Faith, Belief, Courage.

“It’s 3am, now where you gonna go?” – The Script in “Talk You Down”

It’s been about 38 hours since I stepped foot on American soil. Everyone is safe. Everyone is probably on the mend from any sickness that was had in India. And I’m wondering if everyone has jet lag like me…or misses India as much as I do.

“Come Thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy praise.”

God has blessed me richly. He took me to India. He brought me home safely. He changed me. He is molding me still. I will never forget this past month. I can only pray that I will continue to have the courage to follow His leading.

“Standing on this mountain top, looking just how far we’ve come, knowing that for every step, You were with us; Kneeling on this battle ground, seeing just how much You’ve done, knowing every victory was Your power in us; Scars and struggles on the way, but with joy our hearts can say, Yes, our hearts can say: Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did You leave us on our own, You are faithful, God, You are faithful…You will lead us Lord, and we shall not be overcome!” 

Matt Redman in “Never Once”

“Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God, You are higher than any other, Our God is healer, Awesome in power, Our God, Our God…And if our God is for us, than who could ever stop us, and if our God is with us, then what could stand against!” – Chris Tomlin in “Our God”

It was so scary coming back. It’s still scary. There are so many questions. But questions are okay when God is the one in control of your life. Oh, that I would not forget how richly He has blessed me and how faithfully He has guided me this far.

On the way to the Dehli airport, I had an impactful conversation with one of my team members. We talked about faith and belief and how so often we pray, but yet don’t truly believe that it makes a difference or that God will do what we ask. We also talked about doing hard things. He commented something like this, “Sometimes you feel God speaking to you and it seems crazy. But sometimes we have to have the faith to believe that God really is speaking. God blesses the choices that take more faith.” Oh, that I would have the faith. Oh, that I would trust in my Lord alone for HE is in control of my life. What a tragedy if I do not live as the transformed Laura that God made in India.

“The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

Here is an excerpt from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. The passage is taken from his March 22 devotional. Luke shared this passage for his devotion in India and I found it to be very impactful. The scripture this reflection is based off of is Luke 24:32.

“We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, the fires are kindled, we have wonderful visions, then we have to learn to keep the secret of the burning heart that will go through anything. It is the dull, bald, dreary, commonplace day, with commonplace duties and people, that kills the burning heart unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.

Much of our distress as Christians comes not because of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test as to whether we ought to allow an emotion to have its way is to see what the outcome of the emotion will be. Push it to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something God would condemn, allow it no more way. But if it be an emotion kindled by the Spirit of God and you do not let that emotion have its right issue in your life, it will react on a lower level. That is the way sentimentalists are made. The higher the emotion is, the deeper the degradation will be, if it is not worked out on its proper level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many things inevitable as possible, let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay on the mount of transfiguration, but we must obey the light we received there; we must act it out. When God gives a vision, transact business on that line, no matter what it costs.”

Please continue to pray for me, even as I have returned safely from India. Pray that I would not remain on the mount of transfiguration, but that I would obey the light God gave me there. Pray that the freedom I felt in India will be put in chains now that I am home. Pray for courage…for contentment…for a love that shines, even on the darkest of days. God isn’t finished with me yet. There is still much work to be done.

Pray for India. Pray that I would be a bold voice that speaks for the love I have seen there.  

This Far

Tourism. Ancient structures. Authentic Indian food. Craft Market. Stranded. Tea. Shopping. Walking. Hunger. Pain. Adventure. Dehli at night. Dance party. Trust falling. Chin art. Henna. Good conversations. Reflection. Not ready to leave India.

Yesterday we spent the day touring famous spots in Dehli. We visited a fort, the Lotus Temple, a tower that used to be the tallest in the world, and a crafts market. On the way to the city, there was a minor occurrence that made for wonderful adventure. As we boarded the train to Dehli, the doors shut and left six of us standing on the platform. The situation could have been stressful and scary, but for me, it was exhilarating, adventurous, and fun.

After making it to Dehli together, we toured the famous spots I listed above. We spent the evening at a crafts market that sold Indian handicraft from all of the states of India. I loved the experience as I could go at my own pace and had a large selection. We ended the evening with an authentic Indian street food dinner topped off with authentic Indian ice cream. One of my favorite parts about the crafts market was the beautiful Henna that was drawn on my hand.

As if the day couldn’t get any better, the night topped it all. Anthony, Luke, Nate, Hannah, Kaleigh, Megan and I took an adventure to the top of our nearly 20 floor building and saw the city from the roof. What an experience! It was cool seeing Chennai from the roof of the YWCA, but that was not 20 stories. After climbing a dark staircase and making our way through a dark creepy room, we walked out onto the roof. Some of us then followed Anthony up a tall ladder to the top of the building. What a rush.

After returning from our adventure, we had a dance party in Hannah and Kaleigh’s room, entertained ourselves by “trust falling” onto the bed, and watched Nate for a long time talk upside-down with his chin. I wish I could explain how truly hilarious it was…but really, you just had to be there.

Today part of the group went to a very interactive museum in Dehli. I am sad that this is the end. All day we’ve been saying how this is our last train ride, our last Indian meal, our last everything. As I’ve talked with some of my friends, many of us agree that we are not ready to leave India. It’s scary to know that God has worked in us here and to also know that it is often hard to apply what has been learned after returning home after a “mountain top” experience like this.

I’m going to miss India. I’m going to miss being with my team members everyday—talking…laughing…all the adventures. I already miss the girls at Home of Love. There is almost nothing in me that wants to return. I value my education and I value the people at home, but more than anything, everything that has happened here in India has seemed right and I’ve actually felt like I was doing something that God wants. I don't want to lose the friendships I have made and maintained on this trip when I return home. I can only pray that He will continue this good work in me at home and that I will continue to be sensitive to His leading.

I serve an awesome and faithful God. My God has led me this far. He won’t stop now.

Oh, that I would be someone who loves to do God’s best for me. Oh, that I might continue to be satisfied in God alone. Oh, that I would be obedient to Him who calls me according to His will. Oh, that I would be a gracious woman of God. Oh, that I would live with a gentle boldness for the sake of Christ alone.

Goodbye India. I hope to see you again. I will never forget you. I will pray for you.

Wonders.

Guess what! I saw one of the ancient wonders of the world yesterday!

Yesterday was a day of reflection and travel. As I near the end of this trip, I am faced with the fact that I have learned something in India and I need to translate that “changed” Laura into the culture of my home and school life.

“I’ve been changed by what I’ve been told, it’s more glory than the world has known…I’m free to love…” – Josh Garrels

I wish I could say for sure what God has been speaking to me about. All I know are bits and pieces, but for once, I actually feel like I’m okay with whatever God’s plan might be for my life. I have mixed feelings of fear and peace as I think about what the future may hold. Peace in the sense that I am satisfied in the best that God has for me. Fear in the sense that I don’t know what that means yet. But because God is gracious and sovereign and loving, it will be good.

Something I have learned on this trip is how unsatisfied I am with God in my normal life. I depend on so many other things that are not fulfilling. Being with the girls at the orphanage taught me so much about being satisfied in the Lord. I find that when I have the least, that is when I am most content. I find that when I am most weak, God is stronger. I find that when I am the most broken, God builds from the ground up and shapes me into who He wants me to be. So often I try to plan out my life. What if it’s different than God’s best? What if it’s not? How can I pursue God’s best if I’m not even open to it?

I must return to India. I cannot stand the thought of never seeing those girls again. They really have stolen my heart and taught me so much about love.

As for the sightseeing from yesterday, we took a bus from Dehli to Agra. In Agra, we visited the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. The Taj is surrounded by a large gate and wall. The entrance through the gate is so magnificent! Suddenly, the great work of art is revealed and you are in awe…or at least I was. My heart was pounding and all I could say was “Wow,” “Oh my gosh!” and “Guys—this is happening!”

I don’t think anyone could be disappointed in the Taj Mahal. It inspired me to visit the other ancient wonders of the world sometime in the future. The artistic work is so intricate and beautiful.

On our way back to Dehli, our bus stopped in a small town to visit a Hindu temple. It was interesting to walk through the dark streets up to the large temple where there were loud clanging of bells in worship to their god. It’s sad that they are pouring so much worship out to something that cannot hear them or love them. However, even though the experience was shocking to some of the members of the trip, in terms of the lost people and the seemingly craziness of their worship, how different is it than the way Americans worship idols like celebrities, beauty, self, or work? As we were in the temple, the lyrics of a song by Matt Maher kept going through my head.

“Oh death! Where is your sting? Oh hell! Where is your victory? Oh Church! Come stand in the light! Our God is not dead, He’s alive, He’s alive!” – Matt Maher

Today we did some sightseeing in Dehli. I had a lot of time while traveling to think and reflect. One reoccurring thing that kept coming to me was the thought of people being created in the image of God. First of all, it is difficult for me to see beggars and children who are unattended or unloved. We also have a man that is staying at our apartment whose job is simply to attend to us. I wonder how many people take advantage of kind people like that. It hurts me even more than these things to think about the injustices on the human race, especially women. Between female infanticide, forced labor, human trafficking, and the way men tend to look down women, I burn inside just thinking about how twisted the minds of people can become. It’s hard to think that people made in God’s image could be treated with such atrocities as they are.  

This evening we walked around a nearby mall while dodging the crazy Indian traffic on the way, seeing A LOT of clubs (that we did not go to), eating McDonalds ice cream, and watching part of Slumdog Millionare. Tomorrow will be a long day of tourism, but I’m excited. I enjoy crowded metros. I love experiencing the craziness of the markets and streets. Bring it on.

 ***

“Too scared to face all your fear, so you hide but you find that the shame won’t disappear, so let it fall down, there’s freedom waiting in the sound, when you let your walls fall to the ground we’re here now; This is where the healing begins, this is where the healing starts, when you come to where you’re broken within the light meets the dark.” – Tenth Avenue North

“Look at these hands and My side, they swallowed the grave on that night, when I drank the world’s sin so I could carry you in and give you life…please don’t fight these hands that are holding you, My hands are holding you.” – Tenth Avenue North

If We Could See in all Directions at the Same Time (Beautiful)

“I wish we could open our eyes to see in all directions at the same time, oh what a beautiful view, if you were never aware of what was around you…” – Death Cab for Cutie in “Marching Bands of Manhattan”

“We only got 86 400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away, we gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we’re dying…” – Kris Allen in “Live Like We’re Dying”

“Do you ever feel like you’re wasted space, you’re original, cannot be replaced, if you only knew what the future holds, after a hurricane comes a rainbow, maybe the reason why all the doors are closed so you could open one that leads you to the perfect road…” – Katy Perry in “Firework”

“In this world we will have trouble, but You have overcome the world” – Brian Doerkson in “You Shine”

Beauty. Love. These words have been laid heavily on my heart in the last few days. God has used nature, civilization, and children to speak so loudly to me.

On Friday night I had the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Nirup, Nate, Alicia, Michelle, Megan, and I played “human shuffleboard” in our socks in our hallway at the YWCA. Basically, we slid down the hall and tried to knock each other over. Later, in an attempt to escape the wrath of an angry Indian man in a wife beater who heard us in the hall, we ran up the stairs and discovered something amazing. We found the door that led to the roof. “Oh what a beautiful view if you were never aware of what was around you.” The view from the roof at midnight was breathtaking. The beauty was incredible. This morning Lynn, Nate, Megan and I woke up at 6am to climb up to the roof and watch the sunrise. We sat in silence and wonder.

God is Good.

Yesterday was our last day at the orphanage. Although I was incredibly sad to leave, I cannot cry too long because the girls fill me with such love and joy. If what the girls have shown me isn’t love, I don’t know what is. It was so pure. So sincere. They have taught me not to feel so jaded about the word love. I hear people talk about love so much in a way that doesn’t seem genuine, but finally, I’m not afraid of love. And joy—my joy is complete when I am secure and satisfied in the Lord. He fills me so much and pouring out His love is so fulfilling.

I’m going to miss those girls so much. They are so precious…beautiful…full of promise. When we sang “Our God” and “You Shine” for the last time, I was filled with an emotion I cannot describe…the words mean so much to me know with them in mind. The girls did a presentation for us yesterday where they danced. Between the music and their beautiful dancing, all I can think is that “this is beauty.” God has created these girls so wonderfully and so beautifully...it's hard to think that so many girls such as these have not had a chance to know love.

God's beauty, joy, and love have been revealed to me so strongly in the last few days. I want to go back. It's hard to think about not seeing those girls again. I pray that God will give me an opportunity to go back.

Taj Mahal tomorrow!

My Jesus, You Satisfy

If I could sum up my thoughts from today in one way, it would be through Ascend the Hill’s version of the song, Be Thou My Vision. I was listening to this song on the way home from the orphanage today and it stuck out to me. For once, I feel like I can truly say Jesus is the most satisfying part of my life. In a place where my life is not cluttered with stuff…in a place where I feel free to be who God created me to be without restraint or worry…it is here that I am the most satisfied. Praise God for His glorious riches and great faithfulness.

Be thou my vision

O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me

Save that Thou art

Thou my best thought

By day or by night

Waking or sleeping

Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom

And Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee

And Thou with me, Lord

Thou my great Father

I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling

And I with Thee one

Riches I heed not

Nor man’s empty praise

Thou mine inheritance

Now and always

Thou and Thou only

First in my heart

High King of Heaven

My Treasure Thou art

High King of heaven

My victory won

May I reach heaven’s joys

O bright heaven’s sun

Heart of my own heart

Whatever befall

Still be my vision

O Ruler of all

Oh God be my everything

Be my delight

Be Jesus my glory my soul satisfied

My Jesus, You satisfy!

It’s hard to believe tomorrow is our last day at the orphanage. I love those girls so much. I desperately hope this will not be the last time I ever see them. I think I will be back. 

Lasting Love

 Verse of the Day: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

“We found love in a hopeless place” – Rihanna

Fact of the Day: The third day of VBS is complete.

Thoughts that make me laugh: Mistaking Anthony’s laugh for barking dogs. Zach in general, especially when he dances.

Simple joys of the day: Listening to the girls sing and shout on the “Then what could stand against!” part of Our God or the beginning of the You Shine chorus. Dancing like a crazy woman with the girls after VBS. Observing the work ethic and magnitude of possibility of ants (I saw the largest anthill of my life today). Establishing friendships with the girls—in word and in seeing them smile when I put my arm around them or when they reach for my hands. My new friends from the team. Racing rickshaws (that is, the drivers were racing) and winning by cutting off the other rickshaw. 

I really do love this place. I think India will always have a special place in my heart—especially the precious girls God has blessed me with at Home of Love. I hope to come back here sometime. Maybe I can help organize trips, even after college, to continue revisiting Home of Love to create a lasting relationship with the mission and the girls there.

The anthill I saw today reminds me of how God uses little creatures to accomplish so much. In the same way, there are great things He has for me to accomplish too.

Please pray for the existing mission of Home of Love. Please also pray that God would continue to send many groups of people there to love on the girls and help those at the orphanage.

Brokenness

There are so many thoughts in my mind that I don’t know what to do with them all. All I know is that I must do something. How will it change my life? I’m not sure. But I know it will. I simply cannot continue living life with the same outlook. God is changing my heart and there’s no going back.

God is showing me some of the things He made me to do. He made me to minister to children in some way. He made me to love music. He gave me a heart for overseas missions. He is breaking me for the injustices that have effected the girls I’m with everyday. I am encouraged to be realizing these things.

I can only think back to a few times in my life where I felt so broken. This is the first time I’ve been in another country and felt a deep sorrow and brokenness for the people I am with. For the second day in a row, I spent most of the car ride home crying to myself out of brokenness. Brokenness for the girls. brokenness for myself. I can’t even explain it fully because there is such a jumble of thoughts flooding my head. All I know is that I love the mission God has given me more than I ever have before and that it cannot stop here. I cannot remain the same as I have been. I have seen too many things…felt too many things. God is using this place, this experience, and these people to change me.

Please continue to pray for VBS. It is going well through the craziness. I sincerely hope the girls will hear and understand the message of the Gospel and cling to it. Also pray for the health of our team—some team members have been feeling a bit under the weather. I am so incredibly thankful for what God is doing in and through the team. I know God is speaking and working! It’s almost mind boggling how the Holy Spirit can speak through other people or speak the same thing to more than one person!

I also ask that you pray for me personally—that God would continue to bring to light what is hidden and clarify what is in chaos within me.

God is good.

Humility & Glory

“I wondered why the good man dies, bad man thrives, and Jesus cries ‘cause He loves them both, we’re all castaways in need of rope…” – Josh Garrels

“Break my heart for what breaks Your’s, everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause, as I walk from earth into eternity.” – Hillsong

“No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me!” – Keith and Kristen Getty

Although my sleeping time was short lived last night, waking up was well worth it. My day began praying with several other members of my team. God really blessed our time together in prayer and reading His word. It was the best start of a day that I can think of.

Today we spent our time at the Home of Love both painting and leading the first day of VBS. Organizing and leading music for this VBS confirms in me again not only how much I love doing things like this, but also that I want to continue doing ministry for the rest of my life. I find so much joy in seeing girls catch on to motions to songs and sing.

Interestingly, as we were starting the VBS, rain clouds blew in for the first time since we’ve been here. As I was teaching “All Because of Jesus,” the rain started to fall and then the clouds let loose right as we were singing, “To [God] be the glory!” Then, later, when the rain was subsiding, we began to learn the song again and as we were singing “To [God] be the glory!”, the lights turned back on and the background music worked. I find it almost funny that there have been so many times when something like a powerful message was being preached, a big storm blew in our the power went out. I can’t help but think that the devil tries to hard to distract people from important things God has for them. But God is greater—and today was still a success, rain or not.

God has been speaking to me about two main things today—humility and glory. On a team with so many talented people, it could be so easy to try to outdo someone else to better ourselves in pride. God asks something different, however. He calls us to be humble. As for glory, God deserves all the glory in all that we do. We must live by the power that only He can give to glorify God to the extent we ought to.

You may have noticed that I posted several quotes at the beginning of this post. On the bus ride back from Home of Love today, I kept thinking about how disgusting sin is. There were several stories told earlier today along with the thought of what these girls may have gone through in their past that make me feel sick and heartbroken, which led to a lot of tears. These things that made me cry break God’s heart. He hates perversion and injustice. But wait—He also hates my sin. How crazy and incredible is it that, that God sent Jesus to die for my sins and for the sins of people who do things that should make us sick! 

Crazy Day

Oh, how I love the smiles of children. When they laugh, my heart melts. When they sing, I feel a special joy in my heart.

Today we visited the International Justice Mission (IJM) office of Chennai. We learned about the work they do here for bonded labor cases in particular. It’s crazy to think how many people are enslaved here today. Although the justice system is corrupt and broken, it’s encouraging to hear them talk about the successful cases when people are rescued and restored to a better life.

After IJM, we visited CMCT, a mission that facilitates many different ministries. First we saw many women making their own handy-crafts for fair wage. Next we saw their medical clinic that does not cheat people who need medical care. They have everything from dental and vision to pediatricians and an oncologist. There is also an orphanage in the building where at least 24 girls live in a small space. We also visited a school that those girls study, plus many other girls and boys.

 The rest of the afternoon was spent eating together, preparing for VBS, shopping at the craziest store of my life, and surprising Varun. I enjoyed playing a joke on the rest of my team when we were practicing our VBS songs. I told them I was going to add a new song. They didn’t catch that it was an iffy pop song until the part where it said “addicted” and the motion I told them to do was something having to do with drugs. Everyone seemed to not know what to think about it (or didn’t notice because they were thinking that they knew the song somehow). Then Zach spoke up and said, “I’m really not okay with doing this song! Is anyone else not okay with this?!” Then I revealed that it was a joke. I played it on a few other absent group members later and received similar but unique responses. It was fun.

The store we visited was the craziest of my life because it was so huge and there were so many people there at once! Stores like that are difficult for me because I like things to be organized and I also prefer stores to have less items to choose from. We surprised Varun with a cake because he has been working so hard and being so patient with us. Most of the team hid in one of our bathrooms while Zach told Varun that Gen was sick. As Varun approached the room, I started making puking noises in the bathroom. This was also incredibly fun—we were so giddy and excited about the surprise!

Tomorrow is the first day of VBS. There have been scheduling changes I’ve had to deal with, but it’s working out and I’m still really excited to begin! I love teaching kids new songs and being crazy! Please pray that it goes well—that the girls are attentive to God’s word and that they may learn more of Him through all we do.

Loving Enough.

Yesterday was both relaxing, refreshing, and difficult.

The first part of our day was spent at the sea port of Chennai and on a yacht, courtesy of Varun’s dad. Waiting for security clearance took a while, but in the end, the trip to sea was well worth it. We spent about an hour and a half of the yacht—smelling the sea, feeling the spray of the water and the grittiness of the salt, and soaking up the warm sunshine. Not only was the yacht ride amazing, but the fact that we actually got security clearance to go out of a foreign port was equally amazing.

After our morning at sea, we traveled to Home of Love for the afternoon. We played with the girls once they got out of school like usual. Today was different. It had been several days since we saw the girls and I was happy to see them again. I cannot say this enough—the girls are so precious. So beautiful. So special.

There were a number of times today when I wanted to cry at the Home. While playing duck-duck-goose with some of the younger girls, their huge smiles and sparkling eyes just tugged at my heart. As we played in the sandy play area, two of the littlest ones became upset. It was hard to tell if their tears were from fighting or the need for attention. Either way, the are desperately in need of attention. They are missing such important parent things. Who wipes the tears off their face and holds them when they cry? Who pushes them on the swings? Who reads them stories at night or tucks them in?

One of the most difficult things about this is the fact that these girls cannot be adopted because the Home does not have a license to do so. There are several girls I spend a lot of time with when I’m there and I desperately wish I were in a place to adopt them. I feel bad being that person who loves on them for a few weeks and then quickly fades out of their life. I want to love them more than I feel like I can.

This evening, after working with the team on VBS music at the YWCA, several of us took motorized rickshaws to an ice cream place nearby. The ride back was especially memorable with the driver blaring his American popular music! 

The Best and Worst of India.

At 6:30am Saturday morning, part of the team and I set out on a tourism adventure in a different part of Chennai. We met an Indian woman who was our “story-teller,” not our tour guide. She told stories about the different places we visited—a Hindu temple, a fort, and St. Thomas church.

The architecture in the buildings we visited was amazing and her stories really brought to light a lot of historic and religious beliefs present in India. I especially enjoyed the St. Thomas church because it is there that a bone believed to be of the apostle Thomas’ hand—the hand that touched Christ—is kept there. It was near Chennai that he was killed.

The rest of the day we went to a beach to work with the Invisible Girl project. Basically we did crafts and games with girls from a different orphanage all day. I personally helped at the friendship bracelet table the whole day. I sang with and talked to some really sweet girls.

After the girls left in their bus, we walked down a pathway to the actual beach. This excursion led to an exciting fact: I have now touched the water of 3 out of the 4 oceans. Arctic Ocean—here I come!

Our bus ride home was quite long. However, it passed quickly, due to all of the stories told during the ride. Trust me when I say the ride was very entertaining!

On a thoughtful note, I really love the girls I have been surrounded with this week, both at Home of Love and at the beach today. When I see them, I see creativity, uniqueness, hope, and an intense desire to be loved. It just doesn’t seem like enough for me to only love on them for two weeks.

This trip has been interesting in a sense because I feel like we are seeing the best and worst of India. We’ve seen the worst of India on the bad roads to the home. We’ve seen the worst in the conditions of the home. But we’ve also seen the best of India in the architecture from our tour. We’ve seen the best of India on the good roads in a different part of town. We’ve seen the best of India in hearing many people worship God at church this morning. We’ve seen the best of India in the beautiful girls at the orphanage.

Interesting and Insightful Quote from a child from the slums: “If you’re light you can fly. If you’re heavy you can’t.”

Are we truly free with everything we have that ties us down in our materialistic lives? Is it better to have so much stuff that we forget what makes life worth it?

India: Day 4

Today was a day of accomplishment, conversation, laughter, thoughtfulness, compassion, and heat.

In terms of accomplishment, the team finished most of the painting on the wall. There are still a few small sections that have not received their second coat of paint yet, but overall, the wall is almost complete.

The best kind of sweat—the only kind of sweat I can tolerate—is the kind of sweat one has when he or she is doing something that makes a difference and is for a special purpose. It’s not just sweat because you walked from the gym to your car. It’s not the sweat you get from laying in a tanning bed for 15 minutes. It’s not the kind of sweat that pours in a vehicle that is not air conditioned. This kind of sweat, for me, brings satisfaction and refreshment. I am satisfied to know that I do not have to impress anyone in my sweaty clothes and also to know that the sweat is for the pure benefit of someone else and the glory of God.

The heat today was crazy…or perhaps it was the humidity…or perhaps it was just the relentless sunshine that darkened all of our skin to either red or brown tones.

Conversations. The conversations today were priceless. So many topics. I love talking about goofy things, spiritual matters, life issues, relationship thoughts, and future dreams. These topics make up a lot of who people are and to have the privilege to talk about them with my team members is refreshing and encouraging. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I really couldn’t ask for a better team. We all get along, we all respect each other, and we all are here for the same mission.

I also enjoyed talking with some of the older girls at the orphanage today. I was talking to future teachers, doctors, and mothers. The girls told me about what they wanted to be when they grew up and those were the popular things. We also sang songs together that we both knew in English.

At one point today, I just stepped back and observed the girls. They were working on a video shoot for something and the rest of the team watched. After playing with them just a few days, their young hearts are so special to me. It’s heartbreaking to think where they’ve come from. It’s also scary to think what will happen to them. Apparently, from what I’ve heard, Home of Love is not an adoption orphanage. They want to raise the girls there and keep them in India. I think there is an important aspect to that—to educate the girls so they can give back to their country well. But these girls don’t have a mom to cuddle with or a dad to wrestle with. Who is teaching them important life lessons? How will they know how to deal with the real world outside of the orphanage?

They are all so special and unique. They are all so desperate for attention and affection. At one point, all of the other children were busy playing or dancing and I picked one little girl up. Then I asked her if she wanted to go and play or dance with the others. She said no. Then I asked her if she just wanted to stay with me and sit on my lap for a while. She said yes. I wish I could know that each of those kids could be cuddled with everyday. They are all so worthy of love. 

...of the Day

Word of the Day: Impervious

Revelation of the Day: God created eyebrows to collect the sweat from our foreheads so it doesn’t run into our eyes.

Song of the Day: Shewolf

Thought of the Day: How much will I listen to the Holy Spirit today? How much will I listen to my own thoughts alone? How much more will I do for the kingdom if I do more of the first?

Feelings of the Day: Sweat soaking my entire body. Mosquitoes biting my legs and feet.

Lynn: "Eww...look at the sweat mark from my body! I am not impervious to heat."

Stereotype of the Day: All Indian dogs are mangy.

Highlights of the Day: Zach singing. Everyone changing the lyrics to popular songs while painting. Laughing about dorm and couples stories on the way back from Home of Love on the bus. Katika (one of the young girls at the orphanage) running up to me for a hug when I first saw her today.

This is Katika. Can I adopt her? And de-lice her hair?

The girls wanting to take pictures of our backsides.

Conversations. Developing friendships with my team members.

Thoughts from Yesterday

Sounds of the day: The almost ever-present horn honking. Little girls laughing. “Akah!”

“No one is in a hurry…yet no one is patient.” – Anthony, in reference to driving in India

If I could describe driving in India with a few words, they would be: Bumpy, Stop-Start, Horn-Honking, Crazy, Trusting, Close, No Observation of Lanes, Stressful. There was a time today where we were afraid a big truck was going to crash into the window in our van because it was so close. The drivers here must be very trusting because they are constantly driving within inches of each other and mainly navigating their moves by honking their horn. I would never survive driving in India.

 These are some amazing murals on walls along the road

 This is how close people ride to each other on the road

This is one of the vans we travel to and from the orphanage in

11 hours of sleep is incredibly refreshing after many hours of travel.

This is where we are staying 

This is the view from my window

I love spicy Indian food. Even when I’m eating it with my fingers (which is a traditional Indian way to eat food). I also love Indian tea!

It’s crazy to think about how many girls in India are not given the right to live—just because they are girls. There are between 70-80 girls at the Home of Love. But how many more were not so fortunate?

Imagine sleeping here on a mat with 70-80 other girls 

It could be easy to focus on the bad in a place where dirt is everywhere, people lay along the street seemingly unnoticed, little girls sleep in a tiny room on mats, all dogs are mangy, and the air is humid and polluted? But there is a lot of hope. Just look around—look at the bright colors, the stars hanging in the tree outside, the laughter and joy of little girls, the generosity of even the lowest members of society, and little children who can barely speak, but yet know the English word “Chapel.”

This is part of the garden at the Home of Love 

 

This is where a worker at the Home of Love cooks food.

I loved playing with the girls at the orphanage today. I wish I could take so many of them home with me, especially the little ones. It’s hard to communicate with them because of the language barrier, especially the young girls, but when I play with them, we don’t need words—just smiles, laughter, hand motions, hand-holding, holding, and the simple actions of tag, sliding down sliding boards, playing with mangy puppies, and running. Children here, although of a darker skin tone, speaking a different language, and living in a poor living situation, are not so much different than other little children.

I am blessed to be here. I love the girls. I love my team. I cannot wait to see what God has in store throughout the next few weeks!

A very tiny mangy dog that may not have long to live, due to the rough handling of the girls.

Please be in prayer for our health. Pray that dehydration won’t be a problem and that the food will continue to set well with everyone. I will try to get some pictures of the girls tomorrow. For now, here are some amazing pictures by Ben Daron (one of our team members) on his blog: http://sendben.com/blog. He's also trying to update with pictures everyday.