I've been doing "alright." There has been some extremely difficult struggles that I've been enduring and learning from - mostly learning from than anything else. Details which I will keep to myself for now until I can fully regurgitate everything, but it has definitely been a roller coaster ride. Days of pure joy as my heart dances and sings, but also plenty of days where my heart was full of sorrow, down and tired. Regardless, God has been faithful to answer the many prayers and keep me within His embrace - oh how warm and comforting the arms of our Father! He's never far, He's always here, I (we) just fail to see it. How humbling and so reassuring is the love of God.
Anyway, I've been MIA for a while. I got really sick this past week: vomiting, the runs, stomach pains, a minor cold, gastritis (?) - need to get examined upon returning to CA, and so forth. It's knocked me out for about a full week. What's strange in my case is everything was physically fine before I came to India, but within the first week, I decided to try street food and a variety of it. Now anytime I eat rice, spices, specific ingredients, my stomach expands to the point where I have difficulty breathing regardless of the amount - one or ten servings all make my stomach grow like crazy. O well, at least I can still eat eggs, PB&J sandwiches, oatmeal, fruits, and some other stuff. HAH!
All that aside, I'm still currently teaching St. Paul School children the gospel message. Unfortunately all the other short-term missions teams and the holidays messed up the schedule a little, so now I'm going off a secondary lesson plan - simply concentrating on the gospel message and how we react - justification/sanctification/glorification. What breaks my heart is, because I've been unable to teach due to my health my students always question, "Teacher Eddie, how come you didn't come to our class?" These students are so ripe for the picking, but I've been unable this past week to feed them. Sure, I'm not the one with the power to save, but it broke my heart to see the kids unable to learn more about Christ, because of a lack of a worker. I tell everyone, the harvest is soo plentiful here in India, I'm sure it is all over the world, but the WORKERS ARE FEW. There are people everyday dying without knowing the blessed name of Jesus Christ. So please, please, I beg you as a fellow brother in Christ, share about the redeeming message of Jesus Christ.
Also, I'm beginning to teach English-I to the AECS students. That is another highlight of my week. I actually feel like a professor distributing assessment tests, reading assignments, grading assignments, writing and going over my syllabus (grading plan, tenative schedule, attendance policies, etc), and writing/grading exams. If I was asked to be a high school teacher I would totally take up the offer.. maybe that's where my passion and dream of being a college professor are being honed. haha who knows? This monday is our first exam from a series of five and one final exam. Let's see how well these students do. haha. But my joy of teaching the AECS students come from the purpose behind WHY English is important. English language is a gift that not everyone possesses. It is such a simple and ordinary thing for most people - it is their first language, if not only language. But the power of English, now that's something to think about. English is a global language from America to Brazil, India to Japan, almost everyone understands English to some extent and now I'm teaching these students the English language - an extremely powerful tool useful for God's kingdom purpose. It is a tool and a talent useful in the goal to evangelize to all of India and its neighboring countries. These students can take the gospel and take it all over using English! That's why I find so much joy in teaching these students, even though English is probably my worst subject. So I hope my students will learn diligently and use this tool, the english language, as another possibility for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be known among those who have yet to hear this beautiful news.
AND PICTURES!!
morning prayer/exercise/worship @ 5:00am
Missionary (President) Chung, the most faithful man of God I have ever met with the famous gorilla chest beating. He definitely is Alpha male! HAH!
AECS faculty and students praying earnestly and Calvin probably sleeping
KCM team leading in some early morning praise - some of these peeps have a voice, some should just stick to praying. HAH!
packed house in the worship hall.. glimpse of what heaven may look like!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. For the St. Paul School students to continue to be eager to learn about who Christ is.
2. For the AECS students to be diligent in all their studies and use all the gifts that God has given them to further the gospel.
3. For my health - a speedy recover so I can teach my students again.
4. For YOU to be unashamed, unafraid of the gospel but to be a diligent worker for the harvest is plentiful. (Missions is all around us. It's not called missions because of a plane ticket, cultural differences, etc. Everyone who doesn't know Christ IS the MISSION FIELD)
2 comments:
Praying and expecting your full recovery and just even more energy than before bcus it is the power and strength of God Almighty in you! :D and so so very thankful for you and all your fellow workers! and definitely praying for more workers and more saved souls by the love, grace, and power of Jesus Christ.
"We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace while we profess to know a power the 20th century could not reckon with. But we are harmless and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in the battle to the death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship in the cross. We are sideliners coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us we are too much like its own. Oh, that God would make us dangerous." - Jim Elliot
This blog post made me sad because it seems like you have been dealing with some hard times. Hang in there Edward! We all go through difficult stages of our lives. I know that whatever is wrong, you will learn how to cope, learn from the struggles you are experiencing now, and ultimately become a better person. Honestly Edward, you are one of the sweetest people I know and the work you are doing is completely noble and selfless. Although I am not there, I'm sure your presence means so much to those little kids you are teaching. I understand that things can get hard and then you tend to focus on the negative...but like I said, you'll get through it. In the meantime, reflect on the good and know that what you're doing is making a difference in people's lives. Ok, that's my pep talk...feel happier soon! Miss you!
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