Take the hottest summer day you have ever felt and times it by 3. Then pretend you had to go to work for the day and left your nice black car in the sun for about 8 hours. Coming out of work you decide you want to go on a 4 hour road trip. So you get into your car, keep the windows rolled up and drive. It will be sweltering and you will probably not be able to breathe. Welcome to India.
God has been hard at work on my heart these past few weeks. He has completely been changing my attitude. As you may know, I never wanted to come to India. I had no desire to be here. It’s smelly, full of disease, and the people are rude. But God asked me to be here, he called me. I’ve actually been enjoying door to door and look forward to it and building relationships with the people here. Talk about surprising, I wasn’t expecting that. God is quickly turning my dis-like for this country into love.
Its spiritually intense here. The devil is trying to get India in the palm of his hand. Many houses have gaudy photos of Satan attached to their cement walls, or stick huts. They worship so many gods, making sacrifices trying to earn their favor. They sit in silent awe when we share that our Jesus talks to us. He wants a relationship with us and doesn’t want any sacrifices. This is more than just us sharing Jesus, it’s a battle for lives. We are in the middle of a war zone where we will win, because we have God on our side. We may end up wounded, but for another life, it’s completely worth it.
Usually our day looks like this. I wake up between 4-6a.m. to idol worship blasting over a loudspeaker to the village. I’m already sweating when I wake up on the roof and head downstairs for breakfast and time with God. Then about 10a.m. a team will go out to the streets to spread the word of Jesus. We come back home for lunch and lay on the floor in a puddle of sweat until it’s time to worship. In this heat, it’s almost unbearable to move.(May is India’s hottest summer month) After prayer and worship we all hit the streets again, only now its warmer. We go door to door introducing people to Jesus Christ, many of who have never heard his name. We share with them how we ended up in India and how we are going to build a church in their village. A few already know God, but they tell us there is no where to go to Church. They tell us that if there was one, they would attend. Over the course of the day we chug warm water, sometimes 3 or 4 liters before lunch trying desperately to stay hydrated. After spending the afternoon hours going to houses we come home and eat dinner quickly before going back out once again to have a church meeting in the street, singing and worshiping until a crowd gathers. Then we share a message. Or we show the Jesus film. Many people want to know Jesus, and accept him into their hearts. After hiking all the way back home, we shower, get out of the shower sweating, and read or listen to our i-pods until we fall asleep on the roof of the house. Usually the hot cement of the roof that we sleep on, honking from the highway, and bugs keep me up for a while…but I become so exhausted I eventually fall asleep.
As you can see we stay quite busy, but it’s a blessed busy. We are doing with our lives, what God has called us to do. Share the gospel.
However, I consider my life nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of Gods grace. Acts 20:24
(These pictures are of adults and kids who literally came to our house , sat on our porch and asked us to tell them about Jesus)
God is moving and healing, he is healing India from the inside out. Numerous times this past week , and the week before we have seen God healing. Lives, hearts, and bodies. People are meeting God face to face. Soon all of India will hear of his name, and will praise his name. So much has been happening this month that I can’t put all my thoughts down. People, situations, challenges, community, moving houses, relationships, healings, love, sweat, blood and tears. God’s love is changing India, and I’m seeing and experiencing it firsthand.
