India Pro-Tips:
You will attract attention and your picture will be taken everywhere you go, whether or not you give permission.
You’ll start speaking short English with an Indian accent. Even when you aren’t around Indians.
You will fall in love. With the people, with the culture, and with Jesus, more and more every day.
And most importantly, when you think you’ve come to the end of your self and can’t take another spicy meal, another unknown smell, another monsoon, that you can’t possibly press into ministry anymore or love your teammates the way you should, God will meet you there and carry you the rest of the way. Through far more than you alone are capable.
This month, my team is working with an organization called SCH in Hyderabad. They are a group of homes for special needs orphans. India currently has around 30 million orphans. That number is higher than the entire population of Texas. It’s a crisis. Even worse, a majority of those are labeled special needs. This can be anything from autism to HIV to severe mental and physical disability.
Why does that matter? Because those precious lives are considered undesirable in India. Adoption is already a last resort, and due to social stigma and the high cost of care, those kids are rarely ever adopted in-country. They also receive little to no attention and care in government orphanages, so that is where SCH comes in.
Our time with SCH has been as rewarding as it has stretching. We’ve tackled a movie theatre with 13 boys, many who could not walk. We’ve accomplished a trip to the zoo with 20 kids, all in strollers and wheelchairs. We’ve taught VBS on rooftops and porches. And with every event, we’ve attracted crowds. People are curious, kind, and very entertained. Sometimes they ask questions, but often they just take photos.
We’ve also been able to serve this organization with various ‘manual labor’ duties. Have you ever painted a room with the assistance of 13 boys? Imagine this: zero drop cloths or painters’ tape, paint in hair, trails of little footprints, a whole lot of laughter and even more love. It was easily one of the best days of my life. We’ve gotten to clean homes and move furniture. We’ve had photoshoots and film days. And every bit of it has been a blast.
One of my favorite moments happened one evening during VBS. We were at a girls’ home and having a dance party after the lesson. I was wrestling with our purpose here at SCH and what God wanted us to be doing when one of the girls asked me to sit down. I had no idea what she wanted, but my heart is always mush and I can’t say no, so I sat. She removed my glasses, placed her hand on my head, and began praying in Telugu. I’ll never know what she was praying, but that moment will sit with me the rest of my life. In the midst of all my wonder and insecurity, God used this sweet girl to show me what he wanted from me. He has constantly and consistently met me in moments of insecurity and weakness.
I’m honored to spend my time in India here, and so thankful for all the support, emotionally and financially, from everyone who makes it possible in the States. If you’d like to contribute to help keep me on the field, donate above 🙂 All donations are tax-deductible and allow me to serve places like this around the world!
