Monday, July 28, 2008
Serious Prayer Request
Please pray for James if you get the chance! He is/was (I'm not really sure how to describe it) demon possessed! Saturday AND Sunday night he went crazy! Well, it wasn't him it was a demon! It was the craziest thing I've ever seen! I wasn't there the first time but I just so happened to be there on Sunday night. It was crazy! The room he was in was deathly still and everyone instantly KNEW something supernatural was going on! He suddenly became unresponsive to stimuli and then tried to run towards the train tracks!!! Several boys and leaders from the church tried to hold him back. He a really small framed boy but it took FIVE of them to keep him. He began rolling around on the floor and if any one from the church put their hand on him to pray he would tear it away. His eyes were closed the whole time, but they still had a really creepy look to them! I wasn't afraid for myself at all. I knew IT couldn't touch me. So Summer and I just prayed and prayed and then we started singing, pretty soon the whole room was singing. After about half an hour the demon left him and he began to come back to himself. This demon isn't going to leave him alone without fasting and prayer! Justin and I fasted and prayed over him all day today. Please add him to your prayers. His parents are involved in a lot of evil thing that we believe are contributing to James' demonic problems. Thanks so much for your prayers!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A Darkness You Can Feel
We never know what to expect in India. No matter what you plan the day before when you wake up in the morning all bets are off. In the words of JRR Tolkin “It’s a dangerous world out there. Stepping out side your door, you never know where the road will take you.” This morning we were woken up by Caleb asking us to join him on a prayer walk. Thinking he meant a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood we all got up and put on our savalkamies. It wasn’t longer before we realizes we were in for something different, we had NO idea just HOW different it would be. Caleb’s friend drove us to Uthera Meadu one hour away. After driving for an hour in a cramped car we arrived in a busy dirty village of Uthera. The streets there were like many others I’ve seen in India; dusty, filled with lots of different sized vehicles, and lined with rickety shops on the edges. But above the grim and sights and noise there rose a huge tower, solid and white. Boldly standing against the sky, beckoning its heathen worshipers to flock to its gates. Caleb and the other pastors that had been riding with us went to a prayer meeting. They left us with a local guide to show us the temples and shrines in the city. The 1st temple we visited was of modest size, built of large cut block stones one on top of another. We left our shoes at the temple gate and walked across the HOT stones to the temple door. From the first stone to the last step before the temple door colorful and intricate designs in chalk paved the way. The temple door was a heavily carved wooden door painted blue. The heavy door was bolted shut by a huge lock. Through the key hole we should see a single flickering candle somewhere, everything else was pitch-black inside. A faintly eerie feeling began to creep around us. We knelt at the temple door and prayed against the darkness. We prayed esp. for the all those in the town living under the temples bondage. We prayed that they would find God’s light. We prayed for a Long time. Then we crossed back over the hot stones and went on to the next temple.
The next temple was huge! Obviously the biggest of the 3 we visited by far. It was only 3 levels but it was well over 3 stories tall.
We stopped under the huge white stone gate to remove our shoes. To ole women sat begging under the gate. A table selling mini idols and prayer beads also sat under the tall gate. The barefoot walk from the gate to the temple was even longer then the last place and the stones were even hotter. As soon as we entered the first floor of the temple we all felt creeped out. The feeling that something very dark and menacing is lurking close by. As we entered the first room our eyes began to adjust to the darkness. We began to see that the room was very large, reaching far back to our left and right. Large shapeless objects covered with cloth were on either side. At the end of this room we inter a narrow hall way. A Shaw man welcomed us to his temple. He looked like something out of a movie, exactly how I would have pictured a Shaw man. He was a dark man, about my height, with a round belly, he wore only a cotton skirt, and a string tied across his chest like a sash. On his forehead was painted the customary doted U. He lead us to the back of the hall where 2 carved idols stood. They looked menacing and creepy. Wrapped in Saree's and adorned with flowers they stood slightly taller then a grown man. They were black and sticky as if they had been drenched in blood. A small flame burned between them. The priest reached into a small bowl next to the idols and drew out what looked like 5 crystals. He placed one in each of our right hands. Our guide promptly popped his into his mouth. After a series of grunts and hand gestures we understood that it was something like rock candy. Candy or not, there was NO WAY I was about to eat anything that had been offered to a Hindu god! The priest also gave each of us a string of jasmine flowers. We were expected to eat the rock thing, but there was no way we were going to. We quickly left the room and went on the next floor.
The stone steps scorched our feet as we ran quickly to the next level. The next level had a smaller even darker chamber. It also contained two dark carved idols that were even creepier then the first ones. You could walk around the outside on the second level. There was three stations each facing a different direction were there was a covered idol that you could look at. In front of each one there was a tiny bowl where incense burned.
To be continued… dun dun dun
The next temple was huge! Obviously the biggest of the 3 we visited by far. It was only 3 levels but it was well over 3 stories tall.
We stopped under the huge white stone gate to remove our shoes. To ole women sat begging under the gate. A table selling mini idols and prayer beads also sat under the tall gate. The barefoot walk from the gate to the temple was even longer then the last place and the stones were even hotter. As soon as we entered the first floor of the temple we all felt creeped out. The feeling that something very dark and menacing is lurking close by. As we entered the first room our eyes began to adjust to the darkness. We began to see that the room was very large, reaching far back to our left and right. Large shapeless objects covered with cloth were on either side. At the end of this room we inter a narrow hall way. A Shaw man welcomed us to his temple. He looked like something out of a movie, exactly how I would have pictured a Shaw man. He was a dark man, about my height, with a round belly, he wore only a cotton skirt, and a string tied across his chest like a sash. On his forehead was painted the customary doted U. He lead us to the back of the hall where 2 carved idols stood. They looked menacing and creepy. Wrapped in Saree's and adorned with flowers they stood slightly taller then a grown man. They were black and sticky as if they had been drenched in blood. A small flame burned between them. The priest reached into a small bowl next to the idols and drew out what looked like 5 crystals. He placed one in each of our right hands. Our guide promptly popped his into his mouth. After a series of grunts and hand gestures we understood that it was something like rock candy. Candy or not, there was NO WAY I was about to eat anything that had been offered to a Hindu god! The priest also gave each of us a string of jasmine flowers. We were expected to eat the rock thing, but there was no way we were going to. We quickly left the room and went on the next floor.
The stone steps scorched our feet as we ran quickly to the next level. The next level had a smaller even darker chamber. It also contained two dark carved idols that were even creepier then the first ones. You could walk around the outside on the second level. There was three stations each facing a different direction were there was a covered idol that you could look at. In front of each one there was a tiny bowl where incense burned.
To be continued… dun dun dun
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Battle
I miss all the luxuries of living in America (YES LUXURIES!!!) You are so fortunate to be in the U.S. where everything is at your fingertips. A place where witch doctors and demon possession are only things you talk about, NOT EVERYDAY occurrences. Where "black magic" is common and powerful! It's sink or swim here! A constant battle against the current of a very prevalent evil. For the people living here, choosing God means to be completely cut off from family and probably public discrimination. To choose not to follow God means to live in extreme darkness! (Yes, many of the Christian here WERE demon possessed!) For me, it;s still sink or swim. We are constantly under attack here! To stray even one step from God would mean ruin. We constantly seek strength from God in prayer and through the scriptures. I know this is exactly where God wants me! I can't imagine being anywhere else. I am needed here. a vital part of the team. I am teaching and preaching and sharing and even singing to the people here! But I am also learning SOOOOOOOOOO much! I know this was God's timing and He wants me here! However, do not think for one moment that this is easy! This is my GREATEST challenge! Everyday is a battle, everyday filled with unexpectedness. We must be constantly alert to what God is doing and on guard against what satan is attempting! I LOVE being here! & working so hard for something I know is so worth it! As I write this, I cannot help but smile, for God has filled my heart with peace.
~Audrey
Saturday, July 12, 2008
The Tuttor Centre
One of our projects while working here is teaching in the evenings at a “Tution center” It’s a place where street vendors children can receive free tutoring. These children are so poor! They attend regular school during the day. But the teachers work ethic at their school is so low they hardly learn anything. Instead, the teacher sends the children on errands to buy her food and work in her garden! So the children come to the tution center so they can really learn. In addition to homework help, we teach the children English (otherwise not taught at their school). The tution center is also a great opportunity to teach the children about God. I LOVE teaching the children there. I have a group of about ten 1-3rd graders. They are so eager to learn! It’s amazing to see so many eager, dark faces looking up at you expectantly with eyes shining! Their faces are bright but their clothing is torn. They sit on the hard, dusty cement, they don’t even have matts to sit on! ( I wish I could buy a bunch of them.) Their writing utensils are sad. Often only 1 pen or pencil and a small note book with a few thin pages in it. The tution center is a small building, about the size of a trailer home. It was a rickets wooden door, 2 windows and a dusty cement floor. The 2 chalk boards that hang on the wall consist of a sheet of plywood painted over with chalk board paint, leaving the writing surface rough and bumpy. They don’t even have a chalk eraser! They use tiny bits of cloth instead.
~Auds
~Auds
Every Day Differences
Life here is very different. Nothing is reliable! The power goes out here at least once a day! Sometimes the government shuts it off for a couple hours or a couple days. Sometimes it goes off due to a storm or a technical glitch. Everyday, when the lights flicker off and the fan stops, we hold our breath in the sweltering heat, hoping it will quickly turn back on! It’s so hot with the air off! It’s hot enough with it on! Not to mention it makes internet usage even more rare with no power! Besides electricity difficulties, the English here is different here too. They use British English here. They pronounce words the British way like koo-pon instead of the American quew-pon. They also use some British words I’ve never heard before. Also, lot’s of people go barefoot over here. Mostly the poor because they have no shoes. It very sad to see them walking around barefoot in the dirt among garbage and excrement. People also go barefoot in houses and churches. I never felt uncomfortable taking off my shoes at places in Korea, but I do here. Things here are so dirty. But one must do as the natives do! Church is different too. Kinda more like an all black church from the south except everyone’s Indian. Women in church often cover their heads during service. Almost all women do during prayer. I suppose that’s not so strange, the Hebrews used to. The clothing here is beautiful!!! It’s also really comfortable! The women here wear Sulvalkamies (long shirt like tops and baggy pants underneath) or Saris (a looooooong scarf wrapped around them.) The fabrics are silks and cottons in a beautiful rainbow of colors and designs! I love wearing them! Did I mention that the “rules” of modesty are completely opposite here? You can show your whole midriff but to show knees or shoulders is shocking!
I miss being home!
~Auds
I miss being home!
~Auds
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Arrival in Chennai
Well, I arrived safely in Chennai! The flights from Korea to India weren’t to bad. Somethings went better then I though and some were much worse! It took 3 flights to get me to Chennai. They weren’t too long but I had a 5 hour layover in Bangkok Thailand. It was sooo confusing there! The air port was GIGANTIC!!! Much bigger then any other airport I’ve been in before! I’m pretty sure I was THE ONLY “white” person there. Everywhere I went EVERYONE stared at me. There were mostly all men in the airport, so I felt REALLY uncomfortable! I travel alone a lot but I’ve never had people stare at me so awkwardly before! Not even in Korea! Also, I was really hungry and wanted to buy food but food there coast 1,300 bahts. I had NO idea how much that meant in American dollars! It could mean $50 or it could mean $5.
My friends and I are staying with a family that lives in a little house off the HWY near some train tracks. When I say HWY I’m referring to a 2 way dirt/semi paved road. The hwy median is some times random scraps of big sheets of metal and some tines a broken cement curb. It’s difficult to say how many lanes there are. Often there are no lane markings which is just as well because people never follow the lane markings anyway! They seem to prefer either driving in the middle of the road OR driving 4 cars across when there’s clearly only 3 lanes marked. I was right about one thing, driving here is even more CRAZY then in Korea!!! Anyhow, the home we’re staying at has 2 bedrooms 2 baths a small living room and a kitchen. It’s very noisy here due to the constant honking on the HWY and the frequent passing trains. All three of us girls (Alicia, Alicia S. & I.) have crammed ourselves and our luggage into the extra bedroom. (A small room about the size of my own room.) There we sleep on mats on the floor. Justin is then left with the couch to sleep on in the other room.
The garbage here is astounding! Litter is EVERYWHERE! I’m not just talking about a coke can and a couple wrappers, I mean PILES of trash! They have absolutely no organized collection system. One of the lowest classes “Wrap pickers” go through all the trash turn in recyclable iteams for cash. That’s how they earn a living! They weren’t kidding when they said people pee on the road here! Most people do! You have to be careful when you walk to avoid wet spot and “logs.” It’s really gross.
It's VERY HOT and muggy here. But our hosts are very gracious and they're great cooks. So far so good.
Please pray for;
My friends and I are staying with a family that lives in a little house off the HWY near some train tracks. When I say HWY I’m referring to a 2 way dirt/semi paved road. The hwy median is some times random scraps of big sheets of metal and some tines a broken cement curb. It’s difficult to say how many lanes there are. Often there are no lane markings which is just as well because people never follow the lane markings anyway! They seem to prefer either driving in the middle of the road OR driving 4 cars across when there’s clearly only 3 lanes marked. I was right about one thing, driving here is even more CRAZY then in Korea!!! Anyhow, the home we’re staying at has 2 bedrooms 2 baths a small living room and a kitchen. It’s very noisy here due to the constant honking on the HWY and the frequent passing trains. All three of us girls (Alicia, Alicia S. & I.) have crammed ourselves and our luggage into the extra bedroom. (A small room about the size of my own room.) There we sleep on mats on the floor. Justin is then left with the couch to sleep on in the other room.
The garbage here is astounding! Litter is EVERYWHERE! I’m not just talking about a coke can and a couple wrappers, I mean PILES of trash! They have absolutely no organized collection system. One of the lowest classes “Wrap pickers” go through all the trash turn in recyclable iteams for cash. That’s how they earn a living! They weren’t kidding when they said people pee on the road here! Most people do! You have to be careful when you walk to avoid wet spot and “logs.” It’s really gross.
It's VERY HOT and muggy here. But our hosts are very gracious and they're great cooks. So far so good.
Please pray for;
- my team and my safety!
- Also for the local church. They are hoping to start building a bigger building soon.
- Lastly, please pray against the great darkness in this regein. There is so much idol worship and demon possession here it's astounding!
I miss you all very much!!!
Bye for now! ~Auds
Monday, July 7, 2008
Leaving Korea
Hey Everyone!
Well. Sadly today was my last day in Korea. It has been a great trip! I've gotten to see traditional dancers, traditional music, the Coex Aquerium, the Wolrd Cup Soccer stadium, Geoje Island, Oedo Island (one huge exotic garden), the N tower, & several open air markets. The sights and smells here are all so different from those at home. Often the streets are grimy and sometimes nasty smells wafe by. (I'm sure it'll be much worse in India!) But the people her are un-usually friendly and helpfull!
The drivers here are insane! Esp. people on scooters! They will wip into the opposite lane of traffic while going twice the speed limit so they can pass up ten cars!!! Drivers here consider things like HWY medians, lane lines, speed limits and RED lights more like optional Guidelines then Acctual rules!!! I don't think anyone in this country has taken Drivers Ed! It's a wonder people get anywhere safely!
The food here is amazing! I stay away from the live baby octopus and shrimp n' anchovies pizza. But they sure know how to cook beef and noodles! Just don't ask where the beef came from, it's not nice to talk about politics! Right now the Koran's are (peacefully) protesting against their presidents decision to import American beef. Due mostly to the huge risk of mad cow disease!!!
Korean culture is so different then our own I could write a whole ten pager on it. (Don't worry, I won't) I like the way they dress more modestly and respect their elders more. I think America would be much better off if it could learn to appreciate & adhere to those values!
Well. Sadly today was my last day in Korea. It has been a great trip! I've gotten to see traditional dancers, traditional music, the Coex Aquerium, the Wolrd Cup Soccer stadium, Geoje Island, Oedo Island (one huge exotic garden), the N tower, & several open air markets. The sights and smells here are all so different from those at home. Often the streets are grimy and sometimes nasty smells wafe by. (I'm sure it'll be much worse in India!) But the people her are un-usually friendly and helpfull!
The drivers here are insane! Esp. people on scooters! They will wip into the opposite lane of traffic while going twice the speed limit so they can pass up ten cars!!! Drivers here consider things like HWY medians, lane lines, speed limits and RED lights more like optional Guidelines then Acctual rules!!! I don't think anyone in this country has taken Drivers Ed! It's a wonder people get anywhere safely!
The food here is amazing! I stay away from the live baby octopus and shrimp n' anchovies pizza. But they sure know how to cook beef and noodles! Just don't ask where the beef came from, it's not nice to talk about politics! Right now the Koran's are (peacefully) protesting against their presidents decision to import American beef. Due mostly to the huge risk of mad cow disease!!!
Korean culture is so different then our own I could write a whole ten pager on it. (Don't worry, I won't) I like the way they dress more modestly and respect their elders more. I think America would be much better off if it could learn to appreciate & adhere to those values!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sponsorship!
This trip is a huge undertaking, both financially and physically! I need both financial and spiritual support. I am looking for monthly financial supporters. I'm hoping to receive about $500 a month to cover food and travel expenses. Please consider supporting me. If you are interested in doing so, just send a check to Only God International (10702 NE 117
th Ave; Vancouver, WA 98662) and write Audrey Carson, India in the lower left hand memo. If you have any questions, contact Marlette Estes (marlettee@livinghopechurch.com; 360-944-3905). Also, please pray for me while I'm there. Here's a prayer list I borrowed from Marlette.
What to pray for:
Please keep your child and all the others in your prayers.
Please also keep Justin and Alisha in your prayers as they travel.
Pray also for Audrey and Alicia as they leave for India in July.
Pray for God to lead more missionaries to India to work with Dr. Kumar and others.
Pray for the hearts of those who will hear the good news of God's love when John speaks to them.
Pray for us as we work with this ministry. We will do our best to serve with integrity; stretch the funds to help as many people as possible; and communicate with you on a regular basis.
I am very excited about what God is doing in India! I can't wait to join the team and the work that has already been started there!
~Audrey
th Ave; Vancouver, WA 98662) and write Audrey Carson, India in the lower left hand memo. If you have any questions, contact Marlette Estes (marlettee@livinghopechurch.com; 360-944-3905). Also, please pray for me while I'm there. Here's a prayer list I borrowed from Marlette.
What to pray for:
Please keep your child and all the others in your prayers.
Please also keep Justin and Alisha in your prayers as they travel.
Pray also for Audrey and Alicia as they leave for India in July.
Pray for God to lead more missionaries to India to work with Dr. Kumar and others.
Pray for the hearts of those who will hear the good news of God's love when John speaks to them.
Pray for us as we work with this ministry. We will do our best to serve with integrity; stretch the funds to help as many people as possible; and communicate with you on a regular basis.
I am very excited about what God is doing in India! I can't wait to join the team and the work that has already been started there!
~Audrey
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