Thanks for the p_____’s. I had a cold at the retreat, but it only made for less of me and more of the S____.
On the hour and a half drive to the retreat, we discussed what we would say if the gov_______ busted us. We agreed total honesty was the best course; without divulging information not specifically requested.
Wow. It was a powerful time. G breathed into us and we nearly exploded. A highlight came after Rufus shared his min_____ in India and the Ch_____ p_____’s were moved to p___ for India. One rarely hears such interc_____. Tears, shouts, floods of pleas on behalf of their Asian neighbors. Several were ready to become miss_____ies to India. One asked for advice on learning English within one year so as to be ready. I saw a sister weep over Rufus and give him money to continue the work of G.
And that was only one of many great sessions. You see what I mean by wow? Three of us taught, Rufus, me, and a C___ese p_____ from California.
All 37 of us slept in a rented house at a lakeside resort area and met in a nearby Ch___ese style room above a garage. This became our ‘upper room.’
In the evening we enjoyed a favorite C___ese pastime called challenge. Someone is made to stand in front of the group and provide entertainment; a dance, song, joke, whatever. When they are finished, they chose the next victim. Most sang C_____ian songs; some formed conga-lines and pranced around the audience with Chi____ ballet moves. Rufus taught a song in Telugu that was the hit of the evening.
The second day, the owner of the upper room was questioned by gov_______ age____ about our group. The group decided it was best if Rufus and I stayed in our room that afternoon.
About 2pm, a brother came in panting, “The gov_______ has come into our meeting. They took pictures and forced five leaders to go to the station for intero______.”
He somehow slipped away to warn us and asked us to stay out of sight. A few hours latter, brother A knocked.
“We are all back now and fine. They separated us and asked many questions: who are the leaders, why are we meeting, what are we teaching?
“I told them we are here for a retreat. We all follow J____.”
The officer asked who was the teacher. I told him brother Chew is a C___ese Am____ian. The officer asked what he was teaching. I told him he taught on Mat____ 5, we are to live a ho__ life so we are the salt and light to others.
“He said, ‘Okay, enough, stop talking now.’ Then he asked, ‘Why do you suffer like this by meeting ill___ly? Why don’t you use the nice c_____ buildings the gov______ provides?’
“I told him, we want to hear teachers inspired to give the word of G___ and the official messages contr__ed by the gov_______ can not always do that for us.”
The cover of your p______ came into play when the leaders asked Rufus and me to stay out of the meeting. If we had been present, we surely would have been deported. Also, the office___ must have had reports we were involved; every eye in the town was on us since we arrived. However, the office___ did not ask about foreigners beyond Pas___ Chew. PTL.
In the end, the gov_______ said no foreigners could stay in the house, so the whole lot of us packed up and left a day early. To where, I should not say for now, but the C___ese C_____ians are like dough; the more they are squeezed, the more they ooze out to decentralized venues. And, they get more charged up for spreading the g____l of J____. Talk about passionate, whew.
So thanks for the p______. I am sure there will be more results to report.
As Rufus said, “There is joy in sacrificing for J____.”
A few more pics at: http://gallery.me.com/jamesdchristian/100037
Peace to you,
JDC—
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