That's right, Jut is going with 9 other people Feb 21-March 3 to India. In short, to serve people and to experience Christ outside of the world they already know. They will be partnering for 10 days with Harvest India, a Christian organization, to help with different areas of their ministry. They will be working in a children's orphanage, leprosy colony, elder homes and dedicating water wells in villages who have never had clean drinking water. There are 10 people heading to India from several states here in the U.S. The trip is being headed up by pastor Jeff Gokee from Phoenix who is also on the board of directors for Harvest India. They are praying for a life changing experience that they can bring back to the States to share with everyone they can. Read more about this on the great website http://www.toindiawego.com/.
Harvest India from Moonshine Park on Vimeo.
The team has bios set up too. Here is what Jut wrote:
I am the late comer to the group. I was having dinner with Jay and his wife a few weeks back and he mentioned a mission trip to India. I was interested to hear more, but before he told me anything else he asked if I wanted to go. I was shocked by that question, because he knew my family situation. After about 3 days of prayer and huge support from my wife, I knew God was prompting me to go to India. This past year I have been trying a lot harder to pay attention to God’s prompts in my life.
A little over a year ago my wife and I got news that no parent ever wants to hear. My 3 year old son (Jayden) was going through some testing to find out why his speech was delayed. After meeting with a geneticist they confirmed that he had a rare, recessive genetic disorder called Sanfilippo Syndrome (MPSIIIA). Our daughter (Brooklyn) was only 3 months at the time and they told us to get her tested. Our worst fears were confirmed when her test came back positive for Sanfilippo too. We learned that it is a terminal illness, usually life ending somewhere in the second decade. The inability for the body to break down hephran sulfate progressively slows down all mental and physical abilities until the body finally shuts down. There is currently no treatment or cure. Our perfect life was instantly turned upside down.
It has been a little over a year now and we have witnessed God do amazing things in our lives. Looking back, I have been humbled and broken. I look at life through a different lens now. God has taught me so many things through this journey. I have learned there are no guarantees in this life; no guarantee for tomorrow. Every day is a gift. I cannot sit around and watch this life flash by. God has got my attention now. I want my heart to break over things that break his heart. I want to be concerned about things that concern God. I read a book recently that opened my eyes to people in need. I’ve been asking God “what can I do?”, “how can I help?” I got my answer when Jay asked me to go to India. I felt like I had been stretched to the limit when we got the diagnosis of our children, but I’m sensing God wants me to stretch a little more. I am at the point in my life where I will go wherever God wants me to go and do whatever God wants me to do. God is in control of my life, not me, and I want to give God all of me. I am learning to surrender to His will, be thankful for what I have, and listen to God when He whispers to me.
My hope is that when I return home from India my life will be changed forever again! I hope that He has huge things planned for me after India and I am up for anything. I continue to trust God with all my heart even when things look really dark. I don’t know what the future holds for my children, or for me, for that matter, but I am going to choose to follow Him where ever He leads me and right now He is leading me to India. This might be the first and the last chance I have to do this. As my children’s disease progresses they become more dependent on us, so this might be my only chance. I want to be obedient to God and make the most of this opportunity. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. God Bless.
Prayer requests:
Peace in my heart. Leaving my wife and children for 10 days is very scary for me. It is hard for me to be away from them even when I am at work. This is a huge step for me in leaving them for this long.
Both my children are very active and their behaviors can be rather difficult at times. Prayer for my wife that she can keep her sanity for 10 days.
I am nervous to see things that I am not used to seeing. I want God to break my heart for the Indian people and use me for his service in whatever way he deems necessary.
My hope is that the Indian people can see something different in us and then they ask “why?”
Prayer for the team’s safety .
For God to bring us back home to our families better people.
I am so proud of Justin for being obedient to God pressing on him he should go. It really is a stretch for him. I was thinking, selfishly, I would want to go...
For him, though, it truly isn't about "being cool" or "going because everyone else is going" or because he wants an awesome vacation like it may have been for me....
In terms of fundraising, we feel like God has blessed us so much with financial gifts towards our build with the boyces campaign, we would feel greedy asking for any more financial help.So we are trying to work it out where we can afford the entire trip ourselves. Justin is working extra scraping and we have faith that we will have what he needs to go someway or another. Please pray that we will be able to work it out because the last thing I want him to worry about is money. I also don't want him to worry about us. Truth be told, it will be difficult with him gone but we will do just fine. People are already lining up to help with the kiddos. Again, this is SOOO out of his comfort zone...
.....a place we all should be, right?!
