Thursday, June 6, 2013

No Longer an Orphan (Day Forty Three)

     July 23rd, 2012 - Chennai, India
     I am in India. I am on the complete opposite side of the world from where my home is. I have been on this side of the world for over a month. I don't understand and it is hard for me to fathom that I am so far from home. God chose me to come here. I don't want to let my Savior down. 
     For breakfast, I don't usually eat the food because it is hard for me to get down. Instead I eat crackers and braid girls' hair at breakfast. Jessica tells me jokingly that it is my spiritual gift. But it is a good way for me to serve others and value them higher than myself.
     Our team had team time and played duck, duck, goose on the roof. It was dangerous and so many people got sun burnt  I will always remember that I served others and shared the Gospel on this trip, but I will also remember how many games we played and how much we laughed together. We made lunch and ate here at the hotel. Oranges and crackers with out PB&J! Such a blessing! We sat in the hallway and I talked with girls from the other team and it was nice to again talk with girls I spent time with in Nepal. I miss my team, but God is teaching me how to be content with my new team. We have so few days left of ministry and I wonder where all the time has gone. My summer is almost over, but I have seen God completely wreck me and change my life here-everything will be different when I go home. God has used me to bring His people back to Him and in doing so I have learned to be bold and seize every opportunity. What will He do with me in this last week?
     Our first ministry site we went to was with the other team and it was a leper colony. I sat next to this man who had missing toes, no fingers and rotting teeth. His eyes were clouded with cataracts and the flies swarmed all over him. But I sat next to him, took his knobby hands in mine and talked with him. Because of the language barrier, I couldn't understand him. He started singing for me and praising the Lord. After the other team did the drama, Jake asked who wanted to accept Jesus and almost everyone raised their hand. We prayed with two women. One of them was old, with only one tooth and she wore sunglasses inside the building, a community center. Her smile was bright and she was one of the sweetest ladies I have met. After we prayed with her, I went back to the man who sang. He was talking to our TL and told him that he has always felt alone, an orphan, but because we came he no longer feels that way. He feels valued. That is the refreshing, redemptive powerful love of God.
     We returned to the village we went to yesterday so we could do our drama. It went well, even though mostly kids came. 29 kids spoke with a woman about the Gospel. Aaliyah shared her testimony and this woman wanted to give her life to Jesus  She said she knew it would be hard, because her husband is Hindu, but she still wanted to. None of this is of us- Christ is doing it all. 
     Before we left, we had tea at the church. The ministry days here feel so short compared to Nepal, and it gives me even more of a reason to make the days count. 
     Mom told me about Devin, a man who is her age with a wife and three kids, he had a heart attack and is on life support. I announced to my whole project and we are all praying for a miracle for him.
     We had 'crunch club' tonight and 20 girls worked out together in the hallway. It is just fun to live with a bunch a girls. 
     Before bed we worshiped and praised the Lord. I give my heart completely to you, Jesus.

Doing ministry. =) Love these people!


I loved listening to this guy!

























He was such a joy to listen to. He feels like an orphan no longer.

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