This past Thursday found me on a plane to San Diego (yes, I’m doing my best to stay away from the cold) for a National Advisory Board Meeting with Amor Ministries. Amor is the Ministry that we have worked with for 12 years. On fact hundreds of people have joined us for this trip where we have built 27 houses, a firehouse for the Rosarito Fire Department and an addition to a Junior High School. To say that this ministry has been a blessing to Westbrook would be an understatement. It was really great to meet some of the behind the scenes people at Amor who help make intentional transformation happen for the people we bring. I was even able to meet ministry founders Scott and Gayla Congdon after all these years.

If you want to be a multi-cultural church in America you need to find ministry partners in the countries where your people are from. If you do not work with a Mexican ministry yet, Amor is the bomb. If you do not offer short term mission trips for your people, you just must start.

Hey everyone. Well Tyler and I made it back from India in one piece and very healthy. Getting ill on a trip like this is one of my biggest fears, but in spite of that fear we ate everything they served and tried all the exotic Indian foods that make their country special. Yes, we were very careful about only drinking bottled water, and PTL we did it all without getting sick. They only time  I felt even queasy was from sitting in the third rear seat and getting jostled around as we drove down city streets at break neck speed. Talk about crazy drivers. I think the number one rule of the road in India is to make sure your horn is in proper working order.

It was an amazing trip. I was blessed to speak 9 times in 8 days, to participate in baptizing 11 out of the 44 souls who gave their lives to Christ and were water baptized. We shared in the exciting ministry of PV Alexander and were a part of all of the elements of this God blessed ministry. From the Bible College to Mercy Hospital, to Ebenezer English school, to Mercy College of Nursing, to Jesus Loves Me Christian Home. We shared in 7 nights of revival and saw so many people connect to Christ as well as seeing faithful Christ followers find encouragement. The first four day revival was held at the Bible College (Kerala Christian Theological Seminary). Each service was well attended with 1,000+ people. I was able to speak and bring encouragement to the 160 or so young men who are training to be preachers. When they sang in English with every ounce of their energy… I Surrender All, I thought I was going to lose it. For I realized, some of these young men might just do that very thing…. Surrender their all for the sake of Christ. It was very moving! The final three nights were held at the orphage 3.5 hours south of the Bible college and was attended by 400-500 people each night.

Tyler enjoyed the trip as well. He connected well with the young people there and was able to witness several surgeries at Mercy Hospital including a Caesarean section of a beautiful little girl. I went back the hospital with him to see the baby. He was speechless. I think he can now see how God might use him as a Missionary Doctor. I could write so much more. It was an awesome trip. The return flight home included a layover in Dubai. That is another amazing city. After a 14 hour flight to Kennedy Airport in NYC and then another 2 hour flight to O’Hare we made it home. Our first stop: Fat Ricky’s pizza. I was a little riced out! Thank you Jesus for a great trip. A great ministry to be a part of. And a great blessing to be used in so many ways. Jesus, bless our new ministry partners in southern India.

Today is the day that Tyler and I leave for India. I’ll have to admit to a little bit of anxiousness. I’ve been blessed to be able to travel a great deal in my life but I have never been to India although it’s been on my heart for a bunch of years. If the truth be told, I’m probably most anxious about the 12.5 hour flight from New York City to Dubai. If you know me, then you know that I am pretty highstrung, and being cooped up in a tight little chair is not something I’m relishing. My brother Mark, who has been to India twice tells me that the experience will far outweigh the process of getting there. I’m counting on that. Our group of Missionaries will be working with  the PV Alexander Mission. Hours after we arrive, I will be speaking at a Lamp Lighting ceremony at the Nurses College. After that…?

If I may ask, please pray for Tyler and I and the rest of our group. I am praying that as we serve, God might use us to truly impact people for Him. If I can, I plan to update this blog during the week.

WOW!  In just a few days (Monday to be precise) my oldest son Tyler and I will be leaving for a 12 day Mission trip to India. On Monday we leave for New York where we will meet up with the rest of our small group.  At around 11:00 PM we will be flying to Dubai and then on to Trivandrum, India.  Trivandrum is in the state of Kerala which is a sliver of the country on the southwestern coast.  From there we will be met by representatives of the PV Alexander mission.  Each day we will be visiting elements of their ministry which include a hospital, nurses training college, a Bible College, primary Christian school and an orphanage.  At night I will be leading crusades and preaching.  Tyler is planning to spend time at the Hospital as he plans to enter Cornerstone University and study Biology.  Might a Missionary Doctor career be in the works for him?  Time will tell.

I need to finish up this weekends message as we start a new series at Westbrook entitled “Sacred Space”.  From there it’s going to be packing, packing, packing.  Please pray for us as we travel.  Please pray that God would not only use us for His glory but that this trip would enhance our multi-cultural efforts here at Westbrook.  We are praying diligently about starting an Indian congregation as a part of our Mosaic ministry.  I can’t wait to return and share with you all that God does in and through us.

I took a few days off from this site as I have been enjoying the Holidays with my family.  On Christmas eve we drove to see my folks and siblings for a few days and even if I had wanted to I couldn’t have posted anything since they don’t have internet access and there’s not a Starbucks in town with Wifi.  It’s been a super few days.  My family was only interrupted by  a few days of sermon writing.  I certainly hope your holidays were the same and that you are ready for what God has in store for you in 2009.