India Report #20, Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 8 a.m. from Lawngtlei, Mizoram
Dear family and friends:
The body has been found of the man who drowned. The funeral was held last night. Many families are visiting and trying to comfort his family, but in spite of that our attendance last night for “How Sunday Came Into The Church” was very high—possibly the most yet. People sat very attentively and responded well. But there are very many difficulties facing them as they make their decision to “follow Jesus all the way.” So your focused prayers will be very helpful.
This Sabbath morning we will present “The Gospel in Priestly Garments” and then tonight preach on Righteousness by Faith “How to Find Peace”. So there will be a little reprieve from the barrage of heavy topics this final week of the series. Sunday night we preach on “What Happens When We Die?” Then the following topics will include Hell, Baptism, USA in Prophecy (Rev. 13) and by request one more on Mark of the Beast, Baptism and Why I am SDA (which covers many topics briefly). Then we close Sabbath night, Nov. 19 with “Heaven”. I always like to close on that topic and leave with joy written all over their faces.
We are planning on traveling back to Aizawl on Sunday, Nov. 20. There is a challenge that could change that. Diesel is very hard to get in these remote villages. I learned yesterday from Biaka that Rajestan has been in turmoil for the past six months and that is where the refined Diesel comes from to this area. Biaka has requested anyone coming from Aizawl to bring Diesel here. We’ll see what happens. That song “One Day at a Time” surely applies here right now. Note: Just heard that they got Diesel from somewhere so we are on course.
Our upcoming move for two days to another room (because a government employee will be taking the one we are now in) presents some problems. They have plastic hangers in this room but they will not be transferable to the next one. We did not bring many because of space limitations. So we thought we would have to buy some just for those two days. But Biaka solved the problem by borrowing some from church members. He will be responsible for getting them back to them afterward.
Last night the presentation on “How Sunday Came into the Church” took a different twist. Somehow Biaka had not noticed when we went over the sermon in the morning together, that he did not have Mizo translation for the Roman Catholic quotes about their taking responsibility for the change. He was thinking of another sermon where he did have translation. So, he rushed out to get the new quotes translated by David, a member of the team who is better in English than Biaka. So we had two computers side by side in two pulpits side by side (Biaka’s and mine). Both had the same slide order but Biaka’s had the quotes in Mizo alongside. So as I preached from my computer and those slides were on the audience screen, Biaka changed slides in his computer step by step and could read his Mizo quotes as I shared them in English. The audience didn’t see the Mizo on the screen, but Biaka didn’t have to stumble through trying to translate extemporaneously. Fortunately, I had already included in mine the Bible texts in Mizo and they would be on the screen for the audience to see. Now, Biaka will have those quotes in Mizo on his computer for when he presents that sermon in his own series of meetings.
We got a fresh influx of fruit yesterday and should have enough to carry us through our stay here. (Bananas, apples, tangerines and papaya). We will not replace the bread when our last bit is gone. It is white bread devoid of flavor as well as vitamins. So we will get by with crackers from home in our morning cereal with soy milk and from the British biscuits available here. They at least have a little flavor. We have not been able to get tomatoes here even though there are a few in the market. We remember the good ones in Tripura and hope they will be available this year also. The season has been different in India as well as USA and that makes it hard to guess what to expect.
The earthquake news from back home was appreciated. It appears that it was not felt much where we live, but West Siloam did get quite a shake out of it. Johnsons said their bed rattled for quite a while and the nearby trailer of Nielsens really felt it.
Yesterday I didn’t get hydrotherapy because the electricity was not available. They heat the water in an electric rice cooker. But I did get the massage and later when the current came back on, breathed a little steam. We will not have any therapy today and it will be good to have a rest from that schedule. We do appreciate all they are trying to do to get the preacher well enough to avoid the cough during the sermon and the legs strong enough to scale the large uneven steps into the hall and onto the platform. Normal height steps are rare here. They adjust them according to elevation without regard to consistency.
4 P.M. SABBATH: Church service was held in the Hall and we had several non SDA people attending. One man brings ten others with him each night. He is very interested in the Sanctuary. Our challenge in presenting “Gospel in Priestly Garments” was that the electricity went off several times during the sermon. They tried to fire up the generator but it was not strong enough to carry the lights and sound system. We didn’t use computer or video projectors and it is a good thing. Somehow we managed to get through the whole hour with translation of preaching the Sanctuary message in that cloth. Several times we just used our internal P.A. System by projecting voice as God intended with abdominal muscles and diaphram. Then the power would come on and we had P.A. amplification again along with visibility. It didn’t seem to bother anyone that things went that way. They are used to it. We are hoping for consistent power tonight when we do use powerpoint and video projectors. Satan is expanding his list of ways to disturb our meeting, it seems. At least we keep him busy enough to not bother other people as much during that time.
Just checked email and heard an update on Troy Farriester of the Rogers church who was in a terrible auto accident and is in ICU in critical condition. We have been praying for him and for his family. His daughter Tamara included a poem in the update that they had found in the waiting room literature. It seems so appropriate to what we see here also that I thought I’d include it here.
Step by Step
He does not lead me year by year, nor even day by day.
But step by step my path unfolds, my Lord directs my way.
Tomorrow’s plans I do not know; I only know this minute.
But He will say, “This is the way, by faith, now walk ye in it.”
And I am glad that this is so, today’s enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace shall far exceed its care.
What need to worry then or fret? The God who gave his Son
Holds all my moments in His hand and gives them one by one.
8:23 P.M. Sabbath: The meeting went well with no power loss the whole evening. The attendance was equal to any of the others I think. Your prayers are much appreciated.
Tonight I brought them a little treat via my IPod. It was Marj Carlson whistling “a happy tune.” It came through very clear via my small speakers with microphone held by them. I told them she could whistle like the birds sing and she did. So sad that she is dead now and no more will be forthcoming until resurrection day. Then I may be able to whistle too.
I’ll close now and we will have family worship before bed. Hope to get this sent if I can get Internet connection.
With Love,
Dad and Mom (Glenn and Mary Alice)