India Update 1/28/10

I woke up early again, so since I can't sleep, I'm glad for a little time to connect with home.

God has been so gracious to us, and it is so clear that He hand picked this team to be a witness for Him. The team dynamics are so great, and each person is giving all they have and is shining so brightly for Christ! I could go on and on about how I see God working in and through each person, but for now, just a couple of quick snapshots...

Yesterday, Tyler (who is my roommate and talks in his sleep :) gave his testimony to a couple thousand students at Atkinson Catholic School, about how God used music to draw him closer. He was so articlate and genuine. Molly was also moved to share her heart about what the role as "greed" in the drama has meant to her. Her intended 90 second testimony turned into a full on salvation message! Preach it, girl! Marlys has made friends with a number of people at the crusades while the band is rehearsing and leading. Numerous women have asked her to bring their children home with her to the US, including a little girl with cerebral palsy who was literally dropped into Marlys's arms two nights ago as the momma walked away. This little girl clung to Marlys and worshipped God with her one working limb as the band led.

Last night at the crusade, a beautiful young girl in a bright red sari gave a Bible to Elyn, which was written in the Taligu language. Shortly after that, i was praying for a poor elderly woman, who, in addition to having significant pain in her head and teeth, was desperate for a Bible in Taligu. Imagine Elyn's delight to be the messenger of God's word to her! Steveo strikes up conversations with just about everyone, including our bus driver who is a Hindu and speakes very little English. Many people are drawn to him for prayer and he is very bold in his witness.

Darryl's contagious laugh (which fills every restaurant we go to) and his heart for Jesus has spilled out onto all of us, and he's a master at leading kid songs! Madisyn keeps us laughing too, and is beautifully owning her role as Eve in the drama. She also brings level headed insight as we are trying to figure out how to respond to the beggars that we encounter on the street. Ryan (also my roommate) is so fun to watch on the bass guitar, and was deeply humbled the other night as God used him to lay hands on the sick. Shari carries such an anointing for worship and prayer. Right in the middle of a worship set the other night, she spontaneously prayed over the crowd and the presence of God was so strong. In addition to playing the keys, Kathleen is a natural with the children's ministry and drama, and is always in lookout mode for the next divine appointment. We pick on her a lot which is great fun, probably because she dishes it out!

And me? Well... I think my biggest contribution to the team was sporting a pair of powder blue slacks the other day that I got at Good Will. Halfway through the day the "fashion police" got after me. It was "for my own good", they said. Darryl confessed that he wasn't man enough to wear such things, even in India, and that he was ok with that. :)

So far, we've led worship at the main crusade site three evenings in a row, and this morning we will perform at our third school. It's amazing how the kids respond and participate. They love doing the motions to the songs, which is quite a site with their dark skinned arms and their light colored palms. Shabach has been a big hit. :) During the drama two days ago, Marlys was observing one little boy who was visibly responding to each stage of the story line. He shook his head in frustration as adam and eve took the apple and then he cheered out loud when Jesus took the throne!

After we performed yesterday, hundreds came forward for autographs and prayer. It's a bit surreal. One minute, you feel like a rock star, and the next minute, you feel like Jesus might have felt, or one of the apostles, as the crowds pressed in on them for a touch of hope or healing. It's really, really humbling. Last night, as we were mingling through the crowd before we led worship, people were approaching me from all directions for prayer, for all kinds of ailments. Some would weep as I prayed, and I was overwhelned with how precious these people must be to God. As we pray, I believe that God is touching them in ways that we can't necessarily see with our eyes. But I told some members of the team last night that I long to see them healed, spiritually and physically. I believe that God longs to see them whole as well. Please pray that the compassion of Christ would be revealed in this way, and that many would come to know him as a result.

The sun is soon to come up here in Viyajawada, but the symphony of street sounds has played all night long, and will only get busier in the daylight, with a constant melody of engines and horns, beeping at different pitches and timbres. The traffic is fast and chaotic and a blast to be in the middle of! It reminds me of the scramble system in Phelps Cafeteria at Hope College, bobbing and weaving, pushing and shoving, with no lanes, no order, and yet somehow, everyone gets where they're going.

And the people... There are people... Everywhere.

India feels like a massive and endless sea of humanity, colorful and chaotic, painful and hopeful, dirty and broken, and yet so so beautiful. It's such a great reminder of how big God is, and how diverse and wild and magical the world is outside of our own little corner of the globe.

In addition to the needs of the people we are encountering, please continue to pray for the health and strength of our team, for adequate rest, for team unity and laughter, for protection from the evil one, and that God would anoint us to share the good news of Jesus Christ and the hope and healing we have in him.

It's now 5:30am and the Muslim call to prayer just started. Time to get and get ready for the day. God bless you all and THANK YOU for prayers and support.

More soon!

In His care,

Duwet Bell
(how I was introduced yesterday in the school. :)