The Dennis Life

Thursday. Day 4. 

We had a little time this morning which was nice because I was up so late last night journaling from last night’s experience. We were scheduled to leave for our afternoon venue around 10am so had time to sleep in a little and leisurely breakfast. So, OK, since this whole trip has been true confession time, like not having my luggage and vanity issues, and other little Mrs. Magoo things that happened, last night I left my wallet downstairs in the area where I was typing on my laptop and really panicked this morning when I realized what I had done. I calmly told the girls I couldn’t find my wallet (which had over $400 in various kinds of currency), and then flew downstairs to see if by some chance the hotel had picked it up last night. Well, this is my walk of faith time; everyone kept telling me that my luggage would arrive safely and that my wallet would be found and in one piece, and that God is good and good for His Promises. He is! To my great surprise and pleasure, one of the hotel hosts had turned in the wallet to Lost and Found and everything was there! I guess my head’s in the clouds and God’s Head is taking care of business…

Before I share about our afternoon event I want to tell you about our Hindi praise team friends.

Shannon was the IWI Ascend 07 Hindi worship leader on rhythm guitar and was joined by Samuel on the drums, Benny on lead guitar and a female and male vocalist (I realize now I never did know their names). They all came together from different New Life Fellowship churches around Mumbai. Buddy and Sion eventually joined the Hindi team to round out the instruments and eventually, we all ended up on the platform because it was just so much fun and we just wanted to be a part of it. During the IWI worship team songs, Shannon and Benny would join us on guitar, so we truly had an international worship team (I video taped some Hindi worship with my camera and some day I hope to put the video clip here).

Benny, http://bennyprasad.com/, has an amazing testimony that he shared with us during the Ascend conference and played his rendition of ‘Shout to the Lord.’ God gave him an idea for a guitar and bongos and he designed a guitar that has two bongos built into the top part of the guitar. He has a burn to reach all of India for Christ, so he recorded background music to be used for T.V. and radio commercials and now he’s proud to say that all over India, ‘Shout to the Lord’ ‘Shout to the Lord’ arr. by Benny Prasad‘ (from “When The Music Fades” by Benny Prasad) is playing for the general populace. He definitely had a big twinkle in his eye when he shared that and was very thrilled about it! He follows wherever God tells him to go and now has an international ministry. Later this year he will be joining Darlene Zschech (the songwriter) in Australia for more ministry and to play with her group. The interesting thing about Benny is that when you just talk to him one-on-one, he is very light hearted, playful and fun loving, and when he starts talking about His walk with God, he becomes very focused, serious and emanates the Power of God in His life and speaking.

So wonderful to meet and get to know our Hindi friends!

And so, our week continues…on to our afternoon venue with an intensive training session with the pastors and worship leaders, and then a high tea in our honor. It’s all so fun!!  Really this just ended up being one big worship session that was a continuation of the Power and outpouring from last night’s event. We must have worshipped for an hour and finally LaMar called up all the worship leaders to come to the front and prayed anointing and impartation over them. Again, the Power of God filled the room and we were all moved deeply, some to tears and audible weeping. Suddenly, I noticed that Sion was ministering over one of the worship leaders out front and I wondered why I still heard the keyboard. I looked over, and Cheri later explained that he had motioned her over and had her hold down the sustain pedal and one of the keys on the keyboard. Just had to keep a little earthly perspective there (and didn’t want my imagination to run away with me that I was hearing heavenly keyboards - not that your keyboards weren’t heavenly Sion, just checking to make sure an earthly being was at the keys!!). Man! Wow, this signs and wonders stuff really gets you going…!!

OK, I’m going to preach again for a minute…I wish I could convey to you the Power in the moment of these experiences. I hope they never become commonplace or a mere memory, and that I might keep them uppermost in my mind and heart to revisit so that my soul stays satisfied with the knowledge that God is real and palpable in the world and that we can all have a Direct, Life-giving experience of Him!! I believe He wants us to know Him in that way, to have direct and life-changing contact with Him and to receive everything that He has for us. One of the most important things I have learned on this trip is that He is the Creator, and He can definitely dream bigger and knows better than me, and can and does orchestrate events that I would never even imagine or dream. And, that when I “get out of the way” and let Him in and through, things happen that are beyond my scope of understanding or knowing. He goes beyond where I can even think! And all this happens and grows when we worship Him, proclaiming the attributes of His Might, Majesty, Omnipotence, and Power!!

At one point, Sion invited Shannon up on the platform and prophesied over him and spoke out that Shannon would be fundamental and initial in leading out the other Hindi worship leaders. Shannon was moved to tears and received all the love and support we all had to offer. There were lots of female worship leaders up front as well and afterwards I sought some of them out and really encouraged them to step up and step out in their roles. I spoke with Diana who is being raised up in Shannon’s church. Here is a miracle testimony of faith. Diana’s fellows at her church prophesied over her that she should be involved in praise and worship. She had never sung before, has never had music lessons, or played the keyboards. She still has not had music lessons but sings like a bird and plays the keyboards well; she said YES! to God and just started playing and singing. Amazing, yet true…

LaMar gave a very wise talk on the importance of worship leaders and pastors coming together, so they’re on the same page, and can work together to minister to and grow their congregations in their walk with God. He explained the importance of the leaders having a shared and common vision of the foundational importance and magnitude of True worship and doing it together. He had the pastors come down front and stand next to their worship leader and pray and worship together while Shannon led us in a couple of Hindu worship songs. Boy we started dancin and jumpin again. Worship is so fun in India!!

Afterwards, we spent time talking to everyone there and were free to walk into the adjoining room where a beautiful high tea was set up buffet style. There was every kind of food imaginable; Indian, British type finger sandwiches, European type foods, tea, coffee, punch, desserts galore. It was beautifully presented and very tasty.

We left from there and were whisked through the night, out of the serene surroundings of the Taj Lands End hotel, back onto the honking, chaotic traffic congested streets of Mumbai (I have a clip of that too I hope to share one day soon). We shared a meal with our friends from the Sower of Seeds Ministries, Dwayne and Leslie and their children, and local pastor Shelton and his wife Melissa, Shannon, Benny, and the rest of the IWI team. Leslie said the food at Caravan Serai was the best and nicest Indian food she’d had in Mumbai, and she was right.

I had Indian food every chance I had and have to tell you that, yes, even I who love Indian food and eat it whenever possible, had my fill while I was there. I think I will go awhile now without curry and be OK!!! All the Nan bread was freshly baked and hot out of the oven, and we were given many appetizers and humus and lentil dips to go with our hot bread. The smell of fresh bread and Indian spices filled the room. And the waiters just kept bringing out dish after dish of delicious Indian cuisine. I usually eat Vegetarian and had so much Gobi, every kind you can imagine, but that night, my favorite, Aloo Gobi — YUM (it is in a rich curry sauce with cauliflower, peas, and potatoes)!!!

Dinner over, and back into the night, on a dare, Matt decided to take a ride in a Rickshaw. Rickshaws are open, three-wheeled vehicles and not much bigger than a golf cart. We saw many close calls between taxis, Rickshaws and trucks, and thought he was taking his life into his hands on this bet. Benny went with him and they returned gleeful and energized. Matt said it was definitely a ride to remember; probably something like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride!!! The horns were honking, the foot and vehicle traffic were doing their harmonious, chaotic dance, people were out and about, it was balmy, and the smell of India was in the air…

Out of the sounds and smells of the night, back into the silence of our cars, full and satisfied, back to the hotel we go, a goodnight acknowledgement to our uniformly dressed doorman, up the elevator, and a sigh into bed. We’re off for the next two days and get to go shopping!!! Need I say more…