Home - sort of...

Hello again, all! Well, we are finally back in our home in PA, but somehow I think part of my heart and most of my brain is still in Chennai, India. Jet lag is supposed to be easier coming east, but my body just can't seem to make up it's mind what time it is. Please pray that Bryan and I can adjust quickly - time waits for no one, and our life here needs to be picked back up without much delay.

I will have to really sit down and prayerfully consider how to write of most of our experiences.. but I will try to give you a very quick accounting of what we did while there... (in order, starting with the first day in India, Sat the 28th). SAT - Shopping at a beautiful jewelry store, lunch at a restaurant, early night, we were all sleep walking! SUN - church at Bishop Samson's church, lunch at Samson's home (quite an honor...), an outdoor evangelistic meeting in a slum area, where I was blessed to share my testimony. MON - Pastor's conference (over 3000 pastors and spouses), again I spoke. TUES - drove to Bangalore, along the way stopped at an orphanage (broke our hearts, we dedicated 5 wheelchairs for handicapped children there), arrived in Bangalore late. WED - another Pastor's conference, about 300 this time, again I shared my testimony, stopped at Domino's Pizza for lunch! Drove back to Chennai, arrived late, but was met in the lobby by the hotel staff with fresh grape juice! THURS - met with a precious little 3 year old girl and her mother, who wants to give her daughter up for adoption to our pastor's daughter. Heart-wrenching stuff.... this mother loves her little girl and just sees no hope of a future for her in India. Drove to a church in Hindu village, dedicated land as they are starting to build a church building there to replace the thatched-roof lean-to that they are meeting in currently. The villagers (brand new Christians who have next to nothing...) served us lunch that would have fed their families for a week. I felt so honored and ashamed all at the same time. Fell in love with a little girl, whose mother asked me to bring her home with me. Drove to another meeting, dedicated a new church. Had an anniversary party for Bishop Samson and his wife - 25 years of marriage! FRI - went to a zoo, rode an elephant!! Had a wonderful time with our new family in India - we all laughed so hard our stomachs were sore. Had another evangelistic meeting outside in a Hindu area, I spoke here also. We were served an amazing meal on the roof of a pastor's home - again, to be so honored made me feel so uncomfortable. We were there to serve them.... not the other way around. SAT - went to Tsunami Beach, saw St. Thomas Cathedral and the tomb of St. Thomas (powerful... it was untouched by the tsunami, although it is on the beach.) Spent the rest of the day shopping, had a wonderful time! Back at the hotel, we rested, ate room service (the best french fries!), packed and left the hotel at 11:30 pm to get to the airport. Spent a few hours in the Chennai airport, boarded the plane and then sat on the runway for 1.5 hours while they worked on the engine! Got into London late, missed our connecting flight back to DC, and eventually made it back to DC 5 hours later than planned!

I will never be the same again. I was constantly aware of how content these beautiful people are with so little, and how they are so willing to give, even out of their lack. We are such a blessed nation, we have more than we even understand, and yet we want more and we grumble at giving out of our excess. I pray that God never lets me forget what I saw.....

I'll post pictures as I get them organized.... that may take a while!

Blessings,
Bryan and Terri

On Our Way!

Hello loved ones.... we are all packed and ready to drive to the airport in just a little while. We must be there 3 hours early, and our flight leaves at 4am Chennai time. We had a wonderful day today.... we did lots of shopping, went to Tsunami Beach, and visited St. Thomas Cathedral. We had lots of fun - and we have filled in all the spaces in our suitcases that were emptied with things we brought over for the ministry here. Please pray for safe, uneventful travel! Pray for a beautiful time of goodbyes with our new family here in India. We have become quite close in a relatively short period of time! That's what happens when you spent 22 hours together in a vehicle!! We'll talk to you all soon.... we'll be home in PA within 30 hours or so!!!
Blessings, Bryan & Terri

Planned arrrival time back at Mt. Rock

Just a quick note to let you know that our flight leaves around 4 am (Chennai time) and we are scheduled to arrive at Dulles at 3pm (ET). I am fairly sure that we will all want to stop for dinner on the way home to eat meat! But we hope to be back in town around 7-8pm. We'd love to see as many of you there as possible! Love to you all!

Time flies..... and God is Awesome!

Hello to all.... it's Friday night our time - the middle of Friday day for most of you. We have just spent the most incredible day! First let me tell you that we are all fine - enjoying the Indian food (spices are wonderful!) and the weather is the total opposite of what you are experiencing in the US). We have been very busy, travelling around, speaking every day to different groups, praying for people to come to Christ, and learning much about this culture. These people are very beautiful, inside and out, and when they have Christ in their hearts their faces glow! Today we went to a zoo - wonderful time of just relaxing and fellowship - and we all got to ride an elephant, her name is Asuni, and it means "precious jewel". We have laughed so hard today that our stomachs hurt! After the fun at the zoo, we went to an outdoor meeting in an area right beside a Buddhist temple. We (yes, I spoke again tonight - 4 times total!) boldly proclaimed that Jesus is the One and Only God - and we watched as people in and around the temple listened to us speaking. Many came to Christ tonight, and there is a strong church in that area that will disciple the new believers. Tomorrow we will go to St Thomas Cathedral, then to Tsunami beach, and then SHOPPING!!!!! The sari's I have seen here are beyond description, and I hope to find one to bring home, as well as outfits for the girls.
We are all exhausted, but in a good way - so we are all going to sleep and get ready for tomorrow. Blessings to each of you that have been praying for us while we are here. We have felt your prayers, and God has worked in mighty ways! We'll be home later Sunday night. Pili and Adie - Mommy and Daddy love you so very much, and we miss you! We'll see you soon!

Praise God!

We have walked on the land of India for 3 days now, and I am amazed at how comfortable we are here. We landed safely around midnight on Friday night/Saturday morning, and while we have been busy, we are getting breaks every now and then. The hotel is nice, and the food is spicy! Yeah!! We worshipped at Pastor's Samson's church on Sunday morning, which was an amazing time. They worship with such passion and abandon.

Sunday evening we went into a slum and did an evangelistic meeting outdoors.... which was an experience I will never forget. This was the first meeting for Pastor Samson in this area, and right next door is an area run by gangs. These people were not believers, for the most part. When Pastor Samson called for people to give their hearts to Jesus and accept Him as savior.. there was hesitation. Here, if you accept Christ, you are very likely to be kicked out of your home and disowned by your family. Yet even knowing that, over 30 people came forward to receive Christ, and many more followed to receive prayer.

It was an awesome time - I was invited to share my testimony to these wonderful women and men, most of whom have never been told that they are loved, valued, and can be heirs with Christ.

Today there was a pastor's conference of over 2500 people - and again I was invited to share my testimony at the beginning of Lloyd's teaching.

I am humbled to be used in such a powerful way, and God is taking my life and turning it for good! I have to go for now, shopping calls!!!! I will write more later on today, and post some pictures for you. God bless, and I ask that you continue to pray our list.... Love to all..... Bryan and Terri

Time to Fly!

Yes, it's been a long time since I've posted anything... my apologies for that. Life gets a little busy around the Meckes home, and my time is hardly ever my own! (I'm not really complaining.... well, maybe a little!)

We have been in the midst of preparing to travel to India with a team of 6 (including us) from our church. We leave this Thursday, the 26th, at 6 pm. We will be there for 10 days, ministering to thousands! We serve an amazing God... who in His grace and planning has ordained this trip for these 6 people at this time. We will be teaching at a pastor's conference, with over 2000 pastors in attendance; we will be doing evangelistic ministry in the city of Chennai and the surrounding villages; we will be visiting orphanages run by our friend Pastor Samson and loving on 120+ children; and we will be dedicating a parcel of land for use by the growing church in India. This is just what we know.... and I have no doubt that God has many other plans for us during our stay. This road we have travelled even to get to this point has been a journey of faith, and God has met our every need.

We are blessed with family and friends who have promised to pray for us during this journey. To each of you, we say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This trip is a mission of God, and we need your prayers as we step out in ministry. Our God desires to know us in an intimate way, and He desires for us to have that same knowledge of Him! He can and will meet each and every need, and He invites us to come into His presence with boldness and assurance, and make our requests known to the Only One who accomplish it. With that invitation and assurance, we have specific prayer requests for you, and please use these requests as building blocks for your prayers... we stand in confidence that our Heavenly Father will direct our prayer warriors to pray exactly what is needed, and at the exact moment it's needed!

** Our team: Pastor Lloyd, Alan Roper, Rob Edwards, Tracy Shuman, Bryan and Terri Meckes.

** Please pray for peace as we finish final preparations - packing, etc, that all would be done with peace and clarity of mind. Please pray that everyone will pack all that they need, nothing that they do not need, and that it will all fit within the baggage weight limits. Please pray that whatever arrangements have to be made at our homes will be done smoothly, without any glitches.

** Please pray for our families that will remain home as we travel. Pray for peace of mind and heart, for a trust in the Lord that will give them assurance that all is well. Please pray for protection over our homes as we leave - that no attack of the enemy will come against our homes in our absence.

** Please pray for safe travel, for the favor of God over all our comings and goings through airports, and as we travel about in India.

** Please pray for God to continue to work in the hearts of the people of India. Pray that their hearts would be softened, open and ready to hear the gospel. Pray that their ears would be open to hear the truth, that the One True God loves them, yearns to save them, and that they are worthy of that love.

** Please pray for protection over our hotel, the conference center where we will be teaching, and all areas where we travel in Chennai. Pray that God's mighty army will go before us, surround us, and be our rear guard at all times. Pray that all aspects of the conference will be without interference - all the audio, visual, and other logistical planning will be smooth and trouble-free.

** Please pray for our health.... starting now and throughout the trip. Our pastor has been very ill, and is still recovering. Pray that each of us would get enough sleep, that God would provide us with supernatural energy to do all the things we need to do, that we can all handle the heat (I'm going to love it, but others on this team, not so much!). Pray that no one would get sick from food or water, and that no other illness would have the opportunity to attack us in our physical bodies.

** Please pray that the Holy Spirit to continue to guide and direct us as a team. Pray for unity in our team. We have prayed together for a month now, and we are uniquely fitted together as one. God's design for this trip is amazing.... please pray that each of us would be constantly sensitive to the Spirit's leading. Pray that we would be empty vessels, ready and willing to be filled with His Spirit, and read to speak His words of love. Pray for obedience - to go when He says go, stop when He says stop, to turn to the right or left as He leads.

** Please pray against any and all schemes of the enemy. We declare him and his plans defeated in the name of Jesus, and we proclaim victory for our God and His annointed. The bonds of oppression and the blindness of the lies of the enemy will be broken, and the Light of Life will show forth. Darkness must flee in the presence of Light.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer. We will keep you updated while we are there... as long as we have an internet connection! Please feel free to pass along our prayer requests... and to make comments here.

We love each of you, and praise God for faithful family and friends.

HAPY BIRTHDAY ADIE! Our "little" one is now 4 years old! Times flies, indeed. She is just as big, and actually weighs more, than her older sister! She had a beautiful birthday, full of presents, cake, and family and friends to help her celebrate! Her favorite presents were her "ballerina clothes" (she started taking tap and ballet last Monday) and her new booster seat for the van. Now she has a seat just like Pili - and she feels like such a big girl. Every day now she asks me questions like, "Mommy, do 4 year olds clean up their rooms?" An enthusiastic yes brings a big smile to her face as she goes upstairs to straighten up her room. God has indeed blessed us with this little one, and we thank Him daily!

This was the Christmas for making things! My mom makes the BEST fresh, from scratch, coconut cakes. While they were here visiting this Christmas, I asked her to teach me how to make it! (It's my favorite cake, but it's a once-a-year kind of cake!) It took us all morning to get it done (and more than a little help from my hubby, who suffered a few grater-bites trying to grate the fresh coconut!) but it sure was pretty when we were finished! It looked like a giant snowball!! I have to tell you - I think it tasted pretty good, too! I'm going to consider the recipe private property! I'll hand it down to my girls through teaching, and it'll be a treasured family recipe! Thanks, Mom, for helping me with this! I had a great time doing this with you.... and I love you!

This was a three day event - making candles for presents! The wax came in 10 lb slabs, and then you melt it, add fragrance (we made cinnamon), color, and pour! We used small Mason jars for the containers. I had a great time doing this, and actually was quite proud of the result. The smell is wonderful, the color a deep Christmas red, and they burn nicely! I would never describe myself as "crafty" or creative, but I would do this again!

Just a little late!

Merry Christmas from the Meckes family (David isn't here, but he wishes you the same!)