I went into it very excited, India was the country I was most looking forward to on the race.
We started in Mumbai for debrief were the Lord encouraged me with a visit from our AIM coordinator Tim. He shared that in Christ we have freedom and that we are not victims to our circumstances. We have the freedom to choose what we do with the things that happen to us and we do not have to be a victim to them. The Lord gives us the strength to choose joy in times of difficulties.
Refreshed, encouraged and excited we travelled to Chennai in Southeast India. We travelled a total of 26 hours on busses and the experienced the adventure of having our second bus’ luggage compartment catch on fire (no luggage was seriously harmed). We arrived at our host home at 2 am ready for bed.
Our ministry this month included street preaching during the day and cottage prayer (similar to home groups in the States) in the evenings. The first week we did cottage prayer in our neighborhood and I loved it. I felt alive while there, building relationships with the local ladies and children. One of the ladies was very excited to have her in her home. She said she sees white people but they never come in for a visit. The following week we went to her house to drink some Coke while she gave us henna tattoos. Unfortunately we moved locations for cottage prayer.
My favorite outreach/preaching day was when we visited a Gypsy village. The Gypsy people are normally outcast, frowned upon by society, but I loved being there with them. They are beautiful, joyful, and loving people. We felt welcomed there. We danced to Tamil worship music, had jewelry made by the young girls, shared clothes, played with the children, and most importantly we shared our hearts with them. I exchange hugs and kisses as we left the village and a hole in my heart was created knowing I wouldn’t see them again.
Being on the race you fall in love with people then have to leave. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense why you love so much just to leave, but you know you do it for Christ. We do it because He loves us and we hope that we made a difference in their life. We know that Jesus stays with them.
India was stretching in many ways. I had disagreements with the way ministry was done and I had to trust that God is sovereign and He chose this ministry for me. Preaching and singing on a microphone built confidence and taught me boldness but it lacked what I loved the most, which is building relationships. After a month of this I felt drained, used up. God is teaching me to rely on Him for my strength, that I cannot do this race or life relying on myself.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever”
1 Peter 5:10
While in India…
I drank A LOT of tea and coffee. If you went more than an hour without
coffee/tea something was wrong.
I had a Saree (traditional Indian dress) made
Bathed with cold bucket showers
Got attacked by mosquitoes every sundown
Mastered the squatty potty
Had the unfortunate event of dropping my real Ray Bans down a squatty potty.
This was before I mastered it and yes, I still have them.
Peed on the side of the street many times.
Peed on my shoes many times.
Crammed into rickshaws, trains and buses.
Took a 4 hour adventure, including a 2 km walk, to eat Domino’s Pizza.
Ate enough food for an entire family daily. I love Indian food.
By the grace of God, I made it through India with out getting sick.
