Jim Stuff

India 16 - Coffee and Eats

Client / Venture Update

Howdy all. Well it’s been raining off and on quite heavily over the last 3 days here in Chennai. This has slowed everything down (as rain paralyzes the city as I mentioned before), but the venture marches on!! Today (Friday) is coming to an end. Just one more day, then most of us start the packing. Yesterday and today had awesome impact! Every consultant is sparked up observing the passion, focus, and break through they are seeing with their clients and respective businesses. I too am very excited to see how God is moving with my client. One thing is for sure – we are not leaving this place the same way we found it :-)

This morning we had an absolutely incredible prayer time for Virendra the team leader who was also born and raised here in India. The word came that God will be moving mightily through him in partnership with others to help open up other cities here in India. It was a very moving time for all this morning when this word came and we had a focused time with God before the clients showed up. It is also very exciting to see the focus, dedication, and passion that the India consultants have displayed all the way through the venture!! They really get it! They see the need. They feel the hunger. They answer the call. God is doing incredible things. I am humbled to see the finger prints and results of God all over this venture and the lives of those in it.
None of us will be showing up the same after this experience I don’t think (I sure pray I don’t). It has really been fun getting to know everyone from all over the world: of course all the locals (India), Chucks (Nigeria), Garrett (South Africa), Ceelok and Ophelia (Malaysia), and all the rest based in the US (even though they are from all over as well).

Time To Eat

Last night we went out to eat at an ‘American Food’ place: Gallopin Gooseberry. I have my first BBQ hamburger here in India. Not bad! A far cry short of In-n-Out I’ll venture – but it sure tasted good all the same :-). Tonight we went out to eat at some place called Tanderi (or something close – sorry didn’t get the full name). It was a lot of fun. I think everyone is sensing the close of the venture and as most of the deliverables are complete for most folks the ‘work pressure’ is dropping off. So diner was a lot of fun. The food at this place was all Indian – and quite possibly the best restaurant food I’ve had this entire trip! (yes even better than Pizza Hut :-) ). No breakfast tomorrow…say no more (wink, wink, nod, nod). The desserts had some very strange names!!

For you coffee drinkers – the coffee I’ve had everywhere we gone comes in one of two forms. 1. it is pre mixed with almost a full cup of milk and stirred well (this is what you get in most of street shops). 2. they mix it in front of you by pouring coffee from one thermos (it literally has the consistency of used 30W motor oil), then add hot water and/or hot milk depending on if you want it black or normal. The taste is good though. I have lamented the convenience of Starbucks more than the actual product. Also, the Pepsi tastes funny, and Diet Pepsi is very difficult to find!! Pepsi is literally in every other shop on the street. But finding one that carries a diet variety of any kind is almost impossible!! (While Pepsi is everywhere, Coke is nowhere)

Goodnight

Heading off to Bed! This is Friday night. Tommorrow is the day we help prep clients for their presentations with the presentations tomorrow night. Sunday is pack, and head off to the airport. This place becomes a part of you. I will miss everyone: clients, fellow consultants, the intercessors – but I can’t wait to see Renee and the kids : -)

Cultural Note: billboards are everywhere and you can't escape them. Also here is an example of a luxury taxi (seriously).

posted by Winya @ 12:38 PM