It’s been about 2 weeks since arriving in India. My world has changed so much. I haven’t even wanted to blog about it because it’s like I don’t even have the right words to say. How do I put into words the changes that I’ve seen in myself, my team, a village? Indescribable is the only word that comes to mind. So bare with me as I try to give you a glimpse into my world as of late.
Upon landing in India the smell was the first thing i noticed. Then it was the heat. Which for me is similar to Orlando lore but more humidity. Getting through immigration and customs was one of the easiest things I have ever done. All of our big packs were waiting for us on the other side.! Then it was kinda crazy to be seeing India and the people there seeing 55 people walking through basically single file with a day pack on the front and a big pack on the back. There was even one guy who was recording us as we walked down a ramp. The first task that came was trying to fit 55 people and their luggage plus our two contacts that greeted us at the airport, on. 50 seater bus. Surprisingly it went rather smoothly.
We then had training for 2 days. I have found out that time here is more of a suggestion. When it was finally time for our team to leave and head out to destination we thought it was going to be 6 am…it was more like 9am. But it’s part of the being flexible philosophy. So we loaded up in a bus van and made the 6/7 ish hour treck to our village. The next day we spent eating at a nice place and then traveling around to go shopping for more Kurtas and jewelry.
One thing I have grown to love about India is the chai! We have been so blessed with only having to pay for it 2x and we get it almost 3xdaily! It is something I turned away from at first because I didn’t like chai in America but I love it here!
My team gathered a smaller set of our belongings and took off on a 5 hour bus ride to a remote village. The hospitality of that village set the tone for the trip. We were gone for 6 days and saw 2 villages. (We are about to head back out and see 3 more villages). The little children have wiggled their way into my heart! Playing games with them and singing songs and dancing with them will be a memory I will treasure for a life time!
The amount of prayer and praying over people has been something that I have learned to grow in. Being confident and comfortable praying aloud and having it translated has been something that has made me intimidated. I feel like the prayers are not right and not
what is in my heart. Just like I’m having trouble writing this blog I feel like I am having a hard time putting my words into prayers.
I absolutely love being able to play with children whether it’s throwing a small bouncy ball back and forth or playing slaps. Seeing the joy and laughter in their faces is everything to me!
