UPDATE: Internet Updates from India!

Thanks to our friends--Naveen, Sreenivas, Suresh, and Toni--here in Rajahmundry, we are able to post and update a web site whilst we are here in India!!  We thank all of them for their gracious help, and we hope to be able to post our updates, photographs, and journal entries on a semi-regular basis at http://www.nathanproductions.com/india2000.

UPDATE: Sponsorship Support Progress

As of 17 July 2000, you have provided $2979 in sponsorship!!   To all of those who have offered their support, either in the form of financial sponsorship or invaluable prayer, I thank you.

UPDATE: India Crew Update

The Side By Side Global Work Crew will be working in south central India.   Our host is the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), which is 153 years old, founded by German missionaries in 1842.  We will be in Hyderabad for a few days before taking a train to a town called Rajahmundry.  Rajahmundry is located along a river, east of Hyderabad.  It will be very humid there, as it will be getting into the rainy season.  The crew will be staying at a guest house.

We will be working side by side with Indian youth and young adults during our three week stay in India.  The project will be at the seminary in Rajahmundry called Luther Giri.  The Indian and American youth will be repairing the Ashram (shelter) for the Bible Women.  Painting and carpentry will be amongst the many jobs that will take place, as the seminary need quite a bit of fixing up.

The crew will have the chance to worship with their Indian Christian brothers and sisters during their stay.  This will allow growth within the body of Christ and create a base for strong new relationships between the Indians and the Americans!

The host Indian youth will be recruited from the various synods of the AELC in the state of Andhra Pradesh on the basis of their leadership qualities and communication skills.  This will be a great experience for them to take all that they have learned back to their home congregations.  Telugu is the official language of this area of India, but most of the Indian youth will be able to speak English and translate for those who do not.

Excitement is building as this short-term, service-oriented mission trip approaches.  I am especially excited about the group of Christian brothers and sisters that God has called on this trip and about the ways in which God will work through us to minister to the people in India.  Please pray that God will guard and guide us to His will as we prepare for and participate in this awesome opportunity to serve Him!!