Before arriving in India, I had to prepare myself mentally for the possible reality of spending more time having diarrhea than actually doing ministry. I mean, everyone knows India is known for their crazy food that does crazy stuff to your system.
But praise be to God because that has not been the case!! WOOHOO!!
I’ve been in Bangalore, India for three weeks and have loved every minute. I’m obsessed. I love the people. I love the food. I love the culture. I love seeing the Kingdom of heaven invading this earth in even the smallest acts of love. The children here are beautiful. The joy within them is contagious. Gah, I cant get enough of these people.
And now I will attempt to describe what these past three weeks have been like. Oh boy, this is gonna be interesting.
My team and another team are staying at the YWAM base here in Bangalore (which is a really fun city let me tell ya). Through them we’ve been able to work with their Mercy Ministries program the first week and a half, going into the slums providing medical care, doing house visits, and helping out with kids programs. I love the slums. The Lord is working in such powerful ways and I cant get enough of it. We’ve also visited several orphanages in the area, which have been so fun. Being with these kids is just so good for my soul. I get to make a complete fool of myself. Whats not to love about that? We’ve also gone on some house visits, sitting with Hindu women in their homes, hearing their stories and coming alongside them in their struggles. Sweet moments.
All that to say, we’ve done a lot. And its been beautiful. It’s humbling to wake up every morning with the realization that God chose me for this. To be here. To love and be loved by Him and these amazing people around me. He’s too good to me.
Aside from ministry, this has been a sweet month of revelation, of dreaming with the Lord as He redefines and expands upon what it means to give and love. Here the poor come up to you asking for money. They’ll tug on your shirt and even follow you until you give. Poverty is exposed. Its in your face, crying out to you for help. Its overwhelming. But in those moments the Lord is so faithful and gracious to teach me. Challenging me to break off my eyes the scales of judgment and assumptions and to see people for who they are. Human beings. Human beings longing to be loved and understood. Just like me. They each have stories of struggle and hardship that have led them to this place. They each have wounds on their heart that I cant see. They feel a pain that I have never felt. Yes, there is so much need. That’s true of everywhere you go. But I trust that the Lord can use my feeble attempts to love in more ways than I can see. Thats what I’m learning. The power of small acts with great love. Smiling. Holding. Asking their name. Sitting with them. Things that may seem so small and insignificant can, through His power at work in and through us, change peoples’ lives. His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. They’re so much bigger. They’re so much greater. He works in ways unseen. So my hope is not in what I do, but in who He is. All He asks of me is that I trust. That I love. That I speak life not just with my words but with my very life.
He does more than I could ever ask for or imagine. PTL.
And know, my friends, that He does the same for you, too. He’s at work in and through you in more ways than you can realize. He has extravagant dreams, hand-crafted specifically for you to live. Dream with Him. Let Him have His holy, reckless way with you. You wont regret it.
Love to you,
Carlsbad
