I’m going to be honest. I had very high expectations of India. For as long as I can remember, I have adored the food, the bright colors, the weddings, the clothes, and the people from a distance for years. After being here ten days, I can honestly say “Well done, India.” I have not been disappointed in one aspect of my expectations.
My team is staying in Bangalore, with this amazing Indian family who spoil us with hot tea three times a day. They live in a house that also serves as the women’s unit of their drug and alcohol rehab center. The girls have been staying here and the guys stay at the men’s compound, about fifteen minutes away. Monday was our first day to go to the men’s home and we helped make crafts for them to sell to a local church to support the ministry.
Every day, the men have chores that they accomplish (cooking, cleaning the compound, dusting, taking care of the bunnies, etc.) and then they have a devotional. The members make crafts every day as a form of recovery and therapy. They make bags out of newspaper to sell to a chocolate shop and pens for a local school. We sit with them every day and decorate cups with tissue paper, up to our elbows in glue while listening to 90’s Petra, DCTalk and Christmas music on the stereo. Life is pretty good.
The last five days, Zach, Nick and I have volunteered at our host’s VBS at their church. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I walked into this church in a shopping center to the exact VBS curriculum that I got to lead for eight years growing up. It reminds me so much of home and I have the privilege of leading games with Nick and a lady from the church.
I am constantly baffled that everyone speaks English in Bangalore. There are so many languages and villages represented, but most of them use English day to day. I love being in places with different languages, but it is such a sweet blessing from the Lord to actually be able to build relationships with the locals because we can speak the same language.
On Saturday, my entire team joined 200 children and leaders from VBS at a resort as a celebration and VBS wrap up as a chance to follow up with the kids who made decisions. Again, I did not know what to expect, but it was a beautiful day to love on the kids who I already formed friendships with. One girl, Maha, brought her mother to the picnic and rushed to introduce me to her. Once I got her mother’s approval, she would not leave my side all day, holding my hand and hanging on me in the pool. I felt so used…in the best way possible. At one point, I was playing water polo, helping Maha’s mom look for a ring lost in the pool, teaching five kids how to swim and keeping my eye on a live wire four year old simultaneously. It was exactly how I love being used by God in the really small things and yet feel so utilized.
