We sent out an email today to everyone in our email family. It shares our heart for those that have never heard of Jesus in India and the details about our remaining budget amount needed to get there. If you did not receive this email, and you would like too, just post a comment with your email address and we will add you to our email family. We won't actually make the comment public, because we don't want the whole world to have your email!!
Among those in India that have never heard of Jesus (even one time) there are over 575,000 girls that have been sold into forced prostitution. We know that we serve a God that can break them free from this life of torment!
If you would like to read more about the plight of these girls, a great book to read is "SOLD" by Patricia McCormick. You can find it at Barnes & Noble (or bn.com).
There are many needs here in the U.S. and around the world. As each of us does what God has asked us to do, the needs will be met. It's amazing how each part really does make up the whole!
We are His hands and feet, we are to be about His work here on earth. We must continue to be laborers and reach those that do not know Him. May all of us have increased opportunities to share the hope of Jesus and make a difference in someone's life!
I am so thankful that many decades ago, my great-grandpa gave his heart to Jesus, so that I didn't have to live a day without knowing about His grace that is available to me.
There are so many that do not know this and that have never even had one opportunity to be told.
I cannot even begin to understand what it would be like to live without any understanding that I am here on earth for a greater purpose and this is not all there is. That there is a God who loves me for who I am and I don't have to continue to try to work at my salvation. I am not going to show up "empty-handed" in heaven, I am certainly going to do my part of the "work" - but that's not the Good News. The Good News says that He has done the work on our behalf and we are saved from a life of condemnation and bondage. He has already died for us so that we can live!
That is very Good News to share!
5 comments:
Dear Missionaries to India, :)
First I have to say that I am so happy to be partnered with you in some small way. My heart wishes that I could actually go with you to India. I am so excited about the work that God is going to do through you there!!
I love your blog! And I love that you actually post on it often. It is very fun to come and read about your journey each day. :)
We often think of missionaries only as those that go to other countries to share the gospel, but we are reminded that each of us are called to be missionaries right where we are. Well, I was thinking....sometimes it's hard to know how best to reach out to those around you. And I was wondering, what kinds of things do you, as missionaries to India, plan on doing to reach out to those in India once you get there? Perhaps those of us staying here in the US could learn some ideas from you on how to better reach out to those in our communities. Just an idea. Let me know what you think! :)
God bless you!!!!
Your partner in reaching India,
Malorie
Oh, MTI (ha ha, that stands for "Missionaries To India," do you like it?), :)
I forgot to say, thanks for the card you sent me!!!
Good Post! (and good job w/the pics!)
Andrea
Malorie - Yes, MTI is great! We will have to use that so that we don't use the "M" word, that is the best yet! So, everyone - MTI from now on! ;-) And, the card is the least we could do ...
As far as reaching out while we are in India ... the best thing I can use to explain it is a quote from a book. This might get long, but at least my thoughts will be complete!
In Condelezza Rice's book, Steel Magnolia, a time in her life is explained when her mom and dad were "priming" her for when there would not be segregation. She grew up in Alabama where segregation ran deep. Well, that time finally came and segregation ended. Condi (yes, we are on 1st name basis .. ha ha) went to a great university and one day a professor spoke against African Americans. Of course, Condi could not let that go and so she stood up and defended herself. She ended with a statement that said, "I know your culture (Caucasian) better than you do. I know Bach, I know why you do what you do and where it came from. There's nothing I don't know about your culture, but there is obviously plenty you don't know about mine or care to find out."
This spoke volumes to me. We have to know their culture better than they do. Is that a huge learning curve? YES! But wow how exciting it will be when I realize I know this stuff at some level.
I say all of this to say we have to "walk across the room" and get into someone's culture, into their life. It's really no different here or in India or anywhere else in the world. When someone sincerely cares about us, it shows, right? When we sincerely care about others, they know, and when they connect the dots and realize that we have this heart full of love for them because Jesus does too, that "says" more to them than words can even say.
I am sure you were wanting a more spectacular answer than that, but that's where we are at. For us, it's just that basic - people matter to God and so they matter to us. We can show that by getting in their lives (however they do it) and be an example of how God would want us to live our lives. We don't do everything they do b/c that wouldn't be God's best for us, but we can certainly "wear a sari" or whatever the equates to in their situation. kwim? Hope this made some kind of sense - I told you it would be long! ;-)
Thanks Andrea! I spend waaayyyy to much time trying to find the 'right' one, but it's fun. Thanks to you!
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