Thailand and Bangalore

Hello Everyone! God is so good. Currently we have our 7th and 8th teams in India right now. Life is crazy, but I am learning how to walk in peace. Jesus has been so gentle and patient with me as I learn how to be a better administrator and how to disciple my girls more effectively. I am thankful so his overflowing grace in my life.

My mom was just in town this past June! She and I try to see each other every 6 months... and this time she treated me to a trip to Thailand! We went to an amazing beach resort on the Island of Phuket and stayed at a resort called the Disit Thani. We got a massage, we spent some quality time in the pool, and shopping at all the western stores! It was so refreshing and fun to have a peaceful vacation just the 2 of us. Mom came back to India with me after being in Thailand and we got go see the Taj Mahal. It was really great for my mom to see my life in India and I think in the future we will be able to connect more because she understands what it is like to live in India.

Things are really picking up here. I have 3 girls I am training and many more I am following up with from short-term teams.

Prayer:
-That I would have 3 solid MBB girls (Muslim background believers) I am investing in
-That God would establish Diane's house church and multiply it quickly
-That I would be one who lives in the grace of God in all that I do at all times!

Blessings from India,
Gabe

The Value of Life

Something God is repeatedly bringing to me are women who are having pregnancy crises in India. The Lord is revealing to me how many girls have abortions here (I think it is higher than in the US). Pregnancy outside of wedlock in one of the most shameful things a young woman can do, most will be cut off completely from their families, and some even fear for their lives. Birth control is not common in India either so unwanted pregnancy happens all the time. Young women are scared and feel they have no other choice but the abort their babies. I have found myself in two different situations in the past couple months where girls have been faced with forced abortions and/or unbelievable pressure from others to get ride of the babies. One baby was saved only because Nick and I intervened and helped her get away, and one we lost to abortion. Please pray with me that God would intervene and stop this injustice! We need insight and wisdom into how to help these women and provide safe places for them to give birth.

My many job titles

After living here for 7 months my resume looks pretty impressive...
Here are the top 17 most interesting jobs I've taken on since living here... Enjoy!

1.) Director of Campus Development for a consultancy company

2.) Worship Leader at churches

3.) Chef... I specialize in making things from scratch: cookies, salsa, noodles, fudge etc...

4.) Auto Mechanic... I specialize in motorized scooters and things with 2 wheels!

5.) Professional Exterminator... no cockroach has lived long after I laid eye on it!!!

6.) Marriage Counselor.... aparently you don't need to have any marriage experience in order to do this... right?

7.) Employment Consultant... I specialize in writing and reviewing resumes aparently...

8.) Antiabortion Advocate/Crisis Pregnacy Caretaker (this one is not funny!)

9.) Personal Driver... who says a scooter can only hold 2 people...

10.) Communications Anaylist... I specialize in yelling at disfuncational internet companies and rickshaw drivers...

11.) Skype Tech Support... Why call skype's helpline when I can help you figureout how to download skype, call Asia, use a webcam, put headphones into your computer, figureout why there is no sound coming, or indentify what "that" buzzing noise is?

12.) Telephone Hotline Host... I get about 5-10 calls a day where the conversation consists of "HI... so... tell me... 'tell you what'... 'What are you doing?' 'I'm in a meeting is there anything you need?' 'I just haven't heard from you in a long time...' 'I just saw you yesterday...'"

13.) Languist... in this city there are acutally 5 spoken/recognized languages and you never know who will know which one!

14.) Plumber... If the smell lasts longer than a day you have a problem!!

15.) Nutricianist... just the fact that i know what a food pyramid is and that drinking water is good for you makes me qualified for this position...

16.) English Tutor... "say victory"... "ok wictery"...

17.) Rancher... you never know when a cow will cross the line from public to private territory... and you have to be prepared to take action on the streets!

Dubai

A camel ride along the beach!

See the nose ring? yay for my friends who held my hand through the whole ordeal!

Me and a team mate in the traditional Emirate dress...

Me and my roomie chillin at the beach...

This is the worlds tallest building...

Me and Pria Mia

Well, after an incredibly stressful month I found myself at the mercy of my team leader insisting that we go on a 6 day trip to Dubai for a team retreat... It was the most restful and amazing trip I have ever been on!  Dubai is in the United Arab Emirates on the Gulf Coast near Saudi Arabia! We spent time on the beach and shopping at the worlds biggest mall!  I also got my nose pierced!!!! It was really great to reconnect as a team and get some extra R&R.  Dubai was a great place to rest because the culture is very calm, the city is clean, and they have all the american restaurants you can imagine... Chili's, Jonny Rockets, and Taco Bell are just a few.  Here are some pictures of our trip! 

Christmas overseas!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  It is so good to back I had the best time in Italy. I got to reconnect with my family and spend quality time laughing, doing puzzles, and eating western food!  I am so blessed to have such supportive parents!  

We had such a great time in Italy! We first started out in Rome where we enjoyed pizza, the Sistine chapel, and all the ancient Roman ruins.  Then we traveled to Florence where we stayed in an apartment we rented and feasted on homemade pasta and antipasti... and basked in the many Renaissance art museums.  Then on to the Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Italian Alps to ski and enjoy some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen.   The best part of the trip was how much we laughed and enjoyed each others company... I was so sad though that my brother and sister-in-law could not make it... Christmas just seemed to be missing something.