We are now leaving Christian Study and Retreat Center in Rajpur, Dehradun. With great thankfulness in our hearts for what God has done during three month we can now close this Acts 29. Even if Acts 29 India 2013 from now on will be history, what God has done will impact the future for a long time. We are excited about what God has begun to do in the lives of the participants. We are confident that He will finish what He began!!!
Thank you all for your part in making this Acts 29 to what it became. May God bless you!
In Jesus,
Asher Wasker, Carina Hult and Simon Ihs
Today it is one week ago we came home from practice week, and since this week has been an ”usual week” I rather write some things about that week. My team has practice weekends at a children’s home and we also spent the practice week there. Before we went most of us were a little skeptical to go to the same place as where we are on the weekends (the other teams went to new places). In the end of the week though, we were very happy that we got the possibility to get to know the children better, and also the women who work there!
In the children’s home live 21 girls and 4 boys, between 2 and 13 years old. Every one of them has mothers who are prostitutes in Red light district in New Delhi. Anu, a fantastic Indian woman, got a mission from God to try to reach prostitutes with the gospel and 1,5 years ago she started the children´s home. It is tough to think about what the children have gone through, but at the same time it is a really amazing home, full of love! During our time there we have tried to help out with everything we have been able to; painting walls, cleaning and giving hugs and love to the children. The children are wonderful and hungry for love. And for God! Every morning and evening they have devotion. I don´t think I have ever been so touched by God than when I see these children worship and pray – to a God they know love them and who answers their prayers time after time. What I have learnt during these weekends and week: You really don´t need to be a grown up to understand God, feel his presence and be used by Him! Jesus knows what he is talking about when He says this:
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:15-16
Rajpur, Dehradun
Karin Carlsson, Sweden
-Where did you come from? Asked the Faun.
-From the wardrobe answered Lucy.
For you who know the story of Narnia I can tell you that an Acts school has many things in common with it, you are taken from your own time and space to be put in another, and you probably don’t know anything about the situation where you are going, Just as Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Susan where.
Just as in the stories, people grow, not only physical but also mentally, In an Acts school your relationship with the Lord also grows, wonders have happened, from broken lamps that start to shine to people possessed with evil spirits falling down and starts twisting in agony out of fear for the God al mighty, (seeing the relief in their eyes afterwards tells us so much about Jesus and his promise of peace to us) Just as the Queen of winter did when she meet Aslan.
As al good stories they come to an end, and our story in India is about to close up, we have less 20 days left, and still so much to expect from these upcoming days. Our story will continue in another time and place, just as it did for the children from Narnia, we are not unchanged; we are in fact, not the same persons anymore, pray for us that this change, the life with Jesus, will continue wherever we go, and weather is to Russia, Sweden, Congo or here in India, Pray that the love of Jesus will be shown through us, because isn’t that’s what it is all about, Love?
-oh, Wardrobe is it far away?
-no it´s just behind those branches there.
Written by Ivar Hedly (Sweden).
I can feel a clear difference at our campus in Rajpur today in comparison with just some days ago. It is noticeable that 31 people are not here as they usually are. It is quiet, peaceful and in some way a bit empty. The others beds in my room are empty when I wake up in the morning and things remain where I putted them the night before. It is a bit unaccustomed but at the same time just as it should be. This week is a practice week and our four teams are spread out on four very different places. Four places where they will be able to serve, to learn from and, just for a week, share the life with brothers and sisters from northern India. Brothers and sisters from another part of the World or from another part of the country.
Two groups are spending the week at two homes with children who are rescued from a life in the same profession as their mothers. A life as a Commercial Sex Worker in Delhi’s Red Light Area. The two other teams will this week live close to local pastors and churches here in North India.
The week will be very different depending on location and team, and our memories en experiences after this week will also differ a lot depending on our cultures and backgrounds. that is one of the strengths of Apg29, the multiculturalism. We are not exactly similar to each other and that’s not our aim to be either. Swedes are Swedes, and Russians are Russians, Indians are Indians and Papy is Papy but we are all Disciples of Christ.
Three or four different cultures together in team. Because of one God and one man’s cross. We are working together towards the same goal. To receive more of Him in our lives and to pass on the love we have received. Back to the Source and out in the World
1 John 4:19
Simon Ihs, Sweden
School leader
Now we have lots of things to do: we have different practice groups since we came to Dehradun and ofcourse new churches for practice weekends. We spend free time very good – we went to the mountain river and had “fika” there =) I hope that we will repeat this trip again. I started to play guitar again I didn’t do that for couple of years, I read The Bible in English only, I didn’t do it at home so often because It’s easier to do on my native language but here better to do it in English.
I also want to say that we have great team here. Many musicians, people who can preach and encourage others, people with a big heart, who can just be friendly, they are wise and talented and so amazing to see their dedication to Jesus and ministry.
Now we have prayer chain 48 hours of prayer for our countries, families, churches and ministries. Join us =)
Yesterday we had class about Tibetian Buddism and how to reach such people, and it wasn’t just a lesson but we have heard real testimonies from ex Tibetan-munks which life was changed by Jesus.
A couple of days ago we had Swedish day. I’ve been to Sweden once in my life and the best things I experienced during that time I met here again and I was really happy and I’m still thankful to God and to Swedish team for that day. In common I would say – to live acts 29 life it’s not just to spend time with a good team but its life in action. There is everything: happiness because you get to know many new things and sadness because you miss a lot(especially food) and above all of that is the great joy that God let you spend this time here, just understanding that He himself wanted me to find Him here makes me happy.
Irina, Russia
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