Dan Gross in Asia #1 Oct./Nov. 2012 

Everything went smoothly at O'Hare and my Cathay Pacific flight left on time for Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific is one of the better airlines going to Asia, so it's nice that they also had the best price for this trip. The seat next to me was empty, so I could stretch my legs a little. Nevertheless, the flight was fairly grueling since it was a 16-hour flight. The girl sitting by the window must have slept for about 12 hours while I slept for about 12 minutes. Also, amazingly, she did not get up once in 16 hours to go to the lavatory or stretch her legs. Other than that, it was an uneventful flight. My stay in Hong Kong is less than 2 hours and then I have a flight to Manila. I feel about as good as one can feel after sitting for 16 hours in economy class. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #2 Oct./Nov. 2012

By the time I arrived at my gate in Hong Kong, the flight was boarding, so I didn't have any wait time. The flight to Manila was only 1 hour and 40 minutes. Things went smoothly in the airport and I was out by midnight. The domestic airport is closed during the night and I have spent a few nights sitting outside swatting mosquitoes, so decided to go to a hotel and get a little sleep. I found one close to the airport that wasn't too expensive, so I'm going to work on the sleep part now.

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #3 Oct./Nov. 2012

After 3 hours of sleep, I was wide awake and went to the airport plenty early. Upon arriving, I was told the flight schedule had been pushed back 2 hours. I was glad for the extra time because I spent a long time negotiating to avoid a large excess baggage fee. Some of these domestic flights in the Philippines have such small allowances now that just packing the clothing, etc. I need for a 3-week trip puts me considerably overweight. We finally got that worked out and then they announced that the flight was on hold due to "inclement weather" in Tuguegarao. Every 30 minutes, they announced the flight was still on hold pending the weather report. After more than 6 hours in the airport, they cancelled the flight. So, I got out of the USA in time to avoid Frankenstorm, but encountered the Filipino version here. I stood in line a long time, but was finally told that I can take a flight tomorrow. That will considerably lessen my time to teach in Cauayan, but at least the airlines didn't fly in dangerous conditions. When I got things settled at the airport, I found a hotel near the airport that wasn't too expensive. The good part is that I caught up on sleep. Fortunately, I brought plenty of reading material, so I was able to spend my time profitably when not sleeping. Since I don't have a cell phone with me, I emailed Joshua, who I thought might still be awake, though it was well past midnight. He Facebooked friends in Cebu, Philippines, who saw his message right away. They texted a friend on another island, who had the phone number for Dominic. This friend then called Dominic to inform him of the flight cancellation and change in plans. Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #4 Oct./Nov. 2012 
A side-benefit of the flight cancellation is that I did get some sleep. I arrived at the airport early and was told that my name was not on the flight list, so I would have to be a "chance passenger." Yesterday, they assured me that I was listed on the flight. They seem to be having a lot of problems with a new computer system and there were a lot of angry travelers who were told they could not get on flights. I waited patiently and after a good deal of time and a lot of confusion they got me on the flight. 
Dominic and Joel met me in Tuguegarao and we then drove 2 hours to Cauayan. What was supposed to be 2 days of teaching ended up being only a bit more than 2 hours. But the response was very good and we had a good discussion late into the night. Since I have been awake since 4 AM and have another flight in the morning, I''m going to sign off. I had a mild bout of motion sickness while going to Cauayan, so that has also tired me out. Anyway, it was wonderful to see the saints here, even if very briefly. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #5 Oct./Nov. 2012 
After a meeting shortened considerably by the flight cancellation, several men in the church accompanied Dominic and me on the 2-hour ride to the airport in Tuguegarao. We passed through the capital city of Isabela, which has something I've not seen elsewhere in my travels. Their uniformed traffic officers (men and women) dance as they are directing traffic. It is quite amusing and entertaining. 
The check-in process in Tuguegarao took more than an hour (longer than the actual flight). First we were told that our luggage would be checked through to Bacolod and that they would give us boarding passes for the flight to Bacolod. Then we were told that the luggage was checked through to Bacolod, but we would have to get our boarding passes in Manila. Then we were told that the luggage had to be picked up in Manila. Nevertheless, we finally did get checked into the flight and arrived in Manila about noon. Our fun with airport check-ins was only beginning. They just installed a new computer system and the bugs are definitely not worked out. They couldn't find our names on the flight list. It took several people and about an hour and a half wait before we were checked into the flight. 
We still had 6 hours to wait for our flight, so Dominic and I spent the time studying the Bible--talking about things we have recently been studying. It has been a while since we've had an opportunity to study together that long, so the time went quickly. The flight to Bacolod was delayed, but when we arrived, Val and Eunice met us and took us into the city. It is really nice to see the Ronquillo family. I am at their house now using their computer to email. 
Tomorrow, we begin our meeting. Several Baptist and Pentecostal pastors are expected to attend. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #6 Oct./Nov. 2012 
It is nice to have two consecutive days of teaching the Bible without any time in airports or planes. There are about 30 to 35 Baptist and Pentecostal pastors at this meeting. Obviously, there is some confusion, which is why we have plenty of time for taking questions, but the response has been very positive. Another Baptist pastor who attended our meeting last year and heard me speak was upset at the time, but went home and studied the things I taught and changed his mind. He is now very excited about studying further and is quite willing to cast aside tradition and believe the word of God. There is a nice mix in the meeting here, as there are also many good friends that I have worked with for years. This makes the time highly profitable because in between the official teaching sessions, there are a lot of informal conversations and there are many here who are quite capable to answering questions that the Baptist and Pentecostal pastors have. 
Tomorrow we wrap up this meeting and Dominic and I will fly to Manila.

Dan 
Dan Gross in Asia #7 Oct./Nov. 2012 
A lengthy question and answer session concluded our meeting today. There were many positive comments from those attending, including the Baptist and Pentecostal pastors. There were many requests for further studies and invitations to hold conferences in various places. It would not be difficult to keep a full schedule of continual traveling for months. Again, I am amazed at the humility and open-mindedness of many of these men and women. There were a couple that were disgruntled, but the vast majority made comments about how clear the teaching is in the Bible once they looked carefully at the verses. It is humbling to have the opportunity to teach such people and see them change long-held traditional doctrines and choose to believe what the verses say. The hard part of the meetings is saying "goodbye," but I hope to see most of them again, soon. 
After the meeting, Dominic, Joseph, and I joined the Ronquillo family at my favorite restaurant in Bacolod (and one of my favorite anywhere)--Chicken Deli. This is how Val Ronquillo and I conclude most every one of my visits to Bacolod. They have deliciousroasted chicken that you then dip in a sauce of calamansi (similar to lime), soy sauce, and vinegar spiced with hot peppers. It has been a few years since I've been able to get time to eat with and talk with the whole Ronquillo family, so it was nice to catch up with Edith, Eunice, and Lois (who still calls me, "daddy"). Val then took Dominic and me to the new airport in Bacolod, which is located about 30 minutes or more outside of the city. This was the first flight, on this trip in the Philippines where check-in went quickly and smoothly. Upon arriving in Manila (about 10:45 PM), Gerald and his son met us at the airport. I also haven't been able to see Gerald for several years, so we stayed in his house and had good Bible study together before crashing for the night. 
Tomorrow I fly to Singapore. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #8 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Gerald took me to the airport at 7 AM and then took Dominic to the bus station, so he could take the 8-hour bus ride back to Cauayan. Today was the first flight, this time, in the Philippines where everything went smoothly in the airport--no flight cancellation, no long waits because they can't find my name in their computer, etc. Ban Seng & Joyce and Paul & Ruth met me at the airport in Singapore. We had lunch together and got caught up with one another. (I had some delicious Lotus Root soup among other Chinese foods.) Then Paul & Ruth took me to Ngee Kuan's and Ai Choo's flat. Han Hooi was there already, so we also got caught up with one another. He will be going to New Zealand soon. Tomorrow morning we will meet at 9 AM for Bible study. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #9 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Ngee Kuan and I went out to the hawker stall for our traditional Roti Pratha breakfast to start the day (similar to a pancake and covered with a hot curry gravy). At 9 AM, we started the Bible study time. As usual, there were insightful comments and thought-provoking questions. David introduced us to a traditional Hebrew song about Abraham that he recently found. Tomorrow morning I fly from Singapore to Chennai (Madras), India. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #10 Oct./Nov. 2012 
After an early morning cup of tea, Ngee Kuan accompanied me to the airport in Singapore. Check-in was quick and smooth, as expected in Singapore. Ban Seng and Joyce came to the airport and we had the traditional pre-departure breakfast of rothi pratha in the staff canteen (the site of the best food in the airport). The flight toChennai(Madras), India was four hours. The original plan was that Packiyanathan would meet me in Chennai and we would proceed by car to the site of the first meeting. However, while I was in Singapore heavy rains fell in Chennai and the surrounding areas and several roads were damaged. Packiyanathan thought it best to flip the dates of our first two meetings, so from Chennai I boarded a flight to Bengaluru (Bangalore). I had a five-hour wait in the airport in Chennai before my flight. I always bring plenty of reading material so I can make profitable use of such times. I have to be sure to go to the airline staff and ask periodically which gate the flight will be using because the announcements in the airport are roughly the quality of the drive thru at a fast-food restaurant. 
The flight to Bengaluru went smoothly and Packiyanathan met me at the airport. Bangalore had one of my least favorite airports in the world, but this is a new airport. The downside is that it is further from the city, so we had a long drive to get to our lodging for the night. During the days of the British Empire, and soon after, several Christian organizations located their headquarters in Bangalore due to a more favorable climate and better infrastructure than many areas in the south. However, there was very little missionary outreach in this area and the Christian population is quite low. We had a meeting in Bangalore three years ago, but this will be in a different place (Bangalore is a large city) and we invited a different group of people. I'm eager to get started tomorrow with the first of five meetings in India. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #11 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Just before midnight, my stomach was not feeling so good. I got up and went into the bathroom and spent 3 hours alternating between vomiting and diarrhea with only short breaks in between. I can't be certain what made me sick, but my guess is that it was the snack on the flight from Chennai to Bangalore. Finally, about 3 AM I was able to sleep until waking at 6 AM. I skipped breakfast and drank only water while getting ready for the day. One of the Indian news channels was covering the USA election and giving current results as reported from CNN. Just prior to leaving for the meeting, I heard that Obama had won. 
Our meeting was held at The Gate of Heaven Mission. Interestingly, to get to the meeting room you have to go down a narrow stairway that has a very low ceiling, so it feels like you're going down into a dungeon. Hardly seems like the gate of heaven. If something unfortunate happened during a meeting, we would not be able to get out of there. In any case, the meeting was well-attended and everyone was attentive throughout the day. Packiyanathan translated my messages, so we could move along quickly since he knows the doctrine himself. I didn't eat anything until lunch and by that time was feeling well enough to give food a try. The food stayed down and I felt fine the rest of the day, so I'm hoping the three hours in the bathroom effectively cleared my system. 
As usual, there was a good deal of confusion the first day since everything I taught is new to them. But they were patient and listened. One man interrupted me while I was teaching through the passage about the woman of Canaan in Matthew 15, but Packiyanathan immediately told him to wait until I finished going through the passage and he remained quiet after that. If they all return tomorrow, the confusion should be resolved. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #12 Oct./Nov. 2012 
The first day I covered from Genesis 1 to Acts 3. Today I picked it up from there and went through the rest of the Bible. The local coordinator of the meeting is the one who runs the Gate of Heaven Mission. He said that many came to him at the end of the teaching yesterday and complained that they were confused. He told them, "I also am confused, but let's just be patient and see what the teaching is tomorrow." At the end of the day today, he stood up and spoke for a while when I was finished. He mentioned all the complaints he received yesterday about being confused and everyone laughed and nodded. Then he said that all the confusion was cleared up and he was very happy with learning so many new things. There was loud applause. Then he began to recite new things that he learned and people clapped and said, "Amen" as he listed off the new teachings. He told me everyone was happy to have a better understanding of the Bible. One man commented that it was amazing to think they have been preaching all these years and didn't even know the true gospel. He wasn't discouraged about this, but happy to have better understanding and greater confidence in the word of God. As in so many meetings, I can see the light come on in people's minds when I begin to talk about the revelation of the mystery given to Paul. Among others who gave comments, one man told me that he was from an orthodox Hindu background and he was very thankful for all he had learned. 
As soon as we concluded the meeting, Packiyanathan and I hopped in the car and began the 4-hour journey to the site of our next meeting. It took some time to get out of Bangalore, but then we made good time, with only a short stop for tea alongside the road. When we arrived in Madanapalle, Prasanna was here to meet us. Tomorrow we begin our first meeting in this city. I got motion sick on the car ride, as is often the case, so I skipped dinner. I should be okay and ready to go in the morning. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #13 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Madanapalle was the site of our meeting today. This was originally going to be our first meeting, but due to heavy rains we went to Bangalore first. As we often do, we reserved a wedding hall for the meeting here. We had a good attendance and they were attentive. Prasanna is my translator here, so, again, I could move right along since he is familiar with the doctrine and doesn't have to take time to think about how to translate correctly. I recovered from the motion sickness I had yesterday and slept well despite a few more cockroaches than I would prefer in the lodge we stayed in. 
This area is poorer than Bangalore. The economy in India has grown significantly in recent years and, unlike a few years ago, there is a fairly sizable middle class, but 40 percent of the people still live on less than $2 a day. So, there is a lot of progress yet to be made. 
Since the response today was good, I expect tomorrow will go well. After the meeting tomorrow, we will head to Sivakasi for a visit to the orphanage. 

Dan
Dan Gross in Asia #14 Oct./Nov. 2012 
The power problem seems to be worse in these areas than in most of my past visits. The power has been on and off quite a lot. It hasn't significantly disrupted any of our meetings, but with the growing population and economic growth it is a problem India will need to do something about soon. 
We concluded our meeting today in Madanapalle. When I was done, the local coordinator asked if they had enjoyed the teaching and there was loud and long applause. Many personally thanked me and mentioned specific teachings that helped them. Packiyanathan and Prasanna received several invitations to come to various places in this area and conduct more teaching seminars. 
After the meeting, we headed for Sivakasi. By 10 PM, we still had about 4 hours to go and Packiyanathan was getting tired, so we decided to stop in Salem for the night and continue early in the morning. This is the beginning of a 5-day vacation for many from work and school due to the Hindu holiday Deepavali (Divali). So, there are many traveling now. Packiyanathan's daughter recently started college in Chenna and is making her first trip home via public transportation. She got to the bus station at 4:30 and as of 10:30 PM is still waiting for her bus to leave. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #14 Oct./Nov. 2012 
The power problem seems to be worse in these areas than in most of my past visits. The power has been on and off quite a lot. It hasn't significantly disrupted any of our meetings, but with the growing population and economic growth it is a problem India will need to do something about soon. 
We concluded our meeting today in Madanapalle. When I was done, the local coordinator asked if they had enjoyed the teaching and there was loud and long applause. Many personally thanked me and mentioned specific teachings that helped them. Packiyanathan and Prasanna received several invitations to come to various places in this area and conduct more teaching seminars. 
After the meeting, we headed for Sivakasi. By 10 PM, we still had about 4 hours to go and Packiyanathan was getting tired, so we decided to stop in Salem for the night and continue early in the morning. This is the beginning of a 5-day vacation for many from work and school due to the Hindu holiday Deepavali (Divali). So, there are many traveling now. Packiyanathan's daughter recently started college in Chenna and is making her first trip home via public transportation. She got to the bus station at 4:30 and as of 10:30 PM is still waiting for her bus to leave. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #15 Oct./Nov. 2012 
We got about what we paid for in the $10 a room lodge situated on the corner of a busy highway and a busy street, but we got a little sleep before leaving early this morning. It was a 4-hour drive to Sivakasi. Packiyanathan's daughter arrived shortly after we did. She got to the bus station at 4:30 PM yesterday, but due to the holiday her bus didn't leave until 11:30 PM. We caught a nap before going to the orphanage. It was, again, a delight to see the children and to see how well they are doing. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I had several little hands holding my hands as we proceeded into the orphanage. 
The children are a bit more free than on some of my visits because they have five days off of school since Tuesday is Deepavali. After giving the children candy, they recited Bible verses, sang, and did some traditional Indian dances. It is always fun to see their enthusiasm. We had dinner together--idli (fermented rice cakes), sambar, and three chutneys (coconut, mint, and tomato). A couple of the little girls were a bit embarrassed to tell me they ate 5 idlis since I only ate 3. We talked for quite a while about a number of things and I got beat arm-wrestling by all the younger children. Packiyanathan and Prasanna both said the children were very sad when it was time for me to leave. That is the hard part of visiting them. Anyway, I know they are well taken care of. 
Sivakasi is the fireworks capitol of India with thousands of fireworks shops. This is their big time of year. The whole year depends on them doing well for Deepavali. So, it is a very busy city right now. A few months ago there was an explosion at one of the factories and several people got killed. The authorities have clamped down on the shops since then regarding safety procedures, licensing, etc., so it is a little rougher than most years for many of them. 
Early tomorrow morning we head to another state, Kerala, for the next meeting.
 
Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #16 Oct./Nov. 2012 
We had my favorite South Indian breakfast this morning before departing Sivakasi (Pongol is made from rice and dal, and you eat it with sambar, which is a spicy gravy/soup with onions, carrots, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Three chutneys, coconut, tomato, and mint are commonly served with the meal.) While on the road, Packiyanathan, Prasanna, and I had a good Bible study time discussing things that each of us has been studying recently. When we were near our destination, we stopped at a vineyard and bought some delicious grapes and grape juice. 
As we were traveling, Prasanna received a text informing him that there was an article in the newspaper about our meeting in Madanapalle. I generally try to remain low-key and we don't put up banners or advertise publicly for security purposes. This newspaper has the fastest growing circulation in the state and is the only newspaper in the state that uses color on every page. We didn't know there would be anything in the newspaper until Prasanna received the text this morning. Thankfully, the article is favorable and quite accurate. The article includes a photograph (to my right is Packiyanathan and to his right is Prasanna. The others are all local men who attended the meeting). The link to the article is: http://epaper.sakshi.com/apnews/Madanapalle/10112012/Details.aspx?id=1546097&boxid=25848584 
Below is an English translation of the article: 
CHRISTIANS NEED TO MOVE FORWARD BY FAITH 
MADANAPALLE SAKSHI NEWS LINE- Daniel Gross from the USA is an INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SPEAKER & RGMI PRESIDENT. He came to India and had wonderful meetings arranged in Madanapalle (Andhra Pradesh) INDIA on the 8th & 9th of November 2012. The meetings were coordinated by Prasanna Kumar, the RGMI INDIA AP COORDINATOR. The content of the message was that Christians need to understand that salvation is by faith without the deeds of the law. It was mentioned that by singing and praying we speak to God, but when we study the Bible God speaks to us, so we need to give more importance to studying the Word of God. Whatever age man lives in, he needs to give importance to the word of God. But today it is very sad that most of the pastors preach the word of God without studying and rightly dividing the word of truth. This makes their teaching sound like nonsense to the people who want to learn or hear the word .To go to heaven only faith matters. Every one needs to study the word of God carefully. 
This seminar was so blessed for all the Christians who live in the city and by the end of the day every one understood that rightly dividing the word of God is the 
only way to understand the Bible. The Meeting was well arranged and Packiyanathan, the RGMI DIRECTOR in India was the chief guest from Tamil Nadu, India. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #17 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Spices are a major part of the economy in this area and there are some good shops near our meeting place. I wish I could bring back a suitcase full, but the excess baggage fees would be ridiculous. 
Today we began our meeting here, in Kumily, Kerala. We chose to have a meeting in Kerala on this date because tomorrow is the big Diwali celebration. In many states, it would be a difficult time to travel to our meeting, but Kerala doesn't have a very big celebration for Diwali, so it shouldn't cause any inconvenience here (Kerala has their own Hindu holiday at another time of year that they celebrate much more elaborately than Diwali). 
We had some challenges with the translator today. Malayalam is spoken in Kerala, so we got a translator who understood English and Malayalam. He does not speak Tamil, so Packiyanathan gave some introductory comments in English. The translator asked him to repeat some things two or three times. I thought, "we're not going to get through half the material I want to cover, if this is how it goes." Fortunately, he actually seemed to have less trouble with my English and commented that I was easy to understand. However, Packiyanathan heard that something I said was not true, got translated as being true. We talked to the translator and he said he misheard me and did not intentionally change my teaching. He also, publicly, corrected the mistake and apologized for it. But soon after that, Packiyanathan realized he was not using the correct word when referring to "heaven," so Packiyanathan explained to the audience what I was teaching and what word should be used in referring to "heaven." After that message concluded, several in the audience said the translator was not giving full and accurate translations. They said the explanation Packiyanathan gave about "heaven" was very helpful and they requested that Packiyanathan translate into Tamil since those attending also understand Tamil. Some could understand my English, so between my English and Packiyanathan's Tamil, everyone seemed pleased that they were now understanding. 
The day ended on a high note, so I expect tomorrow will go well. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #18 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Things went smoothly and successfully with Packiyanathan translating today. Everyone indicated that they clearly understood the teaching. There were many positive comments and invitations for future meetings. One man oversees seminaries in India and two other countries. He invited us to teach in these seminaries. 
After the meeting concluded, we headed for our next, and last, meeting for this trip. Today is Diwali, so Packiyanathan had to use extra care in driving--a good deal of alcohol has been consumed. We definitely witnessed some of the excessive drinking. One motorcyclist, who fortunately was driving slowly, was wobbling back and forth so much that he could barely keep the bike upright. Most shops are closed today, but we did find one tea shop open along the way and stopped briefly for tea and a fried pastry with unripe banana inside. We made good time because there were fewer vehicles on the road due to the holiday. We saw many fireworks displays along the way as we passed from city to city. After eight hours, we arrived in Hosur where we will begin our meeting tomorrow. 
It has been a long day, so I'll end here. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #19 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Our last meeting for this trip began today in Hosur. We had a meeting here a couple years ago, so this is a follow-up meeting. Sadly, the man who locally coordinated our meeting last time was killed in an automobile accident. So, another man who attended the first meeting volunteered to coordinate this one. We began by reviewing what was taught at the previous seminar (there also were quite a few new people attending, so we wanted to briefly cover that material for their sake). I spoke first and then Packiyanathan. After those first two messages, one man seemed a bit concerned because "everything you taught so far was already taught at the first meeting" and he was hoping to learn new things. However, I was very encouraged that he, and others, clearly remembered what had been taught two years ago. He said he has a small Bible training institute and he taught the students everything I taught in the first meeting. We assured him that the rest of the time we would go on to new material. 
The rest of the day I spoke about Romans 5:1-2 and II Timothy 3:16-17. The response was very positive. It was plain that they now understood and greatly appreciated justification by faith, peace with God, and the other things I spoke about. They looked very eager throughout the day and happy with what they were learning. 
My stomach wasn't so good this morning, so I skipped breakfast and gradually felt better through the morning. By lunch, I was able to eat and made it through the rest of the day without further trouble. We were going to have egg curry for breakfast in Kerala, but it didn't work out, so I've been craving eggs. Tonight I enjoyed an Indian omelette along with crispy ginger chicken. Tomorrow we wrap up the meeting in Hosur and I head for Bangalore to begin the long journey home. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #20 Oct./Nov. 2012 
I spent much of the day today teaching through Romans 6. The response was overwhelmingly positive with many comments about understanding for the first time what it means to live under grace and how to do so. There were a lot of "amens," clapping, and heads nodding positively as we went step-by-step through the chapter. This is all new for those attending since they have only heard about living under the law. We concluded the meeting with a question and answer session. Packiyanathan answered several and I took the rest. The question and answer time began on a note that humored me. The first question was from an older man who stood up and said he was angry with me because he has taught in a Bible college that the first book of the Bible to be written was the book of Genesis, but I taught that Job was written first. I had a hard time not chuckling as I began to answer because I thought, of all the controversial things I taught about baptism, tongues, healing, etc., this was the thing that made him angry. I took the opportunity to give examples of how the books in the Bible are arranged according to a doctrinal purpose, not according to the date they were written. After I finished my answer, he stood up and said he was no longer angry at me. The other questions were all dispensational questions--the gospel of the kingdom, the revelation of the mystery to Paul, etc. It was a most encouraging way to wrap up the meetings in India for this trip. Among many other enthusiastic comments, one man approached me after the meeting and said, "the teaching at this Bible seminar was super, super, super!" 
When we concluded the meeting, I showered and packed and we wrapped up any remaining financial matters regarding this trip. Then we headed for the airport in Bengaluru (Bangalore). It was only about 45 miles, but took three hours due to the traffic in Bangalore. There is a new airport in Bangalore and it is really nice. They actually even have good coffee. But I was reminded today of Bob Dylan's song, "Everything Is Broken." One wheel fell off my suitcase and then when the man in the airport grabbed the handle to put it on the scale, the handle fell off. When I boarded the plane, I put on my headphones and the left ear pad cracked and fell off, so I had to listen with only the right ear. Also, in my seat the cup holder wouldn't close, so a flight attendant had to tape it shut. This was all more humorous than any sort of significant problem. 
My SpiceJet flight from Bangalore landed in Chennai just before 11 PM. I have a few hours before my 3:00 AM flight to Hong Kong. 

Dan

Dan Gross in Asia #21 Oct./Nov. 2012 
My flight left Chennai (Madras), India on time at 3:15 A.M. and went smoothly. I had an empty seat next to me, so could stretch my legs a little and was able to get a little sleep during the 4 1/2 hour flight. Hong Kong has a relatively new, and very nice airport. I had a long walk to get to my gate and with only 50 minutes before my flight, by the time I reached the gate, they were already boarding the flight. The walk was good for me after sitting for more than 4 hours and having several hours of sitting to come on the flight to Chicago. So, I had no time for a cup of coffee or anything other than a quick stop in the restroom while in Hong Kong. 
The flight to Chicago was 14 hours--two hours shorter than my flight from Chicago to Hong Kong due to a tail wind. I slept some and did a lot of reading. I feel about as good as could be expected or hoped for after the long flight. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #22 Oct./Nov. 2012 
Immigration and customs were not crowded at O'Hare and my luggage showed up quickly, so I was ready to leave the airport soon after landing. Ted met me at the airport and we got caught up on the ride home. Unlike my last trip, I felt good when arriving home. After I've had a chance to get some sleep, I will send a summary email about this trip. 

Dan 

Dan Gross in Asia #23 (Final) Oct./Nov. 2012 
It was another highly successful trip and I want to thank each of you for your prayers and encouragement. We also want to thank you for your financial support for the trip. Unexpected expenses, of which there are always some, were minimal this time. Nevertheless, we are currently lacking $2200 to cover the expenses of the trip. 
The trip began on a bit of a frustrating note when my flight from Manila to Tuguegarao was cancelled due to heavy rain in Tuguegarao. I was able to go the next day, but it made the first meeting a very short one. However, the other meeting in the Philippines went very well with a good mix of people from various denominations. The response was very positive with many expressing that they had learned many new things and had changed their views on some things. 
The brief stop in Singapore was encouraging, as I was able to teach and fellowship with saints I have known for many years. It is always refreshing to get caught up with them and edify one another. 
I had meetings in four states in India, plus a visit to the orphanage. Three of the meetings were in new areas and nearly everything I taught was new to them. We continue to be amazed at the positive and enthusiastic response we get in all these meetings. There is a great hunger to understand the word of God, but most churches offer only emotionalism, ecstatic experiences, and superstition. So, once they adapt to listening to the teaching of doctrine they are greatly eager to learn. The follow-up meeting in Hosur was typical of past follow-up meetings: (1) Many of those who attended the first meeting returned for the follow-up meeting and brought new people with them; (2) They seemed to have a good understanding and remembrance of what had been taught in the first meeting, so we only had to quickly review that material; (3) They were ready and eager to build upon the foundation of the first meeting with more advanced teaching and warmly embraced what they learned. 
The visit to the orphanage was, again, a highlight. The staff continues to be top-notch in their care for the children and the children are excelling. For further, ongoing, updates on the orphanage, check out our orphanage Facebook page. When you are on Facebook just type in "RGMI orphanage in India" to find our page. 
As a result of this trip, we also have many more invitations in India, and other countries, due to this trip. We are already making plans for the next trip, in which we hope to go into several new areas in northern India. 

Dan Gross