INDIA
There are hardly words to describe the chaos and lack of structure. The poverty is OVERWHELMING. Being the first time out of the country, “culture shock” is an understatement. Trying to understand why there is trash EVERYWHERE, why shoulders and ankles are a sacred part of a woman, why women are sad and oppressed, why kids with special needs are thrown away to foster homes, why 75% of the special needs children I have the privilege to work with on Sundays are HIV positive, why a woman brought to me her drunk baby that she intentionally fed alcohol to in hopes that it would help her receive more money, and why a hungry stray dog peed on the dog food I bought for him.
All of these questions will never be answered, nor do they need to be. I wasn’t sent here to be the answer or to find the answer but to deliver the answer. JESUS! Is the answer. He brings SALVATION, joy in every circumstance and strength in weakness. Bridging the gap we created between us and Our Creator. Providing needs in ways we will never comprehend. Providing LIGHT in the darkest darkness.
Oh India… I hate your lack of structure and oppression but God gave me his heart for you today as I walked through the “slums”. I can’t even find the words to describe the slums besides POOR POOR POOR. People made for themselves a house to live in. A community of several homeless men, women, and children. We went there with a few young Indian Christian men who broke down the language barrier with such amazing God-given power.
My expectations? I shamefully admit that I expected to be mocked. I expected them to ignore us. I am so happy that I was wrong. They welcomed us in with loving arms and smiles. They swormed us like we were Jesus himself. We prayed over children, for protection against illness and for them to have a good education. We prayed for healing. We prayed for women who just simply wanted more faith and for God to continue to provide for them. Though they were lacking much (material) they were so full. Full of joy, full of laughter. I went there expecting to pour out but I was the one that was poured in to. I left there with a heart SO full, full of love. SO hungry for more. Hungry for the faith of the poor!!
This woman grabbed my arm and rushed me to a man that could translate her words to me. She said “pray that God blesses my family and that our faith increases” I joyfully accepted but as I prayed for those things I felt in my spirit that she needed more. She needed to know her worth. She needed to know how much she is loved, how desired she is, and how God delights in her. I began to pray that God would speak those things to her. As I held her tightly I felt her tears drop on my arm and knew that God was doing exactly as I asked. She wept. I wept. I held her whispering in a language she couldn’t understand yet she knew exactly what I was saying. We shared a love and a unity that was beautiful and divinely appointed.
Today was the day I gave a piece of my heart to India. A piece that I will leave behind.
Father, I am so ready for more. Prepare my heart for more! You’re the God of this city. You’re the King of these people. You’re the Lord of this Nation. You’re the light in this darkness. You’re the hope to the hopeless. You’re the peace to the restless. YOU ARE. There is no one like You God. Greater things are yet to come and greater things are yet to be done in this city.
