Ministry Island Style!

Hello again from Sri Lanka!

Sorry for not posting more over the past couple of days, we've had an incident take place that redirected some of our time - Gary's health!

Please continue to pray for him as he continues to battle whatever it is that has grabbed his system. Thankfully, some of the effects have subsided, but he began a whole new medicine today. Hopefully this will do the trick as it really helped a couple of others in our group.

As we noted in our last post, life is very different here than in India. The pace is more relaxed, the environment not nearly as dire and there are many more traces of the West here as well. Some of us actually had a hamburger for lunch yesterday, complete with French fries!

We are currently in full swing of the Pastor's conference and are enjoying the experience of worshiping with over 300 sold out servants of the Lord. Due to the continued civil unrest here in Sri Lanka, many of the Pastor's had to go through up to 7 separate checkpoint to get to the conference. The main thrust of the unrest is due to the increasing number and influence of the Tamil people (Tamils were brought to Sri Lanka from Southern India during the British rule a couple of hundred years ago). The Sri Lankan government passed a motion which denied Tamils any kind of work for the government. Apparently this was to curtail the Tamils influence. The government also asked that the Tamils go back to India. In protest, the Tamils began to rise up, and now the more militant arm of the movement is called the "Tamil Tigers". According to some of the Pastor's here, the issue now is one of revenge. Each time one side retaliates, the other side begins planning its revenge. At this time no peace is in sight. I must admit, it is a bit intimidating when you arrive at the airport and see guards with machine guns patrolling, and then see bunkers with guards and heavy artillery lining some of the streets around the airport.

One of the heavy casualties here is tourism. Before the tsunami and the beginning of the civil unrest, this beautiful island attracted 3-4 million tourists a year. We were told that all of last year netted only 54,000 tourists! The beaches and resorts are empty here. Its a great deal if you don't mind the long trip over (and machine guns!).

Fortunately, the fighting has not caused major setbacks in the work of the ministry here. Even though the Pastor's were subject to the checkpoints, as Pastor's they received special treatment. It is a great picture of the body of Christ to see the Tamil and Sri Lankan native Pastor's here together, loving one another!

I would appreciate any and all prayers for my teaching tomorrow. I've really wrestled over the last couple of days with what to share. I felt that what I taught last week was not for this group. And after seeing the incredible work of ministry here, I kept asking God to show me what it is He wanted me to say. Part of the problem is that we are looked on as such experts, but as we see what they are doing for the Kingdom of God, we walk away as the ones who have much to learn. But I've settled in on my topic and will actually be warning the Pastor's about not losing their first love (Rev. 3), in all that they are doing in ministry as well as heading the Apostle Paul's words of wisdom in 2 Tim 4:1-5. Pray also for my succinctness of speech as here we work with double translators, one for the Tamils and one for those who speak the native Sri Lankan tongue.

The one visit I made this week to see the ministry in action (poor Gary could not venture out) was a travel a couple hours North to IGL's Mission Base. Yet another impressive sight. This base is still under construction (they build as they have funds available to do so). Currently they have children's cottages, and are building a conference center/dinning hall. One interesting note, as we were leaving the base to return to the hotel we saw a major construction project right next to the Mission Base. We asked one of the IGL Pastors traveling with us what they were building. He told us it will be a Muslim base much like IGL's. He went on to tell us that whatever IGL does, the Muslims copy it! He said they have figured out that if they don't they'll lose more and more of their people who after being cared for in the name of Christ, begin to name the name of Christ! It was a mixed emotion moment.

Gary and I plan to do one final post tomorrow as we leave for home early Saturday morning. Pray for our stamina, we have definitely hit that part of the trip where you long for home! Please pray for our travels home as well. As I said, we leave Sri Lanka early Saturday, travel to Mumbai (Bombay India), have an 11 hour lay over, then fly to JFK in New York, then to Atlanta (anther long layover) then home to Portland by 7:30 Sunday night. PDX will never have looked so good!

Oh, before I forget, Gary has been working on his teaching ministry website while he is here, and will have many details relating to his trip back here in March. He plans to have it all up by early next week. Check it out at eachnewgeneration.com.

One final prayer request before I sign off. Gary, Bob and I have been praying and discussing what exactly to do with everything we've experienced here once we return. Please pray for us, that we will have divine guidance!

Well, time to sign off. I need to head back and put on my slacks and tie for the communion and ordination service tonight. As hard as it is to wear a tie in this heat, its nothing when you see these Pastor's who have truly given up all for the call of God on their lives, come forward to be prayed over and ordained as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some, before receiving the training from IGL, had little or no formalized education. Man is God using the simple things of this world in a powerful way!

Our continued love, prayers and blessings from Sri Lanka!

Monte (for us both!)