Hi all, Ben here. We wanted to take some time to make a final post about this year's trip. It's been tough the last week but we didn't want it to be Mission: Phil's Health. We wanted to leave you with some of the lessons we learned. One important lesson is how, despite culture, sin is common to man. The most important thing in life is staying faithful. I want everyone here to do well with their jobs, homes, family, etc... But it would be meaningless without eternal life. So I will pray for everyone's lives but only after I've prayed [View Full Entry]

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Family, What a wild and boring day! I really wanted Mitch, Laurel, and Deb to visit the HOPE home for elderly women since it is something that has really meant a lot to me in the past trips. So I stayed with Phil from early morning until just now. Short version: we'll all be home Wednesday night! Long version: the MRI and EEG were this morning and I got to talk to the neurologist here at Lakeshore Hospital. Most of the day was a lot of waiting. Waiting for the tests and then waiting for the test results. Phil was coming [View Full Entry]

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We wanted to let you know about a new development in Phil's health. He was coming back from dinner when he had a seizure. Saji and Sheeba were with him and ran to tell us. After a ridiculous ride to the hospital he was seen by an emergency doctor at one of the best hospitals in Kerala. They let us know that it was a seizure and not a stroke and he will be undergoing tests tomorrow. We will find out more about when and how he will be able to get home after all the results are back. He is [View Full Entry]

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Hi family, Ben here! It's not yet 6am but I wanted to come down to the computer room to go through all the comments you have been leaving for us. They are so refreshing to read and I try to print them off every so often so we can pass them around and even show the Indian brothers and sisters. In case you don't know how it works with Travelblog, I have to accept each comment to get it online or else some mean/indecent/anti-Christian junk might get posted. The other day when we were going to visit Phil in the hospital, [View Full Entry]

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So we're off to Cochin with Phil! He is doing great and actually better than he has been for most of the trip. We are taking an A/C cab to pick him up from the hospital and go directly to Cochin so he won't have to ride the train. Once we are there we will arrange our flights so he won't have to take the day long train ride back to Chennai. The doctor told us and him that he shouldn't fly due to a case of DVT and the clot is still there. So we will stick out the rest [View Full Entry]

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I hope the last post wasn't too distressing. Prayers really work, and God is powerful enough to work through people. It turns out that Phil did have a mini-stroke from a blood clot in his brain. They found it in a CT scan and gave him an anti-coagulant to start breaking it down. He has made a great turn around and has his spirit back. I'll let Mitch give his 1st hand account but I'm just in awe of God's divine intervention and perfect timing. We'll know more in the morning when we talk to the doctor but we have plenty [View Full Entry]

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Well...this morning is something that I will never forget even though I am wishing I could. All the important people have been notified so I feel like I can send out a public update. I'll just warn you now that my description might get graphic but i don't have time to think/rethink every word right now. Immediately after breakfast Phil suffered a seizure in the restaurant of the hotel. He could not move or speak and was shaking violently. His body was very stiff and it took all of us to get him on the floor with a towel under his [View Full Entry]

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It's been a whirlwind in Trivandrum! We just got here yesterday and we're leaving tomorrow. We did house visits and a leader's meeting yesterday and today we went evangelizing, the HOPE computer school, lunch appointments, more house visits, and midweek service. Phil gave a lesson to the whole church and then we split up so Mitch & Laurel could do a married's lesson while Deb and I taught the singles about service. I got to give Tara's book to the most beautiful girl in Kerala, Valentina. We met her on our first visit and last time I really bonded with her. [View Full Entry]

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We wanted to do a proper posting before we leave Madurai with all the photos. Hi Michigan folks! so this is our last night in Madurai. total bummer. The conference was super encouraging!! So far the most convicting thing I've heard was a lesson about going the extra mile for people. I really want to give more and then give more on top of that. The disciples here are sooo family oriented and are very willing to give and serve a lot. Love, Debbie Hello Detroit, Okay, let's try this again. I had a post started yesterday before we left Madurai [View Full Entry]

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So here are the pictures from madurai. Travelblog had some server problems over the last few days so these didn't get posted. We had a great time and finally got to go to a temple. It may seem like sight seeing but I think it's important for the mission team members to get a firsthand look at real Indian Hinduism. The sights, sounds, and smells of temple worship in Madurai are just not what you could learn in a classroom or going to a temple in Michigan. So we are now in Trivandrum and our first day was awesome! We went [View Full Entry]

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