Jaya and Amit

Alina and Amena playing in our taxi ( Alina is handicapped
and is 3 1/2 yrs old and Amena just turned 2!)

Pastor Amit loving on his daughter Alina.
__________________________________________________________________

Hello all-
My job is to share about a local pastor and his wife and kids who have touched our hearts. Both Amit and Jaya grew up in Hindu homes and decided to follow our Savior years back and met each other at a Bible college here in India. They have 2 beautiful daughters, one of which is handicapped. Jaya is about 7 months pregnant and is having an extremely painful pregnancy. All moms out there can relate I am sure. She can hardly sleep at night and during the day has to keep up with a 2 year old and a hyperactive handicapped child by herself. Talk about humbling for me! I thought my days were tiring! But what a blessing she has been to me (Steph). I have cried with Jaya, and I watch how she struggles to pursue God when she is so tired... and I then look at my own faithless heart and see how I struggle over things of no comparison! Pray for this family and their faithful ministry. For financial provision, spiritual blessing, Jaya's health and for them to learn how to raise their children well.
Something else that has struck me every time we go over to their house-- Pastor Amit is full of smiles and asks "How many hours have you been praying?" Needless to say-- we all laugh quietly and wonder in our heads "Is he serious? Should I answer? How awkward! Did I even pray today yet?? What do I say?? How much does HE pray???" Challenging. He told Scott he prays 6 hours a day.
Ryan and John have been busy teaching boys English out where Pastor Amit lives twice a week.
Sarah and Sam have been teaching the girls. What a blessing they have been to those kids who desire to learn! Scott and I hung out with Amit and Jaya- helping them with their children and encouraging them.
As I finish-- I would like to share a funny story that has a good point to it. Bear with me....
Once upon a time, an itty-bitty girl began a journey to India. At the LAX airport, 2 of her teammates and her forgot to finish their water before going through security. The 2 others got passed through within a minute. However, this little girl had to wait for the slowest security lady in the WORLD to walk her around security...and she had to wait in line again while her team waited for 15 minutes. Finally! After arriving at her desination in New Delhi, this little girl and her team had to go through more security for "bird flu" checks. Joy Joy. However, lo and behold she was the only one singled out to get physically checked for it! Out of EVERYONE in line, the security pulled her aside and shoved a thermometer in her ear! What?? So, she awkwardly stood there for 10 minutes as the man who apparently had no idea what he was doing was shoving a thermometer in her ear. It kept beeping, and he would put it in again. Meanwhile the line is pushing past her- she feels like an idiot- and stares are being directed their way as the WHITEST person in the airport is being assaulted by a thermometer! Nervous giggles escape her...and he finally realizes that the CAP IS ON THE THERMOMETER! Finally, it works and she escapes. Weeks later, this little white girl takes a subway across the city. You receive a chip that scans you through security. All 5 other teammates pass through. BEEP BEEP. "Unauthorized". Not again! She scans again. BEEP BEEP. Everyone is waiting. The security man asks her for 5 rupees to pass! She laughs. No way! Her tall husband walks up and asks what the problem is. The smaller Indian man scans her through with no more questions. lol. THAT part was funny. Whew! Made it!
Then.... one day this little girl's head was curiously ITCHY. Odd. Maybe dry scalp? She waits 2 days and finally asks Aunt Linda and the girls to check her head. The diagnosis? Lice. Yes, I said it: Lice. The little girl cries. She cries again. LICE? Auntie Daizy declares war on the little girl's head and self-titles herself as "The Great Hunter" and gets the lice out. Whew! However, lice takes weeks of combing to get their naaaasssssssty eggs out as they hatch. DID YOU GET THAT? Hatching eggs. 3 hours of combing a day-- which has led to bleeding scalp. Not her cup of tea.
Now- why did I just share all of this with you? Most of you are strangers to me...probably feeling a little itchy yourselves now..=)
I share this story because for a few days I was a WEE bit cranky about my lice situation. It is still not over. But it was my personal "breaking" point. I am learning humility and a need for Christ. I saw my anger and selfishness. The security checks were pretty DARN funny to me. I blame it on my size and color (extra extra white, green eyes, light hair, 5'2"...) lol. But the lice? I have not fully processed it all- but I would have to say a not so pretty side of myself was revealed to me. And over what? A little bug. What would I do if my health and posessions and family was stripped away as Job's was?
Did you all bear with me through it? Perhaps it was more rambling than anything. It was therapeutic for me. Maybe you got a giggle. Maybe you feel more itchy than ever. Or maybe you got a chance to examine your own sinful and selfish heart for a moment.
Joyful in any affliction?
He has saved me from so much filth!
God bless you all.
Have an itch-free day with my blessing and love to all. ;-)
Steph Rendel