Mission Complete!

Another amazing year of Joy India ministry comes to a close. It is always sad to say goodbye to India, our local friends, our ministry partners and our fellow Joy India team members after this awesome experience.












In many ways it is like fighting in battle together, side by side in the trenches, sometimes nursing each other back to health, carrying supplies to others when they run low, offering encouraging words when needed while all serving jointly in a tremendous cause that is much greater than ourselves.











Once again this year we had an incredible team. It was a delight to renew old friendships and make many new ones as well. We had a hilarious time serving, working, eating (and even shopping) together over these few weeks. God really blessed our fellowship!

God’s power was seen and felt in many ways during these days of ministry. As Joy India team members we were privileged to be a part of God’s work in a Hindu temple in Delhi, in a fishing village near Puri, a YMCA in Bhubaneswar, an orphanage in Bangalore and many other areas of great need. Whether ministering to pastors in Orissa & Karnataka or patients in every medical clinic, God enabled us to impact the lives of literally thousands of the precious people of India.

Thank you for your prayer support, financial support and for your encouragement. We look forward to what God has in store for the next mission of Joy India.

Photo Recap of Bangalore clinics and Revival services

Below are photo links to the final few days of Medical clinics and to the Revival services lead by Larry Walker.


First day of Bangalore clinics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622740510100


Second day of Bangalore clinics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622758011862


Larry Walker evening Revival services
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622633611573

Street Crossings and McDonalds!

Due to the TB mentioned in the last post the kids and I did NOT go to the clinics today! We are hoping to go to the orphanage when the kids get out of school this afternoon, however. In the interim, our hotel is located in the heart of the shopping district in Bangalore which means going out to buy diapers and to get lunch was a nice excursion and only required walking 2 blocks. BUT! We did have to cross the street - a task that terrifies me even when I don't have kids. Traffic in India consists of large buses, cars of all sizes, autorickshaws, motorcycles, the occasional cow, and pedestrians - all in large numbers and going at pretty decent speeds with horns honking. It is both terrifying and fascinating to observe. Thankfully one can actually cross at the lights in some places (though lots and lots of crossing goes on without a crosswalk!) and the street in front of our hotel is a one-way street so you can "safely" jaywalk when the light is red if you do not walk down to the light. So after the hotel doorman helped us navigate through stopped traffic to cross we were on our way to McDonalds. Which was a very fasinating experience. Here were my observations

• it is a happenin' place - packed with what looked to be students and young professionals.
• it was certainly as clean as the average McDonalds at home and probably more efficient service
• the veggie burger was better than pretty much any I have ordered in the States anywhere
• The french fries tasted exactly the same as the States!
• We had a combo meal and 6-count chicken nuggets for 155 ruppees or about $3.50
  

It was fun to go somewhere that was both familiar and totally different at the same time.
-Sara Midturi

Preparing for service in Bangalore

On Tuesday night, the team discussed our preparations for meeting the needs of the people here. We will be working in the slums of Bangalore. Tuberculosis is prevalent and is amongst many diseases that we will see amongst the people.

Pray for strength and stamina for our team. Crowd control will be important.

Pray for wisdom. Our teams will be in separate physical locations (the first time we have done this on this trip) and our work will be more independent. Our supplies will be dependent on what we bring and we need to anticipate what we need as we will not be able to share with our other teams while on site.

Pray for supplies. It may be that we need miracles in providing what we need to those who need it most.

Pray for our teams. We need excellence in communication, temperament, and professionalism. We need more kindness and thoughtfulness and respect for each other and our leadership.

Pray that we do what we came to do: serve the Lord and glorify Him in all of our actions and words.

Photos from Puri

Travel Day: Bhubaneswar to Bangalore

Today we traveled from Bhubaneswar to Bangalore. We started the day on time, all bags, supplied, packed and ready at 10 a.m. We arrived at the Bhubaneswar airport with all of our belongings and persons quite early as our flight was delayed by nearly one hour.

Some of our team had to carry their water bottle through security to ensure that they drank it before getting on the airplane. Others had to prove that their batteries would not be used for nefarious purposes. But all in all the team made it the without any real difficulties.

We arrived in Bangalore with palates burned by the Kingfisher lunch. Then we waited briefly for our bags and were greeted by the hotel staff. We boarded the bus and stuffed our luggage into the nooks and crannies and went to the hotel.

Dinner was served promptly at 7 p.m. But some of our team had enjoyed a shopping break in the city.

The noises of the city are rising as the people of Bangalore come out for the cool and breezy night.

The Clinic in Puri

The team left on time for Puri, but arrived late due to a tragic car and motorcycle accident. The road to Puri was long, but the good hearts and spirits of the team made it an enjoyable trip.

Puri was quite an experience. The people there are more poor and more desperate than we have seen in our clinics thus far. There were so very many children who needed our help and care. We distributed all of the vitamins, toothbrushes and glasses that we had allocated for the day. We went through many bottles and pills to treat infections, skin problems, fevers and pain.

We worked in two locales. One at a church and the other at a school. Both facilities had no overhead lights, but had fans and windows where we setup our stations. Crowd control was challenging, but our administrators were resourceful and ensured that the people received the care and treatment that they needed.

Pray that the people of the village, especially the children, remember and understand our instructions about using the medicines and advice.

Photo recap for Delhi and Orissa clinic days

Below is a quick recap of each clinic day in pictures so far on our trip. Credit must be given to our amazing photographer Betsy Hurley (photos are specifically credited) who is also a trained nurse serving on Team #3

Delhi clinic in the West Batel Nagar section of the city
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622668836456/

Bhubaneswar area – Minchin Patna clinic #2
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622682196886/

Bhubaneswar area – Jatni clinic #3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622564882365/

Bhubaneswar area – Bahili Para clinic #4
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622695648296/

Bhubaneswar – YMCA clinic #5
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622702928428/

Orissa – Puri fishing village clinic #6
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rougetete/sets/72157622594439177/

Puri Clinic.

We have just finished a successful and blessed clinic in Puri, Orissa. The three teams were split into two sets.

Team one and three had 133 total, 93 adults and 94 children.

Team two had 295 total, 150 adults and 145 children.

We travel tomorrow from Bhubaneswar to Bangalore.

Please pray for organization, coordination and safety on our travels.

We continue to need prayer for the health of our team members.

We have two more clinics in Bangalore beginning on Wednesday.

Thank you for your prayers! Team health is back.

Thank you for your prayers! Our team health is so much better and we are rested from Sunday worship. Today, Monday, November 2nd, we are headed off to Puri to work at a church near the beach. This will be our busiest day. Your thoughts and prayers are most welcome. This day will test our medical teams like no other.

We request prayer for wisdom, stamina, strength, health, and clarity.

Life is good.

Stickers!

If you have ever wondered if the kids in India like stickers as much as the kids in the States - the answer is yes!! We brought lots and lots of stickers (thanks to all who gave them to us:) with us and Karis has been planning to share them with the kids at the clinics for weeks. And it has been a huge success. We gave some to some street kids in Delhi and in a matter of seconds the number of kids in front of us tripled with each holding up both hands. Today Karis spent the morning distributing multiple stickers to all the kids to all their delight! Between stickers and making great friends with the girls who are helping as interpreters Karis thinks the clinics are the greatest things ever. In general Karis and Stephen are having an amazing time in India - they get so much sweet attention from everyone from the hotel staff to the patients at the clinics.
--Sara Midturi

Photos from Friday, October 30

Dr. Larry Walker Leads Pastor Training Seminar

Dr. Larry Walker is leading a pastor training seminar during the Joy India mission trip. There are 30 pastors from throughout the State of Orissa. The furthest distance one of the pastors traveled was 250 km. Dr. Walker has met with the pastors every day from 9-4 at the Bhubaneswar YMCA.

The pastors are being taught Bible doctrine, church polity, administrative leadership as well as inspirational motivation.

The men sleep and eat at the YMCA. Their accommodation is spartan and they sleep on the floor at the YMCA. The meals and transportation are provided and supported by Joy India.

Nearly all of the pastors have at least seven churches that they serve in their ministry on a rotating basis.

Dr. Walker reports that it has been a great time of fellowship and bonding.

The theme of the pastor training seminar is Acts 17:28. "In HIM we live and move and have our being."

Last night we celebrated a great achievement

Last evening we celebrated the 77th birthday of our own Ide Trotter. Happy B-Day Ide!!!!










Below is a short video of the surprise moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAIuZkkJhM

Wednesday, October 27th Team Experiences

Jana Spillers - "I treated a man who wanted glasses so that he could read the Bible."

Team Updates, Testimony and Prayer Requests from 26-27 October

Bill Connel - "Wow! What a trip and people. The team I'm with are the greatest, most loving people. The people we have helped are very grateful and loving. god is everywhere on this mission."

John, Sara, Karis & Stephen Midturi - "I now really believe in jet-lag! At least in small children! Karis has slept from about 3 p.m. to midnight every day! There is hope for tonight since she only took in a few hours nap... But Stephen has been 'napping' for 3 hours..." -- Sara "It has been son nice to have so many extra hands to help with the care of Karis & Stephen." -- Sara

Rebecca Briggs - "We squeezed in a few hours of shopping today, which was fun. Except for the rickshaw ride, which was more like a "come to Jesus". We are having a blast and can't wait for the 2nd clinic day tomorrow!"

Emily DeWees (Austin, TX) - "A few days in India has been amazing! We have already done so much on our first few days. It's been a blessing to be here, however I truly understand the meaning of "walk every day as it may be your last" after traveling on a Indian Airbus plane and riding in a rickshaw. I have a video of the horrifying experience. Keep us in your prayers."

Joyce & Allen Powell - "We spent our Delhi clinic at a Hindu Temple meeting with mostly older patients. We were served a lovely Indian lunch. We especially liked working with our translators who were teachers in the Hindu school. Our prayer is that God will use this day to His purpose."

Dr. Satish (New Delhi) - "We were in a temple which would have been unimaginable holding our Bibles in our hand and preaching. Being a medical team, we were welcomed. Well appreciated for what we did and they want to have us come back next year. I am sure we have sown a seed. Harvest will be in the Lord's time."

Jana Spillers - "We prayed for the Lord to go before us and it has been clear that our prayer was answered. Our first clinic day was held in a Hindu temple. The local leaders welcomed us and provided a wonderful lunch. Our patients were very thankful for our medical attention. We spoke different languages but we could still communicate via translators and gestures. It also helps that the love of God is a universal language."