Our squad, recently renamed Wonder Church, is in India! We arrived at 7am Thursday morning after a cancelled flight that delayed our journey 24 hours exactly. We received the news minutes before our scheduled boarding time sitting in the Atlanta international terminal on Monday evening. We had just lugged 50 racers worth of luggage from the hotel, to the domestic terminal, and finally to the international terminal. The announcement came over the loud speaker that our plane was damaged and we would not be flying. We laughed remembering the airport night sleeping scenario at training camp and prepared our hearts for what was now to come! Our logistics team did a wonderful job with remaining calm, unified and positive throughout this crazy transition. The airline gave us fancy hotel vouchers for the night. The 50 of us walked to baggage claim to collect our bags and get on yet another shuttle to take us to our hotel for the night. What seemed like an easy fix quickly turned into more discouraging obstacles. One of our squad-mates lost her bag and the shuttle that was set to take us 0.5 miles to our hotel came at 45 min intervals and at some moments took others ahead of us. Hours passed as we waited at baggage claim trying to remain energized and encouraged as we prayed over Jackie’s bag and waited on the shuttle. All of us finally arrived at the hotel at around 11:45pm. We woke up the next morning with the news that we got put on a flight the same time as the day before. We got all 50 of us once again through all the obstacles of the airport and thankfully boarded our flight! However, because of our cancelled flight some of the seats were accidentally double booked which caused another two hour delay. We checked our watches and prayed that we would not miss our connecting flight.
Reading all of that, it sounds like chaos. It sounds like a discouraging start. While at times it was challenging to stay encouraged, we began to see the Lord’s provision in little moments that kept our spirits up. The Lord turned a logistical nightmare into ministry.
As we circled up and prayed over Jackie’s bag, an airport worker asked if she could join our circle and praised God along side us. My specific team prayed a thankful prayer over the airport shuttle coordinator with our shuttle driver who was a pastor. Despite all the chaos there was so much beauty in listening to the driver recite John 14:6 and pray for the shuttle coordinator. The Lord brought Jackie’s bag back to us just in time for her to jump in line, check her bag and return all the supplies she had bought from Target. We celebrated and prayed over Bernadette, an airport worker, who ended up finding Jackie’s bag.
The Lord showed us how to rejoice regardless of circumstances. He showed us to be present and see people with heavenly eyes. He reminded us to log off of social media and come together in prayer. He showed us how we can be a light anywhere we are. He used this day to bond us together as a squad. He reminded us that his timing is perfect and nothing is out of control. He showed us that ministry is everywhere and anywhere.
Currently, I am riding in a Tuk-tuk (small Indian taxi) in Hyderabaad India, wearing Indian pants, next to two of my teammates antsy with anticipation to reach the city. This is our last evening in Hyderabaad. Tomorrow our team heads to a small village to preach the gospel. We will have one squatty potty, one bucket shower, no wifi, a host that barely speaks English, 10 orphans to play with and hearts to reach. I could not be more excited.
Personally the Lord has really been asking me to be still and trust his perfect love. I struggle with an anxious heart and the fear of man. I feel the Lord stirring in my heart. I feel him stirring in this country. He wants to move and we are expecting him to! India is 95% unreached, we are pumped to reach as many as we can.
