Kadapa, Monday
The streets were flooded and the sewers were backed up. Kumar got us around the mess and at the class on time. There were only seven pastors that could make it.
The pastors seemed to understand English quite well. We talked back and forth in the lesson. Some of the terminology was hard for Pastor Victor to translate so we discussed the terms more. One pastor brought candy treats from his son’s birthday party for break; another brought papaya. We continued comparing things in our countries at break. We did not stick to the lesson plan; it seemed like we were just talking about Jesus, the Bible and teaching, covering nearly half of the lesson.
Pastor wanted to visit a small village later in the afternoon to talk and pray with some people there.
We, Pastor Victor, two other pastors, I and Kumar, left Kadapa about 6 pm. The roads were muddy and full of puddles. We came to a village and there was a large gathering of people. Pastor Victor and Kumar went to see what was happening and how to get on to the next village. There were two mini-van loads of Koreans singing
Christian songs in Korean on a well-set stage area. Pastor Yassinna had invited us to have dinner. We wanted to get to the other village first, so a boy went along to show us the house. The roads were worse.
In the next village we found the house of the Christian family as darkness came. The two pastors and children passed out pamphlets and gathered a small group of children and adults. I took pictures and met people in the
dark by the light of one bulb from the house. Pastor Victor began to talk. The two pastors sang a hymn. Pastor asked me to talk. With Pastor Victor translating, I told them that raising children was important to all parents. I told them about my family and my children learning about Jesus. In the difficult times in my life it was a comfort to know that Jesus loved me and my children. And Jesus is for everyone in the world. Pastor Victor passed out some candy. He talked a little more and closed with prayers.
All of the children and some adults shook my hand, practicing their English. Several of them walked us back to our car.
We went through the first village on the return trip; the meeting was now an emotional prayer session being photographed and videoed. The Koreans hugged and prayed for people as the leader prayed loudly and rapidly over the sound system, all in Korean. We were invited to stay to watch the meeting by the pastors who had brought the Koreans. It was too late for dinner with Pastor Yassinna, so we decided to leave.
As we worked our way back on the slippery roads, I told the pastors I was proud of them. They had no fancy lighting or sound system but went to a village to sing and preach and pray. We spoke to the people in their own language. Of course we did not draw as big a crowd. Victor said it would have been better if we had a good sound system. I replied that we had somthing better: pastors with good hearts and a good message in a language the people understood. We went into two deep puddles hoping to not get stuck. I asked rhetorically, when the Koreans leave the village, who will teach then? The two pastors raised their hands. They understood.