Dyed-in-the-Wool

DEFINITION: Not fading no matter how many washings

When I got back in the van as our car careened down the dirt road with its consistent honking warning pedestrians, bicyclists and cows to get out of our way, I just had to break into song:

"Oh victory in Jesus, my Saviour forever, He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood. He loved me err I knew Him and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood."

The song, often referred to as the "Battle Cry of the Baptists.", there was nothing my soul felt more fitting for this Sunday's experiences.

We began the day with worship at the local church and were informed on Saturday, we would be giving the whole message. "ready in season and out", I turned and said to V. She just gave a smirk, followed by a cough, she had acquired somewhere along the way.

"He sent His disciples out two by two."

Our teamwork has been effortless and with familiar ease, V gives the "intro" and then I follow with a trick - back to her and a craft or song - back to me with a story, back to her with the Gospel presentation - the "Hope & Crosby" - "Laurel & Hardy" of "Abbott & Costello" of the rural evangelism circuit. A "straight man" and the proverbial "clown". Hey, what works - works well.

During the service V actually succumbed to her illness and had to cut short her message. AS she went outside for fresh air and ...

several children soon surrounded her - curious, but also sharing in her obvious discomfort and suffering. They were afraid to touch her, but she made for interesting watching.

Inside the church Past J explained how the "New Hope Baptist" was built after the tsunami swept away the previous facility. Now with a much stronger construction, if there was another such calamity, refuge could be sought in the steadfast concrete building.

"A wise man builds his house upon the rocks."

V had temporarily recovered enough after our portion of the program to take a drive along the Bay of Bengal beach. It was a unique experience considering our driver actually took us all the way down to the shoreline and traveled the length of the beach with the water splashing under the tires.

There were various forms of bathing attire - nude children, men clad in a wide array (and lengths of shorts) but all the women had on their saris as the waves washed over the long folded lengths of fabrics and wet the ends of their long braided hair.

We headed back to the hotel so V could rest and Pastor J and R and I went to the restaurant for our daily fare of noodles, butter naan, and water. We shared life stories, visions of great harvests to come and hope for the future. I did have a short rest before leaving for the evening village meeting.