Our first month on the Race has been filled with so many amazing opportunities in ministry. God is doing amazing things in Manipur, India; what a joy it has been to see Him move!
After a couple very long travel days, my squad and I arrived safely in Manipur. This state is very different from what I had imagined India to be. I shouldn’t be surprised though, one of the first things they tell you on the World Race is to abandon all expectations! Our ministry host lives in an area that is far outside of a city area. We are in a small village, called Churachandpur, at the base of the hills. Most of the people here are descends of Burma, Nepal, and other surrounding areas, so there is not much of the traditional Indian culture here. When I arrived here I was shocked to find out that our host’s ministry, Bibles for the World, is based out of Colorado Springs. What a small world!
This month my squad has been blessed to all live at the same host site.I feel as though I’ve transitioned from being an only child to having 52 sisters and brothers around me at all times. It’s been a bit crazy but wonderful. In this first month I have learned so much from my squad and am inspired by how fiercely they love the Father, sharing his love in everything they do.
The first day here was spent touring the village and seeing the different ministry locations that we’d work at. Throughout the month I’ve dabbled in many different ministry opportunities: leading VBS, cleaning floors at the hospital, building work/moving concrete for a new church, and praying with people at a medical outreach camp. Each of these experiences have been rewarding and allowed me to see God in new ways. However, the ministry I was impacted by the most this month was working with the students at the local seminary, TCS-Trinity Christian School.
During my time at this school I taught I few English classes, led a morning devotional, and was able to form great bonds with many of the students. My favorite part of the day was “meaningful interactions.” This was when the Racers would sit with groups of 3-4 students and talk together for close to two hours in the afternoon. The TCS staff created this time as an opportunity for the students to practice their conversational English, but it quickly turned into so much more. I’ll be honest, the first couple days of interactions were rough, they were filled with small talk, checking watches, and wishing the time would pass more quickly. After the awkward period passed, our bonds started to form. We shared our testimonies, our struggles, our dreams, we asked funny questions, challenging questions, and we got to know each other’s hearts. Some days I would go into the discussions unmotivated and would walk away so filled up and encouraged by them. The students at this school have a thirst to gain knowledge about the gospel and share God’s Kingdom with others. They seek they Lord in all circumstances and trust his will for their lives. As World Racers, our role was to teach and inspire the students at TCS. I pray that I have filled this role and that I was able to be a vessel for God to shine through. Without realizing it, the students have definitely played this role for me. They have taught and inspired me far beyond anything I did for them. I’m sure that many of the people I have encountered this month with never know the impact they have placed on my heart.
I encourage you to check out my teammates blogs (links on the left) as well for more stories of our time in India. They have all captured some great moments of how the Lord is working in our lives and in those around us.
More stories, pictures, and videos from India soon!
