Here’s my blog about leaving India, that I never made public. Oooppss!! So here it is folks!
Noooo!! I’m not ready to goooooo. Where did the time gooo??!?!!
There is something sooo special about this place. When we first got here, I was soooo overwhelmed and had to take deep breathes to keep from vomiting everywhere out of sheer panic of all the hustle and bustle and spicy curry and possibly having to wipe with the left (haven’t been forced to do that yet!), but now that I’m over the culture shock, I don’t want to leave Indiaaa!! I don’t feel done here yet! Things feel like they’re left unfinished. It makes me feel like my name was prophetic, like I was meant for this place. India still freaks me out a little, but my heart has grown sooo much for it.
What stuck out the most to me about being here in India, is that the people are so hungry for spirituality and being connected to a higher power. Of course, India is a very Hindu nation, but they take it seriously. Here, you can find little shrines on the sidewalks and flower stands every few blocks to go and put flowers at these shrines and temples. Spirituality is a part of daily life here, and they’re serious about it.
It’s not like that back in the states. The U.S. is majority Christian, but it’s very lukewarm. You don’t really see people walking it out. Yes, we may not miss church on Sundays, but what about Monday through Saturday? Do we interact and have a one on one relationship with the Lord? (Matt 7:7) Are we being led by the Holy Spirit? (Rom 8:14) Are we communing with Him by reading our bibles morning and night to know His voice? (Jos 1:8) Are we fasting and praying to hear Him more clearly? (Matt 6:18) Are we evangelizing and making disciples like we’re called to do? Are loving our neighbors as ourselves? (Matt 28:19)
It’s convicting me as I write it. I just want us all to do a better job of being more relational with God. There is so much more to Jesus than going to church every Sunday. If you don’t read, dust off that bible and seek the Lord. The more I’ve read for myself, the more understanding I’ve had for Him and why He’s created me. I want that for everyone.
Now to the kiddies:
The children we encountered were sooooooo beautifulll!!! We went to a few children’s homes and put on VBS. They had so much respect for us and called us Auntie and were genuinely happy to see us everyday. They had soo much joy, no matter the circumstance. It was crazy. I never thought I wanted to adopt, buutttttttt, I might want one. We’ll see. One day, a few came in late to the after school center, and I sat there and watched them pray on their own before taking out their homework. I am in awe of what God is doing here and in them. I’m so inspired by them. God is really moving here, and there are ministries that are raising up these kids to be warriors for the kingdom. God bless them all.
Ohhh, but back to how India has left its mark on me. I’ll miss India. I’ve met some amazing people here. Ms. Beatrice, a.k.a. Auntie Betty, will stick with me forever. She is a widow who lives in the old folks home at the HIV/AIDS hospice we worked at. She isn’t sick, but she fell while living at home by herself, so they took her in. She is 83 years old and sharp as a tack. She was really excited for us to visit her, because she is the only one in the home who speaks English fluently. This lady had so much wisdom to give us, and she truly loves the Lord. She told us her story and it’s one of great loss. She had a husband, son, and daughter, and lost them all within seven years of each other: first her daughter, then a year later, her husband, then a few years after that, her son. It was her grandson who she lived with for some time, before moving into the home. Even with all the loss in her life, she held onto the Lord and had unwavering faith. She knew the Lord would take care of her and would fill the holes in her heart.
She told us a story about how she took care of her deceased son’s servant. His shack had burned down, so she bought his family all the materials they needed to rebuild and rallied people together to donate everything they needed to go in the house, from clothes to kitchen appliances, seasonings, and toiletries. She taught us to give no matter how much we have. When it was time to buy her own house, she opted for a smaller one, so she could afford a brand new home for the servant and his family as well.
Another thing I learned this month, is that ministry looks different from what I expected. It could be chopping veggies at the HIV hospice, painting nails of the women rescued from the sex trade, staying home to cook and clean for my teammates, playing with the street kids, or having my portrait drawn nine times at the art school started by some missionaries. I enjoyed all of these things, even mopping the floor on my hands and knees like Cinderella. Anything for Jesus!
I’m realizing that goodbyes are going to be really hard. I don’t know how I’m going to do it without wrecking my heart every time. Welp. I love you, India, as well as your people. I’ll be back! This is only the beginning of it. I can’t believe I made it through month 1. Now, we’ll see what NEPAL has in store for us!!!
