Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Hiking in India







We have 16 members of Living Hope hiking in the Himalayas sharing the Gospel with villages filled with people that have never heard the name Jesus Christ. This work is tiring and draining. It is draining on the soul to see people living in such great darkness. It is draining on the mind to have so much to say, but so few ways to communicate. It is draining on the heart to know that these people are in spiritual peril without hope. They are sheep without shepherds in a land of the lion looking for people to devour. And the devil is devouring these precious people with his entire arsenal of death.

Please pray for our team members seeking to share the only hope of salvation - Jesus. Pray for their physical safety. They are surrounded by water that can make them sick and are walking up and down trails that can cause a painful stumble. Pray for them spiritually that they will rest in the grace of our God and in the victory of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray for them emotionally. They are far from home and what they know and are surrounded by suffering.

Pray also for their families and friends back home. They are concerned for their loved ones, but also hopeful that God will use them for His glory and Kingdom purpose.

What we are doing as a church and this team is doing on the field is what the early church did and what we must continue to do. We must share the hope we have with our neighbors and take that Gospel around the world to those who have never heard. We must do this with love. Our love for each other as a church family should show our community our Christ in us and that same love must motivate us to go to those that feel forgotten and live unforgiven. This is what the early church did according to the book of Acts and that is what we must continue to do.

These are pictures of my trip a couple of weeks ago in the same area our team is in now.

1 comment:

Chad said...

James tells us to "count it all joy when we face various trials." The testing is to help make us perfect. I'll be praying for the 16 that are over there being tested in mind, body and spirit. I'm certain they'll come back strengthened by God, as you were, by the experience.