Well... we are going to India!! We've prayed and prayed about it and we feel as though we are being called to go to India and help launch the Global Freedom movement at our church in Orange. We are so excited for this opportunity! I think I am most excited about how God will work in our hearts and the transformation that will happen within us and our marriage.
Here is a bit more about what we are doing and going. If you would like a prayer bracelet let me know and I will be happy to mail you one. We appreciate all prayers as we go through this journey!
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Hi
Friends & Family!
It
is with much excitement that we write this letter to you! We will be
going to India with a group of 8 members from our church, Friends
Church Orange and over 50 from our Yorba Linda campus! We will be
traveling to Hyderabad and Chennai for two weeks, July 22-August 1.
While in India, we will be partnering with the Dalit Freedom Network
and Operation Mobilization. With the assistance of our church as well
as many others, the Dalit Freedom Network has built several schools
for the Dalit children. We will be visiting the children in
these schools. Our purpose is to demonstrate the love of Christ
to the Dalit people. We will be spending time building relationships
in their schools and villages to serve these people where there is a
profound need. We are also going as the first from our church in
Orange and hope to help establish and grow the Global Freedom
movement at our campus.
The
Dalit people or “Dalits” are considered the “outcasts” or the
“untouchables”. They are denied access to public wells, public
parks, basic medical services and education. The ruling caste tells
them they are Hindu, yet they are denied access to the temples.
Seventy percent of the Dalits live below the poverty line and only
10% of rural Dalit women can read and write. Dalit women and children
are also often sold into prostitution as early as eight years old.
The Hindu scripture tells these people that they were not made by
God, and therefore, a mistake that never should have happened.
The
team has asked us to raise finances necessary to cover the expenses
of the trip: which will be approximately $3,500 per person. We, and
the rest of our team, would greatly appreciate your help in raising
support. The deadline for all funds is June 20, 2014. If you are
not able to contribute financially, we ask that you would please pray
that all the needs of this team will be met. Prayer is so important.
Enclosed with this letter is a handmade bracelet and note card that
you can keep close as a reminder to say a prayer for us as we prepare
and go to India.
God
is definitely moving in India right now and we are so excited to see
how He uses our team on this trip and how our team can help influence
our new church body in Orange. Words cannot express how grateful we
are for the opportunity to go to India. We cannot wait for this
experience as we are confident that God is working mightily there,
and to just be a small part of it is such a blessing!
If
you are able to participate with financial support, you can make a
donation via check payable to "Friends Church" with "Global
Freedom - India" in the memo. All donations are tax deductible.
(Please don't put our names anywhere on the check as it is not tax
deductible to gift directly to/for a person.) You can send it to our
home address of 2354 N Robinhood Pl, Orange CA 92867. We want to keep
you posted of our growth and journey during this time. If you are
interested in being a prayer partner for us, please send us an email to let us know so we can include you on all our updates and prayer
requests.
We
love you so!
Trent
& Amanda
