(November 5, 2010 at Pitlam—Friday)
Dear Family and friends:
Yes, Satan is still busy trying to hinder in any way he can. It rained hard in Pitlam yesterday—probably a bit of the cyclone of some size that raked the India east coast. Since our meetings are in an open field entered by a rough and muddy road, last night it was a quagmire. The pastors had done their best to fill in gaps and holes etc. but the trucks could not get in to deliver their cargo of people from the outlying villages. And so the people had to get out on the main road and walk in through that mud. Our 4 wheel drive car managed to make it so we had a minimum of mud to walk through.
We were not taken to the meeting until near 8 p.m. They had moved the screen and stands to a different location and the tables were both wet as was the screen. So, Glenn was trying to get things set up when we were summoned to the platform right away and had a repeat performance of the garlanding of the night before. The audience was smaller (weather problems) but still large. They really want to come. After the garlanding they wanted the Jesus video immediately but we hadn’t had time to set it up. They had to bring electricity over the wet ground to the new location. And we had to find spots where the rain was not dripping to hit either computer or video projector. In a normal situation we would not have chosen to use either with so much water around. But when our opportunities to share the message with them are so limited, we just ignored “common sense” and went ahead. The Lord blessed by protecting all concerned from electrical shock or destruction of equipment from the water.
With all the trouble for the sound people getting their equipment set up, and the many preliminaries, Glenn didn’t get to start preaching until 9:45 yet again. We moved right through things and cut it a bit short in order to get them home earlier. But then Paulson (after Glenn had dismissed them by prayer and brief announcement) took the stand and talked another 15 minutes to them about coming early so we can end early. If we don’t get the service order smoothed out, it won’t matter how early they come. We won’t be ready with everything in place to begin the meeting on time. What did we say about adaptability?
Yesterday when we arrived at Pitlam, Paulson discovered that the house we are all staying in is smaller than he thought. He had not seen it before. So the pastors did not really have enough room. Even simple living requires some space. Decision time! Should we let them have our room (even after unpacking everything) and we go back and forth the 60 miles each way twice a day and stay at the SDA office in Paulson’s apartment or should the pastors try to locate another house to put some of them in. We didn’t really know until just before the meeting that they had found such a place and were even then moving into it. It was a relief to not have to face that daily trip over the very difficult road. It is interesting how good some poor (to us) accommodations can look when given the alternative. We were ready to do either just to keep the momentum going at the meetings. So, last night we got to bed well before midnight.
Tomorrow (Sabbath) we are to go to some of the SDA Churches in the Pitlam area. There is no church here, but the expectations are that one will be established from our series of meetings. Glenn is to preach in one and maybe Paulson in another. The problem is that we have only one car to serve all the needs. We’ll find out how it really works out.
In the meantime we are happy in the Lord and waiting to see what happens through it all. Our breakfast was good with the new break Paulson bought for us in Hyderabad on his way here. The bananas are ripe and give added flavor along with the English crackers. We brought 3 gal of water from Sangareddy. It was all the market had. We tried at least twice to get more but supply lines are slow. We do not know if bottled water is available here. We use it to mix our milk powder and to brush our teeth in a very limited way. So it takes a lot.
Fortunately, the electricity stayed on today and we were able to get the sermon and health talk visuals ready in the computer without using up the battery power.
We trust all is well where you all are. Time is moving fast here. By phone we made arrangements for lodging at the SDA school in Calcutta on our way to and from Mizoram and on to Tripura. We are scheduled to preach there nearly every day in both places. Now you see why we needed all that time to prepare before coming to India and still didn’t get it all done. We work day by day to update what is to happen next.
It will be good to see you all once more after all the hurry and rush here.
With love,
Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Glenn and Mary Alice