Update #1
It has only been two days, but it feels like two weeks! We have met many, many people. Saturday we traveled from Madras to Ambur. On the way we stopped to see the church built on the place where St Thomas, one of the 12 disciples is buried. Then we traveled to the mount where he was killed. This is a special place for Indian Christians and many go to visit and pray.
The road to Ambur was very good. Rev. Christudoss said they have almost finished the new roads. It is a project by the government to improve travel. In the past the road where very bad.
They also have places called “forex.” It is a place to exchange money, same as in Africa. We get 43 rupees for each dollar. To give you an example we can buy a meal for 3 of us for about 200 rupees. About $5 for the meal.
One of the hardest things to get used to is everyone shakes their head “no” when they are saying “yes.” They move their heads in a “figure eight no.” I really need to watch to see if they mean yes or no.
We are staying at a “guest house/hotel.” It would compare to a youth hostel. Almost the same as the YWCA. The people at the guesthouse have been very good to us.
We ate together with Rev Christudoss and his wife. It was great to see her. Tomorrow he said will be full day. We are going to bed now – 11:30 pm.
Sunday was a very full day.
We left for the first Worship at 6:30 am. We went to one of the hearing churches in town with the president of the IELC, India Evangelical Lutheran Church. They have a great problem, the church was full. There were chairs out the back, and many people where standing around the outside of the church. WOW what a problem.
It was great fun trying to follow the service in Tamil. Rev. Christudoss helped a little telling us what part of the service they were doing. Rev. Rynearson warned me, and he was right, they asked me to preach. It was fun voicing in English and having the president of the IELC translate into Tamile. It is the first time I have preaching with a microphone attached to a loud speaker.
They also asked me to help with Lord’s Supper. They use bread almost the same as us, the wine is with a common cup. But they do not put it up to the lips. There is a spout on the cup, the people tilt their heads up and the Pastor pours the wine into their mouth. Many of the people came to the altar in tears, crying in thanks for the forgiveness given in the body and blood of Christ. Not something you see in America.
At 9:30 a bus took us over to the Ambur Deaf School. We lead worship for 243 deaf children.
I learned from the headmaster they have only 3 children from Christian families, 11 from Muslim, and 229 are from Hindu families. All of the children came for worship and they know the stories about Jesus love and forgiveness!!!! THANK GOD for God’s work through Rev. Christudoss and the IELC!
We stayed and had a fun time with the children. Then we told Bible stories in the afternoon. The children knew many of the basic stories. It was great fun teaching more of the Old Testament stories. Then we had fun together playing volleyball and cricket!
At 6:30 the bus took us to worship with the Deaf adults. They are great group of people. I have a long way to go trying to understand all of their signs, but I am trying to learn. We stayed and visited until almost 10 pm.
Rev. Christudoss was right – it was a long GREAT day!
Some fun things: I think I have been given more flowers in the last two days than in my whole like! Eating with our fingers is great fun. We almost hit at least 50 cars or trucks in the last 2 days – smile. Only had 2 trucks and a car almost hit us – smile. First time I have seen mice running around church during worship (no they did not become dinner – smile)
Thank you for all your prayers!! Please pray for the deaf leaders and teachers coming from around the country!!
Pastor Reinke
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Monday
Our first day of training. We began with the inauguration! Many things involve ceremony. We had the IELC president come with many of the leaders from the church. It was a grand time. More flowers too – smile.
Most of the morning with continued with introductions and honoring the leaders. They are very supportive of Rev. Christudoss and encourage him, but as in many places this does not include much financial support.
Today we started with 34 leaders, plus several of the church officials who wanted to see what we are doing – smile.
The deaf are great. They know some of the basics of the stories, now we are going deeper. Began with the Great Commission, to Law and Gospel, then applying this to the stories. Creation was wonderful fun – which did God create first? The trees or the sun?? All of my members should know – the trees!! But many people do not – smile.
Finally we closed tonight at 8 with the “proto evangel = the first Gospel” in Genesis 3:15.
I pray God will continue to help us. It is a challenge with the signs so different. In Ghana we can “jump in” with a few changes. Here I often need to have an interpreter. They are having great fun learning with us too? Most of the time we have two interpreters as there are deaf with two different sign systems. And no – not professional interpreters like in America
These are teachers and workers at the Deaf School that Rev. Christudoss has asked to come help us.
Fun things:
Electricity goes off and on – oh well
Auto rickshaws are interesting – three wheeled cabs (no we have not ridden in one yet)
No worry with plates – we eat on large banana leaves!
We are eating:
Biriyani (sauce) with rice
Kelaba (sauce0 with rice
Idly – steamed rice cakes
Dosa – rice pancakes
Vada – rice donuts
Getting a pattern here???
MUCH more rice than Ghana - smile
BUT
So far it is REALLY good and we are enjoying the food. Spicy but not too bad.
Tomorrow we are invited into the guest house kitchen to watch and help prepare some of the foods. Joshua needs to do this for class and I think will be fun. Maybe I can cook some when I come home??
Thank you for all your support and prayers to make this possible!! I thank God for His guiding all of you!
In His loving Hands,
Pastor Reinke and Joshua