For whatever reason, I am having issues sending out my first e-mail update, so I figured I’d post it here in the meantime.
Enjoy.
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Sorry if you receive this twice, my update list is too big so gmail bounced back a lot of people. Please DO NOT REPLY back to this account. Please send all e-mail correspondence to jari@quikmail.org
Thank you.
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 2:35 PM
Subject: E-mail update 001!
Hey guys,
I am so thankful and blessed to have such an awesome support network, so thank you to all of you for praying with me, supporting me emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially during this exciting time. I am grateful for all of you, and pray that you would continue to grow in your walk with God. May he reveal to you the unsearchable riches of Christ, which has been entrusted to you by grace.
I am attaching a prayer magnet that I had made up in soft form, so if you would like some specific prayer points to print out, they are available. If you know anyone who would like a copy of my e-mail updates, please ask them to email me at: jari@quikmail.org
I would like to offer everyone an update on what has happened in the last two weeks since I have been here, for more detail please check out my blog at:
I left Chicago on the 14th of September, on Air India. On the first flight, after several phone calls before departure, I really connected emotionally with how much I would miss all of you. Despite several other passengers wondering what a 6’3” white guy was doing sobbing in the exit row and galley, I cried. (It’s okay, it was a good emotional outlet) On that first flight, I spent a lot of time studying the Word and felt like the Lord gave me John 15:15-17. I held onto the fact that He has called me friend, and appointed me to bear much fruit, and it gave me a lot of comfort.
On a lighter note, unbeknownst to me, Air India seats are designed for Indians. What this meant for me was that I was literally squeezed into my seat, with each hip on an armrest. Luckily I was seated in an exit row and had plenty of leg room for the flight, which I would gladly trade for hip room. I was also able to share the gospel with a German master’s student from LSU and a flight attendant.
Upon landing in Frankfurt I got my first taste of the Indian distaste for lines when several Indian businessmen performed a well executed line jump on 30 other passengers. Though some people might find it frustrating, I found it very funny as there was at least 2 hours before our flight was scheduled to depart.
My second flight, Frankfurt to Delhi, was largely uneventful, though there was a point where I was asked to move from my seat because someone wanted to sleep lying down in front of the exit door. I took the opportunity to sleep myself. Upon landing in Delhi, I discovered that I had a 9 hour layover, from 9pm to 6am. I spent some time sleeping in the terminal, talking to guards, playing solitaire, watching the news, reading books and was greatly relieved to be able to finally board my flight the next morning.
When I arrived in Bangalore, I had enough time to unpack and sleep, before we left for Sri Lanka the next morning. We had a 5 day team building retreat, and then I and two of the other team members went South to Tangalle to train some local leaders. While there, we saw three people healed from various ailments, two local believers and I got kicked out of a hospital for praying for the sick and ~12 people decided that they wanted to be baptized!
Upon returning, I went to play basketball outside of some slums and several kids decided that they wanted to follow Jesus and meet with me to study the bible together. This Sunday I am going back to meet with them and see how hungry they are and how a bible study would work logistically. Please pray that they would catch the vision of ‘making disciples of all nations.’
I would also like to take this opportunity to solicit prayer requests. I am so thankful for all of your support and prayers and would be delighted to serve the saints by praying for them. If you have specific prayer requests that you would like me to be praying for, please e-mail me at: jari@quikmail.org or leave a comment on my blog at: thesameimage.wordpress.com if you would like others to be praying for your requests as well.
Finally, I would like to leave you with an encouragement. In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to empower His followers to be His witnesses. We have the authority and ability to operate as witnesses of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. We know that He is coming to reign, but He has deliberately chosen to partner with you and me in whatever sphere of influence we have to make manifest His glory on the Earth.
We, who are being transformed, can agree with Paul when he says in Ephesians 3:8: ‘To me…this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.’ The same grace is on you and I to be the light of the world to our communities where God has called us. My prayer for you in this time is that you would increase in the knowledge of the riches that you possess in the kingdom, and would grow in awareness of the supernatural measure of divine grace that is on your life.
Brothers and sisters, be blessed.
Jude 25 – To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Grace and peace,
Website: thesameimage.wordpress.com
If you would like to support me financially, financial support can be sent to:
Antioch Community Church: Wheaton
PO Box 470
Wheaton, IL 60187
Please make all checks out to: ACC:W, with a note indicating the gift is for Jason, India-support. Your gift to ACC:W is tax deductible.Administrative fees are not deducted from your gift. Donations are solicited with the understanding that AMI has complete discretion and control over all donated funds. In practice ACC:W implements donor instructions whenever possible.
Being Transformed 
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