tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175433486586800692024-03-05T21:33:15.099-08:00Madhuri's MissionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-64977227117495583482014-01-25T11:39:00.001-08:002014-03-03T19:57:23.246-08:00The Village ChurchIt's been a while since we've posted to this blog, and so much has happened. Most of the posts about the India trip went to our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MadhurisMission" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. If you want to catch up with the events between our efforts to gather shoes and today, take a look there.<br />
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One of the most memorable days in India was spent in the area around the village of Daburuvaripalli, near Kadiri in southern Andhra Pradesh. Our plan was to tour the area and finish the day with a village meeting where we would visit homes, preach, pray and distribute blankets to the elders. (The blankets were purchased with the money donated to us by all of you - thanks again!) After a delicious breakfast of <a href="http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/idli-recipe-how-to-make-soft-idlis/" target="_blank">idli</a>, <a href="http://www.tarladalal.com/Dosa-(-Easy-Dosa-Recipe-)-32927r" target="_blank">dosa</a> and <a href="http://foodviva.com/chutney-raita-recipes/peanut-chutney-recipe/" target="_blank">spicy peanut chutney</a>, we set out into the countryside in a borrowed church van. The landscape is beautiful, full of peanut fields, banana trees and granite hills.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between Kadiri and Daburuvaripalli</td></tr>
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Our first stop was a property that was donated to Nathaniel's ministry by YWAM not long ago. It is a rectangular plot near the village's water tower surrounded by peanut fields. On the site there is the shell of a building with concrete walls and floor, currently used by the village church as a place of worship. Nathaniel and Pastor Chandra also conduct an annual youth training retreat there. Nathaniel's goal for the property is to complete the church building, then work on some basic dormitories that can house larger groups of youth for longer periods of training. In the future, this center will train young families who want to pastor the young churches growing in nearby villages and in need of leadership.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church building</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathaniel draws out his vision</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a tour of the property</td></tr>
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Waiting for us at the church was a man named Abraham. Nathaniel introduced him to me as an elder of the Daburuvaripalli church. He is a layman who has a love for the people and the heart of a pastor. He spoke very little and didn't speak English, but it was easy to see how deeply invested he is in the lives of his neighbors.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left:<br />
Manjula, Todd, Jennifer, Pastor Chandra, Nathaniel and Abraham</td></tr>
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When we returned that evening for the village meeting, Abraham was there assisting with preparations and escorting us as we visited with families. Jennifer and I split up for a time - I went with Nathaniel and Jennifer with Pastor Chandra, Manjula and a group of boys who had attached themselves to Jennifer. The homes were closely placed, made of concrete and stone. Most of them had a family room in the front and a kitchen in the back with a bedroom or storage room beside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer's escorts</td></tr>
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The last home we visited was the family of a man named Reddy. Nathaniel briefed me on Reddy's situation before we went in, confiding that he had been praying for him for some time. Reddy was in the final stages of a battle with cancer, and his family had already begun grieving for him. The front room of the house was very much like the others in the village. Around a dozen people filled the room, and Reddy was reclined on a bed off to the right. An IV bag hung from the ceiling and the line ran down to Reddy's arm. Gaunt and weak, he sat up when we walked in. We exchanged looks with the family, attempting to be reassuring, but Reddy's gaze paralyzed me. His eyes were wide with fear and white as a sheet. We began to pray - I led in English and Nathaniel translated, and the words weren't easy. As I asked God for his comfort and mercy on Reddy and the family, Nathaniel translated and the family wailed with hope and grief. I thanked God for his goodness amid suffering and the promise of eternal healing, and the family wailed again. When we left Reddy's home, we were all overcome. We found out later that on the day we arrived back home, Reddy died.</div>
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We sat for a time while dinner preparations were completed. We showed the boys pictures of our family on our phones. After a delicious dinner prepared by women from the village church, we held our meeting. Nathaniel introduced us, and I spoke to them as he translated. By that night I had grown accustomed to the rhythm of having my words translated into Telugu. I thought the language was far more verbose than English, but Nathaniel explained that he needed to include much more information about what I was saying than I had thought, so vast was the cultural gap between us and them. ("If you had said 'computer,'" Nathaniel said, "I would have described a TV into which you could put information.")<br />
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I told them the story of the prodigal son, and as Nathaniel translated, the people grew more animated. As I described the actions of the son who squandered his father's inheritance, they started to push back, asking questions. When I told them of the father who saw his lost son down the road, leapt down the step and ran down the road, they roared in disbelief. How would a wealthy man, an owner of land, stoop so low as to run and embrace the one who had disgraced him so? It was another powerful moment for us. I have no doubt that the day's events had a far deeper impact on me than I had on anyone I encountered.<br />
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After a few days' stay in Kadiri, meeting people in the village churches, we sat down to talk about how we might be able to help them. We all agreed that there were a few projects on which we could concentrate our efforts. One of them is the development of this church property. The first phase is to complete doors, windows and floors along with a few other enhancements to the existing building.<br />
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Please consider helping us with this effort. One way to help is to give us the opportunity to speak to groups in your church or community about our trip and the work that is ongoing. Thank you all for your prayers and support, and continue to remember our friends in India in your prayers!<br />
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<i>"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'" Matthew 9:36-38</i><br />
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The following photos were sent to us from an event in early November at the church building in Daburuvaripalli:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7k3lksmeeE3eG0rBQJKLj95UwtGDCidN9mTifjVuKTdAnq_8akBQhkj6yKUN1dRCBQTp5VJRqJYiFq1t7wphCgZIf1Rr79ilMC2iBUQM5yG0F6utEKV3WD6FrfiPYB34-KpO5_JF8pGt/s1600/DSCN9081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7k3lksmeeE3eG0rBQJKLj95UwtGDCidN9mTifjVuKTdAnq_8akBQhkj6yKUN1dRCBQTp5VJRqJYiFq1t7wphCgZIf1Rr79ilMC2iBUQM5yG0F6utEKV3WD6FrfiPYB34-KpO5_JF8pGt/s1600/DSCN9081.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prayer with the elderly of the village church. Abraham is front left.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUK8EIzuthzyPcjudgJ2wTdqvuKb1J_VP7GAw_SCl5gWbHsTuq-OnbgbsLIMMacxJiyudNcCVxlxJxdh47p5ulnzU2f9e5SKySXcfIQMDoAQoRTjZln9vjLqGaETfB_ZLgx4xzLZwCInez/s1600/DSCN9122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUK8EIzuthzyPcjudgJ2wTdqvuKb1J_VP7GAw_SCl5gWbHsTuq-OnbgbsLIMMacxJiyudNcCVxlxJxdh47p5ulnzU2f9e5SKySXcfIQMDoAQoRTjZln9vjLqGaETfB_ZLgx4xzLZwCInez/s1600/DSCN9122.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing a meal with the village</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_03TMnfvEkc-gsO9YgDO2h30dFP7Zu_55wIzayWyCtO9xWjW-iyumqbXXGQ5k4gKWo-gixOPBhhtbLZ_pRsY1Vc6DrdQEf3kavLPvF3-6j-tfNsHdypsRsdLIVw2Hw8tqMNhcGzlgjzC/s1600/DSCN9133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_03TMnfvEkc-gsO9YgDO2h30dFP7Zu_55wIzayWyCtO9xWjW-iyumqbXXGQ5k4gKWo-gixOPBhhtbLZ_pRsY1Vc6DrdQEf3kavLPvF3-6j-tfNsHdypsRsdLIVw2Hw8tqMNhcGzlgjzC/s1600/DSCN9133.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teaching</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much-needed rest for the young people from Bangalore <br />
who traveled with Pastor Chandra and Manjula for village ministry</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-80008284436481275492013-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:002013-08-25T04:58:41.834-07:00ShoesToday, we will begin collecting shoes for two groups of kids we will meet in India. We leave three weeks from today! You can help us by purchasing a pair of children's shoes - we need sandals for girls and sneakers for boys in all children's sizes. We will also be collecting money to purchase additional shoes in India for any kids for whom we didn't bring enough of the right size. At the end of this post is a way to contact us - we are happy to pick up the shoes from you sometime in the next three weeks. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children at the +ve home in Ongole</td></tr>
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The first group lives under the care of the UCLI church and Nathaniel Kodavatikanti in the city of Ongole. The home for HIV+ was founded recently and currently cares for six children. One of our goals is to raise money to help care for more. There is a large HIV+ population in Ongole, and these orphaned children face extremely dim prospects without intervention.<br />
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The other group is in Bangalore, living at the Hanna Krupa Memorial Church under the care of Pastor K. V. Chandra and his wife, Manjula. I have posted information about and pictures of several of these children in previous posts in this space.<br />
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We have heavy hearts for the challenges faced by all of these children, but we rejoice that they are in the care of such capable and dedicated people. They are also treasured by their Creator, and we feel the call from God to raise up support for more of these precious children. We look forward to meeting them face-to-face very soon!<br />
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If you are interested in helping us, please consider purchasing shoes or sending money. You can reach us at our new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MadhurisMission" target="_blank">Madhuri's Mission Facebook page</a>. You may also comment on this post to respond. Thank you in advance for your help!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-26745951209778004172013-08-07T18:22:00.000-07:002013-08-07T18:22:09.174-07:00Ready or not!After more than two years of waiting and wheel-spinning and preparation and prayer, the time has come! <i>Jennifer and I leave on September 14 for an 11-day whirlwind trip to India! </i>As of now, I've scheduled time off from work, amazing grandparents are set to live in our house and handle the kids' schedules, our passports and visas are in hand, and we are booking in-country travel plans.<br />
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Many of you have asked if there are ways to help - there are two things that you can do for us.<br />
<a name='more'></a>First, please pray for us! Final preparations for travel are on the way, and while we're there we will be on a tight schedule. We will be spending time in Chennai, Ongole, Kadiri, villages in Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore, Agra and Delhi, traveling on planes, trains, buses, cabs and on foot. We hope to meet hundreds of fascinating people and get to know many beautiful kids in Bangalore and Ongole. We will stay in homes and churches and will be worshipping and preaching with some amazing people. This will be a first-time experience for us, and we need lots of energy. Pray for travel, health, energy and for God to show his love and grace to the people we meet!<br />
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Second, consider helping us take shoes to the kids in the Hanna Krupa church in Bangalore and the HIV+ kids' home in Ongole. We are looking for new shoes of all kids' sizes - sandals for girls and sneakers for boys. We will also be taking donations to purchase shoes in India if we don't have enough of the right sizes. I'll post again soon with details.<br />
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More soon -<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-748222549055423702012-09-16T14:45:00.000-07:002012-09-16T17:36:36.858-07:00A life changer...Channeling his best Yogi Berra, a wise old football coach once said, "Hindsight is 50/50." (I'm forever grateful to a few of my friends who are fans of Alabama football for reminding me so often of the source of this quote!) It's true for all of us that seminal moments in our journey often escape our notice until hindsight allows us to make connections. As I trace the steps on our journey with our friends in India, I see God at work in small conversations, offhand remarks, recommended books and articles.<br />
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One of the burning questions as we started to consider partnering in ministry with Pastor Chandra and Nathaniel was the primary question of what needs to be done. We knew that the girls they care for don't have much - they are materially poor. We knew that we wanted to do what we could to alleviate that poverty. This was the impetus of our desire to send financial assistance to help with the girls needs. (See my prior post, <a href="http://toddandjennifer.blogspot.com/2012/08/getting-to-know-you.html">Getting To Know You</a>.) After a while, we began to fear that just sending money would make us the "bank," and that wasn't our purpose.</div>
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A wise friend of mine who pastors a church in a nearby community recommended I read a book that addresses many of the problems faced by Americans who wish to engage in this kind of ministry: <i>When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself</i> (by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert). This book was shocking to me, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone interested in anti-poverty efforts. The thought that money wouldn't cure all of their problems was obvious to me, but that it might create additional problems was new. The second chapter deals with establishing the problem of poverty. The author describes efforts of the World Bank after WWII to pump financial resources into impoverished areas to elevate the poor. After decades of varied but disappointing results, they sponsored a survey in the 1990's to determine why. They asked the poor what it means to be impoverished. Here are some of the responses:</div>
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<li>For a poor person everything is terrible - illness, humiliation, shame. We are cripples; we are afraid of everything; we depend on everyone. No one needs us. We are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of (Moldova)</li>
<li>When I don't have any [food to bring my family], I borrow, mainly from neighbors and friends. I feel ashamed standing before my children when I have nothing to help feed the family. I'm not well when I'm unemployed. It's terrible. (Guinea-Bissau)</li>
<li>When one is poor, she has no say in public, she feels inferior. She has no food, so there is famine in her house; no clothing, and no progress in her family. (Uganda)</li>
<li>If you are hungry, you will always be hungry; if you are poor you will always be poor. (Vietnam)</li>
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The author continues making the point that "while poor people mention having a lack of material things, they tend to describe their condition in far more psychological and social terms than our North American audiences. Poor people typically talk in terms of shame, inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear, hopelessness, depression, social isolation, and voicelessness."</div>
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I mentioned before in a post that when I first Skyped with Pastor Chandra and Manjula that I left with feeling scandalously wealthy. I concluded from this that what they needed most was money. We felt led after a time to begin sending them a monthly amount to support them in their life and ministry. This did not have the effect of bringing us closer, at least not like I expected it would. The misunderstanding was mine entirely. After reading the book, I began to view the relationship in different terms. It was no longer giver and recipient, but partners in ministry. I realized as well that they had many things to teach me, and this shift would change my relationship with Christ completely. I also realized that our friends don't have many material possessions, but they were not powerless, hopeless, inferior, fearful, depressed or voiceless. I envied their wealth in this way.</div>
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When we speak to them and ask them what they want, they say "Keep pray for us, and come to India to help us." They don't ask for more money, and in their effort to stay accountable to what they receive they send us monthly receipts. More than anything else, they desire energy and strength for their travels, as they take the Message to remote villages. These are not impoverished people. They have yielded their lives for the benefit of those around them to honor Christ, and they have a joy and an urgency that I have never before encountered!<br />
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There is a philosophy that is growing in our society that all religions contain equal portions of truth, and that faithful adherents to any of them would be rewarded in the end for their faithfulness. In this line of thinking, someone who would take the Gospel of Christ to someone living in a place where Christians are in danger is doing them a great disservice. Better that they be good Muslims or Hindus than become Christians and be disowned by their families, tortured, imprisoned or killed for apostasy. On this topic, allow Pastor and Manjula to weigh in on whether or not Christ is worth the risks. They heard Jesus say "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life - no one comes to the Father except by me" and "go, therefore, into all the world and make disciples of all nations." They moved into the slum area of Bangalore where they live by choice, passing up the opportunity to live more comfortable lives. They were jailed a few years ago by radical Hindus for preaching Christ to the poor. The people to whom they minister hold any manner of other world views. When they hear the Gospel, they say, "please come back - we want to hear more!" It is powerful testimony to hear the joy in the voices of those who are risking it all for Christ.
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This summer has been such a transformational time in my life with Christ. Pastor Chandra, Manjula and Nathaniel have given me a higher view of God, and this has encouraged me immensely. I am also humbled and thankful to have been appointed to this task, to support them, pray for them and participate with them in their effort of making Christ known to all nations. As I look back over the months of talking, reading, praying and thinking, I can see His hand at work.<br />
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Grace,<br />
<br />
Todd</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-23600665538490921482012-09-12T19:21:00.000-07:002012-09-13T05:36:17.843-07:00Toy Sale...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7hcYyYFutYgnbXtL99dwXwaGxpuXdNz8TJYqyYcJbXVDz5z13jt8HEij6c5S1efYYreXXxC_1MXu5DIkgjmmL0A9Ib0RbZ7WFAdTvxEnGNPTOwE_DpICV575QIgsBNYqqQwe_pR22NIp/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7hcYyYFutYgnbXtL99dwXwaGxpuXdNz8TJYqyYcJbXVDz5z13jt8HEij6c5S1efYYreXXxC_1MXu5DIkgjmmL0A9Ib0RbZ7WFAdTvxEnGNPTOwE_DpICV575QIgsBNYqqQwe_pR22NIp/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma's Toy Sale</td></tr>
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Earlier this summer, as Madhuri was getting ready to start another term in school, we asked Pastor Chandra and Manjula if we could send her a new backpack for the year. Manjula, who oversees the girls' schoolwork, responded with the suggestion that we send a little extra the next month so that she could purchase one there. (We had already experienced the high cost and long delay of shipment when we sent them the laptop. Western Union is extremely efficient and very inexpensive!) After talking about it more, we decided that if we sent $120, we could buy six backpacks for the girls.<br />
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There are a few other families who have been partnering with us for the past couple of years to pay tuition and fees for some of the girls to attend an English school. One of those families heard about the backpacks and wanted to join in - we decided to split it at $60 each.<br />
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One day, as we were cleaning house, we saw Emma gathering some of her old toys together for a sale. She wanted to sell them from the front steps of our house and send the proceeds to Madhuri and the girls for the backpacks! We agreed, and she set about making signs, organizing the toys, and arranging them on a table. It was the middle of the week, and traffic on our street is sparse, but she was determined to have the sale. We feared that she would be disappointed at not selling much, but she stayed with it for hours. Word spread about what she was doing - we had visits from neighbors, ALL of my co-workers (I work with wonderful people), my parents, my sister and her daughters - and by the end of the sale, Emma had raised more than $50! She was thrilled, and we were overwhelmed by the excitement of everyone who came by.<br />
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At the same time, Rachel, the daughter of one of the sponsor couples, offered to donate proceeds from her dog-walking business toward the cause. We sent the extra $120 the next month, and the girls went out and bought their backpacks. I received pictures of them today:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing off!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying thanks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madhuri</td></tr>
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What seems like such a small thing has significantly strengthened the connection between the girls - Rachel, Emma, and their Indian friends. We remember them daily in prayer, and they pray for us daily. As the friendship deepens, our desire to see them face to face deepens as well. We know that in God's timing, that will happen too.<br />
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Grace,<br />
<br />
Todd<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-71791953406900196732012-09-09T15:51:00.002-07:002012-09-10T07:33:05.210-07:00Cheesecake and the Gospel...In my <a href="http://toddandjennifer.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-blank-check.html">last post</a>, I asked the question about what God would write on a blank check for my life, and attempted to answer that question, to the extent that it has been answered. If you're like us, you may have struggled with how to deal with this, and how to apply this blank-check lifestyle in 21st-century suburban America*. <br />
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I love cheesecake. In my pantheon of desserts, cheesecake occupies one of the most honored pedestals. I like them creamy or firm, plain, chocolate, pumpkin, topped with fruit or whipped cream. Jennifer, my lovely wife, who was labeled by my young son years ago as a great "cooker," makes a chocolate cheesecake that makes me lose all grip on reality. Not many things will cause me to take food from my children's plates, but I will consume any amount of uneaten cheesecake since throwing it away is unthinkable.<br />
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When I was growing up, my family had lunch at my grandparents' house after church every Sunday. The menu was traditionally Southern, right down to the beef roast and green bean casserole. The weekly variations were few, but one of them was dessert. One of my favorites was a recipe from my great grandmother called "Orange Ladyfinger Dessert" - a chilled orange custard poured over lady fingers and covered with whipped cream. Yum. My most favorite was usually prepared on weeks when time was short. You may have had it before: the Jell-O Cheesecake from a box in a store-bought graham cracker crust. A little dollop of "whipped topping", and I was in artificially-cream-cheese-flavored heaven.<br />
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One summer as my birthday approach, my mother asked me what I wanted for the party - cake? "No," I said, "I would rather have cheesecake." Thus began a misunderstanding that would live in the lore of my family for decades.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Mom set to work fulfilling my wish. She combined eggs, cream cheese, sugar with love, laboring for hours to honor me on my birthday. When I discovered what she was doing, I was horrified. "No!" I said, "I want the kind that Memama makes!" Parents, you might imagine the confusion and indignation she rightly felt at my ingratitude! I don't remember what happened after this (nothing violent, I assure you). Feel free to ask my mom if you're curious. What became known as the "cheesecake incident" is still a source of laughter in my family.<br />
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Of course, I was oblivious to the amount of time and effort she had spent on making the cake. I also missed the fact that she did all of that because of the depth of her love for me. All I knew is that what she was making was not at all what I had in mind when I asked for it. Years later, after learning to appreciate actual cheesecake, I realized my error. My problem is that my expectations were far too low! This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from C. S. Lewis.<br />
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If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. The negative ideal of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love. The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (from 'The Weight of Glory')</blockquote>
I don't care much for Jello-O Cheesecake, because I've come to appreciate the real thing. What I once desired most has become sub-standard. I am beginning to feel the same way for the pursuits that tend to occupy most of our existence: advancement at work, nicer cars and homes, activities for the kids, trips to Disney World and saving for retirement. Somewhere in there was the teaching that I grew up on that 10% of that life should be dedicated to the Lord's work. I think I'm coming to understand that it should be more like 100%. Does this mean that I am putting a sign in my yard and moving to the Third World? No. Am I sacrificing my kids' educational opportunities? I hope not! Well, then, what does it mean? It means that we have raised our standards. Some of the things that we used to spend money on, we don't anymore. We have found new priorities for our time. I won't divulge many details, because our efforts are poor at best, and I wouldn't want to set the standard so low. I hope we're getting better, but progress is slow (as you've already seen in previous posts in this space).<br />
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Another facet to this "blank check" challenge for our family comes from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth. He is confronting a compromised doctrine floating around among the Corinthians that Jesus didn't really rise from the dead, or that such a thing is even possible. It does seem an impossible claim to believe, particularly in this new "Age of Science". Many outside the church declare the notion ridiculous, but everything in the Christian faith hinges on the reality of the resurrection of Christ. Paul says this about it:<br />
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And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (I Corinthians 15:17-19)</blockquote>
Christians in the first century were being fed to animals, burned alive and crucified for denying the deity of Caesar. I don't know that in my life to this point I've done anything (or done without anything) that would cause an observer to pity me if my world view is in error. Suppose today's church lived in such a sacrificial way that those outside her ranks considered them to be wasting their time and money worrying so much about the world that Christ loves and died to redeem. I confess that I really struggle with this. I suppose that right now, the point for me is to enjoy the process of discovery in that struggle. <br />
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We should prefer the unblushing promises of Real Cheesecake.<br />
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"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (Matthew 13:44) </blockquote>
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*To beat a dead horse, I'll repeat my disclaimer: my purpose is to be transparent about how God is working out this calling in our lives. I don't pretend to have any knowledge of how any of this applies to you.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-3292474906462529592012-09-01T21:52:00.001-07:002012-09-13T05:37:24.758-07:00A blank check...<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And as [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:17-22, ESV)</blockquote>
Over the last 12 months, this passage has dealt me two devastating blows. I've heard this story many times, and to my shame, I have always considered this story to be directed at someone other than me. Surely Jesus wasn't talking about my life - I would have been a member of the crowd listening, and egging Jesus on. Besides, that guy was probably what we could call a "one-percenter" - the disenfranchised bystanders would have cheered the idea that Jesus favored them and made rich guy walk away dejected.<br />
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The first strike against this reading was the realization that I really am that rich guy. As you learned in my last post, I have recently had to confront the fact that I am a "one-percenter" in view of the world's population. In fact, I have learned that my solid middle-class lifestyle in the United States of America places me firmly in the top 1% among the world's population. If you own a laptop like the one I'm typing this on, you probably are too. Even if you don't, Jesus is speaking to you as well. Jesus was calling all of us to surrender our comfort, security and the things that comprise our worldly identity as the price of following Him. What is the reward? More stuff?<br />
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The second strike came when I read the following with the same context in mind:<br />
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Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:24-27)</blockquote>
This is the same command, but worded more bluntly, isn't it? To follow Christ, I have to lay down my life and take up an instrument of suffering in its place. What a stunning statement! Surely, we say, He didn't really mean that we were to sell our homes and cars and embrace a life of poverty and suffering. After all, He put us in our situation, gave us our wealth, and told us that life in Him would be overflowing with abundance. What does he mean by losing my life in order to find it? The only interpretation that I can come up with is that He wants me to abandon the life that I think I want and embrace a life of surrender in His name. Could this be the kind of abundance He promised?<br />
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I have recently been challenged to ask myself the following question: if I were to give God a blank check for my life, what would he write on it? I wish I could say I have a clear answer that came to me in a lightning flash. I don't, and don't ask me how I think you should answer this question. I have no idea about what Christ wants for your life. At this point, though, I think I'm starting to see what this looks like for me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathaniel and Vani Kodavatikanti</td></tr>
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I have introduced you already to the Chandra family: Pastor KV and his wife, Manjula. When we began to communicate via Skype in 2010, I came to know Pastor's nephew, Nathaniel (Pastor would call him a son, since Indian families consider nieces and nephews to be like their own children). Nathaniel is a pastor in the southeastern Indian city of Ongole. He and his wife, Vani have a daughter, "Tweety" and a second child due very soon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanna Renae (aka "Tweety")</td></tr>
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Nathaniel is in his 30's and is passionate about the Gospel and the people around him. He is supported by the meager contributions of the members of his churches and whatever else God provides when it is needed. He gives half of this to another pastor who helps him with one of the churches. We spoke about his poverty last year. He supports his family for a month on an amount that many American families will spend on a single meal. I suggested he explore the possibility of being bi-vocational - get a job that will help him with feeding the family and continue working with the churches on a part-time basis. This is common in the US, I told him. He laughed at the idea, saying he couldn't think of any justification to spend less time loving those around him and more time trying to make things easier for his family. The cross is all of the abundance they need.<br />
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Despite his sporadic income, Nathaniel has received an education - recently completing a Master's thesis on the social issues and strategies of counseling HIV-positive people in his region. The port of Ongole brings trade and lots of out-of-town traffic. Along with it comes a busy sex industry and rampant HIV infection. The degree will allow Nathaniel to counsel victims of HIV and bring the message of the cross to them. As God provides, he travels to remote villages in the effort to establish churches and address the needs of the people there. He spends his days praying and planning, traveling and teaching, counseling and caring. When we talk (which, these days, can be an adventure because the availability of electricity is unreliable), I frequently see piles of printed material that he is preparing to distribute: books, tracts, pamphlets of testimonies from Christians in each of the castes. He speaks with great concern over the poor of India, and wears the beaming smile of a man who knows that he has found the abundant life promised to him.<br />
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Nathaniel and the Chandra's are examples of the self-denying, cross-bearing, life-surrendering, riches-selling follower of Christ that I desire to be, but fall far too short. How much have I done without to help those around me? Can I find the joy promised me by ordering my life around what I can do to bring glory to Christ? Why is it so hard to "lose" my life in order to "find" it?<br />
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Part of our blank check is this effort - an organization called Madhuri's Mission dedicated to the care of orphans and the advancement of the gospel to the poor of India. We are at the beginning, and we can't wait to see where God leads.<br />
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If you were to give Christ a blank check for your life, what would He write on it?<br />
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Grace,<br />
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ToddUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-57223113182919083162012-08-23T20:47:00.001-07:002012-09-13T05:37:51.622-07:00Getting to know you...In my <a href="http://toddandjennifer.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-very-beginning.html">last post</a> I began the story of how we came to know Madhuri and the Chandra's in India. Before continuing the story, I want to tell you what I hope you will take from this post: this is a story of the amazing grace of God shown to me by our friends on the other side of the world. If you get from this post that I intend to boast about our goodness and altruism, then I will have failed.<br />
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Why? Because in the months that followed our initial exchange of emails, I dragged my feet. I hemmed and hawed and, at times, suppressed the voice of the Spirit telling me that I should invest in this relationship. Like many Americans, I am hesitant about charitable activity that isn't well-established. I was also distracted by life and a fear of getting involved.<br />
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After a few emails in the first months of 2009, Pastor Chandra indicated that Madhuri wanted to attend an English-speaking school that would offer her better prospects for education and the future. It would cost about $250 for the year, and we thought that we could divide it up by sending $35 each month starting in June of that year. Some months I did, others I didn't. Over the course of the next 12 months, the emails were sporadic, and usually consisted of Pastor Chandra's updates and prayers for us, and requests to hear more from us. I confess that my replies were slow - I was feeling deep guilt, and still resisting the Spirit's whispers that were growing more insistent. The Chandra's were (and are) praying daily for us, and hoping that God would light a fire in our hearts for the poor of India.<br />
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(Have you ever done this - resist the Spirit because of some fear or perceived impracticality? Like me, did you feel a tug telling you not to get involved - that it could be messy, or inconvenient? Have you ever exaggerated the extent to which you were involved in overseas ministry? We frequently talked about our friends in India and felt quite self-righteous about it.)<br />
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After a few months, I stopped sending money and emails. It was a gradual thing. It wasn't until June of 2010 that we received another email. Pastor Chandra was asking about whether or not we would be sending money for Madhuri's second year of the English school. That summer, we sent a few hundred dollars to cover the year's school expenses. This was a better solution for us, because it would cover our hemming and hawing and we would feel "paid up" for several more months. We even exchanged phone numbers and called them one evening (it was morning there). The language barrier was significant, and we ended up reverting to email. After we asked if there was anything else they could think of, Pastor emailed back saying that he had been praying for a computer.<br />
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Pastor writes a good bit, and he had been writing and emailing using a computer at a nearby (a 2km walk, so nearby is used loosely) internet cafe. A laptop would be an extremely useful tool. Also, as it turns out, the internet is accessed primarily through cellular networks. Pastor could purchase a card for a laptop and be connected as he traveled. For us, this was a bigger commitment. It was a wonderful test, and we were faced with the question of whether or not we really wanted to help. This is where the Grace of Christ began to show itself - after waffling for months, we decided at Christmas to send a laptop.<br />
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As a computer nerd, I found this task relatively simple. I was not very comfortable with many aspects of this relationship, but now I had a technical problem with an easy solution: purchase a netbook with a webcam and a long-lasting battery and ship it to India. I did some research and bought a computer that I thought would fit the bill, with the coincidental assistance of a salesman from Mumbai who knew all about computing in India, wireless cards and power adapters.<br />
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It took more than a month for the shipment (wow, it's expensive to send large boxes to India) to reach Pastor Chandra, we got word that they had received it. We were excited, and hoped that it would allow us to communicate better. Before I shipped the laptop, I loaded Skype onto it in the hopes that we could video chat. <br />
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It wasn't long before the opportunity came for us to Skype. Pastor and Manjula were there, along with Madhuri and Pastor's nephew, Nathaniel. This video chat left me breathless. They were so happy to see us, and we were ecstatic to see them. We spoke for a little while - there was a long delay, and lots of repetition, but I came away with a sense of combined joy and panic that left me with nothing but, "OK, what do we do now!?" After we said goodbye, I paced the floor attempting to process the conversation. Here are some thoughts:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I am a solidly middle-class American, but I had never felt so wealthy</li>
<li>I had never met anyone who literally depended on Christ for everything they had</li>
<li>I was sure that it would be an epic failure on my part if I didn't allow this experience to change me</li>
</ul>
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A few years before, Jennifer and I had prayed that God would allow us to live a deeper life, and to show us what the looked like. I hope that this post has illustrated a very great truth from Philippians 1:6: "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion...". All of this is the Lord's doing - if anything, I resisted. How thankful I am that He (and the patient Chandra's) pushed me along.</div>
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In the next post, I will introduce you to Nathaniel and his beautiful family. I'll share some of the truly tireless work that Nathaniel and the Chandra's are doing to help the poor and lost of India discover the King that loves them and desires to care for them.</div>
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Grace!</div>
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Todd</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-86345000273913082222012-08-13T20:14:00.000-07:002012-08-14T09:04:14.760-07:00The very beginning...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVfAECdWfLch2GEd0YavIrOBzpRQmM2CDRl0KEMIt5uJZ6KFCISTUIMveXsMbkjw0L61IFY5cAXR4OCRLRt05uwjQ9OSspUrik1bZqD6xUd530MLrlJNUxIxYJl5R1AqcmvKOCkoalzz_/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVfAECdWfLch2GEd0YavIrOBzpRQmM2CDRl0KEMIt5uJZ6KFCISTUIMveXsMbkjw0L61IFY5cAXR4OCRLRt05uwjQ9OSspUrik1bZqD6xUd530MLrlJNUxIxYJl5R1AqcmvKOCkoalzz_/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor K. Vijaya Chandra, and some of the children under his care</td></tr>
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I don't know how many of you have done this before, but this wasn't our first time. Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Sunday at the church we were attending was a big deal each November - all of the children carrying their shoeboxes filled with toys and toiletries to the front steps. We have two kids - John Mark, who is now 15 and Emma, who is now 7. That year, 2008, we brought two boxes: one for a little girl, and one for a boy. In each box we placed a picture of our family and a brief letter with greetings for the child that received the box. We included our home address in the hope that we might receive word. We had not received any letters from anyone that had received one of our shoeboxes.<br />
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This time, in January of 2009, we did!<br />
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The letter came postmarked Bangalore, India, from a man named K. Vijaya Chandra. Chandra is the pastor of the Hanna Krupa Memorial Church in an impoverished area on the edge of Bangalore. He and his wife, Manjula care for several children in that area, many of whom are orphans, all of whom are very poor, and none of whom have promising prospects in Indian society. Chandra said that a little girl named Madhuri had opened our shoebox. He explained that Madhuri is an orphan who lives in their home. He thanked us for the box and included a picture of himself and Madhuri. He also included an email address that he checked periodically when he had the opportunity to walk to a nearby internet cafe.<br />
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We were thrilled to see the picture and to read the letter, and we were eager to know more about them. We sent an email to Pastor Chandra:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pastor Chandra, </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We are very pleased to receive your letter on behalf of Madhuri, and we are grateful that God caused our box to find its way to her.
We are a family of modest means but would like to help meet Madhuri's needs from time to time. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Please write back to us with information on how we might be able to help.
Would you also tell us about your church? We would like to know more about your ministry there and how we might be able to pray for you and your community. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In God's Love,<br />
The Norton Family<br />
Todd, Jennifer, John Mark and Emma
</blockquote>
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After a few days, we received a message back from Chandra:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Beloved Todd norton family.<br />
Greetings from India </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I am very thankful to our Lord Jesus christ, for that He gave a kind heart to write a kind lette
to Madhuri a blessed girl. God heard her prayers.<br />
Thanking you for the kind considaration about the orphan girl.
She is very happy when I told her about you and your kind letter. and she praised jesus.
She kissed somany times your photo ssaying thanking you Lord.
i will send all details occording to your letter within two days </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My blessings to all your family<br />
With love
Pastor</blockquote>
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As promised, Pastor followed up with information about Madhuri, the church and the area where they live. The Christian population in the area is an extreme minority, yet they had around 85 church members who gave of what little they had to support the Chandra's, and the Chandra's gave what they had to support the girls. They had no church building of their own, and they were meeting in a building owned by Compassion. They regularly received opposition from state government and the more militant Hindu population. Pastor and Manjula had been jailed for a short time a few years before for sharing Christ with members of their community. Despite the difficulty, they were thriving and their faith was strong.<br />
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In the next post, I will detail how our relationship began to grow as we continued to learn more about them.<br />
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Blessings!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-517543348658680069.post-26746134329647722282012-08-04T09:21:00.000-07:002012-08-06T07:28:56.055-07:00The beginning...This is the first post on a new blog in which we share our work with some remarkable people in India. The next post will detail how we came to know them, but I write today to show you pictures of some precious girls that live in a slum on the northeastern corner of Bangalore, India. They are under the care of K. Vijaya Chandra and the Hanna Krupa Memorial Church. Pastor Chandra and his wife, Manjula give these girls basic needs, and show them a God who loves them and can lift them from the grasp of poverty. They attend school year-round, 7 days a week in India. The girls gather early in the morning at the Chandra's flat for breakfast, then they go from there to their respective schools.<br />
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We Skype with them frequently, and have come to know some of the girls. One of them, Madhuri, lives with the Chandra's and was the reason we met them all (more on that in the next post). It has been so humbling for us to see first-hand a family that devotes every moment of their day and every rupee they possess to care for those around them, and to show that the "untouchables" and outcasts can become children of the King. For a few years, we have been sending support for this family and these girls, and have been sponsoring Madhuri in her desire to attend an English-speaking school. A few other families have joined us in this, and now three of the girls are in school. <br />
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There are three more girls that would like the opportunity to attend the English school. Here are pictures of them:<br />
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Chandrika</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoudqEHJOs_q00Bf6ezlJbZ1zcH2qc18LdVvFWWI7ydv0l_4-dVX28irp6IxiWiwLZ_MSsNk0-HpU-o6uLZd8KkwUTqVVoBhokpRoI3JK9764mEDvFIWlyBdPNj_Lm-FDN3UlftQqVxGu/s1600/anjali+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoudqEHJOs_q00Bf6ezlJbZ1zcH2qc18LdVvFWWI7ydv0l_4-dVX28irp6IxiWiwLZ_MSsNk0-HpU-o6uLZd8KkwUTqVVoBhokpRoI3JK9764mEDvFIWlyBdPNj_Lm-FDN3UlftQqVxGu/s320/anjali+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Nandini</div>
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Anjali</div>
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The registration and tuition fees total $250 per year. We are working toward establishing a non-profit here in the US will help the Hanna Krupa Memorial Church care for the children in their community and plant churches in many villages in southern India that have none. At this time, we are looking to incorporate the charity and file the 501(c)(3) non-profit application. What does this mean? First, contributions made to the girls are not tax-deductible at this time. They will be when the filing process is complete. Second, we need your expertise in the legal and accounting areas to help us get set up. Third, we need your prayers to help us know how best to help our friends. We are planning a trip to visit them in person and see their tireless work first-hand. Pray that the Lord opens doors for that to happen soon!</div>
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There are many facets of poverty. Material poverty is one, but a study done by the World Bank after World War II revealed that those experiencing dire material poverty, in which death by starvation or disease is a daily worry, not only feel the weight of their hunger, but also their powerlessness. In this sense, these girls are not poor! God, through the Chandra's and Hanna Krupa church, has given these girls the knowledge that they are not powerless - they are deeply loved, and infinitely valuable.<br />
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If you are interested in getting involved with us in establishing Madhuri's Mission, please contact me. My email address is java.todd@gmail.com. <br />
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God bless you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0