We received this update yesterday afternoon:

Greetings to Everyone, I just wanted to give you a quick update, the team has made it to Hyderabad safely and every one is very tired and some are in bed already, it was a long day. As our trip is coming to an end we look forward to seeing our families and friends, We all have many touching stories to tell and I know that India has made an impact in our life’s. Please pray for safe travel tomorrow night as we depart for the States.

We so God show up in so many ways on this trip and all The Honor and Glory goes to Our Lord Savior. We saw many people come to Chirst and last Sunday we had a Muslim Lady receive Christ in to her life. We saw God’s protection on the roads with so many trips that we did during the last two weeks. I want to thank you for all your prayers and all the blessings that were giving to support this Compassion Trip to India.

Check out this video that high school student, Liam Gibb made after the UBC Nicaragua Youth Missions Trip this past Spring Break.

Hello Dear Brother and Sisters in Chirst,

I wanted to share with you about the wonderful experience we had at at The Chrod Orphanage and PJSA Jr College.

We had a beautiful welcome by Chrod Orphanage children and staff. I would like to Thanks Mr. Suman,  Mrs. Manju and their staff and the children on behalf of the team. It was a blessing and a humbling experience to be greeted in a such a way.  The children were so well behaved, so humble and it was so touching of how caring they all were.

The program included a devotional, signing worship songs by the children, prayer and a very touching recognition for Dr. Sumanth and Mrs. Chaya Sumanth, the team was also recognized and received gifts. I know this appreciation was shown to us because of all the faithful support from many man and women that  support PJSA ministry in prayers, financially, and with their time.

Matthew 25:34-36
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

We shared a wonderful lunch made by Mrs. Manju and her staff and the kids were fed lunch and ice cream and the expressions on their face was so gratifying.

We had change of plans because of the transportation strike,  but the teams were able to accomplish the plans in the itineraries with some changes. I will give you some more details in the next bulletin, but just wanted to send a quick update.

Please pray for travel mercies as we will be traveling by mini vans and car to Guntur and will be leaving at 6:30 AM India time, the trip will be about 6 hours.

Thanks for your prayers!

Sincerely your brother In Christ,

Carlos

Pastor Bill along with some other UBC’ers have arrived in India. Read the update we received yesterday:

We arrived at the airport in India at 11:00 pm local time and both flights were very smooth with no problems. God’s favor and blessings have been manifested on this trip already and to Him we give all the Glory and Praise. In the Miami airport all the 14 bags with the water filters went through free of charge saving us $700.

As we arrived in Hyderabad, Dr. Sumanth spoke to Customs supervisor and the Lord did another Miracle by letting all the bags cleared customs WITHOUT ANY FEES and this was 7,000 dollars worth of water filter equipment. We had a lot of Brothers and Sister in Christ praying that there would  be no fees for these bags and the Lord has been faithful in answering this prayer.

We had a really nice reception from the PJSM India team upon arrival at the Hyderabad  airport, we all got beautiful flowers, really good candy, and they have made us feel very welcome.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

How great has been God’s grace since we arrived in San Juan de La Maguana!  All the fears and doubts we might have had before the trip, God, not only has dissipated but has also opened doors to new horizons.  We came to serve 150 children and the number has increased to almost 500 which have absorbed from other churches.  Instead of one shift, we now cover three.  And the budget that we had has miraculously multiplied to accomplish this.  What more can we ask?  What better proof that for God nothing is impossible?  The entire team feels blessed to be God’s instrument for His plan because we certainly never envisioned this.

The first day we arrived at San Juan we met with the director of the school to become familiar with the school curriculum, with the students, and to share the activities that we planned to carry out.  Next day in the morning, we met the Pastor from the church next door and talked about their Sunday school program and about the needs of the neighborhood.  That evening we attended their service and it was impressive to see that many people gather in such a small place, in spite of the heavy rain, and the strong faith that was evident.  It was fabulous to feel so welcomed, to feel the presence of the Spirit and to feel the miracle of God that evening.

Our second day in San Juan was even more exciting and moving when we met Pastor Joel.  Not only he is a living testimony of God’s grace, but he lives totally committed to reach extremely poor children in the most undesirable neighborhoods.  We were so touched by what he described that the following day we decided to stop by unexpectedly at his VBS. What we saw was beyond what we had imagined.  At that moment there was not a single doubt in any of us that we wanted to participate in his ministry.  His tiny church consists of a bare floor, hot and humid 550 sq. ft. room.  Under the most furious rainstorm, there were about 80 children there that afternoon, barefooted and dirty, singing and praising God, and immediately we joined into the songs.  We had taken sandwiches and juice because we knew that most of these children would not have had anything to eat all day.  One little boy held on to his sandwich and when we asked him why he wasn’t eating it, he said that he wanted it to take to his mother who did not have any food.   Fortunately, there was enough not only for his mother but for everyone to have seconds as well.   We left drenched in water and covered in mud but filled with joy.

The following days were hectic preparing activities, helping the VBS and coordinating everything, but we felt blessed to see how God’s grace was guiding us and sending Angels our way to help achieve His plan and to give us the strength we needed. We used to spend the mornings with the kids at the school that was co-sponsored by Alfalit, in the afternoons we helped the church and after that, we went to the suburbs where Pastor Joel gather “his kids”. Without any doubt, these kids were really in need. It was admirable how the Pastor was able to keep the order and the peace among all the kids that some days were more than 100.

The coordination and the willingness to help between the Pastors and the school for the good of the kids was remarkable, and at the wend of the week, even though we felt running out of energy and sadness because of our departure,  we felt that God was planting seeds in each kid that will have its fruits.

-DR Team

Come to the Missions Celebration Dinner on September 11th to hear more stories!