This month so far has been life changing to say the least. After our last debrief in Yangon, Myanmar. We took a connecting flight to Malaysia where we chilled for a day at the airport. By this point in our race I’d say our entire squad is walking a little differently then we had prior to the race. I know for me personally there has been a change even just in the last week. At debrief We were challenged to just simply be human-beings as opposed to being human-doings. So many times I personally have been caught up in the idea that, well today is an off day I don’t have to do ministry or today is a travel day i’ll take a break from praying for people. Which if I look at it, why would there be any difference in ministry days and off days. My life is devoted to the kingdom. I can do “ministry” anywhere any day. I seriously doubt Jesus told anyone Nah bro I cant heal you today I’m layin low. So being in the airport in Malaysia it was just really cool to see my squad walking this out praying for people and praying for one another. We were just bein human beings.
So from Malaysia we flew into Kolkata/Calcutta however you want to say it. So Dragon Fish Storm at this point is split up with our girls still in Myanmar. The guys from our team were given a cool opportunity to do a week of ATL(Ask The Lord) before meeting back up with the rest of the squad in Imphal. The first night our plan was to just sleep in the airport since we had not yet found a place to stay. Right off the bat I walk outside, not knowing that there was only a one time entry. So here I am outside the airport my entire squad inside and military men with some sort of assault rifle standing by the door not allowing me to come back in. Im good at getting myself into sticky situations somehow… The rest of the squad finally made their way out the door to head to their hostels for the night. By this time it’s about 2 AM and my team is still inside. Somehow my buddy Spencer comes over and gets the guard to allow me back in. Thank God! We were all able to sleep as a team on the floor in the airport. From there we caught a cab the next morning to a mall to get wifi so we could work on our sleeping arrangement.
Having finally gotten connected with my cousin in the states who had a contact here in Calcutta that rented us out their “expired” (as he said it) mother-in-laws apartment. Things started coming together and we were able to finally get going on our feet here in India. The first day or so was really just scoping things out trying to come up with a game plan. In this time we were able to go to Mother Teresa’s home where she lived and is now buried. That was extremely cool! We had to go to another one of the mother homes for a training thing for volunteers where we were able to sign up to volunteer at one of the homes that Mother Teresa’s ministry has here. Our team signed up for Nirmal Hriday her home for the destitute and dying. From there we continued to walk the streets and pray for people. Which is basically what the first few days looked like. It seemed a lot easier when this was just what we did now as opposed to having an agenda and thinking ok I have to go out and pray for people today. Letting the spirit lead us, stopping for who he says stop for makes so much more sense. When its a part of life and not an obligation. Its neat to see this shift in all of us.
Our day at Nirmal Hriday was honestly heart breaking. It’s a big room with 40 or so men pretty much on their last leg of life. Mostly older men but a few younger guys. I cant say what all was wrong with them or where their families were but this home was a last stop for them all. We were able to play music for them and pray with them. Some of us had to feed some of the men, some of us had to change their clothes and bedding because most of them urinated on themselves. Some even rubbed lotion on their bed sores. For me personally the most heartfelt moment was laying hands on and praying for a couple of men with leprosy. I don’t know why but something about these prayers really touched me. Jesus tells us to heal the sick and cleanse the leppers. So to be in this place and have an opportunity like this was an honor to be a part of. Something changed a little bit in me that day. I don’t know if it was just being able to see people more like Jesus does or that it was just totally selfless with zero benefit yet being totally alive and totally present in the moment with these people. I dunno nothing else seemed to matter. Its a type of love I believe God wants us to have for everyone. He died for them too not just the righteous and holy man. Which is something I am personally challenged with everyday. For whatever reason it’s really easy to love some people but then there’s just those certain ones where its truly a strain. This is where God’s working on me. I think he was able to give me a pretty clear picture through these men. Don’t love just when it’s easy but when you don’t want to as well.
Our days went by super quick and it’s just about time to go to Imphal. Then all of a sudden BOOM the Holy Spirit breaks out on the other side of town and tons of people start getting healed. Literally hundreds of people are receiving the healing touch of God just days before our squad is supposed to go to Imphal. Naturally our team’s like well dang wish that could’ve happened with us. Then we get a call from our squad leader asking if we’d be interested in staying back in Calcutta for a couple weeks to continue what God’s doing here. It didn’t take long to come to a unanimous yes. So with all that, our team stayed back and the rest of the squad left for Imphal and yes God has definitely continued to move here. I will be explaining in more detail in my next blog but let’s just say all of our minds are completley blown!
