Details I didn't include

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there are few details that I didn't include on couple of the past blogs that I wanted to simply add.

First: What broke my heart the most about Moni was that when I gave her my journal to draw pictures of after she told me about her brother leaving...one of the first things that she drew was a picture of a Hindu temple. This really broke my heart, but because here is this girl, crying, who needs some great hope in her life and she draws a picture of, what i consider, to be an image of oppression on the poor and suffering for centuries. People like Moni need Jesus. A church building needs to be the image they draw when they are in pain.

Second: The dying man in Kokata was only about 25 years old. I lay stroking a dying man's hair that is almost exactly my age. A single change in God's providence and I am that man dying, and he is the one with all the 'blessings'. It simply is not fair. I asked the nun about their stories but she did not know them exactly because they find them alone on the streets. She did tell me the most common story is that the men will do something to be excommunicated from their family and they are on their own. Then, they will get an injury or sick and nobody is there to help them. Their injury or sickness will overtake them causing them to have no hope for food...and no aid from others who care about them. There are none who care about them. So, they lay alone, dying, in the streets unable to even help themselves. Yeah, that happens in the world today.

I wish I could write more about that experience, but I have still yet to process. As I was talking to another foreigner a few days later about poverty in India I began to feel overwhelmed. The other person had never seen perfect despair before and told of poverty as if it was in a book. As she talked I could only see that mans face and tears began to surface. Fortunately, it was dark and I immediately ended the conversation. By no means am I meaning I am expert on poverty simply because I gave massages, food and water to the most desperate. I only gained humility.

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Comments

[John Pewitt]

Amen brother, amen. Love you man and I love what you are doing. =) Don't give up.

[melissa moslow]

silenced
Dear Jason, The knowledge one gains looking into the conditions of stark reality is silencing. The wiser one grows...the more quiet one becomes. Why do you think Job fell to silence when confronted with WHO GOD IS? Compared to his own complete helplessness it was enough to give him no recourse but that of covering his mouth. What can be said? The stark reality he had looked into concerning life was his very own suffering. Intense and deep loss and horrific suffering. And then he was confronted with the stark reality of a God-encounter on top of that! Wisdom gained is silenced learned. Yes. BUT, God will grow that too. You will bring it all back home and process it and listen as the Father unfolds the meaning HE intends for these affects to have in your life of service to Him. Jason, God will give you something to DO with the wisdom and compassions He is stirring in your heart. He is a God of action. His servants are as well. All in His time. It starts with humbling. God's work in us starts with humbling. Remember how the word says that He humbles and THEN He lifts up. You are in the humbling place now. Wait. You will be somewhere else BECAUSE of that in - - - His time. God bless you little brother. I am praying for you.

[Nina]

Sending Love and Hope
Jason, the letters you write break my heart. I know that you are where you want to be and I know that you are strong enough to see the good through the pain, but I want you to know that I suffer in my heart and soul for these poor people. I pray for you nightly. Please take care. Love, Nina

[Lisa]

praying for you and the people of India too
Jason, the people of India have truely been blessed with a beautiful God chosen man with a message to tell. Your blogs have moved us to tears and humbles our hearts. We see what your doing and know why your doing it. God bless you. Praying for you daily.Love, Lisa

[Pete]

Making a Difference
Dear Friend, thank you for continuing to fill us in. Today I was contacted by a parent of one of the volleyball players I used to coach. She is in India now and apparently could use some encouragement. You may hear from her mother via this page. I gave her this link. I just returned from a three day retreat with CAK. I was thrilled to see a student give his life to Christ. But seeing references to what you witnessed at CICM humbles my sense of perspective about such things. For every little bit we see God moving here, he is moving mountains elsewhere. Praise His Name! You are in our hearts, thoughts, prayers. We are grateful to be under the same great God through His Son Jesus Christ. Pete

[Brenda Overfelt]

Thank you Jason for sharing what you see and feel with me so I can understand a little of what you're experiencing. For a long time now I have not allowed myself to really see others' pain and suffering and I'm finally making myself to do more of it. I realize what I see has been nothing compared to what you're seeing. To hear first hand has been an eye opener for me. Love, Brenda

[Emilee Read]

(none)
Jason, I can barely fathom the feeling that you must be feeling from seeing all the poverty. It's crazy to think that in a world full of ipods, flatscreens, and fast food, that people are still living on the streets. Often in America I think that we see these people as movie characters. Something that isn't real. The saddest part of it all, is that many of those poor people who have no food in their systems and are physically dying, have more spiritual life than we do. Thank you for updating. love, Emilee

[onlooker]

your image of oppression on the poor and suffering for centuries??
A Hindu temple is your image of oppression on the poor and suffering for centuries? That is rank insensitivity, sir!! Not sure whether you have read the history of your country to begin with? Are you under the delusion that people who slaughtered the native Americans to near extinction and former slave owners and racist segregationists from the south were heathen and not practicing Baptists?? Talk about hypocrisy, blind faith and selective memory!!