As I was preparing for the race- one of the main questions I got was “Oh my goodness, what is your route? Where are you going?” I went through the list of countries and everyone oo-ed and ahh-ed over Africa and Europe. Then I got to India and they all had a different outlook. They warned me of the things I might see and experience. They told me about the food and the chaos, of the dirty and the desolate.
I took these warnings with a grain of salt and tried not to read too much into them. Well, then I got here.
It can be dirty.
It is busy.
It can be desolate.
The darkness can overtake the colors.
And it is completely backwards from most things we know in American culture.
After getting here and seeing a lot of these things first hand, I started looking through the lenses of what other people had said. I was homesick for Swaziland something terrible and really just didn’t want to get invested here.
But then I was quickly reminded- Jesus doesn’t see India this way.
He sees it as beautiful.
He sees these people as sons and daughters.
He sees the darkness fleeing and light coming in like a flood.
He doesn’t look at things as cultural. In fact- I have to believe that all He is concerned with is the culture of Heaven, and bringing that culture to earth.
With this perspective I decided I should start investing the way God would have me invest. I should start trying to have much more of Him in my day than myself. I am trying to look at each moment as an opportunity to pour light. I am blessed to teach English to a group of college-aged guys that are SO eager to learn. They work so hard and are so thankful we are willing to teach them. We also get to worship with these guys and see the generation of Godly leaders that is rising up in India and it’s amazing. Then on the weekends, we go out and meet people in the community and pray with them. They are so hospitable and so kind to us- not to mention they give us more chai tea than we can contain.
So here I am, sitting at the feet of Jesus and thanking Him that He has decided to use the often messy and messed up heart in me- to bring His glory and pour out His light across the nations. He is teaching me a lot here in India and these people- well, they are showing me what it really looks like to be a friend. For that, I am so grateful.
Please continue to pray for our time here in India. Pray that we would continue to buy in, that we would continue to see this place and these people through the Fathers lens instead of our own. Pray that we would work well together as a team, and that we would bring the culture of Heaven- wherever we go.
