Maranatha

The last few weeks have been heavy and ones of struggling to cling to the Father's goodness. He is faithful and I know that his purposes are good.

One of the ladies that comes to Sally's home is Smiley. She is a precious cousin woman who had previously lost two baby girls, one at 3 months and one at 2 months. When I met Smiley she was expecting her third child. He was born in October and was a precious baby. Like so many babies in South Asia he was very small and undernourished. We did what we could to help but in the end it wasn't enough. Sweet baby Rahim met the Lrd after just 6 weeks in this world. Needless to say his mother is heartbroken. I found myself asking the Father why he did not sustain this precious baby's life when we had pr@yed together in JC's name. His mother asked me the same. I had no words. I just wept with her and listened as she talked of her sweet baby boy and the hole in her heart. I long for this sweet woman to know my Savi0r and to have peace in the midst of unimaginable suffering.

Just a few days after hearing about baby Rahim I learned my college roommate has stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to her lungs and liver. I was devastated and just wanted to get on a plane right away. She has already had an extremely difficult year and has two precious children depending on her for stability in their lives. Again I tried to make sense of the Father's plans. I couldn't. I could never understand. I do know He is good. He is faithful.

Through these two terrible situations I found myself facing a terrible tension in my heart. On one hand I was longing desperately for Chr1st's return so there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more cancer, no more death. On the other I was asking that he tarry just a while longer so that Smiley and others would believe and join us as we worship at his feet with all nations.

Please pr@y for smiley and ask the Father to comfort her and reveal himself to her. Also pr@y for my friend Ashley. Ask the Father to give her comfort and strength as she fights this terrible disease. Ask for treatments to be effective so she can continue to be a mom to her two precious children.

A Star in the East

I have been so encouraged by my Advent reading this year. (I am reading Pipers Good News of Great Joy. You can still catch up and download it for free here.) Sunday's reading was Matthew 2.2

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jws?
For we saw His star in the east and have come to

worship Him.” 

Piper stated in the devotional content "So the lesson is plain: G0d is guiding foreigners to Chr1st to worship him. And he is doing it by exerting global—probably even universal—influence and power
to get it done."

I was encouraged to pr@y more fervently that the Father would work in miraculous ways to draw many South Asians to Chr1st to worship him. Especially for a group of cousins I have been sharing with lately.

Over the last few months I have had some great opportunities to meet with ladies at Sally's home and share stories with them. Every Sunday I try to go to Sally's and share with whatever ladies she gathers. Earlier in November Danielle went with me and we spent most of the time with two men who stopped by. One of the men appears to be a devout cousin*. His name is Jared* and dress and appearance are typical of the more devout adherents of 1sl@m. While his appearance may be a little intimidating his spirit is not. He listens carefully to whatever we have to say. A few weeks ago he came as we were reading a story and actually helped us finish reading, as he is more educated than the women. Last week he brought his wife and mother to meet me and they shared some pr@yer requests. He appears to be a person of peace and I am asking the Father to use this man and these women to plant his chrch in Sally's neighborhood.

Would you please be on your face for this group of people. Ask the Father to work as he did that first Christmas to bring a group of lowly shepherds and 3 Magi to the Messiah. Ask him to give dreams and visions to these cousins so they may worship Chr1st. Ask him to use extraordinary measures to draw them to himself and his word. I believe the Father wants to plant his chrch in this neighborhood and that he wants many more cousins in our city to worship him.

I will be going on Christmas day to spend time with these people. What an amazing thing it would be for us all to worship Chr1st the L0rd together! Pr@y with me!

Jared, his wife Nora, and his mother Ama
Ruby and her daughter
Smiley and her husband (who just lost their 3rd baby)
Jamie

Taza

Many of you may know I have dreamed and prayed for years that the Father would give me an opportunity to not only share the g0spel with women but also help them find ways to support themselves, possibly through sewing. As I write this I sit here completely AMAZED at what the Father has done over the last few months.

Emily and I with some of our fabric purchases 

                                      

Thanks to the wonderful team the Father has brought to my city we have been working hard to get a sewing center started in our city. Our dream is to train women in marketable skills which will give them the opportunity to earn income and provide for their families. So many women in South Asia have little or no education and no means to provide for their children if they are widowed or for themselves if they never marry. As we train them in these skills we also want to give them hope. Taza means fresh in Hindi. We want to give them a chance at fresh start as well as show them there is freedom in Christ.

 Emily and Katie cutting for our sample products

We are hoping to really get things going this spring but already have a few ideas for products to make and sell. Please check out some of the product ideas at tazagoods.blogspot.com and vote for your favorite. You can also leave any comments on the blog as well. We would LOVE and need your feedback.

Our first Taza sewing machine

One our MBB partners wife has shown interest in helping us and we are already starting to train her in making some of the products. Her name is Nila* and she has a precious spirit. She has not yet believed but we are continuing to ask the Father to reveal himself to her. Please lift her up with us!

Please be lifting up Taza. There are still many, many details we need to work out be we are trusting the Father to guide us each step of the way. Ask him to give us wisdom as we move forward and to use Taza for his glory among the nations.

The Garment Project ~ Silk's Home

For more info 

During October the girls on my team and I hosted our first training at my teammate Emily's house helper's home. Silk* is an older mother of six daughters. She is a joy to be around and graciously opened her home to us and several of her neighbors.

Katie, Silk*, and me (feeling REALLY tall)

We had an amazing time sharing with these ladies over two Sundays and were completely in awe of the Father's grace. He gave us all much grace in Hindi and the ladies understanding of all we taught. 

 Danielle and I  taught the health material. We were able to get the ladies up on their feet and did some visual learning so they could remember how their bodies are uniquely made. 

Each week after we taught the health training, Emily and Katie shared stories with the ladies. We shared the story of creation and the fall and also the story of the bleeding woman. We used Henna on our hands to help tell the stories. 

Most of these women had never (NEVER) heard these stories before and listened intently as we told them of a Savior that loved them so much he died for their sins and made them clean.

We were able to distribute 20 kits to these ladies and they were SO GRATEFUL!

After each training we were also able to chat with the ladies over chai and snacks. This allowed us the opportunity to go even more in-depth with them about the g0spel and get to know them. 

Since completing this training, Silk and her family have expressed interest in hearing more stories and believing. Emily and her husband are going on Sundays now to meet with them and study the Word together. Please lift them up as they continue to share with this family and ask the Father to plant his ch*rch on this little rooftop. 

Please also ask the Father to lead us to other homes were we can us The Garment Project to open doors and hearts to the Good News. 

The Garment Project

Several months ago I met with a national friend who has become a mentor and encourager. She challenged me to really seek the Father as to how I and our team can engage more women, especially women who have never heard. I begin asking the Father for wisdom and ideas for entry into new areas. I spoke with my dear friend Sarah about some things I had been thinking and we brainstormed ideas together. I then talked with some other girls on my team and discovered the Father had put the same idea on her heart as well. And so we began The Garment Project.

What is the Garment Project?

Many women in South Asia have little understanding of how their bodies work and why certain things, like monthly bleeding, happen. In addition, they have little, if no, access to costly disposable sanitary products. What do they use? Scraps of cloth, newspaper, or nothing at all. Whatever they do use they simply dispose of it wherever they can.
Some other women in our company developed a simple health training that explains how the Father made women's bodies and what happens each month. Along with the training are some stories from the Word that speak to women's hearts and share the good news. After the training is complete we provide the women with a kit that contains reusable sanitary products, underwear, soap, detergent bar and a washcloth.

Our hope with this project is to meet a physical need as we share the hope of the g0spel with women in South Asia. The Garment Project allows us entry into homes and the opportunity to speak with only women. We want to return to those homes who are seeking and share more stories from the Word.

I am so thankful for the partnerships of several fellowships that have given of their time and finances to help with this project. Thank you to three of my supporting fellowships(Calvary, Summit, and ETBC) for sacrificing your time and sewing sanitary pads for the women of South Asia. Thank you to many others that have given financially to buy soap, underwear, detergent, and washcloths.

If you are interested in helping support The Garment Project or have any questions, please let me know.

I'm still here and the Father is working

Some great things have been happening over the last several months and I want to share them with you all before I forget! I think most of you all remember Sally, my house helper, precious friend, and amazing national partner.

I am continually amazed and humbled by this sweet woman. In case you have forgotten Sally is an illiterate cousin woman, the second wife to an ageing husband, mother of two children, and bold sharer of the good news!

A few months ago Sally was walking near her house and met a young girl, Queenie, who was alone and crying. Queenie came to our city looking for a job but ran out of money before she could find a job and had no place to stay. Sally, who has very little, invited Queenie to her home and offered her whatever she had. She also told Queenie that she would tell her about the one who died for her sins!
-please take a minute for this to soak in. A woman who survives on very little, especially by western standards, invited another woman to come and share her home and her food and her Savior. When was the last time I was so giving?

Queenie did go to Sally's and stayed for a little over a month. During that time Sally faithfully shared all she knew, gave her a copy of the Word to read, and showed her two films about JC's life. Through all these things Queenie understood her desperate need for a Savior and trusted in JC!!

Just wait, it gets better!

Queenie was ready to be dunked last month. My teammates and I were able to watch as Sally ( who I dunked last year) dunked Queenie!! It was one of the most amazing and precious moments of my life!

We were able to share the Lrd's supper with our two national partners and a new brother and sister!

Ok…it gets EVEN better!
Queenie returned to her city last month and then came back to visit a few weeks later for a short visit. She also brought 2 ladies who had believed and also been dunked!

Please lift up Queenie as she is in a different state. We need to wisdom as to how to connect her to others so she can be encouraged and discipled. Ask the Father to continue to give her boldness. Thank the Father for both Sally and Queenie and there faithfulness!

Sally

Some of you have heard, or read, about Sally. She is my and the Eggleton's house helper. We also had a 'swimming party' for her this past summer. Just last week Sally told me she was having some ladies over to her house. At first I just told her that was nice and I hoped she had a nice time with her friends. I asked her what they would do and she said (with this Hello Beth! look on her face), "talk to them about JC." I mean what else would she do, right?! Needless to say, I was a little surprised. Danielle and I, but mostly Danielle, have been trying to slowly teach Sally more about what it means to follow JC. She is illiterate so this is a slow and long process. Sally asked me to give her a copy of the Word with some stories marked because one of the ladies could read. She also asked for some cds we listen to while she works so the ladies could her some songs about JC....at this point I was trying to pick my chin up off the floor because I just couldn't believe we were having this conversation.

All the ladies are cousin and they are trying to regularly meet each week. This Sunday Sally asked me to come and meet these ladies!!! This is exactly what our team as been asking the Father to do! Please please lift up this time to the Father. Ask for him to give these ladies dreams and visions and to open their hearts to receive the g0spel. Ask that He will allow these ladies and I to become friends and for me to have favor in their eyes. Just ask for the Father to go before me and to begin a work among cousin women!