An Incredible Adventure

My mind and heart have been full the last few days thinking about the trip I was part of this summer. Our team spent about two weeks in Southeast Asia, training teachers. The pastor and founder of the school we worked in was supposed to be here in Waco this weekend. We were saddened to learn that he had to travel home sooner than expected due to a family medical situation. In this post I am including a letter that I sent to supporters who made it possible for me to take this trip. Many have expressed how much they enjoyed reading about the trip. I thought more readers might like to know more about the trip. Enjoy!

Dear friends and family,

Thank you so much for your prayers and your financial support for my trip to Southeast Asia.  Our trip was incredible.  Some of your prayers were answered in these ways:

·         We travelled safely. 

Ø  Approximately 38 hours total in the air

Ø  Over 14 hours in vehicles in various states of repair (only one flat!)

Ø  Roads (NOT Texas highways!) shared with cows, oxen, pigs, dogs, chickens, water buffalo, pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles (with 1-5 people aboard)

Ø  Lane markers for decoration only

Ø  Culturally different definition of safe distance between vehicles.

·         We made all our travel connections

Ø  One close call where it seemed impossible, an angel dressed as an airline employee opened another line right where we stood, allowing us to avoid a very long wait and sprint to our flight!  (which was then delayed because the pilots were stuck in traffic) God does have a sense of humor!

Ø  Out of all the luggage for five team members and several bags of supplies for the school we visited, only two bags didn’t make the last flight home, but made it to Waco the same night.

·         Prayers for tolerance for the weather

Ø  There was rain and a “cold” front

Ø  We  sweated out all our “toxins”

Ø  The electricity worked most of the time

Ø  We didn’t melt!

·         Prayers for wisdom

Ø  We worked with teachers on “professional development” topics such as classroom management, learning styles, and lesson planning.  We taught them in what was probably their third language.  We presented ideas and models of education completely foreign to them.  God used our meager efforts to create a bond between teachers whose worlds couldn’t be more different.  They were grateful and appreciative of the information we presented.  They were excited to have some new ideas.  They were beginning to implement some of those while we were there.  I am completely humbled.  I will have a whole different outlook on my professional development in August!

·         Prayers for divine appointments

Ø  We met so many incredible people on this trip.  People who face persecution daily because of their decision to follow Christ.  We met pastors and a leader with a vision to transform his country for his Savior.  We met teachers who work in primitive conditions with extremely limited resources.  They teach with smiles on their faces and with the joy of the Lord in everything they do.  We met children who captured our hearts with their smiles and their laughter.  I met and prayed for Josephine, a single mom who has two daughters.  Josephine also lost a son.  God crossed our paths across thousands of miles.  I am amazed.

Ø  We worshipped on Sunday with a group of believers.  We spoke different languages (there were translators), our day to day lives are vastly different, but the God we serve is the same.  We shared testimony with them, we saw the hope and the joy of Jesus in their faces, we heard it in their singing, and we saw it in their dancing.  Yes, we danced in church.  We saw these believers bring offerings of rice.  We saw these people who have nothing materially share with their village by feeding them lunch after church. 

Ø  We found the Proverbs 31 woman.  Srimanti was our hostess for six nights and seven days.  She prepared three meals a day for our team and her family and extended family (at least 20 people each meal). She did this in a little room about 4 feet by 6 feet, with a two burner heating element (like a camp stove).  She has a small refrigerator but it only works when the electricity is on.  She refused to let us help in any way.  We MADE her sit down after one meal and our team members tried to wash her feet.  She would have nothing of it, but asked us to pray for her.  The five of us gathered around her and prayed.  She doesn’t speak but a few English words, but as we prayed she sobbed.  I will never forget that moment.

I hope I have given you a glimpse of how we saw God working halfway around the world.  The school we were in is an outreach from a family of believers to their Hindu community.  It has helped this family to be more accepted by their neighbors.  The vision of the school’s founder is to add a junior high and a high school as well as a hospital.  The land is purchased.  I look forward to seeing how God transforms this village through the faithful obedience of this family.  While we were there our FBC Woodway VBS raised over $7000 for this school.  The money will be used to provide running water at the school and to finish construction of the second story, increasing classroom space.  (Right now two teachers have 70 three and four year olds in one class).

Please pray for the students and teachers of APS (the school).  Please pray for the family that started and runs this school.  Pray that the school will continue to be a tool to bring the love of Jesus to that village and the surrounding villages.  Pray that the founder’s vision of a Teacher’s Academy, to train teachers to start other schools like this one in other areas, will come to reality.  God is doing a great work in that country.  Thank you again for your prayers and your support.                

Michelle Ruddell

“But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  1 Peter 3:15