India to Australia! We made it!

Okay for those of you who didn't see our facebook photos or would like a bit more info on what we've been up to, here's a little snapshot.

Lonavala, India. Everywhere there are cows just roaming around doing nothing but eating trash. Pretty funny considering they are a "sacred god". I wouldn't trust my god if all he ate was trash all day long.. would you?

This is Shibu. He is a believer who is involved in YWAM -- an incredible guy. He leads worship for a church and he asked if I would like to help him. It was a blast. Shibu has an amazing testimony: When he was young a disease began to take over his leg and he began not being able to walk. He had to stop playing sports, running or doing any type of athletic activity. His mom was Hindu but one day a believer began to tell her about church etc. So she started going and eventually gave her life to Jesus. She told Shibu about the Lord but he didn't believe. One day Shibu said, "God if you are real then you'd have to power to heal my leg"... The very next morning he woke up to a PERFECTLY healed leg! He has never stopped serving the ONE who can heal - Jesus!

Their bananas are amazing... we ate them every day!

How cool is this guy!

On our way to Varanasi we saw this headline.

These are Rickshaws. We took them everywhere. You always have to barter for a price but that's half the fun!

This is the YWAM Widow's Home. They built this a few years ago to house widow's who are left for dead in Varanasi by their relatives. Indian's believe that if you die in Varanasi you'll be released from the endless cycle of reincarnation (their version of heaven) So they purposely "lose" the widow's in their family here because they are old and getting close to death. So sad. So the YWAMers here find these women, house them, feed them and give them jobs so they can support themselves. They are welcome to live here for the rest of their lives.

These are some of the products the widow's make.

This is one of the widows who lives here.

We helped the YWAMers with this program they are trying to start called "Adopt a Granny" where people can monthly support (adopt) a widow. So we interviewed all who were living there, got a profile typed up, took pictures of them and got it put on a website. Pray that people will want to adopt these wonderful women.

These dogs are everywhere. They just lie around lifelessly. So sad. No one to pet them!

We taught some school children bible stories, played games with them and just loved them like Jesus would! They are all so cute.

VARANASI: The Holy City
Varanasi is considered the holiest and most ancient city in India. The Ganges River winds through this city and there are tons of stairs, like this one that go down to the water. Indians worship this river as one of their gods. They bathe in it - thinking that it washes away their sins. They drink it, put their dead in it, wash their animals in it etc... So you can imagine how dirty this river can get.

Indians worship millions of gods. I imagine it must get tiring knowing who to ask for what.

You can get a boat tour along the Ganges and see the place where they burn their dead 24 hours a day and place them in the river. It's the craziest thing I've ever seen. Here are some pictures.

Carrying a dead relative to the wood pile to be burned. Indians travel for days just to burn their dead here believing they go straight to heaven. Pray for these people to come to know Jesus for He said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

It took my breath away when I saw their feet.

This couple is John and Natalie (not their real names). They are an incredible couple who live in India. We met them through friends from our Church Reality who wanted us to connect with them. They were so hospitable and welcoming. They are doing so much for God's kingdom. They have started many house gatherings, and after years of sowing seeds they are suddenly seeing TONS of fruit - people are coming to faith all over the place. Women are being set free from demons, husbands stop beating their wives and come to faith in Jesus, children are getting healed.. it's incredible the stories they shared with us. Pray for them as the enemy has been attacking in the areas of sickness.

We joined another ministry happening among the backpacker community. Many travelers come through who are seeking truth and a real spiritual experience. This ministry reaches out to these people, offering meditation that is Bible focused and fellowship that is Christ centered. I talked with a German girl who was really seeking and God just opened up her heart and she felt Gods touch as we spoke together. I could see tears in her eyes. Pray for her to come to know the Love of God.

LUKE turned 30!!!!!!!
I woke him up on his birthday (April 15th) and made him french toast in India!! I tried my best. =)

The sweet family we were staying with got Luke a cake and surprised him!! So cool.

I took him for a fun day at the nicest hotel pool I could find. I know he'd rather be surfing but this was the best I could do.

Good times!!!

Good Bye India.........

AUSTRALIA

We made it!!
From India to beautiful and clean Australia. We have been here a little over a week, and are having an amazing time. We have been meeting up with some of the YWAMers here at the different bases, checking things out, seeing how it might feel if God called us here for a season. We are just soaking in whatever God brings our way.

How white are we? =) Hysterical




Please pray that God clearly shows us what His plans are for our next step in this adventure we call life!

Love you all... more OZ pictures to come shortly!

Luke and Bethany