The Real India

India….to me words can’t describe this country. When we first arrived everything seemed pretty normal to me. I mean by month six it’s pretty standard to be stared at as you get off the plane and go through customs. It’s normal to get mistaken for African, Indian, and every other dark skinned race in the world, because obviously there aren’t any black people in America. LOL!! As you know I was already expecting the worse so nothing really bothered me. Not even the rude man that stamped my passport going through customs. (That’s Normal too)! After we got through customs, and got our things we were bused to a nearby convent. We spent the night there and the next day we had worship and India orientation. In orientation our contact said one thing that stuck with me the whole month “India is country where you can’t rely on your own strength…You have to rely on God for your every need.”

A few hours later, 11 of us got into a nine-passenger jeep with our bags and headed out to catch an overnight bus ride.
                                           

             
We finally made it out to the road and set our eyes on what was our first impression of India. It was nasty, the smell was horrid, there was like a million people everywhere, nothing looked familiar, beggars knocking on our window, it’s hot at ten o’clock at night, and the streets are covered in trash. My mind and heart started to set into panic mode. Everything within me wanted to run back in the safety of the convent and catch the next flight out of the God forsaken place. I literally had to get on the bus and just pray. I knew the Lord had a plan for us here, but from day one I need him to carry me through this month. Month six, India, wouldn’t be a month were I would be carried out kicking and screaming, but yet it was a month that I would be “Glad” to get on the first plane headed out.

After we reached our ministry site things were a lot better. My team and I did a lot of home visits as a part of our ministry.  We would walk through villages and home after home we were asked to come in.  In each place, we would be served cool sodas, fruit, biscuits, or whatever they had to offer us. Once again I was struck by the generosity of people, who have very little, but are so willing to give and some of these people were not even believers. One day as I was sitting in this house with my team and we were being severed God asked me, “Are you willing to give like this?” That seemed to be one of the recurring questions that he asked me that month.

Several nights throughout the month, Pastor K (our contact) would take us 15 kilometers or father to a home or church for evening ministry.  Our role was to lead singing, share the message of Jesus, and pray for the people who gathered with us.  After each evening service, we were taken to the home of the pastor for a meal.  Our plates were piled with chapati, all sorts of curry, and rice.  The host and hostess would stand over us waiting to serve us more and more.

Pastor K and Diamond opened up their home to us for meals as well.  When we weren’t travelling for ministry, we would take our meals at their home.  They never sat down to eat with us.  It is customary in India to serve the guests, and then to eat when the guests have left.  Diamond and her sister, Mamatau, cooked for us making dosa or egg-bread for breakfast, vegetables, rice and curry for lunch, and chapati and curry for dinner.  Each meal was followed with chai tea, which now is my favorite. I even sent some home, because no one does chai tea like the Indians. I hope I can make it the same way when I get home.

Pastor K and Diamond took such good care of us. When we were sick he would say, “Team we must take Rest, I am over you and I must take care of my children so go take rest.” It would make sure that we did ministry early so we wouldn’t be out during the heat of the day, and then after lunch we would take rest and prepare for even ministry. My team and I felt as if we were a part of their family, because we were at their house every day. They have two little boys and they are so so so cute. I know one day they will grow up to be great men of God just like their father.

Stay tuned for more on India

India….to me words can’t describe this country. When we first arrived everything seemed pretty normal to me. I mean by month six it’s pretty standard to be stared at as you get off the plane and go through customs. It’s normal to get mistaken for African, Indian, and every other dark skinned race in the world, because obviously there aren’t any black people in America. LOL!! As you know I was already expecting the worse so nothing really bothered me. Not even the rude man that stamped my passport going through customs. (That’s Normal too)! After we got through customs, and got our things we were bused to a nearby convent. We spent the night there and the next day we had worship and India orientation. In orientation our contact said one thing that stuck with me the whole month “India is country where you can’t rely on your own strength…You have to rely on God for your every need.”

A few hours later, 11 of us got into a nine-passenger jeep with our bags and headed out to catch an overnight bus ride.
                                           

             
We finally made it out to the road and set our eyes on what was our first impression of India. It was nasty, the smell was horrid, there was like a million people everywhere, nothing looked familiar, beggars knocking on our window, it’s hot at ten o’clock at night, and the streets are covered in trash. My mind and heart started to set into panic mode. Everything within me wanted to run back in the safety of the convent and catch the next flight out of the God forsaken place. I literally had to get on the bus and just pray. I knew the Lord had a plan for us here, but from day one I need him to carry me through this month. Month six, India, wouldn’t be a month were I would be carried out kicking and screaming, but yet it was a month that I would be “Glad” to get on the first plane headed out.

After we reached our ministry site things were a lot better. My team and I did a lot of home visits as a part of our ministry.  We would walk through villages and home after home we were asked to come in.  In each place, we would be served cool sodas, fruit, biscuits, or whatever they had to offer us. Once again I was struck by the generosity of people, who have very little, but are so willing to give and some of these people were not even believers. One day as I was sitting in this house with my team and we were being severed God asked me, “Are you willing to give like this?” That seemed to be one of the recurring questions that he asked me that month.

Several nights throughout the month, Pastor K (our contact) would take us 15 kilometers or father to a home or church for evening ministry.  Our role was to lead singing, share the message of Jesus, and pray for the people who gathered with us.  After each evening service, we were taken to the home of the pastor for a meal.  Our plates were piled with chapati, all sorts of curry, and rice.  The host and hostess would stand over us waiting to serve us more and more.

Pastor K and Diamond opened up their home to us for meals as well.  When we weren’t travelling for ministry, we would take our meals at their home.  They never sat down to eat with us.  It is customary in India to serve the guests, and then to eat when the guests have left.  Diamond and her sister, Mamatau, cooked for us making dosa or egg-bread for breakfast, vegetables, rice and curry for lunch, and chapati and curry for dinner.  Each meal was followed with chai tea, which now is my favorite. I even sent some home, because no one does chai tea like the Indians. I hope I can make it the same way when I get home.

Pastor K and Diamond took such good care of us. When we were sick he would say, “Team we must take Rest, I am over you and I must take care of my children so go take rest.” It would make sure that we did ministry early so we wouldn’t be out during the heat of the day, and then after lunch we would take rest and prepare for even ministry. My team and I felt as if we were a part of their family, because we were at their house every day. They have two little boys and they are so so so cute. I know one day they will grow up to be great men of God just like their father.

Stay tuned for more on India