Ironically, the videographer (a believer) had been in prayer and depressed about his business just this morning. After videoing the clients (a 2 min summary each had prepared), and then videoing the client presentations – he walked out on cloud nine and is very excited about the prospects of getting involved and repurposing his business.

It has been raining all day, but tonight it has truly reached torrential proportions. The report from the front desk is don’t even think of making a run to the airport unless we have a jeep or similar high wheel base vehicle. Please keep the team in prayer as some are already en route to the airport, and more will head that direction tomorrow.

God Bless. Jim Wynia

There was an awesome presence of God during this morning’s devotion. I believe something new has started in India as the Indian brethren connect and lock their hearts together to bring about societal transformation. After the prayers the day’s proceedings started though rather a bit late. Today was the last day for scorecarding. The day went very well as usual with a very interesting short drama sketch on the parable of the wedding feast led by Heather and her team of other consultants. The P’s covered today include Process and Place. Great presentations by Lyn, Jodene and Virendra.

The last item on the agenda was challenging the Indian brethren to work together sacrificially to carry the vision of EQUIP forward. We had our usual debrief meeting at about 6pm with many team members sharing very uplifting testimonies and feedbacks on their clients and deliverables.

The day ended with a group dinner at an Indian restaurant in town. I guess the food was OK but not so inspiring to go again tomorrow night. On our way out of the restaurant, we bumped into a Muslim guy in the lift who showed some friendliness and I ended up praying for him when he asked for prayers. I believe God that we will hear the testimony of his salvation one day.

Regards, Chucks

Our day today was jam packed covering three more P’s – Profit, Planning and Partnering. The richness of provocation was clear through at times intense engagement of dialogue – especially regarding the profit and partnering. Each person presenting did a phenomenal job – good on you team! For many the concept of transferring business ownership to God was new. This was a huge breakthrough for my client. As we continue with the consultations the evidence of God’s hand at work is abundantly clear. I’ve personally not experienced such intense movement by God over such a prolonged period and we still have two days to go. We are all learning the meaning of every day being a new day.

I’m personally feeling the physical, emotional, and mental fatigue/strain – and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. We continue to pray for grace to abound in and through us. Lyn led a wonderful prayer this morning asking for just that. With just 48 hours left crunch time has arrived to get completed the scorecards and prepare the deliverables for Saturday afternoon.

The final visioning session was held this evening and after almost 3 hours breakthrough came in the final 15-minutes. God has provided an amazing and gifted team to facilitate and intercede through the client visioning sessions. It’s fair to say who the clients were in Christ 10-days ago are not the same as who they are in Christ today. The beauty is that it is the Holy Spirit’s joy to continue the journey of sanctification and transformation that He alone has begun in each client’s and consultant’s hearts.

Wayne had organized a tour of a Hindu temple for those interested and available with his client who grew up Hindu then came to the Lord a few years ago. We anticipated getting fascinating insights into Hindu beliefs and rituals and see for ourselves where and what they worship. Well, we fulfilled the former anyway… After arriving and removing our shoes (one is only allowed barefoot inside the walls) we got a call requesting we not proceed. So we obeyed and received our social studies lesson outside. The ties between Hinduism and Christianity are astounding and fascinating (although don’t ask me to explain!) It brought back a flood of memories from when I studied Buddhism a few years ago. We completed the circuit with a visit to St. Thomas’s (yes, THE Thomas) tomb and church. It was very quiet and peaceful in stark contrast to the raucous temple.

We got back just in time for my client’s second visioning session. It’s amazing to watch the intense prayer and movement of the Holy Spirit that occurs in these encounters. I don’t know how this team maintains their energy! OK, I do know…

Tomorrow is our last day of the training. Please pray for more breakthroughs in the clients and that our purpose would be brought to completion in our remaining time here. Sleep tight dear friends! That’s where I’m heading…

—Dianne

The rain continues in Chennai. We are in the midst of this region’s monsoon season which means flooded streets but also means cooler weather. This does not reduce the mosquito population, however, and risks associated with this parasite are definitely present. One of our very own Indian consultants, Pramod, contracted Dengue Fever last week and was forced to endure it along with chickenpox. And I was complaining about my Chennai cold! Poor guy. We all hope he recovers in time for the US team to meet him.

We had an interesting Indian digestive powder drink mix passed around at dinner. I am sad to say only two consultants had the courage to take a swig. Chucks was so impressed with my “adventurous eating habits” that he had to join me. It tasted like seaweed and pickles with a hint of garlic. Fantastic. At least the team enjoyed watching us squirm. Until next continent…

- Jenna

Today was our second day off. I wouldn’t call it a day of rest – it was action packed! We said goodbye to our beautiful beach at Ideal Resort in Mahabalipuram and are now settled back into the hustle and bustle of Chennai.

Thanks to John and Carol Christian, we had a wonderful tour of their school run by one of our clients, Naresh. We saw the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten / first-grade classes. We were able to share some candy and toys – the kids were so cute and so appreciative! Just across the street, they also have an office building where they have brought 6 widows under their wings and taught them how to sew to make a living. As a little background, widows are seen as being cursed in the Hindu religion. Therefore, after their husbands die, the widows’ families will not take them back and they are essentially shunned from society. And they are young – all under 30. The ministry, Acts of Mercy has taught them a trade, provided homes for them and their children and given them a chance at a good life. It was such a blessing to see all that is being done both for the children at the school & the widows!

After that, we headed out to see the land which has been set aside to build housing for the widows & additional children’s education buildings. The land is 2 acres and is being prepared for building. We prayed for the land, the pastor overseeing the work and anointed the workers. It was powerful to see the doors God is opening for ministering to the poor in India.

Following the visits to the Acts of Mercy ministries, we were welcomed into John & Carol home for lunch. Their children, Sharon and Aaron were also there as well as their sister-in-law and her two children. It was such a blessing to be “at home” in India and eat home-cooked food and just hang-out and get to know their family. The whole family was so warm and gracious. Aaron gave Ophelia & I a tour of the land – it was so interesting learning about new plants of which I had never even heard. The time at their home was a wonderful retreat in the day for rest and relaxation!

Following the wonderful meal, we got on the road to head back to Chennai. Now, if you’ve never been to India, you’d think this wasn’t exciting. But, we were dodging goats, cows, large buses… We also made a game out of counting the highest number of people we could find on a single motorbike. Our high was five (wife sitting side-saddle no less!). As we were playing games, the other car was side-swiped by another car in a hit & run. All were safe, and with the help of a motorcycle, they were able to force the escaped driver off the road to collect information. So, we have already experienced equip’s first [not-so-] high speed chase!

We wound down the evening with a relaxing Indian Buffet (if we look heavier in pictures – it’s no illusion – we’ve been eating buffet since we arrived!). Afterward, I’m taking an educated guess that everyone collapsed on our beds and got a very sound night sleep after an action-packed week!

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for the clients. Most are praying & visioning for their companies today and tomorrow. Please pray that God will speak clearly to each client as to how they can best use their company to impact the kingdom. Please pray for divine inspiration, visions that are larger than they can dream on their own and that God would shed light on any blind spots that would prevent them from growth.

Please pray for the local consultants. Many are battling illness & setbacks in their lives. And, if there is anyone that can impact India for the Kingdom, it will be them. They are the people that will remain on the ground. Please pray that God will bless their families, their health, and their businesses. Please pray that he will guide them, protect them and bless them as they build the foundation for marketplace ministry in India.

Please pray for the traveling consultants. Several of us are getting run-down. Please pray for God’s wisdom in how we spend our time – that we would make time for quiet time and enough sleep. Also pray that God would give us an extra measure of energy for carrying out his work.

— Kim

I love worship gatherings on the beach! And this is how we began this gorgeous day. With chairs pulled under a beach shelter and Jim’s laptop loaded with praise music, we sang, prayed and heard the Word, as Chucks preached “lift up your gates!” to us from Psalms. Thank you, Chucks, for reminding us all to go forth boldly and with rejoicing! See Lok (our newly arrived prayer intercessor from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) facilitated our pairing off in twos to pray and to seek the Lord’s refreshing and strengthening. I had a wonderful time getting to know Ophelia, See Lok’s wife, during this prayer time. This set the tone for the day for me, as See Lok, Ophelia and I were only just beginning our sharing and praying encounter…

It was sobering to sit on this beach, too, with ice-white whitecaps breaking in the waves, and thriving coconut palms, knowing that the tsunami had only hit here less than 2 years ago. A fisherman on the beach told me this first-hand account: He was up at 4:00 a.m. that day and on the beach mending his nets when, at about 8:45, the others on the beach began shouting. He looked and saw the wave “as high as a coconut tree” coming toward them. Everyone began running inland, shouting “The sea is coming! The sea is coming!” He ran to his home where the eight women of his household were…his wife, mother, and daughters, and they all ran towards the village. His home was destroyed. Today he lives in a new structure built within view of the beach where he fishes. He was very grateful to the German organization that had made his new home possible.

After the morning service, See Lok, Ophelia and I went to an extended lunch together, and then I headed off to the room for a 2 hour power nap. Obviously, I was really wiped out from the week’s work! The day ended with a another great talk from Chucks, who this time used the story of Zaccheus to teach us about positioning ourselves for the Lord to respond to the desires of our heart. Lord, teach us to run ahead and climb “trees”, seeking you with all of our hearts!

—Heather

God is showing up in mighty ways. Our third day of consultations began with marketplace miracles. After declaring our requests to Christ yesterday we eagerly expected to hear about indicators of God’s movement. We weren’t disappointed. One client reported a communication with a partner in the Middle East that has sourced a qualified lead. A presentation with our client, their partner and their future client is happening next Tuesday. It’d be fair to say God has every client exactly where I imagine he wants them. After three days of intensive consultation each client is clearly experiencing a healthy disturbance in business and faith as usual. The transformative power and faithfulness of God is being experienced in very tangible ways.

This was also the day the US consultants theatrical talents came into focus. Written and directed by the very talented Heather - Jenna, Jim, Wayne, Jodene, Heather and Ruth starred in the equip presentation of ‘the un-merciful servant’. It was an immediate hit and rumor has it there will be Oscar nominations for sure! :)

Another highlight was the arrival late in the evening of See Lok and Ophelia (from Malaysia). It was perfect timing as it was right when Chucks was wrapping up part one of his amazing story that he and his wife have been journeying through these past three years.

Our darling father is most certainly making straight the way for continued integration of head, heart and hands in both clients and consultants. All glory to Him!

— Ruth

The venture was anchored by Virendra Vase with the able support of the rest of the equip team coming in from the US and South Africa. The visiting equip team consisted of – Virendra, Lyn, Heather, Kim, Ruth, Jenna, Dianne, Jim, Wayne, Jodene, and Chucks.

There were some initial concerns about how this venture would go because a few clients dropped out at the last minute. Also, many consultants could not come for the first day either due to illness or due to other reasons. Abel (one of the Indian consultants) was ill and could not come in, while Pramod (a client who had also trained as a consultant) was also taken ill.

Lyn and the rest of the equip team could sense the opposition from Satan and this was confirmed by one of the intercessors who saw that a serpentine spirit was in action. This prompted the team to engage in a time of actively countering the spirits of darkness in prayer and praise before the start of the venture.

God came through to bring together this “divine appointment” between the clients and the consultants. Even though the clients were in many case strangers to the consultants they had been paired with, all present could sense that God had selected which client should be paired with which consultant. This perfect fit was obvious and was a great encouragement to the consultants and the clients present.

God has started something wonderful and long lasting in India with this venture and all of us cannot wait to see what will happen next!

— Prem

Yesterday we began to examine the high-level challenge of repurposing businesses to reflect God’s calling to people in the marketplace. Today we got to the more tangible issues of aligning our products (what we offer) and presence (how we offer them). Our clients were excited as they started to see how having a God-given purpose works itself out in concrete ways. And for the consultants, it was rewarding to see how enthusiastically our clients were responding to the new purpose they were discovering for their businesses!

In fact, we are blessed that two more clients join the process, one in property maintenance and the other in shipping. Providentially, four new consultants also join us! After much prayer, a local couple of two consultants, Abel and Lydia, join us after Abel’s fever and sickness have subsided. Miraculously, a veteran consultant friend from Nigeria, Chucks Obinna, receives the money he needs at the very last minute to join us. Finally, two more Indian consultants join us, Kamal and Abraham, creating a thoroughly international team, representing the diversity of God’s people from around the world.

When our discussion turns to identifying the threatening “giants” of the Indian business environment, our clients quickly finger a long list of battlefields — corruption, idolatry, religious fanaticism, and reliance on gurus, as well as poverty and unemployment, HIV, and illiteracy. In fact, they admit that, even for Christian Indians, the caste system still colors the perceptions and actions of some Christians, perhaps like slavery in the US divided churches for many decades. We end with a rousing team prayer to protect and encourage our clients as they take on these “giants”.

— Wayne