This is Nancy,
Today is Monday and we have the whole day off… so needed
I am reorganizing my “kitchen suitcase” for the rest of the week
Honestly, I think this may be our last visit to India
I think we need to redirect as the needs in India have changed and CTO is expanding in Africa and South America.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, we go to the villages
Up until now we have been at Seminaries and Bible colleges in the city area
That has its own different set of challenges
The students are used to a more academic, theoretical approach to learning in the Indian/British teaching methods
The students love Jerry’s magic and audiovisuals that keep them engaged and are in awe of the practical content and the message “There is power in the name of Jesus”
He also presented at pastor’s conferences at churches on the outskirts of the city that was more like village churches complete with the usual chaos: 90-minute start delay, chai and cookies delivered in the middle of the message, brown outs (electricity goes out and mikes go dead).
‘Stay Flexible and just keep going’ is the mantra.
All in all, despite the environment being so super challenging, the content of the messages penetrates deeply into the teachable hearts of the students and the pastors. They become expressively exuberant as the Holy Spirit illuminates certain truths from the Scriptural texts. It is a great motivator for us.
Jerry gets great joy out of handing each one them a set of 16 books at the end of each presentation.
Our internet is inconsistent so I am glad i got a change to write this today
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THIS WEEK:
Our car is in desperate need of repair at the rear tire area. I don’t know if Pastor Moses will have time to get it fixed today. I envision being stranded on a rural road in the dark for many hours. Pray the car holds up for us.
Pray for Pastor Moses’ strength and focus.
Moses’ adult daughter, a surgeon, had her appendix removed a month ago, developed an infection, and is still home recovering.
Simple things seem to be very complicated here.
Continue to pray for our health, energy and Jerry’s voice. So far so good. Thanks for your prayers.
PICTURE PERFECT?
I (Jerry) love taking pictures while in India. I use them for blogs, PowerPoint presentations and print some out for a scrapbook I make about each trip. Pictures help me better remember my time in India. They say “Pictures don’t lie,” but they can sometimes deceive. I took some pictures of our hotel room and, to look at them, it seems they portray a perfect room. But when you look closer you discover that is not the case. From a distance the camera doesn’t capture some of the negative qualities that are present.
That reminds me of how we can be as people sometimes. A casual meeting can leave a great impression, but you don’t really know a person until you spend time with them. The closer you become, the easier it is to notice imperfections and weaknesses. Too often we can focus on making a good impression from a distance, but what really matters is what those closest to us think: our mates, children and closest friends. Of course, no one gets closer to us than God who knows us better than we know ourselves. What do those closest to you think about you? Do you come off better to those who only superficially know you, or those who know you best? Look at yourself today through the eyes of those who know you best. (January 21, 2024 Hyderabad, India)
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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