Banners of Hope

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now rather,

we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.

For the things we see now will soon be gone,

but the things we cannot see

will last forever."

2 Cor. 4:18

We brought 8 long pieces of wood, and 8 shorter pieces of bamboo along with 4 big banners on the metal frame. The banners were about the hope of our Creator. We spent Friday the 16th driving around the country-side hanging up the banners for the conference coming up. We would drive out to remote parts into the middle of a town and dig two holes- put together the frame of the billboard with the two long poles, and the two shorter bamboo sticks horizontal to create a big frame for the banner to go on- then set it up. We traveled from place to place, and by the second banner, we we're loosened up and were laughing with the crew. I think the only people i saw laugh the whole day were the guys on our crew. And considering how dark and hopeless the land felt, i can see why.

Hanging up these banners was an invitation to all to come to this huge tent meeting to hear about hope for every day and eternity. It was our Creator's invitation. Probably because there were three white guys working, but people came from all over to see what we were doing. And even if that is their reason, i am okay with it, because they get to hear and see what we're about.

As we drove in this big van with a group of 6 or so IREF guys, listening to Indian music about the Almighty, it became apparent to me; we were making a statement. In a place where it is hot or cold, it was making a statement to put up these banners and play this music. It meant something to them, because the message we live wasn't twisted or tainted or jaded in anyway. Of course it may be upsetting that the poor and needy are lifted up and cared for in the caste system, but it is powerful.

As we pulled over on the side of the road, the three of us were confused as normal. As Christian put it, "there is something always going on that we aren't aware of -- something that we're missing." They motioned that they were getting something to drink. They crossed the road to a well, and met a group of people drawing water from it. We couldn't help but think of when the Son meets the Samaritan woman at the well. The people that were already there were getting water needed for their survival. They have to go back everyday, but it never really quenches their thirst. In contrast, the IREF guys went to get water, but they had living water. And we have this living water to offer everyone, whether we are at the well or not.

We travel on and this battle, not of flesh and blood but of the rulers and authorities of the unseen world becomes more and more real. The beautiful message and truth about how much our Maker actually loves us, and isn't transcendent but real, alive and here ready for a relationship with us. That this message and basis is a relationship of love, like a marriage. These other practices may require strong discipline, have structure that comforts people, and idols we can see with our eyes. But, just riding in this van putting up these signs was a mark of freedom. It felt like there was light coming out! It was this open ticket, asking people to just come and be. To listen. Hope. To see if there really is a relationship we can have with Him -- that we can encounter Him. And sure it seems pretty outlandish, but we could be right...

"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now' rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

(2 Cor. 4:16-18)

Off the Train, Into the Crowd

Fundanalu !

(thank you)

Our first experience in India entailed meeting a team from a seminary working with IREF. They had just finished their stay and we met up with them at the YWCA we stayed at as they we leaving and we were going. We hopped right into relationship with them! It was so amazing to see how our Maker planted them right in front of us to learn and see Him in them starting off this time in India. As we had dinner with this group of 8 or so, we broke into smaller discussions. The Almighty drove all this in directions He wanted. We don't know the significance of this encounter with the team, but we sure are happy we met them. We have decided that we love to meet other missionaries and learn from them. Our few hour hang out time ended with a guy named tony lifting us up to the Almighty for our time in India. This guy also has possible hook-ups for Andrew in Belmont, and me (evan) with bible college. He also asked Him when my luggage would show up.

So we got in a tight van, went to the train station and prepared for a 4 hour long train ride to Repalle from Chennai (formerly Madras). As we entered the train i cannot even find the words to describe this. If I had the camera at the specific moment i would have followed on what Steve Leigh said prior to departure, "If you want to remember something or want to describe something to someone- TAKE A PICTURE!" We entered into a wobbling train half-filled with sleeping Indians, trying to find sleeper bunks. This was one time i was glad i didn't have a back pack. We crammed in tight in separate bunks about the size of coffins throughout this one train car. Shortly after getting comfortable and some asleep- an employee asked me for my ticket. Discombobulated and exhausted, I answered with, "check another bunk with a man who has my ticket." There were probably 50 people or so in this train car, and i had no idea where they were sleeping because we were spread apart. So the man named Michael who had picked us up and was taking care of our transportation apparently handled it all. Because he walked away after my response.

We got to this place here, IREF. It is a beautiful complex. To see what has been done is amazing. We we're greeted with breakfast and a warm welcome by an american professor from the seminary team we met earlier named Greg Carlson. He was staying later to finish the youth conference. We sat down with Dee and Emmanuel Rebba and it was so great just to be with these wise people.

We hopped right into it!!! We were escorted to the youth conference across the street IREF was holding similar to Dare 2 Share. We had no idea what we were in for. We entered this huge tent holding 5,000 children. As we were the last ones in- all 10,000 eyes stared at us as we walked to the front. We had the pleasure and opportunity to share our trip testimony, play music and I got to give my own testimony. We listened to the beautiful Indian worship music that is indescribable. With the sitar and unique drums and synthesizers we had that impacting moment of, "we are definitely in India." We finished out listening to testimonies of some children (ages 7-23ish) about what had happened with them in their walk with the Father during the conference.

The second day (which was the last day of the conference) was very unique. After ending we served water for the kids eating, then commenced in a raving mad game of destructo-ball. We ran around with a violent group of a few hundred boys kicking, punching, heading and spiking this soccer ball. Interesting though- the children (most of them) weren't very interested in the game or anything but relationship. They would run up repeatedly asking "what's your name? how are you?" but it never was hackneyed. They would just crowd around you (20-40 of them) holding your arms and hands asking these questions and other things in Telegu. But this hour long event held a few foot-races, tag, hand stands, volley ball (red-rover style) basket ball. Real quick, (and i don't know how i am going to do a good job explaining this) but as we were playing basketball i ran up to one of the older ones who was very aggressive in his style of playing. I ran up shuffling my feet waving my arms- very uncoordinated and loony. His reaction was kinda one of those "you had to have been there kinda things." He hunched over and tried to nearly go through my legs. Enough said.

We are looking forward to the upcoming tent meetings where 15,000 people come and hear about the Almighty. We are also excited about the future interaction of deeper relationship with the guys. India is hot or cold. It is an oppressed place- and few have found the hope that our Creator has given us as a gift. We are looking forward to learning from and serving our brothers and sister and loving the cold as best we can in this month.

Welcomed to India

This welcome banner was hung over the streets for V-Team's arrival.

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Out of Africa

One last experience. Holy Tolito!!!! One last experience i got to have was with Jacob and Philip when we went to do an AIDS outreach. This one last time of ministry together was very good. It was upbeat and blissful. On this last outreach that lasted 24 hours I got to know Philip and Jacob more as we endured the windy, bumpy and dangerous roads- trying to concentrate on talking and not the instability of the vehicle. The Almighty does something amazing when we're just together. You know- we just hang out. We will be waiting outside of a store for the other leaders to come retrieve us, and we begin joking with Philip. Then we all laugh and talk and people wonder what gives us joy. People want to know why muzugu's can kick back on the ground with the African's and laugh. But the next day was departure day. So as we kept it in mind we spent the night eating "samosa's" which is a really great African dish. It is basically fried bread with minced beef inside. We spent that last night staying up and telling stories. The good-bye was tough yesterday but wholesome. We know that It was His plan for us three to leave for India on Sunday.

January 11th, 2009 at 4:20 p.m. As we left we definitely felt that deep sadness. Our longing to continue being together. When you have those people in your life that just make you laugh and you laugh with them, you don't ever want to leave them! The way Philip lived his life - his fire and living in the moment attitude was something we have taken from him. A real quick story that impacted my life about Philip was one night we went to Philip's house. Out of no where he invited us over to his house to meet his family. There we were treated like his real family. We sat down as he served us an Indian ice cream with frosted flakes over it. We watched the second half of Johnny English enduring the scratches and skips. Philip was so content to be able to serve us in this way- to bring us into his home and love us. I loved this about Philip. Countless times Philip did things like this to serve us and try to make us feel comfortable. We became great friends with our room mates. We became good friends with Hanifa and Betty our hostesses. But we knew that fateful day had to come when we would fly to India. After a good bye and a long sit in the Entebbe air port, we realized we really were "pamoja-pamoja." This means "one" or "unity." This was our thing since it was us four and jacob now. We we're all pamoja-pamoja working for our Father, helping each other to become those people He wanted us to be. "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17. This was a great time of accountability; and opening up our lives and hearts and problems and struggles and what we felt He was doing around us. Real close relationships were being built. But time came. At 4:20 p.m. we departed Entebbe, Uganda for Dubai (our connecting flight to Chennai, India). We met a guy from Boulder in that air port which was bizzarre.

As we checked our luggage Christian remembered one of our room mates saying, "Ya'll haven't lost a bag yet? man ya'll are lucky!" And as i kissed my bag goodbye i started thinking if this one would be it. What would by my reaction if all of my backpack and goods in it were gone? And i realized how possible that was. I prayed the prayer, "If it is your will God... then may it be..." Keep that in mind. We take a few long flights- a first pit-stop in Ethiopia, then our connecting flight in Dubai. We arrived sometime (what they called morning-yes the a.m. but in the middle of the night).

Both flights were amazing, because the seats had tvs in them! And they had multi-player games so Andrew and I played battleship, pong, checkers, chess and WARZONE! A WHOLE LOT! I even called Andrew and Christian from my seat right next to them from the phone in the seat in front of me. One of my favorite games is to push the steward button when Andrew or Christian are not looking. We got into India this morning exhausted. We pulled the all-nighter, because there was NO sleeping on these flights due to multiple infants that were not so happy to be traveling at that hour. So we go through customs as usual and come to the luggage carousel. All four pieces of luggage show up (Christian and Andrews back packs and guitars = 4/5) And right as the belt stopped and all the luggage was present -- except my back pack. I began to laugh because i called to mind those thoughts of surrender of my luggage. So after filling out forms and such (the lost luggage is expected to arrive at our residence here in India within a week or so but i don't know how that will work just because of the communication factor) in a whirlwind we leave the airport to the next gauntlet. We travel through the tunnel of staring faces and shouts of "Taxi!" And our thoughts are- "Alright! here we go!" Having no idea who is picking us up but assured someone is going to be there with a sign. After meeting Michael from IREF we hop on a taxi and travel to a YWCA for a bit. We are going to get some lunch then catch a train to Repalle. Who knows what this adventure is going to hold? We are thrilled to see whatever the One who sent us has! And whether or not i will see my "house" again? I DON'T KNOW- BUT ITS SUCH AN ADVENTURE AND WE KNOW WE ARE WALKING RIGHT IN OUR FATHER'S PATH FOR US. HOW CAN WE FAIL? So we move forward into the cafeteria to eat our first real meal, then Repalle.

So yes, we are safe, alive, tired, well- and 4/5 luggage is alive and well too. This experience was great for us. Traveling went well- we were given good health and strength. The strength was provided for every moment.

Thank you for support. And take comfort in the fact that our Father has His hand over us, and we are resting right in this midst of His love like little blind and helpless sheep in India today.

Its About TIME!!!

Sorry for the long delay, but we have recently found high speed internet here in India. We can now upload videos to the blog again! Thank you for bearing with us and understanding that internet around the world isn't like internet in the states! We will be uploading as often as possible. Thank you again

The boys

Second-Hand News

This news from India comes second hand.

Andrew's grandparents, Art and Joann Gay, keep in close contact with their friends at IREF -- VTeam's current host ministry. Through their phone calls with Dee and Emmanuel Reba, we receive this news about Evan, Christian, and Andrew, and their work with India Rural Evangelical Fellowship..

(Images -- Left: IREF School Boys Below : IREF Evangelist. Below Left: Small example of crowd).

IREF One-on-One. According to their website, the central and most vital ministry of IREF is spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They make a mission of spreading the gospel to those who have never heard the "Good News". Over 200 sponsored Evangelists and Bible Ladies travel by by bicycle or foot to the remote villages around Repelle tell people the life-changing story or Jesus. Telegu Bibles are distributed and villagers are invited to further investigate by attending open air evangelistic and ultimately plant churches. But, twice a year, they speak the Gospel on an enourmous scale...

IREF and the MULTITUDES. This organization hosts two huge annual Evangelistic, or Revival-type, public events; one, for youth; and one, for adults.

V-Team arrived just in time to catch the last days of the 2009 Youth Event. Over 5,ooo teens were in attendance. Immediately after they arrived in Repalle, Christian and Andrew led worship, and Evan gave his testimony for the mass of young Indians. They also briefly crossed paths and spent a little time with an American support team for the Youth Event, from Trinity Seminary, in Deerfield, IL.

Since then, a new team has arrived at the compound, from Michigan. Approximately 15 people make up this team of Medical and Pastoral personnel. They will be serving the people of AndraPradesh, and aiding with the upcoming Adult Revival Event. This event has formerly been held on public land in the rural town, and has had 25 to 30 thousand people in attendance. However, this year, there has been Hindu opposition to public Christian meetings. So, the big event will meet on private grounds and expects a "smaller crowd" of around, 15 to 20,000 people.

The Event. People walk miles and miles from surrounding areas to get to this annual event, and they arrive en masse. The Team has been doing whatever is necessary to get things ready. For the past few days, Christian, Andrew, and Evan have been working to set up the massive facility area for the Revival crowds. Apparently most of their work hours have been spent moving bricks, building platforms, and setting up chairs.

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And, this just in ... from an email to IREF Board Members:

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"All members of the USA team arrived safely. Last night was the first Crusade meeting in Repalle ... no problems with neighbors ... crowds were large. Lots of work to setup for the meetings which are being held behind the school.

Meeting tonight will feature a testimony by the daughter of a high cast Hindu family ... pray for God to touch lives. Emmanuel, Dee, and the staff are very tired ... so many details to attend to ... pray for strength and endurance. "

Hopefully, first-hand news from V-Team will follow ... stay tuned.

"If you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for everything. We take a stand on God's word."

~IREF motto

http://www.irefusa.org/

~KjL

(Repalle countryside)

Sheer Numbers

Yesterday, I talked to Andrew at length on the phone. The Team is now settled in Repalle and learning about their new home and the ways of its people. The compound is an organized and secure place and the guys were welcomed warmly. His most profound 'first impression' of India was simply the sheer numbers of people. Here are some randomly arranged details of V-Team's current experience in India.
~KJL

Travel from Uganda to India meant 3 total days of travel with only 5 total hours of sleep.

Arrival. When the team arrived at IREF, they walked through the front gates of the compound to find a professionally made banner stretched over the street which had words in Telugu (indian) and english to welcome the Team. "Evan Stookey, Andrew Leigh, and Christian Outlaw" were spelled out on the huge welcome sign.

Also, as a welcome, all of the IREF children were lining both sides of road. Hundreds upon hundreds of children were waving as the 3 guys walked down the length of about a city block.

Youth. Upon arrival, they moved into a Youth Conference with another throng of 5,000. Evan spoke, Christian and Andrew led so music/worship. Then... they slept.

Girls. The IREF compound houses over 2,500 students from early grade-school up through Nursing School. A majority of the students are girls. The guys are surrounded and feel, a little awkwardly, like 'rock stars.' Evan has fore sworn his physical appearance since Africa and wasn't worried about being surrounded by girls. Apparently, he has grown his bushy hair out, parted it down the middle, and combs it down straight and nerdy. This new look is combined with a ridiculously long beard, and the fact that he has started buttoning his shirts all the way up to his chin. For all intents and purposes, he should be quite 'safe' from female attention. But, Andrew laughs as he explains that this has had quite the opposite affect on the school girls of India. Instead, they have taken to standing right in front of Evan to say, "You are so beautiful!" He is mystified by this.

Food. Andrew observed that IREF is a highly organized ministry that is a well-oiled machine at feeding thousands of people in a day. And they are adept and gifted at hosting Americans. Their hostess, Dee Reba, has given them the option of eating either American or Indian food. And the Team has made it clear that they don't want any special provision. They are eating what everybody else is eating.

Serving. And, they are watching and praying about where God wants to uniquely use them in this new place. They are looking for ways to serve the children and leaders of this School/Church/Orphanage over the next 3-4 weeks.

Upcoming for the Team @ IREF: Another Conference. This one will be for adults. And is expected to draw an estimated 15,000 people from all around the region, to experience worship, and hear the message of Jesus.

There is only limited internet connection in Repalle, so the guys will not be able to post many pictures or video until they get to Thailand, in February. But, keep checking back for written updates!

More later ...