Dearest India,
You’re entrancing, alluring, and really quite charming. You exude color and vibrancy. Your chai and biscuits pair for the perfect mid morning snack but your curry is a tiny bit too spicy for my tastebuds.
On the first night that I met you, as I drove through the city as the sun was setting, I decided that I want to emanate light and colors the way you do— unapologetically and emphatically. And so, right then, I prayed with a friend that you would introduce a season of growth within me. As I now look back on our two months together, I can say that you urged me toward just that.
Our time was not easy for me but I am grateful that you challenged me in a way I have never experienced. You pushed me to the brink of homesickness; you forced me to deal with lies that have danced in my head for years; you were relentlessly fickle concerning where you wanted my team and me to live— you sent us on night bus after night bus ((10pm to 5.30am)).
But because of you, I came into a deeper understanding of the power of prayer. I tasted spiritual warfare for the first time and consequently wrestled with overcoming Satan’s hold on my thoughts. I discovered that I have power to ask the Lord for peace and serenity; I automatically have authority over Satan solely because Christ lives in me. I scoured the Psalms in search for comfort and was greeted with promises of the Lord’s faithfulness ((Psalm 34.4, Psalm 46.1, Psalm 91.11)). I began fasting on Wednesdays with one of my teammates so that we could pray specifically for discernment. All in all, you paved the perfect road for prayer development.
You also taught me more about beauty. You deem so many people beautiful — not just those who fit a certain criteria or into a rigid box. I admire this quality greatly and hope that it spills into my life.
As my time with you comes to a close, I know that I will leave in a state of peace though that was often not the posture of my heart when I was with you. Carry on India, in color and brilliance.
All my love, P.
