This
week we had the opportunity to visit many different festivals. Our team went to
a Burmese festival, Lao Buddhist Festival, and Hindu festival. To the left is a
picture of the Sri Ganesha Temple in Nashville, and this temple celebrates and
is the house of worship for the Hindu god Ganesha, the god of wealth, blessing,
and success. The day we went was a special day because it was a festival where
Hindus celebrate the gods coming to them. In India, the gods are put on very
large carts and pulled through villages and towns, but in America they put the
gods on a cart and pull them around the parking lot.
When we first walked into the area of worship, I was struck by the loud
clanging and yelling and megaphones. These people told me that they were making
loud noises to wake up their gods so they would pay attention to them. Then
they lifted each god out of its shrine and placed it on a large cart to be
pulled by the people. This was a very sad experience, and I felt sorry for
these people who feel as though they have the responsibility of waking,
bathing, feeding, and moving their gods. These gods aren't really gods at all.
Our God, the only God, cannot be contained. He doesn't sleep, and He always
hears His people when they call to Him. Jesus came to the earth to save
sinners, offering a relationship with God to all those who are found in Him.
After the Hindu Temple visit, we visited the Lao Buddhist Temple festival that
we were invited to by Khambang. Khambang was the head of security for the
temple, protecting the royal family, who have been exiled from Laos by the
Communist government. We were able to meet a few people at this festival and
share Christ with some people of peace. My team split into groups of two and
prayer walked the festival, praying for open doors and people of peace to share
Christ with. I met a guy named PQ who was a devout Buddhist, but after talking
with him I believe he realized that I was right, but he did not want to give up
his religion, which he believed to be a vital part of his culture and heritage.
I met another guy named Key who was a nominal Buddhist, and his sister is a
follower of Christ. I shared Creation to Christ, but he said that his sister
already told him all about Jesus. I gave him a Jesus film and prayed for him as
he left.
About this time I was feeling really bummed because no one would talk to us. I
was about to give up and head home, but a man named Wayne just came up to us
and started talking with us! He began to tell us about how he came to America
as a refugee, and told us how thankful he was for our team for what we are
doing with refugees in the Nashville area. He told us, "You know, it's
sad. I will never see you all again... Unless I give you my contact
information!" He proceeded to give us all of his contact information and
told us he wanted to meet us again soon to talk about Jesus!
So we've been in and out of places of deep darkness, but the Lord has prevailed
in all of them. A little light can expel much darkness, and the Lord is more
powerful than forces of evil and the lies they have spoken. He was powerful
enough to shut the mouths of the hungry lions to save Daniel, and He is
powerful enough to change hearts through prayer and the faithful preaching of
the gospel.
The Lord is doing great things here in Nashville.
- Pray for our national network of
people ministering to Kurds
- Pray for a website resource we
will be creating this week to reach Kurds
- Pray for new relationships and for
solid followup with already established ones
- Pray for visions and dreams of Jesus
- Pray big things (world vision)