2017 India
Tuesday, October 3, 2017 - Steve Evers and Pastor just finished the 16 hour flight from LA to Abu Dhabi. Waiting on our flight to Chennai. We will keep you up to date in India. Thank you for your encouragements and prayers.
Finally in Chennai. Picked us up at 4am and now it's time to begin adjusting to India.
Friday, October 6, 2017 - Here are pictures of some of the girls receiving their nightgowns! This was prior to Pastor & Steve getting sick! :)
Sunday, October 8, 2017 - Yep, Phil found his Donut place in Chennai. Don't think he was disappointed that no curry donuts could be found. His comment while eating the first of his two donuts was, "... not quite like getting the fresh and hot off the glazer when he was in college..." Still a fun treat to say you ate Krispy Kreme in India. Breakfast in India includes a cup of coffee, already creamed and sugared up. Also requires you to pour it back and forth a few times from the drinking cup to the slightly larger "cooling" cup, so you can pull some of the heat out of the near boiling coffee. Oh, did I mention the cups are not very big!! You hold it from the ranch and sip it between your fingers. Actually, it's pretty good coffee!
Tuesday, October 10, 2017 - Pastor Phil is a real trooper. He had a good case of the flu, he was pretty sick. Yet with your prayers and God goodness and Phil's desire to help teach and grow these pastors and their wives, he got up and has been teaching and following the daunting 6:30am to 10:30p Tuesday schedule. Paul has really taken care of us and still had time to run the pastor's conference. Keep praying for health, tender hearts, and life changing truths.
Wednesday, October 11 - Here is an text from Pastor: We are at a hotel near the airport. I went to an emergency hospital where I got three stitches, a tetanus shot and antibiotics. I am sore but will be ok. Steve is feeling better but we are exhausted and looking forward to resting in Nepal. Steve has been a good friend and caregiver.
The conference was well received and high marks were given by the pastors. They are special people to minister where they do. I am truly sorry to have need so much help and prayer. All is appreciated. I get wifi at the hotel so I can be reached now if needed.
Here is an email from Steve: After Phil fell this morning, and most probably was briefly knocked out, he came to my door and with a bloody towel and said, "... I fell and hit my head and cut my arm. He had me tape him together and he covered it all with a long sleeve shirt, just so he could finish his last teaching module to pastors who said, with tears in their eyes they felt the sacrifice and humility and power of God as Phil spoke.
My tape job was just not enough for the depth of the split on Phil's elbow... When Phil moved his elbow while teaching, the blood seeped through the bandage and showed up on his long sleeve shirt. Took us to a medical clinic that showed on the internet as 5 star rated. The Indian doctor (in the mask) was young, fresh out of school, kind as you can ever want, and amazing. We were in and out, with three stitches in less than a half an hour. Wow, we could learn a few things about medical care. Phil was again such a trooper. Only winced when she was injecting the deadner into the wound. God is so good to provide as He does. Now on the the next adventure. Blessings and do keep us in your prayers.
Check out the high tech medical spotlight... by Maglite.
This is a little time of rest and fun after ministry in India. Tomorrow we hope to see Everest by means of Buddha Air Everest Tour. Thank you for your prayers. We will, God willing, be back in Phx Tuesday evening.
Blessings
Note from Steve Evers: For a while there I wondered if my friend and traveling partner, Pastor Phil McKeown would ever be able to really give one of his heart warming smiles again... I now have hope. Phil got a really healthy or should I say unhealthy dose of a flu bug that is going around in Southern India. Yep, this flu bug welcomed us both with a huge cacophony of acute and flamboyant symptoms. I can tell you, Phil has not consumed more than maybe a thousand calories in the last 6+ days. Yet, he will come and fellowship at each meal time and do his best to keep the conversation upbeat and encouraging. Your prayers and God’s blessing has brought back the sparkle in Phil's eye. Please don't stop, cause we need that spring in his step to reappear also. You can ask that the recharged Pastor Phil is a tad nicer than the previous version... Those who know us both know what I'm asking!!
By the way, to my coffee drinkers, brewed Nepalese coffee is so smooth and tasty, almost like a dessert. Small cups, but oh so tasty.
Coming to you from Kathmandu, Nepal
Thursday, October 12, 2017 - Made it to Kathmandu! This was our waiter this morning who introduced me to Nepalese coffee.
Nepal, this morning is maybe 72 degrees, clear sky, and a continual but intermittent whiff of cool breeze sliding by our courtyard table. What a gift this cool breeze is after being in the intensity hot and humid southern Indian.
Since returning from India, Pastor McKeown has had multiple issues from his fall. First he ended up in the hospital with a really severe infection in his elbow. When he was released from the hospital he received in-home infusions for the infection. Soon after that therapy was over, he experienced a brain bleed from the fall and ended up having to have surgery on his brain to relieve the bleeding. He is presently doing well at home and is waiting for the Neurologist to release him to drive. Please pray for his continued healing.