Hello to everyone from India!! I am sorry that I haven’t posted a new blog up until this point, but the start to the World Race has been pretty busy with final training in Georgia, certain people learning and adopting new rolls, and the thrilling transition of traveling across the world. Learning how to navigate through multiple airports, each including a layover, in a group of 50 people is a bit challenging, and requires a lot of patience. Thankfully, two of our squad-mates are the Logistic Coordinators for travel days, and to say that they did a fantastic job the first go around is an understatement. India is absolutely incredible.
The culture is so unique and entirely different than what we are used to in the United States. Adapting to the norms here has been challenging, yet so rewarding. Women do not show their ankles or shoulders. Private areas must be double covered in order to save the shape of their bodies for their husbands’ one day. Women do not smile at men and if they chose to it should only be a short, half smile. Direct eye contact should not be made for longer than just a few seconds. My way of showing kindness and respect through big smiles and eye contact to everyone is not acceptable here. The biggest challenge is disregarding our norms back home, and immersing ourselves into this new Indian culture.
Our team is doing ministry this month at Covenant Worship in Hyderabad. This is an amazing organization that focuses on releasing God’s presence in India by reaching out to urban youth, training these individuals to become worship leaders and disciples, with the overall goal to spread God’s love. They accomplish this vision in so many ways, and I am beyond grateful to be a part of it. Music is flooding this amazing place that we get to call home, basically 24/7. This brings so much joy to my heart, whether it is in a language I can understand or not. That is one of the biggest things I have learned so far, not even a full week into ministry on The Race; love for our Savior has no limitations.
On Sunday, we had the pleasure of running Sunday School for children that came from Sarah’s Covenant home to church here at CW. SCH was created in order to provide daily care for disabled orphans in Ongle, India. Though we were unsure what disabilities we would encounter, what capacity they would have to engage with us in the activities that we planned, and what amount of english they would understand, we quickly learned that none of that mattered. You can love on people in any language, with any disability. I have never seen so many smiles and so much laughter amongst a group of children, all with zero expectations with the time we spent with them.
Following in their footsteps, I have committed to having no expecations of what ministry will look like on the race. This evening we went on a prayer walk with two young men that are on staff here at CW. We walked through two beautiful parks, praying silently to ourselves for people that passed by. My favorite part of the whole thing was sitting under this incredible wooden gazebo, overlooking a large pond that had little turtles swimming throughout it. Abhi and Shekar taught us a worship song in Telugu that was simple yet to the point. ” Ne tho nee Na Jivitam” which translates to “With you is my whole life Jesus”, followed by some other versus, all relaying a beautiful message. We laughed while trying to sing along in our broken Telugu to Shekar playing the guitar. We prayed over the little boys that quietly crept up to listen, and finished the evening off being treated to some Indian Chai.
My heart is overwhelmed by the love I feel from Jesus here in India. This is just a short glimpse into our time here so far. I am thrilled to see what The Lord does in each of our lives, along with us as a team throughout our time here at Covenant Worship. The testimonies of the young men that we get to work with this month are absolutely incredible, and proof that we get to see the amazing works of God in the land of the living.
Thank you all for your continuous prayers and support for this incredible journey I am on. I love you all and am so grateful that I get to share what is happening by the grace and love of God, all the way across the world!
With so much love,
Jami
