India: Wonderful beauty amongst deep hardships, colorful, kindness, perseverance, love, joy, and deliciously spicy.
A few words to describe such a beautiful and unique country. I am so in awe with all God did this month and everything he allowed us to be a part of! I am so thankful for the beautiful and amazing little brothers we got to live with! They were taken under the wing of a local pastor and his wife! They are the most beautiful family!
When we first arrived to this village, the first word that came to my mind was heavenly. The beautiful nature, bright and friendly smiles, animals, and sunshine are forever in my heart.
The local pastors and followers of Jesus in this country are full of faith and perseverance. There are two pastors in particular that we got to spend each day with. India is 98% Hindu and there are regions of India where sharing your faith, even worshipping Jesus in your own home, is forbidden.
There is a terrorist group that forbids any other faith than that of Hinduism. One of these pastors was once hung on a tree, stripped, and beaten for following Jesus. Each day, he continues to share Jesus in his country. How amazing!
Today is our last day in India! What a beautiful and wild adventure it has been! I will cherish and hold it in my heart forever. This evening, while in a village for ministry, a Hindu festival was taking place right outside the yard we were at to hold a church service. There was a drum ritual and worship of their god called Ganesh. They wore orange headbands to symbolize their membership in this particular terrorist group. Though they were not looking to attack us, and we have met so many wonderful Hindu people, it was quite interesting to see. My heart filled with nervousness and I thought about all the possibilities. I tend to get pretty scared on the mission field, yet in a strange way, it is such a special place to be. Simply because I feel God’s love and protection over me. I escape the reality of my fear and enter into a heavenly place. A heavenly place where my Father is holding my hand and covering the road ahead. I feel so near to Him in these moments and it really shapes my heart.
After the service, we returned home to our village with our Indian family. We decided to wash each member of the families feet and it was so special! Tears fell from everyone’s eyes! The pastors began washing each other’s feet with tears in their eyes! It was so beautiful!
The Lord showed me this month in India the vastness of His beauty, His work, His people, and His love. He showed me a heavenly place in a village in Southern India, in 13 new little siblings, a mother, two faithful pastors, and a country filled with beautiful people.
India is a heavenly place to hold onto in my heart. The Lord is showing me that He is a heavenly place to hold onto, in every moment, and always available.
Thank you so much for reading a week 4 update! Cheers to India and cheers to heading to our next stop: Nepal! 🙂
Love Always,
Rebekah 🙂
