A Swinging Church

English: David’s Joy Over Forgiveness; as in Psalm 32; illustration from a Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kerry Mauldin

Living in a different culture which is more like Bible times is a joy
and such a learning experience thru these 17completed years in India.
Get up and Melody and I use the sticks off the neem tree–bite off
outside bark and crush the end of twig to use a toothbrush. It is
kind of bitter, but what villagers use to brush…

Today 2 times we were in position to help thresh the grain and watch
as the women expertly throw the grain in a basket up in the air to get
the chaff out–wind blows away like Psalm 1 shares…

These lessons are joy, but sometimes the languages and culture can be
a challenge!!
We went to Indiramma Colony to dedicate a $1000 church given by
Scottsville, Ar AG, but when we got there, the plaque reads Scotts
Bille AG??? PTL anyway!!
Translation and linguistics… The church met under a large plastic
old tarp in Oct. and we gave to get a decent place to worship. The
people were there till 3pm, but we got there after 3 other villages,
at 5pm. They gather 30 hindus at a house and we clearly share Christ
and hearts clearly open. All walk to the church and these 30-40 take
part in dedication and we teach. Pastor wanted some almost $500 to
finish brick and plaster. At first I said no, but decided to teach
and challenge these new believers. Many are very poor, but they
heard, accepted and pledged 15,516 rs and we added 5000rs to meet the
pastors goal of what was needed!! PTL!! brought joy to all. To see
excitement of joy in learning to give!!

At Talagada we dedicate a nice brick church given by Haskell AG. It
is on the lake in an area that will grow much. This is a “Swinging
Church” All the mothers had sari (19′ long cloth) wrapped around
ceiling beam and when babies cried, they put baby in and let them
swing and so quickly were asleep. These are good giving people. We
gave a well here from Mt. Home AR AG. We had given to wells from Mt
Home in Oct, and one was a dry hole of 140′ in Sithya Thanda, so we
will dig another from Mt Home in Talagada.

After dedication service, all women and kids line up in long rows to
eat. Women had huge pots of rice and curry which take 2 hours to
cook. Before they ate, we requested prayer for sister Kathy Hogue
who is in a challenge with cancer and we prayed for her….. They
will remember to pray as Haskell blessed them!!

We gave a nice church at Alugunuru Village. It is from Cowboy Church
in Antlers–they raffled off a brand new saddle and raised money for 2
nice churches this trip.
This village has no church, but all were hindu till 5 years ago when
God did miracles and now ready to build nice church with slab roof.
These people stood immediate to give as we challenge to match what
they gave. All sitting on ground under a big tree, hearing the Word
of God and responding with joy!! SO SO REFRESHING!! Bright, eager
eyes drinking in all… They all sacrificed goats and chickens and
hoped for eternal life–now they know truth and are so eager…

We also gave a church at Madhnapally ‘INSECT” VILLAGE “–given by
Canyon Del Oro AG in Tuscon. Good spirit in this, the first and only
church in the village. Nice good size cement block church!!

Village after village, we can truly see the hand of God with many many
lives coming to Christ and hearts open!!

Good to go to bed early. As I finish writing, it is945pm and I sit
under the stars and Silvan, interpreter changes cycle tire nearby–got
a nail…

Thanks for praying and encouraging,

Kerry and Melody

PS if you want to be removed from prayer updates list, let me know!!