Summed up in one word: PRIVILEGE!

I know this is usually nearly impossible to do, but with this trip, I can sum it up in one word: "privileged."

I was privileged:

• to be the assistant team leader of an amazing missionary/professor/pastor. Del Gray (or as he was addressed by all Indians, Reverend Dr. Del Gray Sir) has not only been influential in the classroom for me, but through this trip, he gave me a lot more insight into missions and how to handle different situations/issues, especially sticky and controversial ones.
• to co-lead such an amazing team of students. Like I've mentioned before, both Del and I were excited about leading this group, and we found out why! It was such an inspiring team of Tabor students. They stepped up, blended in, pushed through tiredness, but most of all, they loved people. They loved each other in the team, and loved the Indian people they interacted with.
  
• to meet and connect with Indian MB leaders and churches. I was anticipating and excited about these opportunities, and they were huge surreal moments as I interacted and connected with my brothers and sisters in Christ in India. Celebrating our MB 150th celebration with the MB Conference of India was probably one of those highlights. And I look forward to seeing some of them in Vancouver in July for Celebration 2010.

As we were in India, I couldn't help but also continue to reflect, process and apply my TREK experience. And again, the word privilege comes to mind. I feel amazingly privileged to have been able to travel to both Japan and India and have had the opportunities to interact with MB's there.

As we were visiting a small village church in India, I was having a conversation with a young Indian woman who told me that I was very blessed with the opportunities to travel. It was then that it became very real to me that I was truly blessed beyond belief with just the simple fact that I was in India and I had people that fully supported me to be there. I also realized that the call to missions is a huge privilege.
Privilege to walk as Jesus walked.
See as Jesus saw.
Touch as Jesus touched.
Pray as Jesus prayed.
Heal as Jesus healed.
Travel as Jesus traveled.
But most importantly...
Love as Jesus loved.

Walking the streets of India and experiencing a culture that is very much like the culture in which Jesus lived, opened my eyes to a lot of new things. Our last night in India, Del and I decided to have our team wash each others feet in obedience to Christ's example. It was a very different washing of the feet for me. I've participated in a number of washing of the feet moments, but none like this one. Our feet were dirty and filthy and we definitely felt like we were like the disciples and did not want anyone touching these nasty things. But it was such a surreal moment to put ourselves in the biblical context and really experience what it was like.

Christ modeled sacrificial and unconditional love for us, and I was able to see, experience and model after that in India. So thank you. Thank you for coming alongside me through prayer and/or financial support. Our team had many conversations about how we definitely felt that people were praying for us back home. So thank you.

Now I am back at Tabor for my final semester. It is a bittersweet realization, but I covet your prayers through these next few months. Tabor has been a place where I have seen and met Christ in life changing, challenging and ruining ways. I am ruined for His kingdom's purpose, so please continue to pray that he continually ruins my life! :)

In Christ Love,
Joanna

We're back!

After much difficulty with trying to fly back home, we made it back Thursday evening.

I am still processing through things and trying to get over jet-lag. And so consequently, I will wait to give a thorough post until tomorrow or the day after.

But THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your prayers! We definitely saw the power of it during this trip. Here are some pictures that will preface my next post. :)

(Below) Worship dancing with village people at our first village church visit.

(Below) A huge poster the MB Conference of India had made for the 150th Birth Celebration of the MB's. It shows where all the MB's have gone/are present.

(Right) This is Becky, Kayla, Me, and Logan in front of the Missionary Bungalow at MBCBC where we spent our first week and a half.

















(Below) This is the Missionary Bungalow.





(Bel0w) This is a bit of what our meals looked like everyday: Rice, some type of Curry dish, dal (spicy fried lentil soup that was used to mix in with the rice), chapati (a type of Indian bread that was very similar to a tortilla), chutney (which was a type of curd that looked a bit like yogurt and cottage cheese but had a bit more bitter flavor), and then finish it off with a banana and then some tea or coffee. Mmmm. :)

Sooner than I thought....

Ok, so I waited behind for two of our guys who went last for the internet.....and thought, "Hey, I can actually blog!" :)

There is quite a bit that has happened.......but God really working some awesome team unity and connecting with our Indian brothers and sisters in Christ here at MBCBC (Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College) in Shamshabad sums it up well.

We have seen and experienced some already special team times/moments and have been amazed at how we have "clicked" and have been vulnerable with each other. As one of the team leaders, I have definitely been blessed by seeing this unity come together. So please pray that it continues to flourish as we continue to experience the body of Christ lived out.

As everyone who has been on a missions trip has experienced, we have definitely faced a lot of opportunities to practice the spiritual discipline of flexibility. :)
And the main reason why we have needed to be so flexible, is because the MB Conference of India is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Mennonite Brethren. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! This Sunday, we are going to Jedcherla to celebrate with close to 2,000 expected attendees. WHAT AN AMAZING PRIVILEGE AND HONOR!!! Please pray for the MB churches here in India as they celebrate what God has done and especially pray that we are an ecouragement and blessing to them as we join them in celebrating our history!

I hope that I am able to put up some pictures and/or videos soon, but at this point, I don't really know if that will happen before I get home. But I do promise to post some awesome pictures and videos once I get back! :)

To whoever is praying for me and our team...........thank you. I can't say that enough. We know that God has big plans for our team and for what He has ahead of us while we're here in India, and you are a vital part of that.

Blessings and much love to all of you!

In Christ,
Joanna

QUICK! :)

I'm in India!!!!!!! :)

We arrived here on time and just now made it to an internet cafe to get on here.

Just wanted to let you know we're here and I'll blog soon! I promise! :)

In Christ,
Joanna

P.S. - I'm in a hurry because our whole team just walked through the rain to get to this internet cafe and we all need to get on and then head back and be a part of an evening worship service! :)

I wanted to give you all a bit of a visual as to where we're going specifically. Above is a map of the entire country of India.

The first week, we'll be staying at a Mennonite Brethren College (with both graduate and post-graduate levels) in Hyderabad, which is towards the south.

The second week, we will travel to Jedcherla, which is approximately 60 miles (approximately 97 kilometers) south of Hyderabad and stay in homees of the church members of one of the bigger churches.

Both weeks, we will be traveling to smaller village churches to visit them and probably lead in a special service.

So there you go everyone. A little more about what will be going on in India.

Blessings!

In Christ,
Joanna

INDIA!!!

Hey there everyone!

I thought this would be easier for me to do, rather than try to figure out everyone's email every time and/or Facebook. You can just click and come here! :)

Well, wow. What can I say......WE LEAVE TOMORROW! This is such an exciting time for us as a team. We have been having training since Monday night at Del Gray's (the Tabor professor that I'm co-leading with) house and then meeting at the Tabor campus as well. As I've mentioned to most of you, both Del and I are honored and excited to lead such an awesome team of Tabor students! These past few days have been such a huge anticipation builder for us that we just want to jump on the plane right now!! But.....we have to wait until tomorrow morning......and then a few more flights....and then we arrive at our destination on Sunday morning. :)

God has already been moving amongst our team, and that in and of itself PUMPS ME UP!!! To see God start moving hearts towards being more like Him and start building unity within our team, is so awesome!

Like I mentioned, we are leaving tomorrow morning (really early, 4 am) from Hillsboro, to catch our flight out of Wichita at around 7 am. Here is an overall view of our entire trip itinerary:

Fri 1/8 - leave from Wichita

Sun 1/10 - arrive in Shamshabad, orientation
Mon 1/11 - MBCBC classes and fight jet lag (= rest)
Tues 1/12 – Fri 1/15 - morning classes at MBCBC and evening presentations at churches
Sat 1/16 – Service project, rest, shopping, sightseeing in Hyderabad
Sun 1/17 – Visit churches

Mon 1/18 – Move to Jedcherla
Tues 1/19 – Sunday 1/24 living and working with church in Jedcherla
Tues 1/26 – Debrief, pack, prepare to leave

Tuesday 1/26 – Travel back to Hillsboro


Here are some specific things you can join with me in prayer for:

• Team unity (that we may honor God with our relationships with each other)
• Team dynamics (that we may see our differences and seek God's will in piecing them together)
• Safety while traveling (we have a long flight schedule....so probably also patience) :)
• Favor with custom agents (that we would trust in God for favor if confronted with any difficulties or issues)
  
• Encounters with people at the airports (that we may have interactions with strangers in which they notice something different....and that Christ's light may shine through us)

THANK YOU for joining us in this adventure of following God's call to India! So many of you have played a crucial role in my life and for that, I'm forever grateful! I know that many people will be praying for us, and that my friends, is what being part of the family of God is all about!

Blessings to all of you!

In Christ Love,
Joanna

P.S. - I will probably be posting pictures and/or videos a bit......but I can't promise anything. :)
And I also don't really know how often I will post on here, but please check up daily! :)