It has been an interesting few days to say the least, but great days in and of themselves. As it goes in India, and especially here at BBCM, you have to roll with the punches. My teaching schedule changed completely upon arrival. I will not start teaching until Wednesday, and I thought it was going to start two days before that on Monday. I also found out that I would be teaching not just two hours a day, but 4 hours a day.
I have been able to catch up with old friends and meet some new people along the way. I was able to see my buddy, Rufus, whom I formed a bound with the last time I was here. He was in 7th grade the last time I saw him and now he is a foot taller and in 10th grade. He has a heart for ministry and wants to go into missions some day after his schooling.
There are a couple of things that have surprised me thus far in this trip. The first is that Banglore has become even more westernized in its commercials and in its style. You see more young adults in jeans and the commercials are more risqué then the last time I was here. Of course, by American standards they are still tame, but changing none the less. It is a sad thing to see. Our culture seems to be like a leech, we just strap on and suck the culture and life out of countries by making them believe our way is the best way.
The other area that astonished me was that the young ones learn so much in Bible here that it blows away our young on many levels. As young as two years old they are started in verse memorization, and they are taught at a different level then we tend to teach our young. They do not shy away from the tough subjects, such as sin, hell, repentance and what it means to walk what you talk (not looking like the secular world).
Some areas are still the same. Church can last up to three hours here, and I could not see the average congregant lasting even half that long, as it would run into sporting events for children or on television. They spend the first half of the time in prayer and songs of praise. Then the last half on a sermon. The rest of the day is rest. No sporting events for children or school activities. They just relax at home and spend time with family. How many of us do that? Taking the Sabbath as a real thing and resting and refreshing in Christ through worship and family.
Getting ready for dinner, so gotta role. Keep us in your prayers, as we will need it once the pace of classes and speaking start moving this Wednesday. They now have Jeremy speaking at a chapel service for the students. He is finding out that what I said is coming true. Once you get here they will use you in ways you did not even dream, and stretch you in your gifts and comfort zones.
Seriously, gotta go eat, not to mention put on more mosquito spray, as they are bad here this time.
Alan out for now. . . .
I have been able to catch up with old friends and meet some new people along the way. I was able to see my buddy, Rufus, whom I formed a bound with the last time I was here. He was in 7th grade the last time I saw him and now he is a foot taller and in 10th grade. He has a heart for ministry and wants to go into missions some day after his schooling.
There are a couple of things that have surprised me thus far in this trip. The first is that Banglore has become even more westernized in its commercials and in its style. You see more young adults in jeans and the commercials are more risqué then the last time I was here. Of course, by American standards they are still tame, but changing none the less. It is a sad thing to see. Our culture seems to be like a leech, we just strap on and suck the culture and life out of countries by making them believe our way is the best way.
The other area that astonished me was that the young ones learn so much in Bible here that it blows away our young on many levels. As young as two years old they are started in verse memorization, and they are taught at a different level then we tend to teach our young. They do not shy away from the tough subjects, such as sin, hell, repentance and what it means to walk what you talk (not looking like the secular world).
Some areas are still the same. Church can last up to three hours here, and I could not see the average congregant lasting even half that long, as it would run into sporting events for children or on television. They spend the first half of the time in prayer and songs of praise. Then the last half on a sermon. The rest of the day is rest. No sporting events for children or school activities. They just relax at home and spend time with family. How many of us do that? Taking the Sabbath as a real thing and resting and refreshing in Christ through worship and family.
Getting ready for dinner, so gotta role. Keep us in your prayers, as we will need it once the pace of classes and speaking start moving this Wednesday. They now have Jeremy speaking at a chapel service for the students. He is finding out that what I said is coming true. Once you get here they will use you in ways you did not even dream, and stretch you in your gifts and comfort zones.
Seriously, gotta go eat, not to mention put on more mosquito spray, as they are bad here this time.
Alan out for now. . . .
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