It was ironic that the debrief right before we went to India, John, our coach, talked to us about having an orphaned spirit. I sat through the lectures but didn't really think anything of it. I never had an idea as to how much this concept would alter my time in India.
One afternoon my team was taken to an old age home filled with women whose family could no longer take care of them. We did our usual "gig" and began praying for the women individually. I had a woman approach me crying. I asked Ama to translate. The woman showed me her necklace, which in India is also known as her husband. When a woman gets married, her husband gives her a necklace as a sign of their commitment to each other. It usually has beads and a gold circle charm on it at marriage. As time goes by the women will add safety pins in case they need an extra one for their sari. If the husband dies, then the woman's necklace is broken and the beads and charm are removed. This woman's necklace had only safety pins. Through her tears she explained that her husband is dead and they had no children. She kept repeating "I am an orphan! " John's lectures began to repeat in my mind.
Seeing the pain and struggle she was going through made me cry as I had Ama explain that she is not an orphan, that God is holding her and will always love and care for her. Ama was called away so I held the woman tightly as I began to pray for her. As I finished my prayer, I wiped away her and my tears. Then I asked her if I could take a picture. I angled the camera just slightly above her and took the best shot I have ever taken. I showed her the picture and told her that she would never be an orphan, I would always carry her with me. She began weeping, fell to the floor, and kissed my feet.
I was floored! I could not believe this was happening. I am as far as you can be from being worthy of someone kissing your feet. I was receiving the action but I knew it was not my feet that she was kissing, it was God's. She saw the love and compassion of God through me. I was beyond humbled.
I have not seen her since that day but I still carry her with me every day. I hope and pray that she is clinging to God for His love and no longer feels as if she is an orphan.
