Celebrating Christmas in India

It has been great to be here with Christian these last two weeks. It has been rewarding to be here and just enjoy the goal for these two weeks is to visit my friend and spend time with him.
Tonight we are going to celebrate and have a Christmas dinner here at the base. Being here at the base has been great and it has been a great time to meet people from so many nations, traditions, and backgrounds and to make friends and relationships. It's a nice place and the community life is great. It's nice to see so many people excited about God in one place...united in heart and spirit. It has been a good time here for me just to experience goodness. Now...I'm starting to enjoy being in India. I am starting to appreciate the community, the food, the beauty, the nice tropical climate during the winter months.

Maharashtra

A few days ago...I traveled to Maharashtra. Now i'll be here taking visiting my friend Christian and taking a course for at least the next few weeks...

Dharamsala

Here is a view from the top of our house in Dharamsala! It is quite a beautiful place! I have enjoyed my time here and to be able to stay here. I did miss thanksgiving in the states though... As they don't celebrate it here...It was hard... But the times have been good. I have enjoyed the daily home fellowships and to be able to share faith. Now, however, I'll be leaving Dharamsala. I'll be going to visit a friend of mine in the south of India. Now I am really starting to realize I am in India. It is a beautiful country with many different tribes and tongues. Yet, at the same time it is a country that is in great political and religious termoil.

Thanksgiving in India

Today is a different thanksgiving. Today Mumbai hit by one of the sadest days in India's history. Over a hundred were killed in Maharashtra. Today we can be thankful for the freedom and blessing that God has given to our nation and people. But let us pray for those who suffer from the ills of impoverished and unsafe lands.

The tibetan government in exile

So now...I've been in Dharamsala for over 3 weeks. It has been an incredible experience. I am in a different world...a world so far and removed from hyper-modern civilization. To see the see those who express a similar faith are few and far between...Little houses, with no electricity or running water scatter the mountains and hills and valleys. Temples of idols, worship of animals, and Bhuddism prominate the land enchanting the people. This is a place of great beauty...yet with beauty comes a harder life...Now...I'm learning the nepali language...and a little hindi...It's a strange place here in the Kangra district... There are people speaking Tibetan, Pahari, Punjabi, Hindi, Nepali, and other languages... There are so many people groups and tribes...and so many untouched by western civilization or religion...

I hope that others would join me in exploring these mountains and the people who have lived here for thousands of years...THe culture is so rich with food and clothes that are so different in tradition, beauty and taste...

I am in Dharmsala

Now, I have been in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India for two days. I have a cold. The place is amazing. It is a different world here. I am just a walk away from the house of the Dalai Lama.

Do not Fear...

As many have heard, the current relgious and political situation here in India now is quite tense. There have been countless amounts of attacks, bombings, and terrorism in these last two months. When confronted by these things, it is important that we do not fear; that we go out and live and love... I was talking to Kristin P. and she encouraged me saying, "Do not fear..." This morning I was reading and I came across this: "The sluggard says, 'There is a lion outside!' or, 'I will be murdered in the streets!'" (proverbs 22:13). Another friend of mine, Laubia, wrote me a scripture out of Psalms 23: "Though i walk through the valley of death...I shall fear no Evil..." When things get tough...sometimes need not fear, but know that God is with us...and walk couragously trusting in Him for our strength and protection.

दिवाली

Here I am in India in the midst दिवाली (Diwali:the festival of lights) an ancient religious holiday which is celebrated by the exchanging of presents and Chrismas-like lights and fourth of July like fire displays in the midle of the streets। Here I am in the midst of another world, another tradition so foreign...Last night professional display fireworks were shot off by kids just a few feet away from the front door of my family's house... It was amazing.

New Delhi

I am now in New Delhi, India. I am just taking it all in.

Stazione Di Lode

Tonight was amazing at Stazione di Lode. I really love these people. I made some really good friends there...And they are such beautiful and friendly people. They prayed for me and for my trip to India and blessed me. The leaders Maximus and Dorkus have a vision to do 24/7 worship and prayer here in Milan...They reminded me so much of IHOP, but they have so much of their own Italian flavor...I encourage others to come and be involved in their ministry bringing 24/7 prayer to Italy.

Sant' Eustorgio Alpha Course

So Last night I had an awesome time at the Alpha Course here Sant'Eustorgio church in Milan. At our table, the "English speaking table" we had discussions answering the question, "Why did Jesus die on the Cross?" There were two artists, a vetranarian, a medical doctor, an actor, a dancer...and myself...There were perspectives from every area of thought. It was good. One answered, "I don't know why..." Another, "I don't know if I believe in Jesus...I have my own idea of spirituality..." And another, "To bring us back together and in relationship." Eric lead the group and we were really able to dive deep into the question. I am glad about what God is doing here in the Catholic church...And I pray that God would continue to open doors and give opportunity for the truth of Jesus' message to be shared...

On another note...just two more days until I leave Milan for India...

Missions in Milan

Here is a video I filmed of my friend Maurizzio here in Milan. He is pioneering house church planting here in Milan and he invites others to see Milan as a mission field.

Sleepy time

Hey...It's late...But i thought i'd just say...7 more days until my plane leaves for India. It's been good here though...And today...Finally, I was able to get some youtube videos up for ywam Milan. Check them out.

Diving into the heart of God

Today...I played guitar at Stazione di Lode and Remar Italia. It was good. They asked me to stay and be a missionary here.

It's hard to leave...I know something awaits me in India...and I know i'm going...but it's hard...especially after making some meaningful relationships. It's hard to leave...knowing there's something behind...a family in Christ...a mission to share God...and most of all Love...that's what is important.]

I feel like lately i've just been diving into heart of God...Experiencing His Love in new ways...amoung different people of different languages, places, history and ways of thinking. I'm priveleged to be here in the midst of this place...

So...I thought it might just be interesting for me to write here...my impressions in words of this place: fashion, arts, music, materialism, cars, cigarette buts, a lost generation, a barely alive almost dead church, catholocism, ghothic, renaissance art, prostituition, Albanians, Moroccans, Egyptions, other North Africans in abundance, Phillipinos, Indians, Arabic, Italian, people of all nations--especially the ones we don't see so many of in the US, metros, converse shoes, dark, dreary, sexual dysfunction, machuism, an ill thought of communism, pizza, gelato.

I'm going to Bed...I'm so tired...Tommorow we have a full schedule with the School of Evangelism from Norway! It should be fun! :-)

Relaxing Saturday

Today, Is a nice relaxing day to end the week. I am glad just to have time to relax and spend time slowing down after a busy week. It's nice to have some time to write emails, veg-out, and just take it easy. We have been doing a lot with communications and building the new website and visiting churches, and working with the Alpha course. This last week we had the chance to go to the opening dinner in the famous Sant'Eustorgio church for the Alpha course which was really special. People from many nations gathered for this dinner--over 170 guests came. There was an Italian actor and film producer, Eric Alexander, that spoke with his wife about how the Alpha course answers the basic questions of faith in a powerful way. We had a wonderful conversation; He was very friendly, and down to earth. In this picture, Luigi the amazing chef, myself and Eric are in Sant' Eustorgio.

I really see this as being a cultivating place for art, film, and media for missions.

Chiesa Cristiana Evangelica Battista

Today, I went to a cell-church out in a village outside of Milan. It was really nice and there were some Brazilians there too. And one guy, Thomas, from there was going to do his DTS in Brasil. I was very exciting. We had a chance to share our personal testimonies to everyone there. It was a really warm experience and I was excited to see that there were people alive for God and desiring to see this nation touched by Jesus.

I also bought my ticket today to go to Delhi, India! I will be traveling there on the 20th of October. :-) It's coming close.

Filming in Milan

Today, Tina from Finland, Stacey and Angie from the US, and I went to Milan to film different people and ask them about what they thought about Jesus and God. It was a good experience for us. We were able to see the various perspectives of the people here in this town and their need for God. There were various responses, as we talked with various people from around the world. But there was a common theme or thread amoung the people. I asked one man, "Is it alright if I film you?" And he said, "It's ok, but if it's about Politics or Religion I don't want anything to do about it." There is a thread of coldness towards religion in this city. Yet, at the same time, it is like there are gods just in disguise. Fashion and football run through the vains of these people in this city. Their world is somehow surrounded by fashion and sport and thats what is so important here. Signs about fashion are displayed throughout the city, in the metro, in every concession stand. It is all around, there is no way to escape it; and it influences culture. I saw a sign with a picture of a model on a clothe store today, and it said, "Love me!" She was decorated in all the finest clothes from this store...And it made me think, "What is life when someone thinks that love is something that you can buy?"

After filming, we came back to the house, and we had a great meal with the Tommasi family! It was wonderful. They made some sort of bread with tomato on it. I took one bite of it and thought, "wow this stuff is delicious." Stacey then asked, "Hey, so what's on this?" And Luigi said, "Tomatos and Anchovies!" When he said that I said, "WHAT?" I couldn't help but laugh at Stacey's bulging eye expression!

At the YWAM Milan base

It's been good being here for the last three days. I have had so many good experiences and just getting a chance to be with Luigi and Paola, and Tiina a girl from Finland who has come to help, who are pioneering the base here in Milan has been a very special. We have been visiting churches and ministires and meeting young people. I am excited for what God has here and I am excited about God doing a transformation in this nation to love and to find fulfilment in God sending young people to the ends of the earth to do missions through this place! :-)

Here is a picture of me with a group of people from a church we went to last night--which was doing intercession and worship! They were very receptive and prayed for us and the vision of YWAM Milan and for the country of India. It was awesome.

Goodbye Holland...YWAM Milan here we come...

It has been an awesome time in Holland. Living here at the stable has been awesome and a great experience. I have enjoyed the time to spend with friends and see Amsterdam and Rotterdam and make friends with the Dutch people. I hope in the future that I can revisit the streets of Amsterdam and work along side them in their missions projects in the RedLight District. It is an amazing place of diversity and culture. There are people here from all over the world. The foreigner, the prostitute, the orphan, and the lost street kid cry out for a God of mercy, compassion and Love.

Today was pretty cool too. I was able to go to Elisabeth and Jaap's church. The sermon was really good. It was about how God has set us free, though we were enemies, and gave the peace offering! The pastor spoke up against religious laws and extra rules and emphasized that we were set free by Christ and His love and that through His love we can really realize how to love those around us--even our enemies.

Now, I'm getting ready for a 14 hour bus ride to the YWAM Milan base. I leave here now and then I'll arrive in Milan in the morning. Oh...I hope I will be able to get some sleep on that train! I am excited with this opportunity to help the Tommasi family with communications, while they pioneer this new base bringing and extending God's love to the city of Milan!

The Old Dutch Barn

Today was a good day. I was able to help work here at the house and chisel away at old bricks from an old barn made in the 15th century. It was really a blessing and I had a chance to spend time with Luke and his son Peter. Luke calls his 75 year old barn house he calls "young." It was quite fun and he shared about the 25 years and 2 days of marriage him and his wife have been celebrating. It was a good time!

In Krimpen !

The town Krimpen is a nice little cozy town here in Holland. It's quite nice. Today I had a chance to go to Elisabeth's church here. It was good. It was a little more reformed than Mt. Zion or the Potler's house church or any church i'm used to. But it was great to be amoung believers here in Holland and enjoy the fellowship. The message was great too. It was about praising God in the midst of all things whether suffering or not. It's a difficult thing sometimes, because when things get hard...It is hard to see anything good in the circumstance if we don't keep our eyes on Jesus.

I'm excited for what God has here each day..and I am just taking it one day at a time here watching out for what God might have in store each day. But I'm very excited now, because i've been welcomed to help with communications at the YWAM base in Milan that is being pioneered right now and after that with YWAM in India.

Recent news involving Italy and India

At the van Doornes' house in Krimpen aan de Lek.

Yesterday, I heard some people playing praise music downstairs here at the barn--where i've been abundantly blessed with a wonderful place to stay for two weeks here in Rotterdam--and i went down for a listen. There was a family jamming away at the Piano, Clarinette, and singing away. It was glorious. They were singing Dutch songs along with some American songs with Dutch lyrics. And I had a chance to sing along. Then the van Doorne family, Jepta, Micha, Roel, Jessica, and Ada welcomed me for dinner. I ate with them and we discussed everything from Politics, Geography, and Missions, to Religion, and Philosophies and styles of life. We had some American Hamburgers with some "American Sauce" which wasn't remotely American at all which made it pretty funny. It's funny here in Holland they call some of their foods "American" and yet they look nothing like anything i've ever seen in America before.

In the Netherlands for Jaap and Elisabeth's Wedding!

I have been having a great time here in the Netherlands! Today, I went to my friends Jaap and Elisabeth's wedding. It was incredible! It was a really special occasion! And a reunion for Elisabeth, Jaap, Annette, and I who did our DTS in Recife, Brazil this last year. The wedding was awesome! We had wedding pictures in the morning, followed by a court wedding, then we had a suprise! The parents didn't even know about it, but Elisabeth and Japp suprised us with a few hour long boat ride on the Rhine River between Rotterdam and Den Haag! Then after that we went to the church for the ceremonial service! Then after that we had a great big party and all the guests were invited to sing songs and dance and fellowship together until the wee hours of the morning. It was a really special time of blessing for me and my friends from YWAM Brazil!