ARE YOU A PASTOR FEELING DISCONNECTED AND BURNED OUT? HERE’S HOW TO RETOOL.
​January 12, 2023,  9:08 pm by Rebecca Hopkins, Paraclete Associates
Pastors are caught in the middle of divisions and yet struggle with isolation. And many are burning out. Paraclete associate, ordained pastor and professor Lisa Lamb hopes her new book, “Resonate: How to Preach for Deep Connection” will breathe new life into the art of preaching, the pastors themselves and the churches they serve. She and her husband, Rich Lamb, train Chinese and Indian church leaders in Malaysia.  Lisa sat down with Paraclete writer Rebecca Hopkins for this interview.  Continue with interview...

In North Carolina for two weeks in November we enjoyed the Chinese Lantern Festival in Cary NC. We also took Nancy Washington, Lisa’s mom, to see the Atlantic Coast and seashore for the first time since she’s lived in North Carolina.

Dear Friends,

​We wish you all a Happy New Year! Tomorrow, we return to Malaysia, with hearts that are grateful for good times connecting with family and friends and hopeful for fruitful ministry in the months to come.
Word of the Year: The Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2022 was goblin mode, which I’d never heard of, and Merriam Webster’s was gaslighting, which I hope we all hear less of. I was intrigued while on a personal retreat last week by a prompt in the retreat guide to ask God for a word that summed up the previous year and one that expressed my hopes for the coming year. (This retreat guide was excellent and can be found here, and scroll down to the bottom of the page for a quick download.) My word of the year for 2022 was journey--if you’ve been reading these letters at all, that should seem a good fit! The word that emerged for me for 2023 was treasure. I hope to do better at treasuring the people in my life, listening better while I’m with them and expressing my care well from a distance. I hope to be like Mary and treasure the words I read in Scripture (Luke 2:19), and like the Magi who generously shared their treasures as an act of worship (Mt. 2:11). I hope to live in the deep knowledge of how much God treasures us (Ex. 19:5) and that Christ is the one in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). As you look ahead to the new year, I wonder if a word or phrase emerges for you?
Prayer Requests

• Safety as we travel: in part due to the airline snafus in the US and in part to save money, we have quite a lengthy route back to Malaysia—we leave LAX for San Francisco, have a 22-hour layover there, then a 9-hour layover in Japan, and then on to Malaysia. With the time changes, we leave on December 31st (tomorrow as we write and send this) and land the morning of the January 3rd! We teach a class that evening, so please pray for smooth flights and minimal jet lag.
• Our visas: we know we’ve mentioned this many times, but this time we have real reason to hope for them to come while we’re on the 90-day tourist visa with which we’re entering the country this week. The agency processing our long-term visa has indicated that this is a realistic timetable. This would dramatically increase our ability to make long-range plans, as well as help us set down roots in Malaysia pragmatically (e.g., we could get a bank account) and emotionally.
• Lisa’s mom: Nancy’s heart went into atrial fibrillation the day after Thanksgiving. A cardioversion procedure worked well, and she is doing fine currently. We enjoy her still-sharp mind and wit, and Lisa has a video chat about every other day with her. But we do keep her health in our prayers and hold our plans somewhat lightly in case of a need for Lisa or both of us to return to North Carolina.

A Book to Celebrate! (And to Rate!)
If you are a donor or a Facebook friend, you already know that the book, Resonate, How to Preach for Deep Connection, came into print mid-December. If you haven’t had a chance, check it out here and consider buying a copy for yourself or as a gift for a pastor, campus minister, or seminarian friend. I stated elsewhere that you can only review a book on Amazon that you have purchased there. This is not true! I would greatly appreciate if you would rate and review it on Amazon. It’s quicker than you’d think—don’t feel a need to compose an essay. Two sentences would be great.
We’re so grateful to you all for your prayers and care!

PS: Below see images of our precious children during our visit with them in North Carolina: Becca and Avery with their dog Sierra. Mark and Leslie enjoying fall tree colors that they rarely see at home in Dubai!

Lisa and I teach or have taught formal courses for a number of different institutions (4 in Malaysia, two in Nepal, three in India, one each in China, Philippines, and Sri Lanka) and as our network grows this number continues to grow. Below is an updated list of some of the courses we have taught. Beyond this list, Lisa has taught introductory or advanced Homiletics courses many times the last two years.
​
(Click to download a sample syllabus)
Biblical Leadership Development: This course is designed to give a general introduction the topic of leadership, in general and Christian leadership in particular, making wide use of Scriptural case studies and didactic teaching from both Old and New Testaments. The course will model the use of scripture in leadership development, specifically in skills and character training and discipleship, and in ministry vision, equipping and empowerment.  (Six times in 2020-22, Early 2023)
Gospels Survey: Ministry Insights from Jesus: This course is designed to give a general introduction to the life and teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, and to focus that study toward practical insights for evangelism and discipleship ministry today. We will read the gospels with a view to understanding: comparing and contrasting the style, structure, and purpose of each of the gospels writers. Significantly, however, we will also be focused on mining the gospels for direct applications to the preaching, teaching, training, discipleship and evangelistic strategies of  leaders today. The course will model the use of scripture study as a source of insight into ministry, specifically in skills and character training and discipleship, and in ministry vision, equipping and empowerment.  (Three times in 2021, and a similar course in 2023)
Mission Amidst the Covid-19 Crisis: Biblical Resources and Contemporary Models for a Time of Chaotic Change: This course is designed to look at Biblical stories of renewal and revival, from the time of the Kings of Israel to the post-exilic narratives, when the people of God experienced tremendous external forces imposing change, or when God’s leaders were raised up to help the people of God respond to crises with resilience and fortitude. We will draw general principles for the leadership of God’s people in times of crisis, but also specifically apply these principles to the context of the church today impacted as it is by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will look Paul’s “Plan B” ministry activity in the book of Acts, and at contemporary models that can help the church retain and advance its evangelism and discipleship mandate and mission.  The course will model the use of scripture study as a source of insight into ministry, specifically in discipleship, ministry vision, equipping and empowerment, organizational development and change.  (Twice in 2021)
Fundraising:  This course will provide students with new skills and increase their confidence in fundraising for their ministry or organization.  Using the examples of Moses, David and the Apostle Paul, provides a biblical foundation for fundraising together with a biblical view of stewardship. The course will equip students with a practical approach for developing funds from local sources, including the development of a “Case for Support”, which can be used to share funding needs in a variety of contexts. Although recognizing that funding from western charitable foundations is increasingly difficult to obtain, the course will also enable students to develop funding proposals specifically for foundations. (2021)
The New Testament in Focus (Mark):  (Co-taught with Lisa). This course engages in depth with particular Mark passages, as well as to explore the themes and unique emphases of Mark as a whole.  (Twice in 2021 and 2022, and twice expected in 2023)
Work, Money and MIssion: This course is designed to look at Biblical passages covering the headline topics of work, money and mission. We will build a Biblical theology of work and money using passages from Genesis to the Gospels and Paul’s letters We will build .  The course will model the use of scripture study as a source of insight into ministry, specifically in discipleship, ministry vision, equipping and empowerment, organizational development and change. (2022)
The Ministry of Mentoring:  This course approaches the art of mentoring from a leadership development perspective, and is based on biblical role models and principles. Its aim is to provide clarity around different kinds of mentoring relationships, and an opportunity to develop essential competencies and characteristics of an effective Christ-like Mentor. It also addresses the role of the Mentee in seeking to become the Christ-like leader God designed them to be. The course covers autobiographical writing, listening and questioning skills as well as ways to give effective feedback. Building on these essential competencies, the material outlines the process for a mentoring relationship and suggests both spiritual and pedagogical preparation. Finally, a framework for establishing a formal mentoring program within an organization is provided. (February 2022 and Fall, 2023)
Paul’s Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, Philemon:  This course is designed to give a general introduction to the life and writing of the Apostle Paul as found in the letters to the churches in Ephesus, Colosse, and Philippi, and Paul's short letter to Philemon. We will read these texts with a view to understanding: comparing and contrasting the style, structure, and purpose of each of the these texts. Significantly, however, we will also be focused on mining these texts for direct applications to the preaching, teaching, training, discipleship and evangelistic strategies of  leaders today. The course will model the use of scripture study as a source of insight into ministry, specifically in skills and character training and discipleship, and in ministry vision, equipping and empowerment.  (May 2022).
Paul's Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus: This course is designed to give a general introduction to the life and writing of the Apostle Paul as found in his pastoral letters to Timothy (1 and 2) and Titus. We will read these texts with a view to understanding, comparing and contrasting the style, structure, and purpose of each of the these texts. The course will model the use of scripture study as a source of insight into ministry, specifically in skills and character training and discipleship, and in ministry vision, equipping and empowerment. (Fall 2022)

(From Lisa) During our second 90-day visa sojourn in Malaysia, I determined to learn more Malay, and set about the task with disciplined determination. This recently ground to a halt. My motivation ran out, and I am quitting. I have been pondering the reasons for that. They range from simple observations about language learning to big-picture questions about how cross-cultural work is done today to reflections on how I’m doing in this season. Here’s what I’m concluding for now: 

1. It’s not hard to learn the basics, and it was worth it to try. Malay has borrowed many words from English, which gave me an initial boost. My favorites are: sekolah (school), bas (bus), kounter, aktivitas (activity), sistem, and biskit.  I memorized the top ten greeting exchanges easily and so can now wish people I meet a very good morning, afternoon, or evening. I can thank them, tell them the food is delicious, or excuse myself when I bump into them. I learned a few other common phrases like, “little by little” that I can throw into an otherwise-English conversation and garner a smile. Beyond the cognate and greeting words, I focused on amassing a basic vocabulary, in part because the grammar is quite simple (verb forms stay the same in past, present, and future, etc.). One goal, as a resident who wanted to feel more at home as I walked around, was to be able to read signs, so I simply wrote down words I saw on signs and learned those words. This means my working vocabulary of Malay is somewhat weighted towards words like, “Emergency! Fire Exit! Danger!” It’s quite exciting.  Beyond that, I learned the colors, numbers, emotions, days of the week, foods, and thirty or so common activities—eat, sleep, walk, etc.
2. But, how to get from there to greater fluency? It was as if I had made myself comfortable on the porch of a locked house. The folks inside waved in a friendly way through the window, but no one made a move to open the door--even when I knocked. I asked several Malaysian friends if they’d be willing to sit with me and converse, and they all politely declined. This raised the bigger question, not of how, but why? Why was I trying to learn Malay, and did the reasons stand up to scrutiny?
3. I realized as I contemplated quitting that I have labored (with not a small helping of shame) under a prevailing understanding of cross-cultural work, loosely labeled, “incarnational.” This was the gold standard of ministry. As a college student, I listened in awe to the stories of workers who spent their first three months or more in language-learning so they could fully enter the culture where they were serving. I was particularly inspired by those who followed a specific method that involved immersing oneself in the language upon landing in a place, speaking one’s own language as little as possible, and using the language learning process to build friendships. This allowed the learner to approach the new culture as a humble learner, receiving the gifts of its residents as they taught him or her. I have friends who have found this experience incredibly life-giving and one which launched many fruitful years of ministry in a new land. I think the method is well-intended and even in many settings still viable. I no longer think it fits the context of Malaysia in the 21st century. The humility, willingness to suffer, and eagerness to connect at the heart of the impulse to be ‘incarnational’ is laudable. But the goal of being ‘incarnational’ that pushed the strong emphasis on language learning in cross-cultural work has come in for some re-examination. Some expressions of it have had unintended consequences, which are nicely summarized here https://jtoddbillings.com/2012/12/the-problem-with-incarnational-ministry  Maybe I’m just substituting one member of the Trinity’s unique work for another when I say that my goal is to pattern my work here after the Paraclete, the one who comes alongside. I don’t claim to come alongside bringing all the help the Holy Spirit does (far from it!), but I bring what I can and hopefully offer it in humility. I do think that is a more replicable model for humans than the Incarnation, which was, after all, a one-time event.
4. I have learned even more through this process what a unique country Malaysia is. Its relationship to the language of Bahasa Malay is a microcosm of its challenges as it navigates a complex story of migration, identity, and belonging. Many Malay people are proud to know English and eager to greet me in it. In fact, they seem slightly insulted that I appear to be assuming they don’t know English!  If I thank them in Malay, they often say “you’re welcome” in English. The Chinese and Indians who live here know Malay from primary school. They use it when communicating with Malays (and they can read those danger signs on the roads), and they slip into it naturally to joke with each other with some humorous phrases. Beyond that, they may speak Mandarin or Tamil with their grandparents, depending on how many generations their family has been here, but they use English for everything else. Excellent English.   
5. Malaysia has many refugees and recent immigrants. In my language-learning zeal, I once greeted a man who looked Malay to me in Malay and he stared at me blankly then replied in English, “I don’t speak Malay. I’m a refugee from Burma.” At St. Paul’s, the theological college where I do most of my teaching, our students are primarily of Indian and Chinese descent, but we also have refugees from Pakistan, Burma, and Yemen.
6. Something else happened during the two months I was trying to learn Malay. I used one session of the Gospel of Mark class that Rich and I are co-teaching to give a basic introduction to the Greek language and how to navigate the online tools for exegesis. While preparing that, I remembered how very much I love Greek, and recommitted to a practice of spending 15 minutes or more a day in the Greek New Testament. This has been rich and enjoyable for me. In the three schools where we teach, the faculty are small, so I am often asked to teach courses outside the narrow scope of preaching. Having a strong facility in Greek allows me to credibly offer myself as a New Testament instructor. In college, I had the bandwidth to learn two or even three languages at once (Latin, Greek, and Spanish); today I find I need to choose. I’m going with Greek since the payoff is clearer and the joy is more present.
7. Finally, my decision to end the quest to learn Malay is inextricably bound to this reality: The journey we’ve been on with Malaysia has not been an easy one. While its people are friendly and warm, its visa policies are less so, and our brief feelings of hope three months ago have been replaced (due to yet another policy change not in our favor) with the more familiar feelings of discouragement and uncertainty as to when or whether we will be granted a visa to stay longer than 90 days. We will try to return in early January, and we’re reasonably confident we’ll be granted another 90-day entry. But not certain. While we live in that limbo, we cannot get a bank account, lease an apartment, or, well, stay very long. All of this leaves me frustrated and weary, which no doubt adds to the loss of steam regarding language learning. So, it is with some regret and some relief that I am saying, “Selamat tinggal” (goodbye) to the Malay language. But when we leave again in a month, it will be with love and gratitude that I will say, “Jumpa lagi” (see you soon) to students, colleagues, and friends here.  

Friends,
We are so thankful for your prayers for us throughout our seven weeks in India. It was an unforgettable journey—we learned so much and we felt sustained, protected, and blessed. As we return to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, our hearts are full. I (Lisa) will offer a summary of our last four weeks since our previous letter, but first a few general reflections. Apologies for the length! Please do not post or share this. The photo above is from a gathering of IFES graduates (and their families) in Bhopal. It is always great to be together with IFES staff and alumni; we feel immediate close kinship with them! More photos on our website.

• Persecution of the church is real, and on the rise. Unlike some countries where the source of that is primarily the government, in India we heard stories of pastors being brutally beaten by their extremist Hindu neighbors, of converts beaten by their fathers or husbands, etc. The government is not intervening to stop this, and it is also a source of persecution—we met pastors who have been jailed—but it was shocking to hear how much in danger people feel right in their own villages. When we were in small towns (three of the seven weeks), our hosts asked us not to walk around outside—at all.
  
• The caste system is alive and well. One friend in the US said, on a phone call, “I figured that had all gone away by now!” If only. It is deeply entrenched and continues to demean personhood and limit opportunities for advancement. A pastor from the Scheduled Caste (“dalit” or “untouchable”—terms most of them reject) said, “When we convert, we often apply to remove caste from our official documents, because we are part of a royal priesthood, and we are precious to God.” The profound conviction in his voice was so striking. This costs them some government benefits, but it is a powerful prophetic statement. We wish we could say every Christian shares his rejection of the system, but a pastor we worked with closely shared that a family he’s served in many ways in his church would never have him in their home, because he is a lower caste than them.
  
• The warmest of welcomes. In Los Angeles, we often use the traffic as a reason to beg off meeting people at the airport. “Welcome to LA; we trust you have an Uber app.” In stark contrast, no fewer than ten people made their way to the regional airport of Jharsuguda where we landed for the second leg of our journey. Children came forward with marigold garlands, bouquets, and to touch our feet and then touch their hearts. This last one startled us at first but we’ve since seen it done by children to other elders as a sign of respect and honor. The adults, beaming, said, “Praise the Lord!” and hugged us or warmly shook our hands in both of theirs. At one church, a representative of each of the ministries of the church (children, youth, men, women, etc.) read a verse they had thoughtfully chosen as a blessing for us.
  We had the poignant honor of being welcomed into some very simple homes. In one home, we sat on the bed in the living room/bedroom/dining room as they shared how pleased they were to have moved up to this home, since it is concrete instead of tin, and has a tiny kitchen (with no appliances). Later we realized six people shared that bed.
  
• Cows. If you’ve followed me on Facebook, you know I’ve been first charmed and then chagrined by the cows in the roads. There are five million stray cows in India. Partly because they are often considered divine, it is illegal in many states to kill them, even when they are sickly and old. Poor families who lose land or can’t afford to maintain a cow simple release them to the roads. They love the roads, in part because they dry faster than the grass after a rain. But it is a real hazard for them and for drivers. Monkeys, dogs, water buffalo, and goats fill the roads in the rural towns we visited as well.
  

Let me now offer one highlight from each of the last four locations:
Visakhapatnam
We enjoyed our time in this bustling city very much. Rich had begun teaching a leadership class weekly via Zoom for a seminary there; he taught it daily the week we were there. Lisa taught an Advanced Homiletics seminar each day. We also both preached for their chapel and had many long talks with faculty and students. They were thoughtful and sharp. Their residential model for both students and faculty creates a strong and nurturing community. Students work for 45 minutes each weekday afternoon as part of how they pay for their education. This work time is sometimes followed by a lively cricket match, with students and faculty joining in! We left very impressed with the vision and mission of this school, and aware that their aging buildings need replacement.
Another city
We won’t mention the name of the city to which we traveled next, and sadly not share photos, because we worked there with a ministry that can meet with resistance from the government and from its community. A good friend from the US has been serving this very poor area, working primarily with women who now follow Jesus but remain culturally Muslim or Hindu. He and an Indian leader on the ground there have trained these women to be essentially social workers. They walk even poorer women through processes like getting birth certificates, so they can access government funds they had not been aware of. They also offer literacy classes and create small lending groups that fund micro-enterprises for themselves and their husbands; this has lifted them, if not out of poverty, up to a level where they are keeping their kids in school longer, accessing cleaner water, and feeling great pride in their work.
Along with poverty alleviation efforts, these women have been learning to retell Bible stories to their families and neighbors. Rich has been leading them through his biblical leadership materials via Zoom for nearly two years, and they have become very dear to him (which seemed quite mutual) so it was a huge joy for him and for them to finally meet. For three days, about thirty of them sat on a concrete floor with a thin rug (we joined them as our knees allowed), while we worked together through several more narrative passages of Scripture, with Lisa offering a workshop on storytelling skills. As each session ended, they took several moments to share eagerly how the stories connected with their lives. It was remarkable what they clued into in Scripture and how different their points of connection were from the typical ones we might expect in a Western context.
Bangalore
In Bangalore, we were frankly grateful for a little less intense pace, so we could catch up on grading for Malaysia classes and other details. We are primarily there at the invitation of a dear friend, Tim Shah, who is doing important work to bolster religious freedom globally. We’re taught several sessions at Southern Asia Bible College and preached and taught in a few other settings. We were delighted to spend time with Tim and his wife, Becky, and her parents, Vinay and Colleen Samuel, who have been serving Bangalore, India, and the global church in innovative and courageous ways for decades.
Coimbatore
Our final week proved the most challenging for me. Our host began a Bible College just last year with a vision to educate pastors who may not even have completed high school. Its first class is just 20 or so students. The final day, each one shared his or her testimony with us. Some were quite harrowing, such as drug addiction at age 10. The challenge of the week for me was the long car rides to rural areas on three different days to train pastors there. The windy roads and potholes exacerbated the low-level tummy troubles I’ve had the whole journey. Still, we were so impressed with the vision of this young school.
Back to Kuala Lumpur! Tomorrow, August 18, we will return to KL, just in time for “Induction Day” for the new class of students at SPTC, with courses beginning the next week. We are looking forward to being there, and we feel hopeful that a long-term visa solution is in the works.
Whew! If you read to the end, thank you for your interest! If you jumped to here, we get it.
Prayer Requests as we return to KL:

• Quick readjustment to Malaysia life, and the ability to organize our various commitments. We are both wrapping up the grading for courses we taught before leaving for India, putting together syllabi for courses coming up, and, for Rich, firming up the schedule for ongoing Zoom teaching.
  
• I will share two personal hopes as we return. One is to get back in shape. As I mentioned, it was nearly impossible to walk for recreation in India, and I am discernibly out of shape. KL is not a walking city either, but there is a treadmill in our building, and I want to recommit to exercise. Second, I would like to learn twenty Malay phrases and to count to ten. This seems a modest goal, but they fly right out of my brain like bats from a belfry, at my age.
  
• As always, we appreciate prayers for my mom, Nancy. We talk often, and we’re grateful for Becca and Avery’s care, but we do still feel the distance as she ages.
  

            After a day training for pastors and spouses.                           The extended family of Pastor Steven, after the end of a long
                                                                                                                 day of training for pastors and lay leaders hosted in his home.

Our first week, in Delhi, we had few expectations in terms of ministry. We simply hoped to adjust to the time zone, climate, and culture, while teaching final class sessions for courses in Malaysia and continuing a few other non-formal courses in China and India. We did have the honor of meeting two wise and inspiring men while there. Saji Easo is the General Secretary of UESI (IFES) for all of India, and he and his wife welcomed us warmly. Harsha Shringla is the former Foreign Secretary for India; he also hosted us graciously and shared many insights into India. We also learned a lot about the history of India through visits to the Red Fort and the National Museum. The week was not easy—I (Lisa) got sick, the heat and humidity were extreme, and the crowdedness of the city was challenging to navigate.
     In stark contrast, our second and third weeks, ministry opportunities have abounded! We’ve been in a much more rural setting. About ten people came out to the small regional airport to greet us with hugs and choruses of “Praise the Lord!” while placing floral garlands around our necks. Rich has been teaching the pastors in Pastor S_______’s network for two years, and they were so excited to finally meet him in person, often remarking that he was much taller than they’d imagined from his little Zoom tile! Pastor S organized a three-day gathering for leaders in the area. We taught three sessions each day, in a simple church building with wavering electricity and with chickens, goats and cows grazing right outside.
     On Sunday, we preached for Pastor S's church in town and then headed out to his family’s village, where we preached for his parents’ church, of which his brother was serving as pastor. This visit was so lovely. At one point it began to pour, and several ladies dashed out to bring in their laundry. I stopped preaching and shared about how that had happened to me in Thailand more than once, and we connected over that simple shared reality. I was struck by how remarkably undistracted they are, downpours aside, as they listen to sermons seated on the ground, with unbroken eye contact. After church, a grand-uncle demonstrated their village’s distinctive weaving techniques, the children showed us their art projects, and the parents showed us their wedding photo album—sweet ways they could connect with us without a lot of language in common.
      On Monday we got up at 4:30 AM to visit the church of one more member of Rich’s zoom cohort, 150 miles away. We were on muddy roads for many miles of that journey, and the cows here firmly believe that the roads are theirs, which is cute at first but really slows progress. I will admit to wondering if it was worth it as we bounced through endless potholes. But again, the welcome was incredibly warm and folks were so excited that we had made the journey to be with them. The pastor had gathered his church leaders and several local pastors for a day-long seminar on leadership, and they held a special evening service where I preached. I said to Rich later, “I think that was my favorite time preaching ever.” It was mostly the sheer intentness with which listeners engaged with the sermon.
     Essentially everyone wanted prayer afterwards! We each snagged a second translator and prayed for them one by one. Several people in the very rural and poor places we’ve been in the last ten days come with the complaint of feeling weak, and the sobering likelihood is that they are simply malnourished. But we’ve also heard a range of hard stories of bereavement due to Covid, infertility, etc. So, prayer is both a delight and a burden, as we can feel overwhelmed by the sufferings we hear about as we pray. But love compels us to pray boldly and hope alongside them for all for which they hope.  
     After another long hours drive, we are now in Nabrangpor, another small city where Rich has been teaching via Zoom. It is a mountainous region, so we are enjoying a break from the heat. The first day (Thursday) we preached for two house church gatherings, again praying for nearly everyone afterwards. Friday we had more of the same kind of meeting, including bringing a message to children in an orphanage, and several church services. We are enjoying Pastor Maher’s insights into India and stories from his own life. We have now received marigold garlands in at least five settings. We are humbled by the generosity, kindness, and warmth of our hosts here.
     Next week, we head to Visakhapatnam, where Lisa will guest-teach a mini course in homiletics for a seminary cohort which essentially lost that course due to the pandemic. Rich will continue teaching a course in Biblical Leadership, meeting his Zoom students for the first time in person.
     We are so grateful for your prayers for our time here. It has held much joy for us, and some challenges as well: interesting showers, internet access, incredibly spicy food among them. We ask your prayers for stamina as we continue to teach, pray, and hope for all things for those we meet.    

     Rich and Lisa in clothing given by our local hosts.                        Pastor Santosh and his wife and the door he carved.                                                                                                                               He learned this skill to help support his family while in ministry.

India is...everything! Hard to capture it in a few words; hence my looong post, an A to Z summary of our first week here:

• Aromas: from the unsavory to the pleasant and the spicy, scents abound.
• Bustling Crowds: weighing in at 382 persons per square kilometer (compare to 36 in the US), the streets, markets, and sidewalks of India are lively indeed.
• Chandni Chowk: This old market has everything from spices to motorcycles. I bought a shirt in about the hottest pink I've ever seen.
• Drenched in sweat: It's hit 100 more than one of our first few days, and monsoons are beginning, so the humidity is off the charts. I keep telling myself that we're glowing or glistening...but we're really just dripping.
• Excellent metro: we're so impressed with Delhi's metro, which is refreshingly air conditioned, with frequent and speedy trains crisscrossing this vast city, and courteous gents making me feel old but grateful when they offer me their seats.
• Foreign Secretary: What a treat it was to have breakfast with the former Foreign Secretary of India, and former Ambassador to the US, Harsha Shringla today! He's a relative of a student at SPTC, and warmly welcomed us, offering a rich perspective on India.
• Grace Home: We're staying in a guest house shared by a family here with an extraordinary gift for hospitality.
• History: So eye-opening to learn some of the harder aspects of India's history. E.g., did you know that India sent 1.4 million soldiers to fight on behalf of the British in WWI? They were promised independence in return, a sadly broken promise.
• Intestinal Troubles: My tummy reacted to the spicy food on the fourth day. Grateful we have a panoply of remedies with us.
• Jet lag: It's brutal. We have not found a way around this in all our travels. If you have a magic cure, let us know!
• Kurtas, Saris, Shalwar Kameez: Indian clothing is stunningly beautiful and dazzlingly colorful.
• Lush green gardens: Even in a densely packed city, we've seen lovely parks and arboretums.
• Marigolds and other lovely flowers abound.
• New Delhi features impressive rose sandstone architecture in the Parliament and other official buildings in this part of Delhi.
• Old Delhi: home of the Red Fort, the spice markets, and other historic sites
• Papayas, mangoes, and other yummy fruits are in season now.
• Quite a lot of poverty and beggars. We're torn on how to respond and handle it differently in different settings.
• Red Fort: this impressive defensive structure was built by the Mughals in 1658, and now houses a series of small museums telling India's story.
• Spices: Rich especially is a connoisseur and even though we're traveling light, managed to justify a few purchases.
• Troubles: India is a strong nation and has made extraordinary gains against poverty but it was hard-hit in every way by Covid and faces many challenges, from air pollution to water quality to ethnic, caste, and religious tensions. But, one week in, we're more impressed by how well it is responding to its challenges, with myriad fresh initiatives.
• UESI: It was a joy to meet with Saji Easo, the General Secretary of the Union of Evangelical Students in India, the sister movement to Inter Varsity. He and his wife Annie inspired us with their faith.
• Vibrant colors: as mentioned, Indian clothing and art revels in gorgeous shades of turquoise, pink, purple, and orange.
• Water buffaloes still share the streets with auto-rickshaws and trucks in parts of the city.
• Xtraordinary kindness: We have experienced this from so many people at every turn.
• Youth: the average age in India is 28, compared to 38 in the US.
• Zoom teaching: We are both still teaching in Malaysia, China, and India, and are grateful the internet has been for the most part up to the task. This is one reason you don't see here the most iconic stop on a typical trip to Delhi: the Taj Mahal. It's a three hour drive from Delhi, and there was no day we could afford that long an outing around our teaching schedules. But we did see a few other Taj's (palaces) near the Red Fort. It gives us a reason to return.