Adventures in Up Country

I knew when we showed up at the bus station at 4:30am Friday morning, piled into the "luxury" (ha ha) van, where we jammed ourselves in between sl-ians all so we could have a seat, that it was going to be an interesting weekend.  We drove for about 4 hours as the big city began to slowly turn into windy mountain roads.  Of course there was an obvious tea stop along the way, and a few transportation changes, before we actually reached our destination.  Honestly, this weekend was all about the unknown.

About two weeks before, Ashley and I had met a Pastor here, through our supervisor.  This man was said to know people who know people who know people....SO, we were attempting to network and hopefully find some women that we could begin discipling/ teaching henna storying to.  This man told us about his ministry to the Hin. people of SL.  He began telling us how he goes Up Country often for outreach weekends and partners with churches.  He helps do evangel. and the churches are left to disciple and mentor.  He told us that we were welcome to join for this outreach weekend and we could help lead a small portion of it.  All of the hin. people here speak Tamil, so we were pretty excited/nervous about this.  After all this was our first big weekend like this.

One of the first faces that greeted us as we got off the bus and arrived at the church. 

Left:  This is the church that is sitting on the side of one of the mountains here.  Above:  One of coolest things I seen while here.  These are the infamous tea fields of SL.  AND actual tea pickers out    doing their thing!!  It was amazing to see this. :)

Can't really tell in this pic, but when they saw me taking a photo of them, these two women stopped and waved!  

Friday ended with a crazy rickshaw ride in the dark down the mountain, freezing, and eating dinner and staying in a complete strangers house.  Don't worry everyone, the man was a pastor and his family was really sweet.   We knew when we walked in, everything was going to be ok.  (Hillsong was coming from the speakers of their computer so it was a nice taste of home!)  I couldn't help but think how cool this was!  Moments before, we were in a panic because we had nowhere to stay and they were telling me to just stay with this random man and his family that I didn't know.  Next thing we know, they have made dinner for us, and gave us one of their rooms.  It was very Paul-esque and amazing to see the Father providing before our very eyes.  

Saturday we awoke to hot tea and a large water bottle that the pastor's wife had boiled for us.  (Bottled water was hard to come by there, and there certainly wasn't any hot water.  In order to get clean drinking water or take a bath, you had to boil your water.  This was quite an ordeal.  On a slightly more disgusting note, this no hot water thing and it being so much colder in the mountain area, there was no way I was getting in a freezing cold shower...aka no shower for about 3 and 1/2 days.  That's right, we were pretty gross!)

We went to the church and had a prayer meeting with the members there and then Ashley and I got up and led them in the story of Jesus Calms the Storm...In TAMIL!  Wasn't perfect but was really cool!  We then had volunteers get up and act it out.  We explained how we can share the gospel by telling bible stories...that this story can lead us into sharing our testimony.  And then we showed them the henna design that was on our hand and how it explains this story.  They loved it! 

We handed out the designs to everyone who was there (there were about 50 some people).  We told them the rule was if they had the design on their hand then they had to share.  Those were the rules.  

Later that day, we hiked down the side of a mountain in the rain and mud to get to the hin. village where the church would be sharing the gospel through preaching, songs, and dance.  The second day that we were there, we had another prayer meeting with the church and walked to the same hin. village.  This night they showed the Jesus Film.  People came out of their houses to watch the movie that was rigged up with an old sheet and and wooden poles.  :)  

Right: Sweet little old lady that was loving the music!  Left:  The amazing Pastor that invited us along on this crazy adventure in the mountains.  

Some of the sweet girls at the church that preformed a cultural dance.  And apparently, the people in Up Country LOVE plaid saris...I think they look table cloths but what do I know?

These cute little faces were all  over the village.   :)  They were fascinated with us.  

All in all, it was a great weekend!  We were certainly exhausted when we got back into town on Monday morning at 6am...But excited about everything that God had done this weekend.   Join us in praying for these people.  Pray for the believers here to see the importance of follow-up and discipleship.  Pray that the women here would be bold and realize that they have a part in sharing the good news as well!