Well, it is Sunday night and my final WIN INDIA update is written
from my home recliner on Bainbridge Island. It is so good to be home.
The trip home seemed very long. I became ill with probably
bronchial and allergy infection, congestion, and no voice, plus the
resulting jet-lag and no energy.
Friday was our last day in India -- and true to the previous 17 days, it
was full of unexpected surprises. At 10 AM when we were ready for a
meeting with Jacob, he called from the hotel lobby to say 4 visitors
from the Leprosy Colony had arruved to visit me (the big blonde
mama from last year that had not been able to visit them with the rest
of the WIN India Team on the first Sunday). I told them to take the group
to the restaurant and we would be right down. He called back to say that
the motel management did not want the lepers in the restaurant scaring
off their regular tea customers. So they set us up in the banquet
hall instead. It is a 2-hour ride by auto to their Leprosy Colony village, so I
was quite moved by their determination to visit me.
From their visit we learned:there are 65,000 lepers in India; 150 lepers and their families (250 total) in
their own leprosy colony. Their only income is from begging in the city. They
have invited 400 people from nearby villages to special evangelistic meetings
on March 20,21,22. We gave them 22,000 rupees to provide food for all who
come to the special meetings (John 8:12). They also have an urgent need of
$40. a week to purchase bandages for the 40 ulcer patients whose bandages
must be changed 3 times a week. The government only provides 1 bandage
per person. It was amazing to me to learn that we are the only white people
(American or British) who has ever visited this leprosy colony.
Throughout the day, many People came to our hotel tell us goodbye: Manoj and
Shirly Sharma (our WIN India Public School leaders); Aneesh and Shanti Daniel
(the TV/Film Producers); Dhanraj Kota (Olive Church pastor and St. John's School
schoolmaster); Stella, Sam and mom Mary with BEAM Ministries; and Cheryl and
daughter, who work with the prostitutes and their children.
We had a blessed time with my neice, Nicole, in her final move-in of stuff from the hotel to her
house, and then prayer and anointing the house for God's work and removal of all
signs of the Hindu idols that lived there before. Our friend Arun (who runs 2 orphanages)
joined us in prayer and farewells. It was hard to leave them, but good knowing they
are happy in the place God has put them.
The entire hotel front desk and management staff, housekeeping boys, room service attendants,
restaurant wait staff, all came outside to help us into the autos and
taxi cabs and stand at attention when we pulled out of the drive to leave for the airport.
They brought gifts and asked us to please return. We pray God will impress them with
His love and that we may have had a positive influence in teaching them about Jesus.

Airport lines, packed planes, and 2 flights (one 9 hours and one 14 hours) seemed to
stretch on forever and ever. But in the end, we knew without a doubt that God had prepared
every step of the way for us... and most of us can't wait to go back again (after eating
the best hamburger in town and taking a good hot bath). We experienced more cold
showers and brown outs (power outages) than we care to count. But we also felt
more love and pure joy at sharing Christ's love with our brothers and sisters a world
away than we could have possibly imagined.
I am home for a little while. The tremendous needs in India are seared in our hearts
and minds. We'd love to answer your questions and let you know how you can be
involved or plan to go back to India with us in December or January. Please continue
to pray for India and the dear ones we left behind: Nicole, Arun, Dhanroj, Jacob, Manoj
and Shirly, Aneesh and Shanti, Cheryl, Stella and Sam, the village pastors and
evangelists, and so many more.
Thanks so much for standing with us with your love and prayers,
elaine colvin, www.christianwritersinfo.net