A Day In The Life

I thought a new student had arrived but alas no! Actually the monkeys have been a real pest this year. Imagine gangs of rabid possums on steroids! However it is not the monkeys but the local mullah who usually gets my attention first in the morning. He seems to have an earlier idea of dawn than me! The students are up at 5:30am sweeping, washing floors, bathing, cooking. They are wonderfully ordinary sounds anticipating the new day. The cold shower is a bit of a shock but refreshing... a greater shock is, being so surrounded by dark skin, to catch sight of this very white follow in the bathroom mirror! This time i am cheating and having muesli for breakfast. Mind you, finding a small bowl and a spoon was a challenge on the first morning. The students gather for a time of PRAISE from 8:30am. There are times when I feel like I am a surfer as my heart rides the wave of Indian worship. 9:00am teaching on BIBLE OVERVIEW begins. Giving the students the framework of God's Love Story of unbroken love from a broken heart. Chai Break at 10:30am then we gather at 11:00am (in an ideal world!!!!) to listen to our LIFE STORIES, how has God's story touched down into our stories and how has God caught us up into His story? Each day one of us simply tells their story. 11:30am DOCTRINE (What Christians Believe), based on a13 week series by Mark Driscoll we are covering the key doctrines... Trinity - God Is, Revelation - God Speaks, Creation - God Makes etc. I am finding myself appreciating systematic theology as a helpful guard against error. Heads are full to overflowing and stomachs are empty... time for lunch at 12:30pm. I notice either an omellette or fried egg, missing on other's plates, supplements the bean curry and rice on mine.

1:30pm ACTION SONGS pump the blood to the brain for the next session. 2:00pm DOCTRINE Pt2.... did you really think we would get all that done in the morning? 3:00pm Chai Break. 3:30pm BIBLE INTERPRETATION (What does it say? What does it mean? How then will we live?). Especially in the afternoon sessions we tend to do more group work and student presentations.

It's a solid day. Anil continually reminds the students that it is all about seeking the heart of God and not about filling our minds with information. I love working in this team, with this crew. Just as back at Woonona, there is a strong sense of partnership and complimentary gifts at work.

Oh... did i mention that cricket begins at 4:30pm?

PS... as i finish this a sound wells from the next room. For the second time today the students are literally on their faces before God in prayer, all together crying out to God. An orchestra of praise, adoration and desperation........................................... who is teaching who?