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APX Fan Returns from India
Sat., Apr. 14. 2007 2:38pm EDT
Kelli Frantik is a longtime fan and friend of ApologetiX. She even promoted one of our concerts, back in 2005. When we found out she'd gone to India for a mission trip, we asked her to recap her experiences for us once she returned:
I have recently returned from a fantastic mission trip to southern India, and J. asked me to jot down a few things from my trip. It will have to start with HUGE thank yous for the prayers of not only the ApologetiX band, but also some of our friends among their many fans. It was such a blessing to open my email in India (when I could) to find emails from J telling me that the band was praying for my journey all along the way. I can tell you, I felt them!
I have been a missionary to India for about seven years now, and this was my fourth trip there. This time was a little different, in that our "call" was to train pastors in the Word and to equip others to minister to the many millions of children in India. In fact, the statistics are a bit bleak;there is only one pastor for about every five-hundred believers and India has more children than the entire population of adults AND children in the U.S. This can be overwheling, but, thankfully, God does not see things as insurmountable and, He certainly does not entertain "human limitations" -- another praise the Lord!
India is a country of over one billion people, among who only five percent are Christian. The majority are Hindus (80%) and Muslims (15%). In a place where one sees a temple every five hundred feet that houses a powerless idol god, or where one sees women terribly oppressed and clothed in all black (in 120 degree temperatures!) One also finds a very gentle, gracious people -- hungry, both physically and mentally. A place where Christians are beaten and thrown out of their homes and villages for the sake of Christ.
While in India, I met a leper, met and prayed for a village witch doctor (who is now a believer!), visited tribal villages hours inside the jungle that had never seen a white person, trained about 150 pastors in ministry to children, saw a woman demon-possessed who fell at my feet begging for forgiveness and freedom from her demons (she went on to receive the Lord THAT night!) The past three weeks have been amazing, and unforgettable!
I would again extend my thanks and appreciation for all prayers on behalf of those in India. It is a "lost" country, knowing no better than to follow the traditions and religion of their forefathers -- a country in spiritual bondage to idol worship and false deities -- a country desparate to know the truth, but a country where a majority of the people earn less than $1.00 per day! A country where 11,000 children die per day, many who die of preventable diseases. A country where people bathe with animals, because they know no better. A country where a mere 10% of the population are educated. Please, please keep praying.
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