It is hard to believe that we landed in Chennai today. Granted, it was 1 am when we landed and it is now 9pm, but it was still only today.
As you hopefully have read in previous posts at www.gccindiateams.blogspot.com , we arrived safely and without incident and a cyclone went through this region yesterday evening, altering our travel plans for getting to the village.
After collecting all of our luggage (for a while it seemed like our team bags wouldn't arrive) and making our way through immigration, we were greeted with heavy humidity and heavy flowered garlands from Raj and his team. The picture below is of Sarah receiving her garland.
We were allowed a few hours to sleep in the hotel before we were up, showered and ready to go for the day.
Lunch was the traditional Indian meal of Pizza Hut and then we went to see some different St. Thomas sites. First we climbed high above Chennai to visit the St. Thomas Mount. As the story goes, Thomas was martyred praying in front of a cross that he had carved on the mount because the Gospel was radically changing the people in India. We learned that Thomas had a heart for the poor and loved them because Christ loved them first.
We also went to the cave that St. Thomas hid in when he was being pursued. The picture below is of our impromptu tour guide telling us about the spring that has been flowing since the time of Thomas.
As a team, I believe these two stops and the stories around them re-centered our focus and vision for this trip. We will love the people we are working with because Christ loved them first and He loves them so much more perfectly than we ever could dream.
Please pray as we travel out the village tomorrow and for the ministry we are planning on doing there.
We will do what we can and God will do what we cannot.
