Goodbye India. I will truly miss you and I’m already praying that God brings me back to you someday.
Our team just made it to Nepal today after an 8 hour overnight bus ride with the squad to Hyderabad, a 2 hour flight to New Delhi, and then a 1 hour flight to Kathmandu, Nepal. Not bad at all. And our time spent in the city of Hyderabad at a nice mall with air conditioning and a movie theatre was really refreshing. We saw the new Batman movie, which is awesome.
Okay, so saying goodbye to India was so much harder than I ever could have expected. I really fell in love with so many things about India. I especially fell in love with our amazing translator Isaac who is 16 and so full of joy and energy and fun. He spent every minute of the month with us, and he and I got really close. I had no idea I could build such a strong relationship with someone so quickly, and I’ve never been so quickly torn away from someone I care so much about. I felt like a chunk of my heart was left in India with him.
I’m having a hard time processing all that happened this past month. Our team did and saw so much and I know God was working in my heart and teaching me new things. I just can’t put much of it into words yet. I apologize for that, but I do want to give you a list to show a bit of what went on this past month.
I have…
…lived in 100 degree heat with no air conditioning and only occasional electricity
…slept on the floor of a church room with swarming flies and ants
…eaten off of leaves and newspaper while trying to only use my right hand
…spent more time playing with kids than I ever have and loved it more than I ever would have thought
…found out I was a people person as Indians often flocked to me and dragged me by the hand into their homes
…drank more Sprite than ever since I can’t turn down “cool drinks” in that heat with no cold water around
…maybe washed my hair 5 times in a month
…explained the Gospel as best I could to many Hindus and some decided to accept Jesus
…preached at a church service about Jesus washing the disciples feet
…had to turn down money for prayer on more than one occasion
…seen joy and passion in our pastors like I’ve never seen before
…driven my first motorcycle after being taught by a 16 year old without a license (thanks Isaac!)
…had our pet chicken Frederick sit on my lap (we had a love/hate relationship) and pet numerous other farm animals including a baby goat and buffalo
…ridden a camel for fun in a kids’ schoolyard
…slept on the roof under the stars
…had a crazy gross back rash that was potentially from the skin of a worm crawling on me but we really have no idea (the one currently healing on the back of my leg isn’t quite as bad)
…was covered literally head to toe in all sorts of bug bites (they got my eye lid, my chin, my elbows…)
…been to the hospital after a week of stomach issues (really not too bad and they just gave me some pills)
…cried more than I have in the last year – from opening up with my team to feeling God’s love and hurt for a man in pain who couldn’t walk to experiencing overwhelming compassion for a woman bedridden for 10 years whose only son died
…felt numb to it all after meeting a couple who had lost one of their 4 month old twins just hours before we met them (what do you even pray when you see that kind of pain?)
…praised God after praying for a woman’s broken wrist, feeling God express that He healed her, and removing her cast
…felt so uncomfortable being served and often fed by impoverished people as they give us their best and only watch us eat
…had my hand held by the most joyful, energetic 80 year old man ever who gave all the glory to Jesus
…worshiped God by dancing and singing on the roof
…named a child at her mother’s request (it’s not uncommon in India for a child to be 6 months or older before receiving a name). I was reading about Abraham in Genesis that morning and chose to name the girl Sarah. I still can't believe that really happened.
My team and I have seen and done so much so far on the Race and I have absolutely loved getting to serve God and see His kingdom come here on Earth. Even the challenges have all been blessings and I've learned through each of them. I'm saying goodbye to India, and I’m ready to see all that God plans to do through us this month in Nepal!
