- There’s a man standing outside the 2nd story on a narrow ledge holding a machete as he trims the trees… And he has his toothbrush in his mouth.
- Three teams of 21 people eat at a sit-down restaurant for $4 USD per person.
- Personal hygiene goes out the window more quickly than it should.
- You get excited about a chance to straighten your hair and “dress up” with blue jeans.
- It’s not a big deal to pass herds of goats, cows, camels or ducks in the road.
- You’re served water buffalo for dinner.
- You eat rice at least 2/3 of the day (most days)
- You ask your translator about the name of a snack you had earlier in the day. Me: “you know, the one with the peanuts?” Translator: “Peanuts?” Me: “Yea, like peanut butter?” Translator: “Ah, yes!” He walks off and comes back with the can of kerosene we’ve been using to clean off the paintbrushes.
- You fall in love with dozens of little precious Indian children.
- You wear the same “paint/work clothes” so much that the locals ask if they can wash them for you and they beg you to bathe yourself.
- Lots of things become multi-purpose…
Skirt – napkin/towel/bathing suit cover-up
Camera – device to distract and buy more time when kids get are getting antsy
Simple balls of yarn – fun 30 minute craft bracelets
Ear plugs – bug barricades
Thrown out plastic drink cups – paint cups
T-shirt – ventilation mask for sanding
- Your ministry vehicle – “the Winger” sometimes stalls and has 1 door missing.
- Kids color quietly, share crayons and put them away without being told. Blake just couldn’t believe it!
- Your team walks into a home and the 2-year-old cries because he’s never seen white people.
- Fresh coconut milk is everywhere and the man cuts the top off with a machete.
- Peanut butter is a luxury not often found in the grocery stores.
- People drive on the left side when it’s convenient, sometimes the right.
- Indians tie two bamboo ladders together for your team to paint with.
- You play cricket for two hours with lots of cheers and shouting in Telegu but don’t understand the rules when the game is over. Actually, you don’t even know who won the game!?
- You ask the kids to use their imaginations and you build a fire at your campsite only to turn and see an Indian man building a real fire in the back of the church! (Good thing the floor was concrete!)
- The mean monkeys next door steal your teammate’s shoe and threatens the cleaning lady.
- You go to “Babu G’s Complex” to buy toilet paper and end up following a man on a bike around the corner to a warehouse where they keep it…obviously it's not a hot item in India.
- The pastor personally picks the black bug off of your chipati as you stand to eat your meal. No sitting because of the plague of bugs in the church.
India was an amazing month of ministry with a few more culture shocks than we'd seen before. So far Nepal has been wonderful. Great weather, beautiful children and a chance to really make an impact for the Kingdom. Please continue to pray for Team Deep Roots as we minister here in Katmandu, Nepal.
