Confusion

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

I waited a day to just make sure that my perception was not 100% jet lag, but Delhi is best described as mass chaos. 14 million people jammed together with millions of Gods and rampart poverty paint the landscape. Throw in 115 degree, melting heat and that equals confused oppression at every angle. Cars are beeping horns all night as traffic congestion takes on a whole new meaning. I will never get frustrated in Atlanta going to see my mom and dad again - it ain't nothing compared to this and that is coming from some one who has spent a good deal of time in 3rd world traffic before.

Yesterday, as we rode through down town, I saw many of the things you see in underdeveloped societies like street orphans and misery on almost every face. What I had never seen was so many shrines and temples of false gods. There are so many that they even have a 300 ft. temple to a monkey god. A monkey god? Only the adversary's confusion can lead to a monkey god. I guess that goes for the cow being "holy" as well.

We did get to see the light being shone and shared today at our first day working with the kids. The highlights for me were teaching the kids scripture and also fun handshakes that brought smiles. I really enjoyed singing along with the team as my new friend Ashley Benson played "I'll fly away" on a eucalali (spelling??) painted like a watermelon. That is original as it gets I believe. The teaching times were somewhat effective I perceive. The large group time that we led was going great until Satan took away our electricity. I was dead in the middle of teaching about God's word. As soon as we lost power , the fans keeping us from melting quit and the PA system shut down so the 800 or so kids immediately got restless and the default setting of confusion took over.

I do pray that these kids and people we are working with are able to see the peace that only god can give through His son Jesus. Our on the field partners surely do.

Our on the field partners are great, and our conversations about Christ edifies me greatly. Meeting these young pastors that work in places like Kasmir and other unsafe areas truly gives me a greater hope in Christ as I see His strength in them. Working with them is truly a privilege.

I was blessed by a conversation today with a 19 year old now named Christian. He hasn't always been a Christian and that has not always been his name. His mother had converted and had a daughter younger than my new friend that was born with a disease that was causing her to go blind. She was at a point of no hope when Christ entered their house and He answered their pleas for mercy. His sister was healed and the power of Jesus at work captured Christian's heart in the process. She got sight and so did he -just in a different way of course. God is good to all people who call on His name. What a savior we have!

If you want to see a funny yet big life lesson on mercy check out the heartwashed blog at www.heartwashed.blogspot.com.