Sunday Blessings - Peace March

A short while ago I returned from taking part in a silent

candle light Peace March organized by all the churches of Allahabad .

This was is support of our distressed brothers and sisters in Orisaa

More than 5000 people from both Protestant and Catholic
denominations participated in this demonstration

The walk commenced at the Catholic Cathedral and

concluded at the Anglican Cathedral.

Three bishops addressed a public meeting in which we expressed our solidarity with the riot victims and asked for protection and justice for

those who are reeling under anti communal atrocities.

The meeting ended with prayer and loud shouts of

Yesu Masih ki Jai (Praise the name of Jesus)

and

Bharat Mata ki Jai (Praise be to Mother India)

We were given heavy police protection and several city officials

also participated.

I almost didn 't go as a few days a ago a poisonous insect bit me and my face has been very painful and I have heaviness in my head and

a nagging headache.

But I just couldn 't stop myself.

What is my little ache and pain before those who have

lost their lives and everything in the fire.

And I am glad I went for my pain is insignificant in

comparison to what others are going through.
The Bible says,in the body of Christ , the church,

when one member suffers all suffer.

1 Cor 12 (NIV) 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Burning Issue

Thousands homeless after Hindu-Christian violence in India
By Hari Kumar

NEW DELHI: At least 3,000 people, most of them Christians, are living in government-run relief camps after days of Christian-versus-Hindu violence in eastern India, government officials said.
The government said that many people were also living in the jungle without any shelter and security because of the tensions, which erupted in violence after a Hindu leader was killed Saturday. At least 10 people, most of them Christians, have been killed since.
Christian community leaders say that at least 1,000 Christian homes have been set on fire since Monday, rendering more than 5,000 people homeless.
Many of those living in the jungle were without food or water, said the Rev. Dibakar Parichha, a priest at the Roman Catholic church in Phulbani, a town in Orissa State. Father Parichha said that about 90 places of worship, including small churches and prayer halls, had been burned down. Local officials said the figure was about 20.
The violence has occurred in Kandhamal, a district in Orissa State that has a history of communal and ethnic clashes. The latest conflict started Saturday night, when unidentified armed men stormed a Hindu school in Kandhamal and killed the Hindu leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his followers.

The police suspected that Maoist rebels were responsible. But Hindus blamed Christians. In the retaliatory violence, 500 houses were burned. All nine towns in the district are under a curfew, and the police have license to shoot. At least two people have been killed in violent reprisals in other districts of Orissa, including a woman who died when an orphanage was burned down.
"We are supposed to take drastic action against whosoever indulges in violence" said R. P. Koche, the police chief in Kandhamal District. The local police force has been reinforced by 2,500 paramilitary troops, he said. The district magistrate, Dr. Krishna Kumar, said the situation was tense but under control, and that more then 200 people had been arrested.
On Wednesday, during his weekly address at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI said, "I firmly condemn any attack on human life," and said that he was "profoundly saddened" by the violence in Orissa. He called the killing of Saraswati "deplorable."
To protest the violence against Christians in Orissa, more than 40,000 Christian educational institutions across India will be closed on Friday in compliance with a call by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and other Christian denominations. (Reuters News Agency)


EFI NEWS
AFTERMATH OF SWAMI'S KILLING : THE CHRISTIAN VICTIMS LIST
1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday, after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties.Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest suffered serious burn injuries in the attack. 2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa village in Kandhamal district. 3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town. 4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town. 5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up, while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt. Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt. 6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D. Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt. 7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God Church and the Philadelphia Church . 8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection. 9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many Christians,particul arly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have fled into forests for their lives. 10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed. 11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire. 12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties. 13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads. 14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in Phulbani.

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There are many more news reports like the above.

Pray that peace may prevail and the perpetrators of hatred and crime may be restrained.

Tonight we are having a prayer meeting in our home.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth....Romans 1;16 KJV

Orissa on Fire

Since several days Christians in the eastern state of Orissa are facing violence , crime and murder.The situation seems out of control.I have published a CNN IBN news report which Julia passed on to me.Thank you Julia.
The VHP is a right wing Hindu organization.
Rev Richard Howell , representing Christians is a family friend.
(L-R Sagarika Ghosh (news editor) Ram Madhav (RSS -Hindu organization spokesman) Prof Mohanty and Rev Richard Howell)

Religion has split Orissa and the divide is murderous. Several people have been killed in communal clashes in Kandhamal district after the murder of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader on Saturday.
The VHP called for a statewide shutdown in the state on Monday during which churches, prayer houses and vehicles were attacked in many places.
The communal tension began after Swami Laxmananand Saraswati, a member of VHP’s central advisory committee, and four others were murdered by suspected Naxals (Naxals are a left - wing group) in Kandhamal district.
Police and paramilitary forces are on guard in towns of Kandhamal district. Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people, has been clamped across Kandhamal.
Saraswati was leading a campaign against cow slaughter and religious conversion in the communally sensitive district. Rightwing Hindu groups allege that Christians killed Saraswati because he opposed conversion. Christian organisations reject such allegations.

In one of the worst attacks, a Christian woman died and a priest was severely burnt when a mob set fire to an orphanage run by Christian missionaries in Bargarh district on Monday.
The incident again brought shame to the state. Nine years ago, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons were burnt alive by a Hindu mob in Keonjhar district.
What has caused the communal divide in Orissa? Is religion to blame or politics? Are conversions pitting Hindus against Christians? CNN-IBN’s Sagarika Ghose asked this on Face The Nation.
The guests on the show were: RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav, Reverend Dr Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, and Professor Manoranjan Mohanty, of the Council for Social Development.
Madhav was infuriated at allegations that Hindu groups were targeting missionaries and Christians in Orissa. “The situation is quite different. Hindus are at the receiving end. A highly respected saint was killed. There is enough evidence to prove the complicity of Christian organisations in the murder,” he claimed.
Howell rejected the Madhav’s allegation and claimed conversion has become an excuse to attack Christians and malign them. “The VHP gets the maximum amount of money in India than Christians. Christians have used money to serve and empower the poor and marginalized. Not a single case has been proved till date in the courts of forced conversion (by Christian groups),” he said.
The issue is not religion but poverty, said Professor Mohanty. “Kandhamal is one of the poorest regions in the country. Seventy per cent people here are below the poverty line; 51 per cent are tribals and 16 per cent are Dalits,” he said. a situation of poverty and landlessness, both among Hindus and Christians. Orissa has become the experiment ground of globalisation, economic reforms, mega projects and Hindutva politics.”
Hindu groups are not to blame for the violence and the state is in turmoil because of Christian missionaries, alleged Madhav. “Every conversion in Orissa has to be registered with the local police or magistrate but no such thing happens. Where is the chance for Hindutva politics when missionaries are going about aggressively and alluring people,” he said.
The Sangh Parivar doesn’t hate conversions as much as it does Christians, alleged Howell. “An ideology of hatred has been propagated by some sections of the Sangh Parivar. They don’t hate Christian service; it is the very identity of being a Christian that is hated. There are just 2.4 per cent Christians in India and we too have contributed to the growth of the country.”
Christians are not hated, insisted Madhav. “Every religion is respected in this country but Christians criticise and attack Hindu religion. It this attitude of Christians which is leading to tension in this country,” he alleged.
The communal divide in Orissa’s tribal districts is the result of poverty and “competitive politics”, said Mohanty. “The shrinking rights of tribals over forests and land and the coming of mega projects is the economic issue there. They are all poor there and poverty is being diverted to communalism. It is competitive politics,” he said.
Madhav called such an analysis wrong. “There is a clear cut division between Hindus and Christians and it is because of their (missionaries) wrongdoing and Congress leaders. A holy person is killed and the very next day the Congress tables a no-confidence motion against the state government—what does it suggest? The Congress is a part of a larger political conspiracy,” he alleged.
Howell announced Christian institutions in the country would close on August 29 to protest against the attacks in Orissa. “I hope the civil society wakes up before it’s too late,” he said.
Madhav said Christian groups were free to shut their schools and institutions but they must also shut “proselytization” activity.
“Do not make this a Christian versus Hindu issue. We must go into the sources of violence,” said Mohanty.
(Courtesy CNN IBN)
I tried to post videos of the talk show but for some reason they did not load. You can go to the IBN Live website HERE and watch the videos , there is live footage too.

Please pray for peace in Orissa. It is the state where Australian missionary Graham Stains and his 2 little sons were burnt to death in 1999

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Today we had a 4 hour power cut, so the day passed off tension free.

And our cable TV was also hooked. I had done the job but did not know I had to re-boot. LOL.

An August Christmas

The one thing I could not change for the past 2 days was the nearly 12 hour long electricity cut.

Power came back after 9 pm

We 've had 2 difficult days.

Thank you for your prayers. My mother 's cough is much better now.

But the power cuts drain her out and she is like a little child ,I have to pacify. Tonight in all the dark confusion I pressed a wrong button on the TV digital control and lost all the channels.I rang up the cable guy and he gave me complicated instructions over the phone. I got half way but couldn 't complete the job...it was too complex and perplexing -setting the digital controls again.My mother was very impressed and said,"You should have gone into electronic technology". A compliment in the dark!

Tomorrow a technician will cone to correct the fault.

And I will have a mini training session with him.

After all setting digital controls is not rocket science.

We have a battery run inverter but it gives out after running for a number of hours and I light my 2 kerosene lamps and Christmas Santa Claus candles. Its almost like Christmas except for the heat and humidity and a throbbing headache.

And instead of singing 'Silent Night '( the night is literally dark and silent)

I should be singing -

'Give me Oil In my Lamp, Keep me burning '

We are hoping that tomorrow will be a 'good day ' without an extra long unpredictable power cut.

Sunday Blessings - Children of the Day!

For he will command his angels concerning to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.Psalm 91;11,12 (New International Version)

On her way to church my mother again had a fall.

It was not very serious,she just sank down on the steps as she could not negotiate the high,uneven steps.

Our church steps are about 200 years old, built for strong British soldiers who could scamper up and down (it was a Garrison church)

The aging members of our church find it difficult to climb up those steps.

When the Lord will enable us, we will fix them or build a proper ramp.

No bones broken, but pretty shaken up .The angels were there to cushion her fall.Please pray for my mother, she is not eating properly and that is causing her to become weak.

Sometimes the sky looks very dark

This morning before leaving for church I was listening to a Christian Radio Station and there was a song by 'Children of the Day 'called"For Those Tears I Died" I just started crying as I listened to that song.I used to sing it ages ago with my sisters and it really wrapped itself around my heart as I face my daily trials.

Jesus wept so that he may wipe away my tears

He died so that I may live

Everyone who is hurting or facing a difficult situation take courage.
From the mid 70s to the 80s there was hardly any Christian music available in my city. I used to listen to missionary Radio stations.

They were my daily sustanence - food water and air.

FEBC - Manila Philippines

FEBA - Seychelles (Indian Ocean)

Trans World Radio - Shri Lanka

TWR - Agana, Guam

SLBC - Shri Lanka etc

Family Radio (North America)

I learnt all my songs from these broadcasts.

Spent all my free time trying to record songs on a little tape recorder and play the tapes over and over again to transcribe the lyrics.

I spent a major part of my pocket money writing to the radio stations.

Most of the time the reception was not good enough, and I couldn 't decipher the words, but I just kept going.

I learnt this song that way.

It is like a cool drink for my thirsty soul.

As a Post script to this video I must add that a friend told me about Marsha Stevens, the woman who wrote this song and is singing in this presentation.She has fallen away from the Lord and no longer upholds Biblical morality or values. I don 't subscribe to her present music or teaching. But there is a lesson to be learnt from this. If you are faithful to the Word of God God can use you as His instrument, the moment you turn away from Him you can be anything you want.

Sheeba 's Scoop

Mistress Terry wanted a picture of me eating ice-cream

So my Mistress Amrita organized it for me.

Dinner Menu

1st course

Chicken soup with bread

2nd course

chicken with bread

Dessert

Vanilla ice-cream

Kind Miss Terry you can ask my Mistress to

take photos of me eating all

my favourite food.

Thankyou kindly Miss Terry

I am wagging my tail like a windmill for you

God is Able

Took a blogging break and enjoyed visiting other people 's blogs.
The past week began with a visit to a sick church member.She had very high fever over the weekend and couldn 't come to church but she was up and about on Monday.
Its been very humid and rainy all week.I 've not been well. My mother 's cough didn 't get any better and she developed other problems. So I got her some new medication and nourishment.
My fixed phone went dead last Sunday and Internet was very unstable. I made complain calls with my cell phone to various offices and no one came to my rescue. So I called up the General Manager of the Telephone Company. And yesterday my phone and Internet was restored.
The High Point of the week was to hear that my younger sister Namrita has Internet on her cell phone, we can communicate much more freely now.
They have a computer but have not subscribed to Broadband as it would be a distraction to her grade -school going sons.

Another high point of the week was that an Indian boxer and wrestler won Bronze medals at the Olympics.These 2 athletes come from very humble backgrounds and do not have many facilities, yet their hard work won them their medals
Prem and Anju sent us pictures from New Brunswick.. Prem is a leader in his church and fills in when his Pastor is away. last Sunday he spoke in the morning and evening services, in spite of being unwell.He also takes part in outreach programs and travels to nearby churches to preach.

He is an engineer by profession but where ever they have lived (India and Nigeria , Canada) they have been like part time missionaries hosting weekly Bible studies and being fully involved in church programs.

Mahima, Ashish, Anjali (Anju for short) and Prem

Here - Prem and Anju are with their Shri Lankan friends.

L-R Anju, Kumari, Ruan, Prem

In the front are Ruan and Kumari 's three children.

Please pray for Ruan. He is suffering from cancer and is undergoing chemo therapy.His faith is very Strong and he is trusting the Lord for his healing.He is witnessing to his Buddhist friends who marvel at his faith and trust.

Last night when our church security guard came on duty he reported that the padlock and chain from the front gate was missing. We were very disturbed as it seemed someone had stolen them.

Earlier thieves have broken into the church campus and have stolen things. Anyway we committed everything into the Lord 's hands and went to bed.

Our Pastor had a dream at night in which he saw the chain and lock hanging on the gate. In the morning he told his wife this and went out to examine the gate and sure enough there was the chain and lock intact on the gate.

The Lord God is our keeper!

India Is ...

This evening I went to the Bible College

for a celebration of our Independence Day

The students and teachers presented a colourful program

representing our cultural, lingual and ethnic diversity.

Lighting of the ceremonial lamp.

A painted map of India was decorated with

earthen oil lamps

A war dance from Nagaland
The dancers in the photo above are from Mizoram.
The North Eastern States of Nagaland and Mizoram
are predominantly Christian. Before Christianity came to these parts,
the war-like tribes were head hunters
Now they are sending missionaries to various states
of India

Tribal leg covers.
They are hand woven on special looms.

More Mizo dancers.

There are two little girls too,

daughters of teachers

This sister from Europe teaches Hebrew.

Here she is taking part in a skit.

She is wearing a beautiful Indian saree.

She had henna on her hands

I really liked that I told her

Musicians from South India.
They are playing a variety of drums

These are folk dancers from the

neighbouring state of Jharkhand.

The women have henna on their feet and are wearing anklets

This group represents a number of

North Western States.

Here they are performing a Gujarati dance

It was a fun evening followed by a vegetarian dinner.

There were prayers for our country

and good fellowship with believers.

Our 61st Independence Day

On 15th August India celebrates her 61st Independence Day

The video I have posted has some excellent photographs and music.

Happy Independence Day.

BullsEye

India's ace shooter Abhinav Bindra created history by winning the first ever individual Olympic Gold Medal for the country. It's Abhinav Bindra, Abhinav Bindra all over the Beijing shooting range. Abhinav won the gold in 10m Air Rifle event. Abhinav Bindra scored 700.5 points in the final.
Although India had won 8 gold medals in Olympics hockey, it never won any individual gold medals. This is the first time any Indian won a gold medal in an individual event. The last time India had won an Olympic gold medal was in 1980 Moscow Olympics where the hockey team had claimed the gold. The entire country erupted into joy and celebration when the reports of Abhinav Bindra's great victory flashed across the television channels.
It has been a great moment for all Indians that have been dreaming for this for decades. Emotions were high in India, as tearful people stood up when the national anthem was played in the Olympic Stadium at Beijing.
President Pratibha Patil, PM Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader LK Advani, Sports Minister MS Gill, IOA President Suresh Kalmadi and all leaders and high level sports officials have congratulated Abhinav Bindra for making the country proud.


Abhinav Bindra owed his gold medal to his parents, family and coaches. After winning the gold medal, Bindra said that he hopes that his medal would change the face of Olympics Sports in India. He also said that he became very aggressive, as he had entered the final as fourth. A proud nation salutes its great Hero. Hats off to Abhinav Bindra! Bindra is the son of an affluent industrialist. He had a shooting range right in his backyard which is a dream for most shooters.

I enjoyed watching the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. A spectacular show of culture and technology.

We watch various sports throughout the day.

My favourite are

Athletics

Gymnastics

Diving

Synchronized swimming

Equestrian

and a few others
I have posted a video which is taken from an Indian movie. Its a very popular song here celebrating Indian sports.

These are today 's pictures

By evening we were done.

The rains came after the work was over.It was good we weren 't interrupted.

Please do continue to pray for our Nehemiah Project , the Lord has provided but we are still short of funds needed to make all the payments.

We trust in His provsion.

Storm Against the Wall

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones [is] as a storm [against] the wall. Isa.25;4

Work stopped on Thursday afternoon because of a rainstorm

No work on Friday too.

Work resumed on Saturday.

In India construction is not suspended on weekends ordinarily as the daily wage labourers will lose their livelihood

Another section of the wall had to be repaired as it was about to fall down
The men set up a scaffolding

Plastering the wall with cement.
God is a wall of defense against the storms of life.
My mother 's cough is some better

I am allergic to changes in temperatures and my head feels heavy

and I feel dizzy.

Please pray for me

Greetings

Since yesterday my Internet connection is on the blink. I just can' t do anything worthile on the net.

Wanted to reply to all your comments, but can 't.I 've got photos, will try posting them.
My arm is better today, except that I feel dizzy at times. Mom 's cough is better. I make tea with tulsi ( maybe its called Monk 's basil)its good for the throat.
Thank you for your prayers.

Nehemiah Project - The Plumb Line

A plumb line is a simple but accurate tool used for determining whether or not something is perfectly vertical i.e. upright. Used since very ancient times, a plumb line consists merely of a line and a weight of some sort, at first just a stone, but later a weight made from lead. Plumb lines were known to many people throughout Bible History, including Jesus Christ who would have owned a set of various weights of them for His use in the building trade. The Lord also used, and uses, a "plumbline," His Word, to determine how upright His people truly are in His sight.
"Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people"
References to the use of a plumb line in the Holy Scriptures are almost always that of The Lord's plumb line, how righteously people stand (righteous actually means upright) according to His Word.
"Thus He showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand. And The Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou?"
"And I said, A plumbline."
"Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword" (Amos 7:7-9 KJV)
The condemnation wasn't just about The Lord's people back then. The Lord does not change. What He said was wrong back then is just as wrong today because The Word of God is Timeless.

The Messiah was and is however a better builder. We can be sure that He never built any crooked walls during His first coming, just as we can look forward with absolute certainty that the spiritual house of which He is the corner stone, or key stone, will be perfectly straight in every way. Christ is coming to make straight all that has made itself crooked.
(excerpts taken from Daily Bible Study - author Blank)
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Last night it rained heavily

Morning was damp, but we started work.

By noon there was heavy rain and work had to

be stopped.

We gave our men and women half day 's wages and let them go.

Hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow and work will resume.
This morning I was praying Oh Lord, give me the faith of George Mueller - as our purse was getting lighter and lighter . Due to inflation the cost of building material and labour had tripled.

Our Jehovah Jireh is so good

by evening the Lord answered my prayer through His faithful servants.

The God of George Mueller
is my God too

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Yesterday was the Hindu festival of Naag Panchami

This photo vas shot by my niece Mahima Naag Panchami or festival of snakes is a unique festival dedicated to honour the Serpent God or Naag Devta. Falling on the fifth day of Shravan in July/August, the cobra (snakes) are worshipped. Naag Panchami in Hindu MythologyFairly widespread before the Aryan invasion, worshipping of snakes or Naga was later incorporated into Hinduism by the Aryan themselves. Hindu Mythological books are famously filled with stories, fables and pictures of snakes. Lord Vishnu's couch is the green, thousand-headed snake (Ananta or Sesha) who could hold up the earth. Lord Shiva wears a snake for ornamental purpose. Even Lord Krishna is called "Kaliya Mardan" to commemorate his victory over the giant snake, Kaliya. A farmer while tilling his land incidentally killed some young serpents. The serpent took revenge by biting all members of the farmer's family except his daughter, who worshipped snakes.This devotional act of the girl resulted in revival of her family. So on the day of Naag Panchami, tilling of land is forbidden. Snake worship is however believed to have originated due to man's natural fear of reptiles. Celebration of Naag Panchami One of the oldest and auspicious festivals, women fast on this day. Also, women draw pictures and images of snakes on walls of their houses with a mixture of cowdung, milk and black powder. Offerings of milk, ghee, sweets, water and rice are also made at the sites of snake holes. Devotees consider themselves lucky if snakes drink offered milks. Naag panchami is observed and celebrated in different ways in various parts of India. It is mainly observed in Southern India, Maharashtra and Bengal. In Jodhpur, huge cloth effigies of the serpents are displayed at major fairs. Also in W.Bengal and parts of Assam and Orissa, the snake deity worshipped on Naga Panchami is the goddess Manasa. In Kerala, huge crowds throng snake temples on this day to worship stone or metal icons of the cosmic serpent Ananta or Sesha.

Please pray for our brother in Christ - Ruan ,battling cancer and sick vith puemomia in Moncton NB. This ShriLankan brother 's faith is amazing.

Also pray for the protection of our wall. Mischievous boys from a neighbouring area come during the night and break parts of the wall.Our guard went over to complain to the parents, they were not at home ,(out working). But the neighbours said they'll give them the message. They are destroying our hard work, just like the oppositi0n did to Nehemiah

Hands On

Another full day

By the afternoon the wall had risen

One of our men vanted this fellow to be photographed

A female team member brought her children along -
No one to look after them while she is on the job site
A little girl and her one year old baby sister
I was moved with such compassion
when I looked at them
To children such as these Jesus must have said
"Suffer the little children to come unto me"

Had a stressful morning and my sore is hurting real bad
But I rested in the afternoon
Had Simran in the evening
Talked to Anju (my sister) on the Internet
Exchanged family talk
Its a comfort to know that she also had a similar problem with her house help
in Nigeria that I had here.
Its good to know that you are not alone.

Human relationships are tricky
but the Lord teaches us things as we go along.

Firm Foundation

How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word. What more can he say, than to you he hath said; To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled? This was the hymn

on my heart as the day began

Bricks being laid in the ditch

There are 2 lady workers

Sheeba is looking on

By the afternoon the ditch all filled up

A load of sand


Mixing concrete

No powder puff girls these.
These women are from Bilaspur (Central India)
People from there move all over India as migrant labourers
Least you think in India we employ primitive methods of construction
Let me tell you that our country has the most modern means of building and builders and architects take on International projects.
But we are operating on a shoe string budget, cannot afford builders.
These are some of our modern buildings.



Jobs for the Day
1.House chores
2. Instructions to the men
3. Supervising the building
4.Bank
5. Purchasing cement and manure (for the garden)
6.Court - the judge did not come, so it was time and money wasted
7.Grocery shopping
8. Simran came for lessons in the evening
An old house helper came to spend the day with us.She had lunch and left with old clothes and some money.
I am tired
The high humidity is giving me a constant headache and in this season my body breaks out in sores which are very painful.

Tomorrow is another day.

As I close tonight, I think of our heavenly city and its wall and foundation

"The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stones. "Rev 21;18,19