India Trip Video

God Story – Day 6

Today we went to our last VBS.  We played games, sang and did crafts. The kids are so joyful and affectionate;  its amazing how joyful they are considering their circumstances. We said goodbye to the kids in the afternoon which was probably the toughest part of the trip for a lot of us.  After VBS we drove to a beautiful river in Tenali for Cory ands I to get Baptized! It was such an amazing experience; going into the water with water Buffalo just a short distance away in the water and drums playing in the background. We were blessed to have Marty perform the baptism and Suresh right there with us. It was definitely a memory I will never forget. We ended with each member of the team throwing flowers in the water; a perfect ending to an amazing trip!

~Robin

Harvest India – Day 6

His Strength!

We had our last day of VBS today. It was also our last day in Tenali. We pretty much ran the same program as yesterday. We just love these kids to death and it has been a blast hanging with them. They have really caught on to the songs and have done a great job learning the verses. Linn and Rock did a ‘Little Man’ skit for them that was hilarious. Linn shoved 3 bananas in Rick’s face and the kids loved it! When the day was over, there were tears from all the team members as we had to say our goodbyes to these amazing joyful kids.

VBS - Day 2

Pastor Linn goofs off with the kids

Kids listening to instructions

Fish props for Feeding the 5,000 story

Brian sings "I am a friend of God" with the kids

Rick Calcutt as "Little Man"

Celebration and our last day with Harvest India

Saying our goodbyes

After an amazing day at VBS, we made a stop a river that Suresh says is a holy river. Both Robin and Kory wanted to get baptized in India. What a way to finish up our last day with Harvest India. Both Suresh and Marty baptized both of them as Pastors Abraham and Joseph sang praise songs. We all celebrated at the beach and let our flowers float away in the water. The day was capped off with a round of “Amazing Grace”

Kory and Robin getting baptized

God Story – Day 5

Today was our first day of VBS, which was amazing! There were about 200 kids from different orphanages, all ready to dance, sing, and learn about Jesus. We taught them a few American songs, a bible verse, and did a skit of David and Goliath. By the way, if you’ve never seen Pastor Linn around a bunch of kids, you haven’t lived. He must have been an awesome youth pastor. The kids had a blast, and it was arguably the most uplifting experience on the trip. They have no parents, no home, no traditional family to speak of, but Jesus is their father, and that’s all they need. After VBS, we went into 2 remote villages to dedicate wells that Cornerstone had paid for. These villages had no access to clean water, and we were able to christen the wells that would provide life-saving water. We also prayed for the wells (which are built in front of churches planted by Harvest India) that they would be a source of living water as well.

At the end of the day, we were absolutely exhausted. The pace has been non-stop, and we were all feeling it. We learned that we had an incredible opportunity to see one of Harvest India’s crusades, and a handful of us jumped at the opportunity. We traveled to a rice field, where they had set up a stage and sound system. 10,000 people had gathered to hear the gospel, and we were honored to hear Suresh preach his heart out. That night, thousands were saved and healed. Pain disappeared, wounds were healed, and all the Glory went to God. I have never experienced anything like that before. When Suresh prayed for healing, he wasn’t hoping for it, he was absolutely believing it would happen. God is big, bigger than I can even understand, and my faith has been stretched tonight in a mighty way. There is a huge party in heaven tonight for thousands of Gods children who found their way home. I am so honored and blessed to have been witness to God’s awesome power.

Thank you so much all who sent us, are praying for us, or following us on the trip. We love you all so much.

Ashley Kinder

Harvest India – Day 5

We began day one of our Vacation Bible school outreach for the kids. We began by singing some songs with them. We sang “I’m in the Lord’s Army” and some other songs that had motions. We split them up into 3 teams – the green crocodiles, the red roosters and the yellow lions. We gave them colored bandanas to wear. We then performed a skit on stage with the kids – the story of David and Goliath. After main session, the kids broke up into stations. Some did crafts, some did memory verses and the some did games. They made little necklaces with beads and a cross on them for craft time. Afterwards, we all got back together to close it out. We loved working with kids and had a great first day with them.

Arriving at VBS camp

VBS kids

David and Goliath skit

Learning Bible verses

Beautiful Children

Craft time

Cornerstone waterwell dedication

Our team traveled far to dedicate water wells to two villages. These wells cost about $1200 and will provide clean water to an entire village. It was awesome to see how excited the people were when we started to pump the water from these wells. The second well was special to us because it was donated by a couple from Cornerstone. John and Sue dedicated the well and the people celebrated with their drums when the water started flowing. What an exciting time this was!

Cornerstone sponsored well

Pastor Linn pumps some water

Harvest India crusade

We got to witness a massive crusade that  Harvest India put on. Thousands came from miles away on flatbeds pulled by tractors. Harvest India partnered with a church from Holland to put on this crusade. It was really late and only a few made it out. We didn’t want to miss this opportunity to see God work in an amazing way. There was music and they honored a police officer that was retiring after 30+ years for his good deeds to the public. Suresh spoke to the crowd and a Reverend from the Netherlands came and spoke the gospel message. He did and amazing job as the Holy Spirit was with him. Hundreds and hundreds came forward to receive Christ. What an amazing sight it was. Praise God! We got to meet with the staff from Holland and greet them from America. We then spent time praying for the people that needed prayer. What a blessing it was to be a part of this and see God work in a miraculous way.

– T. Timmons

God Story – Day 4

Rock Harbor church of Costa Mesa, CA has a long partnership with Harvest India and a huge presence here in India. They have sponsored many projects here. They also send teams for 3 to 6 month to stay and work along with Harvest India. Rock Harbor is how Cornerstone got connected with Harvest India. We had the opportunity to have breakfast with one of the teams here and hear how God is working in them. I was pretty inspired by them.

Our team was pretty small today as many of them are sick. We split into two groups to host two Sunday morning services in different locations. Ours was about a 40 minute drive out in a community that is known for making bricks. The church we held service in was pretty small, but they still managed to cram in over 80 people in this little building. It ended being a pretty intense service. As they we singing their traditional Indian worship songs, some of the ladies were screaming and their bodies began to go into compulsions. The Spirit was definitely here as I felt I was at a Pentecostal service. Many women gave tearful testimonies of how God had blessed their lives since coming to Christ. It was good to see a guy step up and give his as well (men typically shy away from the church in this culture). Brian sang some songs and Linn gave his testimony which led into a gospel message. He was on today. We went around and blessed the people of this church by praying for them.

We then drove out to the Hope Care Center, which is a HIV/AIDS hospice for sick patients. We met and prayed for some of the patients. For me, it was hard to pray for some of these patients knowing that some of them won’t be around too much longer. One lady shared her story. She is 25 and got HIV out of prostitution. But since coming to Christ, she is now in remission. There’s still some hope for these patients.

– T. Timmons

Harvest India – Day 4

Marty, Travis & Brian

We wore the traditional outfits of India for church.

Cornerstone team with Rock Harbor team

We traveled far to this little church to put on a worship service.

Sunday morning church service

Brain fires up the crowd

Pastor Linn brings the Word

Lisa Winters prays blessings on a woman

Amazing service!

Above – an Indian sunset. Below – The Hope Care Center, which is a HIV/AIDS hospice.

Hope Center

Examination room

Tonight was our final outreach. This was our third long trek of the day. We were tired, but we knew we had a job to do. This is truly an amazing team! There was a lot of energy at this event. Brian was fired up and cracked some jokes here and there. Rick did “Praise ye the Lord/Hallelujah” for worship and got the crowd into it by splitting them up for each part of the song. Mary Alice shared a powerful testimony and Pastor Linn brought the Word tonight. What a great outreach it was!

Villagers of Selapadu

Pastor Linn preaches the gospel

– T. Timmons

God Story – Day 3

Today was  a very busy crazy day like all of our days. We started out at the Mercy Camp. It is an event where we hand out food to about 300 kids. They are gypsies,street kids and children from a small poor village and children from an orphanage who has a place for them to stay but no food. They line the kids up and then we give them a banana, roll and hard-boiled egg.  This is all the food they receive for a week. The children were so happy to see us and loved touching us and talking to us. It was very emotional as we had more kids than food. We ran out of food and were looking into the faces of hungry children and had to walk away. Harvest India assured us they would find food and take it to them but to walk away from hungry children is a feeling I don’t care to repeat.  We then went to the nursing school. We had 2 nurses on the team who were able to pray and encourage these brave young women. The God stories from these young women are amazing.  Then to the Red light district. We went to encourage these women and show them the love of God. We handed out fruit and spent time with the women. In this area of town you just feel the evil and darkness on earth. when we walked in a young women was sitting with her daughter who was 4 months old. Her name was Pradma. I wondered about this mothers prayers, hopes and dreams for this child. She was so proud of her and let me hold her the whole time I was there. I couldn’t stop praying for the child and the family that this cycle could be broken. At all this events you can just see God working in these people’s life but at the same time your heart is just broken. To end the day we went to a church dedication. I have never seen so much pride and joy and love for Jesus Christ. We have so much to learn from these people. Their love of Christ, family and all the things that matter just shine from these people. It was one of the most joyous moments I have ever seen. I thank God for letting me share this path with him and being part of the Cornerstone Harvest India Team. I pray that my path connects here again.

MaryAlice Madoche

P.S.

I really miss my husband and small group but at the same time as you read this we are getting ready to leave India and I am extremely heartsick.

Harvest India – Day 3

We went to the Mercy camp today. Every Saturday Harvest India gives out some food to families in need. For most of these kids, it will be their only meal for the week. Next door is a clinic where they give free check-ups and medicine.

The nursing center is a place where these young girls can get an education. It’s awesome to see how passionate they are about what they do even though their education material is nothing like ours in the States. They sang to us and a couple of girls shared their testimony.

We had an emotional time visiting the Red-Light district. This is where women are sold into prostitution and men pay for their services each night. Harvest India has set up a clinic where they can be tested for HIV. They also share the love of Christ with them and do what they can to get them out of this horrible situation. We were definitely met with unwelcome faces by some of the men around. Even though we felt the presence of Satan is then place, the hope of Christ is here and in this little clinic that stands in the heart of the district.

 

At the outreach we did tonight, we got to dedicate a new church building to this village. There was a lot of joy in the their faces to have this new beautiful building to worship in. Marty prayed for the building as Pastor Linn cut the ribbon. We were doused with flower petals as we entered. Amanda gave her testimony and Rick Calcutt delivered the message for the evening.

God Story – Day 2

Hello everyone from India!  We  had a amazing day that God gave us. We went to a Leprosy Awareness Camp. We prayed, sang and gave food to them. It was beautiful to see God in these people who have nothing.  We went to the Elderly Home next. There we sang and prayed with women who had been abandoned by their families. There they are taken care of and told about how Jesus loves them. Next we went to a Medical camp where we help gave out medicines and prayed with people who are sick. After all that we the team were tired but gathered up and went to a outreach at a church that Cornerstone dedicated last year. It was amazing! I gave my testimony and Brian gave a beautiful sermon. The day was life changing for everyone! God has Blessed all of us here. I am grateful to be part of a great team and be able to serve others here and spread God’s word among a people who need hope. I want to tell my boys keegan and Emilio that I miss them and love them. I will be home soon. I also want say hello to everyone at Tempe Dialysis! God Bless you and miss you all!

Meg O’Brien