Pre-India Countdown: 3 Days Left

Hey everybody! Thanks so much for checking in and following Faith's India 2012 team as we head to Chennai, India to once again work with missionary David Rajan. On our previous mission experience in 2010, we maintained a daily blog and were so overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and love - and so we want to do that again. But, we don't just do this as a way to keep our families, Church family and Kingdom family aware of what is going on every day - we do this because you are a vital part of this mission experience. This task God has set before Faith is so much greater than what the "Ground Team" can accomplish. We need you to partner with us through prayer on a daily basis. Each day we hope to post updates on the activities of the day as well as specific prayer requests for you to lift up to our God. I say "we hope" because our experience this year will be much different than 2010 and we have no guarantees that we will have internet access throughout the week. We believe we've found a way to make this available, but in the event there are no updates on a day-to-day basis, please know that it is only because we won't have access online. But please continue to pray for the team, the mission and the families we are leaving behind.

So, today we begin the India 2012 blog. There will actually be updates each day until we depart in the hopes that you will have a better understanding of the work that God has put before us and how He is at work. Check back for updates each day so you can know all about it. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we'll provide an overview of the entire mission and Thursday we'll share the "Toolbox" - those things that your India 2012 Team has spent months working on in preparation for the mission. But for this evening, I want to introduce the team to you.

Actually, I want to do more than that. You may be aware that the India 2012 team consists of seven team members, but there really is much more to it than that, and by sharing that, our hope is that God begins to stir excitement in your heart as He reveals HIS heart.

This year, Faith's India 2012 team is:
-Betty Jo Bennett
-Debbie Chiodo
-Debbie Gilligan
-Leon Gray
-Jeff Higgins
-Leslie Thrasher

However, back in January, following an India planning meeting, God laid it on my heart to call Justin Hanneken and tell him that I felt God was saying he should join us. Justin is a former member of Faith and also served for seven years as Youth Pastor at Taneytown Baptist Church. He is currently a missionary serving as the Director of YouthHope with New Mission Systems International in Ft. Myers, Florida. I called him that evening and before I could explain the purpose of the call, he says, "Look, I feel like God is telling me that I'm going to be going with you guys to India." We are so thrilled to report that Justin Hanneken, from all the way down in Florida has joined the India 2012 Team.

Then, we find out from David Rajan that, while we are serving in India, we will have the honor of being a part of the dedication of a new church established in the memory of our former pastor, Dr. James Nichols', son, Jay Nichols. To add to that joy is that Dr. Nichols oldest daughter, Sharon, will be joining us for a week to represent her family in this time of dedication. She will be flying from South Carolina to join the team.

Last week, David Rajan's daughter and son-in-law, Shirani and Immanuel, flew over from Baltimore to serve alongside David for two weeks as medical missionaries. We look forward to the few days we will have to serve with them as well.

And we received word just today that Gary Hanneken, fresh off his trip to Rome, is already in Chennai helping with the preparations for our team's arrival.

AND (you'll hear more about this on Thursday), God saw fit to connect us with Chip Riley - a missionary who has developed an awesome teaching/missions resource called "The Grain Game". He has traveled all over the world with "The Grain Game" and your India 2012 Team was the first group he has ever trained and released to do "The Grain Game" without him. Chip is from Alabama (and when you hear the connection on Thursday, I pray you are as floored as we were).

All of this is shared for one purpose: God is drawing believers from all over the world to partner with the work that Rajan is doing. God has targeted the villages of Chennai for His kingdom and glory and we as a Church and as the family of God have been called to make much of Jesus in a land of darkness. The work being done in India - this mission - is not a sight-seeing opportunity or a time to experience another culture. The work God has called all of us to is a spiritual battle - attacking the enemy on his turf and seeing lives changed and believers filled with the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. We go to wage war on Darkness. We go knowing that we are powerless to do anything - but we serve and have been called by the Creator and the Redeemer of the Universe who IS strong enough to destroy the enemy. We cannot do this alone and in our power. We need you to join us daily in prayer. God's heart is for India. For Chennai. For a people immersed in a culture with hundreds of gods...but lacking the only One True God. Through the power of Jesus and His Name, we can see lives forever changed. Join your hearts with ours and with our God's. Pray for India. Pray that God will work through David, Shirani, Immanuel and Gary right now and that we will be filled with the Holy Spirit as we go. We love you and thank you for your prayers and support in these next few weeks.

On behalf of the India 2012 Team, thank you for going with us.

Jeff