I had the priveledge and honor of inviting both of my parents to spend a week with me and some of my squad mates in India – What an amazing time it was. Here is what my mom had to say about her time spent in India.
“India, what can I say about India – to be perfectly honest India was not the place I wanted to go. I have known for quiet sometime that I’d have the opportunity to visit Natalie during the back end of her Race. I had been told it would be month 9 and that was supposed to be Kenya –
We’ll, as things often do, there was a change in Natalie’s route and Kenya was taken off the route and Month 9 became Nepal. I was so looking forward to the time I’d get to finally see my Nattie. This would be the longest I had ever gone without seeing her. When it finally came down to it the trip was actually during Month 8 and was India. While nothing was going to keep me from going to see Nattie, India was certainly not something I was looking forward to. And I have to say that India is a place I’d be perfectly fine with never visiting again.
The traffic is the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced.
No rules, very few traffic lights, and all forms of transportation share the same roadways. Regardless if you are walking, pedaling a bike, riding a motor scooter, driving a car, riding in an Auto-rickshaw, riding in a van, riding in a commercial size bus, wagons drawn by oxen or herding your goats or water buffalo down the street everyone shares the same path. And everyone is LOTS of people, crazy amounts of people.
You never know what you might see,
people using the bathroom along the way without any reservation or hesitation. A family of 5 on one motor scooter, two guys on a motor scooter carrying a windshield, a woman carrying an end table on her head while ridding side saddle on the back of a motor scooter. I’m telling you that nothing is off limits and if you can imagine, or even if you can’t, it’s likely you will see it.
The food, not a fan.
We had chicken rice and curry, then we had rice with chicken and curry and then some curry with rice and chicken. When they cut up their chicken they just go to chopping and then put all the pieces in the pan to cook so every bite comes complete with bones. For those who know me, know this is not good for me…..
The temperature was pleasant
but the humidity was way more than I was used to so I pretty much stayed a sweaty mess……..
God loves me enough to see that I never had to use an actual squatty potty and for that I’m certainly grateful. I had many opportunities to use one, if the need arose, but again God took care of me in that area!
You are probably thinking the trip was a real downer, which was not at all the case.
There are plenty of things I loved about the trip.
I loved seeing Nattie, she was so beautiful when I saw her at the airport. I was so caught off guard, as I was told that she would not be at the airport, but I walked out and there she was and you could see how alive she was, you could tell how good India had been to her, you could tell she was exactly where she was supposed to be. She was absolutely a breath of fresh air, living in her element and enjoying every moment of her life. I don’t care where you are, or what the environment is, or how many comforts you are without, when you see your child, like I saw mine, it all becomes worth it. For that one moment I’d go back to India again and again.
I loved getting to meet all her friends and their parents, several of them I had been praying for, it was such an honor to get a glimpse of their joy, their determination, their willing obedience, their excitement and their love for our Lord. These kids have given up so much, but have gained even more.
Our first day of ministry with our kids was at one of the slums, basically a small 10 or so family neighborhood that was literally built out of “trash” in the middle of the trash dump. When we walked in I saw two young boys playing a game with rocks, they were so happy, just playing like any other little boys their age would be, and God quickly told me to love on these people, but not to pity them. He continued to show me how happy these people were, with nothing, they were happy, this was their normal and they knew nothing different. They were so hospitable, they brought out their beds and best blankets and matts for us to sit on, they so wanted us to join them and they wanted us to be comfortable. Their homes that were made of trash were so very clean, they took great pride in their homes, the children were clean, wearing clean clothes, with clean hair that obviously had been styled. It was a joy to see how little these people had but how hospitable they were to us. We prayed with them, gave them rice and toothbrushes, told them testimonies and played games and sang songs with them.
Our second day of ministry was at Sarah’s Covenant House, an orphanage for special need kiddos. To hear Sarah’s story and vision for the orphanage was amazing. She wants these kids to have nothing less than what her own personal kids have, she doesn’t want these kids to be second class, they all had the cutest clothes and excellent toys, beds and other items that kids might need. She takes these kids and nurses them back to health, gets them the best medical care, and loves them with the love of Jesus all the while teaching them who they are in Jesus. Such and excellent place to be.
One thing I noticed about India and it’s people, they are beautiful. They have such deep eyes that each tell a story. The kids have so much joy and hope and then at some point around early teen years their joyful countenance turns to a very stoic appearance. I’m not sure what happens to these people but the smiles disappear and the joy seems to fade, while they remain very friendly, accepting and hospitable they definitely are lacking something, somewhere along the way a void had been created. It broke my heart as I saw this time and time again, regardless of the environment. India needs people like Natalie and her squad to shine the light of Jesus and bring back a joy that once was.
We were continually asked to seek and ask the Lord why he had us in India – Obviously it was to see our kiddos, but why India, why in March of 2014, why with the group of people we were with, why now. I have to say my answer was the best joy of my trip.
I was able to see a pure heart of gratitude in our PVT leader’s Pat Burrows she was as giddy as a kid in a candy store just about being in India, she was a joy to watch as gratitude poured out of her, she was embracing every moment of India.
I was touched to hear the testimony of Zach, how the Lord was removing the selfish things from him, how he was putting off the old Zach and walking in the new creation he is.
I was able to hear from Clay, that God had changed his heart, it was not behavior modification, it was a genuine heart change.
I was able to see Heather step into something that was a bit uncomfortable for her and watch her nail it perfectly.
I was able to see the love of our Father replicated in the way Perry was able to connect with Natalie in ways that I can’t, in the love they both share of missions and being able to watch them live that out together in the way John Kuehni picked up his daughter, Jenny, for the first time in 8 months spun her around and refused to let go of her, in the way Paul Saddler exemplified encouragement to everyone he came into contact with. How he just enjoyed being present and intentional about his time in India.
I was able to witness Fred Caddell with his daughter Liz. It was evident the Liz is the Apple of her daddy’s eye. I could see pure joy in Fred has he just followed her around wanting to love on her, wanting to relish in the things that brought her joy. She was clearly his favorite thing about India and it showed. I had a chance to visit with Fred about taking Liz on several Big Game Safari’s, I asked him if he like to hunt and he said he just liked to follow her around with his two cameras just enjoying watching his daughter do the thing she loved to do and want to experience it with her. You could tell they had a special bond.
I’m not sure where these fathers are in their spiritual journey, but God reminded me that that is the kind of daddy He is, He just wants to spin us around and refuse to let us go, He wants to be our cheerleader and encourage us in all that we do, He wants to be a part of what we do following us around taking note of the things that we enjoy.
All He wants is us and a relationship with us and wants to spend every moment with us.
I was able to watch Jake and Clay love on their mommas and know that these men will, one day, make great husbands, and know how to love on their wives.
God gave me a word for these racers, He said “don’t let this race define you, don’t let it be the pinnacle of your ministry” Many of these racer’s went on this race to get away from their previous bad choices, and to be in a protected bubble. God says “I have given you all you need to finish the race of life, I will be your protector and my grace is sufficient for you” So Finish strong and realize that The Race is not over in May. Find a community of believers that are going as hard and strong as you and keep on trucking.
I loved my time in India.”
– Holly Hallford
