I just got back from India, and while it would have been easier to post daily about the trip, the days were too full, technology slow and it was much too fun to be engaged with the people and the team to take the time. So I'll give it to you in pieces from journal-memory.
This was a team trip from Bent Tree Bible Fellowship traveling to Pune, India. We were teaching a 5 day Counseling/Discipleship Conference to women. The men were teaching Leadership to the Church Planters ready to graduate after a year of Bible Study. The focus of church planting, training and discipleship is the Marathi people in this Indian state of Maharashtra that includes Mumbai and Pune.
We'd planned this trip for months, now it's time to get there. We flew out Feb 13th to overnight in NY, then a 13 hour flight to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Air plus another 3 1/2 hour flight to Mumbai. It was great to be met by a familiar friend, Jithu. (Jithu and Shashi oversee the church planter training) Just one more leg, a 3 hour bus ride to Pune ... yes, a 3 hour tour.
We broke down ... twice, sat by the side of the road for hours waiting for another bus and arrived in Pune 8 hours later. It was, at the least, an adventure! It felt so good to climb into a clean bed with no option but to fall into a great sleep.
This is our hotel.
The street in front of our hotel - yes, downtown street and cows roam free because of Hindu religion.
The view from our hotel - pollution.
It's Satuday, and we "lost" a day in the air. This would be our only free day to see a bit of Pune. Some of us went to the International Leadership Academy (ILA) that evening to visit the group of men who had been living and learning together, out of their suitcases in dorm conditions, in Bible school, training to be church planters. This was their last week and then they would go back near their hometowns to start cell churches. After the their first 6 months, they had been directed to start cell churches and they had started 25 with over 200 in attendance.
As we walked up to the house, we heard their clear, strong voices singing together during their devotions. It was thrilling. We prayed for them in a group and had a great visit. I learned a few Marathi words ... I love to do that in any country ... which I would use during the week - much to the surprise and giggles of the Marathi-speaking people.
OK, enough for now. Check back later and I'll have more.
