Journal:
“Jesus, show me how to love these people well. Show me the best way to let everyone know they are loved.” – November 11, 2017
When I first stepped foot onto Indian soil, I noticed all of the beautiful people and the rich culture they beheld. The women dressed in their colorful sarees and kurtas. Rings hugging their ankles, wrists, toes, fingers, ears, and noses. Hair usually in a braid, bun, or pinned back with a sparkly-diamondy clip. They are very hospitable folk, primarily eager to serve. If you go into anyone’s home you will most likely get offered chai and fruit, sometimes even a full course meal (have a fire extinguisher near by because they do not mess around with their spices). They are very family oriented, treasuring their relatives and their opinions to the utmost. The men in the bigger cities are usually dressed in a button up and simple pants with sandals on their feet. In the villages they often time wear skirt appearing attire, it’s quite interesting you should google an image. Men often decorate their face with a mustache, no beard, and trimmed hair.
Despite the beauty of the culture I noticed many other aspects of this fine country that saddened my heart. For instance, the thick lair of pollution entangling the atmosphere. The deception wrapped within the eyes of many preventing them from seeing The One True King! It was this morning when I was speaking to this sweet elderly woman and she told me how she believed in Jesus. Great! But around her neck held an idol which supposedly kept away her nightmares. In Hinduism there is one main god, however, there are many faces of it displayed in various different gods. Therefore, there are those who take Jesus as just another god in their pile of selections. This actually breaks my heart, a lot. God has given me such a love for Indian people so you can imagine my despair when I realize they will not end up in the same place as I at the end of their earthly life. The first day here I broke down in tears imagining all of these people unable to enter His kingdom. Because of this God has only grown my passion for sharing His love with everyone teaching about His freedom. Freedom from sin. Freedom from bondage. Freedom from damnation.
1.25 billion humans exist in India, that being said 18% of the worlds population live in this country with only 2.3% being of the Christian faith. 79.8% are Hindu. 14.2% are Muslim. And the other 3.7% consist of various other religions like Buddhism. There are 2,013 out of 2,233 people GROUPS in these borders that have no idea who Jesus is. To say Christians are the minority would be an understatement.
The caste system. Such a topic. Not only is it part of their religion but also its engraved in their DNA. In their lifestyle. It’s how they grew up. It’s just what they know. The higher casts such as the Kshatriyas look down upon those of the lower casts for example the Shudras through a discriminatory view point. To better understand it, you could say it’s like racism in the United States. The caste system use to be part of the government law but is now actually outlawed but is still relevant in society. Compare it to American history. See a similarity? This perspective is based off of pride, arrogance, and selfishness. But anyways I’m not going to chase that rabbit trail today. Back to India.
Living in India is actually a dream. I chose this route of the world race because of this country (and Africa just made it a combo). I have only been here for a week so I have much to learn and experience. I am excited for the challenge.
