context it is seen as a luxury.

Just as we're seeing some of the pieces and seeds coming together for a church planting movement having an impact on poor communities, we are very aware that at any time because of this pastors unique strengths and weaknesses, he could become threatened or impatient, and because of his influence and authority could easily tube the things that we are seeing grow.

KEY PRAYER REQUESTS
So please pray about all the dynamics that could thwart the work here, especially our relationship with this pastor, his wife, and their adopted daughter.

Pray that we and all of the believers here, will choose faith over fear as we ask God to do things we've never seen or participated in before.

Pray for our already deepening relationships with the leaders here. "Saritha" and "Sita", late 20-somethings, are my good friends. I love my time with them, and "Saritha" especially I am noticing has tremendous potential for influence in this place.

Pray for our Hindi! There are a million conversations that I'd love to have with people here! Many people can understand some English, and we are able to communicate that way and through some translation, but our goal is to fully communicate in the language of the people here.

Our team and the pastor's family are off to a retreat tomorrow for 4 days. Pray for significant times with them, spiritual refreshment, and to us to soak in truth.

Love, "Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Dear friends,

Many of you have mentioned wanting to catch a glimpse of life here. We are not taking photos in the neighborhood to avoid creating an unhelpful tourist dynamic, but i've borrowed a few and snuck some in the dead of night. I'll send a link through ofoto soon so you can take a look! ******very important. please do not forward my emails or the picture link without contacting me first. thanks!

POP QUIZ

If you find yourself in a "SALOON" in India, what has happened?
A) You are hanging out with the local underworld.
B) You are getting your hair styled or beard shaved.
C) You're visiting Mumbai's version of an American wild west bar.
D) You're buying crayons.
(Anwer to quiz below.)

WHO ARE MY NEIGHBORS?

Folks here work hard. The average work day here spans from 7 am to 10 pm, with dinner around 11 pm. People commonly work 6-7 days a week. The afternoon heat hours are a siesta for those with the ability to stop working during that time.

The water here runs from late at night to morning, so starting at 5 am women fill the narrow walkway in front of my house where they wash dishes, beat the laundry with sticks on the ground to wash, and fill the day's water into canisters. I often have to dodge soaped up men taking their baths in this all purpose space as well. Two small-scale sweatshops packed with men fill my alleyway with the rattle of sewing machines all day long.

Many of my neighbors are maids, laborers, call center operators, tailors, small store or roadside vendors, office clerks, security guards, "dancers", taxi drivers, factory workers. My friend Priti works as a receptionist at a law firm, earning 1,600 rupees, about $40 a month. Normal wages in my area range from 1000-4000R/month, $25-$100. Rent alone runs about 1000R/month for one small room in the slum, and school is not free for children. Many women take on work beyond the labor intensive house chores.

Children often help out the family as well. While my neighbor Laxmi who has TB spends every waking moment tying 1 cent strands of flowers, her 8 year-old niece Sara often takes over vending at the family stand. Laxmi's gorgeous baby is always smiling, unless they've run out money for milk, which happens at least once a week, then he just cries and cries. On my corner, an extremely fastidious and skilled 7-year old boy sitting on a burlap sack with a few scattered tools, tends to the constantly falling apart shoes of the neighborhood.

Twenty five years ago our neighborhood started as a squatter shantytown, with shacks of tin roof and cardboard. Over time folks were able to build on, so most structures now are two stories tall. In terms of our neighborhood, my place is in the middle to upper level, since we have our own indoor toilet (many use the public restroom) and a water tank and water pump. Some homes have upgraded to tile on the walls and floors to combat the perpetual decay of the muggy climate. (We painted our walls, but now 4 months later the mold and water seeping through the low quality concrete makes it look about 50 years old). Most popular wall colors here, for those who can afford paint, are hot pink and robin's egg blue. In the two rooms and kitchen area we 3 women share, usually there would be 2 families, about 7 people to a room.

Because of how narrowly packed the houses are, no sunlight gets into the our place, so for 24 hours a day it's either flourescent light or darkness. Jason's room is just down the alley, closer to the light but about 50 yards from the gulley and its odors, a uncovered stream of sorts filled with garbage and sewage.

Often it is overwhelming for my heart to witness such brokenness and pain each day. In the midst of this, I've met some absolutely incredible folks here who've endured hardships that take my breath away and have taught me about the peace only Jesus can bring in the storm. Time and time again, I've experienced lavish hospitality from those least able to give it, blowing away my picture of generosity. Please pray for God's light to shine in all of the dark places in this neighborhood, and the neighborhoods across the city. Please pray for God to multiply believers and workers like S and S, my friends who are lit up from within with joy as they minister, pray, preach.

Anwer to pop quiz: You are at a barbershop or hair cutting salon!! Everytime I see these signs, I peek in expecting to see some wild party, but usually nothing more deviant than housewives getting an eyebrow wax is happening.

Talk to you soon!

—"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Dear friends,

Saved Through the Fiery Furnace

I praise God that I can even right this letter to you now! Last week, Jen and I went to bed, closing off the entrance to the small upstairs loft with a big board- our rat guard. In the morning, Jen smelled a funny smell, but thought it was the new garlic she had bought. Just as she was wandering into the kitchen pondering what to cook for breakfast, the neighbors pounded frantically on the door, as they were smelling gas. Somehow, our manually-lighting gas stove, unlit, had been running all night long.

To this day, we still can't figure out how it got to the on position, since it always has a noticeable blue flame when lit for use. I kept thinking of my conversation with the landlord, who declared that his god was "protecting the happenings of the place." All I could think afterwards, was that Lord Jesus is truly the Protector of the Happenings of our Place. If you have seen the random assortment of creative wiring in our place, the chance of any spark or light, or Jen lighting the stove, turning us into tandoori BBQ Jen and "Sigrid"- well, anyway. Each day here, I praise God for another day of protection and life in the midst of so many hazards. I don't feel ready to leave the world just yet, especially has God is filling me with so much hope and vision for this city.

"I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer-
For who is God except the Lord?
And who is rock besides our God?" – Psalm 18:2,31

Language Blunders

Yes, I can finally say that I've driven middle aged men to almost literally roll on the ground with laughter. One shopkeeper, I accidentally asked "Where is your husband?." To another man, I was trying to say, "He wants the fan," but instead managed to say something that either meant "He wants to be a ragpicker", or "He's ready for a fight."

The REAL Monsoon

I'm sorry, did I tell you it was monsoon-y last time? Apparently, we were experiencing low rainfall in late June-July. So August decided to make up for it! After wading through knee high water (not thinking about what was in it) I decided not to venture into the waist high water near the train station- grabbed a taxi which I can say is my first "boat ride" in Mumbai. Kind of like Disneyland's Jungle cruise, but not! It's gotten a bit dreary with the downpair every day all day, for weeks straight plus high humidity, really demotivates you to go out anywhere when you get instantly soaked and mudded up. Please pray for the families of folks killed by the flooding here in the city, and especially in other parts of the country.

Praises

• Lice is gone!
• We had a good team time revisiting our 6 month - 2 year goals and hopes in terms of community organizing and foundations for chch planting here. We're having a great time building trust and investing time with a group of mostly young leaders in the chch, as well as relationships in the greater community; at the beginning end of identifying folks hungry and open for change in the neighborhood.

Prayer Requests

• For God to protect against communication misunderstandings between us and neighbors and believers here.
• The search for a new place for Dave and Mini nearby, since Marcia is arriving in a few weeks.
• Continue to pray for our team relationships, ability to love one another in the midst of stress.
• I'm about a month into an ongoing throat infection, which included two separate waves of fever. Although I've finished two series of antibiotics, it's still pretty red. Pray for my growing relationship with the young woman doctor who has taken over the family practice in the neighborhood.

I'll tell you this much- life is not boring. I'm definitely feeling less overwhelmed by the initial adjustment to life here and settling a bit into "normal" patterns. Thank you for all the prayers!

—"Sigrid"

(Click here for "Sigrid's" previous dispatch.)

Dear friends in Christ,

Here are a few pictures from our summer. Thanks for your support of our ministry Eritrea. Things are going well for our family. Thank you for your prayers for us — they support and "hold us together" so that we are able to serve and glorify God in this wonderful place.

Berhane continues to serve the Evangelical Church of Eritrea working with the Sunday school program and young adult ministries.

Caroline finished up her coursework with Prescott College's distance program and took her teacher certification exams in Minnesota this summer.

Ruth (age 12) was the only girl in 6th grade and is praying for some friends in 7th grade to come along.

Peter's (age 11) favorite pass time continues to be reading. He plans to be a baseball player one day, then own a pizza restaurant and eventually be president — I think in that order.

Anna (age 8 3/4) enjoys just about everything — from ballet to soccer to math. She has lots of friends at school and once homework is done usually dashes down the street on her bike to find some great adventure.

Thank you again for your financial and prayer support of our ministry. It seems the longer we live overseas the more we are aware of our total dependence on Jesus Christ for our ability to touch lives for Him. We appreciate and depend on your partnership with us.

In His Peace,

Berhane and Caroline Elias
Ruth, Peter and Anna

July 1, 2004

Dear friends,

Things are going well, here and I survived the hot season. The monsoons are here! I must say, even living in Seattle for 25 years did not prepare me for the true meaning of a "downpour"! In the first week of June, the rains came, turning the road near our house into a mud-wrestlers dream. Well, maybe not exactly a dream, considering the quantity of wild dogs, cows, and ox-driven carts that share the road with people each day. Seeing kids dancing in the rain, even taking full-on baths with soap in the rain, I was thinking if there was an image that could show the word joy, I think this might just be one of them. Alas, the shoes I purchased that were "guaranteed" waterproof have started to disintegrate in the water, so right now I'm going the plastic flip flop route. Dave and Mini woke up the other day with it raining inside their place, and when someone came to fix it, a blue tarp was insstalled which we're hoping will do the trick! So far so good...

With the rains, it has significantly cooled down here. With the conclusion of Indian summer, school children have returned to their classes, so the streets at certain times of the day are a parade of various school uniforms. My favorite is a two-toned blue Indian styled one, and the girls wear pigtail braids and sassy red ribbons.

LANGUAGE

We completed our language material training, which was excellent, but we've still had trouble finding or keeping language partners to help us for a few hours a day to learn Hindi. Please pray for our search and our learning.

NANCY DREW AND THE MYSTERY OF THE...

I often feel like Nancy Drew as a new adventure unfolds and I find a missing clue to understanding!

The Disembodied Hand: The other night, while I was in the "bathroom", three fat fingers came at me through the grating in the window, scaring me out of my mind. Since the rats are large, in charge, completely fearless, and often chattering away back there in the alley, I'd been eyeing the large crack there for days, wondering when one would try to climb in. Yesterday, I went to check out what was back there, since it is a very narrow dead end alleyway, and through stilted Hindi and pantomime, figured out that my neighbors back there had been doing something with laundry and reached onto the grate for balance.

The Broken Jug: When we moved in, we had asked our landlords son to take away a picture of Ganesh, the elephant looking god, from our porch as well as a large broken jug. The other day when my landlord came, I asked him to take these items. He got pretty adamant, telling me that Ganesh is a living god and he protects the happenings of the place. Later I thought of several ways to respond, but as it was he rushed off leaving them both.

Clearly, people here have a strong sense of spirituality, and we had run right into a clash of values. That night, reading in my handy pocket hindi conversation guide, I discovered that folks will often leave old, dirty, or broken objects in front of their houses to ward off the evil eye. Since this jug is broken, old, and probably the ugliest mustard colored jug I've laid my eyes on, it all made sense.

Spiritual beliefs here are strong! People know that spiritual reality is all around, and are not afraid to do whatever it takes to receive good health, protection, or good jobs through seeking the aid of any kind of spiritual being. Please pray as our home has been continually dedicated to other gods by our landlord's family, for God's spirit to take authority in it.

LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

My neighbors across the way just finished marrying off their daughter. Several evenings, bunches of women gathered outside to serenade and sing to her. Such fun! It had been a flurry of preparations. The normal 6 people who lived in two small rooms swelled as out-of-town family arrived. Since most normal day-to-day operations are conducted at a shouting decibel anyway, things really amped up. The normal family conflicts that can occur for weddings across the globe happened here too, but in the walkway right outside my door, always with screaming—and sometimes with fists. It is truly life in a fishbowl here. Saritha, beautiful in her red sari and mendhi/henna designs covering her arms was gathered from her home to the music of drums, and is now the wife of a roadside panni puri maker (type of spicy oil filled snack).

INDIA CHOICE BOOK AND MOVIE CLUB

This very fun movie gives great insight into family dynamics and the celebrative culture here: Monsoon Wedding. The start is a little slow, and I'd recommend being at least teenage due to some heavier things thrown in with the joyful parts.

THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED IN EACH CULTURE

In my time here, so many women absolutely love and comment when I wear traditional Indian clothes, flowers in my hair, bangles, or mendhi (a beautiful intricate hand or body art using dark red dye). "You're like an Indian!" I've often heard. It really is a significant point of connection and is communicating respect and love for the culture. However, we've discovered that there are some distinct rules which have emerged in the church here about what believers do or don't do... wear anklets with bells, wear bindhi (the red dot or sparkly decorations on the forehead), wear nose rings, etc.

We really feel called to respect and draw attention to the distinct way that God wants Indian people to follow Him as Indians, not just carbon copies of the western church. My first instinct with the rules I see, is to say, this is ridiculous! There's no reason why believers cannot wear nose rings or anklets! Every Indian thing is not necessarily tied directly to worship of Hindu gods! And then to run out and buy every "offensive" item to prove my point. However, since that would neither be mature or respectful to the church folks who've lived here for a long time, our team has been studying the scriptures together to really understand what God is saying in these matters.

I don't believe the heart of this nation will be reached unless people know they can be FULLY Indian and FULLY followers of Jesus. The sticky question is, what does that mean, exactly. What must be surrendered in order to have an undivided heart, not given in any way to former gods, and what things are not distinctly Hindu, but are part of the unique culture that God created for Indians to bless the rest of the nations with.

I'm not sure if most western believers realize that long, long, ago, believers sought God's discernment in similar decisions. For many common customs of today, believers at another time in history had to discern what was irrevocably pagan, and what could with integrity continue in a redeemed format with Christian interpretation to point out God's truth. Bridesmaids as well as the bride's veil were originally to divert the evil eye; throwing rice was to ensure fertility. The Christmas tree was a pagan symbol in nature worship, and Easter eggs were originally for fertility, but today these things point to the truth of the new life that Christ brings. It would be painful, and arguably unnecessary to demand that all believers immediately throw out their Christmas trees, break those Easter eggs, and cut out many customs that are today included in a "Christian" wedding.

Please pray for God to speak to us, to speak to the Indian believers and for our conversations with them in discerning the meaning of idolatry, and the meaning and function of objects. We don't want to make decisions out of assumptions or worldly knowledge, or even what we think scripture is saying, but what it truly says and God confirms.

HEALTH

Praise God I've not been sick at all, you must be praying! Unfortunately, both Dave and Mini have been. Dave for almost the first 2 weeks, and now again with respiratory problems, and Mini just finished a vile food poisoning type spell. So maybe you can shift your prayer efforts for a bit to them! Thanks!

Peace to you!

—"Sigrid"