There are so many reasons for me to praise God in this country.
Spiritual warfare is ever present here but my praises far outweigh the heaviness in the spiritual realm.
As I step off the plane, I can’t help but recall where I was the last time I set foot in this country. The memories come flooding back to me along with an onslaught of emotion I can’t even begin to describe. I try my best to hold it in but I can’t help but let a little bit slip out on the bus while everyone else succumbs to sleep. Luckily, I was sitting by a squad mate who was almost as elated as me.
“Almost 6 years I have waited to be back. 6 years!” I exclaimed.
We arrived late at night and I was overjoyed to have my first bite of authentic Indian food again. I was thankful they knew to make the spices a little less overwhelming for us already.
As we finish up our midnight snack, an Indian man introduced himself and mentioned that he just came from one of the cities I visited last time I was here.
If we had landed in that airport, I surely would not have had nearly as much control over myself. That place was exactly where I began my journey those 6 years ago. Right in the heart of Tamil Nadu. I was Cyrus. Called by God though I didn’t know Him. (Isaiah 45:1-8).
I looked down at my arms and legs before I went to bed. There were no cuts. There were no scars. I almost cried with joy, knowing how far I had come. There were no longer any visible remnants of my past. Sure, there are still a few scars on my heart but nothing compared to where I was before.
I remembered that dead feeling I had last time I arrived for training. It’s a complete 180. This time, I was overflowing with life.
During these past few days, I reminisced on the 4 words that began an astronomical change in my life.
God is my Caretaker.
At the time, everything in me screamed in opposition to those 4 words. I was angry. I was confused. I couldn’t wrap my head around that truth because I couldn’t see past my circumstances.
This week, God took that Truth to a whole new level.
I was beyond eager to minister to the children at this new house. Their hunger for love was almost tangible and I was sure my team and I had plenty of it to go around. But…
Day 2. 4am. Chills. Aching. Headache. Nausea. Insomnia. Delirium.
It was time for breakfast. I tried to ignore it but it refused to be ignored.
I was quickly swept away to the doctor and I ended up in bed with a severe case of food poisoning for almost 48 hours. Not to mention, my teammate developed the same symptoms just hours after me.
I laid there and asked God why He would take me away from ministry for so long when He gave me an eagerness to be there more than the other 2 houses.
He gave me an answer.
It was more important for me to see that He was, is and always will be my Caretaker.
It was far more valuable for me to learn that I can be an intercessor under less than ideal conditions.
I had a countless number of reasons to pray. The girls that I already loved so dearly. The patients. The nurses. The doctors.
He takes care of me so that I can be exactly where He wants me to be at exactly the time He wants me to be there.
He takes care of me so that He can bring me to new places and show me new people who need someone to stand in the gap for them in prayer.
Maybe some of the people in that hospital never had someone pray for them before. Maybe some of them had never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I don’t know but God does.
He weaves the giant tapestry that is the universe. I am one tiny stitch.
A stitch of my time could mean eternity for someone else.
God knows what He’s doing.
He is my Caretaker.
He is your Caretaker.
You may not be able to make sense of what happens around you or to you but remember…
You can only see one stitch at time.
He sees the whole tapestry all at once.
