Last Full Conference Day!

Last full Conference day!

Today was another long conference day, but not as long as last night! At dinner last night, Prati gave us new directives for our sessions, so that what we were saying was closer to the conference theme. To say that put some of the team in a panic at that late hour (9:30pm!), after an already long day, is an understatement.

Most of us got a few hours sleep, but we can sleep on the plane in a few day

s, right? There sure doesn't seem to be any time for sleep until then!

Of course it all worked together for good (of course it did!), because what began as panic produced great results today, and many good lessons were learned. (Those will be made known on the palne as well, I'm sure!) Ha.

I had the first session today and spoke on a plan for living out God's mission here on earth from Jude 20-23. Interesting how that teaching came to be; in my daily cards, my Mom simply sent me the scripture from Jude 2, that says, "Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.". I decided on one of our long van rides to read that scripture and continued on reading the rest of the book, and this teaching jumped

off the pages! So, thanks, Mom, for encouraging me with that beautiful verse. You just brought an awesome message to the women of India! Isn't God amazing?!

There are always tea breaks at the conferences (and in these women's daily lives), so after the tea break, we were blessed with 2 songs from the Children from one of the Children's homes here in Maharashtra. If you know me, you know my hea

rt for children. I've always said one of my favorite sounds in all God's earth is the sound of children singing. My heart completely melted during their little song about the devil having to run away because Jesus lives in their hearts. PRECIOUS! (Janet, didn't we sing a song like that on Miles Rd when we were little? We didn't have bongos.)

After the children sang, RaeAnn touched the women's hearts by meeting them where we all are tender- our relationships with our children. She told how she used to be an angry, bitter mom until God came into her heart and she allowed Him and the Fruit of the spirit (patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), to change her life. The women all related and loved her vulnerability. (She also gave a shout out to Breakthrough, so Paul and Susanna, your ministry has gone international!)

Before lunch, Vicki taught on being an ambassador for God's mission here on earth

by being His hands and feet, meeting the needs around us. Vicki is the Missions director for her church in Casper, Wyoming. It is clear they have the right woman for the job! She has such a gentle strength and huge compassionate heart.

Prati always sprinkles her words between sessions, which she did again today tying everything together for the women, and probably smoothing over our mistakes! We wouldn't know; we haven't a clue what she's saying but it's always powerful.

Lunch was brought in for us at the conference center, and was a typical Indian lunch; "pickled" vegetables, bread, white rice with curry sauce and a banana. We were sooo grateful they brought us spoons. They always eat with their fingers (scooping rice is an art), and usually we do too, but it was nice to have a utensil.

After lunch we heard wonderful stories from several women leaders reporting what God is doing in their villages through WWM. These women are being mobiliz

ed and are reaching other women for Christ, and their lives and families are being transformed. God cares about the welfare of the people of India and He is using the women here to better their lives and redeem their souls.

Dana continued the afternoon sharing with the women the story of how God made it clear she was to go to India. She encouraged the women to trust God and allow Him to do amazing things in their lives.

Belinda spoke with passion about the importance of keeping our relationships intact, about restoration and reconciliation. Women get that no matter where we live. We're all about our relationships! Her words were powerful, but it was quite comical when she actually stopped and waited for the pastor translating for her to translate her words, "Oh Belinda!". So she waited and he finally shrugged his shoulders and

turned around toward us and said, "Oh, Belinda!". The whole place cracked up!

Prati ended the conference with a very moving and thought-provoking message to the women from Acts where Peter has the vision of the sheet being lowered from the four corners of the world with clean and unclean animals on it. The message from God was that nothing that God has created is unclean. She passed out large white handkerchieves and asked the women to write names of people they avoid helping or ministering to because they are a lower cast and are considered undesirable. She is brave to speak out against the wrongs in her own culture, and

openly mentioned the inconsistency between casts and Christianity several times in

these conferences. The women responded with tender hearts toward other women who are marginalized in this society. I can't explain the deep heart probing in me from seeing firsthand the reality of some people being made to feel less than. Of course I was tempted to self-righteously think at least our country doesn't have that problem, but my heart sunk when I admitted, yes... we do. The final blow came when I had to confess that as much as my justice meter goes crazy when someone is counted of less value for any reason, there are times in my life when I avoid

ed or failed to reach out to someone else just because they weren't like me and I couldn't be inconvenienced. My heart was broken at the real life picture of this right in front of me and all the implications and consequences. Humans can truly be base.

After the conference the shopping ministry was needing some attention briefly, and then.... and then.... Yes, we all got Henna tatoos!! One of the pastors wives here (she's totally an Indian Christy Todd (Winsinger- sorry!), offered to do them for us. She is a nurse (BSN) at the mental hospital here in Nashik, and we teased her if her job ever fell through she could always fall back on Henna! Of course none of us realized we couldn't do anything until they were completely dry, so packing to leave early in the morning was a problem. Vicki and I were up til 3:15 last night and it's

2:08 now, so maybe we won't mind that 6 hour van ride back to Mumbai tomorrow afterall. Bite my tongue.

Tomorrow is a half-day leadership training conference for the leaders and directors of the Maharashtra state. The rest of the women have gone home. They were completely precious, and each of us has unbelievable stories about specific women we met.

Off to peel this Henna off and see the finished product!! (No, Mom, it's not permanent.) :)

Sign at Hindu conference center.

Good to know Big Macs are up there with Beer and Alcohol!

I'm first for the day

RaeAnn shares

Vicki's turn

Prati speaks to her sisters

Where the women eat

Our lunch is served

Dana gets the afternoon session

Belinda's heart comes through

The women share their "Unclean" lists

Hennapalooza!! (thanks for the title, Vicki!)