India,sweet India,they say you touch all of the senses and this could not be more true. Everything is richer here including the Holy Spirit. Wow. Well, let me back up and fill you in with the details.
For starters if you are picturing a Slumdog sort of India, shake that. Instead, visualize a semi remote village along the river bank like the Jungle Book. The colors are bold, and the smells almost bolder at times. It’s an ever fluctuating aroma of trash, burning trash, goat, herbs, and curry. The air is heavy and hot. So so hot. The humidity is dense, you’re sweating no dripping by 10am. Thankfully the rain storms have been rolling in to cool everything a bit. The people are gentle here unlike the loud abrasive Mozambique. It’s been a nice change.
Week one my team along with three others hit the road to host a traveling Medical Clinic. Everything along the journey was just another level of “is this real life?” from the bumpiness of the road, peeing in more ditches, to the incredible landscape and the celebrity status of being an American. At one point my friend Micah mentioned that one day we will have the liberty of casually saying“ back when I was caravanning the Indian Jungle as part of a traveling medical clinic team…..” Who says things like that? Who does things like that? Oh right important people with degrees and such. Well, not today. Today it was me just and average midwest girl on a big mission. After a few of these clinics my team settled at an English school in Damcherra. Here is where the already great gets unbearably better.
Out of the 600 students that attended King of Kings English school 200 live here in the hostels. Roughly 20 are boys between 12-16 and these are the ones that have undoubtedly stolen my heart. I have fallen in love shard and so fast. (Parisa: Shocker right?) During balcony guitar/chess lessons, volleyball matches, talking about good hair, watching them look after the younger boys, teaching classes on boldness and confidence these are simply glimpses of how it all started. The breathtaking theft truly took place during our evening devotions. It was here that I watched and listened as they sang out their praises to God with their body mind and soul. It was here that I saw them lean in close and hang onto every word that we spoke. Words of purpose and responsibility. The Spirit used us in a mighty way to speak truth over these soon to be men. I firmly believe they will be the kingdom leaders of their generation! I have never felt more anointed by God then while I was explaining to them what it looks like to be a man of God.
Christi told them about her relationship with her brother and gave them practical ways to be men by honoring their sisters in christ. The following night I encouraged them with the story of King Solomon who asked God for wisdom so that he could lead his people well. After I concluded Christi had them reach out and place their arm around the buddy next to them. Next she led them to recite a prayer that went something like this; “Jesus, Thank you for my brother. I ask that you would make this boy a man of God. Give him wisdom and understanding, protect him from evil that he may grow up strong and firmly rooted in you as a new generation of men who are present in the body of Christ and the lives of their families….” After this we swayed and sang with joy Beautiful by Phil Wickham (their favorite of the songs we have taught them). Hearing their strong voices belt out the oh’s of the chorus Laura was reminded of Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; He will exult over you with loud singing.” How amazing that the creator would rejoice over us and exult us with loud singing just like we were doing for him!
I was moved to tears at the promises God had for these boys and thought to myself even if I went home today I would have fulfilled my purpose as a racer. I wish I had words to fully describe the way I could physically feel the Holy Spirit. I have encountered the Holy Spirit at other times but I would say her greeting has been more of a handshake or a gentle nod as if to say, “Hi good to see you”. This time however was all consuming like she was me and I her and the words from my mouth were really coming from my chest or deeper, from within my soul. It was a wildly life changing moment that has forever bonded my heart to these boys. I’ve always been one to accumulate brothers, I should have known the race was no exception!
