TRIP
TO INDIA AND SRI LANKA
January 22 - February 13, 2007
Dee's Diary and Some Photos
Monday, January 22 & Tuesday, January 23, 2007
• Susie took Lorien and I to the airport and Irving
King joined
us at the airport. As it turned out, I don’t know what we would have
done without Irving with us! God was so good to allow Irving to be with
us.
• Flight delayed in Boston, freight door was off.
• Flight delayed in Frankfurt Germany and we took the
first of our Malaria pills. The delay seemed to just be because the
plane came in late. As we were standing in a “Q” waiting for a long
time, some Italian men took out their guitars and started to play and
sing. It brought joy into the terminal and totally changed the
atmosphere!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
• We arrived in Chennai and
customs was a breeze at midnight, although the humidity and heat were
pretty stunning. It was easier for us to get into India than it was for
us to get back into the United States after our trip to Wales!
• I had accidentally left my wrap on my seat and a
delightful steward from the plane brought it all the way into customs
and found me! Everyone in the line was stunned by his kindness to me.
Santhosh didn’t come in as planned, so we were greeted by 3 delightful
young men instead. It took us a while to find each other because
they
didn’t know us and we were looking for Santhosh. The oldest and leader
of the group was a delightful SriLankan young man named Soruban. He
took wonderful care of us in what ended up being a very hard job. He
had been going to fly out of Chennai to go back to Sri Lanka and
delayed his plans so that he could take care of us. Everything about
our stay in Chennai and getting out was very difficult and with much
warfare. If Soruban had not been there, I don’t know how we would have
managed. Our time with Soruban made me even more excited for the two
weeks in Sri Lanka to come!
• Because of the fog and a holiday, there were no
hotel rooms anywhere so we ended up in a taxi at 2am and for two and a
half hours we were going around Chennai in a taxi that was overheating
and only running on maybe 3 cylinders looking for a motel. We prayed
and praised all over Chennai our first night in as our taxi driver and
a young man named Ebeneazer tried to find us a motel room. We went back
to the airport and picked up our new Romanian brother Daniel who lives
in Texas. Daniel had arrived in around 3am but his luggage didn't make
it. Finally a man in the
airport found us two motel rooms at the Mars Hotel and they had a nice
van shuttle to the motel. What a blessing. Then we couldn’t get out the
next morning because Visakapatnum was fogged in and nothing was flying
in and out, so we had to either leave that night or wait until the
following day to get out, but even then, there was still no certainty.
(The fog ended up being for many days and all of the team had to come
in by train.)
• After a little sleep, we had
a delightful time together that day. We ate some breakfast together. At
the table Soruban taught us a simple Indian praise song with a catchy
tune.
• When it was decided that we would take the train
instead of trying to wait for a plane, they found a brother to come and
take the train with us because I said that I didn’t want to go without
someone. We had to go back to the airport and to purchase train tickets
for the four of us – Irving, Lorien, Brother Sam and me.
• We went back to the airport in three wheeled open
air taxis. It is amazing to watch all the people, bicycles,
motorcycles, three wheeled taxies, cows, trucks overflowing with
produce, buses overflowing with people, and some how, with lots of
beeping horns, they manage to not kill each other. Dividing lines on
the roads mean absolutely nothing. 4 lanes become 6 easily.
• So, we went back to the airport to a special window
to purchase 4 train tickets for that night. We changed our money for
the trip. While Soruban stood in a long, very slow line for our train
tickets, I started to hum the new Indian praise song and I started to
dance a little in the open area. Everyone started to smile and then
Lorien joined me. We caused a wonderful commotion of joy. One man came
up to me and Irving and we tried to communicate but it was very
difficult, even so he would not back away. We just continued to try.
Finally Soruban was out the line and he lead the man to the Lord and he
said
a sinners prayer. We were walking away from the airport to get a taxi
and Soruban was telling him Jesus was the ONLY way. The man started to
rip off his Hindu leather bracelets and necklaces and then rubbed the
red dot off of his forehead. Soruban later said that the bracelets
have little knots in them and each knot ties a demon to them. We prayed
for the man and his
eyes were totally changed when we left him.
• We went back to the motel
and had some supper together and Brother Sam joined us. We were being
transitioned from our angel Soruban’s care to our next angel, Sam.
• We had thought that we had built in enough time by
leaving at 9:30pm for a 11:30pm train. They had called a taxi to come
get
us, but it didn’t come to get us to go to the train station. It was
very tense as they called again and again for the taxi who kept saying
5 minutes, 5 minutes, 5 minutes. We started with plenty of time, but
the taxi didn’t come. Sam and Soruban are arguing and negotiating. We
were all standing on the steps outside waiting for the taxi so we just
started to sing for a while. There was quite a group of us – Soruban,
Sam, Ebeneazer, Irving King, Lorien, me. They finally called another
taxi and then we had to wait for him. BUT Finally we got an angelic
taxi driver who flew us through traffic.
• On the way to the airport in the taxi, Irving King
and I saw a Muslim man hit his wife with his shoulder and gave her a
knock that could have put her down right in front of our taxi. She kept
her balance, but we were horrified.
• We were praying like crazed
intercessors trying to get to the train station on time! We got to the
11:35pm train with only 5 minutes to spare and THEN our name wasn’t on
the train list to get on! Talk about total panic! Angel Sam kept
inquiring about our seats, but there
was no time. He said that there is only one seat. We hopped the train
with only one seat for 4 for us! It was very scary with all of our
luggage. And people are mad that we’re there. But, anyway, Sam
persevered, and they put me alone in a first class booth with three
other people. I couldn’t sleep not knowing what had happened to the
others and even where our luggage was!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
• After traveling all night long on the train, about
6am they found the four of us and they put us together in one first
class booth and that was such a relief for my emotions. Sam was such a
blessing and took care of all of us! It was daylight and we could see
the wonderful fields and small villages. It was daylight, but finally
my emotions calmed enough to let me doze off and I woke up when it was
time to get off
at the Rajahmundry station.
• We arrived at 9:30am. Some
men from the school picked us up in a bus. We were the only white folks
that we saw in the village. They ran some errands and then they took us
out of town to the UCM Campus called Mt. Zion.
• We had some time to eat some breakfast, wash and
change clothes. They have a special “western” kitchen in our building
just outside my room, and a small dining area for the team. Anyway, I
just had to take some time to lay down for a while. My body was
starting to ache, but after a little break, we went and joined the
meeting.
• Lorien and I snuck in the back door and sat with
the ladies and caused a small commotion. I forgot to take off my shoes
at the doorway and Lorien caught me, so I went back out and took off my
shoes. (After that we had to sit up on the front platform.)
• The ladies sit on one side and the men sit on the
other side of the building. The children have a little place on the
floor in the front, or they go find their mom or dad. The children have
not seen very many white people, and not many women at all, so they all
stare at us and we try to play a bit with them. Many of the women
and all of the children want prayer and we bless them. Sometimes they
will even take your hand and put it on their head.
• The drummers are great but no one dances, but
we
couldn’t help ourselves. They wanted to dance but no one would. So
Lorien and I were trying to get them to dance with us. There were no
takers but their faces were all filled with joy as we danced. You could
tell that they wanted to dance but couldn’t let themselves go there.
Not even the children. The drummers and the music team love us and are
always wondering what Lorien and I are going to do! There is one little
guy who sits on the floor and has three single drums and he is very
good. But he is always watching me out of the side of his eyes and
smiling at me. Probably because we can get away with outrageous joy
that they can't
do. He has an instigator inside!
• After the afternoon meeting
we prayed for women and
children and took photos of some of the people, but a camera causes a
big commotion so I don’t get it out much. They all want to see the back
of the camera so they have gotten used to digital cameras!
• The evening meeting was outside. They have a hard
time keeping electricity going in the evening. It starts and stops,
they run the generator. We pray for the people. Lorien and I always go
to the women and the children. They wants us to bless them and pray for
them. We hug them. Sometimes they cry and we hold them. I feel like I’m
there as an answer to the cries of their hearts.
Friday, January 26, 2007
• Our first opportunity for a night of sleep and our
full day on the UCM Campus. My room is just outside the kitchen so
sleep was interrupted a lot by that noise. Then after midnight the Lord
gave me incredible revelation about women and worship and the great
revival to come so I was writing it down by the light of a flashlight
in my room.
• Up at 5:30am, washed myself by my spigot of cool
water and washed out some
clothes. We had some delicious coffee and went to prayer with the other
team members at 7am. The international brothers are wonderful. There
are 3 brothers from Armenia (Vachagan Davtyan, Arman Davtyan, &
Johannes Hovik) a brother from North India (Chungthang Thiek) and an
English man who lives in Singapore (Les Wheeldon). All of them are
delightful! The American’s are Duane Wilt from Texas, Daniel Vaduva a
Romanian who lives in Texas, and Mick Gross from Canton Ohio who is the
team leader.
There's also a woman here doing work for several months and her name is
Colleen and she is from Texas as well.
• At 9:30am Santhosh and Mani finally arrived back
from the United States! They had many delays.
• Mick Gross’ and others teaching is good. Santhosh
wanted me to sing a new song, but I couldn’t quite get there. So, I
exhorted them out of Psalm 149, and the power of high praise, new
song and dance.
• Santhosh encouraged the
children to dance with us, and with his permission, many, many people
and the children started to move their bodies and dance. When we smile
and laugh and dance, they all enjoy us and laugh with us. I put my
hands together when they greet me or when I notice people starring at
me. Always, they break into a big smile when I put my hands together.
None of the other team members do it. The other team members also do
not take off their shoes to enter the church. There are rows of shoes
coming into the church building or living places. The other Americans
just walk in with their shoes on. It was helpful to have sandals/shoes
that came on and off easily. I wouldn’t bring any other kind over here.
• One American on the team had said you’ve never been
to India before, have you? And we said no. He said, they won’t dance.
It will never happen. And you go to hug a kid and they just stay rigid.
And I just said that they just haven’t broken through on that yet, but
they will. So it was with great pleasure for me that it didn’t even
take 24 hours and the people were dancing and the children were hugging
us. One little girl came up and wrapped herself around my leg while I
was standing there.
• Lorien and I were asked to teach a workshop with
Colleen the woman from Texas who has been here for a month. I decided
to teach on praise and worship and the glory. They have wonderful
praise music and the drumming is incredible. Lorien and I can’t believe
they don’t dance to the awesome drumming. At one point in the workshop,
Colleen started to voice some comments that were critical about the
lack of worship. I pointed out that they probably needed that level of
praise to survive because praise is for victory in warfare! She thanked
me later and said that she had much to learn from us. But we taught
them to worship and receive revelation in the glory. They immediately
were sharing what they were receiving. AWESOME good stuff. We
encouraged them to meet in their homes and practice! (It would be fun
to hear that they are doing it and the men are begging to come to the
women’s gatherings!)
• I have been brought to tears
a couple of times just out of love and compassion and every time I do,
there seems to be a break through in the Spirit.
• Mick had asked me to share my testimony on Friday,
but Santhosh came in at supper time (actually we fasted supper time)
and said that he wanted me to preach. I said, no, I was supposed to do
my testimony. He said testimony AND preach. He said, you are anointed
to do it. When I started to speak at first, I apologized if being a
woman pastor was offensive
to anyone. They insisted that it was okay and that I should continue. I
just said that in America I know that for some people it would be a
problem. They said oh, okay – and then I proceeded. I shared my
testimony and the story of the Café and opening my home. I
shared more on praise and the testimony of the Hindu man being saved at
the Chennai airport because of the dance and joy. I shared on worship
and the
glory very briefly. But then I shared my revelation from the night
before on women and worship and oneness with Jesus being the secret
weapon to the next great revival. The power of God was hitting me as I
was sharing the revelation. Santhosh interpreted for me while I
preached and when I started to vibrate, he laughed. I told them that
cultures where women are hated, it is because they are symbol of the
Church, the bride that Jesus is coming back for. I shared with them
about the Muslim woman being pushed at Chennai.
• Before I preached, I told
them that I sensed angels giving gifts to people. So, I asked if there
were 5 brave people who would share what they had received. Even the
women came up and had some wonderful things to share. There were
between 7-10 who came up and shared their visions. They were wonderful!
And I could tell Samson, Santhosh’s brother was very excited about it.
I thought that they would stop at 5 since I asked for 5, but Samson was
saying, wait, wait, one more! One more!
• Jo Weber had a word for us “macumba”- embrace
the
distractions.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
• Awake at 5am because the music was blaring.
Evidently it’s the campus wake up alarm system. Very tired. Washed
myself and washed out some clothes. Again had some delicious coffee and
went to pray with other team members at 7am. Mick has shared often
about focus on the church planting task and preparation for that.
• The food has all been delicious and plentiful. They
even try to give some food that is a little more western, especially
for breakfast. Cornflakes, French toast. Other food can be
spicy, but they have been very considerate of the Westerners. They have
also supplied silverware, bottled water, sodas. Their love and care of
us was quite extraordinary.
• Sleep has been an issue. They want you up late for
meetings and you have to get up early and have a cup of coffee even if
you didn’t have anything to do right away. I begged for a 30 minute
break on Saturday. After two sessions in the morning and early
afternoon, and a banquet with the graduating ICM students, they wanted
us to go right in and teach a workshop! We were all exhausted and we
all kind of sighed a whine and Santhosh let us have a 30 minute break
before the workshop. The men all took more than that though! HA!
• On Saturday Santhosh sent
me, Lorien and Colleen to the children for a workshop. We got them
receiving from God and blessing others. They said that it made them
feel good! We tried a fire tunnel but the boys all beat on each other
instead of blessing! We had to do two separate fire tunnels – one for
the girls and one for the boys. Separation of male and female is
ingrained in them from birth.
• I had my camera out and the children just came and
mobbed us. If I had issues about claustrophobia and crowds of people,
it would have been overwhelming! I kept telling them to back up so I
could get their picture and they were coming in closer. And they take
your hand and put it on their head. And the little boys pull on the
skin of your elbow so that you’ll bless them next.
• Saturday evening was the final service and
graduation of the mission school and it was the final sending out of
the pastors who are going out to plant churches. 
• Note to Self -
First on the list for next time - I wish that we had a digital recorder
so that we could have recorded the singing and the drum beats. Second
after that another battery and memory card for the camera!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
• They woke me at 8am. It was the first good sleep
that I had since I had arrived. I was really sleeping hard. They woke
me up with a cup of coffee being delivered to my room. We were sent out
to area village churches. There were 10 women, 2 men and a baby in our
Jeep. This is not for people who have issues about close quarters.
Lorien and I were sent out to a church pastured
by a women pastor – a
single woman who has never married is like a nun. It was a church of
probably about 30 women and girls – perhaps more. We praised and
Colleen from Texas gave a testimony, I preached and Lorien finished it
up. I used the scripture no Jew or Greek, no male or female. I said
that the Holy Spirit is not different, American or Indian, men or
women, child or grandmother. I got them practicing receiving from the
Lord and blessing each other. Like with the children, they felt good
after doing it! I told them that they can use that blessing to change
their area. They can be like termites eating away at the foundation of
the enemy. They don’t need to be a big elephant to damage the enemy’s
foundation. White people in the village caused a commotion and people
were looking in the windows at us. I used the opportunity to say how
much Jesus loved them.
• After we blessed the people,
we got into the car and stopped at Mani’s cousin’s place to see here
new baby. It was only a month old. We all oooed and aaaahed over the
baby. There was an elderly woman there that Mani introduced her to me
by saying she is like Hannah. They wanted me to pray for her and I
insisted that she pray for me instead!
• Then we went to the pastor’s house and had lunch
there, complete with eating with our hands! It was wonderful. We felt
very engrossed into the culture. It was a lot of fun for Lorien and I.
Colleen was having a hard time with the spicy food and eating with her
hands, but she was relaxing some from the joy and being with us.
• On our way back to the
campus I asked them to stop
by the sugar cane factory so that I could take some photos. Even the
men love to have their photo taken and want to see the back of the
camera. There were trucks and carts totally loaded up and out with
sugar cane. Some carts are pulled with tractors, others are pulled by
ox.We went back to the campus and got into the car again. The children
all gathered around. There was such a crowd and they were pounding on
the windows and I was afraid someone would be get hurt.
• Santhosh took us to two
orphanages. It was great. There’s about 20 children in each orphanage.
At one of the orphanages the girls danced – very well! Daniel was upset
because his church has supported Santhosh for many years and they
actually sent him to see the orphanages and the sewing centers and he
only saw 2 orphanages and none of the sewing centers. It was hard with
the convention and the planned outreach of 8 teams going out that
Daniel could also get to the orphanages. I don’t think that Santhosh
understood how important it was to Daniel's church to get a report.
• On our way to an orphanage I commented on the John
Deere tractors. The sugar cane harvest was coming in, so there were
tractors, trucks and ox carts everywhere. One of the Americans said
that there are more tractors now than oxes, which is different, so the
economy is getting better. 
• At the second orphanage, they served me tea and
then Santhosh wanted me (Bishop Dee) to bless the orphanage, so I went
to set down my tea and they said, no drink it. But we’re all standing
there and Santhosh wants to move on, so he said, that’s okay we have 5
minutes – meaning instead - hurry up. So I finished my tea and then
blessed the children and the orphanage. But then Santhosh wasn’t ready
to go right away and I was by the gate and I said, Santhosh, come on!
It’s time to leave! And I laughed and he laughed and we hugged and all
the young men laughed and laughed and even high fived me! I had gotten
Santhosh good!
• We came back and we were locked out of our building
again, so we sat on the bench in front of our place and caused another
small riot! Women and children gathered for blessing. We tried to
communicate with them, and managed a little. They wanted to know of
Lorien and I were sisters, but we said no just friends. It was evening
and the mosquitoes were starting to bite us. But one of the women
sitting at my feet, noticed that I was swatting and itching a little,
so she just started to rub my arm and ankle, taking such good care of
me. When the door was finally unlocked and they wanted us to come in, I
just hugged all the women and blessed them and prayed for them. I
always dawdle over them when they want me to move on.
Note to self: purchase a digital
recorder for getting the awesome drum beats and music, more memory
cards and batteries for the digital camera!
Monday, January 29, 2007
• We got up at 5am in order to be ready to pack up at
6am to leave by 6:30 for a 7:30 am train. We get to the train station
and it was late. We sang some while we waited. Then we find out that
it’s three hours late! So after some phone calls and discussion they
decide that some of the guys should stay with our suitcases at the
train station and we should come back to the campus and have breakfast,
so we do.
• After having food and a rest, it’s time to leave,
but now they need the jeep, so we have to get a taxi. A young man goes
on a motorcycle to get a taxi. He brings back one of the yellow three
wheel open air taxis. So we jump in and there’s a traffic jam at the
bridge! We’re getting later and later and the train is supposed to be
leaving and we’re still on the bridge! So a quick phone call let’s us
know that it’s now 11:15am for the train. We slowly get thru the
traffic. It turns out that a SriLankan brother, Newton, lead someone to
the Lord at the train station after we left because we were singing and
joyful!
• They are really starting to get a revelation of the
power of joy, but they think it’s also dangerous. People will think
that we are laughing because we’ve done something wrong. But, the
overwhelming response when I meet someone’s eyes looking at me and I
smile and I put my hands together and greet them, they just beam and
smile back. Only two or three times have I received angry stares. The
overwhelming response is that they are very happy to be noticed,
honored, & recognized. They are always blessed and even shocked
when we thank them for anything that we do for them. There little heads
bob side to side as they receive it warmly. We were the only white
people that we saw at Rajahmundry. It must be so far in country that
foreigners don’t make it there.
• Elijah was one of the young
men who took care of us at the house and he stayed with us until we
left the train station. I gave Him my card and told him to keep in
touch with me. He is the sweetest young man - 30 years old, single. He
has a heart to go to the nations. I wonder if I could be an Indian
momma and connect him up with someone. I wonder if there any girls who
are sweet enough.
• The other piece that melts their hearts is when I
get out a camera. A crowd gathers immediately – children, women, men –
it doesn’t matter. And they know digital cameras enough that they want
to see what the picture looks like!
• So, after a harrowing time, we got on the train and
it started to move. There was some negotiating about the right place to
put us. That put two of us in a 4 bunk place with a retired couple who
were very nice, and the other two across the hall so we were all
together. It was a very nice change from the trip up from Chennai. The
countryside around Andra Pradesh has a totally different atmosphere
from Chennai. The man and his wife who are in the booth with us are
retired. He was an electrical engineer for the railroad and they have
two grown sons and a 7 year old grandson. We had a good time sharing
with each other.
• I crawled into one of the bunk beds and slept for
several hours. It was probably the best sleep that I have had since I
left the States. There was the quiet buzz of people’s voices in the
background as they talked in their booths and it was like falling
asleep to the language of heaven.
• They do have a western toilet on the trains, which
is a blessing. The toilet does open up all the way down to the ground
below though. That’s kind of disconcerting!
• After a near fist fight between the taxi driver and
our angel Edwin because he wanted to raise the price after we drove
from the train station to the airport, we did manage to get to our room
at the Mars Hotel on the bus. I could tell that a few recognized me
when I walked through the door and they were all smiles. I had
forgotten that we had been singing on the steps outside. I understand
now what an impression that must have made! We have a nicer room than
when we arrived, but also, we have been in the country for a week so it
has changed our perspective! Ha!
• At the airport, I started a conversation with a
young Indian woman because she was dressed in western clothes. I told
her that her English was very good. She was in her last year of college
for bank management. We saw more white people than at any time, and
they all looked like pickle testers and lemon eaters. I’m beginning to
understand why my smile and joy is such a shock! If anyone looked at me
and I caught their eye, I smiled and nodded my head. They usually
respond positively, but the people of Chennai are harder and more
suspicious.
• When we asked for chapatti
and chicken curry, the
houseman smiled and I gave him a thumbs up. We have truly enjoyed
immersing ourselves in the food and culture. I decided that I was
leaving and I was just going to start blessing people. They argue over
the price of everything and try to take advantage of us, but I just
want to be a blessing. It’s very hard for me. I gave our houseman a $2
US for a tip and I could see that I had blessed him greatly.
• I sat up and watched a movie on the TV! Oh my!
• Edwin took our Romanian brother Daniel to the
airport to fly out to go back to Houston.
Janet Klark texted that Jo Weber gave us Luke 5:1-17, especially vs 4
for us.
Tuesday,
January 30, 2007
• The room that we had last week here at the Mars
Hotel was beside a kitchen and the noise started very early. This room
is much quieter. I took my first shower since I arrived in India. And
it even had hot water! Oh my! It was soooooo nice! We found out from
the Romanian brother yesterday that they had showers in their bathroom
on campus – but no real hot water. He was surprised to hear that we had
no showers, only a spigot.
• Lorien has not been sleeping well at all. Feels
like she’s had no sleep in a week. I think it’s because there is always
fan noise, or air conditioning noise, or railroad noise. There’s always
some kind of white noise happening. Without the fan, you would be eaten
by mosquitoes. The air pollution is bad in Chennai and the ac helps you
breathe. And of course, at the campus, they didn’t let you sleep! I
actually have broken through and I slept well both on the train and
here at the hotel.
• After this week though, I understand Heidi Baker so
much better – “please don’t send me
to America!”
• We had breakfast/lunch at the little restaurant
connected to the Hotel. We had eggs and chapatti and then Edwin ordered
some potatoes. We started to eat some of the potatoes and the waiter
tried to stop us because they were spicy. I thanked him for taking care
of us but it really was okay!
• Edwin took out shopping in Chennai and we walked
the streets. He thought everyone was staring because they couldn’t
figure out why Americans would be walking! Lorien got a bull mad on the
street when she pointed at it’s horns because they were painted. She
wanted to know why they were painted, but evidently they were painted
because the bull was dangerous! The bull turned it's head when Lorien
stopped and pointed at it's horns, and Edwin panicked! The poor young
man! It was one of
life’s funniest moments, after it was over!
• So, we did some shopping. We wandered around the
streets. We ended up at a jewelry store and purchased some beautiful
things for the kids. There were two Muslim men working in the store,
but they seemed to be okay with us and they treated us fairly.
• We came to the airport at 5pm instead of 6pm
because everything else travel wise has been so difficult. We made it
through all the ticket, immigration and security lines. Even the girls
at security asked if Lorien and I were sisters. We get that all the
time over here!
• Edwin was wonderful! He really was a trooper
and very protective of
us.
• Managed to get our way through the security,
ticket, and immigration all by ourselves at the international terminal
at Chennai. (I think it will be okay when we come back through in 2
weeks.) We went early and waited, but it was good to not rush at the
last minute.
• Short trip to Columbo! It was a very quick hour!
Sri Lankan air - Nice big plane, good food. I would fly them
again, no sweat.
LINK TO NEXT PAGE ON THE ADVENTURE!
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