It has stolen my heart.
shimmering patterns,
lovely fabric,
dusty roads,
chaos,
ornate temples,
spiced chai,
sparkling tapestries,
details,
beautiful people,
crazy smells,
music,
shrines,
underground churches,
idols,
new tastes,
open air village worship,
flowers,
heat,
life,
spiritual attacks,
joy,
spices,
l o v e .
SO much has happened this month already,
and with 10 days left before Nepal I hardly know where to begin!
I’ll (attempt) a short and sweet play by play of the amazing things we’ve experienced so far.
I wish I had photos, but they will come soon when we have proper internet access!
I’ll start with the plane landing.
I woke up jetlagged and saw the ground approaching us.
I was suddenly filled with excitement and joy, something I didn’t feel so strongly in Africa.
I already had a passion for this place, the people, and everything about it.
After a long day of travel we arrived at the ICM headquarters for orientation and a spicy dinner of rice and curry which we ate with our hands.
Already living up to our name as the “Chosen Ones”, my new team was chosen out of all the other teams to take another 3 hour drive to an orphanage with a Pastor named Isaac.
It was 8pm as we set off in his van, but we felt like it was 3am with the time change.
We arrived at the orphanage and were so thankful to fine a nice room with fans ready for us to sleep in. We all passed out instantly.
8 am rolled around and we were woken up for a hot spicy breakfast of hardboiled eggs, toast, rice, curry, mangos, juice and naan.
The next day we adjusted to the time zone and culture shock, we were all strongly affected by it. We needed a lot of sleep and quiet time with Jesus to prepare for the month ahead. In orientation we learned about how India is a closed country, bound by its idol worship and caste system, leading to much spiritual warfare and attacks. We were instructed to pray a lot, and we did just that.
We spent time playing with the children. I love them ever so much and can’t believe how much fun I have playing with them! It’s all I do. We drew pictures with chalk, played Frisbee, picked berries, took walks, played games, flew kites, dance every day, have races, climb trees, and sometimes I get one of them to translate a bible story for me to read to them. They have taught me a lot about life, how free we are to be ourselves and to approach God with excitement and joy.
They don’t care that I don’t speak their language or haven’t brushed my hair in 3 months; they just know I love them and it’s all that matters.
We painted the hall that we eat in.
We painted it white and the children helped us.
They are so eager to serve us, and it was humbling and beautiful to watch them.
That evening we prepared for our first night of ministry. It’s far too hot in the daytime to go do ministry, and people are working in the fields all day.
So around 7 pm we eat dinner,
pack up and head out into the night for 5 hours of work.
Some nights we go door to door praying for people who are sick, for children, for peace, for husbands, wives, for money.
Some people thank us; some cry, some hold our hands and look into our eyes for a while. Some people want us to leave and shout at us.
Some people invite us in, serve us chai and still others are hesitant to what we bring.
I prayed for a little girl and told her she looked so pretty in her dress and necklace, and a few moments later she had taken off her beautiful sparkling necklace and placed it in my hands as a gift.
I didn’t know what to say, I just held it and thanked Jesus for this wonderful night.
Later that night we went to a pastor’s house and were greeted with soft pink and red petals tossed on us from beautiful little girls, served sprite, and each given a rose.
His wife had quite a spread prepared for us! We were so hungry and quickly stuffed a whole plate of falafel, an egg, chicken, fruit, curry, and cookies in. Then course 2 came out of another falafel, more egg, curry, turkey, more fruit and rice.
We didn’t want to be rude, so we ate it too! Then another course of all the same things came out. Our soda’s were refilled and still another round of food was laid before us. It was hilarious watching us all eat so much. We were so full and thankful, taking pictures with the family and laughing together.
Still that same night we headed out to an open air worship service. We worshiped in Telagu with them, and then they worshiped with us as we sang ‘Our God’ and ‘One Thing Remains’. We had church with them right next to a few idols, and it was awesome to know our God is bigger than the idols of India.
We prayed over each person that night, some accepting Christ and others wanting healing.
Each day is similar, we play with the children in the morning, rest and then head out for the night.
It’s been the most amazing month yet, and being alone with just our team out in the country has been great for us to bond and grow so much in Christ.
God’s teaching me to take things less seriously.
If I don’t see someone get healed when I pray,
He shows me that He accomplished everything He wanted to in that prayer.
It’s not about what we see with our eyes or feel inside,
often the most change happens in us when we feel God is far away.
He’s showing me how to love people.
How to be myself.
What humility looks like.
How to see others differently and be there for them.
So much growth in India!
Pastor takes excellent care of us, and we got to go to his house and hang out with his precious family.
He’s taken us around town to get Indian clothes,
go on a boat ride,
visit local villages,
and to speak at churches.
The orphanage is a beautiful place, and we get to play with baby German shepherd puppies, eat local Indian food, minister to the kids, have worship services on the roof at sunset, run through fields and play clapping games.
I will be forever changed by this place.
Pictures to come soon!
I miss you all so much.
Love,
rach
