Week of July 6, 2008
- Pastor David Hillis
- Jul 7, 2008
"Here, we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything – even die." — Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan
As we worked in and among the people of Kashmir and northern India, these words and others from the New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea took on such a vivid reality and meaning. Through our surveying, our struggles, setbacks, and most importantly, our supporting and rejoicing with those who are giving of their lives to make a difference for Christ in these parts of the world which might as well be light years from us because they are so different, we learned so much. We are grateful that we were able to be an encouragement to these heroes, and hope that our team will be an encouragement to you this Sunday when we share from some of our reflections of the trip. In the meantime, you can read a little bit online from a brief article called "Reflections from Kashmir" I just posted here. In a couple of days I will have a daily trip log and tons of pictures posted on my personal website, www.hillises.info.
By the way, if you want a good read that give you the ability to peer into this strange and remote part of the world, pick up a copy of Three Cups of Tea at your local bookstore or online. It’s the story of a mountaineer name Greg Mortenson who, after a failed attempt to climb K2, encountered the people of this region and has now made it his life’s mission to build schools for these people, who otherwise have no form of education offered to them except those offered by radical Islamist madrassas. It’s a book you won’t be able to put down! His first school was built just a few miles north of where we were, just north of the current Indian/Pakistani line of control in eastern Pakistan.
Thanks to all of you for your sincere prayers and support of our team before and during our days there. We are forever grateful for you!
As I stepped back into Hope last week, I saw that things hadn’t missed a beat in our absence. Duane and I were like two ships passing last week, as he went on vacation the day I returned (pray for him and his family, as they take some long-deserved days of rest!) Things are going on all around us…opportunities for us to connect, to grow, and to serve as God leads each of us. Here are just a few of those things to keep in mind in the coming days:
- Navajo Nation trip … this weekend. Please keep our team of 17 in your prayers!
- Connect Sunday … this Sunday. Free lunch will be provided to all those who are new to Hope, others will pay a small charge for lunch which will go toward helping our East Valley Men’s Center team serve the men there in the months to come. There will also be a tour of the campus for all those interested, led by Pastor Duane. We will also be sharing some opening reflections from the India trip during the services.
- Cool in the Pool … this Sunday evening! … please invite your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family, to help make this event worthwhile!
Finally, thanks for all of your support over these summer months. Thanks also to all who have helped assess and even repair/replace the items at the church that have broken unexpectedly over the last week and a half … the projector in the auditorium, the water main leading into the building, and two A/C units that began leaking in classrooms on Sunday. You may not have been noticed by those around you for your secret acts of love and service, but God does!
Love you all,
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