It’s true. I’m officially now living in India. So crazy! The second I stepped out of the airport I could definitely tell this was NOT Ireland anymore. This place couldn’t be more different. It’s SO hot. . . .and it’s winter. . . There are monkeys running around everywhere. The people are of course very different in their ways of life and their culture, so much so that I actually feel like I’m on the World Race for the first time since leaving the States. This is what I envisioned it being.
My team and another team were split off together to go to the same district. On our 6 hour bus ride away from Hyderabad, our district leader told me “You’re going to be in the jungle. You will stay at a church in a village and outside the village there are many many tribal people that you will go see.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Tribal people!? Jungle!? What am I doing with my life!? I was excited and nervous! I couldn’t believe that I was actually being put into this environment and it was real life.
Just to give you a taste of how the people are towards us around here, after 6 hours we got off our first bus into a main bus station. There were 100s of people everywhere. As soon as we step foot outside, they all looked at us like they had never seen an American in their life. We had to circle up around all of our belongings and they all began to crowd around and close in on us. I felt like an animal in a zoo. They all started to whisper to each other and smile and pull out their phones and cameras. I was surrounded by the Indian paparazzi. Luckily we had 3 men with us to help guide us through the crowds to get to our next bus safely. I was not expecting to be treated like that I was a little overwhelmed and shocked. It never felt unsafe or in danger it’s just weird to come into a place where people are in awe of you and want to know your name, why you’re there, and want to follow you. Also, yesterday we went to a touristy place at a dam and a deer park that our translator took us too, and you would have thought we were celebrities. Again, everyone stared at us and we had crowds of people following us everywhere we went. Many of them wanted pictures, some asked and some just tried to sneak them. I didn’t realize how overwhelming it would be to just go out and walk around as an American. It’s definitely something that we are having to adjust to.
We are staying it a church/children’s home in a small village in the Khammam district. We have our tents set up in the sanctuary and every Sunday we get to get up at 3:45 AM to pack everything us and move before service and prayer walk at 5 AM 🙂 It’s the World Race. There is no internet at all so we come to an Internet Café once a week. Today we are going shopping to purchase our very own Indian saris and apparel so that we can fit in while walking around to the villages and so people will see that we have come here and are willing to adapt to their culture. During the week our ministry is actually pretty cool! Every day we go into a different village. There we meet the families of the home where we will preach a message. We get to learn about them, their work, and their home. The families have walked us around to show us their farms and to show us the tribes outside of the village. When walking out here I can tell that I am definitely in the jungle. No wonder these people are marveled by the sight of Americans because I think it’s safe to say that Americans have never been to these parts of India before. I really feel so blessed to be here and have the ability to spend time here. The living conditions are not the best ever, but they are what we signed up for. The part about the Race that I do love is being able to become a part of the cultures that we’re in and live like they live.
I’m really looking forward to this month overall. I do think it’s going to be difficult just because it is a type of ministry that I’m not used to. The food is for sure something that I am adjusting to. (curry, curry, curry, and MORE CURRY). The heat is very draining, especially as a woman when you have to be completely covered to your ankles.
With our ministry someone from our team is to preach a message every night in each village we go to. We were instructed that we must talk about how we are not here to give out money because many people have been coming and asking how much money we are investing into their churches and their villages. Our translators tell them that we just came here to pray for them. After every service we all stand spread out and people line up in front of us for prayer. God knows what He is doing. . .I’ll tell you that. Last month working with Vineyard Church we learned a lot about healing prayer and just prayer in general from Mark Marx and also other members that we interacted with. If I hadn’t had that before coming to India I would honestly have no idea how to pray for these people in the way that they want me to. They all come to me with desperation in their eyes. I have prayed for a woman who cannot have children who wants children, for an old man who has crooked knees and an itchy body, for kids who have exams, for a man who was having financial troubles and problems in his home, and for a woman who had head pain and neck pain. I know that I have authority in Christ Jesus to pray for these people and I have been able to pray for each person in a specific way that I probably wouldn’t have before. It’s the most humbling experience to have a person kneel before you for prayer and to pray for them in Jesus name knowing that it has NOTHING to do with me at all. It’s totally about that person and the Lord’s love and provision/protection over them.
I have one prayer request for my supporters, family, and friends back home. This ministry of prayer is definitely more draining than you might think. I am trying very hard to make sure that I am spending quality time with the Lord before going out so that I may be filled before going to see them. Also I need assurance and peace. I know that these prayers are in the Lord’s hands and that everything that happens is His will and for His glory. I can’t lie. It does become frustrating when you pray for person after person and you don’t ever necessarily see the effects of what you’re praying. I pray healing over someone and I really don’t know is it’s happening or if it will. I know it’s all up to God, but we all know it’s nice to be able to see the results of prayers. This is the lesson that God is beginning to teach me here. After these prayers I ask “Lord. . did you heal them? Are you going to? Why can I not see? Why haven’t I seen it yet? I know you can do it. Just DO IT!” This is the question He asked me . . .(I knew it had to be the Lord because He does love answering a question with a question doesn’t He?) He asked me “If I don’t choose to heal this person do you still believe I am good? If you don’t see the effects of anything you will pray all month will you believe I am still good? If you NEVER see the results of any prayer you ever pray for anyone will you still believe I am good?” Of course I KNOW the answer to this question. Duh. The Lord is always good. Always has been always will be, but I must be willing to keep praying with all my heart and all my might for every person and always believe that the Lord is good no matter what I do or do not see. The Lord doesn’t need to prove His goodness to me or anyone else because He IS Good. He is LOVE.
Pray for me as I am learning this and that I may stay in constant prayer and faith all month as I minister to the people in these tribes and villages this way. Pray that I remained filled with the Spirit and I keep my desire to spend time with Him every day. India is just as beautiful as I have heard. The sunrise and sunset are like nothing I’ve ever seen!! I have enjoyed this past week getting accustomed to everything. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. I’ll be checking in with a blog and some pictures every week 🙂
