While on the World Race the Lord surprisingly broke my heart for India. I fell in love with our ministry, the food, and most importantly the people. My prayer for so long was that the Lord would give me his eyes for his children and I believe in India he did.
I knew nothing about the country or culture before arriving there. I knew nothing of any of the countries the only place i was excited to go was Africa the rest i didn't care one way or another. But the lord didn't break my heart for Africa, instead he broke it for India.
I see the discipline and dedication that the people in India have towards their gods. They are some of the most spiritually disciplined people i have met. But they don't know they are praying to idols that will do nothing for them.
While in India I witnessed people turn there hearts to the Lord and give him the same dedication and respect that had once been given to idols, but this time there was more of a reverence because they were worshiping the Living God.
Leaving India month four of the race was extremely hard for me, never did I see myself going back there again.
Now I haven't been back to the country itself since being home from the race all though the Lord is preparing me to be sent back there once I'm married. I did get the blessing of staying in an Indian home last weekend and being submerged back into the culture.
Part of CGA is partnering with an Indian church in Atlanta called ACA. I went with 3 other CGA students to Atlanta for a weekend, where we lived in a home with an amazing family who treated us like family. We were given our own rooms, food that just kept coming at every meal. (It was like she emptied the fridge just for us)
I was blessed to attend the Indian church on Sunday morning and it was like worshiping in India. The men sat on one side while the women sat on the other. The women wore their traditional sari's and put scarf on their heads as they prayed.
The one thing that i love about this culture the most is they didn't care what we were wearing or where we sat, they were just excited, and so accepted of us.
Isn't that how church should be? Where we don't care what the person is wearing, what they look like, or who they came with. But instead we are excited they are in our church worshiping with us, and hearing the good news about Jesus Christ.
The Lord sees his children in India and in America and loves them all the same. One is not better than the other. He doesn't play favorites but loves every on this globe the same. I am so encouraged by this, and know that while he has called me here to minister in Georgia for the time, that he is also calling me to minister to India in the future, with my husband and family.
I was so blessed to spend time in the Indian culture again and see their hearts again for the Lord. They are a culture who loves with their entire heart and see the good plans Jesus has for them, that they want to share those blessings with others. They are a good example of the church.
