Thursday - Jan. 21st

I'm running out of time - we're off to a remote island to visit a possible Living Hope Church plant. I spoke to 300+ pastors yesterday. I had Dan & Jim share about Dan's children (Jim's Grandchildren) with the pastors. We have all been praying for little Moriah who has seizures and is in need of healing. But for two weeks her older sister Ellie (7 yr.) has had a compacted bowel. The x-rays showed a blockage. For the past 3-4 days the doctors have worked to try and treat her without admitting her - last night as I was preaching to about 1,200 lost people I had Jim and Dan share again. Spontaneously, Dr. Kumar called up the most senior pastors who have risked their lives for many years to come onto the stage and pray for the children. At that very moment, unaware, Michelle was with Ellie at the hospital having another x-ray. They were going to admit Ellie. When the x-ray came back there was not blockage - the doctor was amazed. She had not had any bowel movement - she was just healed! It was the most amazing prayer time I've ever experienced. Almost 100% of the people that were there last night were saved. I'll write more about the Hindu priest I placed my hands on and prayed for. Pray for us as the security is concerned that someone will come up for prayer with a knife as we are moving very close to the people. God is strong. It is unbelievable. Must go - more later

5th Day in India (Wow!)

From Dubai, with its Starbucks, to Chennai with the Gypsy village favorite - roasted Chipmunk, the contrast is beyond words (or pictures). The people are so much more hungry in this country and they so openly accept God's Forever love. Sunday my heart was so blown away in the rag picker's village (garbage collectors), they so quickly turned their lives over to the ONLY God. They have hoped their entire lives for a god to love them - Their eyes and hearts are so open.

Last night in Rajahmundry I spoke for the first time to a group of perhaps 200 people on the side of the road. Two pastors had built a stage and hung lights in the widest part of the village. As we drove there, about 8:30 p.m., Dr Kumar's driver suddenly pulled over and another vehicle pulled in front. "They are our security guard and they will protect us," said Dr. Kumar. He told me that because of the orphanage and free medical aid he provided he was protected by the government. His guards had contacted the local police and they were ready to help us if there were any problems.

When I finished speaking I was amazed to see almost every hand go up in response to my invitation. I explained again and asked them to stand. They have no gods who run after them and want to have a friendship of love. They only know the struggle of offering sacrifices and trying to "be good." When we finished, every one of them came up and our entire team prayed for them one by one (sometimes by two's), laying our hands on them. I saw old men with tears in their eyes, young teenaged boys, and many women. We prayed for cripples and those with so many physical problems. My heart broke with joy and sadness at the same time.

Today while praying for people in the Hospital Mission, I learned from Dr. Kumar that the economy (ours) had reduced the number of surgeries from 40 per week to 4- 6. They have no money to do them. The inpatient services have been suspended (72 beds) and they are now housing young girls from the orphanage. We served and prayed for 70 or 80 people in a two hour period.

Tomorow we will visit a village that we might drill a well in - pray for these people, they are so hungry to know our Father.

I'm sorry the internet is so slow it' s hard to upload pictures. Tomorrow I will speak to a much larger gathering of hungry-and-in need-of-Jesus people. We will be training pastors too. You can follow me on my Facebook, too. Thank you for your prayers, Facebook notes, and emails.

I've got a few pics on my Facebook.

Bruce, Laura, and the Only God team

We're in Dubai - Almost to India

So I'm in the airport at Dubai. The rest of our team will land in Chennai at 2:30 a.m. Jan. 16. We're not getting there until 8:30 (much better:).

Our San Francisco flight was over 15 hrs - wow, not so easy for a guy who can't sleep on planes. I've met several people from India already and have had some very cool talks. Here's a quick video of our team as we got ready to leave Portland, and then again in San Francisco.

Maybe our last Video report before flying out to India

Wow, it's almost here:

TODAY'S PRAYER LIST:

Our team - Dan, Darrell, Don, Jim, Lance, Gordon, and Bruce (IT, Construction, Music, and Preacher Dude - our ministries); Carla, Diana, Echo, Laura, and Nicki (their ministry - RN, Teacher, Prayer Warrior/Women's ministry, RN, & RN). Pray for them as they pack, finish details, scramble for last minute sponsorships, do stretching exercises, and prepare their testimonies - everyone will share the gospel in India :)

Our lead-pastor - Pastor John and Pastor Duane will be hanging out with me as we pray and listen as to the final details God wants to share with us on this trip (the detail might just be "keep trusting Me"). We are the Light on a hill (LHC) to a very dark world (not just Clark County)! We didn't choose to be light - God chose us! God chooses all who say yes to His forever love!

Silly- in the bathrobe video (enjoy; please?):

Last Team Meeting - so many details

1. We have so much to do to get ready for our flight, but NOTHING is as important as preparing our hearts to hear God's whisper and the openness to follow.

2. Kid's toys (Matchbox cars, small stuffed animals, coloring books), more Medical supplies, and even some more funds came into day ($550) - It's so amazing to see so many people praying, sharing, and simply having a heart for the people God loves so much!

3. Still working on getting set up better on Skype and working out details on uploading videos. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Hey, you can find my video updates by going to You Tube and searching under brucelhc. You can also subscribe to my You Tube account (upper right corner of YouTube) and get an email every time I upload a video from India.

Getting Ready

What can you do to help us these last few days before we leave for India?

1. Pray - One of our team members is very low on funds (worried about rent $ when they get back); One of our builders, Lance, is worried about his mother who is in the hospital and waiting for open heart surgery. Pray for all the crazy schedules we face. Pray for safety, and most of all pray that God's love with shine into every dark part of this world we step into.

2. Serve - You can step up and help while we are gone: Please see Elizabeth at our welcome center for a list of ways you can step in (four of our key volunteers will be gone from our campus).

3. Get your friends to pray and check out our updates. You can go on Facebook (R we friends?), and check back on this site as well.

Here's a late night test via my MacBook to make sure the YouTube video's are working (link)

Want to send a few things over with us? Throat lozenges, balloons, Tic-tacs, Starbucks instant coffee packs (for our team), combs, small packs of toothpaste & toothbrushes (You would need to contact Bruce by Tuesday a.m. at the latest - Bruce.lhceast@gmail.com

It's still coming - New Flip Camcorder test

Our meeting on Sunday was fantastic! Lance, one of our construction guys, was there with his wife, his prayers, and still not enough money to make it to India. Less than two hours later Lance was on his knees, his eyes bubbling with tears, as we prayed together a praise for a couple who called to say they were willing to sponsor Lance!

I'm hoping to find time to try uploading the intro of our team from my trial "FlipHD" camcorder. Thousands of dollars came in this weekend for India (I'm still a bit overwhelmed). There is so much to do still. I'll be updating you regarding the dreams God is feeding in our hearts ($75 a month pays an Only God pastor - I get to train him, and rent a building for a new church . . . how about getting together a group and sponsor one of these pastors who is waiting for our arrival in less than two weeks)?

I'll tell you more about what we are now going to be able to do and what we are still dreaming of - remember $1 literally will bring a person into a Forever-Friendship with Jesus! If you want to read about my Agnostic friend who gave me a dollar to take to India, click here :) and then pray for him and the amazing difference that $1 will make!