Late blog: Internet has not been the easiest to come by lately for me so this is about 3 weeks late but figured it would still be relevant .. Love ya guys!!
As read in my, A day in the life India (Prequel) blog, my team and I are in Andhra Pradesh, India working with Covenant Children’s Home (CCH). Our main focus this month is village ministry and the children that we get to share a new home with each week!
Every village brings new adventures, but some things never change!
We wake up and are ready by 8 am for breakfast, which is at 830. We see the kiddos off for school say our “Goodbyes” and “Have a great day at school”, and then sit for our tea or coffee.
Culturally in India they take tea or coffee twice a day. Once after breakfast around 9am and one around 4pm. Or at least that is when they offer it to us.
We then begin our morning schedule, which is different everyday. Usually we do things like clean up around the house and surrounding areas to teach cleanliness to the family. There is no trash system here and most trash gets thrown on the ground. (it isn’t as bad as you may imagine) The closest we have come to changing this is showing them that if you throw the trash in a relatively close pile on the ground you can then go back and burn it at a more convenient time. J We plant flowers, vegetables, and fruit to assist in feeding the household. We also, which is my favorite; make home visits to church members and non-church members around the village! We pray for them and their families! We ask for blessings for their health and their home! We declare protection over their lives from the evil one and ask Jesus to become as real to them as we are standing right in front of them! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
We eat lunch around 1pm to 2pm. Then comes my third favorite part, which is naptime aka “sister go take rest.” It is common to be referred to as sister and brother, so I would be Katie sister or just sister.
Rest is a very integralpart in life as a missionary. The bible speaks of a life and death struggle for those who hold fast to the testimony of Jesus. An all out war has been declared between Satan and those that bring the good news of our resurrected King and the hope and unending love that Jesus Christ brings. The spiritual warfare that I have encountered here in India is unlike any I have ever been faced with. I feel like I can sleep days on end and after each task I feel drained as if I hadn’t slept for many nights. Some days are better than others but it is a constant battle that is fought everyday to stay engaged in prayer, in life, and with each other! I hold strong knowing that my God is greater than anything I may face here in India!
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (I John 4:4)
Between rest and 5pm, we also have what is called Team Time. My team and I come together and intentionally talk about what is going on in our lives. We call out each other’s strengths and call each other up to better look and live like Jesus. We also spend time listening to sermons, prophesying over each other, and praying for our team, our ministry, and those we have yet to meet.
Next comes my second favorite part of the day!! The kiddos come home and we get to spend time with them!! In 2 of the 3 villages we have been to we were able to spend most of the evening with the children. We read to them and have them read to us all in English, express creativity through providing art projects, have a night of worship and teaching them new songs, keep their little bodies strong by playing sports, and really just spending quality time with them until we are both so warn out we have no other choice but to take rest for the evening.
In the one village that was different we spent most of the evenings (430-8pm) visiting homes in the community. We prayed for an innumerable amount of people, and were able to bring the light of Jesus into areas that are surrounded by darkness.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
One thing is for certain; I have never been immersed in such a culture as this. The hospitality for strangers, the grace to forgive, the act after act of unselfishness towards my team and I has left me in awe. India truly portrays the love, honor and servants heart that we as Christians are called to live by.
India, CCH, and all the families that we were privileged to live with, Thank you! We love you and will truly miss you! For now we say goodbye but know you have changed our lives forever — Until we meet in Heaven
