Why India didn't want us to leave, I will never fully understand.
India broke me. Broke my teammates. Broke my squad.
We went into debrief at a whole new level of exhausted, humbled, and broken.
Spirits had been broken. Bodies had been broken. We were hungry for the comfort and the healing that could only come from Him.
But still, I would be lying if I said we weren't all more than ready to be out of India.
Debrief came and went. Rats in the toilet, pouring monsoon season rain, sessions, worship, and hard conversations.
We talked about what it's going to be like to go back to the States. Our expectations. Fears. Doubts. Questions.
Talks were truthful, yet covered in grace. We talked about how we were doing. What had been hard this month. (What hadn't been hard would have been a shorter answer for many of us.) Worship was amazing and God showed up and brought healing and comfort, just like we knew He would.
And then Thursday night rolled around. Finally. Our flight wasn't until the next morning, but our squad parents flew out of Mumbai at 2AM, so we all went early, with the intention of crashing in the airport for a few hours before catching our flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and finally, finally closing the chapter on this mini-season of our lives.
HA.
We were told to be packed by 5, ready for a pizza dinner, and we'd be leaving at 7:30. The next 44 hours played out as follows:
7:30PM- Bus is supposed to be here. No sign of the bus.
8:11- We are told the bus is stuck in traffic. Should be here within 30 minutes. We hang tight.
9:08- Bus shows up and we load it in the rain, jump in, and head off.
10:07- I overhear our logistics guy lean over and tell our squad mom that our flight in the morning is cancelled. Not sure why.
10:07-10:58- Sit tired yet amused as people call back to the office and the airline, trying to figure out exactly what we are to do and who is responsible. Find out that they have rebooked our flight for 6 days later. Have a mini freak out. Decide that I will hitchhike to Nepal if that's the case. I need out of this country.
12:01AM- Drop our squad parents off at the airport. Talk to the airline, who says they notified us in time for them to not be held responsible. Get re-booked for a flight the next morning. Sit on the bus for two and a half hours in the heat & rain while these discussions go on. Can't comprehend more time in India.
2:45-5:03AM- Drive around trying to find a decent priced, decent hotel for the 35 of us to stay the night. Approach a hotel that we are pretty sure is a brothel. Decide against it. Hear we are heading to a YMCA an hour and a half away, where all of us will be sleeping on the floor in one room with two fans. Deleriously not happy about my life at that very moment.
5:05AM- Pull up in front of a hotel somewhere in Mumbai. Get off the bus. Walk into a building that smells of stale urine and head up the steps. By the time we are on the third floor, it's smelling like soap instead. A nice change. Six of us walk into a room with a couple of beds, mattresses, and AIR CONDITIONING. I almost faint from glee.
5:29AM- Pass out and sleep like a rock.
Spend the next day enjoying relaxed time with friends, eating good food, and grabbing a few more incredible items at the mall. (I'm a bit obsessed with the fashion here.)
I didn't think it would, but that last day redeemed India a little bit for me. I needed it. God knew that I needed a day with no schedule, no requirements on my time, and no expectations more than I needed to be ouhjut of India.
But we still sang "Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen" as we landed in Nepal, the India chapter of our Races over.
