“Don’t spend any of your money here” This is the first thing I was told as soon as I stepped off the plane into India. Now of course this wasn’t an India official telling me that, India’s tourism department is much better then to discourage Americans to spend money in their country. This was a clear message from God not to spend my money in India. And for the first time in my life I didn’t automatically question what God was telling me, or if it was from God, but that didn’t last very long.
During our 10 hour layover in Calcutta I started getting very hungry and started doubting God’s command to me. I knew it would be at least 18 more hours until we reached the base we were going to be staying at during our month in India. As my hunger grew more and more, I started doubting whether or not God actually was talking to me. It got to the point that I sat up and started looking around for an ATM. Right then Destiny, my team leader, came up to me and said that we had some team money and that in a couple hours we were going to get breakfast as a team. That was the moment that I knew I couldn’t spend any of my money in India.
Throughout my time in India, there were many times that I wanted to buy stuff in India. Everyday I would pass by at least 6 little stores that would sell sweets, and every time I passed by I would wish I could get something, the cookies looked so good. They had gum as well and at home I always chew gum, how badly would I want a piece of gum. Then after a hard day of working construction teammates would get sodas, a liter for about 80 cents. “Surely I could spend 80 cents!” I would think to myself. But the Lords voice would be over powering saying “No Scott, you can not spend even a single penny of yours this month” There would be days that I would absolutely be craving a sweet, someone would come up to me and offer me some oreos, or a piece of gum. One day, a squad member came up to me and handed me a cookie and told me “ I feel like you need this”. All of these are small things, yes, but it was still the Lord showing me he loved me everytime.
Later in the month, after my back went out but it was starting to feel better, I was working in the kitchen hunched over all day. My back started to hurt throughout the day. Lawm, who was working in the kitchen that day with us, apparently saw me wince while I was standing up. She asked how my back was doing and responded like any other American would, “it’s fine”. Lawm asked if I would like a massage from a masseuse. Although I would have loved one and that it would help out my back, I told her no because I didn’t have any money. About twenty minutes later she informed me that she called the guy and that he was on his way. I thanked Lawm but informed her that I wouldn’t be able to pay for it. She gave me a very wide smile and told me she would pay for it. After making sure she wasn’t paying for it as an obligation and I realized she wouldn’t take no for an answer. During the massage God was telling me, “Scott I don’t just take care of things that will help you, but I give you things you want because I love you.” How awesome is God, not spending any of my money this month in India has been an absolute blessing.I have seen God show me that he will always take care of me, with or without money.
