looks like i have some catching up to do.
for the past month & 1/2, i have been in two different states in India, doing ministry & day to day life, but I have had little to no access to wifi so I haven’t been able to post a blog.
Let’s start with my first month in India which was spent in a little village in Northeast India.
Ministry has been different day to day, including visiting a drug rehabilitation center, painting school classrooms, leading VBS, or teaching songs at churches for the youth.
My favorite ministry by far has been visiting my friends at the drug rehabilitation center. What first seemed like a group of big & rough men, quickly turned into our brothers. Once a week, we’re able to hang out with them— play volleyball, soccer, learn how to play carrom, and lead them in worship & devotions. These guys are so fun, and we get to hear redemption stories of how Jesus has changed their lives around in the best ways possible. It’s been such an encouragement for me to hear their testimonies, laugh with them, and worship together.
On Christmas Eve, we showed up to the rehabilitation center to surprise our friends. We brought them cookies & cards, and sang “Feliz Navidad” over and over. We then played a very competitive game of four square, which they had never played before but soon got their smack talk on. We then had a bonfire as a squad to celebrate.
On Christmas day, my alarm in the morning (at about 5am) was several pigs being slaughtered right below our balcony. (yikes) That’s India for you. We went to church, performed a last minute nativity scene skit in front of the children, and sang christmas songs. By lunch time, we had a “feast” which included said slaughtered pigs & some unknown dish. Even though most of us picked at our food, we still had the best time getting to eat together and celebrate Christmas. Christmas ended up being really different this year— no gifts, decorations, or traditions. Just a bunch of people gathering to celebrate the birth of a Savior.
On the 27th, we packed up in a big rickety bus to leave for a new state in Northeast India where we will be staying for the next 6 weeks. This was by far the craziest travel day ever: we spent 15 hours rolling around the mountains of India (peep my travel day vlog) THE bumpiest ride of my life. You ever hit a really bad pothole? Imagine that. But for 15 hours straight. with two bathroom breaks. and being dangerously close to a cliff on one side.
Around midnight we made it to our new home. I’ve been here for the past week, and ministry has mainly been going to church services & leading kids ministry. One day, my team got to help our friend Dara out in the kitchen and cook meals for the whole squad. We cut a lot of vegetables, played baseball with cauliflower & a stick, and when we had free time Dara took us for a drive to deliver chai to our friends working at the church. His driving is crazy, and he said to us, “this is how we do it, India style!”. Our squad was able to spend New Years together last night & celebrate. I have so much to look forward to for the next 2 months in India, and i’m pumped to see what God does!
Thank you for reading, sorry for the delay on an update. I will be posting a travel day blog in my next post so go check that out. Please keep me in your prayers! I also still have to be fully funded by January 15th, so please consider donating so that I can stay on the field!
