Life goes on, but with no facebook.

I've been in Bangladesh almost two weeks. Not much has changed since January except the temperature. This weeks forecast shows a high of 95, and almost as high humidity.
The first few days here I had some meetings with various staff, orientation, and some time to get settled in. It hasn't been to hard to jump back into life here. Friday was church, I went to 1 church in the morning and a different one in the evening; I want to go to one consistently, but need to find which one I can serve in.
Late Saturday night I embarked on what they call the suicide trip! Four of us from the office hopped on a bus about 11pm and arrived in Nilphamari about 7am Sunday morning. We spent all day there at the production site working on some design issues and modifications. After dinner and a shower, we hopped back on the bus and arrived back in Dhaka at 8am. Between the bumpy roads, passing and dodging other buses, the next seat reclining into my knees, I didn't sleep much on the bus. We were at the office at 11 but only worked a half day. I realized why they call it the suicide trip.
This week I was at the office most days. I'm getting used to the work and more clearly defining what all I'll be doing with Oasis.
I'm meeting more friends, but a lot of people are about to leave for the summer. Rick is leaving tonight to join his family in the states. I think it might get a bit lonely. Getting plugged into a church will be crucial.
I didn't go to the office today...the sickness finally got me. Its said that all foreigners get sick when they come to Dhaka. Some girls from the office were sick last week and today it was my turn. I spent most of the day lying around around the house with the AC on.

In other news, the entire country of Bangladesh has blocked Facebook. Some influential Muslim groups put pressure on the government to follow Pakistan's lead and shut the site down because of users posting caricatures of Muhammad. The story made the front page and they claimed it was shut down because of "offensive and lewd pictures."

Arrived in Dhaka

Well, I am now in Dhaka, Bangladesh!

I left the states Tuesday last week and arrived in India on Wednesday. Neither of my trunks arrived with me. After 2 hours of talking with customs and Air India I was able to leave the airport with a piece of paper. I picked up some flowers and went to Amanda's coordinator's house (Amanda is my girlfriend serving a 2 year term in India.) After a bit Amanda arrived and it was a fun surprise! I spent a few days in another city with her and 5 other 2 year personnel. I had 3 changes of clothes, soap and my toothbrush! I bought some clothes and made it through the week ok. The average afternoon temperature ranged from 105 to 117 degrees Fahrenheit...THAT took some adjusting to. Sunday morning we had a nice service, and that evening we had about 12 Indians over to the house for dinner. I got to talk to Christians and Hindus and had some great conversations! Overall it was a great week!
This morning (Tuesday) I went to Delhi airport in India to retrieve my luggage and fly out to Bangladesh. It was a much longer process than it needed to be and once my bags were finally cleared by customs, I rushed back to departures and I arrived at my gate just as they were boarding the plane! 15 minutes later and I would still be in India. The Delhi airport failed at redeeming itself and I still hate it-refer to a January blog post.

I feel like I had some more barriers broken down while I was waiting to collect my baggage in Dhaka. A Muslim man wearing his full prayer suit--the white shirt that goes down to his ankles and prayer cap--was waiting on his luggage. He said something about the weather and we started talking. After discussing the weather, where we were from, how to fix the world's political problems, I told him I was interested in studying Islam; that I had recently purchased a Quran and wondered if he had a favorite book that I should start in. He recommended his 4 favorite. He asked if I wanted to become a Muslim--a very bold question. I said I was a follower of Jesus Christ, but enjoyed studying other religions and then we discussed some of the differences between Islam and Christianity. When our bags came, he then gave me his email and told me to drop him a line, that he would love to talk further about these things. I really like Muslims, and God is giving me a growing love for them.

So now that I'm in Bangladesh it's time to get to work! Tomorrow I meet with the new boss and we'll discuss the game plan for the next few weeks!

Much more to come!

Thanks for your prayers!

As I Walk from Earth Into Eternity

Sunday morning we gathered with a group of about 10 believers to have a service on the 6th floor of the apartment building. As we were beginning it was approaching 100 degree's Fahrenheit outside. With no AC, we had the fans on full speed and the windows open to allow in any breeze that wanted to pass through. Through one window we could see and hear quite loudly across the courtyard into the 5th floor where the Hindu neighbor's were having a marriage puja, a religious celebration ceremony they partake in before marriage.
I am back in a land defined by, and I am surrounded by darkness. It weighs heavy on my heart. As we sang praises to our creator, I listened out the window and I heard birds. These birds were singing to their creator as well. I listened past our voices, past the birds and I heard the songs and chants and the ceremonial bells of the Hindus...not singing to their creator, but to Satan, the usurper, the great deceiver.

We sang one of my favorite songs--Hosanna, by Brooke Fraser:
------------------------------------------------
I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
------------------------------------------------

I have seen His love and mercy. He has washed away my sins, and I now sing to Him, my creator. And I do see a generation rising up, a generation of people who sing to Him, and want others to sing to Him. I am praying for this revival. He has opened my eyes to some things unseen, and I pray He continues to do so. And the cry of my heart is that He shows me how to love others like He loved me. A love that compelled God on high to come to this earth and live and die and rise for me! Out of gratitude, THAT is a love I want to have as I walk from this earth into Eternity. As I take that walk one day, I want to take it with friends who were formerly Muslim and Hindu, but learned to sing Hosanna to their Creator! I believe I will. To Him be the glory!

Tongues and Prophecy--an interesting last day

I went into the bookstore Saturday morning for the last time. Most of the morning went along as usual; greeting folks, finding books, and selling books. But at about 3pm a man walked in and started moseying around. I finished helping an old lady find some book for a woman's study and then I went over to greet the man that had walked in.
I said the usual "Hey, how are you? let me know if I can help you find anything" and he just looked at me oddly for a second then asked what my name was. I told him, and asked for his. He said his name was John and our conversation went as follows:
John: Are you a believer Bryan?
Me: Yes, I am...are you?
J: Yes, I am. I am full of the Spirit and have the gift of prophecy. When you walked over here I felt the spirit move. He spoke to me, Bryan. He has a message for you and I want to share a word of prophecy with you. Do you mind if I speak into your life?
Me: Um...sure, go ahead.
--at this point John told me not to be afraid and he pointed his finger at my chest and started uttering some unintelligible speech for a full minute and then he switched to English. It sounded as if he was quoting something from the Old Testament prophets. Something to the extent of "I am the Lord your God and I will make myself known. I will manifest myself and will glorify myself in you." Although what he said was much more verbose, that was the gist of it.
Me: Was that a passage from Isaiah?
J: No, that was a prophetic word from the Lord.
Me: Was that a quote from Revelation?
J: No. That was a prophetic word from the Spirit that He wanted me to share with you. Bryan, you have been seeking the face of the Lord about something and He wants you to know that He hears you and will answer you, and He will glorify Himself. I don't know what you are seeking Him about, but He does. Are you seeking the Lord about something, Bryan?
Me: Well, yeah.
J: Good. Well, the Lord hears you and will answer you. May God bless you.
...And then John left without looking at any other books.
I didn't know what to make of it. I've had people "prophesy" in the bookstore before but that was usually a loud obnoxious person that quoted a few well known scriptures and said some really off the wall un-Biblical things like "God has taken me to the next level and I am more full of the spirit than you." This man was humble and said nothing un-Biblical. What he had to say was more vague than a fortune cookie, and could be applicable to almost any believer. I don't know if it was truly a word of prophecy specifically for me or if it was a man with a fortune cookie phrase he'd say to 10 people that day, but after chewing on it, it was encouraging. Paul says to test the prophets, and I think the first step is to ask if what they have to say is Biblical. I decided that yes, God will make Himself known and that He will glorify Himself. I pray that He will do some of that through me during my time in Bangladesh...and who knows, maybe John was sent by God to share that.

Prayer and Holiness

I'm less than a week from leaving. I'm not sure how I feel. I'm excited about so many things, but sad to leave friends and family.

I've been blessed to attend a few prayer times set aside to pray solely for me and my 6 months in Bangladesh. It is awesome to know that friends and family believe so much in this step I'm taking that they make special time to pray over me for it. This does many things for me. It helps me see that I have friends in Christ; Christ brings together people who would otherwise have nothing to do with each other, for this He gets the glory. It lets me know others are asking the Father to do great things in and through me. It points me to the Father to ask for help and guidance and makes me more in love with my God. It keeps me accountable knowing that these friends and family members care about what God is doing in and through me and they will ask me about it. This keeps me focused and looking in the right direction.

Why is though that my friends did this for me? Is it because I have been "called" to something EXTRA holy? No. Is it because I have a special gifting? No. Is it because I am somehow different or more special than someone else? No. Is it because Asia is extra lost and I need more prayer than my friends here? Absolutely not. I think it is because they love me and are excited about the opportunity God has given me, but is this opportunity holier than the ones He gives everyone else each day? I don't think so! My opportunity to obey Him might take me a little further away and make for a neat story to read about on a blog, but it is no more special or holy or more of a calling than what He asks you, the reader, or any believer, to do each day.
He gives each of His children a gift, or a set of gifts and each is just as holy as the next when used to glorify Him.
If this is true, shouldn't we lift one another up and pray over one another? Yes. This is part of the job of "The body of Christ," to lift one another up, bear each others burdens, and encourage each other through prayer.
That may be a cool thought but what do u do about it? Pray for a friend today that he or she will be filled with the Spirit and that God will do great things in and through them; then let them know you are praying for them. Pray that God will help you to see your job, your parenting, your schooling - whatever he has given you to do - as a holy gifting, a holy calling! Pray that He will help you to see the opportunities around you to be salt and light. Live the gospel daily, and when He does great things GIVE HIM THE GLORY!