"How did I become to so blessed to grow up in the country that I did? How is it that, what I can pack in 80 gallons worth of backpack space, is worth more than what these kids will ever see in their lifetime?” It feels just like yesterday, that I nodded in silent agreement, at loss for anything else, at my squad mate’s question. She voiced what we were all thinking. It was the same thoughts, questions and conversations with God, that I had each and every day as I walked passed the shanty village, to and from Grace Home; our sight of ministry for the month.
If I am being really
honest with you, India was the one month on the World Race that I was NOT
looking forward to. In fact, I will even
go as far and say that I was dreading each and every moment of it. Nonetheless, it is in India that I found
myself in October 2013.
Despite the fact that India
has become one of those months that I don’t find myself talking a whole lot
about, I am continuing to realize how perfectly timed it was that God placed it
into my life when He did. 3 years later
and the impact remains.
It is in India, where I ate
more rice and curry than I ever thought possible and it is in India that I TRULY
discovered my love for authentic chai tea regardless of the sweat pouring off
my face in the +40 degrees Celsius temperatures. It is in India, where I (we) aimlessly followed
our fearless (female) contacts through a literal wall of fire set ablaze across
the street (after having been yelled at in a foreign language, by locals on
motorbikes). It is in India, that teammates and I hopped on a Tuk Tuk and told
the driver to “take us on an adventure”, all for only 10 cents. It is in India,
that I learned that Larry the cucumber was right-not only does everyone WANT a
water buffalo…everyone HAS MULTIPLE water buffalos! It is in India, where team
mates and I unknowingly ‘crashed’ an Indian wedding. It is in India, where I discovered that “OFC”
was the next best thing to KFC- just don’t ask what the “O” stood for…and,
thanks to India, I can officially take “survive an international newsworthy typhoon”
OFF my bucket list. Ironically enough,
it is also because of my experience IN India, that led me to even consider the current
profession I am in (direct support worker with adults with
Intellectual/physical disabilities); I truly believe that my time in India, has
given me an unique understanding/perspective (and passion) for my job each and
every day.
More importantly; it was
in India, that I truly began to become aware of the spiritual world around
me. It is in India, where the Holy
Spirit began to make His presence known in my life. It is in India, where a squad-mate spoke a
bold Truth INTO my life; thus challenging me and giving me a different
perspective on who I was. It is in
India, where rooftop worship became one of my highlights of the entire 11
months and sleeping in my one person tent-took one a whole new meaning.
It is in India, that I fell
in love with the ‘lowest of the low’ on India’s Caste system; (special need) orphans
and widows and it is in India, that God showed me what it truly meant to give
up everything for Him through women younger than me, foster mom’s Hannah, Sarah,
and Jenny. Young women Natasha and Abby
also gave up their lives in North America, to serve Jesus in India. Shout out to all you ladies-thank you for
being an inspiration. In India; God furthered showed me my passion FOR those
with HIV/AIDS through Nora, a young girl with a world of opportunities before
her. India is where I met “Wendy”, a
young lady who suffered a stroke at a young age which lead to Cerebral palsy;
but it is her gorgeous smile, incredible strength and a bold uniqueness that God
has used to change my life. This Wendy also
happened to share the same name of my own auntie Wendy- another lady with a
story uniquely her own but who shares that same beautiful smile, incredible strength
and a bold uniqueness that God has also used numerous of times within my life. Through both of these ladies, God joined to
totally different worlds and used them both equally to begin to teach me the
power of (physical) healing power within Him.
I don’t know why God
allowed me to be born into the country that I have been. As I walked by the shanty villages, the
thought of ‘that so easily could have been me’ wasn’t too far out of my mind. Although India was FAR from being an ‘easy’
month on every level, what I experienced was NOTHING compared to what the
locals live through each and every day.
Truth is, I honestly don’t know if the young naked child who held my
hand every day on the walk to Grace Home, is still alive. I don’t know if her home consisting of scrap
metal, wood, cardboard and anything else random, withstood the latest downfall
of rain. I don’t know the last time she had
a bath in clean water, or even DRANK clean, non-toxic water. In North America; law suits would quickly be
set up and fancy lawyers would be pointing fingers at one another because of
human right violations…but for this little girl, and those like her around the
globe who I’ve had the true honour of walking with and holding, if even for a
moment, I can only pray. I can only pray to God above that, above all
else, He will hold them and never let go.
Believing that one day, God will rise them up and place them right next
to Him in the eternal realm of Glory.
After all, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children such as these.
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To learn more about organization I worked along side; click here
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