Crowds swarm, star-struck stares, camera flashes accompanied with ‘selfie, selfie’ at every turn, little kids asking ‘America?’ and then wanting to touch your hand when you say yes . . . it feels like we are a pop-band on tour walking into these villages.
(Most of the villages we are going to we are the first World Race team to visit)
I have been struggling the first few nights of ministry. When I asked our host Mounibab why there is such a high fascination with Americans, she explained that its not an America thing its a ‘white thing’. That their last World Race Team here the villages wouldn’t let one of the Racers pray for them because she was African American. Skin color is a big ordeal here in India; the darker you are the ‘less beautiful’ and poor you are viewed. How can this be in a cultural full of rich dark skin? Its more than racism its persecution against their own for something they do not control. If my heart wasn’t already breaking for the people of India not being able to feel beautiful in their own skin, the more she told me I was brought to tears. I couldn’t believe a culture so giving and hospitable could be so cruel and backwards in thinking. Families outcast over color, mothers abandoned children who are born ‘too black’, and the stores sell lotion with ‘whitening ingredients’ in it. Even animals are subjected to color oppression, white cows and dogs are preferred and usually treated much kinder than those that are black. The people of India are so spiritually broken and walk in this belief that because we are white we are some how better . . . as if the spiritual warfare here wasn’t chilling enough to walk through.
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
And turn their hearts away from the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:5
Walking through the villages defeated we began asking Jesus how can we truly bring His name if they believe in their hearts the white Americans are the ones bringing healing? I was unconsciously limiting God. The enemy was taking advantage of our feelings of defeat and the pressure we allowed ourselves to feel from the villages to perform what only God can do. There were moments where I felt my prayers were empty as we moved house to house, my heart was not connecting and my words were emotionless. Then something stirred in me as I watched a woman get on her hands and knees to kiss one of my teammates feet after praying over her. “This is not the devil’s village! These are not his people! The worship they are passing on to us is because of their love of false idols and evil spirits they’ve invited into their homes. Our God is powerful and mighty and has already overcome we must walk in His light not the darkness of the defeated enemy”. So we prayed . . . “Abba, show us the joy in your people that only your name brings. Help us to walk through these villages and shine brightness into the dark looming clouds hovering over them. Let these hurting and spiritual broken people feel our love for you and your love for them through us”.
Our God answers prayers, oh how He comes through! The next night we went to a village other World Race teams have bene visiting for 5 years now. The Holy Spirit was alive and thriving through the village. The pastor has been at this church for 6 years, they do 3 services a week, on Sunday up to 80 members are in attendance, and about 90% of the village is saved. The joy through the village was undeniable. We visited one home in the village where the church elders live; they have been believers for 30 years!! Praise the Lord! Our hope was restored in a big way! When we would pray with people they were emotional and some even brought to tears over how good our Heavenly Father is and praying for their families salvation.
We were not celebrity visitors in this village we were brothers and sisters of Christ, ALL created in the image of our Father as perfect creations. We weren’t special because we are white, they were not shy to touch us or let us love on them it was known we were seen through the same eyes of God. My heart was full; yet still heavy from the realization of what it actually means to plant seeds without reaping the harvest. The joy in this village is from other seeds planted by previous Teams that we are reaping from. And though we left the other villages defeated we can still rejoice in that as we planted seeds that God can now water and other Teams will one day be able to reap.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Sunday School in Thumada, singing in the local language
**added highlight of the night was getting to play patty-cake with a grandma in the village**
