Update

Dear Friends, Where do I begin? We returned last evening from India. First, I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support, you are as much a part of this amazing journey as I am. I pray God will help me, through words, make alive in your heart and mind the reality of what you are a part of as words and pictures can never describe being there.

David Dass is recovering from his pneumonia, please continue to pray for complete healing. Also, pray for his housing situation, the monsoon rains damaged his roof last Nov. and the repairs are still not complete. On top of that the water dept. has been cutting water off in their area and they have not had water for the last 5 days. And, the power company has begun daily 4-hour power outages. This helps us to understand part of why it is so hard to recover from being sick there.

We are excited to announce we have a volunteer from Texas, Jade (age 21), that is going to help us until June at Rahab's Rope. She came to us by way of the International Mission Board and we are blessed to have her lively, loving spirit in the presence of our women. Please remember to lift her in prayer.

As you know the first part of our trip was a medical clinic. The medical team was as follows; Dr. Jeffrey Bizon-OB/GYN, Dr. Robert Wirt-Family Practice, Susan Thompson-RN, Barbara Ward-RN, Lucy Moore-Dental Hygienist and David and Vicki Moore as general flunkies. The team set up clinics at Rahab's Rope, Beulah Home for Children and a Leper Colony. In four days they cared for over 400 patients! They were truly the hands, feet, eyes and ears of Jesus.

The women of RR were so touched that the team came to care for them and would listen to their stories. The team cried and laughed, hugged and prayed with each of the women. There are so many stories and experiences that could be told from the clinic at RR but I must choose only one. The women know if they have AIDS they cannot live at RR but can come for food, training, Bible study and Worship. One girl, Jyothi(mid 20's) came to live with us about a month ago and did not tell us she had AIDS. She had been living with us for 2-3 weeks when someone told on her, it was very difficult but she was asked to leave and she understood. Jyothi came for medical care, she is very sick and probably doesn't have much longer to live. She and her son had been sleeping under a bus and she has marks on her leg where the police beat her if they see her sleeping there. Knowing her physical and spiritual condition and holding her while she wept was almost more than one could manage. She had been counseled with while living at RR but had not yet come to an understanding of her spiritual condition. We prayed with her and asked God to reveal Himself to her and give her the understanding that could only come from Him. We told Jyothi to come back the next day and bring her medical records. We sent one of our field workers out to find her some housing and Jyothi agreed to let the Dass's take her son to Beulah Home for Children to live. The next day Jyothi returned with her medical records and shared that as she sat at the bus station and thought about what we had shared with her that day, she prayed and had peace that she had never had before, she was able to eat for the first time in days (due to the sores in her throat), she was able to sleep all night, she was filled with joy and it was very evident that God had made Himself real to Jyothi that night at the bus station. Jyothi became a new person in Christ! Her face was filled with joy or as David Dass would put it, she had on the "Grace Face". Pray for Jyothi, her son and our staff as they work through this time in her life. As you can imagine working with these women is an emotional roller coaster and the Medical Team did an incredible job! The week after the team left the women were wanting to know when they were coming back.

The clinic at Beulah Home was a blessing and a joy. The children are so happy and loving, they sang for us and at the end of the day gave each team member a picture they had colored thanking the team for the medical care. We saw about 175 patients that day, mostly normal childhood illnesses. Each team member was trying to figure out how many children they could bring back with them. They are so beautiful!

As most of the team had never visited a Leper Colony, in preparation I told them it would be a what would Jesus do day, and it was and they were definitely Jesus' hands, eyes and feet to the people of the Leper Colony. The doctors and nurses treated them no differently than anyone else as they touched the untouchable and cared for them, loved on them and cleaned open wounds of this horrible disease. As with RR the people of the Leper Colony were calling the next week wanting to know when the team would be back. The team was such a blessing every where they went and we are so thankful for all they did!

Last week, at Rahab's Rope, sewing machines were delivered and talking Bibles were ordered. It was such an exciting day at Rahab's Rope when the sewing machines came. The ladies were smiling from ear to ear. They are so thankful for what you have done for them. One of their spokespersons stood and gave apprciation on behalf of all the women and encouraged the women that they should be grateful and take full advantage of this opportunity that has been given to them. They immediately began working on a schedule, where 15 women will participate in the morning and 15 for the afternoon for the tailoring classes. Other women will be involved in various handicraft classes at the same time, as sewing is not for everyone. As most of these women can not read the talking Bibles are a huge blessing. It is amazing how eager they are to learn more about Jesus and even more amazing for those who have not yet received Him. Milliga, a former csw, who is teaching our tailoring classes shared her testimony for the first time last week. With tears she said, "Never in her lifetime could she have imagined all that is happening for her now. She feels so honored. Since she has been coming to RR she has given up her work as a prostitute, she no longer worships the gods of the Hindu's and she believes in the one true Lord". We told her we would like to visit her at her home and she cried with tears of joy and honor that we would visit her. With tears she said, "My family will not visit me, my neighbors will not visit me, but you will come". Milliga's home consist of a small kitchen, bedroom (no bed) and living area totaling about a 10'X12' area. Milliga has a 15 year old daughter that we are helping with her education so that she will not have to follow the same path as her mother.  The daughter gave a testimony of how rejected she has been all of her life because of her life with her mother and now that she is coming to RR she has friends and is happy. She said she likes to come to RR because she can sleep on a bed. How much we take for granted.

We visited with many of the women in their homes most of which were one room about 10'X10' in size. They have a community toilet and wash their clothes on stones by pouring water on them and scrubbing them with another stone. We visited some that live in a brothel area knowing transactions were taking place as we went from home to home. The reality of the day to day struggle and survival of life for these women hits you and the enormity of the task that is before us becomes overwhelming. It is only through the strength and power of God that we can accomplish anything. It is definitely "Him" that is accomplishing the task and we are honored that He is using us and allowing us to be part of such a great work. We are also honored and blessed that you have joined us. If you ever have any questions please feel free to call us anytime. We love you, pray for you and thank you.

In His Great Love and Service,

Vicki

Rahab's Rope, Inc.
PO Box 907308
Gainesville, Ga 30501
770-287-5218