It’s day eleven in India. My team and I have been through cultural training, made it through a rough bus ride to our first official ministry location, settled in with our host, gotten through our first teammate illnesses, and consumed our weight in chai (no shame). Travel here was a little crazy. Getting a group of 55 people from Atlanta to Hyderabad together is bound to come with some challenges, but the Lord is good and definitely blessed our travel days. As soon as we got to Hyderabad we were greeted with many stares and a bus made for 50 people to load all of our bags plus 55 people onto. Challenge accepted! We made it!
The first few days that we were in India, my whole squad and I stayed in Hyderabad to participate in cultural training. It was a full few days, but I’m so thankful that we were able to learn all that we did before heading to our individual ministry sites. Our time in Hyderabad included many firsts for me. I ate curry, tasted chai for the first time (I’m addicted), rode in my first tuktuk, got ripped off by our first tuktuk driver, experienced the ever confusing Indian head bobble, learned how to eat with our hands, and purchased kurtas with my team.
After a few crazy days in Hyderabad, my team and I got on a bus (that was running on India time, AKA 3 hours late) and headed out of town to our ministry site for the month. Although I can’t tell you where my team and I are, I can tell you that the first thing our ministry host asked us when we loaded up the bus was “Do you and your team have enough toilet paper with you for the month?” We all had a moment of panic, but no worries, we were able to stop and get what we needed.
Upon arriving at our host ministry for the month, we learned quickly about the vicious monkeys who will attack if you’re outside alone. “Don’t look them in the eye,” she said. So, although that shattered my previous perception of cute monkeys, we now watch from the safety of the house and laugh at their shenanigans. We have to stay on the compound when our host isn’t with us, but mostly our days are full of village visits, children’s ministry, and lots of laughter with our host. Though I cannot say that India is my favorite country, I do love this ministry. I am growing to like the country that I honestly thought I would hate since I told the Lord I would never come here. (He definitely has a sense of humor, for sure!) I’m learning to navigate life and ministry in the one place I told the Lord I would never go. Although I cannot post many details about where our specific ministry is, I can tell you that we are working with an organization that combats the effects of years worth of female infanticide in Indian culture. We get to go to villages and collect stories from mothers in the programs offered by the organization we are partnering with. Going to the villages has absolutely been my favorite part. I love sitting with the women, hearing their stories, and listening to the words the Lord is speaking over the women and their baby girls in those moments. We also get to help instill belief in the girls we work with every afternoon. After school, we play games, teach them English, and teach them just how beautiful, strong, and brave they are. We get to show these girls that they are important and that they have amazing things to offer this world. They were each created on purpose and for a purpose. They are beautiful, not made to be abused or neglected. They are strong, women who can change the world. They are brave, some of the most resilient girls I’ve ever met.
Our host, whose name I cannot mention for safety purposes, is absolutely amazing. She and her husband have overcome so much in their lives and have an amazing story of the power and redemption found in the Lord (check out Lindsey’s blog soon to read their story). She has taken such good care of us. We seriously could not have asked for a more hospitable host. She cares so deeply about us, and wants only the best for us in every way. She has been there for every minute of illnesses that have come for many members of our team (myself included). She has been patient through our learning curve of our first time in India and our first month of ministry on the race. We are so, so thankful!
Overall, I’m incredibly thankful for all the challenges India has thrown at me because it has only forced me to grow in my relationship and trust of the Lord. He’s a big God and he reigns through every tribe, every tongue, and every nation. He is good. His love endures forever. He proves these truths every minute of everyday. Having the privilege to participate in the work He is doing in this nation far outweighs my discomfort or frustrations of missing a regular shower, toilet, and framily.
